Saving Keybinds

[sgt_lobo]

I'm hoping for some assistance.  How do I take all of the key-binding for the various aircraft I own and save them somewhere as a backup?  I've spent so much time, often frustrating, creating them and if I loose them, I'll likely break from playing.  

Also, I'll be using a second system with a different HOTAS setup.  When I sign onto the game on that system, will it recognize the bindings on my other computer (saved online??)?  I will want to create new ones for the other HOTAS, but not destroy my current ones (assuming it pulls them from my online profile, which of course it might not??).

Thanks for any assistance. 

[Tom Kazansky]

Hi,

there is no cloud saving for config or settings in DCS.

I prefer to save the INPUT directory, but this thread might give more clues:

 

[Lange_666]

1 hour ago, sgt_lobo said:

Also, I'll be using a second system with a different HOTAS setup.  When I sign onto the game on that system, will it recognize the bindings on my other computer.

Yes, since they are not stored online but as a diff.lua file (as in different from DCS default) in your Saved Games DCS Input folder.

The only time it would not be recognized is when you would do a full re-install of Windows because Windows will then re-assign a new controller ID number to your controllers.
Since your backup uses the old ID numbers, the only way to get it working again is to replace your old controller ID's with the newly created ones.

Example of these ID numbers (between the {} )
 

Edited August 8, 2024 by Lange_666

[Tom Kazansky]

26 minutes ago, Lange_666 said:

The only time it would not be recognized is when you would do a full re-install of Windows because Windows will then re-assign a new controller ID number to your controllers.

not too long ago, I had a change of USB ID after a simple firmware update of my controlers. Not every firmware update did this though.

 

[speed-of-heat]

Joypro, enables you to do this

https://github.com/Holdi601/JoystickProfiler

[SharpeXB]

A Windows reinstall will change your device ID numbers but this is very easy to fix. Just find your new device IDs by pressing a controller button in any module and then copy paste that onto you old diff.lua files. 

[sthompson]

3 hours ago, SharpeXB said:

A Windows reinstall will change your device ID numbers but this is very easy to fix. Just find your new device IDs by pressing a controller button in any module and then copy paste that onto you old diff.lua files. 

If you use modifiers then you might also need to edit the modifiers.lua file since the device ID's appear there as well.

[1BRAVO9]

12 hours ago, sgt_lobo said:

I'm hoping for some assistance.  How do I take all of the key-binding for the various aircraft I own and save them somewhere as a backup?  I've spent so much time, often frustrating, creating them and if I loose them, I'll likely break from playing.  

Also, I'll be using a second system with a different HOTAS setup.  When I sign onto the game on that system, will it recognize the bindings on my other computer (saved online??)?  I will want to create new ones for the other HOTAS, but not destroy my current ones (assuming it pulls them from my online profile, which of course it might not??).

Thanks for any assistance. 

 

If you are talking about your actual DCS key bind mappings its pretty easy.

Go to the controls menu and across the top you will see:

 

Make sure you highlight the control you want to save by pressing one of these:

Once you have highlighted the control you want to save, press "save profile as" shown in the first pic.

Then the save as will come up and the file will appear as a .diff.lua file.

 

At that point just save it to your C Drive wherever it is easy for you to find:

 

After that you should be good to go.

 

I hope this helps!

 

***IMPORTANT*** Just remember you have to save one for each control for each model. So if you have a stick and throttle you have to save two files for every model.

Edited August 8, 2024 by 1BRAVO9

[Tom Kazansky]

26 minutes ago, 1BRAVO9 said:

 

If you are talking about your actual DCS key bind mappings its pretty easy.

Go to the controls menu and across the top you will see:

 

Make sure you highlight the control you want to save by pressing one of these:

Once you have highlighted the control you want to save, press "save profile as" shown in the first pic.

Then the save as will come up and the file will appear as a .diff.lua file.

 

At that point just save it to your C Drive wherever it is easy for you to find:

 

After that you should be good to go.

 

I hope this helps!

 

***IMPORTANT*** Just remember you have to save one for each control for each model. So if you have a stick and throttle you have to save two files for every model.

 

This is correct but does not take care of the modifiers in case you created modifiers.

If you don't want to fiddle with the modifier lua's, you can always simply create the same modifiers again in the game in case you have to restore lost bindings or ID's.

[1BRAVO9]

8 minutes ago, Tom Kazansky said:

This is correct but does not take care of the modifiers in case you created modifiers.

If you don't want to fiddle with the modifier lua's, you can always simply create the same modifiers again in the game in case you have to restore lost bindings or ID's.

 

Yeah I don't think recreating your modifiers is that much of a heavy lift. As long as you can easily create you overall mapping, adding a modifier here and there is no issue.

For me anyway.

Edited August 8, 2024 by 1BRAVO9

[Tom Kazansky]

45 minutes ago, 1BRAVO9 said:

 

Yeah I don't think recreating your modifiers is that much of a heavy lift. As long as you can easily create you overall mapping, adding a modifier here and there is no issue.

For me anyway.

 

100% agreed. I just wanted to deliver an explanation in case somebody restores only the keybindings and is confused by the fact that all buttons that use a modifier don't appear in the bindings and don't work.

[speed-of-heat]

Again, all of this done by Joypro...

[1BRAVO9]

58 minutes ago, speed-of-heat said:

Again, all of this done by Joypro...

Understood.

You seem to be a fan of Joypro, what about Joypro is the dealmaker for you?

I've used Joystick Gremlin before but not Joypro.

[speed-of-heat]

I have never used gremlin, so I can't compare and contrast.  But to me it actually answers the op's problems and fixes the joystick move under windows issue, without having to manually edit files...I can also change joysticks with similar ease... As well as taking the mappings from existing aircraft and mapping them to others mea ING I can save hours of work in setting up new aircraft etc...

It's not perfect...but it does answer those questions 

[freehand]

24 minutes ago, speed-of-heat said:

I have never used gremlin, so I can't compare and contrast.  But to me it actually answers the op's problems and fixes the joystick move under windows issue, without having to manually edit files...I can also change joysticks with similar ease... As well as taking the mappings from existing aircraft and mapping them to others mea ING I can save hours of work in setting up new aircraft etc...

It's not perfect...but it does answer those questions 

I never thought of using such a util nice will give it a go.

Edited August 8, 2024 by freehand

[GrEaSeLiTeNiN]

19 hours ago, sgt_lobo said:

I'm hoping for some assistance.  How do I take all of the key-binding for the various aircraft I own and save them somewhere as a backup?  I've spent so much time, often frustrating, creating them and if I loose them, I'll likely break from playing.  

Also, I'll be using a second system with a different HOTAS setup.  When I sign onto the game on that system, will it recognize the bindings on my other computer (saved online??)?  I will want to create new ones for the other HOTAS, but not destroy my current ones (assuming it pulls them from my online profile, which of course it might not??).

Thanks for any assistance. 

They are all in    C:\Users\User\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Config\Input    including the modifiers.lua 

You can make a backup copy of the Input folder. But I'm not sure a copy and paste into a new PC or new DCS install will work. You might need to reload them at the Controls setup for each module. Yeah it can be a hassle. But at least they are not lost in that sense. 

One QOL ED could have worked on (instead of less important things like the launcher) is the ability to save our profiles online into our ED account for syncing. My entire Input folder is only 583KB and I have quite a lot of modules.   

[1BRAVO9]

3 hours ago, speed-of-heat said:

I have never used gremlin, so I can't compare and contrast.  But to me it actually answers the op's problems and fixes the joystick move under windows issue, without having to manually edit files...I can also change joysticks with similar ease... As well as taking the mappings from existing aircraft and mapping them to others mea ING I can save hours of work in setting up new aircraft etc...

It's not perfect...but it does answer those questions 

Thanks, I'll watch some videos of it over the weekend and probably download it.

[Tom Kazansky]

4 hours ago, GrEaSeLiTeNiN said:

You can make a backup copy of the Input folder. But I'm not sure a copy and paste into a new PC or new DCS install will work.

A simple copy and paste does not work without the renaming of the files with the new USB ID and adjusting the modifiers lua's,  as explained above.

(Never used any tools for that, but they could be very useful I assume)

[Toastfrenzy]

I'm still very upset about the time and effort I have to put in to keybinds to use DCS, so much so I've not even fired it up after the latest update. As I don't want to have to face replaying all my saved configs for each of the modules I have.

Maybe they are all there, waiting for me, but I seriously doubt it.

The only sure fire way I have found to re introduce all my many keybinds is to copy the;

C:\Users\*****\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Config\ folder ( to another location) after any config changes and then when I use a module (after an update) and then finding no key binds is to individually import each of the three saves, 1 each for pedal, stick and throttle.

 

I found Joypro a bit hit and miss at times - sometimes it will add some but not all keybinds. Then I don't know until I fire up and press a button and get no response.

I did reach out out to DCS back in March and got this response.

 

"the best option is to make a backup of your input folder in saved games, you can then import them when needed. 

Often controller ID changes are created by windows updates, had it happen to me recently also. I know it can be frustrating when it happens, having to reassign manual is a pain, sometimes you can still import the profiles but not always. I suppose I have just got used to it over the years and reassigning is a 10 minute process. 

We do have plans for a controls wizard in the future that should help with this process over many aircraft, we will share news when it is ready. "

 

 

I'm not sure if I should quote the DM, but I'm that frustrated with the whole keybind thing that I guess I don't even care anymore.

 

 

Edited August 9, 2024 by Toastfrenzy

[Herk]

Save Input and Logbook.lua files periodically. Input is under Saved Games/DCS/Config. Logbook.lua is in the Mission Editor folder. Save them elsewhere in your PC.

[Slippa]

This is a PITA, re-applying bindings doesn’t take me five or ten minutes either. Not to do them all.

After updating I had to go messing around again resetting throttle and collective bindings. They were awkward to do as well meaning after every fix I had to reload DCS between each one.

When I first got DCS and didn’t know my way around the UI I kept buggering up my inputs and didn’t have a clue. Now I know where to go because I’ve had to do it countless times. Not something you’d expect to have any trouble with. It isn’t helped by the fact that when you do go setting them they use different names or descriptions for the bindings. You could have something called ‘undercarriage’ but the input’s listed as ‘gear’ or vice-versa. 

Toast, go and have a fly. Bind one at a time if it’s a pain but go and have a fly about, enjoy it. 

[SharpeXB]

Converting your settings to a new device ID is very easy. Just generate a new .lua file with the new device ID by pressing a button on the controller.
Then using Explorer just copy and paste those new file names with the ID onto your old files. If you use modifiers open the modifiers.lua and paste in the new ID there. Doing this for all your modules takes only a few minutes.

The save/load profile feature can also copy a profile from one aircraft to another provided those assignments are universal. For example rudder pedals with that axis and toe brakes. Any of the general aircraft commands and axes will work this way. 

[GrEaSeLiTeNiN]

Most modules do not have their key binds messed up after an update. So far for me, I think the Gazelle had the most key bind losses. Don’t overthink it. It’s not that bad unless you are changing PCs or setting up a new hotas. I have a hotas mapping diagram made in MS Word for every module I set up. So I can refer to the layout if I need to remap some missing bindings or if I need to refresh my memory between flying the many different modules. I don’t recheck the bindings for every module I own after an update. I just fly the module I want and if something doesn’t work I check and rebind.