TM warthog hotas + TM Cougar MFD + T.A.R.G.E.T. - qquestion about DX buttons

[hreich]

I recently purchased MFD cougar and i would like to program buttons on it using TARGET software

I was wondering if i setup my Warthog HOTAS and COUGAR MFD - with target software and use it like combined joystick...are the 128 DX buttons shared across my stick, throttle and L and R MFD?

If i then bound DX1 button  - on one physical button on warthog stick and one button on my mfds - is it then the same button across all my devices,, or each device has it's own dx1 button?   Hope that my question makes sense?

[GPatricks]

1 hour ago, hreich said:

I recently purchased MFD cougar and i would like to program buttons on it using TARGET software

I was wondering if i setup my Warthog HOTAS and COUGAR MFD - with target software and use it like combined joystick...are the 128 DX buttons shared across my stick, throttle and L and R MFD?

If i then bound DX1 button  - on one physical button on warthog stick and one button on my mfds - is it then the same button across all my devices,, or each device has it's own dx1 button?   Hope that my question makes sense?

Each Device has it's own range of DX buttons. MFD1 has 1-32, MFD2 has 1-32, ICP has 1-32, HOTAS Stick has 1-32, HOTAS Throttle has 1-32. The HOTAS Throttle has the ability to send a DX press for almost EVERY switch position (DX1-128) if you want it to, if you run a DX128 profile to go beyond the 32 button limit it comes with. In DCS you can use the modifiers to achieve close to the same thing, but I use a DX128 profile that loads automatically on startup. 

[Lange_666]

@hreich: just give it a go with a small script which includes both stick and throttle and MFD's. You'll find out directly how it behaves.

@GPatricks: Each device has his own range of buttons but only in a non-combined way (when running a script it's always combined). However, there's no need anymore to use a hacked target.tmh file to get 120 DX buttons across the combined setup, the latest T.A.R.G.E.T. version (3.0.24.618.rev1) has this included standard now.

[GPatricks]

47 minutes ago, Lange_666 said:

: Each device has his own range of buttons but only in a non-combined way (when running a script it's always combined). However, there's no need anymore to use a hacked target.tmh file to get 120 DX buttons across the combined setup, the latest T.A.R.G.E.T. version (3.0.24.618.rev1) has this included standard now.

Really? News to me, thanks, i'll have to take a look at it. The profile I run just effects the throttle as it can use to ~DX45, but not running anything extra would be better (other than what it will mean to my Keybindings in all my games). Running 3.0.23.2003 now..

Edit :Just installed 3.0.24.618.rev1 and I don't see how to get more than 32 DX buttons to work in the Warthog Throttle, please point me to how this is done..

 

Edited February 12 by GPatricks

[Lange_666]

I guess we talk a bit along each other.
What do you mean by running a profile?
You only talk about the throttle, what about the stick?

When you run a script with the latest target version, you can define up to 120 DX buttons, spread over your combined setup.
When the script runs, in DCS you can then set 120 DX buttons in the control section (+ 8 POV's which makes up 128).

 

When not running a script (you have throttle and stick separated), 45 DX is the max for each device.

Edited February 12 by Lange_666

[GPatricks]

54 minutes ago, Lange_666 said:

I guess we talk a bit along each other.
What do you mean by running a profile?
You only talk about the throttle, what about the stick?

When you run a script with the latest target version, you can define up to 120 DX buttons, spread over your combined setup.
When the script runs, in DCS you can then set 120 DX buttons in the control section (+ 8 POV's which makes up 128).

 

When not running a script (you have throttle and stick separated), 45 DX is the max for each device.

I am talking about running a Target profile/script that (in all games (not just DCS) that can see above DX32) assigns a DX press to all switch positions on my Warthog Throttle. The stick only has -32 DX presses available, no need to touch it. Without the script running, I do not see a way to increase the actual DX output of the throttle without a TARGET script running. And now this upgrade has broken my existing DX128 script (Line 883 error), so need to try and figure that out.. 

And it was YOU that actually solved the execution error on "Line 883" a couple years back in this thread! 

 

Edited February 12 by GPatricks

[Lange_666]

Have you tried replacing the defines.tmh as stated in the thread?

[_Hoss]

In TARGET, you have two options: SCRIPT or GUI programming, both of which will combine your controllers into one device. SCRIPT is nothing but programmed dx presses (joy1_button 5). GUI programming is keyboard emulation (Shift + X). I no longer use TARGET because of my mix of controllers, WW, TM, BH, and privately developed devices. I have a TM AVA base, F/A-18, F-16 sticks, Viper Panel, and TPR pedals. A WW PTO2, and Super Taurus throttle. A BlackHog A button box, and On your 12 Master Arm panel, K51 trim box, an FFGG AH-64 keyboard.

When all I had was TMWH and Crosswinds, I loved using TARGET GUI in IL2 and SCRIPT in DCS. However, I like to keep as few background applications running as possible, so I stopped using TARGET when my hodgepodge of controllers became challenging to manage. I played with Joy2Key for a bit because it saw all the controllers, but its interface made it difficult to understand which one I was actually looking at. So I migrated to RSMapper, which was a godsend for me because Joystick Gremlin uses vJoy and Hid-hide, another two applications running in the background. With RSMapper, I can see all the controllers by name and do as much with it as with TARGET SCRIPT and GUI. Single key press, single press on release, TEMPO long presses, and Sequence macros

But if you only want to see one controller in your game keymapping screen, then by all means, use Joystick Gremlin, vjoy, and HIDHIDE.

I still have TARGET and SimAppPro installed on my system for new driver and firmware updates, but they are not running any programs or scripts. I still use TARGETS Event Tester to see if my programming is putting out the keystrokes I have programmed; you won't see dx presses on it. I use dx (joy3_button2) direct programming in-game for the easy stuff, but I like RSMapper macros for use on buttons and momentary switches or commands when a non-momentary switch is released, on/OFF.

Edited February 12 by _Hoss

[hreich]

Ok i tried using T.A.R.G.E.T.  but what i got is that - DX1 button for example is used as warthog Trigger button, and that same DX1 is assigned as my LEFT and RIGHT MFD Cougar button OSB1...I thought that every device has each own dx1 button, but when using combined profile DX1 is shared across all devices...or am not having good profile setup...

 

 

[GPatricks]

11 minutes ago, hreich said:

Ok i tried using T.A.R.G.E.T.  but what i got is that - DX1 button for example is used as warthog Trigger button, and that same DX1 is assigned as my LEFT and RIGHT MFD Cougar button OSB1...I thought that every device has each own dx1 button, but when using combined profile DX1 is shared across all devices...or am not having good profile setup...

 

 

Unless you have a specific need to have less # of controllers listed there is no reason to use TARGET at all (especially in DCS), just program it normally in-game controls settings. Each of the devices you have: TM MFD frames, TM Warthog Joystick, TM Warthog Throttle, etc. have their own set of 32 DX button presses. As @Lange_666 showed above, you can use the "Off" modifiers to show that a switch is turned off on the throttle (where no DX# is assigned). BMS has a "Release" function modified in it's Alt-Launcher key bindings section that does a similar thing. Now if you have other sims that accept up to DX120 you can use TARGET to program your TM Throttle to send a DX press for ALL switch positions. It still remains a separate "Device", and you don't have to use the "OFF" (or Release in BMS) modifier to use a switch position. In the pic attached you can see my throttle column, and the DX assignments above DX32 assigned. Hope this helps.. 

null

[Lange_666]

6 hours ago, GPatricks said:

Unless you have a specific need to have less # of controllers listed there is no reason to use TARGET at all (especially in DCS), just program it normally in-game controls settings.

But then you're stuck with what DCS offers. Just ON/OFF.
With the script you can add timers, delay's, sequences, chains, use flags to see in what state some buttons/switches are, change axis curves with the flip of a switch (I use that when refueling for some aircraft, the DCS F-16 does that too when opening the refuel door) etc...  That can't be done from within the DCS controller setup.

@hreich: Once you use the combined profile (when running a script) you only have 1 DX1 across "all" devices.
Example: If your MFD_1 has 20 buttons and you want to use all of them you can set it up so MFD_1_Buttons_1 = DX1 and MFD_1_Buttons_20 = DX20 and then your MFD_2 will need to use DX21 to DX40 otherwise you have double functions.
But you don't need to use a DX button everywhere. DX buttons are interesting because you can combine more than one and they can be activated "at the same time". For example, you can press 2 buttons together on your joystick with each their own DX button assigned and those commands will be carried out together, simultaneously.
If you assign a keyboard command to each of those buttons, they will not be carried out together because you can not have your keyboard put out more than one character at the same time. To gain on DX buttons you can assign a keyboard command to those buttons from which you know they can act as stand alone. The DX button you don't use on that button you can then use elsewhere. I use a combo of both.
 

Edited February 17 by Lange_666

[hreich]

11 minutes ago, Lange_666 said:

But then you're stuck with what DCS offers. Just ON/OFF.
With the script you can add timers, delay's, sequences, chains, use flags to see in what state some buttons/switches are, change axis curves with the flip of a switch (I use that when refueling for some aircraft, the DCS F-16 does that too when opening the refuel door) etc...  That can't be done from within the DCS controller setup.

@hreich: Once you use the combined profile (when running a script) you only have 1 DX1 across "all" devices.
Example: If your MFD_1 has 20 buttons and you want to use all of them you can set it up so MFD_1_Buttons_1 = DX1 and MFD_1_Buttons_20 = DX20 and then your MFD_2 will need to use DX21 to DX40 otherwise you have double functions.
But you don't need to use a DX button everywhere. DX buttons are interesting because you can combine more than one and they can be activated "at the same time". For example, you can press 2 buttons together on your joystick with each their own DX button assigned and those commands will be carried out together, simultaneously.
If you assign a keyboard command to each of those buttons, they will not be carried out together because you can not have your keyboard put out more than one character at the same time. To gain on DX buttons you can assign a keyboard command to those buttons from which you know they can act as stand alone. The DX button you don't use on that button you can then use elsewhere. I use a combo of both.
 

Thanks now everythging is clearer!!  I'll see which approach i will use...If i program keys on MFD OSB buttons in TARGET Script,  I know i need to add them inside DCS (also program each MFD button)--that is almost double the work i have to do!! Maybe ill use RS mapper to program secondary functions on MFD Buttons

[GPatricks]

2 hours ago, Lange_666 said:

But then you're stuck with what DCS offers. Just ON/OFF.
With the script you can add timers, delay's, sequences, chains, use flags to see in what state some buttons/switches are, change axis curves with the flip of a switch (I use that when refueling for some aircraft, the DCS F-16 does that too when opening the refuel door) etc...  That can't be done from within the DCS controller setup.

 

I can barely remember what button does what function, let alone have 100 choices for each device! 

Edited February 17 by GPatricks