Multi aircraft on single switch box?

[invisi-wall2]

Hi, 

As much as I love building a simpit for a single aircraft type, I do fly other DCS fixed and rotary aircraft and would like to use my switches for the different aircraft.

One way I can think of is each time I want to fly another aircraft is to get out of DCS, loading up different Arduino sketches to the switch box depending on what I am flying and restarting DCS.

The only other way I know would be a clumsy if-then-else statement for each switch.

Is there a way of programming a switch or rotary encoder to set the aircraft type and have some way of Arduino/DSC BIOS know which code to use?

Any ideas, forums, youtube or examples out there?

[Rapti]

The simplest approach would be to dispense with Arduinos and DCS BIOS and control everything with Leo Bodnar boards.
These behave like game controller boards. The outputs can be assigned directly in DCS under Controls.

The disadvantage is that they are only outputs and not LEDs, displays, or servo controls.
For most people, however, a simple button box is sufficient.

Another option would be the hardware from jahelisimulator
https://www.jahelisimulator.com/shop/product-category/simulator-electronics/ioboard/
Here, different profiles can be created for different aircraft types.

 

[Hempstead]

Why don't you build multiple "switch boxes" and just switch the switch box?

 

[Scott-S6]

If it's just a switch box then as rapti says a simple usb game controller board removes this problem entirely. Or, look at solutions like the streamdeck where it's trivial to reconfigure all the buttons (and their labels) on the fly.

Also, don't IF THEN ELSE this, this is what CASE statements are for. Somewhere a code tester gets a kidney stone every time you nest IF statements 

12 hours ago, Hempstead said:

Why don't you build multiple "switch boxes" and just switch the switch box?

 

He said that switching the sketch on his Arduino was more work than he wanted to swap between aircraft, changing the whole switch box is going to have the same issue 

Edited yesterday at 07:28 AM by Scott-S6

[Hempstead]

9 hours ago, Scott-S6 said:

 

He said that switching the sketch on his Arduino was more work than he wanted to swap between aircraft, changing the whole switch box is going to have the same issue 

The whole point is that by declaring the pre-condition of one switch box, you have to turn to a hackish solution, like every time you want to play different game, you have to re-flash your controller board, and bring headache.  Why in the hell do you do that to yourself? Consider stepping back, and re-evaluate your "pre-conditions" and "assumptions" and you might just find the solution space suddenly broaden. Then, you can evaluate whether the gained new solutions is worth giving up the pre-conditions, or keeping them.

 

For instance, what about one switch box per one controller, and each for different aircraft. Then, you never have to re-flash them ever. You just plug in different switch box and you are good to go. It's not like one switch box is ever going to ever there is. You are going to want more, if that one switch box works well. Might as well release yourself from the mental confine from the start.

 

 

[invisi-wall2]

On 10/14/2025 at 6:28 PM, Rapti said:

The simplest approach would be to dispense with Arduinos and DCS BIOS and control everything with Leo Bodnar boards.
These behave like game controller boards. The outputs can be assigned directly in DCS under Controls.

The disadvantage is that they are only outputs and not LEDs, displays, or servo controls.
For most people, however, a simple button box is sufficient.

Another option would be the hardware from jahelisimulator
https://www.jahelisimulator.com/shop/product-category/simulator-electronics/ioboard/
Here, different profiles can be created for different aircraft types.

 

cheers for the tip...