Adding key to TMW

[theox]

Hey I want to map the F1 key to my mic switch up slot (makes AI comms easier). Can I just make a new profile, set it, load, then play? I just want to make sure it doesn't interfere with the stock A10 stuff.

[MTFDarkEagle]

For that to happen you want to create a TARGET profile, in which you in turn have to remap everything again (i.e. all the keystrokes and axis).

 

So it's not so easy..

[cichlidfan]

I would think that you should be able to create a Target profile that maps only a single key and leaves the rest 'unprogrammed'. You can do that with a Saitek and Target is far and away more sophisticated.

 

Unfortunately, my first Target profile is this evening project so I can't say how to do it.

 

However, depending on what you are wanting to use F1 for, you might be able to map the stick directly to it. I am using the paddle switch for TIR center and I programmed that right in TIR.

 

EDIT: Rereading your post, it sounds like you just want MIC UP to be the F1 key. That is a little different. Since that function only exists when the Comm menus are active.

 

If I learn anything later tonight I will post.

Edited September 15, 2011 by cichlidfan

[cichlidfan]

OK. I have learned things...generally a scary concept.:D

 

I don't know everything but it seems that you can't just set a button to act unprogrammed and be done with it. So you will still have to create an entire profile for the throttle. I am pretty sure you can ignore the stick and just use it like normal.

 

The upside, albeit a small one, is that you can still leave everything programmed in game like it is now. Although, there is no unprogrammed function, you can tell each switch what DX code to send out. TM seems to like that capability on their controllers. So all your profile needs to do is assign the correct DX code to each control except for the one you want to use for F1.

 

The downside to this is that TMs docs did not do a complete job of listing the DX numbers for each, they have most of the head but none of the base. You can get the information from the control panel applet where you test the joystick. The number in the applet is the DX code for that switch.

 

A bit of a PITA but you will only have to do it once and with the list in hand it will actually go quite fast. I may make a profle like that just to have as a base for building other profiles from. I want to get the full DX list correct anyway. It would be very handy once it is made (and backed up).

 

Sorry I did not come up with a simple answer.

 

BTW, even at the basic level, there are three levels, of profile building the Target software is pretty damn nice.

 

EDIT: I was mistaken about the control panel providing the correct DX numbers it does not. I will have to see if it is buried somewhere in there or if I have a tool that will report them. Of course, you could also get them from the games control config screen as well, at least I believe those are the actual DX codes. Two or three screen shots and you have your list.

Edited September 16, 2011 by cichlidfan

[ivanwfr]

Hi, I did this exact same trip a while ago and reported my findings here:

• TARGET - Advanced programming

 

And here is solution for a comprehensive DX + KB-shortcuts TARGET working base in the attached bundle:

• PNP_ivanwfr_110818.zip

 

There are two ways to deal with TARGET:

1. The first is through the learning curve (my way with programmer.background=1)
   
2. The second would be to try to understand what you can and ask for explanations about what does not make sense (programmer.background~=0)
   

 

(In fact, there is a third one that would be not to read anything from the manual and those .tm* files and just ask but I would not recommend it as it may piss off some people along the way)

[cichlidfan]

It is a shame that TM put out this excellent product but ended up with pretty much of a fail where documentation is concerned.

[MTFDarkEagle]

What documentation do you not have/understand?

[cichlidfan]

I have all the docs it is just that they gloss over so many areas. One sentence where a paragraph would be better.

 

Button diagrams with only half the DX codes present and even the Target names for the buttons are not all correct.

 

At this point, had the thing for 48 hours, I understand what I am looking at but if you want to do anything beyond the basics you had better not plan on finding everything you need to know in the 62 page manual.

[ivanwfr]

The only one I know of is TARGET_SCRIPT_EDITOR_basics.pdf ... but the ones you need most next to this one are any .tm* files that works with some explaining for what is not looking like copy / paste from the manual.

 

DX-Input and Keyboard shortcuts are all still looking for some documentation in order to be usable by normal people. My point is that both ED and TM are to blame for having skipped the integration part. DCS keyboard shortcuts and TMW HOTAS technical design are perfectly specified to work as a KB+DX-Input bundle. The only thing that's missing is the Plug And Play mapping I've attached in my previous post. I think of it as the complement to an unfinished business, not more not less!

 

I have invested, by personal taste, a pretty large amount of my time to experiment with this script language. This is why I can tell that if you also intend to spend time on the subject, you'd better understand what you're doing. Because, if you skip the learning period, you will end up looking for things that do not work as expected for hours.

 

I would be glad to answer any question, as it would put all that I've learned to good use.

[cichlidfan]

Thanks Ivan.

 

I am not sure yet how far into Target I will be getting. As I said, it has only been a short while since I received the Warthog.

 

I can, however, asure you that if I have any questions you will be the first person I contact. I took note of, not digested, your initial posts on Target and have not forgotten about them. I have also collected your attachments and will attempt to make use of them as I progress.

 

Since you bring it up though, not really a Target question. It seems that when Target starts a profile and grabs the controllers that it kills the Logitech keyboard profiling software for my G510 keyboard. This makes sense in a way since it probably steals the connection that the software had to the keyboard.

 

I have not tried it yet but I have a G13 that has no default keyboard function and I am wondering if it will function in tandem with the Target software. I don't have a specific goal in mind, just curiousity at this point.

 

BTW, my programming experience is limited and very old and rusty.

[ivanwfr]

The only action I could see having some effective results when something goes wrong with my G27 at times has been selecting it as "Game Controllers-> Advanced...->Preferred device".

 

Still, sometimes a dialog pops up telling me that Logitech is sorry for the inconvenience and asks me if it's ok to send a dump of something to them about an issue that crashed my Logitech Profiler (LWEMon.exe) ... And yes, it's related to TARGET hijacking of 2 USB devices replaced with a Virtual one when I spam F5 to reload some modified script ... But this does not happen very often! And as my kb is an MS Ergo, it's all I can contribute on this one.

 

I've always appreciated what Logitech has to offer (at a price!) and own way too much of their stuff. But it looks like they are as bad at driver/software as they are good at hardware design. I'm at a point where I expect anything to happen to my LOGI hardware when something moves near my desk.

 

[edit]As USB device<->driver are registered with their respective entry-number, you could try to shuffle connectors and see if some combination may work better.

* When you plug some device in one of your USB connector, Windows assigns a default driver to that entry (MS "optimization" policy I presume ;) )

Edited September 16, 2011 by ivanwfr

[cichlidfan]

Ivan,

Just an FYI, I tried moving the USB devices around and the Logitech crash still occurred...once!

 

Since then I have not been able to get it to happen again. I am not sure what was up but now everything gets along just fine, for the moment.

[ivanwfr]

Ok, good to know that this could be the norm with LOGI in the loop then. Kind of low profile issue we have to feel lucky with as it could be worse. These are times when the TM HOTAS looks even more alien on my desk.

[cichlidfan]

It finally happend again but the frequency is maybe 5 percent, at a guess. The runtime error is coming from LCORE.EXE. I can definately not come up with anything unique about the times when it happens. At this point it qualifies as an annoyance. I am running the latest from both TM and Logi for what it's worth.

 

I have also been digging into Target and I can see where I prefer writing script over using the GUI for anything beyond basic button assignments. It is easier for me to see the whole picture since I can just scan back through the code to see what I was done in another area. Tlhe GUI can be a pain to use in some ways. You can't alter the button assignment for the SetShiftButton function in the GUI. At least, I did not see how. Two seconds in the editor and it's changed.

 

I grew up in the land of DEC VAX and Unix, I don't mind typing. GUIs are for people that don't know how to use a command line.:D

 

I will definately be using the scripting for a few things, other sims mostly. One in particular has timing issues with combination keystrokes and I will be able to get around that quite nicely.

[ivanwfr]

My Event Viewer is full of Logitech explosions, and I don't care anymore ;)

 

TARGET GUI is a nice tool as long as you don't reach one of its boundaries and, unlike with other manufacturers configurator, when you do, you have a way out!

 

The script way is not an easy one but it will get you to a point where you feel in control with more answers than questions. And this is not something to be neglected in computerland where most people believe bugs are like flees in Africa and the only thing you can do about it is to keep your mouth shut and breathe by the nose.

 

The only thing I can't get working correctly with TARGET at the moment is about interacting with games that have stubborn joystick-Windows input bindings with no USB/DX-Input/default device in their controls customization. In those situations however, the script gives the opportunity to bind any keyboard event to all our buttons.

 

I still have to solve poor or nonexistent axis mapping like built-in DCS Invert or Slider-offset. But I know that TARGET has all the necessary features to handle the situation ... at the price of some hard work, again.

[CubPilot]

Map HOTAS Warthog buttons w/o using TARGET!

 

Hey I want to map the F1 key to my mic switch up slot (makes AI comms easier). Can I just make a new profile, set it, load, then play? I just want to make sure it doesn't interfere with the stock A10 stuff.

 

I have the UP Mic Switch mapped to turn on AI Comms menu without re-doing the DCS A-10C "plug & play" TM Warthog functionality with TARGET programming.

 

I used AutoHotKey to accomplish this. I did the IA Comms button & Centering Track IR using this method. Also I use VAC (Voice Activated Control). If you remember Game Commander it is very similar, but is being updated, unlike GC which is not.

 

I will make a new post about this (& link to it) later tonight, dinner calls.

 

 

 

:pilotfly: