How to set up toggle switches (a tutorial)

vortexringstate · May 29, 2018

As usual- Thanks Fellas!

An Interesting discovery.... My Directory structure is not standard due to the migration of the old DCS alpha and beta to the new 2.5 (I ran out of drive space ).

When I installed the new DCS World 2.5, it went into the existing -default- Eagle Dynamics folder ie:

C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World

When I later installed 2.5 open beta into another drive (D:\DCS World OpenBeta), a 2nd DCS World folder appeared in the same drive (D:\DCS World)

In the past few days I have been working on my Toggle and Sw bindings using the 'default.lua' (with help form this forum!) but it has been complicated by me trying to change the default location .lua (C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\Mods\aircraft\AV8BNA\Input\AV8BNA\joystick), when in fact it only worked when I used the other location. (D:\DCS World\Mods\aircraft\AV8BNA\Input\AV8BNA\joystick).

Not at all what I expected and quite a frustrating exercise trying to figure out why none of my new switchings showed up in 2.5._

tribundf · June 2, 2018

Has anybody messed with the F18 lua yet? I haven’t had much time to play around but first look at the F18 default.lua etc., everything looks a tad different than in the Harrier, or other modules.

Has someone successfully added a toggle switch for the various switches in the Horbet? Gear, master arm, etc.?

LeCuvier · June 2, 2018

Has anybody messed with the F18 lua yet? I haven’t had much time to play around but first look at the F18 default.lua etc., everything looks a tad different than in the Harrier, or other modules.

Has someone successfully added a toggle switch for the various switches in the Horbet? Gear, master arm, etc.?

Just started familiarization. default .lua looks great, much better than early access versions of Viggen, or Harrier. They have a new category "Special for Joystick" which provides a lot of good command options. For example the commands 'FLAP Switch - AUTO/HALF' and 'FLAP Switch - FULL/HALF' which work with the 3-position flap switch on the WH throttle. Also, CW/CCW commands for rotary switches, really a good job!

My first addition is this line for the Master Arm switch:

{down = SMS_commands.MasterArmSw, up = SMS_commands.MasterArmSw, cockpit_device_id = devices.SMS, value_down =  1.0, value_up = 0.0, name = _('Master Arm Switch 2-Pos ARM/SAFE'), category = {_('Instrument Panel'), _('Master Arm Panel')}},

I guess I will do a few more, but certainly less than with other complex birds.

Habu_69 · June 2, 2018

F-18C Master Mode toWH Throttle Boat Sw

Another one. Trying to map F/A-18C Master Modes AA and AG to WH 3-position Boat switch, so that I get the following: AG - OFF/NAV - AA. My best effort is this, but when in either AA or AG mode, 2 switch activations are required to attain the OFF situation, where only 1 press is desired. Only one mouse click is required to do it.

{    down = SMS_commands.AA_MasterModeSw,    up = SMS_commands.AA_MasterModeSw,    cockpit_device_id = devices.SMS,    value_down =  1.0,    value_up = 0.0,    name = _('Master Mode - A/A'),        category = {_('Custom'), _('Master Arm Panel')}},


{    down = SMS_commands.AG_MasterModeSw,    up = SMS_commands.AG_MasterModeSw,    cockpit_device_id = devices.SMS,    value_down =  1.0,    value_up = 0.0,    name = _('Master Mode - A/G'),        category = {_('Custom'), _('Master Arm Panel')}},

Tried setting value_up to 1.0, but that really fouled things up. Default code looks like this:

{    down = SMS_commands.AA_MasterModeSw,    up = SMS_commands.AA_MasterModeSw,    cockpit_device_id = devices.SMS,    value_down =  1.0,    value_up = 1.0,    name = _('Master Mode Button - A/A'),        category = {_('Instrument Panel'), _('Master Arm Panel')}},

Any help appreciated.

funkyfranky · June 2, 2018

Also, CW/CCW commands for rotary switches, really a good job!

Indeed! This is awesome, well done, ED :thumbup:

tribundf · June 2, 2018

Just started familiarization. default .lua looks great, much better than early access versions of Viggen, or Harrier. They have a new category "Special for Joystick" which provides a lot of good command options. For example the commands 'FLAP Switch - AUTO/HALF' and 'FLAP Switch - FULL/HALF' which work with the 3-position flap switch on the WH throttle. Also, CW/CCW commands for rotary switches, really a good job!
My first addition is this line for the Master Arm switch:
{down = SMS_commands.MasterArmSw, up = SMS_commands.MasterArmSw, cockpit_device_id = devices.SMS, value_down =  1.0, value_up = 0.0, name = _('Master Arm Switch 2-Pos ARM/SAFE'), category = {_('Instrument Panel'), _('Master Arm Panel')}},
I guess I will do a few more, but certainly less than with other complex birds.

Great to hear that. I’m definitely going to play around with it then.

LeCuvier · June 3, 2018

Another one. Trying to map F/A-18C Master Modes AA and AG to WH 3-position Boat switch

These commands are set up as simple pushbuttons in the cockpit, and they toggle ON/OFF/ON... each time you push them. I do not see how you would get them to operate satisfactorily with a 3-position switch. And if yould, it would not be realistic.

I have bound these two to pushbuttons on my DSD button box and I'm happy with that solution.

Habu_69 · June 3, 2018

These commands are set up as simple pushbuttons in the cockpit, and they toggle ON/OFF/ON... each time you push them. I do not see how you would get them to operate satisfactorily with a 3-position switch. And if yould, it would not be realistic.
I have bound these two to pushbuttons on my DSD button box and I'm happy with that solution.

Reason I tried this is because I have been flying Falcon 4 since1998 with TM Cougar HOTAS where 3 position throttle switch controlled AA and AG. For geezers like me old habits are hard to break, but I guess it is time to get with the new method.

tribundf · June 8, 2018

Ok, so I have been successful in binding my toggle switches to gear, hook etc. However what I am experiencing now, is that these toggle switches have to be "activated".

If I dont use them for a while, lets say landing gear, they I have to toggle them back and forth to make them work again. So lets say I lift off, raise gear with toggle switch up. When I fly and later on want to land gain, I cant just move the toggle switch down, I have to move it down, up and then down again for it to be recognized.

Any idea if i am missing anything in my lua line? Look at the lua command below please:

{ down = gear_commands.GearHandle, up = gear_commands.GearHandle, value_down = 1.0, value_up = 0.0, cockpit_device_id = devices.GEAR_INTERFACE, name = _(' Alt Landing Gear Control Handle - UP/DOWN'), category = {_('Left Vertical Panel')}},

LeCuvier · June 9, 2018

Ok, so I have been successful in binding my toggle switches to gear, hook etc. However what I am experiencing now, is that these toggle switches have to be "activated".

If I dont use them for a while, lets say landing gear, they I have to toggle them back and forth to make them work again. So lets say I lift off, raise gear with toggle switch up. When I fly and later on want to land gain, I cant just move the toggle switch down, I have to move it down, up and then down again for it to be recognized.

Any idea if i am missing anything in my lua line? Look at the lua command below please:

This sounds like you might be using your modification with a command that's implemented as an ON/OFF toggle. Please state which plane this is for so I can take a look at it.

LeCuvier · June 9, 2018

@tribundf: Looks like this is for the F/A-18. The command you used is an ON/OFF toggle. Try this, it works for me:

{down = iCommandPlaneGearUp, up = iCommandPlaneGearDown, name = _('Landing Gear Control Handle 2-Pos UP/DOWN'),    category = {_('Left Vertical Panel')}},

When you use this kind of command for the landing gear, make sure the switch is in the right position at mission start!

If your mission starts on the ground and your switch is ON = Gear Up, two things can happen depending on aircraft:

1. the gear might go up before you are airborne and you are on your belly. This happened to me on another aircraft.

2. once airborne you have to switch to OFF = Down and then to ON = Up in order to raise the gear. This is what I saw on the F/A-18.

If your mission starts in the air and your switch is in the OFF = Down position, your landing gear might go down. I have not seen this on the F/A-18 though, even when the mission started with speed below 250 kts.

Lezo · June 10, 2018

Thanks all for the info shared here. It is very helpfull.

I've been able to map keys on various mods but I am having a problem with UH-1H. I have this in the default:

{down = device_commands.Button_14, up = device_commands.Button_14, cockpit_device_id = devices.NAVLIGHT_SYSTEM, value_down = 1.0, value_up = 0.0, name = _("Luces Anti Colision"), category = _('Personales')},

and although it shows in the options to be mapped, the keyboard and HOTAS are greyed so I can only map it to the rudder (Which is useless so not even trying).

Any idea why ?

EDIT: I found a different solution. I modified in the file "Throttle - HOTAS Warthog.lua" in same location as the default, the line for this key to:

{down = 3014, up = 3014, cockpit_device_id = 7, value_down = 1, value_up = 0, name = _("Anti Collision Light Switch"), category = _("Ins Overhead panel"), },

That works but would be nice to know the reason behind this if you know. Probably because I have the file for the HOTAS.

Edited June 10, 2018 by Lezo

LeCuvier · June 10, 2018

....Any idea why ?

EDIT: I found a different solution. I modified in the file "Throttle - HOTAS Warthog.lua" in same location as the default, the line for this key to:

That works but would be nice to know the reason behind this if you know. Probably because I have the file for the HOTAS.

I don't have the Huey, so I cannot be sure. If I understand you correctly, the "Throttle - HOTAS Warthog.lua" did contain a line for this command. Correct? And was it identical to the one in the default.lua?

So you modified it using the numerical identifiers for the command and for the cockpit_device_id?

Or was there no corresponding line in the original Warthog throttle file?

There is a rule in DCS that, if there is a file for your specific game controller then all commands you want to bind to that game controller must be defined in the related file. So if you had just copied the original line from the default.lua and pasted it into the warthog file, that should have worked.

mr_mojo97 · June 10, 2018

@tribundf: Looks like this is for the F/A-18. The command you used is an ON/OFF toggle. Try this, it works for me:
{down = iCommandPlaneGearUp, up = iCommandPlaneGearDown, name = _('Landing Gear Control Handle 2-Pos UP/DOWN'),    category = {_('Left Vertical Panel')}},
When you use this kind of command for the landing gear, make sure the switch is in the right position at mission start!
If your mission starts on the ground and your switch is ON = Gear Up, two things can happen depending on aircraft:
1. the gear might go up before you are airborne and you are on your belly. This happened to me on another aircraft.
2. once airborne you have to switch to OFF = Down and then to ON = Up in order to raise the gear. This is what I saw on the F/A-18.
If your mission starts in the air and your switch is in the OFF = Down position, your landing gear might go down. I have not seen this on the F/A-18 though, even when the mission started with speed below 250 kts.

Hi, I'm a bit of a beginner at this and am looking for some help. So I'm trying to use the Eng Flow L switch on my Warthog for the Landing gear and the Eng Flow R switch for my arrestor hook.

I copied your code here for the gear directly into the default.lua file but having no luck - Am I supposed to be inserting it into the 'Left vertical panel' section or adding it to the bottom of the 'Special input for 3 pos...' section? I tried copying it in both without luck

Thanks

Edited June 10, 2018 by mr_mojo97

LeCuvier · June 10, 2018

@mr_mojo97: I suspect that you have not pasted the line in the right place.

It must be somewhere in the block of switch commands. My preferred place is at the very end of the switch commands, just before the axis commands. Here is a piece of my default.lua with inserted lines in bold characters:

{    down = engines_commands.APU_ControlSw_TM_WARTHOG,    up = engines_commands.APU_ControlSw_TM_WARTHOG,    cockpit_device_id = devices.ENGINES_INTERFACE,    value_down =  1.0,    value_up = 0.0,    name = _('APU Control Sw (special) - ON/OFF'),                            category = {_('Special For Joystick'), _('Left Console')}},

[b]--added HWF
{down = SMS_commands.MasterArmSw, up = SMS_commands.MasterArmSw, cockpit_device_id = devices.SMS, value_down =  1.0, value_up = 0.0, name = _('Master Arm Switch 2-Pos ARM/SAFE'), category = {_('Instrument Panel'), _('Master Arm Panel')}},
{down = hotas_commands.THROTTLE_EXTERIOR_LIGTHS, up = hotas_commands.THROTTLE_EXTERIOR_LIGTHS,    cockpit_device_id = devices.HOTAS,    value_down =  1.0, value_up = 0.0,    name = _('Exterior Lights 2-Pos ONOFF'), category = {_('Throttle Grip'), _('HOTAS')}},
{down = iCommandPlaneGearUp, up = iCommandPlaneGearDown, name = _('Landing Gear Control Handle 2-Pos UP/DOWN'),    category = {_('Left Vertical Panel')}},[/b]

})

-- joystick axes 
  join(res.axisCommands,{

Your inserted lines must be above the "})" that terminate the block of switch commands. Also, the commas at the end of the code lines are necessary!

I put all my additions to this place just before the "})". This makes it easier to maintain the changes.

Edited June 10, 2018 by LeCuvier

Lezo · June 10, 2018

I don't have the Huey, so I cannot be sure. If I understand you correctly, the "Throttle - HOTAS Warthog.lua" did contain a line for this command. Correct? And was it identical to the one in the default.lua?
So you modified it using the numerical identifiers for the command and for the cockpit_device_id?

Or was there no corresponding line in the original Warthog throttle file?
There is a rule in DCS that, if there is a file for your specific game controller then all commands you want to bind to that game controller must be defined in the related file. So if you had just copied the original line from the default.lua and pasted it into the warthog file, that should have worked.

Thank you for your reply, what you say about having to use the specific lua for the controller makes sense. I did not know it.

To answer the question, I did not copy any lines through, just added to the exising line the missin "up = ..." so I could use is as two positions. And works perfect.

Thanks again. :thumbup:

mr_mojo97 · June 10, 2018

@mr_mojo97: I suspect that you have not pasted the line in the right place.
It must be somewhere in the block of switch commands. My preferred place is at the very end of the switch commands, just before the axis commands. Here is a piece of my default.lua with inserted lines in bold characters:
{    down = engines_commands.APU_ControlSw_TM_WARTHOG,    up = engines_commands.APU_ControlSw_TM_WARTHOG,    cockpit_device_id = devices.ENGINES_INTERFACE,    value_down =  1.0,    value_up = 0.0,    name = _('APU Control Sw (special) - ON/OFF'),                            category = {_('Special For Joystick'), _('Left Console')}},

[b]--added HWF
{down = SMS_commands.MasterArmSw, up = SMS_commands.MasterArmSw, cockpit_device_id = devices.SMS, value_down =  1.0, value_up = 0.0, name = _('Master Arm Switch 2-Pos ARM/SAFE'), category = {_('Instrument Panel'), _('Master Arm Panel')}},
{down = hotas_commands.THROTTLE_EXTERIOR_LIGTHS, up = hotas_commands.THROTTLE_EXTERIOR_LIGTHS,    cockpit_device_id = devices.HOTAS,    value_down =  1.0, value_up = 0.0,    name = _('Exterior Lights 2-Pos ONOFF'), category = {_('Throttle Grip'), _('HOTAS')}},
{down = iCommandPlaneGearUp, up = iCommandPlaneGearDown, name = _('Landing Gear Control Handle 2-Pos UP/DOWN'),    category = {_('Left Vertical Panel')}},[/b]

})

-- joystick axes 
  join(res.axisCommands,{
Your inserted lines must be above the "})" that terminate the block of switch commands. Also, the commas at the end of the code lines are necessary!
I put all my additions to this place just before the "})". This makes it easier to maintain the changes.

Sorted, mate, thanks. (I'd accidentally deleted "})" at the end. I've managed to get the Landing gear sorted and the canopy as well but having an issue with the Tailhook (for the F/A-18c). This is the code I made up:

I wasn't sure how to handle the values so I just made them up.

{ down = gear_commands.HookHandle_EXT,

up= gear_commands.HookHandle_EXT,

cockpit_device_id = devices.GEAR_INTERFACE,

value_down = 1.0, value_up = -1.0,

name = _('Arresting Hook Handle - Cycle'), category = {_('Right Vertical Panel')}},

Laithar · June 11, 2018

Struggling with the launch bar in the F18, which seems to be set up as a toggle switch only. Is there any way it can be remapped as a normal up/down switch? At the moment I have both up and down set to 1.0, which kinda works but it can mess up, leaving it doing the opposite to what I want.

mr_mojo97 · June 11, 2018

For some reason my canopy won’t work anymore. When I added the code last night it worked. Still can’t get the tail hook working either. Any idea, chaps? Wish I understood lua code! Lol

Edited June 12, 2018 by mr_mojo97

Humbug · June 17, 2018

Did anyone manage to turn their Radar Alt switch on the Warthog throttle into having Baro in the up position and Radar in the down position?

LeCuvier · June 17, 2018

Did anyone manage to turn their Radar Alt switch on the Warthog throttle into having Baro in the up position and Radar in the down position?

Which aircraft?

Edit:

I guess this is for the F/A-18C. If so, add this line of code to the "default.lua":

{down = HUD_commands.HUD_AltitudeSw, up = HUD_commands.HUD_AltitudeSw, cockpit_device_id = devices.HUD,	value_down =  1.0, value_up =  0.0, name = _('Altitude Switch 2-Pos BARO/RADAR'), category = {_('Instrument Panel'), _('HUD Control Panel')}},

I recommend you insert all added code close to the end of the file. It must be above these lines:

})

-- joystick axes 
join(res.axisCommands,{

Edited June 17, 2018 by LeCuvier

LeCuvier · June 17, 2018

For some reason my canopy won’t work anymore. When I added the code last night it worked. Still can’t get the tail hook working either. Any idea, chaps? Wish I understood lua code! Lol

For the arrestor hook this line should work:

{down = gear_commands.HookHandle, up = gear_commands.HookHandle, cockpit_device_id = devices.GEAR_INTERFACE, value_down =  1.0, value_up =  0.0, name = _('Arresting Hook Handle 2-Pos UP/DOWN'), category = {_('Right Vertical Panel')}},

The canopy is best handled with a 3-position switch, e.g. the Autopilot switch on the TM WH throttle, using the existing commands 'Canopy Control Switch - OPEN' and 'Canopy Control Switch - CLOSE'. With the switch in the center position the canopy will not move.

If it has to be a single maintained ON/OFF switch, try this line of code:

{down = cpt_commands.CanopySwitchClose, up = cpt_commands.CanopySwitchOpen, cockpit_device_id = devices.CPT_MECHANICS, value_down =  -1.0, value_up = 1.0, name = _('Canopy Control Switch 2-Pos OPEN/CLOSE'), category = {_('Right Wall'), _('Systems')}},

With this code, ON = CLOSE and OFF = OPEN.

Edited June 17, 2018 by LeCuvier

mr_mojo97 · June 18, 2018

Cheers LeCuvier, I bound the canopy to the 3 position as suggested and it is better. I did try using the code you gave but couldn’t get it to work to opposite way (ie switch down canopy down, switch up canopy up - it would only work switch down canopy up, switch up canopy down) anyways, the arrest or hook works as it should. Can’t get the launch bar working either, but I just bound it to a momentary switch.

Thanks for your help with that code though. Much appreciated.

LeCuvier · June 18, 2018

... switch down canopy down, switch up canopy up ...

You want to invert the 2-position command for the canopy. Try this:

{down = cpt_commands.CanopySwitchOpen, up = cpt_commands.CanopySwitchClose, cockpit_device_id = devices.CPT_MECHANICS, value_down =  1.0, value_up = -1.0, name = _('Canopy Control Switch 2-Pos CLOSE/OPEN'), category = {_('Right Wall'), _('Systems')}},

It works for me. A word of caution though: If you run a mission that starts in the air, make sure your canopy switch is in the DOWN position at mission start. Else you might see your canopy ripped off. Happened to me...

royphsle · June 19, 2018

Position and Fuselage Lights F-86:

{down = nav_lights_commands.F86_CockpitDeviceCommand_PosAndFusLts, up = nav_lights_commands.F86_CockpitDeviceCommand_PosAndFusLts, cockpit_device_id = devices.NAV_LIGHTS_INTERFACE, value_down = 1, value_up = 0, name = 'Pos & Fus Lights - Steady middle', category = 'Right Forward Console'},

{down = nav_lights_commands.F86_CockpitDeviceCommand_PosAndFusLts, up = nav_lights_commands.F86_CockpitDeviceCommand_PosAndFusLts, cockpit_device_id = devices.NAV_LIGHTS_INTERFACE, value_down = -1, value_up = 0, name = 'Pos & Fus Lights - Flash middle', category = 'Right Forward Console'},

Hi, those two controls are greyed out and don't work in the control menu, why? It looks logical and I found the controls in the forum. I have used lua before and with some aircraft like F-86 and MIG-15 its greyed out. I have tried to clear/reset category but nothing happened. I use TM Hotas Warthog. Does anyone have the same problem?

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How to set up toggle switches (a tutorial)

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