GUI application for Saitek Pro Flight Switch Panel

[Darkwolf]

Yes it was shown there too.

 

 

I tested it yesterday in Flaming cliff, that is very good :thumbup:

[Guest]

ATTENTION, REQUEST!

 

I have put down a considerable amount of time making this program. In return I would like those of you using this program to list the type of games/simulators you are using it in.

I want to know because I want to list the games on SourceForge where FlightPanels is hosted. By doing this Google searches will show FlightPanels higher up in the search list. I made a request earlier in this thread and no one(?) answered.

 

So please list the games you are using it with!

 

Thanks!

[pdmarsh]

Hi ArturDCS,

 

I haven't used the program yet, but intend to use it with DCS A-10C and X-Plane.

 

Thanks,

Paul

[Guest]

Hi ArturDCS,

I haven't used the program yet, but intend to use it with DCS A-10C and X-Plane.

Thanks,

Paul

OK, please report back if it works with X-Plane. Thanks!

[P1KW]

In X-Plane has native support using a plug-in developed by third parties, but only works with the Saitek driver.

 

With Arthur driver works perfectly on any simulator. But with the mode "keys."

 

Thank you very much again ArturDCS.

 

I see no need for a list of supported simulators. Works on everything I've tried.

 

Greetings!

[Guest]

In X-Plane has native support using a plug-in developed by third parties, but only works with the Saitek driver.

 

With Arthur driver works perfectly on any simulator. But with the mode "keys."

 

Thank you very much again ArturDCS.

 

I see no need for a list of supported simulators. Works on everything I've tried.

 

Greetings!

Oh OK but could you please list the simulators how have tried it on anyways? I have only used in in DCS and I'd like to have some more names besides DCS on my Youtube channel and the SourceForge page.

[Darkwolf]

Actually not working on IL2 Battle of Stalingrad - but i suspect a wrong setting from my side, will check that next time the beta is open.

[P1KW]

Ok. :thumbup:

 

Tested and working fine on:

 

-DCSW 1.27 and earlier.

-X-Plane 10.25 (64-bit).

-Black Shark 1.02.

 

 

Greetings!

[JaBoG32_Prinzartus]

After updateing your software, I had to update your provided drivers also, as it seems.

But, it doess work again.

[Guest]

After updateing your software, I had to update your provided drivers also, as it seems.

But, it doess work again.

OK thanks for letting us know! Glad to hear it works.

[JaBoG32_Prinzartus]

Mine does not work any longer, worked just once. What is wrong if I get a "DCS window not found" error message, while my DCS is running.

 

Do I have to start this gui first and then DCS or vice versa?

[Guest]

Mine does not work any longer, worked just once. What is wrong if I get a "DCS window not found" error message, while my DCS is running.

Do I have to start this gui first and then DCS or vice versa?

FlightPanels looks for the windows of DCS after it has detected changes on the switch panel.

Goto "Options" menu and make sure the "Check for Digital Combat Simulator" option is unchecked.

If this doesn't help, reinstall Flightpanels.

[Darkwolf]

I'm currently reinstalling my computer, so i did not tested and installed all my sim. Here is the list of software i'm planning to use with your plugin :

 

IL2 - 1946

IL2 - Battle Of stalingrad

Falcon 4

War Thunder

[javelina1]

Artur, this is cool! I'm going to check this out further, need to learn what all I can map into the PZ55. I may pick up this controller, now that it can be used with DCS.

 

awesome job there dude!

[Darkwolf]

Javelina,

 

The thing is a keyboard emulator. I currently use it with Flamming cliff, can't comment yet on other modules as i haven't mapped them yet. I'll try to describe how i set so you have an idea.

 

Actually, every time you touch a key, it will emulate a keyboard press. You can either have a switch have a key press when On and another for off, or have the same.

 

Since most of action use the same button for ON and OFF (except Landing gear), i mapped most of the button with the same keyboard press, whether i set the button on or off.

 

Currently, i use the following :

 

Battery for Battery.

Cowl for the Canopy

Panel for the instrument light

Nav for the navigation light

Taxi for the Taxi light.

Gear up for gear up

gear down for gear down --> gear lever has two key option in DCS, Youhouuuuuu

 

I'm currently trying to find a way to alter key presses in DCS but no luck yet.

 

Actually, the thing is useful. especially the gear up / gear down switch. The nav and landing lights are quite messy but not the fault of the plugin dev - it's DCS limitation.

 

THE ONLY THING is that you have to make sure all buttons are at OFF status before launching the flight, if you are making a cold start. since the game doesn't constantly monitor the buttons, if you Battery is physically ON but you just started the game, pressing the Battery OFF will start it in the game. (will be inverted). It's just a little downside, but when you take the habbit to properly land your plane and set everything off after every parking/crash (especially crash for me :P ), you will not have issue. :)

 

 

 

I wish they could be some way to export the gear light.

 

I'll try to put up a video later, but i'm quite busy and my camera s****.

 

Actually, If you only plan to fly DCS, that's quite an expensive accessory for only a few function. But if you also fly other simulators, that may be a nice addition !

 

The panel is overall plastic but good quality. 4 years now and no issue at all. (As a comparison, took me 2 weeks to break a HOTAS Warthog)

Edited March 19, 2014 by Darkwolf

[Oesau]

First up ArturDCS - great job with making this happen.

 

I've been playing around with this and SPAD to see what works best for me.

 

For DCS of course this application works just how I want it to work so happy with it - however for other titles like CLOD, BOS, or FSX it doesn't work (even as a keyboard emulator which is what I was hoping it would do but didn't expect it to work off the bat).

 

SPAD on the other hand does't work with CLOD, DCS, or BOS so it really comes down to what is my primary Sim that I want the switch panel to work with.

 

So for games I'd like to use (as a keyboard emulator):

 

CLOD

BOS

FSX

 

A question - with the application set to not detect "DCS" should i expect that it can write to wordpad as a keyboard emulator (to test the function)?

Edited April 1, 2014 by Oesau

[Guest]

It could be that it has to do with the two different API:s, SendInput and keybd_event. If I remember correctly using SendInput produced text in Wordpad.

 

To your question, no it isn't obvious that Flightpanels should produce text in Wordpad, depends on the text editor and also on the API used. (I am not 100%)

 

I will make a new version in which the user can switch between the two API:s, let's see what works and not works then. I'll post more info here then. I haven't played DCS for quite some time and my computer time is at the moment limited.

[Calador]

windows 8 Refuses to use the inf file

 

Good Afternoon everyone,

 

I am trying to update the pro panel driver, firstly many thanks for the step through, I am a real dinosaur with PC's but the instructions and the pdf made it easy up until the very end when Windows said the driver was unsigned and refused to use it Now win 7 you could bypass this and force the OS to use the driver, no longer Microsoft seems to have stopped this off.

 

Any help would be greatly received and please remember I am down to my last brain cell and I need that to play Elite :joystick:

 

Many Thanks

 

Paul

Edited April 14, 2014 by Calador
new data

[Calador]

I have sorted this, I had to go into advanced start up and disable the policy, :) All works well will be using this for Elite Dangerous so see you all in about 5 years :)

[Guest]

v1.4 is up.

 

Commit:

-Added option for choosing Windows API:s for keyboard emulation. Alternatives are keybd_event() and SendKeys().

 

Found a bug, previous version checked for DCS even if that option was disabled. I hope this will solve a lot of problems and I hope the two different API:s will enable the program to be used in other games too.

Report back your findings!

 

Thanks!

[Darkwolf]

Dear Artus,

 

That was just in time :)

 

Yesterday i helped a friend troubleshooting his problem with his panel. Can't get it to work with anything, whether using SPAD or your drivers. I just found out the new build while checking your page... I just tried the last build, it work well with the new IL2 Battle of Stalingrad :)

 

Thank you !

[pdmarsh]

Hi ArturDCS,

 

I finally found the time to install your application and I love it! It's working great in both DCS and X-Plane. Thank you very much for all of the time and effort you put into this.

 

I do have a question for anyone familiar with X-Plane, though. I have most of the switches mapped correctly, but I can't quite figure out what to map the "Start" position of the rotary knob to. None of the mapping selections within X-Plane that I have tried so far will actually start the engine (I'm flying the Cessa 172). Any help with X-Plane mappings in general will be appreciated.

 

Thank you again, ArturDCS. It's a great program.

 

Sincerely,

Paul

 

P.S. -- I did a little more checking and it looks like I am mapping the knob position "START" to the correct setting in X-Plane, which is "engines/engage_starters," but I need that input held until the engine actually starts. It appears that my key commands are only being sent for five milliseconds. Is there a way to either extend that or to make the knob setting (START) hold the key commands indefinitely, i.e. as if I am continuously pressing the keys? Once the engine starts I would then move the knob to the "BOTH/ALL."

 

P.P.S. -- ArturDCS, I thought you might like this. Ironically, and thanks to your application, I am getting more functionality out of my Pro Flight Switch Panel within DCS than I am within X-Plane. While I have all of the switches, selector knob positions and the gear lever mapped in DCS, I don't use many of these functions in X-Plane. Thanks again.

Edited April 19, 2014 by pdmarsh

[Guest]

v1.5 is up.

 

Commit:

-Added longer options for key presses. Few bug fixes.

 

-> pdmarsh

What if you set the key press length to something longer than fiftymillisecs? Does it work then to start the engine?

I haven't tested the key press length functionality, I took it for granted it worked. When testing in notepad I get only one key press instead of "xxxxxxxxxx" but whether DCS/XPlane reacts the same I don't know. I have followed the information found on these API:s for implementing long key presses. I have to rethink this if it doesn't work. Perhaps a very fast sequence of separated key presses?

[pdmarsh]

Hi ArturDCS,

 

After updating to v1.5 things are working. I'm using 10 seconds for the ignition time ("Start" location of turn knob) and the engine starts up as expected. Thank you again.

 

Also, I was going to re-install the driver just in case it was updated as well, but I can't locate the proper device in Hardware Manager. Did the device ID change after installing your driver? That might be in this thread somewhere, so please forgive me if it was covered before.

 

Take care,

Paul

Edited April 22, 2014 by pdmarsh

[Oesau]

Hi ArturDCS - works a treat, thanks for the update!

 

Will do further testing this week and report back.