Assignment of individual throttles

[metzgergva 28]

6 hours ago, AndyUK said:

I was about to ask a very similar question.  I've got 6 levers available and was wondering, before I buy the aircraft, whether it was possible to have 1 lever control engine pairs for throttle, prop and mixture without FSUIPC?  I know it's not possible via FSX:SE controls settings but does the addon come with its own control configuration "utility"?

I have 6 levers on my throttle quadrant assigned via FSUIPC without calibration (important). I use the most left one for engaging the reverser lever, then 4 throttles and most right for RPM. Mixture control  is done by clicking from autorich to autolean to autorich. This change is onle to be done twice: once you reach cruise and second time when you plan to land.

[AndyUK 26]

Thanks for that.  To summarise what I've gleaned from this thread so far:

The addon doesn't itself contain any means of assigning control axes so the only way of assigning an axis to a pair of engines or to a function not available in the FSX:SE controls settings dialog is to use FSUIPC.  Am I correct?

[Wothan 173]

12 minutes ago, AndyUK said:

Thanks for that.  To summarise what I've read here so far:

The addon doesn't itself contain any means of assigning control axes so the only way of assigning an axis to a pair of engines is to use FSUIPC.  Am I correct?

Yes thats correct.

A working FSUIPC setup is here, but first unassign the axis' in the P3D controller menu:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/p4p3pttpv1enybg/PMDG_DC-6B_Throttle.jpg?dl=0

[McChester 2]

42 minutes ago, AndyUK said:

Thanks for that.  To summarise what I've gleaned from this thread so far:

The addon doesn't itself contain any means of assigning control axes so the only way of assigning an axis to a pair of engines or to a function not available in the FSX:SE controls settings dialog is to use FSUIPC.  Am I correct?

See Wothans FSUIPC settings above.

It seems you are correct. Since mapping my controls inside P3D is not an option on the long run, since I have so many different airplanes and many different input devices I figures out a solution that works for me:

I downloaded a tool called vJoy (http://vjoystick.sourceforge.net/site/index.php/download-a-install/download) which creates a virtual software joystick device not directly linked to a physical joystick. And then I installed a little tool called UCR (https://autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=12249) that allows you to map any physical axis to any logical axis of your virtual joystick. I start UCR only when flying the DC6.

Thereafter I exported the control settings into an .xml (to get the base data of the virtual joystick written into the xml file), changed the axes manually in the xml file, imported and voila - I have now eng1+2 on lever 1 and eng3+4 on lever 2 without altering any configuration of my other aircraft. (You need to create an FSUIPC profile for the DC6 where you delete any assignments and calibrations for that particular aircraft).

Hope that helps.

Alexander Arlow

[Wothan 173]

13 minutes ago, McChester said:

It seems you are correct. Since mapping my controls inside P3D is not an option on the long run, since I have so many different airplanes and many different input devices I figures out a solution that works for me:

I downloaded a tool called vJoy (http://vjoystick.sourceforge.net/site/index.php/download-a-install/download) which creates a virtual software joystick device not directly linked to a physical joystick. And then I installed a little tool called UCR (https://autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=12249) that allows you to map any physical axis to any logical axis of your virtual joystick. I start UCR only when flying the DC6.

Thereafter I exported the control settings into an .xml (to get the base data of the virtual joystick written into the xml file), changed the axes manually in the xml file, imported and voila - I have now eng1+2 on lever 1 and eng3+4 on lever 2 without altering any configuration of my other aircraft. (You need to create an FSUIPC profile for the DC6 where you delete any assignments and calibrations for that particular aircraft).

Hope that helps.

Alexander Arlow

Hmm alot of work for this - did You see my FSUIPC setup for a similar setup ?

[McChester 2]

7 minutes ago, Wothan said:

Hmm alot of work for this - did You see my FSUIPC setup for a similar setup ?

I did now, and that works - problem on my end was that I set the axis assignments as "Throttle x" and not as "Axis throttle x". With "Axis throttle x" it works like a charm and it is the much easier solution, thanks for that. Thats proper support :)

Alexander Arlow

Edited July 21, 2017 by McChester
Inserting my name

[Wothan 173]

58 minutes ago, McChester said:

I did now, and that works - problem on my end was that I set the axis assignments as "Throttle x" and not as "Axis throttle x". With "Axis throttle x" it works like a charm and it is the much easier solution, thanks for that. Thats proper support :)

Alexander Arlow

I´m happy to hear

I wonder with PMDG's high knowledge about FSUIPC, that they could not give the same information, and offcourse note that this should work, though unsupported by them.

That way You would have been helped and they would have their path clean for any additional problems.

FSUIPC has worked for me for ages now, including PMDG aircraft, but sometimes it can be cumberstone to setup right.

Ggenerally if FSUIPC gives trouble with Axis' assignments, using "Send to FS as Normal axis" together with "Axis [function N] Set" works. That's what I have used on all kind of complex addon aircraft.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

4 hours ago, Wothan said:

I wonder with PMDG's high knowledge about FSUIPC, that they could not give the same information, and offcourse note that this should work, though unsupported by them.

No need for the snark.

You guys act like you walked in here and asked for help without giving me any push back about how we officially recommend using a - let me be very clear here - 3rd party interface into the sim. You guys pushed back on me offering up the simplest solution. While that's fine, do keep in mind that FSUIPC isn't our software, so to expect us to support it and have some official recommendation (apart from the one that was provided) isn't quite fair.

If you all are doing interestingly complex stuff in FSUIPC, then you're going to have to get inventive. To argue that we should be troubleshooting your interface for you, and then shaming me for not going out of my way to do so is not only disingenuous, it's not exactly reasonable. It's great that you all are doing cool things with your sims. I've wanted to try similar with throttle 1 controlling the left side and throttle 2 the right on my own hardware, but never wanted to put the effort in. I definitely wasn't going to fault anyone for their stuff not working when I tried it on my own. FSUIPC is a powerful tool, but it can take some effort to make it all work. I don't think it's reasonable to put all of that in the hands of the dev of the aircraft.

[Wothan 173]

Kyle...

Actually setting up Fsuipc the way I showed isn't more complex than doing the same in P3D's own interface.

Once You learn the 3 different way of setting up f.ex the Throttles..

Back when I was a developer, I also spend time doing support for new releases, including FSUIPC setups. I even helped a guy via email to setup his highly complex home cockpit - and that was for a 30,- Euro addon. So it's more a matter of will and attitude.

But You don't need to do the same here, cause we are plenty here to help each other. At least showing my solution ( I don't even use that profile myself) has made one more of Your customers happy.

But Your right - no more snarking here. From now on I will try to help out others without intriguring comments - sorry if You feel hurt.

 

(Thx btw for resetting my reputation points)

[Ephedrin 418]

Kyle, just an idea...

PMDG since now has always developed jets with FADEC or other auto throttle systems that regulate the power for you.. now on the DC6 being powered by radial piston engines you get 4 seperate engines to power up. You will unlikely find any multi piston engine aircraft that has the same engine readout on its engines just because the throttles position is equal. 

A2A for example have developed an input configurator that allows to assign the engines seperately to the hardware. I'M not sure, but I believe Majestic has done so too for the Q400.. Both have highly complexe addons that run outside the sim via Simconnect.. Of course I do not know if the PMDG radial engine simulation is comparable to Accusim or what Majestics is doing (which PLEASE is NOT meant to be downgrading!!!! just concerning the programming) but IF there is a possibility in the PMDG code, you could take something like this into consideration. The DC6 is MEANT to be FLOWN, not to be watched.. The AFE is nice for a beginning, but becomes boring quickly. PMDG provides study level and we are eager to learn to fly the DC-6 properly. And the engines are a very central part, all above on a radial engine airplane, that should be known and mastered by the Captain :D (that's how RSR calls us :P)

 

Please bear with my english.. I've learnt it as a foreign language more than 15 years ago ^^

[metzgergva 28]

Not sure what the issue is. You can assign throttle 1 to 4 in the sim or via FSUIPC? For the later you should not be using calibration but that is not an issue as in reality the throttle levers are never ne same position when engines are running equal setting. 

[signmanbob 592]

I'm having problems getting my throttles to work also.  I have them set to P3D controlling in FSUIPC with Axis Throttle1 Set up to 4.  I am using the Precision Flight Control Throttle Quadrant with 4 levers.

My engines will spin up correctly when I move my throttles forward, but then the needles will just drop back down to idle right away and the throttle levers in the VC will not move.

When the AFE moves them, there is no problem.  Do I have something set wrong?

 

Thank you, 

Bob

[metzgergva 28]

Like mentioned in the other throttle discussion:

Do not use throttel axis set. 

Use the first line of selection an select Throttle1 to 4.

No calibration on those axis. 

Click in the setting of the DC-6 to reverse throttles as they may move the wrong way around. 

[signmanbob 592]

1 minute ago, metzgergva said:

Like mentioned in the other throttle discussion:

Do not use throttel axis set. 

Use the first line of selection an select Throttle1 to 4.

No calibration on those axis. 

Click in the setting of the DC-6 to reverse throttles as they may move the wrong way around. 

Ok, there is a "Axis Throttle Set" for 1 through 4, or a "Throttle Set" for 1 through 4.

I thought I read not to use "Throttle Set" and to use "Axis" throttle set, so that is what I've used.

My throttles are effecting the engines now because if I raise a hardware throttle lever the RPM and manifold pressure will go up accordingly. The problem is that the related lever in the virtual cockpit does not move with the hardware and the RPM will go right back down to idle.  It will not stay where my throttle lever is.

I don't know if it has something to do with a setting on the AFE or not, but I cannot figure out what is going on.

My prop lever works perfectly.

 

Thank you,

Bob

[signmanbob 592]

3 hours ago, metzgergva said:

Like mentioned in the other throttle discussion:

Do not use throttel axis set. 

Use the first line of selection an select Throttle1 to 4.

No calibration on those axis. 

Click in the setting of the DC-6 to reverse throttles as they may move the wrong way around. 

Got it working perfect.  Thank you!! 

That's exactly what the problem was.  Even though I had the selection for P3D to control the
"Axis Throttle Set#" in Axis Assignments, I still had FSUIPC managing the settings inside the Joystick Calibration interface.

It is working perfectly now that it is set correctly in FSUIPC.

I appreciate your help so much.

 

Thank  you,

Bob