I bought ChasePlane yesterday and found out I need more buttons. Now I was thinking about getting a very basic (and very cheap) external numeric keypad for that. Would that work...? Or does Windows and/or Prepar3D see the keys on that keypad as if they are the same as the ones on my regular keypad? In other words: if I assign the 5 of the external numeric keypad to something like 'centre view' would a press on the 5 of my regular keypad's ALSO centre the view? I don't want that, obviously: I need EXTRA keys!

Any other idea's on how to extend the available keys?

Obviously there are a lot of keys I don't use for P3D but they are all over the keyboard... I could use the numeric keypad for what I want but the problem is the keypad (obviously) is at the right and I hold the mouse with my right hand: keeping my left hand on the keypad isn't exactly convenient.

I came up with this idea because Frooglesim once talked about using an Orbweaver for views. But I spend a LOT of money already the last two weeks and I seriously can't buy an Orbweaver right now. A numpad though only costs around 10 bucks...!

I also use Orbweaver which btw is a great product, i use not only just for views, but also for some shortcuts in the simulator, including macros. Is expensive, yes, but worth every penny in my opinion.

Of course i also use it for playing other games, like fps's, and in this particular, once you get used to it, you cant go back to a general keyboard ;)

I’ve assigned the R key to toggle cockpit view / external view. I have assigned all external views to the F key. Pressing F then cycles through them.

Cockpit views are assigned to the Numpad keys. No additional hardware required. I play no games, just P3D. I did briefly consider an Orbweaver but it seems a lot of money and can you affix labels to each key so you know it’s action?

17 hours ago, dmarques69 said:

but worth every penny in my opinion.

Well, for me it is too expensive, specially since I only need something to change views... 

1 hour ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

I’ve assigned the R key to toggle cockpit view / external view. I have assigned all external views to the F key. Pressing F then cycles through them.

Cockpit views are assigned to the Numpad keys. No additional hardware required. I play no games, just P3D. I did briefly consider an Orbweaver but it seems a lot of money and can you affix labels to each key so you know it’s action?

I am not a fan of cycling views. In other words: that doesn't work for me. I could indeed free up the numpad for the views but as I said, it is located at the right of the keyboard. Are you left handed perhaps? I'd like to keep my hands on the view keys and that's a problem when you have to use your left hand for this. 

Another option would be to buy a basic numpad which I can put at the left of my regular keyboard. Those keys wouldn't be extra, they would result in the same actions as when I use the numpad of my regular numpad, but at least it would be more convenient. Seems that is the only option... An Orbweaver simply is way too expensive for my use.

2 minutes ago, J van E said:

Well, for me it is too expensive, specially since I only need something to change views... 

I am not a fan of cycling views. In other words: that doesn't work for me. I could indeed free up the numpad for the views but as I said, it is located at the right of the keyboard. Are you left handed perhaps? I'd like to keep my hands on the view keys and that's a problem when you have to use your left hand for this.

I'm right-handed but the keyboard is right in front of me. Between the yoke and the screen. So it's easy to reach both for the numpad and standard keys.

Hope you find something suitable. Those gamepad devices are very expensive for what they are.

Hello,

I have used a HIDmacros, from hidmacros.eu to do exactly what you are trying to do in FSX, but I do not see why it wouldn't work in P3D.  It recognises different keyboards and allows you to assign functions to it.  I have a numeric keyboard for view control and a second keyboard for more complex functions that integrate with FSUIPC.

HIDmacros is no longer supported by the developer, but is open source and works fine on Windows 7, I cannot vouch for Windows 10.  It can be a little quirky to set up, and can lose setting if started without the keyboard attached.  I keep a backup of the settings file in case this happens.