First of all,   wow....   I was made aware of Axis & OHS by another user via a question I asked in an FS2020 facebook user group.

An amazing addon, hugely improving Asobo's rather clunky way of assigning controller functions as individual "sets", and not remembering them for each aircraft.   Lorby's method of enabling pre-saved controller configs as single complete sets per aircraft and then applying them automatically rectifes that FS2020 shortcoming completely, (making it as good as XP11 in that respect !)

...and then the other functionality...  it only took me about 20 minutes of using the demo before I purchased the full version 🙂

So I've only just started to use it, and I have a couple of newbie questions.

I've studied the user guide but I can't seem to calibrate an axis to remove the dead movement sections.  In the Lorby config window the axis pointer moves perfectly from one end to the other of the scale as I move the lever, but in the sim the assigned control (throttle), doesn't start moving until the lever reaches the halfway mark.  I've tried moving all of the pointers and deadzones in the Lorby config window, but to no avail. 

Also, although all of my axis assignments move the corresponding controls in the sim, only one of my keystroke mappings does.

The handbrake on/off toggle works perfectly in the Lorby config window and in FS2020, but anything else does not. I tried to assign move eyepoint up and eyepoint down and pause the sim to other buttons, but although they light up in the Lorby config window, they don't do anything in the Sim.

1 hour ago, glider66 said:

I've studied the user guide but I can't seem to calibrate an axis to remove the dead movement sections.  In the Lorby config window the axis pointer moves perfectly from one end to the other of the scale as I move the lever, but in the sim the assigned control (throttle), doesn't start moving until the lever reaches the halfway mark.  I've tried moving all of the pointers and deadzones in the Lorby config window, but to no avail. 

The red triangle can be moved left and right too, to adjust the "halfway mark".

Be mindful that this can be different for every aircraft, there is no "one size fits all". You can also adjust the Axis Min and Axis Max values for each assignment, should that become necessary.

1 hour ago, glider66 said:

I tried to assign move eyepoint up and eyepoint down and pause the sim to other buttons, but although they light up in the Lorby config window, they don't do anything in the Sim.

While present in the MSFS SDK documentation (which is why you can see them in AAO), a lot of the default events don't do anything. Camera controls especially are for the most part non-functional. This has been the case since the Alpha of MSFS, and all developers who make camera addons have been complaining about that ever since. Unfortunately, over time some previous options to control views started disappearing from the SDK, so there is no telling if this will ever work - or if the events will just be removed at some point.

Please note that what you see in the controller assignment dialog of MSFS has nothing whatsoever to do with what AAO has to work with from the outside. AAO is bound by the SDK, the MSFS internal controller assignments are not.

In MSFS you will have to look into HVars, LVars and BVars, especially with the more advanced aircraft. There is quite the learning curve here, and since all these controls are different in all aircraft (as the developer can just invent them), AAO can't really help here. Other simmers made templates, scripts and profiles, those are usually available on the .to site.

Edited March 20, 20224 yr by Lorby_SI

Thanks for the prompt reply.

So far I've only been assigning controls for one aircraft, the Asobo default C172, just in case third party providers aircraft did add complications.

I have moved all of the triangles, the mid point and the limiters, but the throttle lever in the sim still only starts to move when the controller's axis is halfway along its travel.  I tried widening the deazone as well, and even tried detents, though I confess I didn't fully understand them.  The axis that I'm using is a hall effect one, and when I first tested it in Windows gamme controller properties it did initially move the scale only over half of the default range, so I used the windows calibration process, and now it does move over the whole range in windows settings.  The Lorby settings window does move perfectly synchronised with the lever position without any triangles moved, but the throttle lever in the sim window only starts to move at the halfway mark.

I understand what you're saying about not all of FS's controller events being accessible, but when I assign the pause button via the sim's own controller assignments the same buttons do work, (as do the eypoint move buttons too.)

I'd think that the controller wasn't communicating with the sim, but one of the buttons (handbrake) does work, as do all of the axis assignments.

2 hours ago, glider66 said:

but when I assign the pause button via the sim's own controller assignments the same buttons do work

 

3 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

Please note that what you see in the controller assignment dialog of MSFS has nothing whatsoever to do with what AAO has to work with from the outside. AAO is bound by the SDK, the MSFS internal controller assignments are not.

I don't think that the K-Events around PAUSE do anything in MSFS. Maybe there are other events, documented or undocumented ones, that control "Active Pause". The legacy event doesn't do that IMHO.

Edited March 20, 20224 yr by Lorby_SI

2 hours ago, glider66 said:

but the throttle lever in the sim still only starts to move when the controller's axis is halfway along its travel. 

Sounds fishy. If you move the red triangle all the way to the left, that should do it. Like in my video on YouTube. Very weird. But the black line in the GUI of AAO is moving full travel? Then try to adapt Axis Min and Axis Max (on the change dialog, when you doubleclick an axis assignment in AAO)

Also, please be aware that there are several options to move these levers. If the axis doesn't work (correctly), use Events instead. The default in MSFS is actually an Event "THROTTLE1_AXIS_SET_EX1"

Edited March 20, 20224 yr by Lorby_SI

Thanks for your patience with me on this.

The axis range problem turns out to only be a problem with the push/pull throttle on the only plane I've tried so far, the C172.

As an experiment, I tried mapping the aileron surface to that same throttle lever and I was able to obtain smooth full range movement with no dead travel by adjusting the limit and centre point triangles - they worked exactly as explained in the instructions.

So that's no problem, I can anticipate the dead section of the throttle push/pull.

I was impressed with your prog's axis configurability with my driving pedals configured to be rudder pedals.  I assigned the accelerator and clutch both to the rudder axis, reversed one, and set the mid point at opposite ends. It works perfectly that way, with the rudder centred at rest, and a push on either pedal to turn in either direction.  It saves me having to load my previous vJoy driver interface that combined the two axis into one.

The button assignments are still baffling me though.  I'm still not able to map any FS2020 functions to any of the buttons on any of my USB controllers, other than the handbrake toggle.

.....but it must be something wierd with my particular installation though, because after about 20 minutes or so, every axis ceased to work with the sim (and my Saitek panels) , and even more strangely they still wouldn't work by temporarilly re-enabling them via FS2020's inbuilt controller assignments.  It's as though something suddenly went dead in FS itself.  I had to close and restart the sim and the addon, and then everything was interacting again.

To make sure it wasn't something hardware related, I then had an hour long session with XP11 and the same hardware controllers, and everything worked without any problems.  So it's defintely something wobbly with my FS2020 and AXIS & OHS,  maybe simconnect is giging intermittent problems.

17 minutes ago, glider66 said:

I'm still not able to map any FS2020 functions to any of the buttons on any of my USB controllers

What buttons specifically? And how did you assign them exactly?

As outlined above, forget about the button assignments that you see in the simulator - they do not correspond to the SDK events. Most systems in the MSFS aircraft are not controlled by them anyway, or not in an easy way. HVars, LVars and Bvars, plus RPN scripts are the way to go. 
Some examples you have found already. Camera and GPS Events do not work. They are part of the SDK, but non functional. The GPS instruments in MSFS are controlles by "HTML - Variables" (or HVArs), you will find those in the assignment dialog too. 

And most importantly - make sure that you don't assign things in AAO and in MSFS at the same time, especially axis. They will fight for control otherwise. AAO does not override the sim, it works in parallel, outside of the sim. So if you assign for example the throttle axis/event both in AAO and in MSFS at the same time, you have a conflict - you have to decide to use one or the other. 

 

Edited March 20, 20224 yr by Lorby_SI

I've tried several buttons on several USB controllers, a GVL throttle, and a sidewinder force feedback josytick.

Both work natively in Win 10 and all buttons are recognised in XP11 and FS2020, (and AXIS & OHS).

I've also tried many FS2020 functions, pause, chase plane toggle, even HAT up/down/left/right etc..  and so far only handbrake has worked.

I must admit I was attracted to AXIS and OHS by the simplicity of the assignment interface with the comprehensive drop down list and the automatic identification of which button/axis has been selected.

I'm afraid hVars, Bvars, Lvars and PRN scripts has gone way over my head.

If the point and shoot assignment interface has problems with the way that FS2020 works it's SDK, then I'm afraid I'll have to revert back to Asobo's clunky method in the sim.

Thanks for the prompt replies and suggestions.

28 minutes ago, glider66 said:

 chase plane toggle, even HAT up/down/left/right etc.. 

As I said earlier, none of the legacy camera events work with MSFS. I don't know why Asobo keeps listing them in the SDK when the clearly are not doing anything.

You cannot use AAO to control views at the moment. There are several posts about this in this very forum. Camera and view control must be assinged in MSFS for the time being.

But just because those don't work doesn't mean that you can't use all the other assignments in AAO (and many HTML Variables are already present in the selection list too). The app can happily run in parallel to the sim assignments - you just cannot assign the same "thing" in MSFS and AAO at the same time. The default K: Events are one option that developers can use to control something. But in MSFS not many developer do, not even Asobo themselves. That is where the HTML - Variables, LVars and BVars come in. And make no mistake - you WILL encounter aircraft where you cannot control certain buttons and action from MSFS at all, and an app like AAO is your only option. Not with the defaults, but definitely with third party products above a certain level of complexity.

The best option is to take a look around on the .to website, to check if other people have uploaded scripts or templates for the aircraft that you want to use. 

Edited March 20, 20224 yr by Lorby_SI

After much further research on the Intenet on this subject I can see your point Lorby. 

I didn't realise the shortcomings of the FS2020 SDK, particularly with the camera controls, and the fact that Asobo might never get round to fixing them.

I've been exploring all other options and have come back to AXIS and OHS as the only way forward for me if I can climb the learning curve into Lvars and Hvars. 😳

I tried googling them and I searched on the .to website but that seemed to contain specifix fixes for certain aircraft.

What I really need is a simple step by step idiots guide on how to assign just one camera function using lVars or hVars. I could then understand the process involved and do the others myself.

I'd rather not revert to using FS2020 direct assignments for camera controls in addition to using AXIS and OHS, as they would no longer be in nice self-contained aircraft specific sets, which is one of the main attractions to me of your prog.

2 hours ago, glider66 said:

What I really need is a simple step by step idiots guide on how to assign just one camera function using lVars or hVars.

Sorry, but that was a misunderstanding - there are no direct (SimConnect) camera controls with AxisAndOhs and MSFS. Period. (Or to be more precise: there are none unless Asobo or an aircraft developer makes them. If you can't find HVars or Bvars for this operation, then that's it. I am not aware that there are any, but I am far from knowing all aircraft out there). My remark about HVars, BVars etc. was a general one, not specific to the view controls. For example the buttons of the default glass cockpit units are all HVars (some of them listed in the Event treelist in AAO as "HTML Variables").

For views, the only other option is to assign virtual keyboard events in AAO. You can use AAO to send keyboard keystrokes to the sim and control cameras that way, either directly with the VKey feature on the Button assignment dialog (but that only works when MSFS has the focus) or with RPN scripts that first force MSFS to have the focus, then send the virtual key events. It is either that or using the in-sim camera controls.

What's wrong with in-sim camera controls? Wouldn't your hat switch work the same in all aircraft? Or are there other use cases?

Edited March 27, 20224 yr by Lorby_SI

25 minutes ago, Lorby_SI said:

........Sorry, but that was a misunderstanding.........

I'm good at that (misunderstaning 🙂)....

I'm racking my brains to think of a good reason why I don't want the view commands handled by the Sim and be the same for all aircraft. I haven't come up with a good answer yet, because as you're probably infering, they're quite generic anyway.

I'll have another go at setting up my Cessna "master", with the camera commands in FS.

Thanks for once again responding so promptly.

The penny takes a bit longer to drop for me nowadays, so I'm now completely sold on Axis and OHS. 🙂.

I have now set up individual controller assignments in FS entitled "with Lorby", where each controller (throttle, joystick etc.) has just the camera actions, which as you said, do not need to vary between different aircraft anyway.

Then I have individual Axis and OHS sets for each aircraft/heli for all of the other button actions and axis.

So I get the automatic control switching for each aircraft, and can either template or copy definition sets to new ones.

During the setup, I found another unexpected bonus of Axis and OHS, helping me to identify the hardware button names.  The "scan" feature within FS for assignments does not work with my specialist throttle because it tells me I'm not clicking a button on the currently selected USB device, so I have to assign those by using the drop down list instead.  It has 31 button actions, 3 rotary encoders and 4 axis, so knowing which button name to select in the drop down was quite tedious.

..but when I use the Axis & ohs scan function, it initially displays the coded addess, and then after I have temporarilly assigned it to an action it displays the correct button number, which I made a note of as a key to use when assigning via FS instead.  That way I have been able to set the 3 rotary encoders in FS to zoom/unzoom, move eyepoint up/down, and move eyepoint left/right.

After succesfully setting up a few aircraft and helicopter "sets", I was then impressed with the onscreen gauge functions, (and I've been using "Air Manager" gauges for a number for several  years now).