VKB-SIM

MCG Pro on Gunfighter III base, firmware v2_02_5(2) with black (newer) blackbox, configured with VKBDevCfg v0.91.78.

I've changed the thumbstick press (that converts between axis mode and POV hat mode) to require a long press (Tempo B) but haven't changed much otherwise.
I almost always use the thumbstick as a normal hat (regular button presses instead of axis).

The default thumbstick up/down/left/right map to only a brief press and immediate release of the corresponding POV hat position.

My problem is that multiple planes I fly have different commands based on short or long presses of the hat in all directions, which I can't do since the POV directions just pulse on and off.

I would really appreciate suggestions on how to make the up/down/left/right buttons stay pressed as long as the thumbstick is held in those positions, then release when the thumbstick goes back near center.
I would be okay with losing the axis functionality of the thumbstick if required, though having both would be nice.

Thanks in advance.

There's a label on that thumbstick, what does it says?

This is the left thumbstick. The label on the side by it reads "GATE CONT".
I have it mapped to POV2 as a 4-way, in the same manner that the "Master Mode" thumbstick is also mapped to POV1.

It's certainly possible this is an issue with how DCS handles POV hats. In that case, I would be fine just mapping the up/down/left/right axis positions to new logical buttons.

If it's set up as POV hat then it should be active as long as the button is pressed. Make sure it's the POV you used for binding in game and not the axes.

It's the POV I have bound in game, but upon further testing, the long presses are only not registering in specific circumstances in DCS.

So I think the issue is DCS, not the mapping. Sorry I didn't figure that out earlier!