how to use POV hat for trim buttons

[Bigdumb]

I'm not sure where things went wrong, but ever since I unplugged the stick and replaced a broken spring on my VKB Gunfighter pro I haven't been able to get the DCS controller set up software to recognize my POV hat switch assignment inputs as either an axis command or non axis button assignment for elevator or rudder trim..
In IL2 , I can get the axis for trim recognized , but not non axis button assignments for trim . I would rather have it be a button assignment because the axis works way too quickly in game. A minor press of the hat changes the axis 100%, no fine inputs possible.
I think I need to make some changes to the VKB config. , but don't know what.

[fallout9]

Before anything else make sure your device is calibrated; you didn't said what grip you have, so if it's a SCG grip follow this guide and if it's a MCG Pro or Ultimate this one. Press Default button under Tools tab before calibration.

[Bigdumb]

OK, I calibrated with the VKB device config. I have the MCG grip. The Gunfighter model is mk 2. I don't know if it's important, but I noticed during calibration that axis x doesn't move, it stays all the way to the left and axis x & y always stay centered. What do I need to do next?

[Drano]

Once you have everything calibrated go into the game's controllers setup. I have the MCG-Pro grip. The upper center 8-way hat is a dual use hat. Long press the center and it changes that hat to a two axis by default so you shouldn't have to change anything in the VKB software to do this. I find this hat most handy to do this. How that hat works is: long press ( how long can be configured on the general tab ( I think) of the VKB sotfware, pretty sure it defaults at 250ms) the center of the hat to change from view hat to two axii, in that mode a short press centers them both, another long press takes you back to a view hat. Long press the hat to put it in axis mode--that way your game will see it. In the game's controllers setup assign those axii to trim. I have up/down set to elevator and left/right set to aileron. There are other ways to do this with the other hats if that doesn't work for you. I just found it the easiest way to do this and not really lose a hat over it. Long press, set trim, another long press, back to a hat.

[Bigdumb]

Thanks for the answers, I really appreciate it. I didn't realize that all I needed to do was a long press on the center button of my POV switch! It works great in DCS. It works OK in IL2 also, but it's hard to have fine control of the trim on an axis in IL2. I'm still a little confused about using the hat switch for non axis button assignments though (if it's even possible). I thought maybe assigning a left & right, or up, down click to my POV switch as a button assignment would give me finer trim control in IL2, but it doesn't seem to recognized like that in either DCS or IL2. However, that's not a big deal, I'm very happy to see that things work with just giving the center of my POV a long center press.
Now , after already feeling like I have my question answered, I still want to ask what I'm afraid may be a dumb question:
I eliminated the pre- assigned view stations in my POV switch in DCS because I've been using Track Ir. When I give a second press to the POV center, to have the axis trim assignments no longer recognized, what non -axis state is it returning to? Can't a left, right , up , down press be assigned to something else?

[Drano]

Curves is the answer you're looking for. There's a vid on the VKB YT channel that explains how to set them up better than I can here.

[Drano]

I didn't read through your whole post. How that hat works is--starting with view hat mode--long press changes the hat's state to a dual axis. A short press--short press--will center the axii when it's in that mode. If you're in view mode a short press does nothing. To find which axii the hat is using in the VKB software bring up the test tab and look at the axii. Switch the hat to Axis mode and move it around to see which is which. Not at my home PC so I'm not really sure. I know the stick base, pitch and roll, X and Y are the first two.