swapping curves with a button press using VKBDevCfg

[Pomax]

I'm trying to find a way to deal with bad third party airplanes in MSFS2020 that have the trim axis reversed, and was thinking of doing this through VKBDevCfg, having two curves, one normal, one inverted, so that my RotZ lever can use the normal curve, but if I press button 36 (the button under that lever on my THQ), the curves are swapped, effectively inverting the trim axis.

Is this possible? If so, are there instructions somewhere for how to do this?

[fallout9]

Not clear what you're trying to do, as you mentioned curves and curves can't invert an axis, but:
- if you want to apply different curves to an axis, set up a button (or more, depending on how many curves) to Curves, Crv2, Alternate for permanent press, axis number and curve number. You could apply a default curve with the same number as axis' by checking the Eq box in Physical Axes panel.
- if you want to invert an axis assign a button to AUX Axes, with AUX Function as PA INV, Alternate if you want permanent hold, Source the number of axis and num if only that specific axis.

If this sounds complicated please let me know and I'll post some screenshots.

[Pomax]

I think I need the second one, without curves. Screenshots would be fantastic.

[DeadWalking]

Here is an example for Axis ID #1. I am not sure which Axis ID you are trying to invert.

So you will need to determine which of the 3 THQ axis IDs you need to use.

If you want a Toggled/Alternating bind then you can use the Alternate action checkbox.
Leave it unchecked if you only want the inversion while the button is held down.

Don't forget to hit 'Set' on the Action Tab


Edit: if you get curious
VKBDevCFG Manual
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=5559

4.3.22. AUX Axes Page 91

[Pomax]

Hm, I've followed that outline, used axis 6 since I have 2xTHQ with Rot Z marked as 6 as far as I can tell:



But now if I press the button, four unrelated axes swap function and it's not a toggle but still press-and-hold?

Without button press:



I have the THQs side by side (FSM on top, then THQ. THQ, SEM) and Axis X, Y, and Z are the left, center, and right axes on the left THQ, and Rot X is the left axis on the right THQ.

If I press button 36 now, I get this instead:



and the left THQ axes now control Axis Z, Rot X, and Axis X respectively, with the left axis on the right THQ controlling Axis Y...

so that seems pretty wrong, but I also can't seem to remove this anymore? If I click through to profile -> buttons, I get this:



and if I click on button 36, and set it back to plain automapping:



then closing and hitting "set" still leaves that button "greyed out" in the profile view, and it keeps doing weird axis swapping.

Opening the button wizard and typing button 36 I get a view that looks, as far as I can tell, identical to what you showed:



So I'm not sure what's going wrong here... if I use the wizard to set button 36 to just "a button" again, and then set the config, that fixes things, but of course then button 36 also don't invert an axis =)

[DeadWalking]

I think I would need to screen share with you to see what is going on.
It should not be affecting 4 axes.

You are on the Logical Layer when eyeballing the Button ID 36.
When setting the PA INV, that Physical Button no longer fires a logical button. That is why it is greyed out on the Logical side.
Also why you only get the Logical Button Mapping Wizard.
Need to change to the Physical Layer when looking for the main Button Mapping Wizard window.

If you are cool with jumping in the Discord
viewtopic.php?f=26&t=7031

I think I could help and clarify things better by watching your screen and using VOIP.

I wonder a little if that module combo is part of what is causing the 4 axes to invert on you.
In my test on a single device no combos it worked well. But I was using the default Source and Num.

Your AUX Axes PA INV looks accurate to what you described the Source should be.
I am curious about what is causing it though.

[Pomax]

I'll have to pass on the Discord suggestion, happy to do things in a public thread, but not in a place where information isn't both persistent, and discoverable. Future folks with the same problem should always be able to find whatever solution there is when they google for the problem =)

[DeadWalking]

That is a bummer. It would be less 24 hours of forum tag in between.

I need your full VKBDevCFG window showing the firmware version.
I would like to see your Global >> Common >> External Devices
Profile >> Axes
Profile >> Buttons >> Physical Layer.

If you could.

No cropped images please

[Pomax]

Can do. Captured with alt-printscreen:

global -> common



global -> external, THQ1



global -> external, THQ2



profile -> action



profile -> buttons -> physical

[DeadWalking]

Is that after a fresh default?
I was kind of hoping to see what you had set up and tried. Default pages make it tough to tell what might be wrong.

Though The Global >> External >> External Devices and Profile >> Axes look good at default.
Firmware is good for the modules. I wanted to be sure you were not on one of the newer ones, they can have issues with module combos.

If the only thing you changed was the AUX Axes PA Inv button on #36 and hit 'Set' then.

From your previous post and showing your PA Inv it looks accurate to what it should be.
I used Physical ID #36 since you mentioned the desired button being #36. Seeing your auto mapping on your Logical Layer from your previous post.
Physical ID #36 is Logical output #36 so I should have had the correct button.

So if I understand correctly and you had it set up, is that when you did hit the button it was inverting 4 axes instead of just the one.

So either you had something else set that isn't being shown in your default setup or you may have found a bug with the PA Inv on a module combo.
But I can't say for sure since I can't reproduce it, I don't have the module combo to recreate the situation.

This is where being able to Screen Share and see exactly what you are setting and seeing it fail directly would go a long way to be sure.

I may be able to get one of the others on Discord to be able to try and recreate it. I think they have the module combo available.
But not 100% on that.

[DeadWalking]

Doing some testing on my Dual SEM setup on the same firmware version as your module combo 2.10.8.

AUX axis PA Inv is showing the same behavior for me if I set all my SEM axes to act as axes.
Hit my PA Inv button and all my axes in front of(lower id) invert.
Toggle/Alternate wasn't functioning either.

AUX Axis and PA Inv were added to the manual for NJoy Controller Manual version 1.2.6. V.2.14

I am not sure which firmware that coincides with, that was a bit before I got so heavy into messing with VKBDevCFG.

But it does seem as though that will not work on that firmware version.
The problem is it is the last fully stable firmware for GNX module combos.

I was getting nothing but problems(failing to properly register the devices) trying to update my SEMs to the test firmware 2.13.F, which others have had luck with.
2.12.2 was failing to properly register the devices as well.

So PA Inv may not be possible for now.

[DeadWalking]

Some extra info after more testing and a little side discussion.

Seems like my DUAl SEMs are having a harder time getting updated to 2.13.F and working, than a combo of 2 THQs and 1 single SEM.

So you might be able to update firmware on your combo setup to be able to utilize the AUX Axes PA Inv feature in a working state.

Something with 2.13.F was just not allowing the DUAl SEMs to be recognized by Windows, no matter what I did for setup mode subaddress settings.

[Pomax]

Good to know it's not just me then - I did send a potential bug report so maybe it's something that gets looked into and fixed in the near future.

I can see if I can get things on 2.13F, although it sounds like that's more of a gamble at the moment since it's still in testing... is it easy to downgrade if things don't work?

[DeadWalking]

Downgrading firmware is the same as updating it.
Worst case you have to short the boot jumper on the GNX HID Controller before plugging back into PC to get into boot mode for flashing.

2.13.F probably won't be seeing any more tweaks, it is just the last one Tuesday John has had luck with on GNX Module Combos.
He was not fighting the combo he has after flashing like I was with Dual SEMs only. He has the 2 THQs and 1 SEM combo.

Kind of up to you if you want to give 2.13.F a shot.

I can work with you to get back to 2.10.8 if you were to run into issues.

[Pomax]

I might as well give it a shot. I don't see 2.13F on the regular downloads page (https://www.vkbcontrollers.com/pages/downloads), is there a separate page with a list of specific firmware versions for downloading test/old versions? Or would the 2.14A that is now the main download possibly work, too?

edit: looks like that's just for the stick, the usb controller version inside the 2.14A release is still 2.10.8