Using the 2/3-way Warthog throttle buttons without Target

[pellelil 59]

I come from a CH Products background myself, but switched to the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS some 3 years ago. I love the build quality and digital precision of the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS, but IMO Thrustmaster's programming interface Target have one big minus, and that is the Target-"program" boils down to a single (virtual) controller with a maximum of 32 buttons and 8 axis, whereas the programming interface for CH Products can generate as many virtual controllers you need, each with 32 buttons and 8 axis, so more buttons can be handled directly in the sim, in stead of defining keyboard-shortcuts to be send (the sim can handle multiple hardware buttons being pressed at the same time, but multiple keyboard-shortcuts have to be send sequentially).

 

Anyway to address this, I last year wrote a small program allowing me to use both (or all 3) positions of the 2/3-way switches on the Warthog throttle, without using Target. I accomplished this thanks to vJoy, which is a virtual Joystick driver (that is sadly not still in active development). The way it works, when you switch one of the physical 2-way buttons to it's "On"-position that button goes on (as per usual). However when you switch it to the "Off"-position a button on a virtual controller (handled via program and vJoy) goes to its "On"-position. You can then setup you sim to perform some action when this occurs (the sim, will simply see it as if 2 different controllers are attached). The program was made with DCS in mind, but can be used with any sim that supports multiple controllers (e.g. P3D).

 

To function you need to install/configure vJoy (once), and then you need to run this small tool (each time you want to use it). I had various ideas to expand this tool (like support for multiple/other controllers). But I never got around to do this, and I don't have any current plans to do so. So for now the program is hard-coded to- and will only function with the -Warthog throttle. The download-zip contains the installer, and the (PDF) documentation which contains more info about the program and explains how to install/configure vJoy.

 

www.liljendal.dk/portals/1/files/tmp2019/Joy2vJoyInstaller100Beta.zip

[DaveCT2003 2553]

36 minutes ago, pellelil said:

I come from a CH Products background myself, but switched to the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS some 3 years ago. I love the build quality and digital precision of the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS, but IMO Thrustmaster's programming interface Target have one big minus, and that is the Target-"program" boils down to a single (virtual) controller with a maximum of 32 buttons and 8 axis, whereas the programming interface for CH Products can generate as many virtual controllers you need, each with 32 buttons and 8 axis, so more buttons can be handled directly in the sim, in stead of defining keyboard-shortcuts to be send (the sim can handle multiple hardware buttons being pressed at the same time, but multiple keyboard-shortcuts have to be send sequentially).

 

Anyway to address this, I last year wrote a small program allowing me to use both (or all 3) positions of the 2/3-way switches on the Warthog throttle, without using Target. I accomplished this thanks to vJoy, which is a virtual Joystick driver (that is sadly not still in active development). The way it works, when you switch one of the physical 2-way buttons to it's "On"-position that button goes on (as per usual). However when you switch it to the "Off"-position a button on a virtual controller (handled via program and vJoy) goes to its "On"-position. You can then setup you sim to perform some action when this occurs (the sim, will simply see it as if 2 different controllers are attached). The program was made with DCS in mind, but can be used with any sim that supports multiple controllers (e.g. P3D).

 

To function you need to install/configure vJoy (once), and then you need to run this small tool (each time you want to use it). I had various ideas to expand this tool (like support for multiple/other controllers). But I never got around to do this, and I don't have any current plans to do so. So for now the program is hard-coded to- and will only function with the -Warthog throttle. The download-zip contains the installer, and the (PDF) documentation which contains more info about the program and explains how to install/configure vJoy.

 

www.liljendal.dk/portals/1/files/tmp2019/Joy2vJoyInstaller100Beta.zip

 

Pelle,

 

You are my hero!  I could not possibly agree with you more about the Target software - one has to question why they wrote it the way they did.

 

I look forward to exploring  your application, both with P3D and with DCS.

 

Anyway, your writing and sharing this is a wonderful thing!  Thank you, so very, very much.

 

 

 

[Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558]

Behind Dave here, HERO!

 

In 20+ years I have NEVER found any software intended to support control hardware that made sense and did not cause problems. 

[pellelil 59]

Thanks for the kind words. Its a bit sad more sims don't support attaching a function to a button going "Off" out of the box, as I think it is very useful in many cases (especially with 2/3-way buttons like those on the Warthog throttle). FSUIPC allows you to do so in P3D, but that is the only one I know of (hence why I made this tool). In other sims I do miss the "modifier" option you have in DCS (often I use the paddle-switch as my modifier, so all other buttons can have two functions). But then again nothing is perfect

 

Dave I used to do all kinds of weird sh*t in the CH Products programming interface, e.g. the driver had support for 3 modes, so all buttons could have 6 different assignments (3 modes that all had support for both an shifted/non-shifted function). Normally I would keep the same function for the buttons in all modes, and then just do something different with the axis in each mode. E.g. for DCS I used to use one of these modes to "half" my elevator/aileron input so it was more easy to air-refuel, and for FSX/P3D I used the modes to switch rudder-pedal/aileron input around, so I basically could use my (CH) yoke as a steering wheel on ground while taxing, and then shift to "normal mode" before take of. Also in this "ground mode" it would reduce my physical throttle input so even when moving the physical throttle to its full extend it would input about 30-50% of throttle, so it was more easy to dial in just the correct amount of throttle to taxi

 

I still have my CH Products rudder pedals, but these days I only fly with these and my Warthog HOTAS (without any special CH/Target "programming", but using this tool to get the full effect of the 2/3 way buttons). It was a bit weird to get used to fly airlines with a joystick in stead of an Yoke, but now my throttle/joystick is placed on either side of my keyboard 100% of the time. Whereas with a Yoke I had to mount/un-mount it every time I switched between flying and using the PC for other purpose - its such a drag writing software with a yoke between yourself and the keyboard

 

[pellelil 59]

I have recently upgraded Joy2vJoy to version 1.02 and it is available from DCS World's user download (see link below).

• The program is no longer deployed as an installer. In stead its simple a zip, you can unzip wherever you want it, and it contains all files (the vJoy driver must be downloaded/installed separately).
• In the old version mentioned here at the forum, you had to cycle all buttons on the throttle at start up to have the virtual-buttons in their correct state, this is however no longer necessary.
• Likewise you had to manually to push the "Activate" button after starting the program. In this new version it will automatic "Activate" as soon as you run the program.
• The program also accepts arguments/command-line parameters, so if you add -minimize to your short-cut the program will start minimized.
• The enclosed manual have be updated to describe the new arguments/command-line parameters, and the download link for the vJoy driver have been updated as well.

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3321311/

 

[SimWare 729]

Hi,

 

This tutorial may also interest you perhaps:

Best regards.