How to create new controller profiles in MSFS

[SimWare 729]

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How to create new controller profiles in MSFS.

 

Beside the “how”, the most important is “why”…
Because, when first connecting a USB controller to MSFS, if this controller is in the

“known controllers” MSFS database, default assignments will be automatically loaded.
Altough this may seem a good idea, it isn’t always one.
Tons of assignments will be made based on assumptions and most common default airplanes.

Moreover, these assignments assume the controller you just connected is the only one in use.
---> It may then assign functions that are already assigned to another connected controller.

EXAMPLE :

You connect a joystick and MSFS automatically assigns the slider to the throttle function.
However, you already have a throttle quadrant connected and assigned.

If you blindly rely to the automatic default assignments, you will now have two controls assigned to the throttle.
That will lead to conflicts and unwanted behaviors
You may think that your device or the simulator is defective.

The best is therefore NOT to rely on default assignments and create your own assignments set from scratch.
This may seem a heavy task, but it will save a huge amount of time and hassle later.
Moreover, MSFS allows to create and name different custom profiles.
You can therefore create for instance a B737 specific profile and a A320 specific profile.
This is VERY powerful and gives you full control of your own configuration.

 

These are the steps to create an new fully empty (no assignments) profile : 

 

IMPORTANT NOTE :
This is also valid for the mouse and the keyboard.
MSFS manages the mouse and keyboard assignments the exact same way as

the "traditional" controls.
You can therefore also create new profiles for the mouse and keyboard.

 

STEP 1 :
- Connect your controller (we use a Saitek/Logitech X52 pro)
- Go to CONTROLS OPTIONS
- Under the controller name appears the profile in use. Here it is “DEFAULT”
- Lots of assignments are already setup

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STEP 2 :
- Click on your controller tab. It will highlight in white.
- Click PRESET MANAGER

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STEP 3 :
Click “+”

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STEP 4 :
- A dialog box appears
- Enter a profile name of your choice.
  à Make it relevant ! Example “Aerosoft CRJ”, or “MSFS A320”
- Press OK

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STEP 5 :
- Your profile name now appears under the controller name
Nothing is assigned. This is a 100% blank profile.

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STEP 6 :
- Set the FILTER to “ALL”
- Click EXPAND/COLLAPSE ALL to only show the functions categories in the center panel

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STEP 7 :
- Goto POWER MANAGEMENT -> THROTTLE
- Choose the function you want to assign to the throttle lever.

   For this example, we will choose the first one “THROTTLE 1 AXIS”
- Click on the first grey rectangle on the right of the function name.

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STEP 8 :
A detection and assignment box appears.
- Click the START SCANNING zone
- When the zone becomes highlighted, physically move the lever on your controller for the simulator to detect it.

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STEP 9 :
When detected, click VALIDATE

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STEP 10 :
The assignment will now appear in the list
à Repeat the steps above for the other levers, sticks, buttons, switches you want to assign.
     Leave the unused ones unassigned.
- Click APPLY AND SAVE

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You are all set !

[wingclip 13]

GREAT HELP!! Thank you!

Rich

[wingclip 13]

As I had suspected, this information is extremely helpful, SimWare!! In fact, all the information I got from you, (including the article "Hardware/Software compatibility..." was just what I needed to know. Because I'm familiar with, Thrustmaster Warthog's TARGET profiler software, I fully understand and appreciate your article's message.

 

For the Honeycomb Controls, (which I'm worrking with first), my plan, is to follow the steps you covered, but with one little twist.

 

I plan to open the Preset Manager as you instruct, but I'm going to first create a "Custom-Default" profile name like "Single Engine Yoke-Props". I'll save that and then I'll repeat the steps to create another "Custom-Default" profile name like "Twin-Engine Yoke-Props", and then again, for "Multi-Engine Yoke-Airliners", and so on.

 

These "Custom-Default" Profiles will have a limited number of actions saved for operation of the control surfaces, throttle quadrant configuration, and perhaps some other, common, and typically applied operations, ("Gear", Batt/Mags 1&2/Starter/fuel, etc.). Of course, the custom profile name will indicate whether it's for single or multi-engine prop planes that use a Yoke control.

 

Anyway, I would then open my "Custom Default profile that I wish to apply to say, a single engine Cessna. I would then name that profile to the specific plane I chose, as you instructed, and go on with setting the switches and operations as needed for that plane.

 

All the custom-default profile does, is make it a little faster to create the user-specific, target-aircraft profile, by already having the yoke and throttle, as well as gear and some other basic control assignments, completed. (If you follow what I mean).

 

Later, when I connect my Thrustmaster Warthog controls, I'll create similar "Custom Default" profiles that will have the indicator word "Stick" in the name. I won't be dealing with the Thrustmaster and TARGET settings for at least a week or more but I sense that the TM TARGET software will make short work of the basic job, and then I can 'dial it in' as needed for each plane or helicopter that I want.

 

There are some people who have created .tmc and .fcf files with the TARGET software and are willing to share the file with others, (though, one should always use good judgement & scan the file for viruses before installing). The TARGET file can greatly reduce the time needed for each aircraft, (... I think).

I think a lot of people benefited from your post; "How to create new controller profiles in MSFS". It's been the most important guide I've read and/or watched, (YouTube videos), in the past 2 weeks.

Rich

[SimWare 729]

Hi Rich,

 

These custom default profiles are an excellent idea indeed as they take in

account the specificities of your system.

 

Well thought.

Best regards.

[Hossi 2]

Hi,

Thank you for this detailed description of how to create in profiles in MFSF.
My previous attempts to do this was not very successful so far. Then I think now the next attempt with the help of this excellent description
will be more successful.

 

Best regards

Horst

 

[SimWare 729]

Thanks for those words Horst !

 

[SimWare 729]

You may also be interested by these two ones :

 

 

 

[wingclip 13]

It's been a while now since I've gotten the hang of creating Controller profiles for various needs and for some specific aircraft. In the process, I came to find where MSFS stores my controller profiles, which can be VERY important to know as a precautionary measure.

 

Here's a little tip that can pay off big if you eve have a catastrophic system crash and have to reinstall MSFS from scratch: Even if you installed MSFS in a custom location as I have, (I have it installed on a dedicated NVMe SATA drive; Drive "A"). [Please keep in mind that I have the MSFS Premium Store-bought version for PC and I don't know if this tip would work for the Steam edition or for Xbox.]

 

I have a yoke and throttle system, (Honeycomb Alpha & Beta), a Stick and Throttle System, (Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS), a Crosswinds Rudder Pedal system, as well as a Thrustmaster TCA Quadrant & Airbus additions, Thrustmaster Cougar MFD Panels, Two Saitek Throttle Quads, Saitek Yoke & Rudder Pedals, and Saitek Switchbox and Multi-panel.

 

Yes, everyone one of those controllers are employed at some specific time and saved in the MSFS Controller Profiler. Some profiles are for a specific aircraft ONLY, such as the control of the MSFS Pelican, (specific functions for vertical operations and then you need to activate a switch for horizontal flight. Then there's the need to use "Slew Mode" for space flight, etc., etc.)

 

There are the controllers and commands for Rotorcraft, Fixed-Wing, Gliders, and more. I name my various profiles to indicate that the profile is configured for Jet Engine, Turbo-Prop, or Gas-engine craft. That way, I can have control of Condition levers and Reversers or Fuel Mix levers, Slats, etc.. There are too many differences to list but that is exactly my point!

 

It occurred to me that all it would take was for some SNAFU to cause me to have to either "RESET" MSFS, or do a complete reinstallation, (and I came close to that just a few days ago!).

For me, that would be catastrophic! It took hours to workout some of those profiles. In addition, I am still 'tweaking' various things in my controller profiles, (recently, I made changes in the sensitivity, of the Yoke and Pedals, for example).

 

Plus, as I purchase new aircraft I may find a need to make some various changes in the button presses for a new included command. All this adds up to a lot of work and time if I ever had to do it all over. 

 

So, I have a calendar scheduled to open a reminder once every month. It reminds me to backup my MSFS controller folder, which is the "WGS" folder. Regardless of whether you used the Default location when you installed MSFS or a custom location, the WGS folder will always be located here: 

C:\Users\richp\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\SystemAppData

 

If you installed your Windows O/S in the default drive, then the drive is "C". The point is that you would go to the drive that contains your Operating System and in most cases, that's drive "C".

 

The size of the data in that folder is surprisingly small. I save the backup in an external drive, separate from the 8 internally mounted drives that I have. 

I also backup the Cameras.cfg, FlightSimulator.cfg, and UserCfg.opt files located here:

C:\Users\richp\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache

 

Please keep in mind that you must be able to take Full Control permission of the LocalCache folder in order to be allowed to copy and paste these files. That also may be true for the controller folder "WGS".

 

Hopefully this will help someone!

Rich

 

[SimWare 729]

Thank you for sharing these info !

Great mindset....

Very useful indeed.

Take care.

 

[klstvdr 0]

Thanks for this helpful howto!

What I still can't figure out is how a set of profiles is assigned to a specific aircraft.

Consider the following:

- A system has, say, 3 controls A, B and C.

- Controls A and B each have a profile named "P1" (C does not have this, or it is empty).

- Controls B and C each have a profile named "P2" (A does not have this, or it is empty).

- There are two aircraft named "A1" and "A2", where "A1" shall use profile "P1" and "A2" shall use "P2".

How can I make it so that when I select aircraft "A1" the profiles of all controls are automatically set to "P1", and for "A2" to "P2"?

[SimWare 729]

Hi,

It will not switch automatically.
You have to switch it yourself manually each time you change plane.

The naming according to the plane is just a way for you to remember to wich plane a profile is intended.

 

Best regards.

[Sloppysmusic 1]

Useful yes but IMO they have implemented this backwards.

Instead of the controller having an aircraft profile, the aircraft should have a controller(s) profile.

 

Simple implementation/solution but inefficient using current system: 

When doing the above instead of just naming the profile sim should give also give a field select option to LINK TO AIRCRAFT from drop down box.

Afterwards when loading the aircraft ALL linked controller profiles would automatically be assigned. Option to DISABLE non-linked detected controllers would avoid conflicts.

 

More efficient solution:

Create AIRCRAFT custom control profile. Add multiple installed controllers to LINK them to AIRCRAFT. Then when AIRCRAFT is loaded in hanger or sim location all control changes/assignments would then be locked to the assigned controllers ONLY ( DISABLED non-linked also so no longer would that still connected wireless Xbox controller behind the couch mess you up).

Templates could be used based on initial DEFAULT AIRCRAFT profiles which you would create first to use with most default simpler planes of a specific type. You would then INHERIT this profile to be used for the new one. eg INHERIT TWIN ENGINE JETLINER for your 737/Airbus addon. Create new profile for THAT model only then off you go.

 

How difficult would it be for a 3rd party dev to add this function? AIRCRAFT CONTROL SCHEME PROFILER.

 

Apologies if the world isn't this simple I have given the idea precisely 5 mins of thought while posting this!

Sloppy

PS I'm pretty sure FSUIPC used to do this in FSX. I know I used it or something very similar. Been out the loop for 4 years VERY rusty but getting back to speed now.

 

EDIT I now see there is a utility that seems to do just this in marketplace and elsewhere.

[wingclip 13]

I agree and in fact, there is a 3rd party software which allows you to assign a specific controller and controller profile to an aircraft! After you set the controller/s and the profile for an aircraft, every time you select that specific aircraft, (regardless of the livery), the controller and intended profile are automatically applied to it when it opens in MSFS.

 

So, in my case, I have the Honeycomb Yoke & Throttle system and the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS Stick & throttle system. I also have the Crosswinds Rudder Pedals as well as the Saitek/Logitech Switchbox & Multi-panel and 2 Thrustmaster MFD panels. If I wanted to fly a twin engine, turbo-prop aircraft, (like, say the twin Otter, which is a Yoke-controlled plane), my controllers would include the Honeycomb controllers and the Crosswinds Rudder pedals.

 

I may also want to apply one, or both of the Thrusmaster MFD panels for additional controller buttons but whatever I decide, I would have the profile specifically set for that Twin Otter Turbo-prop. My controller levers would be set for Throttles, Props & Condition operations and there would be buttons assigned to water-rudder controls and if it's amphibious version, landing gear, (just to mention a few examples).

 

These settings are all created in the 3rd party's profiling software and would automatically load when the plane was selected and opened in MSFS. Now here's the bad news; I don't remember the name of that 3rd party software!!! I think I saw it in my Orbx website store and it MAY BE "SoFly", (but remember, I'm not sure about that!).

 

The reason I don't have it yet is because the software also does many other things regarding the organization of the planes, missions, flight-paths arrangements, etc., etc. I found myself becoming overwhelmed by all the options and at the time, (about 7 or 8 months ago), it seemed like each option had some sort of limitation or disclaimer.

 

In other words it appeared to try and do too much. It just seemed like I would've been spending days just trying to get the aircraft placed in the proper categories and of course, I'd have to take the time to recreate profiles for each aircraft. That's because the software didn't have the ability for the user to copy already-made custom profiles from the MSFS profiler to the new 3rd party software.

 

I have numerous profiles but I set them up and named them based on the kind of aircraft the profile is meant to be applied to. I have Fixed-wing and Helicopter categories. Single and multi-engine profiles, which are applied to Turbo-Prop, Gas-engine, Jet-engine and "Other-power Source". In each category, is a kind of sub-category to address Amphibious-Gear, Tundra-gear, Floats, Ski's, etc.

 

It did take time for me to iron-out the profiles but eventually, I wound up with about 6 or 7 'main profiles'. It seems to work well, but that's just me.

FWIW,

Rich

[SimWare 729]

You can also link profiles and scripts to specific aircraft in Axis&Ohs.

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[wingclip 13]

YES! That's the name of the software that I was trying to remember! "Axis & Oh's"

Thanks for reminding me,

Rich 

[SimWare 729]

Welcome.
For the sake of information, here are some AAO tutorials you may find useful : 
https://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/topic/162602-how-to-interface-crj550700-l-vars-with-axisandohs/
https://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/topic/176247-how-to-control-the-pmdg-b737-cutoff-levers-under-msfs-with-axisohs/
https://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/topic/175878-how-to-control-the-aerosoft-a330-external-lights-with-axisandohs-under-msfs/

https://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/topic/173092-controlling-the-pmdg-b737-external-lights-with-axis-and-ohs-under-msfs/
https://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/topic/166301-controlling-the-aerosoft-crj-lights-with-axis-and-ohs-under-msfs/

https://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/topic/166341-interfacing-the-crj-mcdu-1-with-axis-and-ohs-under-msfs/

https://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/topic/166189-how-to-dampen-the-trim-button-in-msfs-using-axis-and-ohs/