Cougar Setup: General Approach
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Hi Guys…. Hi Dunc!
I read the comments of using Dx Button Mappings instead of keyboard mappings and in general I agree. Of course: Why using keys, when I have enough buttons and hats that I can assign directly?
However, for me the real benefit arises from the logical sim functions (or callbacks or whatever you call it) that can be mapped to a button of the joystick.
That saves so much programming effort on the joystick side, because all the (F-16) mode-dependend behavior of all the buttons is adressed automatically. That always has been one of my favourite BMS achievements also in previous versions.So in between my joystick file (in Foxy) is pretty much empty because 99% of needed functionality can be achieved by assigning the buttons (and axes, thankfully! ) directy to the sim functions in the conroller setup.
The remaining 1% is personal preference stuff and has nothing to do with BMS. It’s just me.The other thing I prefer is to setup the stick myself, because that it is the only way I fully understand what it does without having to learn the joystick layout. So I don’t like using other peoples j/s files (Foxy) or key files (BMS).
So how do you assign the joystick buttons to the logical sim functions? I prefer using the ingame controller setup, then save the key file as backup. From what I read, some of you seem to edit / create this key file with an editor, then load it in Falcon.
If so, why? What is the advantage of this approach? How do you avoid or locate mistakes? And how do you know what to write in there in the first place? You’d have to know the names of all the sim functions and the hex identifiers of all the button states???The other thing I want to ask is, if I hit “save” in the controller setup to create a key file, does it also store the settings for the analog axes, I made in the advanced controller setup? So if I have to reload it for whatever reason (maybe a reinstall), are the axes settings (avionics, flight control) restored as well or the button assignments only?
Is it planned to add the ability to setup shifting and to assign shifted buttons to the ingame controller setup? …hehe, you probably figured in between that I am somewhat reluctant to edit the key file manually and really prefer using the controller setup in game, saving the key file as backup only :oops:
Greets!
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heya
i used dunc file as a refrence for my setup
and changed it around to suit my needs adding some stuff deleting others etc,etc
i also used the old F4KeyFileEditor form lightning to see what the functions are in the bms keyfile had to remove all the remm marks out of it for it to load though but this gave me all the function names etc,etc i also used the Keyfile-generator.xls file in the docs folder to help me with the bindings so in the end i ended up with a new keyfile which i saved and loaded up in bms gives me what i basically need and is a WIP but works welladvanced controller stuff i belive are saved in the axismapping file havent looked at that code for a little while so may be wrong
my keyfile in case it helps anyone looks like this currently
SimICPDEDDOWN 1114 0 0XD0 0 0 0 1 “ICP DCS Down”
SimICPDEDUP 1113 0 0XC8 0 0 0 1 “ICP DCS Up”
SimICPDEDSEQ 1115 0 0XCD 0 0 0 1 “ICP DCS Seq”
SimICPResetDED 1112 0 0XCB 0 0 0 1 “ICP DCS Return”
SimICPTILS 1021 0 0X47 0 0 0 1 “ICP 1 ILS”
SimICPALOW 1109 0 0X48 0 0 0 1 “ICP 2 ALOW”
SimICPTHREE 1110 0 0X49 0 0 0 1 “ICP 3”
SimICPStpt 1018 0 0X4B 0 0 0 1 “ICP 4 STPT”
SimICPCrus 1019 0 0X4C 0 0 0 1 “ICP 5 CRUS”
SimICPSIX 1108 0 0X4D 0 0 0 1 “ICP 6 TIME”
SimICPMark 1015 0 0X4F 0 0 0 1 “ICP 7 MARK”
SimICPEIGHT 1016 0 0X50 0 0 0 1 “ICP 8 FIX”
SimICPNINE 1107 0 0X51 0 0 0 1 “ICP 9 A-CAL”
SimICPZERO 1106 0 0X52 0 0 0 1 “ICP 0 M-SEL”
SimICPEnter 1022 0 0X9C 0 0 0 1 “ICP Enter”
SimRadarNextTarget 1020 0 0X20 2 0 0 1 “ICP DLNK”
SimICPNext 1024 0 0XC9 0 0 0 1 “ICP Next”
SimICPPrevious 1023 0 0XD1 0 0 0 1 “ICP Previous”
SimICPCom1 1011 0 0X3B 0 0 0 1 “ICP-COM1”
SimICPCom2 1091 0 0X3C 0 0 0 1 “ICP-COM2”
SimICPLIST 1104 0 0X3D 0 0 0 1 “ICP-LIST”
SimICPAA 1013 0 0X3E 0 0 0 1 “ICP A-A”
SimICPAG 1014 0 0X3F 0 0 0 1 “ICP A-G”
SimDriftCO -1 0 0X2C 1 0 0 1 “ICP Drift C/O”
SimLaserArmOn -1 0 0X32 0 0 0 1 “MISC Laser Arm On”
SimLaserArmOff -1 0 0X32 1 0 0 1 “MISC Laser Arm Off”
SimArmMasterArm 1097 0 0X26 0 0 0 1 “MISC Master Arm On”
SimSafeMasterArm 1097 0 0X26 1 0 0 1 “MISC Master Arm Safe”
SimEject -1 0 0X12 2 0 0 1 “ACES Eject”
SimEmergencyJettison 1009 0 0X24 2 0 0 1 “GP Emergency Stores Jett”
SimJfsStart -1 0 0X24 0 0 0 1 “JFS Start”
SimThrottleIdleDetent -1 0 0X17 4 0 0 1 “Ctrls-Throttle Idle Detent”
AFCanopyToggle -1 0 0X2E 3 0 0 1 “HANDLE-Open/Close canopy”
SimToggleAutopilot 1076 0 0X1E 0 0 0 1 “MISC ARMAMENT-Autopilot Toggle”
SimInstrumentLight -1 0 0X21 0 0 0 1 “LIGHTNING-Flood Consoles Toggle”
SimEndFlight -1 0 0X1 0 0 0 1 “SIM Exit”
SimOpenChatBox -1 0 0X14 1 0 0 1 “Sim-Chat”
SimMotionFreeze -1 0 0X19 0 0 0 1 “SIM Freeze”
ToggleNVGMode -1 0 0X31 0 0 0 1 “CKPT NVG”
OTWSelectChaseMode -1 0 0XA 0 0 0 1 “View-Chase”
OTWStepNextPadlock -1 0 0X37 0 0 0 1 “VIEW Padlock Next”
OTWStepPrevPadlock -1 0 0XB5 0 0 0 1 “VIEW Padlock Prev”
OTWToggleSidebar -1 0 0X4 1 0 0 1 “View-Toggle SA bar”
OTWSelectAirFriendlyMode -1 0 0X9 0 0 0 1 “VIEW Friend”
OTWSelectIncomingMode -1 0 0X8 0 0 0 1 “VIEW Incoming”
OTWSelectWeaponMode -1 0 0X6 0 0 0 1 “VIEW Weapon”
OTWToggleFrameRate -1 0 0X3D 1 0 0 1 “SIM FPS”
ScreenShot -1 0 0X46 0 0 0 1 “SIM Screen Shot”
RadioAWACSCommand -1 0 0X10 0 0 0 1 “RADIO AWACS”
RadioWingCommand -1 0 0X11 0 0 0 1 “RADIO Wingman command”
RadioElementCommand -1 0 0X12 0 0 0 1 “RADIO Element command”
RadioFlightCommand -1 0 0X13 0 0 0 1 “RADIO Flight command”
RadioTowerCommand -1 0 0X14 0 0 0 1 “RADIO ATC message”
RadioTankerCommand -1 0 0X15 0 0 0 1 “RADIO Tanker message”
#################################################################TM MFD Cougar mappings, left and right MFD.
UNSHIFTED MAPPINGS
#################################################################
SimTriggerFirstDetent 0 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimPickle 1 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimHotasPinkyShift 2 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimCBEOSB_3L 3 1027 -2 0 0x0 0
SimMissileStep 4 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimTriggerSecondDetent 5 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimTMSUp 6 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimTMSRight 7 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimTMSDown 8 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimTMSLeft 9 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDMSUp 10 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDMSRight 11 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDMSDown 12 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDMSLeft 13 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDropProgrammed 14 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #CMS UP
SimECMStandby 15 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #CMS RIGHT
SimECMConsent 16 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #CMS DOWN
SimCmsLeft 17 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #CMS LEFT
SimCursorEnable 18 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimTransmitCom2 19 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #VHF
SimTransmitCom1 20 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #UHF
SimCommsSwitchRight 21 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #IFF IN
SimCommsSwitchLeft 22 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #IFF OUT
SimToggleMissileCage 23 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #UNCAGE
SimSelectSRMOverride 24 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #DOGFIGHT LEFT
SimSelectMRMOverride 25 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #DOGFIGHT RIGHT
AFBrakesOut 26 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
AFBrakesIn 27 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
################## POV HAT UNSHIFTED ##################################
OTWSelectF3PadlockModeAA 0 -1 -3 0 0x0 0
SimDoNothing 0 -1 -3 1 0x0 0
SimNextAAWeapon 0 -1 -3 2 0x0 0
SimDoNothing 0 -1 -3 3 0x0 0
OTWSelectF3PadlockModeAG 0 -1 -3 4 0x0 0
SimDoNothing 0 -1 -3 5 0x0 0
SimNextAGWeapon 0 -1 -3 6 0x0 0
SimDoNothing 0 -1 -3 7 0x0 0
#####################################################################This is the SHIFTED (with holding Pinky/S3) layer.
#####################################################################
SimDoNothing 256 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
AFGearToggle 257 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted pickle
SimHotasPinkyShift 258 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimCBEOSB_2L 259 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted paddle EXPANDED RADAR
SimFuelDoorToggle 260 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted nws button
SimDoNothing 261 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
FOVToggle 262 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted tws up
SimHSIModeInc 263 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted tws right
SimAVTRToggle 264 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted tws down
SimHSIModeDec 265 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted twsleft
OTWSelect3DCockpitMode 266 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted dms up
AFResetTrim 268 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted dms down
OTWSelectHUDMode 269 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted dms left
SimHmsSymWheelUp 270 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #Shifted CMS up
SimEWSJammerOn 271 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted cms right
SimEWSJammerOff 272 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted cms down
SimECMOn 273 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted cms left
SimEmergencyJettison 274 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted cursor enable
AWACSDeclare 275 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted vhf
AWACSRequestPicture 276 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted uhf
SimRadarCursorZero 278 -1 -2 0 0x0 0 #shifted iff out
SimDoNothing 279 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDoNothing 280 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDoNothing 281 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDoNothing 282 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDoNothing 283 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
############# POV HAT IN SHIFTED STATE ###############################
AFElevatorTrimUp 2 -1 -3 0 0x0 0
SimDoNothing 2 -1 -3 1 0x0 0
AFAileronTrimRight 2 -1 -3 2 0x0 0
SimDoNothing 2 -1 -3 3 0x0 0
AFElevatorTrimDown 2 -1 -3 4 0x0 0
SimDoNothing 2 -1 -3 5 0x0 0
AFAileronTrimLeft 2 -1 -3 6 0x0 0
SimDoNothing 2 -1 -3 7 0x0 0 -
Thanks! But still…
Please can someone explain the columns in the key file?
See, that is taken out of Duncs key file:
SimDMSUp -1 0 0XFFFFFFFF 0 0 0 1 “HOTAS-DMS Up”
SimDMSDown -1 0 0XFFFFFFFF 0 0 0 1 “HOTAS-DMS Down”
SimDMSLeft -1 0 0XFFFFFFFF 0 0 0 1 “HOTAS-DMS Left”
SimDMSRight -1 0 0XFFFFFFFF 0 0 0 1 “HOTAS-DMS Right”Obviously an attempt to assign the DMS to the appropriate sim callbacks.
1st column is the sim callback but what are the next ones? They are the same in all four lines. Finally the quoted text is something like a comment??So this is the DMS mapping taken from your file:
SimDMSUp 10 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDMSRight 11 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDMSDown 12 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDMSLeft 13 -1 -2 0 0x0 0It looks different… after the sim callback there’s a number looking like a dx button number? Again the rest of the lines is identical, but different to duncs key file.
Why?And… is the DMS a hat or is it seen as buttons? So is the shifting offset fixed to “2” or is the button shifting offset used?
Generally speaking… how to adress a hat after all?Thanks
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Please can someone explain the columns in the key file?
Check this (rather old) archived post from Frugalsworld which I made for Allied Force quite some while ago, it has all the basics (even though the DX stuff is a bit different in BMS):
And you might want to check out Nuttys keyfile editor as well (although it was made for OF):
http://www.flyfoxy.com/pit/FoxyOFKFA.zipLast not least, check out the XLS file in your BMS folder:
<bms>\Docs\Falcon BMS Manuals\Keyfile-generator.xlsQuick info:
SimDMSUp -1 0 0XFFFFFFFF 0 0 0 1 “HOTAS-DMS Up”
SimDMSDown -1 0 0XFFFFFFFF 0 0 0 1 “HOTAS-DMS Down”
SimDMSLeft -1 0 0XFFFFFFFF 0 0 0 1 “HOTAS-DMS Left”
SimDMSRight -1 0 0XFFFFFFFF 0 0 0 1 “HOTAS-DMS Right”Obviously an attempt to assign the DMS to the appropriate sim callbacks.
Mapping to 0XFFFFFFFF basically means “not mapped”. So I disabled the keystrokes here (because I wanted to use them on the Cougar DX buttons only). See the infos above for a full explanation.
So this is the DMS mapping taken from your file:
SimDMSUp 10 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDMSRight 11 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDMSDown 12 -1 -2 0 0x0 0
SimDMSLeft 13 -1 -2 0 0x0 0It looks different…. after the sim callback there’s a number looking like a dx button number? Again the rest of the lines is identical, but different to duncs key file. Why?
…the number after the callback name is indeed the DX button number of the device. However, while Windows starts to count up from 1, BMS starts to count from 0, so there is always an offset of one. Don’t know which stick Ninja has, but I mapped DMS to the Cougar DMS hat default DX buttons (see the comments in my TMJ/TMS files for a full explanation). Maybe Ninja uses another stick or has assigned his DX buttons in Foxy not to the defaults.
And… is the DMS a hat or is it seen as buttons?
As buttons. Only the POV (trim hat by default) is seen as a hat.</bms>
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I want to thank all for making BMS 4.33 U3 the best flight sim I have ever used. I started out with Falcon 4 and Microprose F-15. This is by far the best I’ve ever flown and I’m just getting started. With all the documentation help I was able to get Dunc’s Profile up and running through the use of Foxy, and got his key file to work with my HOTAS Cougar. Everything is running really fast on my Win 8.1 machine. Once I spent the effort to read through the documentation, and let it penetrate my through my thick skull, it all finally came together. With a few quick changes to my file setup Everything Worked. I want to thank the entire BMS team for doing something really awesome. I’m not sure that this type of quality effort has been duplicated by anyone; what more can I say except very, very impressive. Thank you,
blazinrabbit.