Saitek X-52 Profile
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My intention with this profile is to recreate the F-16’s HOTAS setup as accurately as possible, but of course, some compromises were inevitable.
Reference: F-16 HOTAS- Because of the way that Falcon BMS handles input options, it takes more than one file for this to work.
- I’ve added some handy mappings that would not normally be accessible from the real HOTAS.
- Everything apart from the shifted (red) functions can easily be changed from Falcon’s control setup screen.
- To learn how to edit the shifted functions, you’ll need to study this: DirectX Shifting Facility
The Files:
- BMS Saitek X-52.key - The X-52 button mappings, and all of the default keyboard bindings of the BMS.key keystroke file.
- axismapping.dat - Maps all of your control axes (pitch, roll, rudder and throttle, rotary dials, precision slider).
- joystick.cal - Axis calibration data.
- Falcon BMS X-52.pr0 - For Saitek’s SST profile software. It maps the radar cursor control, and the radar range dial.
- No TrackIR BMS Saitek X-52.key - Use instead of BMS Saitek X-52.key if you don’t have a TrackIR, and don’t use mouse look. This file has view controls mapped to POV Hat 1, and the DMS functions on shift + POV Hat 1. This file also replaces “TrackIR Center” and “TrackIR Reload” with “Padlock next AA” and “Padlock next AG”.
Setup:
- Grab yourself the latest Saitek drivers and profiling software.
- Make a backup of your \Falcon BMS\User\Config folder.
- Drop the files named BMS Saitek X-52.key, axismapping.dat, and joystick.cal in to your \Falcon BMS\User\Config folder.
- Drop the Falcon BMS X-52.pr0 file into your Saitek Profiles directory, and load this profile from the profiler software.
- To enable the mapping of the clutch button to “HOTAS Cursor Enable”, disable clutch mode in your X-52 properties (see third pic).
- To access the shifted functions, you’ll need to add the following two lines : set g_nHotasPinkyShiftMagnitude 256 set g_nHotasShiftQuickPressTimeLimit 500 to falcon bms.cfg in \Falcon BMS\User\Config using wordpad.
- If you wish to enable the WinAmp controls, open falcon bms.cfg, and search for the line set g_bPilotEntertainment 0 and change the 0 to a 1, so that the line reads set g_bPilotEntertainment 1
- From the Falcon BMS controller setup menu, click “load” and select BMS Saitek X-52.key (or No TrackIR BMS Saitek X-52.key).
- That’s it. Don’t forget that you’ll always need to load your Saitek profile before starting Falcon BMS.
Download: MediaFire or MEGAUPLOAD
Important:
- With these keyfiles, Radar Cursor control is mapped to the default keys, which are F8 (up), F9 (down), F10 (left), and F11 (right).
- This may unfortunately cause conflict with your TrackIR keys. Simply remap your TrackIR keys, if needed.
- If you have multiple controllers connected, ensure that your X-52 is Window’s preferred joystick. It should have ID-0.
- If your axes aren’t responding correctly, have a read of this: Axes
Updates:
- Shifted functions are now mapped.
- Profile added for users without TrackIR that don’t use mouselook.
- Flaps extend & retract now mapped to the T4 and T5 buttons.
- I’ve now simplified the air brake down to a toggle on Fire button D. __________
- Fix: The cancel missile override function was incorrectly mapped in the BMS Saitek X-52.key.
- No TrackIR BMS Saitek X-52.key updated to replace “TrackIR Center” and “TrackIR Reload” with “Padlock next AA” and “Padlock next AG”.
- WinAmp controls mapped to shift + T1 - T6. See image for details.
- Shift + Fire A is now Master Arm Cycle. Shift + Fire B is now Laser Arm Toggle
- Throttle idle detent is now correctly calibrated on the throttle axis.
- “Slap switch”, a vital part of the countermeasures system (CMS), is now mapped to shift + Fire D
- Shift + POV Hat 3 Left now cycles through the A-A CRM modes (TWS/RWS/VLS/VSR).
- Shift + POV Hat 3 Right now cycles through the A-G modes (GM/GMT/SEA).
- Shift + POV Hat 3 Down is now assigned to Radar Bar Scan Change.
- Shift + POV Hat 3 Up is now mapped to Radar-Submodes/Azimuth.
- Shift + mouse wheel click now toggles A-G snowplow mode.
- “HOTAS NWS AIR DISC MSL STEP” has now been remapped from shift + Fire to Fire C.
- Fix: Master Arm and Laser Arm mappings were missing from No TrackIR BMS Saitek X-52.key.
- Emergency Store Jettison is now mapped to shift + Fire (Pickle).
- Fix: Radar Gain was mistakenly mapped to the mouse wheel instead of Radar Range.
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Hello,
i have an question to the X52 profile´s.
I have one Profile for Falcon 4.0: Allied Force. Can i use it for the Falcon BMS?Thx.
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Hello,
i have an question to the X52 profile´s.
I have one Profile for Falcon 4.0: Allied Force. Can i use it for the Falcon BMS?Thx.
There are a lot of keystroke changes between Falcon 4.0 Allied Force and Falcon 4.0 BMS, so, you will have problems if you use a profile from any older version of Falcon 4.0.
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There are a lot of keystroke changes between Falcon 4.0 Allied Force and Falcon 4.0 BMS, so, you will have problems if you use a profile from any older version of Falcon 4.0.
Thanks, than i will try a new one
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KesMonkey,
Thanks! This looks very elegant and I’m looking forward to trying it today. I like your choices – much prefer them to mine.
BTW, were the graphic(s) showing the assignments photoshop’ed or otherwise manually prepared or is there a display capability built into the Saitek software somewhere that I haven’t seen?
– Joker_
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Thanks KesMonkey! This is very similar to how I started out and it looks great, can’t wait to try it out after work.
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What does Cursor Enable button do ? and Trigger Detent ?
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Hello Sir,
I have a Saitek X52 PRO joystick and I have been trying to map the LCD keys and the Mode Switch keys in the game, but that has been to no avail.
How did you manage to map them? Does it have to be done manually? If so, could you elaborate on how you’ve managed to do so?
I’ve read the tutorial in the FAQ’s section on how to create a SHIFT key to multiply your in-game commands, but that seemed rather convoluted. Forgive me for putting it that way, but it’s just because in other sims it’s so much easier to remap joystick keys and Falcon seems really hard.
Thanks for your time and patience.
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I’m trying to download the files. I’m getting an error saying the file is not available. Is there another download link? Thanks!
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Deleted
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I’m trying to download the files. I’m getting an error saying the file is not available. Is there another download link? Thanks!
I’ve updated the download link, but I’m getting errors myself now too. I may have to upload it somewhere other than megaupload. I’ll look into that…
edit: Okay, download link updated. -
@KesMonkey.
You mention you can tune the X and Y axis. (Shown in the your text that I’ve reproduced below.) A couple of us with X52’s have try to activate the option “Enable Custom Axis Settings” in the “Advanced Comtrollers Menu” of setup. But it is inactive and cannot be changed (to green that is). We are particularly keen to access the option for other “tuning” reasons, so are we missing something? Is there a way to turn on the “Enable Custom Axis Settings” as you are suggesting? Thanks. * Drop the “axismapping.dat” and the “joystick.cal” files into your “\Falcon 4 BMS\User\Config” folder. Confirm the overwrite for both files (you may want to back up your originals first). This will map the functions that are coloured green in the images, as well as the throttle, rudder, and pitch axis and roll axis. Each axis can be tuned via the advanced controllers menu. If you don’t use these two files, you’ll need to configure each axis yourself from the advanced controllers menu.Try the updated files that I’ve just uploaded. The setup instructions are updated, and the control layout has had a couple of small changes (see images) to get around a couple of issues.
Let me know if you still have trouble after the update. -
KesMonkey,
Thanks! This looks very elegant and I’m looking forward to trying it today. I like your choices – much prefer them to mine.
BTW, were the graphic(s) showing the assignments photoshop’ed or otherwise manually prepared or is there a display capability built into the Saitek software somewhere that I haven’t seen?
– Joker_
No, there’s no hidden capabilty for this that I know off. I just used paint.net to (crudely) edit some images I found on the web.
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What does Cursor Enable button do ? and Trigger Detent ?
The trigger in a real F-16 has two stages. That is, there’s a click when you pull the trigger in halfway. This is detent 1. When you pull the trigger in fully, you’ll feel a second click. This is detent 2.
Cursor enable has various functions, depending on the mode your avionics are in. For example, it is used in the process of using the JHMCS helmet mounted sight to lock up an off-beam target.
You’ll have to consult the BMS documentation for further information. -
Hello Sir,
I have a Saitek X52 PRO joystick and I have been trying to map the LCD keys and the Mode Switch keys in the game, but that has been to no avail.
How did you manage to map them? Does it have to be done manually? If so, could you elaborate on how you’ve managed to do so?
I’ve read the tutorial in the FAQ’s section on how to create a SHIFT key to multiply your in-game commands, but that seemed rather convoluted. Forgive me for putting it that way, but it’s just because in other sims it’s so much easier to remap joystick keys and Falcon seems really hard.
Thanks for your time and patience.
I didn’t even know that you could map those buttons on an X-52 until I read it recently in a forum somewhere. I just mapped them like I would any other button. I might have read in the same forum that it can’t with done with the pro. I can’t be sure.
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Hello again Mr KesMonkey,
Your profile is indeed very clean and elegant. I however own an X52PRO and this joystick uses a different file format for its profiles, so converting them in a no go. I’d very much like to use your configuration, and I could manage that if I had the key presses you used to create your own. I am very new to this sim, so a profile would greatly assist in learning it.
Would it be possible to print the commands into a XPS file and upload it? It’d greatly help others, since we could then use the keybindings to create our own X52PRO profiles.
Thank you beforehand for any help.
Best regards!
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Hello again Mr KesMonkey,
Your profile is indeed very clean and elegant. I however own an X52PRO and this joystick uses a different file format for its profiles, so converting them in a no go. I’d very much like to use your configuration, and I could manage that if I had the key presses you used to create your own. I am very new to this sim, so a profile would greatly assist in learning it.
Would it be possible to print the commands into a XPS file and upload it? It’d greatly help others, since we could then use the keybindings to create our own X52PRO profiles.
Thank you beforehand for any help.
Best regards!
Thanks. Well, most of the keybindings are actually set in the FBMS config file called “BMS Saitek X-52.key” (or “No TrackIR BMS Saitek X-52.key” for non TrackIR users). This is loaded from the sim itself, not the Saitek profiler. These .key files use DirextX mapping IDs. If the DirectX button ID numbers on the Pro model match up with the standard model, you should have no problem.
The things defined in the Saitek Profiler file “Falcon 4 BMS X-52.pr0” are the radar cursor controls on the mouse stick, and the radar range controls on the mouse wheel. I’ve also disabled the shifting function of the Mode dial, which now acts as three buttons for the missile override settings. I don’t know if you can do this with the Pro.
So, you’ll have to create your own Saitek software profile for that I’m afraid.For creating a Saitek profile: Radar Range Decrease & Increase is mapped to Ctrl+F3 and Ctrl+F4 (default BMS mappings) on the keyboard in the .key file. Map those key combinations to mouse wheel up and mouse wheel down in your Saitek profiler.
Radar cursor controls are mapped to F8(up), F9(down), F10(left), and F11(right) on the keyboard in the .key file (default BMS mappings).
So, for each mouse stick axis (x,y), you must create three ‘bands’.
Map F10(left) and F11(right) to the X axis bands.
Mapp F8(up) and F9(down) to the Y axis bands.The “axismapping.dat” and the “joystick.cal” files are also FBMS config files, and contain information on the axis assignments for the X-52. I’ve no idea if these will work with a Pro. Use at your own risk.
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Hello Mr Kesmonkey,
Thank you for your time and attention. They sure are appreciated. I’ll try and use your key settings in the sim. I am still learning the sim and there’s a lot of ground to cover. It’s just that by having the joystick properly setup, it’s much easier to learn.
Thanks again for the kind response.
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Hello Mr Kesmonkey,
Thank you for your time and attention. They sure are appreciated. I’ll try and use your key settings in the sim. I am still learning the sim and there’s a lot of ground to cover. It’s just that by having the joystick properly setup, it’s much easier to learn.
Thanks again for the kind response.
No problem Henrique. I’ve a lot still to learn myself too.
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Updated
At the request of ade670, I’ve added an option for non TrackIR users. First post is updated with new info.
“Radar Submodes” is now added (shifted) on the mouse wheel button click (same button as Radar standby).
I didn’t like the way the speedbrake was mapped.
I’ve now simplified it down to a toggle on Fire button D.
Shift+Fire button D now does nothing.Download link and illustrations are updated to include these changes.