Falcon BMS Alternative Launcher (Easy Setup, Keep Joystick Assignments)
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Edit: Installed U1 and my Y axis is reversed in the sim, Changed the “Pitch” axis to “false” everything works as it should now, thank you!
The paragraph in the v100 file for my CH Fighterstick after the change;
<axassgn><axisname>Pitch</axisname>
<assgndate>2019-12-30T10:04:25.4664954-05:00</assgndate>
<invert>false</invert>
<saturation>None</saturation>
<deadzone>Small</deadzone></axassgn> -
Thanks mca2 and bibleclinger. It did the trick for me. One less thing to take care of when getting ready for a MP flight.
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Hey Guys,
Is been a while. Can anyone help me with this so I don’t mess anything up.
Why are the “KEYCOMBO/PINKYSHIFT” “RELEASE” and “Invoke Both” buttons on the main page of the KeyMapping UI, as well as when you double-click a specific keystroke to edit?
I want to assign a button on my throttle as a dedicated shift key, so I’m not sure if I’m supposed to assign the shift key universally, or uniquely under each key stroke line item individually.
For example:
DX2 is the key I want as my shift button.
DX6 is assigned to do whatever.
I want to have DX6’s secondary shifted function be, Trim Up - nose down.Thanks, I don’t want to risk messing up as I’m still very new to BMS and this thread is over 30 pages now, so I can’t read every post.
I think I am supposed to:
1. Double click the mapping for TRIM Up - Nose Down
2. Press “KEYCOMBO/PINKYSHIFT”
3. Press DX2
4. Press “KEYCOMBO/PINKYSHIFT”
5. Press DX6
6. Press “Save” -
Here is what the screen(s) will look like if done correctly (My SHFT is DX4, makes no difference). First set the DX button you want as SHFT, done (should look like my assignment in second screenshot). Next go to the button you want to use as shifted, double-clik to bring up assignment window, click the KeyCombo/Pinkyshift button, then press the DX button you want to use as shifted. Click Save, done (skip your step 4-5). Your button should look like my first screenshot showing my DMS controls.
So like this once you assign a SHFT button (in your case DX2) -
1. Double click the mapping for TRIM Up - Nose Down (or whatever you want shifted)
2. Press “KEYCOMBO/PINKYSHIFT” button in the assignment window
3. Press the DX6 button on your controller
4. Press “Save”Now DX6 will Trim Up when you clik it with the DX2 button already held down
Rinse and repeat. -
I guess I’m doing something wrong. The launcher wont start. With or without the additional dlls. Could someone point me into the right direction please?
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Hub.exe is at Falcon BMS 4.34\bin\x86, right?
How about removing .xml files in User/Config or starting the app unplugging all joysticks? -
Hub.exe is at Falcon BMS 4.34\bin\x86, right?
Yes, exactly there.
How about removing .xml files in User/Config?
There are not .xml files in my Config folder
How about starting the app unplugging all joysticks?
Didn’t try that yet.
The funny thing is that the app started up excatly one time. It created the Backup folder and copied the current axis mapping and key files into it. Due to a lack of time I didn’t test the app any further and manually restored my axis mapping and key files.
Since then the app refueses to start. -
I feel really stupid asking this, but I’ve lost the ability to use shifted HOTAS buttons, and I can’t for the life of me figure out how to get it back.
Not too long ago, I started using the Alternative Launcher, and it finally gave me the ability to use the pinky shift to invoke various functions.
For example, I used Alternative Launcher to give myself this ability: I hold down the pinky switch, and while I’m holding the pinky switch down, I press DMS Down, and the sim toggles my visor. Very nice! Visor up, visor down. Visor up, visor down. That’s just one example. I also created shifted actions for taking a screenshot, toggling NVGs, and starting an AVTR recording. It was great. This was before I installed the U1 for 4.34, and before I installed and calibrated my TUSBA R2.
I recall that this was fairly easy to set up, but now that I’ve upgraded to 4.34 U1 (from 4.34), and to a TUSBA TQS R2, I cannot reconstruct these shifted functions, no matter what I try in the Alternative Launcher.
After removing my old Cougar stick from my system, I put in the TUSBA, and used its HID software to calibrate the axes on the Cougar throttle. I found that the Alternative Launcher didn’t have the various HOTAS controls set up correctly anymore, so I went through them again and got the “normal” HOTAS functions working properly again.
So, up to that point, everything was good. I’m now updated to 4.34 U1, the throttle works correctly through the TUSBA, and the various buttons and knobs on the Cougar throttle, the Warthog stick, and my TM MFDs are working normally again, doing what they would do in the Viper.
But when I go back into the Alternative Launcher, I can’t set up the shifted actions anymore. It’s like BMS doesn’t recognize that a held-down pinky switch should invoke a shifted function, when some other button is pressed.
I’m scouring my memory, trying to think if I did something special, when I first started using Alternative Launcher, to enable shifted actions. Is it necessary to set this up in TARGET, perhaps?
I am trying to follow the instructions on this webpage, but they’re not working:
https://github.com/chihirobelmo/FalconBMS-Alternative-Launcher/blob/master/README.md
In particular, it says:
“When you would like to setup key/buttons for KEYCOMBO, SHIFTED DX or RELEASE to activate callbacks, click and enable “KEYCOMBO / PINKYSHIFT” button or “RELEASE” button. When the button has lightened up it has been enabled. Then press buttons to assign them.”
I think that worked before, but it doesn’t work anymore.
I must be doing something wrong, since I somehow got this “shifting” stuff to work before, but I just can’t think of what I’m missing.
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I must be doing something wrong, since I somehow got this “shifting” stuff to work before, but I just can’t think of what I’m missing.
Post #406 sequence should work, you are using BMS-Full KB yes? I’m wondering if U1 overwrote the AL BMS-Full file, which is installed during the initial AL install, but I doubt it.
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The Alternative Launcher is a great tool, needs some updating to reflect the new multi POV feature. It’ll see the second POV if you enable the multi POV feature but it sees it as POV1 and not POV2. So I had to go into BMS setup to manually modify the second POV with the callbacks I wanted set.
UPDATE: I notice that Alternate Launcher does recognize the second POV but its recognized as POV1 and not POV2. So you can’t map it using Alternate Launcher. I love this utility…It makes mapping a breeze so please update it for multiple POVs
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Is the Alternative Launcher compatibile with 4.43 U1 ?
Is there any convenient way to write my setup(esp. keyconfig) to easly recreate it in the new installation?
Im going to install U1. Unfortunately I deleted oryginal setup folder(I didn
t knew I will need it, and it`s few GBs), so it looks like i have to delete everything and install BMS from scratch and configure it once again . -
Hi Icer,
Thank you very much for your suggestion regarding how to create shifted actions. I am looking forward to trying this method, although I can’t get the first step of your method to work.
Here’s what I mean:
In the second sentence of your post #406, you said: “First set the DX button you want as SHFT, done (should look like my assignment in second screenshot).”
That’s the part I can’t do.
I can’t find any way to designate a button as SHFT. I’ve tried double-clicking on the line that says “STICK: PINKY SHIFT (DX SHIFT)” in green text. Nothing happens when I double-click that line. It seems like the lines in green text aren’t changeable.
Maybe my problem is that I can’t figure out how to make those green lines changeable. I’m not sure how to do that in the Alternative Launcher.
(BTW, it looks like the Alternative Launcher is using the BMS-Full keyfile. The reason you don’t see the keyboard equivalents of my HOTAS Stick buttons in that screenshot is because I accidentally deleted them when I was re-doing the AL setup after installing my TUSBA.)
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Okay, I think I have figured it out again
This seems familiar, so I’m guessing it’s the same thing I did before. I’ll describe the three basic steps that have given me the ability to have the following two things:
A) A pinky switch that operates normally, i.e. which actuates the various “zoom” type of functions on the MFDs, such as when using the FCR or the HSD.
B) “Shifted actions”, which I execute by holding down the pinky switch, and pressing some other HOTAS button while the pinky switch is held down.
Okay, here are the three things I did:
- I went to the location Falcon BMS 4.34 > User > Config on my hard drive, and opened up the file “BMS - Full.key” with WordPad. I looked through the file, and I found this line:
SimHotasPinkyShift -1 0 0xFFFFFFFF 0 0 0 -0 “STICK: PINKY SWITCH (DX SHIFT)”
On the previous line of this post, notice that I highlighted the characters “-0” in boldface type.
I changed the -0 to 1
Then I saved the file.
- Next, I started Falcon BMS using the Alternative Launcher, and looked at the KeyMapping screen. It showed that I had solved the problem I described in the previous post, namely how to change the line that says “STICK: PINKY SHIFT (DX SHIFT)” from green to grey. In other words, after I made that little change to the BMS - Full.key file, the line “STICK: PINKY SHIFT (DX SHIFT)” became editable in the AL’s Key Mapping screen. It had changed from green to grey, and I was able to edit that line by double-clicking it.
Once I double-clicked the STICK: PINKY SWITCH (DX SHIFT) line, the AL was waiting for a keypress, and I just pressed the pinky switch on my TM Warthog stick.
This took the pinky switch assignment away from the previous line (“STICK: PINKY SWITCH”), leaving that line blank. (It’s possible I might have double-clicked the “STICK: PINKY SWITCH” line and cleared out the key assignment manually, but I don’t think I did. I think it just happened automatically.)
The attached screenshot shows the result.
- Next, I double-clicked on various lines in the KeyMapping page, to enable them to work as shifted actions. For example, I double-clicked the line “CKPIT: Visor - Toggle”. Once the dialog box came up, I clicked on the grey “KEYCOMBO / PINKYSHIFT” box, and it turned white. Then, without holding down the pinky switch, I just pushed DMS Down. Then I clicked “Save” and the dialog box went away.
I did this for a variety of other functions, such as toggling my night vision, taking a screenshot, and starting my AVTR. I even created shifted actions for the comms switch on the TQS so that I can start, pause, and move forward or backward among the tracks in my beloved Winamp software. Now I can rock out to some tunes while flying the Viper, and not even have to use the UFC! It’s kind of ridiculous how happy I am about this.
Here’s the thing that caused the most confusion for me:
For some reason, it’s OKAY to take away the button assignment from STICK: PINKY SWITCH. This doesn’t make any sense to me, since it seems to me that it would deprive me of the normal functionality of the pinky switch while in the sim. The line “STICK: PINKY SWITCH” doesn’t have any buttons assigned to it now, but the pinky switch still works in the sim. :shock:
I don’t know why this works, but I’m not complaining!
If I had to guess, I would imagine there’s some other line in the keyfile that makes the pinky switch work, but I don’t know what that line is. Whatever the reason, I’m grateful! Now I have a HOTAS system with all the “normal, basically authentic” controls, AND I can handle some other tasks in the cockpit that would normally have me reaching for the mouse or keyboard. Life is good!
:bdance: -
Unfortunately, BMS can’t recognize POV on the throttle (they only recognize POV on the stick) so I made launcher not to assign them to any callback.
Since U1 now supports POVs on multiple devices is this imposed limitation something that is easily reversible?
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Since U1 now supports POVs on multiple devices is this imposed limitation something that is easily reversible?
Wheelchock, I successfully set my new Warthog POV2 as Comms button using Voice Attack
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I actually just manually implemented the POV2 functionality and decided to stop using Alternate launcher until its workable again. I really is useful when doing DX mapping but after that is all set not much changes for me to have to keep using it. So when its fixed I’ll go back to it.
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From javelin10–—With an x56 you would definitely want to assign the left ministick to Radar Cursor (Cursor X/Cursor Y) and probably use the right ministick as a 4-way hat for CMS up/down/left/right, as in the real HOTAS.
So, How do users like myself and others that have X52 PRO program the mini - stick that is on the right side of the throttle to control the Radar cursor. (((( ( specifically for for the X52 Pro))) using the Alternative Launcher??? You / javelin have it working on the X56 . We need your insite for the X52 Pro. We need to use the the X52 PRO’s ministick to control the Radar cursor and are thinking that we are missing something in Alternative Launcher to do this. Or do we need to continue to use the Logitech HOTAS software to do this by setting the X and Y bands as in the past.???
Coincidently I have a X56 but only use it for a space flight simulation and not BMS.
Yep Mar and thanks for the reply.
In the past most x52 and x52 pro end users had to create a profile (((*.pro type file)))) using the X52 Pro HOTAS’ programming software specifically to use the Ministick to control the Radar cursor. Otherwise all the other controls were programmed outside of the Manufacturer"s software by using DX created profiles . We were stuck with this method and unfortunately had to use the HOTAS software only for the mini stick because of the analog inputs the mini sticked used to communicate. Also We needed to load this profile ( *.pro file) prior to opening BMS and to make the mini stick control the Radar cursor and also the DX profile is loaded within BMS for the remaining controls.
SIDE. NOTE:
I have heard of people altering their Windows ’ OS" Registry to overcome this, but that is out of the question and a no no for most END Users .
I’m not certain if the ALTERNATIVE LAUNCHER made thE more cumbersome method mentioned above a little less cumbersome by including a feature that a user can select the mini stick for such controllers like the X52, X52 PRO and more …. as an input to control the Radar cursor.
Hi and sorry I haven’t checked up on this thread for a while.
The answer to your first part depends on what kind of physical device your X52 Pro is? I’ve owned the X36, X45 and X55 (and I won’t be buying Saitek again, but that is another discussion!) but not the X52 or X56. If it is an analogue type control (as with X56) which you setup with axes then you assign them to CursorX/CursorY as I said earlier. If it is a 4(or position switch then you set it up with “TQS: RDR CURSOR - UP/DN/LEFT/RIGHT” callbacks for best results. Analogue is better of course, but with my X55 the ministick is so rubbish that it wasn’t worth it and I just glued a separate analogue ministick to my throttle!I hate the SST programming software and don’t use it, so I can’t help you there. I think bms works a lot better without it for reasons I believe I gave in an earlier post.
The ‘Registry hack’ was, AFAIK, solely intended for the X55 but see above. It is in fact quite easy to apply but I don’t know if it will do anything for your hardware.
Your final point I don’t quite understand. Alternative Launcher has no special functionality for the ministick; it just expects 2x analogue axes for binding the radar cursors. End of.
Final comment; you have the X56? I would think that unit far more suitable for bms falcon then the X52! No ministick heartache as you already have a decent working analogue stick right where you want it and you can convert the ministick on the throttle to a 4-way hat for proper CMS functionality. Any defects of construction on the X56 stick I would also expect to see on the x52 stick as they have the same (IMO) rubbish centering mechanism.
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Hi and sorry I haven’t checked up on this thread for a while.
The ‘Registry hack’ was, AFAIK, solely intended for the X55 but see above. It is in fact quite easy to apply but I don’t know if it will do anything for your hardware.
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No, setting the axis through registry in order to use the ministick as analog CursorX/CursorY will work with X52 / Pro as well. The issue is you have to give up one of your other axis as you are limited to 8 analog axis per device.
I personally have DIY build rudder pedals in combination with an X52 so I could reorder my axis in the registry to put the rudder on the X52 last and know have the X52 ministick as analog Cursor and everything else as DX setup. So far no SST profile needed at all. The only reason I have to load at least an empty profile from SST is to get the Pinky switch latched so I could use it as double Action. Short press < 0.5 seconds for expand SOI FOV and long press as shifted layer function -
The only reason I have to load at least an empty profile from SST is to get the Pinky switch latched so I could use it as double Action. Short press < 0.5 seconds for expand SOI FOV and long press as shifted layer function
Well I never knew that the x52 ministick was analogue; I hope it’s better quality then the one on my x55!
Are you aware that BMS Falcon already gives you the short press/long press functionality natively? Default 300ms but can be altered in the .cfg? Just checking…
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hello all, im a bit of a newbie and i apologize if this has been covered before, search function didnt render much for me but im having an issue with alternate launcher.
my x56 cant seem to be programed while in alternate launcher, also once in sim, i have to keep loading the cash profile as it never saves it once i exit the program
I am running windows 10 with 4.34 U2.again, sorry if this is a simple one, i just cant seem to bind anything with this update