How to edit Launcher .key file?
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As someone who learned the inner workings of the .key file to make changes directly through it and mapping callbacks to keyboard keys or DirectX buttons, the I-will-do-as-I-please nature of the Launcher is starting to get on my nerves.
- First I find out it changes my .key file
- Then I find out it deletes the DirectX mappings I’ve done
- Then I find out any changes I make via the text editor (notepad++) is overwritten as soon as the Launcher starts, despite the changes being made in the selected .key file itself!
Is there a way to enter callback assignments and DirectX assignments to a text file that the Launcher will not over-write?
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It’s important to understand that the Launcher uses the “BMS - Auto” keyfile which is generated from the “BMS - Full” keyfile.
(The “BMS - Full” file could be the standard one with 4.37 or one which you may have used from previous versions - note you would have to add the new callbacks from 4.37 to your old file to be up to date).
First, make a backup of all the relevant keyfiles first.
Make a new “BMS - Full” keyfile using your own keyfile and place it in your config file.
Delete the BMS - Auto keyfile (this is important) and it will be regenerated when you restart the Launcher.
The new BMS - Auto keyfile will contain your personal keyfile contents.
Your DX assignments will be added to the new BMS - Auto file as they are stored in the XML files in your Config folder.
(You may have to restart the launcher again to see the DX assignments in the BMS - Auto file though.)
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@Atlas sadly it is a “launcher” not a “two-way key file editor”
you should never hand-edit the BMS-Auto.key file. you should consider that file is the property of the Alt Launcher and is going to be rewritten/overwritten without any warning… the normative data for button and hat-mappings is saved in various “Setup*.xml” files
if you want to continue to hand-manage your .key and .cfg files, you can certainly do so … either avoid the new Launcher entirely, or make sure to always check the “don’t apply overrides” box. and keep your key file named something personal like “Atlas.key” that future BMS updates etc won’t overwrite
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@zap737 be aware, the BMS-Full.key import trick only works for a fairly narrow set of conditions. eg. if you have multiple devices, or key file numbering with 32-per-device, a dx-shift offset range that doesn’t align to what AL expects… multiple hats… it’s complicated. good news tho, I think the team is working on a more first-class solution for importing legacy key files.
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@airtex2019 said in How to edit Launcher .key file?:
@zap737 be aware, the BMS-Full.key import trick only works for a fairly narrow set of conditions. eg. if you have multiple devices, or key file numbering with 32-per-device, a dx-shift offset range that doesn’t align to what AL expects… multiple hats… it’s complicated. good news tho, I think the team is working on a more first-class solution for importing legacy key files.
Yes I think the next iteration of the Launcher will be more user-friendly.
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@airtex2019 @zap737 It seems like the Launcher “remembers” what is set and so whenever it turns on, it overwrites the BMS-Auto .key file to what is in it’s memory banks rather than reading what’s in the .key file.
I’m expecting to be trying out VR a bit more going forward so wanted to learn more about using the Launcher but damn, it’s so frustrating.
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@Atlas it seems like “to VR or not to VR” should have been a command-line switch, kinda like ‘-window’ or ‘-acmi’ instead of a cfg param
(something that people will ordinarily want to go back and forth on, from session to session)
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@airtex2019 I would love an option in the 2D UI to start VR so I can just start the sim as normal then “jump into” VR when I want. Maybe even a TAKEOFF button and a VR TAKEOFF button?
I like to do my training in 2D/Flat but then sometimes I like to enjoy sightseeing flights or do my AAR practice flights in VR. That 1:1 translation and just the added immersion is really cool and makes a no-stakes fun flight even more more more fun!
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