Joystick controls

[AndySimpson96]

When I picked up BoS a few months ago I looked at getting Joystick controls set up using (https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/30538-setting-a-shift-button-with-a-t-flight-hotas-x) but I've been running into issues with it reading the mappings. Joy2Key looks fine and if I go to a text editor and press which I've got Lshift and 'a' it'll appear as 'A'. I then remapped the BoS controls using the keyboard for these keys but when I got in flight they don't work. What seems to happen is that for example if I go to id do Lshift + joy button 5 nothing happens and it won't do the action for joy button 5 on it's own. I can get some of the mappings to work, like the gear up/down but most just don't respond. I have tried to have some mapped direct to the keyboard but again they're hit or miss if they work.

Have I missed something in the set up that I need to do?
 

 

[Sokol1]

If you don't plan/want remap game commands for avoid combos LAlt+key (e.g. 5) can't use JoyToKey, because this game need a "delay" between press LAlt (or other modifier key) and the single key (e.g. 5), and JoyToKey don't have this function. 

 

Instead use Joystick Gremlin (a bit PITA for install, since require vJoy), that allow set this "delay".

[AndySimpson96]

Just getting round to setting Joystick Gremlin up. Does it matter what the delay is?  default is .05

[Sokol1]

Here an example of Joystick Gremlin setup, the guy use 0.30 delay.

 

 

[AndySimpson96]

Sorry, I've had a look through that link and I'm not sure how it's relevant for me. Forgot to mention in Joy2Key I've mapped ctrl, shift, alt etc there. Do I still need to have J2K running when using Joystick Gremlin?

[jokerBR]

Hello Andy. 
You don't need anything else besides Joystick Gremlin to be able to customize what your joystick or button box switches/buttons will do. 

I prefer to use "macros" on Joystick Gremlin, often chaining a few commands on a single switch (different behavior when up/down/middle, etc). 

As for the delays, nowadays I use 0.1 on most macros (instead of default 0.05) just to be on "the safe side", but you may experiment with your hardware. I can surely say that you will *not* feel any difference from 0.05 to 0.10 regarding time/response, but you *may* encounter some "missing bits" if 0.05 ends being too fast for your bus. 

 

I can forward you my mappings or macro examples if you need some help, or maybe try to work with you some cases. I'm using Joystick Gremlin for quite some time now and it is a powerful piece of software. ?

Cheers

[Sokol1]

 

Quote

 Forgot to mention in Joy2Key I've mapped ctrl, shift, alt etc there. Do I still need to have J2K running when using Joystick Gremlin?

 

 

No, JoyToKey and Joystick Gremlin are used for the same thing - allow set joystick buttons for press keyboard keys; each on their own way, being Joystick Gremlin is more powerful and flexible, you use one or another.

[AndySimpson96]

1 hour ago, jokerBR said:

Hello Andy. 
You don't need anything else besides Joystick Gremlin to be able to customize what your joystick or button box switches/buttons will do. 

I prefer to use "macros" on Joystick Gremlin, often chaining a few commands on a single switch (different behavior when up/down/middle, etc). 

As for the delays, nowadays I use 0.1 on most macros (instead of default 0.05) just to be on "the safe side", but you may experiment with your hardware. I can surely say that you will *not* feel any difference from 0.05 to 0.10 regarding time/response, but you *may* encounter some "missing bits" if 0.05 ends being too fast for your bus. 

 

I can forward you my mappings or macro examples if you need some help, or maybe try to work with you some cases. I'm using Joystick Gremlin for quite some time now and it is a powerful piece of software. ?

Cheers

@jokerBR
that' be perfect thank you

[AndySimpson96]

Still not having much look getting this set up. I tried doing this 'map to keyboard' option for the keys I wanted but that doesn't seem to have picked anything up in game.
 

 

Edited November 29, 2020 by AndySimpson96
fixed image

[Sokol1]

You have assign button number 5 to press  "Left Control".

Is that - a modifier, just what you want?

[AndySimpson96]

I'm trying to get the mappings to match what was in the link in the very first post.

[AndySimpson96]

bumping this again.
Has anyone got any solutions for getting this to work as mentioned in the first post?

[Sokol1]

In your picture of Joystick Gremlin above you have mapped button # 5 for press Left Control - what in OP scheme is "Mode 1" button for command names in light green.

 

Now go to game controls, select a command, example Fire Cannons (group 2) and assign this combination:

 

- Left Control + button# 3

 

In game, press and hold button # 5 (that send Left Control) and press button #3 = fire cannons.

 

Test just this control until have working, then assign the other controls.

 

Suggestion, start with only two "modes", one for ground, one for air, more will result very confuse.

 

Edited January 4, 2021 by Sokol1

[AndySimpson96]

Sorry, that's still not working. It works if I press and hold Left Control on the keyboard +  button# 3 which then fires just the cannons.

edit: just to note IL2 reads button 3 on the joystick as button 2 in game. Joystick Gremlin does see it as button 3.

Edited January 6, 2021 by AndySimpson96

[Sokol1]

IL-2:GB game start count joystick buttons from 0.

 

Windows, Joystick Gremlin... start count from 1, but this difference this don't cause any issue.

Edited January 6, 2021 by Sokol1

[AndySimpson96]

Okay but it still doesn't explain why it's not reading the mapping correctly

[Sokol1]

I did a test, but using JoyToKey instead Joystick Gremlin, because JoyTokey don't require installation, run fro a folder.

 

Set the button #3  (of VKB Gladiator Mk.II) for press LCtrl, like in your screenshoot.

 

In game set for "Fire weapon group 2": LCtrl (pressed on keyboard) plus joystick button #13 (trigger in VKB Gladiator Mk.II).

 

                                
cannons_fire,                                     key_lctrl+joy0_b13,                              0| // Fire weapon group 2

 

Test in Quick Mission: 

 

Pressing trigger fire machine guns.

Pressing and holding button#3 (that send LCtrl) and pressing trigger now fire cannons.

 

So a modifier key (LCtrl) in joystick button work, I suggest test this:

 

In joystick Gremlin profile change (temporarily) the button that press LCtrl for press a key, e.g. A

Open Notepad and press the joystick button and see in A is printed, if work OK change back the assignment for LCtrl.

 

Edited January 8, 2021 by Sokol1

[AndySimpson96]

Okay, I've tried the notepad test and that doesn't work. I can see in joystick Gremlin when I press say button#5 etc that it highlights that button in the profile, so it's seeing that it's been pressed but it doesn't do mapped action.

[Sokol1]

This means that your Josytick Gremlin setup is not finished.

 

Other thing, always start Joystick Gremlin, or any other keymapper (e.g. JoyToKey) "As administrator". 

[AndySimpson96]

Tried running as administrator, that's still not working.

[AndySimpson96]

Bumping this again.

[FTC_Mars]

I gave up on using modifier keys with Joystick Gremlin because of the trouble Il-2 had interpreting them.  Instead I assign the button on the joystick to a high-numbered virtual button.  For example, I assign Flaps up/Flaps down to virtual buttons 40 and 41 on vjoy1.  Then I set those high virtual buttons as additional commands in the Il-2 control menu.  Flaps Down can be activated with either "F" or with "joy0_btn_39"; Flaps Up can be activated with either "Shift-F" or "joy0_btn_40".

 

I've attached my Joystick Gremlin profile for the La-5FN.  You can view the XML file in an editor and compare it to your own config.  My setup is for the T.16000M + TWCS throttle.

il-2-la5-fn-joystick-gremlin-profile.zip

[Sokol1]

Garafrax,

 

Good solution, JoyToKey allow do something similar, with "button alias".

Edited January 15, 2021 by Sokol1

[AndySimpson96]

@Garafrax sorry but I can't make sense of that XML or how it's relevant to what I'm trying to get working.