Rotary encoder mapping

[JG1_Vonrd]

I've done numerous searches regarding mapping encoders in the controls section. Everything points to having to use an external software such as JoyToKey or Joystick Gremlin in order to make it work properly... is that correct?

I have a brand new Virpil CM3 throttle and I am very happy with it except for this annoying interface with IL2 and that is not a fault of Virpil.

Since many of the high end peripheries use encoders, why is IL2 not supporting direct mapping of them? I have no issues in DCS (I haven't tried any other sims yet). I would think that you are shooting yourself in the foot by not addressing this issue.

[JG1_Vonrd]

I posted this in Suggestions but after thinking about it I consider this to be a "Bug" so I'm duplicating it here. I'm sure the Moderators will move it where they please. I see that there are several posts here regarding encoders and Trim but I want to use the rotary encoders on my throttle to map to other things such as radiator, mixture and RPM. The mapping recognizes them but they don't work in game.

 

I've done numerous searches regarding mapping encoders in the controls section. Everything points to having to use an external software such as JoyToKey or Joystick Gremlin in order to make it work properly... is that correct?

I have a brand new Virpil CM3 throttle and I am very happy with it except for this annoying interface with IL2 and that is not a fault of Virpil.

Since many of the high end peripheries use encoders, why is IL2 not supporting direct mapping of them? I have no issues in DCS (I haven't tried any other sims yet). I would think that you are shooting yourself in the foot by not addressing this issue.

 

I have a new Virpil CM3 throttle and love it except the issue of mapping rotary encoders in IL2. DCS is a non issue.

I've done lots of searches regarding the issue and it looks like you have to use an external software like JoyToKey or Joystick Gremlin. Honestly, I'm a bit befuddled as to how to do this. Can someone give a simplified instruction as to, for example, map the lower right rotary (E2) to engine mixture in the game?

 

Much gratitude! 

[AEthelraedUnraed]

There's a rotary encoder on my T.16000, and it works just fine. It's an absolute rotary encoder though instead of incremental, no idea how incremental encoders work in IL2.

 

10 hours ago, JG1_Vonrd said:

I would think that you are shooting yourself in the foot by not addressing this issue.

Given how little of their total customer base has high-end HOTAS systems and that these tend to work perfectly with external software, I doubt they are shooting themselves in their feet

[JG1_Vonrd]

Well, I've mapped all the buttons that I need without the encoders.

Actually, I've also had some issues in DCS as well so maybe I should direct my concerns to Virpil and not the games. I wish that they would give the option of replacing the encoders with pots or absolute rotary encoders.

 

Still, if anyone has a good work-around, I'd love to hear it.

[S10JlAbraxis]

I have the same issue with a Saitek trim wheel.  No matter what I do IL2 will not recognize it as an axis for the elevator trim.  Very frustrating.  It shows up fine in the joystick app.  I wish they would fix this.

[dburne]

On 8/6/2021 at 8:44 PM, JG1_Vonrd said:

I posted this in Suggestions but after thinking about it I consider this to be a "Bug" so I'm duplicating it here. I'm sure the Moderators will move it where they please. I see that there are several posts here regarding encoders and Trim but I want to use the rotary encoders on my throttle to map to other things such as radiator, mixture and RPM. The mapping recognizes them but they don't work in game.

 

I've done numerous searches regarding mapping encoders in the controls section. Everything points to having to use an external software such as JoyToKey or Joystick Gremlin in order to make it work properly... is that correct?

I have a brand new Virpil CM3 throttle and I am very happy with it except for this annoying interface with IL2 and that is not a fault of Virpil.

Since many of the high end peripheries use encoders, why is IL2 not supporting direct mapping of them? I have no issues in DCS (I haven't tried any other sims yet). I would think that you are shooting yourself in the foot by not addressing this issue.

 

I have a new Virpil CM3 throttle and love it except the issue of mapping rotary encoders in IL2. DCS is a non issue.

I've done lots of searches regarding the issue and it looks like you have to use an external software like JoyToKey or Joystick Gremlin. Honestly, I'm a bit befuddled as to how to do this. Can someone give a simplified instruction as to, for example, map the lower right rotary (E2) to engine mixture in the game?

 

Much gratitude! 

 

Be aware IL-2 supports only up to 64 buttons per device. So if your rotaries are outputting logical button numbers higher than 64 then the game will not recognize it. You can change those button numbers in the Virpil Software.

You are probably not seeing it in DCS as it supports button numbers up to 128.

For IL-2 though you will need to stay under the 64 limit.

 

Edit: Also note when discussing the button number limits that is referring to the Logical button numbers the Virpil device outputs. It has both physical and logical button numbers and they are not necessarily the same. Logical is the numbers Windows sees. You can view both in the Virpil software.

Edited August 10, 2021 by dburne

[Hoss]

So far I have not had a problem with IL2 and getting axis to work with two different types of controllers running on two different software packages.  I have a TMWH running on TARGET software and have the axis lever on the throttle controlling pitch axis, I also have a BlackHog Explorer B running with Joytokey, it has four axis sliders and two rotary axis dials.  I'm running Output/Input Cowls on the first two sliders, Water/Oil Radiators on the last two sliders.  On the right rotary wheel I have gunsight range and on the left hand one I have the vertical gunsight set for the Typhoon offset.  Everything works as it should.  Now when I run SRS radio I have the four red buttons situated with the rotary axis knobs.  JoytoKey see them as Joystick V2.04 button 1-4, now it sees my Joystick running with TARGET as keyboard buttons in the 80's.  So I'm guessing if there are problems with axis I'm not seeing them.   I also tested the rotary axis knobs in IL2 and could control radio volume in the axis window in settings.  Now if we could get full radio controls, i.e. using our controllers along with SRS to have PTT, Radio select 1/2 toggle and select radio channels up/down so we can see the radios in cockpit change channels and see the lights change, the PTT button depressed.  For the folks that fly allied planes with long legs there won't be much use for drop tanks, and I'd like to see more done with radios and intercom in game, along with the controls for them. 

 

Cheers

Hoss

[Sokol1]

On 8/7/2021 at 8:20 AM, AEthelraedUnraed said:

There's a rotary encoder on my T.16000, and it works just fine. It's an absolute rotary encoder though instead of incremental, no idea how incremental encoders work in IL2.

 

Original T.16000M joystick don't have Encoder, just analog axis with potentiometer, your is modded?

[AEthelraedUnraed]

2 hours ago, Sokol1 said:

Original T.16000M joystick don't have Encoder, just analog axis with potentiometer, your is modded?

Original T.16000M throttle, unmodded (and a slider on the stick, but that one is linear). There's a wheel on the left side, but I have no idea if it's internally implemented using a potmeter or rotary encoder.

[JG1_Vonrd]

7 hours ago, 352nd_Hoss said:

So far I have not had a problem with IL2 and getting axis to work with two different types of controllers running on two different software packages.  I have a TMWH running on TARGET software and have the axis lever on the throttle controlling pitch axis, I also have a BlackHog Explorer B running with Joytokey, it has four axis sliders and two rotary axis dials.  I'm running Output/Input Cowls on the first two sliders, Water/Oil Radiators on the last two sliders.  On the right rotary wheel I have gunsight range and on the left hand one I have the vertical gunsight set for the Typhoon offset.  Everything works as it should.  Now when I run SRS radio I have the four red buttons situated with the rotary axis knobs.  JoytoKey see them as Joystick V2.04 button 1-4, now it sees my Joystick running with TARGET as keyboard buttons in the 80's.  So I'm guessing if there are problems with axis I'm not seeing them.   I also tested the rotary axis knobs in IL2 and could control radio volume in the axis window in settings.  Now if we could get full radio controls, i.e. using our controllers along with SRS to have PTT, Radio select 1/2 toggle and select radio channels up/down so we can see the radios in cockpit change channels and see the lights change, the PTT button depressed.  For the folks that fly allied planes with long legs there won't be much use for drop tanks, and I'd like to see more done with radios and intercom in game, along with the controls for them. 

 

Cheers

Hoss

I may be wrong but I don't think that either the Warthog or the BlackHog use encoders. In fact, I saw a thread about modifying the Warthog to rotary encoders.

[Hoss]

@JG1_Vonrdyou are correct sir, neither of the above mentioned controllers have encoders, so I haven't seen any of the stated faults they cause with IL2, Ive heard they work in DCS........ sometimes.......  I was mearly stating if we had them they would be good for the fuel selection switch, the radio channel switching.  With what I have I can just use one button and put as many "Sequences" I need to cover all the positions of the switch in the cockpit, I'd just like to be able to go back one setting without "Sequencing" through the entire switch selections.  Don't want to mess with fuel switches or radio channels while some one is on my six trying to shoot me down, know what I mean?....

 

Cheers

Hoss

[JG1_Vonrd]

49 minutes ago, 352nd_Hoss said:

Don't want to mess with fuel switches or radio channels while some one is on my six trying to shoot me down, know what I mean?....

 

Absolutely!

[Sokol1]

6 hours ago, AEthelraedUnraed said:

Original T.16000M throttle, unmodded (and a slider on the stick, but that one is linear). There's a wheel on the left side, but I have no idea if it's internally implemented using a potmeter or rotary encoder.

 

OK. TWCS throttle use only potentiometer's:

 

- in throttle axis,

- in rudder "rocker"

- in the rotarie on left side

- in X,Y axes of mini-stick 

 

No encoder is used.

[MoleUK]

Same problem here, would be nice if it worked out of the box but will settle for using a third party program. Is there a specific guide somewhere for this? As i'm not familiar with joystick gremlin setup.

[Hoss]

5 hours ago, MoleUK said:

Same problem here, would be nice if it worked out of the box but will settle for using a third party program. Is there a specific guide somewhere for this? As i'm not familiar with joystick gremlin setup.

 Youtube......... depending on what program you use... Joytokey, Joystick Gremlin, or Virpil, TARGET software..... you will find something on it. Also,as they used to tell us in the USN technical schools everytime we asked a question was to RTFM......

 

Cheers

Hoss

[MoleUK]

42 minutes ago, 352nd_Hoss said:

 Youtube......... depending on what program you use... Joytokey, Joystick Gremlin, or Virpil, TARGET software..... you will find something on it. Also,as they used to tell us in the USN technical schools everytime we asked a question was to RTFM......

 

Cheers

Hoss

 

For using the programs, yes. Not for this specific problem which only really appears to exist in IL-2. Getting the two encoders on the base unit setup as a virtual axis is apparently doable, but I have yet to find a suggestion to get the encoders on the throttle itself to work.

 

This isn't for lack of searching.

[JG1_Vonrd]

1 hour ago, MoleUK said:

 

For using the programs, yes. Not for this specific problem which only really appears to exist in IL-2. Getting the two encoders on the base unit setup as a virtual axis is apparently doable, but I have yet to find a suggestion to get the encoders on the throttle itself to work.

 

This isn't for lack of searching.

Same same. There seem to be multiple approaches and I just get confused and frustrated. I am really hoping someone will post a simplified set of instructions of how to make the encoders work. Yes, I have RTFM such as it is but still have not been successful.

I really wish that Virpil had put potentiometers in instead of the encoders. Hopefully they will offer that as an option.

[Hoss]

I'm really sorry I don't have a Virpil set up so that I could look and play with the software. TARGET, and J2K, are all I have used. But I can't see how a rotary could be any different from a three position switch. Electrically it should be the same. Now to get a digital either 1 or 0, on/off switch to go analog without a DAC. 

[ExpendableWendel]

On 8/18/2021 at 6:32 AM, JG1_Vonrd said:

Same same. There seem to be multiple approaches and I just get confused and frustrated. I am really hoping someone will post a simplified set of instructions of how to make the encoders work. Yes, I have RTFM such as it is but still have not been successful.

I really wish that Virpil had put potentiometers in instead of the encoders. Hopefully they will offer that as an option.

Just a thought, but you could check if there is a problem with the Virpil by trying to map a control to your mouse wheel. Make sure there are no other devices mapped to same control. For example, if there is a encoder and a potentiometer mapped to the same radiator function, you would get funky results. My game is updating at the mo, so I can't check on my system.

I just checked and I could successfully map mouse wheel encoder to radiator axis.

 

Check this in an il2, some planes have different methods and key mapping for cooling, it's quite the challenge to work all this out, taken me a month so far and I'm still not there. For example, water radiator will not work with a air cooled engines such as radials. An il2 has water cooling, and an axis controlled oil cooler

 

Perhaps there is a guide out there which lists by plane type what cooling systems and key mapping pertain to each.

[Charon]

I agree that this is something which should work out of the box. Encoders are so common and better support would make so much hardware more functional.

 

Personally, though, I've managed to fix this for myself with Joystick Gremlin and this plugin.

 

The steps are basically as follows:

• Install vjoy, Joystick Gremlin (JG), and configure a virtual device that you will use. Make sure this virtual device is recognized by Il-2 (i.e., in `Il-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad/data/input/devices.txt`)
• Save `encoder-axis.py` somewhere convenient. In Joystick Gremlin, go to the plugins page, load a plugin, and select `encoder-axis.py`. Select a free vjoy axis on your device. Set 'Up' and 'Down' by clicking them, one at a time, and turning the encoder in the appropriate direction. Then select the number of steps you want your virtual axis to have.
• Finally, open up `Il-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad/data/input/current.actions`, find the line for the command you want to set, and insert `joy{N}_axis_{M}`, where N is the number of your virtual devices (i.e. in devices.txt) and M is the axis code. IIRC the eight codes Il-2 uses are x, y, z, w, s, t, p, q in order. Save and launch with JG active, and your axis should now work.

[Hoss]

1 hour ago, Bruiser said:

Just a thought, but you could check if there is a problem with the Virpil by trying to map a control to your mouse wheel. Make sure there are no other devices mapped to same control. For example, if there is a encoder and a potentiometer mapped to the same radiator function, you would get funky results. My game is updating at the mo, so I can't check on my system.

I just checked and I could successfully map mouse wheel encoder to radiator axis.

 

Check this in an il2, some planes have different methods and key mapping for cooling, it's quite the challenge to work all this out, taken me a month so far and I'm still not there. For example, water radiator will not work with a air cooled engines such as radials. An il2 has water cooling, and an axis controlled oil cooler

 

Perhaps there is a guide out there which lists by plane type what cooling systems and key mapping pertain to each.

I have pitch trim on the TMWH stick trim button, but I also have it mapped to the axis on the right of the throttle columns, if I start out using the trim button on the stick it will function just like it always does. If I move to the axis on the throttle that will work great, but when I go back to the trim button it won't work unless I give it a few pushes forward and back, or use the L/R yaw trim it will come back and function again for the trim button.  I have the Input/output cowls and water/oil radiators on a sliding axis so I took those off the 4 x button on the stick.  Same for some of the gun sight adjustments. I've got a BlackHog b-explorer with the six axis controls, so I pretty much took everything but some trim off of my HOTAS...

 

Cheers

Hoss

Edited August 19, 2021 by 352nd_Hoss

[JG1_Vonrd]

Thank you Charon and Hoss (and all other responders). I'll give your suggestions a try. It could be that I do have conflicting mappings. I'll try disabling all other units... (I do have quite a few peripherals active).

 

Bottom line is that I would prefer to not have to struggle with making shit work and if a 3rd party software is necessary to do so, that is a detriment.

 

I know it looks like I am being lazy but it's not that. It's more to sensory overload and not having a clear path to success.

 

Again, thank you for responding!

[JimmySolarium_VR]

Have you tried the following in the VPC Configuration tool? At least - following these instructions - I can use the two encoders on the base for i.e. adjusting the sight .

 

https://forum.virpil.com/index.php?/topic/4498-encoders-vs-potentiometers/

 

 

[JG1_Vonrd]

23 hours ago, Charon said:

 

Edited... I think I have answered my own questions. I will try this soon... probably tomorrow but Real life has intruded.

 

Thanks Charon

Edited August 20, 2021 by JG1_Vonrd

[Jade_Monkey]

I am on the same boat with the Virpil encoders. I've managed to make them "work" by setting the encoder type to "EncoderDial(Buffer)" but the increments are too small. You would have to spin that encoder 1000 times to switch the mixture from Lean to Rich.

 

In a perfect world you could amplify the scroll of each move by 5x or 10x and it would work.

 

Right now the VIrpil CM3 Throttle has four encoders that are practically useless.

 

 

[JG1_Vonrd]

24 minutes ago, Jade_Monkey said:

I am on the same boat with the Virpil encoders. I've managed to make them "work" by setting the encoder type to "EncoderDial(Buffer)" but the increments are too small. You would have to spin that encoder 1000 times to switch the mixture from Lean to Rich.

 

In a perfect world you could amplify the scroll of each move by 5x or 10x and it would work.

 

Right now the VIrpil CM3 Throttle has four encoders that are practically useless.

 

 

Agreed. The most maddening issue is that I've made numerous posts regarding this issue on multiple forums (including Virpil) and the Hotas Discord only to be referred to Havoc's videos (which are great) and I can't figure out what specific procedure to apply. Many of the Google searches bring up what I think may be the answer but refer to the earlier Virpil software which just adds to the confusion. Granted, I'm a bit of a Luddite but not completely clueless. Virpil should provide easily followed instructions as to how to deal with the encoders. I have 4 of them on my throttle which are currently either useless or just being used as buttons. 

Edited September 18, 2021 by JG1_Vonrd

[Jade_Monkey]

There was a way to create a virtual axis (page 14) with buttons but one of the steps seems to be different since that post was published, i cannot find the "virtual button" section.

 

 

On 8/10/2021 at 9:58 AM, dburne said:

 

Be aware IL-2 supports only up to 64 buttons per device. So if your rotaries are outputting logical button numbers higher than 64 then the game will not recognize it. You can change those button numbers in the Virpil Software.

You are probably not seeing it in DCS as it supports button numbers up to 128.

For IL-2 though you will need to stay under the 64 limit.

 

Edit: Also note when discussing the button number limits that is referring to the Logical button numbers the Virpil device outputs. It has both physical and logical button numbers and they are not necessarily the same. Logical is the numbers Windows sees. You can view both in the Virpil software.

 

It looks like they have a workaround for that in the software but I have not tried it myself:

 

Quote

The optional modifier “Split to virtual device by 32 buttons” allows you to split one joystick device into several virtual 32 buttons each. This will help to use devices with a large number of buttons in games where buttons with numbers over 32 are not visible.

SOURCE

 

 

 

[JG1_Vonrd]

1 hour ago, Jade_Monkey said:

There was a way to create a virtual axis (page 14) with buttons but one of the steps seems to be different since that post was published, i cannot find the "virtual button" section.

This pdf refers to the earlier version of the Virpil software and the windows are now different. I've tried to interpolate between the two but sill not getting it to work.

 

I still say that Virpil needs to step up and make all of this more user friendly.

[JimmySolarium_VR]

Try to enter the following value for the encoders.. that worked for me

Edited September 27, 2021 by JimmySolarium_VR

[Jade_Monkey]

2 hours ago, JimmySolarium_VR said:

Try to enter the following value for the encoders.. that worked for me

 

That is much much better, I'm using the max value of 140.

Do you know if there is a way to increase the step for each click? so one click = 5 steps instead of 1?

[JimmySolarium_VR]

Glad to hear that it is working better for you. Unfortunately i don`t know, whether it is possible to "fine-tune" the steps for the encoders like you said. What I did with my Throttle to be able to use the encoder wheels on the grip, was to create virtual axis for them. There you can fine-tune the steps better. But you have to sacrifice some buttons for it to work, because Il-2 is only seeing up to 64 buttons per device. I try to recreate it here, it is a summary of a million threads i searched to overcome this problem, as it drove me mad as well 

 

Go to the axis tab, click a free axis, create an axis and click"virtual".

 

Pick an unused name (rX, rY, rZ, X, Y, Z, are yet occupied by default,as they are the physical axis)  I took "slider" and "dial". Define a button of the range from 1 to 64 for 'Up' and 'Down' by clicking them, one at a time, and turning the encoder in the appropriate direction.

Then you can select the number of steps you want your virtual axis to have (step value). I found this to be a bit of try and error but you can really tune it to become handy.

 

@Charon gave the most important hint:

"Finally, open up `Il-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad/data/input/current.actions`, find the line for the command you want to set, and insert `joy{N}_axis_{M}`, where N is the number of your virtual devices (i.e. in devices.txt) and M is the axis code. IIRC the eight codes Il-2 uses are x, y, z, w, s, t, p, q in order. Save and launch ... and your axis should now work."

 

(I did it without the use of Joystick gremlin or other additional tool though)

So despite you name the virtual axis in VpcTool "Slider" and "dial", you need to manually fill it in in the current.actions with the correct number.

 

 

 

This made me use the two encoders on the grip by defining 2 virtual axis, the first one one the base i sacrificed the buttons for the virtual axis one and the second on the base i left as encoder with 120 ms. I hope all this does not sound too weird and you get it to work for you as well.

 

Cheers,

Jimmy

 

Edited September 28, 2021 by JimmySolarium_VR
typo, as always :) / Found & named the quoted Author

[Jade_Monkey]

@JimmySolarium_VR I appreciate you putting the time and effort to spell out the steps. I've tried virtual axes before with little success but maybe with your instructions 

 

I'll take some time to set it up tonight. Do you know if the "set to center" button is mandatory? It looks like setting it to 99 would be a way to skip that step.

[JimmySolarium_VR]

Ah i found the corresponding thread in Virpil Forum, this is pretty much what i followed:

 

"5. Input a 'set to center' button number. This ensures our new axis doesn't recenter itself automatically (this can be an unused button number, like in my example '99' - far beyond what I actually use). "

 

https://forum.virpil.com/index.php?/topic/850-setting-delta-encoder-wheel-as-virtual-axis-and-hardcoded-axis-precision/&tab=comments#comment-9171

 

 

I hope, it will work for you as well, i love having the trim wheel on the encoder dial again

[JG1_Vonrd]

Sorry for the late reply... I had pretty much thrown in the towel. I'll five it a shot tonight. Thank you.

[JG1_Vonrd]

Thank you JimmySolarium_VR! It's finally working! Sure, it needs some tweaking but, at least, I have something to work with.

 

I must say that I'm pretty disappointed with the support from Virpil and  Shadowze (AKA HavocCompanyClan) who said in the thread https://forum.virpil.com/index.php?/topic/850-setting-delta-encoder-wheel-as-virtual-axis-and-hardcoded-axis-precision/&tab=comments#comment-9171  "the encoders are not suited for doing this  .... because of how encoders work, pick 2 or 3  different normal buttons instead". Yes , his videos are quite good but out of date at this time.

 

I had repeatedly asked for simple step by step instructions (as you have so kindly provided above) only to be referred to out of date video tutorials, somewhat opaque written instructions and reference to the equally opaque and sparse Virpil manual. Additionally, saying to use JoystickGremlin (which I have installed but don't have the time to figure out) using more 3rd party software in order to make their product work properly. I do like their product (though the toggle switches seem pretty cheap and not of a quality to equal the price) but it's doubtful that I will purchase more of their stuff at this time. Perhaps if support and quality improves...

 

Again, thank you!

Edited October 1, 2021 by JG1_Vonrd

[Jade_Monkey]

I kind of made it work with the virtual axis but there is a lot of "noise". They dont work smoothly since it sometimes reads the opposite signal of the encoder. I'll have to keep trying.

[JG1_Vonrd]

I found that you can't move the wheel slowly. It sees it as just one button press. If you move the wheel aggressively it works... for me it's mapped to prop RPM.  On the Virtual Axis settings I have the step value at 100 and a good push on the wheel moves the RPM about 5 to 10 %. I'm sure I can tune it for better results. 

 

But now the problem is that DCS doesn't recognize my thumbwheel at all. I had been using it as a simple button. Now I have to give it up in BOS or re-map everything in DCS.

 

I just wish that they would do away with encoders and go back to potentiometers (or at least give us the option to specify potentiometers when we order).

 

I don't see any advantage to using encoders. Maybe they last longer? Still, a quality potentiometer should last the life of the unit. Is it because encoders are the "new" thing? In my opinion they SUCK and I will never buy anything that uses rotary encoders again.

On my old Saitek X55 the wheels worked fine and were recognized by all of the games that I use. They were potentiometers and even with the poor build quality of Saitek products never failed. The encoder thing is much too frustrating to be considered in any way worth it.

 

EDIT:

This is what came up when I searched... The red emphasis is mine (so the main reason for using them in a quite expensive / supposedly high quality piece of equipment is "Reduce Costs"? Even if I had to pay a bit extra, I would opt for potentiometers.

 

What are the advantages of using encoders?

 

Keep reading for four proven advantages of using programmable encoders in your manufacturing processes.

• Reduce Costs. The most obvious advantage of programmable encoders is the reduction of replacement and inventory costs. ...
• Save Time. ...
• Gain Flexibility. ...
• Improve Diagnostics/Condition Monitoring.

Edited October 1, 2021 by JG1_Vonrd

[Charon]

5 hours ago, Jade_Monkey said:

I kind of made it work with the virtual axis but there is a lot of "noise". They dont work smoothly since it sometimes reads the opposite signal of the encoder. I'll have to keep trying.

 

I think I know what you're seeing, but I think you're misunderstanding it. From the device's perspective the encoder doesn't act like two buttons, as you would expect. Instead it's got a "clock" pin and a direction pin. The clock pin sense a brief pulse on each click, and the value of the Direction pin at the edge of that pulse determines whether it should be interpreted as CW or CCW rotation. When you see physical buttons for this encoder in Virpil's software, what they're really showing is the state of the clock and direction pins. You should expect to see both flickering no matter which way you turn. However, the logical buttons should not have any noise. Check with the windows joystick tester if you're unsure.

 

2 hours ago, JG1_Vonrd said:

I don't see any advantage to using encoders. Maybe they last longer? Still, a quality potentiometer should last the life of the unit. Is it because encoders are the "new" thing? In my opinion they SUCK and I will never buy anything that uses rotary encoders again.

 

Encoders and pots are for different tasks. I use both on the devices I've built.

• Encoders move in discrete steps, while potentiometers range continuously up to the resolution of the ADC.
• Potentiometers have a limited range of rotation, while encoders do not.
• Encoders are naturally stateless, while the potentiometers have intrinsic state.
• Encoders are cheaper and easier.
• Encoders are better for things that move in discrete steps, like radio channel, mode selection, or fuel tank selectors. They also may be the least-bad option for trim-wheels in planes with autopilots that adjusts the trim.
• Potentiometers are much better for anything you intend to bind to an axis.

I do agree that potentiometers are broadly more useful for warbirds. Getting enough axes is often a struggle. I think jet pilots probably like encoders more because they don't have as many engine controls and they have a lot of electronic modes and things like that.

[Sokol1]

10 hours ago, Charon said:

• Encoders are better for things that move in discrete steps, like radio channel, mode selection, or fuel tank selectors. They also may be the least-bad option for trim-wheels in planes with autopilots that adjusts the trim.

 

The main issue with encoder in controllers is that IL2:GB don't have much use for then, since most commands is just "press some key for ON, press the same key again for OFF", what don't fit in encoder operation.

[dburne]

40 minutes ago, Sokol1 said:

 

The main issue with encoder in controllers is that IL2:GB don't have much use for then, since most commands is just "press some key for ON, press the same key again for OFF", what don't fit in encoder operation.

 

I use mine for turning things on and off like fps counter, pilot in cockpit and turning virtual stick on and off ( another sim), 

HUD and MPD brightness ( another sim), Mirror, etc.