Second joystick not working after Air Manager started

[Lancairuk]

I have just built a ViewBox using a Leo Bodnar BU0836X 12-Bit Joystick Board. The purpose is to use the hatswitch on the primary joystick/yoke for trim and the secondary ‘joystick’ to act as a programmed box giving views. The secondary box has a miniature hatswitch for controlling the views. It also has 14 buttons with pre-programmed quick views. These have bern assigned using JoytoKey software to mimic the keyboard quick views set using the number pad on the keyboard. Everything works fine - until I open Air Manager to use my two touchscreen panels. As soon as Air Manager opens the ViewBox goes rogue and only allows a few of the pre-programmed features work. I run Air Manager on a Master PC with X-Plane 11 windowed behind Air Manager. The views are displayed on 5 monitors run by a networked Slave. Any ideas?

[jph]

Hi,
Firstly, nice little project, well done !.
it appears, at first view, - no pun intended - that the JoytoKey may be the issue.
Can I just ask why you are using this (JoytoKey) ? - if you want fixed view 'buttons' - as it appears in the top image - then why not connected them as standard joystick buttons (up to 32) then simply assign these in XP directly. ? - hence the JoytoKey isnt needed ? - I cannot see what you need it.
The joystick buttons can be assigned to most things in X-Plane - including all the quick views you would appear to need - as per your top view box. X-Plane has a very powerful interface for this.
I maybe missing something as am not 100% sure what you are doing.. too early for me
I am not saying the JoyToKey IS the issue but is sounds like it is a definite suspect and, at this moment, I see absolutely no need for it with the info I have.

Cheers.
Joe

[Lancairuk]

Joe, Thanks for your quick response. I thought I didn't need JoytoKey, but I wanted to include views normally set using the Ctrl NUM system. Thus I was converting these inputs from the keyboard selections to the ViewBox. I could not find enough actual Joystick selections to use. I am wondering, now, if I am missing a trick and you are right. Can you give me a pointer as to how I can assign what are referred to "Memorized Buttons" in X-Plane? These seem to give me the number of button I need. Michael

[Lancairuk]

Joe, as you suspected it was the JoytoKey software. I have now gone through the long process of assigning keys to memorise the views and then assigned the saved views to the 17 buttons on my ViewBox. Quite a lot of work, but once I had got organised and wrote everything down it was a relatively easy process. A lesson for everyone else using the miniature Leo Bodnar hat switch it to assign "Do Nothing" to the press down function. It is so sensitive that almost any movement of the switch triggers it. I am grateful to you for pointing me in the right, and obvious, direction. I was silly to try to do it with external software. Thanks again, Michael

[jph]

Hi Michael
Sorry for the late response, we had a HUGE thunderstorm yesterday that knocked out a Cell tower (I use fixed 4G Internet).. just come back up..

Any way, really glad you got it sorted. I love what you have done. It is a really nice option.
If you have any issue with returning to forward view, then simply assign the view select to whatever the cockpit mode you are using to the 'forward' button. I can explain this more if needed. It is a bit confusing when assigning view buttons as X-P has all the standard angles for buttons, but 'appears' to lack a reset to forward view - but it is no issue if you use the main forward master view select.

one thing that can be a pain in X-P, a big one ! is that to use anything like track IR or normal panning etc, you need to be in 3D cockpit mode (a pain in the ar$e), and due to that, you see all the damn 3d cockpit stuff. - which is fine - if you want it .. I use triple monitors and absolutely do NOT want the X-P 3d cockpit view superimposed.
But, it is quite possible, and fairly easy - to dump all that by editing the air-file.
Anyway Michael, nice project, nice looking and really happy you got it sorted.
Perhaps post more details and build details to help others interested in this approach as it is a really great project.

Joe