Released: Multi-Throttle Support for IL-2

[MikkOwl]

This is obviously not just about throttles, it has grown to feature a myriad of functions.

VERSION 4.0 FEATURES:

- G940 button LED support! Let there be (red, yellow and green) light.
- Any controller axis assigned to control any engine, with the same accuracy as default IL-2 (0% - 120%).
- Dual Prop pitch support.
- Trim tweaking - can limit the range of trim (all IL-2 planes have the same universal, very large trim range, which is mostly not needed, with the exception of elevator trim) and off-set the center of the trim from center (most planes mostly ever use the rudder trim range in one direction from center, leaving the other half of our trim controllers wasted, meaning more touchy overly sensitive trimming)
- Enable toe brakes to function on rudder pedals that have them. With differential braking.
- Start/stop and feather buttons for each seperate engine.
- 'reversal bug' removal from throttle and trims of G940.
- Works online (some people were concerned - only the instrument reading part of device link does not work in multi-player)
- Works with TrackIR 5 (some people were concerned)
- 100% Mod compitable.
- (Radiator on axis support.. though only for the persistant)
- Graphical user interface SETUP program (normally no one would care, but compared to what was before, that is a really huge step forward :D )

You can ignore any virus/malware warnings - false alarm. It comes bundled with "Netcat", nc.exe, an old and proven network utility, that has by some evil people been used as a trojan (if using it in a certain way). Because of that and that it can open network ports I suppose some anti-programs can react to it. Netcat is necessary to establish the link to IL-2's "device link", even though it is just inside the computer. You can read about netcat on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netcat

Download link to version 4.0:
http://hem.bredband.net/mikko.artist/Multi_Throttle_4.0_by_MikkOwl.zip

FREE SOFTWARE: If you found my work to be of good use to you and that it enhances your enjoyment with IL-2 and the hardware you bought, consider donating what you think it is worth to you through PayPal, adressed to "mikko.artist@bredband.net". I share my work freely with everyone, but I too need to make a living. I worked very hard and put a lot of time into this software, going far out of my way writing the code, the documentation, endless hours of testing features that never work right until several dozen adjustments are made).

[335th_GRSwaty]

I beleive this is a must for bomber pilots!

I put approximately 30 hours into this work

and I think you did great!

[Qpassa]

Thanks ;)

[335th_GRSwaty]

I have set up a mirror here (http://www.hotas.gr/component/option,com_docman/task,cat_view/gid,37/Itemid,28/lang,el/).

[MikkOwl]

Now that we have proper control over our multi-engined planes, how can we make use of it? Since it has not been around before and no one seems to know much about how one can make use of it, here are some examples of what you can do in a twin-engined (as well as four engined in some cases):

1. When on the ground, you can steer the plane with your engines instead of rudder and wheel brakes. More fun than you would think, and not easy.

2. If an engine radiator is damaged, or has a coolant leak, throttle it down compared to the healthy engine to avoiding it over heating and breaking down. Compensate the yawing in that engine's direction with opposite rudder trim.

3. You can help your turns in the air a bit by reducing power on the engine on that side of the turn, allowing this engine to cool a bit and saving a bit of fuel.

4. If your stabilizer control surface (i.e. rudder) is damaged, or even shot off completely along with the stabilizer, you can use the engines to yaw the plane.

5. Similarly, if the ailerons go on one side or both, you can roll the plane with the engines as well. Airplanes stay airborne because the airflow over the wings provide lift. If one wing has less airflow than the other (such as when one engine is giving less power than the other), that wing will provide less lift than the other wing. Since lift is a force upwards, and the wings then no longer privide identical push upwards, the wing with less airflow over it will start to drop and the other rise - and you are rolling your plane.

6. Even if you lose ailerons, rudder and elevator control, you can control altitude, roll and yaw by only using your two engines. Your total airspeed then determines if you climb, stay level or descend. Any difference in engine power on either side makes the airplane both yaw and roll towards the lower powered engine, letting you make turns. Actually managing a landing under these circumstances is no doubt very difficult, but making it to your own lines for a ditching or even a bail out should be possible - and satisfying. And to think of the satisfaction of ditching on your airfield, or even managing a landing! It has been done several times in real life in much larger planes. Once by a cargo plane in the US Air Force in Iraq around the year 2005, which was taking off. This plane managed to go around and land again despite having only the engines to steer with. There are other famous accounts of the pilots in passenger/cargo planes doing the same.

7. Getting out of a spin/flatspin/stall:
The plane is skidding wildly in one direction. Normal recovery is stick forward, opposite rudder and throttle down. With a multi engine, it should be possible to let the engine on the inner side of the skid keep going, as it then provides asymmetrical thrust in the opposite direction of the skid, helping the rudder to stop the skidding/rotation. I do not know if this actually works or not, but in theory it sounds proper.

8. At the top of a zoom (sharp climb) where you start to go so slow that the control surfaces barely work, like when performing a 'hammer head' maneuver - or otherwise trying to do sudden sharp skids to the side on top of a zoom below effective airspeed for control surfaces to work - reducing throttle on one engine should make you yaw in that direction, providing more yaw authority than would otherwise be possible. Maybe even more than a pursuing single engined plane might have, despite our plane weighing more and being slower.

[Perrenegger]

Thanks so mutch!!!...

i was looking for something like this for a long time...

I love flying the p38 Lightning, and now would be posible to fly it with his proper facultys as a twin engine fighter...

THANKSSS!!!...

[MikkOwl]

Good news: I'm discontinuing the development of this version using keys to send - I figured out how to use 'devicelink' as interface instead, sending direct axis commands into the game instead of having to use keybinds (end result should be just like having several throttles and prop pitch in game).

And also, I figured out how to control my LED lights on the G940 through the program. I can absolutely already change them when we click buttons and stuff like that, but I am trying to figure out how to get information from IL-2 (through devicelink) into my autohotkey programs, interpret it, and then send the appropriate color change to the buttons. That would be aaaaawesome.

[JG301_HaJa]

Bloody great work there mate :)

It's people like you that give us poor sods a great time.
Keep it up

[Qpassa]

Thanks dude, you 're our last hope :D

[Artist]

Hi MikkOwl,

... I figured out how to use 'devicelink' as interface instead, sending direct axis commands into the game instead of having to use keybinds


The great thing about your earlier approach was that it works both in offline and online mode. As far as I know, devicelink is *not* fully available in online mode... I now for sure that devicelink does not reveal any information in online mode, but it may accept input in online mode, at least i read somewhere that it does...

Regards,
oj123.

[AndyJWest]

There should be no problem using DeviceLink for throttle control online. It is only the instruments that are disabled in this situation: see the DeviceLink.txt file in the IL-2 folder for further details.

[MikkOwl]

Yes it works in online mode, just instruments not working there.

I still don't know how to forward the information from devicelink to autohotkey. If anyone has any experience with software engineering that could be helpful, it would speed things up by a huge amount. I'm getting nowhere due to trying to wrestle this important problem, both for controlling G940 led lights, and also for making the throttle/prop pitch controls much easier (overcoming some of the limitations)

I have 'netcat' be able to write to a file in the command dos promt with "il2throttlescript.exe|netcat.exe blabla_connection_to_device_link_parameters > text_file_output_from_device_link.txt".

But this text file is write protected for other programs and devicelink keeps sending replies in a single long string, adding one after another. I can get autohotkey to read the text inside but since it just keeps growing, I don't know how to sort the whole mess out in a practical way.

There's a special version of autohotkey, and/or a 'library' called autohotkey.dll with updated functions compared to the normal version. This dll allows reading 'stdin', that is, raw command input/output (used in pipes). Then I could pipe netcat's replies to my autohotkey script, and make it read the 'latest' it recieved from devicelink, making things real smooth and easy.

Problem is, I just don't understand how to use dll's, how to call up commands from them and all those things. :(

[AndyJWest]

I'm not entirely clear what you are trying to do. Shouldn't you be sending throttle position data to DeviceLink, rather than reading it?

If I was trying to do what you are, I'd not use autohotkey at all. I'd write a program to read the throttle positions using the standard Windows Joystick interface and send them to IL-2 via Devicelink, say 3 or 4 times a second. This way, the IL-2 HOTAS wouldn't need to be set to an axis at all, and you could get the maximum 1% resolution for throttle settings, rather than the ~5% you get with keyboard.

I had a setup working like this at one time (single throttle) with an autopilot system I was working on, and used a similar system to control the main axes too. To do this, you do need programming skills in Java (which I used), C++ or the like.

[MikkOwl]

I can already do what you describe, send throttle inputs, down to 1% (or thereabouts), by using autohotkey (a very powerful little thing it is).

There's more complicated problems that it seems. Even with devicelink, IL-2 behaves just the same as if using the keyboards (only difference is more accuracy in the 'axis'). This means to move throttle 2 after moving throttle 1, we must select engine 2 - and upon doing that, it copies all the settings from engine 1, onto engine 2. The prop pitch lever on engine 2, for example, flies instantly into the position of prop pitch for engine 1. And then one must again send a command to make the prop pitch lever go back to where it was. But it moves slowly. It takes up to a second for it to get there. Meanwhile, if you select any other engine (like moving the throttle or prop pitch on engine 1) before it finished moving, it gets stuck halfway. Moving two levers at the same time on two different engines makes this problem very visible.

My 2.5 version (unreleased) has a built in timer that delays the movement on engine 1, until prop pitch lever on engine 2 has finished moving.

As long as one is only manipulating a single engine in peace, at a time, not much strangeness can be seen. But try moving two engine controls at the same time (and if the prop pitch levers in particular are not in the same position on both engines), it'll be laggy and look bad when the levers and throttles move a bit, switch to other engine, move a bit, switch to other, etc (and a noticable lag it is with up to 1 second if the prop pitch levers differ much on both engines).

By reading data from the game, I could find out if the in game lever is out of sync with the physical lever for each engine, and just force an update if such is the case. It should allow much more practical and accurate operation by, perhaps, letting the throttles always have priority and sorting out the problems of the prop pitch not being synced after done with moving the throttles.

That, and I'd love to get the device link readouts to let it control my colored buttons on the G940 throttle ;)

Btw, in no case (device link, or the key emulation versions) is power bound to anything under the HOTAS section.

EDIT: What I need to accomplish is a way to get autohotkey read the 'replies' that device link sends when queried. Like asking what the prop pitch lever is set to in the game, and it sends a packet back with a string of text. I need to get AHK to read that info.

[MikkOwl]

Version 3.0 is done.

http://hem.bredband.net/mikko.artist/Multi_Throttle_v3_by_MikkOwl.zip

Change Log:

- Switch from keyboard emulation method to "Device Link" interface. Throttles now have same accuracy as default IL-2.
- Toe-brakes on rudder pedals (G940 for example) control individual aircraft wheel brakes.
- Seperate engine start and propeller feather buttons.
- Fuel Mixture on axis (requires keyboard emulation to work, such as in version 1 and 2).
- Radiator on axis.
- All keys and controls user customisable.
- Pre-prepared profiles (to help along the way).
- More extensive documentation.

[Azimech]

THANK YOU!!

Another reason not to touch FSX anymore :grin: I was hoping Daidalos would do this and requested it in the development topic.

I will make use of this and since I'm buying a whole lot more cheap 'n dirty game controllers (steering wheels etc) and building my own pedals (with independent brakes) I'll post the result soon with pics and all.

[MikkOwl]

For those who are unsure about compatibility, with DeviceLink now being used instead of keyboard emulation:

It works online, it works with TrackIR (at least on Windows XP 32 bit home edition that I use).

You don't need a G940 for this. Can use any devices with levers. I recommend the Saitek Quadrant, giving 3 levers and 9 buttons. Quality can be a bit shoddy (Have to send mine in for replacement as one button stopped working right) but it costs only 50€ and gives tons of flying fun. Without a throttle at all, it is extra worth it - can have one or two levers as throttles, third as flaps, etc.

....

And yes, Team Daidalos were going to add dual throttle support but it didn't come in that 4.09 patch. That's one of the reasons I made this. I did not want to wait, and I am not counting on that the support will ever come (and Storm of War is on the horizon too, no time to spare).

[Viikate]

Dual throttle support wasn't ever planned for 4.09.

[MikkOwl]

I am aware of that. I started with IL-2 in november, after 4.09 was even released I think. But then I saw old posts talking about throttle support, and I misunderstood thinking it should have been in 4.09 but did not happen. ;) But either way, no idea when 4.10 will come, and if it will feature throttle support when it comes, and most likely it would not feature differential braking, radiator and fuel mixture.

---

There have been reports of malware warnings from the latest version of the throttle program. I assure you that it is malware and virus free. It is the behaviour of the program that is 'suspicious' for those anti-malware scanners, which are set to scan for any new unknown threat they don't recognize. So ignore any false alerts.

[TheGrunch]

But either way, no idea when 4.10 will come, and if it will feature throttle support when it comes, and most likely it would not feature differential braking, radiator and fuel mixture.
Hopefully April, very likely yes, and maybe you should ask Viikate about the last part. :) Holding down the brakes and using rudder pedals creates a differential-braking effect already, as far as I'm aware.
You really should put a DT pic in your signature, Viikate. ;)

[MikkOwl]

Hopefully April, very likely yes, and maybe you should ask Viikate about the last part. :) Holding down the brakes and using rudder pedals creates a differential-braking effect already, as far as I'm aware.
You really should put a DT pic in your signature, Viikate. ;)
All the better if all these things could be put in the game executables themselves instead of having to use this. But until then, we have all the features here, now. :)

Indeed about the differential braking method in IL-2. But that won't work with toe brakes (that flip forward). One can only assign brakes to a single axis in IL-2 also, further making it impossible. I managed to solve it by measuring which toe brake was applying the most force, then (for each fraction of a second) using the one with most force to determine the amount of 'brake pedal' being applied. At the same time, another measurement measures how far each of the toe brakes are pushed, which determines the angle the rudder will be set at (as the rudder controls if the other wheel side should have less than the brake force being applied).

It took some tuning to make it work properly to say the least. At one point I made it do 100% rudder left or right, if only one toe brake was being pressed - to avoid the problem where if only a little braking was being appplied, the rudder was also only turned a little, making the other wheel brake almost as much (making the aircraft come to a halt instead of turning at very low speeds, near standstill). This gave 100% wheel braking only on that side, solving the problem. But it also gave very sudden violent changes in direction if the plane also had some speed (even just traveling down the taxiway) due to the maximum rudder deflection.

The solution was to make the rudder not move to full deflection instantly, but it moves to full much quicker than having to press a toe brake all the way to 100%. Maybe at 30% toe brake the rudder is at maximum deflection. This solved all the problems, except that the rudder turns if braking one wheel more than the other.

In this manner, the plane is smooth and predictable without sudden unexpected turns, and you can steer it without braking both wheels even at slow speeds (standing still and rotating the plane in a single engined fighter works easily).

Also, to brake fully, you must brake both wheels by pressing both toe brakes, like during landing or when lining up a P-38 for take-off.

It works pretty much exactly like real wheel brakes would.

[TheGrunch]

It works pretty much exactly like real wheel brakes would, except that there is auto rudder deflection at the same time (not necessarily a bad thing).
Heh, I got around that little immersion issue for quite a while accidentally by mostly flying types with hand-operated brakes. :grin:

[Azimech]

From the Readme:

"The tools in the JOYSTICK_IDENTIFIER folder let you scan each of the first four joystick ID slots (usually a joystick takes up slot 1, a throttle slot 2 and so on, but it can deviate)."

Does this mean more than 4 controllers are not supported? Or just not identified? Soon I will have 5 with more to come.

[TheGrunch]

Does this mean more than 4 controllers are not supported? Or just not identified? Soon I will have 5 with more to come.
I haven't tried it myself, but from what I hear, Il-2 supports a maximum of 4...just out of curiosity, what are all these controllers you are collecting? :)

[MikkOwl]

You can use as many as you want, all are supported. Only IL-2 doesn't support more than 4 in it's own controller setups.

If you need it, I can send you identifiers for ID 5, 6, 7 etc. But you can probably manage most assignments by just typing in the number 5 in the "5joyx" "5joyy" "5joyz" in the config files for ID 5, and trying X Y Z, as those are the most common axis letters for devices. Should find most pretty quickly in this way. The joystick ID programs are just to help people identify their stuff without trial and error. With trial and error you can find anything.

Neat way of getting around IL2's limitations eh? :)

In fact, one can manipulate most functions, trims etc using device link. I have not put in that support though but I could if it would be useful to people. Most people do not have more than 4 devices (even though I do, I used to have my G940 main steering wheel as elevator trim, mounted properly on my left side like in Bf 109. But it was a bit bulky and my chair kept bumping into it, and not enough USB ports etc. I now use the back R2 wheel on the throttle of the G940 as trim instead, which is okay. A but unrealistically fast perhaps).

[TheGrunch]

I now use the back R2 wheel on the throttle of the G940 as trim instead, which is okay. A but unrealistically fast perhaps).
Sounds like you need a small plastic box, a decent 5-turn potentiometer and some manner of simple USB controller. :)

[Azimech]

I haven't tried it myself, but from what I hear, Il-2 supports a maximum of 4...just out of curiosity, what are all these controllers you are collecting? :)

I have a Sidewinder FF2 for aileron and elevator,
Saitek throttle 1 for power, proppitch & flaps,
Saitek throttle 2 for aileron trim, rudder trim and brakes,
MS ForceFeedback Wheel for elevator trim (in the future it will be placed besides me, like the big wheels in real A/C) with centering power off.

And I'm building my own pedals using a timing belt and two camshaft sprockets & some old wood, with a Saitek steering wheel (USB) as a base, and which will have toe brakes and include a pedestal for placing the Sidewinder and a locking mechanism for my office chair using a big lever.
I wanted better resolution and most wheels use optics.

My previous pedals used the classic pivoting style, used a cable over a pulley which turned a potmeter from a gameport-joystick. Was nice and built them from scratch in a few hours with the stuff I had lying around (drawing, measuring? nah :) )

Although I like the idea of buying a brand new HOTAS, building stuff for a few euro's is even more fun.

[TheGrunch]

Although I like the idea of buying a brand new HOTAS, building stuff for a few euro's is even more fun.
Why don't you build a trim box, then? Get one of these (http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836/), 3 multi-turn pots (I've heard 5 turn pots are good, apparently the 109 had about 5 turns on its trim wheel, for example), or even just some one-turn pots and some gears, and a little plastic project box. All you have to do then is drill some holes in the box, mount the pots on the sides, mount the BU0836 inside somewhere, then connect everything up - just a matter of connecting 3 wires for each potentiometer to the Bodnar board. You can even avoid that hassle by buying some of the three-pin connectors on the Bodnar site. Then you've just got to find some decent wheels to attach to the potentiometer shafts.
Doing that, you replace the second throttle and the elevator trim steering wheel with one controller straight away and into the bargain using rudder and aileron trim is now a lot more intuitive since you can place them on the box however you like (likely on the right for elevator trim, back for aileron trim and top for rudder trim). You also have spare space on the top for buttons and switches at a later date. There's a tutorial for connecting those up here (http://www.737ng.co.uk/matrix.pdf).
You could even replace the other Saitek throttle as well if you wanted (the Bodnar board supports up to 8 axes, 32 buttons and a hat switch), but that would probably be slightly more difficult since building throttles from scratch is a bit harder than just drilling holes in a box and screwing potentiometers into the holes (the limit of my ability, at least :-P )
The only thing you're missing that way is brakes, but once you complete your pedals you're all sorted. :) Just an idea. I've had this kind of stuff wandering through my head for the last few weeks since I noticed how easy it is to build simple controllers for yourself.

[335th_GRSwaty]

Check this,less than 30€,article is in Greek but you get the point:

http://www.hotas.gr/content/view/63/53/lang,en

[TheGrunch]

Check this,less than 30€
Wow, that's really awesome, Swaty. I like your website!

[335th_GRSwaty]

Thank you! :)
I hope its useful!

[TheGrunch]

Thank you! :)
I hope you its useful!
Well, I've got a spare broken CD drive. http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/winky.gif

[Stanger]

ok I am pretty stupid, and need the Multi Throttle for dummies setup.

I saw where you add to config ini the device link. What else you do. Drag what file where. Push this exe. I have gone thru all of the readmes and I am missing this. Or which readme has the instructions to put what file where?

Thanks, and I do appreciate your hard work and patience.

Opps found the cure. First I had to open the port on router and second I start your program after I start IL2.

Thanks I got it now.

[Stanger]

Also I found out you do not have to map keys. All I did was make sure my controller id was right in config. I have no power throttle mapped in Il2 and I just start the engines as normal with in game settings and seperate engine starts up. Then my throttle will work seperate for each engine.

So I have no keys mapped in Il2 for power settings and it still works.

Thanks

[MikkOwl]

ok I am pretty stupid, and need the Multi Throttle for dummies setup.

I saw where you add to config ini the device link. What else you do. Drag what file where. Push this exe. I have gone thru all of the readmes and I am missing this. Or which readme has the instructions to put what file where?

Thanks, and I do appreciate your hard work and patience.

Opps found the cure. First I had to open the port on router and second I start your program after I start IL2.

Thanks I got it now.
In this case, you were definitely not stupid and managed to figure it out by yourself, and the fault was mine to begin with.

There is a (now) confirmed issue in how this works - if starting the throttle software first, then starting IL-2, it does not work. One must start IL-2 first, then when at the runway (presumably) alt-tab out and start the throttle software.

I will fix this issue tonight, by making the throttle software not do anything until the user clicks a hotkey, such as "ALT G", then it will launch and set up itself in the background and make things work.

[MikkOwl]

Also I found out you do not have to map keys. All I did was make sure my controller id was right in config. I have no power throttle mapped in Il2 and I just start the engines as normal with in game settings and seperate engine starts up. Then my throttle will work seperate for each engine.

So I have no keys mapped in Il2 for power settings and it still works.

Thanks
I should have explained better in the instructions for this version 3.0:

The method of using keyboard key emulation to control the engines is now gone. It is replaced with using the joystick axis directly, through a special communications link called "Device Link" supplied with IL-2. It allows programs to send instructions to IL-2 from outside IL-2, telling IL-2 what to do. In my case, I made it scan your throttle devices and then convert the information to the right format, and then (if many conditions are filled, which is very complicated to explain) send it as an update into IL-2 to change to the right engine (also through device link) and to move the power setting to a certain position.

Everything works in this way now, EXCEPT fuel mixture, if you use that, and that is only because fuel mixture cannot be changed through device link.

This is the great thing. Nearly no set up needed by the users, and much, much higher accuracy in-game, just as good as the in game throttle (If bound in game), down to every single %. You all get your keyboard keys back :P The only thing one must at least set up oneself, is to specify what throttle devices to assign in the mikkonfig.ini.

[Stanger]

Thanks for the quick reply. But for me as soon as I was in il2 main screen I tabbed out then start your program. Went and started a mission and it worked. So the tabbing out to desktop can be done before you start mission.

Thanks again for this great mod and your hard work. :grin:

[Ghost33]

Hey MikkOwl, I love your programing work here and I use it all the time now with my G940. I only have one suggestion or wish :grin:, Do you think that it would be possible to have a hotkey that can "arm/disarm" the toe breaks for flying? Sometimes my G940 pedals are so sensitive that the toe breaks pick up the littlest movement and send my rudder all wonky when in flight.

Other than the fact that I have to be ever cautious with my toes now, this little program is wonderful. Awesome job :!::grin:

[MikkOwl]

Change Log version 3.1 (current)

- Fixed an issue where software would not be accepted by IL-2 if software was started before IL-2. Now one can launch it at any time. After starting IL-2 and having entered the cockpit, one now presses to "Alt G" activate the software (a comand prompt will appear over IL-2's screen - use the mouse to click on the IL-2 window and it will resume). "ALT E" exits the software. Users updating from Version 3.0 can simply copy their old mikkonfig.ini over to the new version.
- Tidied up the files and directories. Now only the launcher, the mikkonfig.ini file and the instructions are in the main directory.

See first post in topic for details and download link.

[MikkOwl]

Hey MikkOwl, I love your programing work here and I use it all the time now with my G940. I only have one suggestion or wish :grin:, Do you think that it would be possible to have a hotkey that can "arm/disarm" the toe breaks for flying? Sometimes my G940 pedals are so sensitive that the toe breaks pick up the littlest movement and send my rudder all wonky when in flight.

Other than the fact that I have to be ever cautious with my toes now, this little program is wonderful. Awesome job :!::grin:
I'll try to think of something :) Either a key, that can be the same as the gear up and down for example, to disable the rudder aspect of toe braking (just applying the brakes in the air does nothing, after all), or an adjustable deadzone if one inadvertedly keeps pressing the pedals.

I have never managed to accidently press them for myself though, the pedals already have a deadzone on them of maybe 3-5 cm before anything registers. In my case I sit at such an angle that my heels are mainly the ones doing the pushing of the pedals, and it requires a concious effort to 'flex' my feet forward to tip them forward. If you could in any way adjust the pedals to be further away from your feet, or angled a bit away from your feet, you may get the same results.

[Azimech]

Why don't you build a trim box, then? Get one of these (http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836/), 3 multi-turn pots (I've heard 5 turn pots are good, apparently the 109 had about 5 turns on its trim wheel, for example), or even just some one-turn pots and some gears, and a little plastic project box. All you have to do then is drill some holes in the box, mount the pots on the sides, mount the BU0836 inside somewhere, then connect everything up - just a matter of connecting 3 wires for each potentiometer to the Bodnar board. You can even avoid that hassle by buying some of the three-pin connectors on the Bodnar site. Then you've just got to find some decent wheels to attach to the potentiometer shafts.
Doing that, you replace the second throttle and the elevator trim steering wheel with one controller straight away and into the bargain using rudder and aileron trim is now a lot more intuitive since you can place them on the box however you like (likely on the right for elevator trim, back for aileron trim and top for rudder trim). You also have spare space on the top for buttons and switches at a later date. There's a tutorial for connecting those up here (http://www.737ng.co.uk/matrix.pdf).
You could even replace the other Saitek throttle as well if you wanted (the Bodnar board supports up to 8 axes, 32 buttons and a hat switch), but that would probably be slightly more difficult since building throttles from scratch is a bit harder than just drilling holes in a box and screwing potentiometers into the holes (the limit of my ability, at least :-P )
The only thing you're missing that way is brakes, but once you complete your pedals you're all sorted. :) Just an idea. I've had this kind of stuff wandering through my head for the last few weeks since I noticed how easy it is to build simple controllers for yourself.

Thanks for the info! I've been aware of the Bodnar interface for a while, mainly because I wanted to integrate a pc in my car and build a custom digital dash. I'll think about it for my flying gear, it's a cleaner solution and potentially looks better.

[MikkOwl]

I just found out that Team Daidalos are not just giving throttle support, but also individual prop pitch, fuel mix, and radiator to axis with 12 settings instead of just 5 through keyboard cycling we have now, and that they somehow got everything to actually work 'right' (not like now, where you only select one engine at a time, then it's settings are cloned to any new engine to select, making everything totally messed up beyond only using the throttles, prop pitch especially).

It is amazing news. These things are not possible to do without access to the source code, although I did pretty well with most of the functions I think. :) Problem is we have to wait until the end of march at the earliest. In these circles, I keep my head cool and accept that delays are a part of life.

I hope they can also get seperate wheel brakes on axis properly through the game, but I don't think that's going to happen. But I'm excited about the prop pitch support, beacuse that can't be made to work quite right without the source, and I do want that feature for myself.

Next project for me is to release G940 button color light support. It won't be using IL-2 info directly, but instead you just run it in the background, then tell it when you are starting a new flight (and if it's on the ground or in the air) and it'll reset to the assumed positions. When you click the 'gear up' button it will go from green to yellow, and then a timer will make it wait the average time gears take to rise in game - and then it will switch to red. IL-2 is very reliable in this respect.

----

On the topic of building simpits/controllers etc. I am always seeking immersion, realism, these kind of things. Often thinking of these things, I have come to the realizations:

1. With today's display sizes, headtracking and quality cockpits/instruments inside the simulators; the aircraft instruments, levers, switches - everything - is large and instantly easily readable to us.

Consequence: Seperate screens, indicators, instruments, anything to look at, at all, is not only wasteful but even confusing, since we then get duplicate instruments, serving no purpose, in fact being unimmersive. See exception at the end before protesting.

2. While we can see everything just fine and in detail through our display, interacting with it is a different matter. Using a mouse to move a pointer on the screen to 'manipulate' something is unrealistic on so many levels - a strongly unimmersive, detaching experience. A minor exception is having modern jets with touch displays - having your own touch display displaying the same info to touch is more real and immersive than it is not.

Consequence: To have controls to manipulate and feel, in their relative correct position, is important and promotes immersion. Our rudder pedals, throttles, quadrants, and flightstick, are necessary for interacting with the aircraft and what a pilot would feel. But they don't need to look the same way - in fact, ideally we should not look at them at all when using them, instead keeping our eyes on the (virtual) cockpit alone. There's a gap there currently as there is no virtual representation of your hand moving.

3. The major exception. If one can have real sim cockpit detailed and complete enough to supply all the instrumentation and controls needed, and a display so encompassing and large that headtracking is no longer used, a virtual cockpit would be unrealistic (having two cockpits? Come on). Then one would turn off the cockpit rendering in game and position the mega display so one's own cockpit covers the same area in the field of vision. This is how commercial simulators operate.

---

The future definitely will go in only one direction: Bringing displays onto our heads and miniaturized is the only logical course of development, with head tracking obviously being part of it. Then the rendering of the cockpit will be supremely realistic and all ratios and scales completely true to life. Wearing 'hand trackers' is the most likely add-on for that time, so we can see our hands move around.

When that time comes, simmers will attempt to put a stick with the same feeling as the one in the plane they fly, in the same position, and the same for the throttle. The rest of the controls of an aircraft will be virtual (i.e. no tactile feedback, you are pushing stuff in the air) - at least it will look like you are in a cockpit, and your hand is actually touching things without substance, flipping switches, etc.

[TheGrunch]

When that time comes, simmers will attempt to put a stick with the same feeling as the one in the plane they fly, in the same position, and the same for the throttle. The rest of the controls of an aircraft will be virtual (i.e. no tactile feedback, you are pushing stuff in the air) - at least it will look like you are in a cockpit, and your hand is actually touching things without substance, flipping switches, etc.
That would be a bit horrible, like texting on an iPhone...but imagine you're wearing gloves and the fingers rumble or the glove stiffens when you're touching something on-screen. You could use a button on the end of one of the fingers to toggle the control with your thumb once you were touching it. I think tactile feedback is the only way that systems like that can work in the long term.

Thanks for the info! I've been aware of the Bodnar interface for a while, mainly because I wanted to integrate a pc in my car and build a custom digital dash. I'll think about it for my flying gear, it's a cleaner solution and potentially looks better.
No problem, the thing that attracts me to the idea is that it's pretty cheap as well, likely cheaper than one of the Saitek throttles + postage. Using good single-turn pots like Vishays also saves you money since good multi-turn pots are quite expensive and the resolution of inputs on Il-2 isn't really high anyway, or at least it doesn't seem to be...the cheaper version of the BU0836 is 10-bit anyway, so a bit of play in the gearing isn't even going to make a huge difference to the precision. It's always worth buying good-quality pots because they last SO much longer than £0.80 throwaway ones like they use in cheap joysticks. Just seems quite easy, I just can't justify to myself buying stuff like this while I'm job-hunting. :)

[Qpassa]

Hi MikkOwl
Unzip it,use twin engine for G940 and enable it into the cockpit (ALT+G). But it not works :S . What I do wrong?
Thanks in advance

[MikkOwl]

Hi MikkOwl
Unzip it,use twin engine for G940 and enable it into the cockpit (ALT+G). But it not works :S . What I do wrong?
Thanks in advance
I don't know - it should work.

1. Did anything happen when you tried to enable it? (black window appear for example with some text).

2. If you alt tab out from IL-2 and look, is there a green square with a "H" in the task bar in the lower right corner, next to the time?

3. Is there a black console window with text in it? What does it say?

4. Did you enable device link in your IL-2 "conf.ini" file like it said in the instructions?

----

News on Version 3.2: will feature a fix for the 'reversal bug' of the G940 axises. At least for the throttles and also elevator trim + rudder trim (Throttle R1 and R2 wheels) as optional.

[Qpassa]

I set in the conf.ini the
[DeviceLink]
port=3333
Is it correct ?

The 'H' (The script) appears

The cmd says :
http://i50.tinypic.com/ea3yc1.png

It makes weird things when i use the pedals, it select left engine ( one of the buttons of the bottom of the throttle) ,more power 0 to 7 %... :o

[MikkOwl]

The problem is most likely that you have your devices arranged in a non standard way.

Normal is G940 Joystick on ID1, Throttle on ID2, rudder pedals on ID3. I think you have your rudders on ID2 instead of the throttle. This is why when you press the toe brakes of the rudders, the program thinks that is the throttles.

Two possible solutions:

1. You get the JOY ID changer tool from www.wingman.com and set them in a standard way. But if you do that, most of your control setup will probably be lost in IL-2 (and all other games too), because you already set them up to be in this non-standard way.

2. A probably easier way, you set up the profile in the Multi-throttle program like people who don't have G940 would. Use the joy ID tools included to scan the ID slots (1, 2, 3 etc).

Then you move your rudder, throttle and all that, to see which ID they belong to.

Then you edit the mikkonfig.ini file, and just change the number in the beginning for the throttles and pedals to the ones you discovered with the JoyID tools.

I'm sure that your rudders are ID2, so you should change the toe brakes in the mikkonfig file to "2joy...." instead of "3joy..." like now. But you have to find the throttles :)

EDIT: If don't forget to change the buttons for the engine controls at the bottom (individual engine start and feather) to the ID of the throttle, if you are using them as well.

[Qpassa]

Thanks ill try

[Azimech]

It seems that http://www.wingman.com/ is nowadays a site for a motorcycle accessories company.

[Qpassa]

yup , xDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD DDDDDDD

[MikkOwl]

Wingman Team of course :P

Another very easy way to see the joystick device IDs is to open the control panel and then the game devices. It shows them in order. ID1, ID2 etc, even though there are no numbers.

[Qpassa]

I have done a video. It looks like a crap but well I wanted to record how it works
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEBkLo7iQjY
Thanks againt for your work MikkOwl

I used this config

[control_devices]
; Your throttle devices. Default is set to G940 dual throttles.
;
; Whenever moving a throttle axis, it selects the engine
; that throttle axis controls, and deselects all the other
; engines. This is how IL-2 works.
;
; If only the first two throttles are assigned, they will use
; "select left engines" and "select right engines". This allows
; you to fly aircraft with four engines properly.
; Otherwise only the two engines on the left wing (engine 1
; and engine 2) would be controllable.

THROTTLE_1_AXIS=1joyy
THROTTLE_2_AXIS=1joyx
THROTTLE_3_AXIS=no
THROTTLE_4_AXIS=no




; If you have two seperate axis as toe brakes, such as on the
; G940 rudder pedals, you can control the wheel brakes
; seperately. Default assigned below is for the G940.

WHEEL_BRAKE_LEFT_AXIS=3joyx
WHEEL_BRAKE_RIGHT_AXIS=3joyy

[Stanger]

Is my setup wrong? When I push right toe brake carefully without rudder the rudder moves fully right. Maybe the toe brake is inputting both axis?

[Qpassa]

you have to config the mikkonfig

[kimosabi]

Haha, thanks Qpassa, loved the music. :grin:

[MikkOwl]

I have done a video. It looks like a crap but well I wanted to record how it works
Thanks againt for your work MikkOwl

I used this config
Haha, awesome video Qpassa. I'm sure the sight of the G940 having dual throttles working will get the blood going for people who love having more than one engine. I'm happy you got it working. Did you try the toe brakes? The individual engine buttons?

Is my setup wrong? When I push right toe brake carefully without rudder the rudder moves fully right. Maybe the toe brake is inputting both axis?
Did you read the instructions? The Toe brakes will manipulate the rudder if pressed, because IL-2 determines which wheel NOT to brake by the position of the rudder. This doesn't affect anything on the ground (unless you are taking off and try to use wheel brakes for some reason) - just don't use toe brakes when in the air ;)

[TheGrunch]

just don't use toe brakes when in the air ;)
Could I suggest disabling the toe brakes while the gear is up. :)

[MikkOwl]

Could I suggest disabling the toe brakes while the gear is up. :)
That would be perfect - but there's no way of knowing when the gears are up or not :( Can make assumptions, but then the user would have to tell the program if we are starting in the air (gear already up) or on the ground.

I'm deaing with some people who downloaded and tried my program, launching the wrong files without checking any instructions, and then their computer acts strange and they blame me. Moreover, they also suggest that I'm trying to install malware/viruses/etc and that they are on to me. Ooookay there...

EDIT: Either way, I'm going to try and work out something for the toe pedal issues if anyone seems to have 'stutter' in their real world feet :P and having an angle that doesn't make the heels the pressure point. Maybe merge it with the tail-wheel lock function, because as far as I know, the tail wheel is ALWAYS unlocked even when starting in the air. But then one would pretty much need a reset button for this as well.

Maybe something else. I don't know what. I could scan the throttle axis and make it only manipulate the rudder if the throttles are at a certain setting, but I don't think that would work well either due to people using throttles in all kinds of ways when taking off, landing, and turning on the runway.

I could put in a 'deadzone' for the wheel brakes users can set up themselves maybe. That way they have to press them a bit more when using them, but less chance of inadvertent activation otherwise. I've personally never managed to accidentally press the toe brakes far enough (they have a noticable deadzone of travel before engaging to begin with).

[JG301_HaJa]

Well, there are idiots everywhere who doesn't feel the need to read a manual and thus wreaking havoc on things :)

[MikkOwl]

I abandoned yet another chance to fly on my favourite server to respond to people having problems, and to release the 3.2 version with the G940 reversal bug fixes. I'm rewriting the documentation and going to change other things to try to make it more 'fool proof'. I think while the documentation is very detailed and informative, it is probably too much for some people to even bother start reading.

[kimosabi]

Fool proof suits me perfect. :grin:

Thanks for all the time you spend on this, MikkOwl.

[Sokol1]

For us that use MikkOwl multi-throttle and MODs, and dont desire disable HUD to not show boring "selected/unselected engines" messages, go to folder:

\IL-2 Sturmovik-1946\Files\i18n

Open the file (with notepad):

hud_log_ru.properties

And erase these messages in right side:

"Engine: Engine1 Selected" etc.

Leave the entries in left side (EngineSelect1...)



EngineSelect1 Engine: Engine 1 Selected
EngineSelect1OFF Engine: Engine 1 Unselected
EngineSelect2 Engine: Engine 2 Selected
EngineSelect2OFF Engine: Engine 2 Unselected
EngineSelect3 Engine: Engine 3 Selected
EngineSelect3OFF Engine: Engine 3 Unselected
EngineSelect4 Engine: Engine 4 Selected
EngineSelect4OFF Engine: Engine 4 Unselected
EngineSelect5 Engine: Engine 5 Selected
EngineSelect5OFF Engine: Engine 5 Unselected
EngineSelect6 Engine: Engine 6 Selected
EngineSelect6OFF Engine: Engine 6 Unselected
EngineSelect7 Engine: Engine 7 Selected
EngineSelect7OFF Engine: Engine 7 Unselected
EngineSelect8 Engine: Engine 8 Selected
EngineSelect8OFF Engine: Engine 8 Unselected
EngineToggleAll Engine: Selection Toggled
EngineToggleLeft Engine: Left Engine(s) Selection Toggled
EngineToggleRight Engine: Right Engine(s) Selection Toggled



Now you see only % of power, ie 83%...

Sokol1

[MikkOwl]

Fool proof suits me perfect. :grin:

Thanks for all the time you spend on this, MikkOwl.
It is becoming very tedious work now that I'm already finished with features but try to get 'user friendliness' into it, making sure people can use it. I developed a tool that scans EVERY axis on EVERY controller and detects if the user is moving them, then also figured out how to make the tool write the correct device and axis ID to the mikkonfig.ini.

I have so many extra G940 extra features only now though. Reversal bug fix, reversal bug fix AMOUNT for each throttle (and more axises too), option to use the two trims on the throttle as trims through my program as elevator/rudder trim, so that I can then process the axis data and remove the reversal bug, another option to set the range of movement of the trims in-game (they are way too sensitive if left at 100% range, impossible to trim perfectly to fly hands off).

For us that use MikkOwl multi-throttle and MODs, and dont desire disable HUD to not show boring "selected/unselected engines" messages, go to folder:

\IL-2 Sturmovik-1946\Files\i18n

Open the file (with notepad):

hud_log_ru.properties

And erase these messages in right side:

"Engine: Engine1 Selected" etc.

Leave the entries in left side (EngineSelect1...)



Now you see only % of power, ie 83%...

Sokol1

Sokol, that is GREAT stuff. For the same reason and more, I fly without hudlog except when testing for development reasons. Maybe with tweaks like this I can get rid of everything unecessary and just leave some basic things.

[MikkOwl]

http://hem.bredband.net/mikko.artist/Multi_Throttle_3.2_by_MikkOwl.zip

Version 3.2 uploaded now.

A major reworking and effort to make it much faster, easier to set up and to understand, as well as special G940 support, defines this version.

- Added .ini free configuration of throttles. G940 recieved automatic configuration.
- Added 'reversal bug' fix for G940 throttles, and optionally also of elevator + rudder trims (which also have an optional range reduction to avoid overly sensitive trimming).
- Added ability to tweak G940 throttle output to match each other's position in-game if not matching.
- Cleaned up, reorganized and renamed files and folders to fool-proof even more.
- Changed launcher to display a pop-up with instructions, and clicking "OK" to enable instead of "ALT-G".
- Removed fuel mixture and radiator support (troublesome and not fool-proof; never heard of anyone using it either).

And I just remembered, I also tweaked some of the scanning intervals that might make it work better on a select few systems.

I can always add fuel mix and radiator back later if there's any demand for it. But for now, making all these things work in a more user friendly, auto-set up kind of way was complicated and time consuming enough - I was afraid I would simply not get this update out at all if I tried to include those features, due to being 'buried' with the amount things that needed to be updated.

[Sokol1]

MikkOwl,

A small request, as I fly many planes in IL-2, bombers, fighters, is possible include
WEP in end of throttle course, to help in old (game) planes like Spit?

I use this feature with NewView, but have this in only one software is nice.

Another useful feature: one joy button to press F10, to Teamspeak Push to Talk.

Sokol1

[Azimech]

Try JoyToKey.

http://www.electracode.com/4/joy2key/JoyToKey%20English%20Version.htm

I use buttons 3 & 4 on my joystick to zoom in & out, it changes FOV with 25 steps per second. Really terrific program.

[MikkOwl]

MikkOwl,

A small request, as I fly many planes in IL-2, bombers, fighters, is possible include
WEP in end of throttle course, to help in old (game) planes like Spit?

I use this feature with NewView, but have this in only one software is nice.

Another useful feature: one joy button to press F10, to Teamspeak Push to Talk.

Sokol1
It's certainly possible, but be advised that it doesn't know if you are flying or not, and all it could do is press the 'toggle WEP' key when you are within a certain top range of your throttle. It could get out of sync. The F10 key is also doable, easily.

However, it makes little sense to try to implement this into the software, because few people have the same requirements and preferences for keybinds for those functions.

As mentioned, there's tons of software you can use, including probably the basic profiler software for your controller, to just bind the joystick button to "F10" (I did the same with my pinky button on the G940, to talk on Teamspeak 2). As for the wep when throttle range, your profiler software might support this. Otherwise it is a bit trickier. In real life in spits, they could not run WEP with open throttle, had to reduce it a bit. :) Engines and planes are different and WEP affects them in different ways (Fw 190 D9 I think only really increases fuel consumption a lot when using it for many minutes, but after a set amount of minutes pass, the heat starts going up unreasonably). I suggest that you put your WEP button somewhere convenient, maybe even as obvious as where your weapon controls are on the main joystick (for the thumb etc). Easy to reach.

Try JoyToKey.

http://www.electracode.com/4/joy2key/JoyToKey%20English%20Version.htm

I use buttons 3 & 4 on my joystick to zoom in & out, it changes FOV with 25 steps per second. Really terrific program.
Do you have the ability to make 'smooth' change in fov levels? Wings of Prey had this and it is such a nicer experience than the choppy experience of IL-2. The 6DoF mod 2.0 for IL-2 somehow provides fov change on an axis (leaning forward enough) and that looks great, but I can't fly like that. I'd like to have it button related somehow...

[Azimech]

Yes, I have the ability to change the FOV in a smooth way.

Download JoyToKey, here is my Config file:

[General]
FileVersion=37
NumberOfJoysticks=2
Use8Axes=0
UseDiagonalInput=0
UsePOV=0
Threshold=0
KeySendMode=0
[Joystick 1]
Axis1n=0
Axis1p=0
Axis2n=0
Axis2p=0
Axis3n=0
Axis3p=0
Axis4n=0
Axis4p=0
Axis5n=0
Axis5p=0
Axis6n=0
Axis6p=0
Axis7n=0
Axis7p=0
Axis8n=0
Axis8p=0
POV1-1=0
POV1-2=0
POV1-3=0
POV1-4=0
POV2-1=0
POV2-2=0
POV2-3=0
POV2-4=0
Up-Right=0
Up- Left=0
Dn- Left=0
Dn-Right=0
Button01=0
Button02=0
Button03=1, 4F:00:00, 25
Button04=1, 49:00:00, 25
Button05=0
Button06=0
Button07=0
Button08=0
Button09=0
Button10=0
Button11=0
Button12=0
Button13=0
Button14=0
Button15=0
Button16=0
Button17=0
Button18=0
Button19=0
Button20=0
Button21=0
Button22=0
Button23=0
Button24=0
Button25=0
Button26=0
Button27=0
Button28=0
Button29=0
Button30=0
Button31=0
Button32=0

(END OF FILE)

What this says is that it polls button 3, 25 times per second, and then inputs anywhere the letter "O" (zoom out), which in IL2 is configured to Increase Field of View.
Button 4 is inputs the letter "I" again 25 times per second, which gives Decrease Field of View.

[Sokol1]

MikkOwl,

Thanks for explain, I think that implement these buttons are easy. Sorry.

As I use NewView to smooth Pan View, I continue use this for Spit WEP in end of throttle course.
My HOTAS is old gameport "USBified", dont have programming software, for Teamspeak PTT I use another software, SVMapper - that allow use toggles switchs, with one mapped function in press and another in release.


Do you have the ability to make 'smooth' change in fov levels?

Newview allow bind FOV change in axis, too.

BTW - Tested your new multi-throttle version, 3.2. Work fine.

My only problem is related Alt+E to easy the program, for years I use
Alt+E to start engine (cause is near to Alt+1, Alt+2, that previous used to select engines).
Now every time I hit refly, I unconscious end MikkOw Multi-Throttle when try start engines . now I use with Alt+I - (Alt is "swtich cover"), but my brain...
But it is a personal matter, solve with Alt+Tab. :)

BTW- Just to inform: Flying single engine aircraft (ie fighters) using Multi-Throttle (without axis assigned to power in IL-2 Controls>HOTAS) work like when you use one axis, or maybe better, cause with Multi-Throttle I have linear 1/2% increments in power.

Thank you.

Sokol1

[Ghost33]

Hi MikkOwl, I have something wonky going on with my throttles sometimes, If I take one throttle while both are at 0% and bring it up it works fine but if I park it at 100% and then bring the other throttle up, sometimes (most, but not all) it takes that one parked at 100% and brings it back down to just bring it up again. :confused: its like both throttles on the g940 only run one in game, but if I move them together they then separate again and I get left right movement respectively.

Seems to only do this when both are at 0% or both at 100%

Very odd, and Ideas, suggestions?

Thanks, Ghost33

[MikkOwl]

Hi MikkOwl, I have something wonky going on with my throttles sometimes, If I take one throttle while both are at 0% and bring it up it works fine but if I park it at 100% and then bring the other throttle up, sometimes (most, but not all) it takes that one parked at 100% and brings it back down to just bring it up again. :confused: its like both throttles on the g940 only run one in game, but if I move them together they then separate again and I get left right movement respectively.

Seems to only do this when both are at 0% or both at 100%

Very odd, and Ideas, suggestions?

Thanks, Ghost33



You might have left one of them bound to 'power' in IL-2 which could cause some wonkiness. I suspect this because to control more than one engine in IL-2 seperately, one must tell IL-2 to 'switch' to the engine one wants to move (if not selected), and then give it the power setting we want to set it to. Assuming the theory is correct, see if you can follow:

Device link is probably not as intensely updatingly fast as IL-2's in-game native controller assignments. When you first move up the one that is not bound to power in IL-2 to 100%, all works as intended. But when you try to move the other one (which IS bound to power in IL-2), it will be read first by IL-2, giving IL-2 an instruction to change the power reading to whatever position it is in - but because the 'last' moved engine is still selected (the one moved to 100%) it moves instead! And mere milliseconds later, my software reads the one you are moving as usual, and tells IL-2 to switch engine selection and to set the power to whatever, as it should. And multi-throttle, not knowing that the 100% engine was moved by something else, does not try to update that engine back into the proper position (it only sends updates when you move your controller into a new position, not otherwise).

Go check if the suspicion was correct. If so, just unbind it (try binding power to elevator trim or something, then bind that axis back to elevator trim, that clears 'power' from any binds) and you can stop reading the stuff below ;). If not the case, you must read on.

The software has not used any kind of special 'moving them synced' method since it made the switch from keyboard emulation to device link.

I want to try to replicate the issue but your description is a bit unclear to me.

1. Which version are you using of Multi-Throttle?

2. What kind of plane was it - single engined, twin, triple, quad?

3. How did you go about configuring your G940 throttles for Multi-Throttle? Did you UNBIND them both from 'power' in IL-2 as well?

4. The two throttles behave absolutely normal in every other situation for the same engine configuration aircraft?

5. Assuming you have hud log enabled, what does it say about which engines are being selected when moving a throttle and it malfunctions?

6. From what you describe, you put one throttle at 100% and leave it there. Then when moving the other, only the one you are not touching moves? What about the one you are moving by hand, does that one move at all?

[Ghost33]

1. Which version are you using of Multi-Throttle?


3.2


2. What kind of plane was it - single engined, twin, triple, quad?


Twin engine A-20DB-7 Boston MkII, 1940


3. How did you go about configuring your G940 throttles for Multi-Throttle? Did you UNBIND them both from 'power' in IL-2 as well?


The only thing I have bound in my IL-2 HOTAS section is Aileron, Elevator, Rudder, Brakes and Aileron Trim.

I used the
SETUP - G940 BASIC.exe
Optional - ENABLE R1 AND R2 AS TRIMS.exe


4. The two throttles behave absolutely normal in every other situation for the same engine configuration aircraft?


Did not try any other aircraft


5. Assuming you have hud log enabled, what does it say about which engines are being selected when moving a throttle and it malfunctions?


At the time I had the "left engine selected" "Right engine selected" disabled but I still had a % reading. The % went up and down with both g940 throttle levers but only one ingame throttle would move with confirmation on watching the engine gauges "rpm" as well


6. From what you describe, you put one throttle at 100% and leave it there. Then when moving the other, only the one you are not touching moves? What about the one you are moving by hand, does that one move at all?

I would take G940 Left and move it to 0%, ingame Left went to 0%. I would take G940 Right and move it towards 0% and ingame Left jumped to 100% then moved down to 0% with the movement of my Right G940 throttle


Its odd also because as I was writing this post I fired everything up again and now I cannot duplicate the behavior. It's as if nothing was ever wrong. ;) very weird. one thing I did do was change in the .InI

"THROTTLE_1_REVERSAL_BUG_TWEAK_AMOUNT=1.546"

up from 1.508 to what it is above as my % still jumps like 51 53 55 56 58 60 58 56 54 52 51 50 and I was trying to clear it up a bit.

Ghost33

[MikkOwl]

Whatever it was (or wasn't) it appears to be gone and un-replicatable so who the heck knows. :)

That it moves in 1 and 2% increments up and down seems to be something about the math that IL-2 uses to read controls. One needs devices with massive amounts of resolution (if one changes sensitivity one can see that it moves in 1% consistently, on devices with already high resolution, but not otherwise). I suppose that the different numbers you see on the way back could be either the strange IL-2 math or that the reversal bug fix is slightly too much or too little, so you might be able to get it completely consistant with some of that tweaking.

When tuning the amounts originally myself when seeing if it could be done or not, I used the AutoHotKey (the programming language I made this stuff in) debug features where I could see the exact indicated positions of the axes, and then I would check how much one 'normal' step was, compared to how much the fix was 'off', then adjusting over and over until they matched almost exactly. But each throttle was a bit different, and other throttles can be too. Unfortunately for you there's no way to see the numbers straight, all you have to go on is the in game %, which could be unreliable.

Either way, changing that value by some fraction cannot be responsible. Even if set to crazy amounts it would not influence the other throttle in any way.

[Ghost33]

Thanks for the response and help provided. That is what I have been doing. Load up IL2 turn on your program and test, close your program, change the .ini and reload your program and test again. As far as I can tell 2% or the occasional 3% jump is the best I can get and quite frankly good enough for me and much better than stock IL2. Haven't had that odd Left Right throttle bug anymore either. ;)

When you said you used AHK's Debug did you mean that JoyID identifier you provided with Joy1-4? I fired it up to look closer and I do get a full range of every number 0-100.

Ghost33

[MikkOwl]

I did not mean those, the JoyID thing does not even show decimals. It's just debug screens one can access if running the uncompiled "AutoHotKey" code with AutoHotKey installed, and it shows all the variables, their values etc. With that I could see that my left throttle would move 0.723 (out of 0-100) when moving forward as little as possible. When tuning the reversal bug amount I could see if, when reversing, it also moved 0.723 (it did not usually, it could be way off until I dialed it in closer and closer. But when pretty close, it might move 0,6 or 0,9 instead and there'd be no real percievable difference in IL-2. The amount in the .ini file is that amount x2 by the way, since it bugs in both directions).

And yep, full range in 1% increments with the JoyID program, and the accuracy is even higher than that (around 0.7 increments as mentioned above). In IL-2 it goes from 0% to 120% (122 steps) but the throttle has more steps than that available (about 140-150) yet IL-2 does not seem to read it properly, and similar with other more accurate devices so, who knows why. Something IL-2 related.

[Sokol1]

MikkOwl,

Is possible a version with "separated_engine_buttons" that support toggle switch, say: switch up, engine ON, switch down engine OFF.

[seperate_engine_buttons]
TOGGLE_ENGINE_1_KEY=1joy23
TOGGLE_ENGINE_2_KEY=1joy24
TOGGLE_ENGINE_3_KEY=no
TOGGLE_ENGINE_4_KEY=no
FEATHER_PROP_1_KEY=no
FEATHER_PROP_2_KEY=no
FEATHER_PROP_3_KEY=no
FEATHER_PROP_4_KEY=no

Cause:

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/7610/swtichs.th.jpg (http://img191.imageshack.us/i/swtichs.jpg/)

:)

Sokol1

[MikkOwl]

MikkOwl,

Is possible a version with "separated_engine_buttons" that support toggle switch, say: switch up, engine ON, switch down engine OFF.

[seperate_engine_buttons]
TOGGLE_ENGINE_1_KEY=1joy23
TOGGLE_ENGINE_2_KEY=1joy24
TOGGLE_ENGINE_3_KEY=no
TOGGLE_ENGINE_4_KEY=no
FEATHER_PROP_1_KEY=no
FEATHER_PROP_2_KEY=no
FEATHER_PROP_3_KEY=no
FEATHER_PROP_4_KEY=no

Cause:

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/7610/swtichs.th.jpg (http://img191.imageshack.us/i/swtichs.jpg/)

:)

Sokol1
It is absolutely possible, in fact that is what I wrote for myself and used for a while (before releasing version 3.1). I will put this into version 3.3.

By the way, very nice switches you have there. I always wanted metal proper switches like that.

The engine on/off as seperate buttons work like this (up/down, choose yourself):

Switch up = Engine Start: selects the engine and presses 'toggle engine' function.

Switch down = Engine Stop: selects the engine and moves magnetos all the way to "off" and then up to "1+2" again. This shuts off the engine no matter what it is doing.

Note: when people use buttons, if it was only like this, the 'Engine Start' button would also turn off an engine that is running. To prevent this, the engine start button can only be pressed once - if the engine then does not start (engine restart in air etc), one must press the "Engine Stop" once, and then try the "Engine Start" again. This is not a problem for people like Sokol with two state switches, as it is not possible to press the switch twice - it moves between two states only - to press a switch again the switch must be moved to the 'off'.

This also means the program must be told if we spawn in the air (engine already on) or on the ground (engine off). Unless someone thinks of a better solution to avoid the 'engine start' shutting the engine off if pressed when engine is already running...

Hmm. Maybe I will leave it simple and allow the 'engine start' to also shut the engine off if pressed again. Switch people have no problems with this, and not many people without switches would want 3 buttons for each engine anyway to justify implementing a 'air/ground' extra button and the extra programming and documentation.

[Bearcat]

VERSION 3.2 FEATURES:

- Removed fuel mixture and radiator support (troublesome and not fool-proof; never heard of anyone using it either).

I can always add fuel mix and radiator back later if there's any demand for it. But for now, making all these things work in a more user friendly, auto-set up kind of way was complicated and time consuming enough - I was afraid I would simply not get this update out at all if I tried to include those features, due to being 'buried' with the amount things that needed to be updated.



I hope you can incorporate that into the next update.. That's a great feature... especially the radiator axis...

[MikkOwl]

I hope you can incorporate that into the next update.. That's a great feature... especially the radiator axis...
I will put it back, fuel mix too. I mainly took them out before because it was a mammoth sized job to upgrade the whole thing to a more user friendly level (config free setup) and the documentation. I was afraid I would never finish that update if I had to do it for all features, so I prioritized. :)

Regarding radiator on axis (with bonus unecessary exposition! :D ): I found a Bf 110 manual from WW2 yesterday, written in English (it was based on captured specimens by the British who tested it and wrote a manual for their own pilots on how to use it). It had separate coolant radiator settings AND seperate oil cooler levers. In the game I noticed that when messing with the coolant radiator settings, the oil cooler levers actually moved separately. But like everything else, their setting copied themselves over to the other engine whenever selecting another. But hey, neat, separate radiators at least. Wonder if Team Daidalos will bother implementing the radiators separately or not (going to have to ask them). They do have radiator on axis, but their test vid showed the radiator levers moving in unison, as if not separate for each engine.


----

New features planned for version 3.3:

1. Radiator and fuel mix making a return
2. Possibility of prop pitch (because I have an itch for that).
3. Toe brakes (which have to manipulate the rudder to work properly on the ground) no longer manipulates rudder during take off, in flight, or landing.
4. Possibly .ini free setup method for individual engine buttons (toggle & feather).
5. Separate engine kill switches.

[Bearcat]

I actually have better simulated differential braking (better than stock) by changing a few lines in my User folder @ C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\IL-2 Sturmovik 1946\Users\wells. When you use rudder pedals and set your brake axis it will become either an X or a Y depending on which toe brake you press (L or R).. what ever it becomes.. just add the other line (If X add Y, if Y add X) and then make it a read only file and it wont change. I lie your idea better though... ;)

[HotKey move]
AXE_RX JoystickDevice2=trimaileron
AXE_RX JoystickDevice1=trimrudder
AXE_RZ JoystickDevice2=rudder
AXE_U JoystickDevice1=-power
AXE_U JoystickDevice0=-pitch
AXE_V JoystickDevice1=-trimelevator
AXE_X JoystickDevice2=brakes
AXE_Y JoystickDevice2=brakes
AXE_X JoystickDevice0=aileron
AXE_Y JoystickDevice0=elevator

[MikkOwl]

I actually have better simulated differential braking (better than stock) by changing a few lines in my User folder @ C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\IL-2 Sturmovik 1946\Users\wells. When you use rudder pedals and set your brake axis it will become either an X or a Y depending on which toe brake you press (L or R).. what ever it becomes.. just add the other line (If X add Y, if Y add X) and then make it a read only file and it wont change.
Won't that make moving the rudder (no matter the situation) also apply braking? I thought of this back before I had the G940, but thought that taking off (where plenty of rudder deflection is necessary on many planes) this would result in braking, slowing the plane down, as well as braking on the side the rudder is turning toward.

Right now I'm trying to figure out if I can somehow send and recieve UDP packets (the communication method of devicelink) directly, without netcat. That would open up some possibilities with all kinds of things.

[Bearcat]

No... you still have to press the brake.. but now you have brakes in either pedal.. because the brakes are modeled on an axis and rudder pedals have 2 toe axii (L & R) it would only allow one or the other.. so if say you had the left one active.. youd be turning right and pressing with the left.. This way, brakes are modeled in either foot.. so while you have to still turn the rudder to brake.. you can achieve better simulated differential braking because you can pres the toe brake in the pedal you are using in the turn.

[MikkOwl]

Aha, using toe brakes! Then it makes sense.

Mine measures both wheel brakes, checks which one is braking more at the moment and assigns that as 'brake power'. Then it checks the difference between the toe brakes - if they are level (no matter how much pressed) then it sets the rudder to be straight. If one is more pressed than the other, the rudder is manipulated accordingly in the direction of the toe brake being pressed more.

They also exaggerate the rudder movement if one toe brake is not touched at all (so one can turn and not come to a halt even when braking only gently on one brake under low engine power and slow forward movement).

And some success! Managed to read the replies from devicelink. Now I should be able to get the G940 led lights to react to info from IL-2 instead of guesswork!

[MikkOwl]

I've managed to read the responses from DeviceLink with my program now (complicaaaated). I've also managed to control the G940 led lights using info from IL-2. All this I'm going to put out in the next version (possibly labeled 4.0).

What can be read is mostly relevant to G940 users, as it can be used to control the 8 throttle button background lighting. But they can be useful for others too, completely safe to use online as it's not a mod.

If anyone can think of any good use relating to these things available, then post it. Who knows, maybe it's a brilliant idea.

The following systems are allowed to be read (which is relevant to any utility like this one) in multiplayer.Trim positions. This is useful for G940 owners. I intend to make the G940 buttons be usable as indicators for if a trim is centered or not, just like many real WW2 era aircraft (Try the PE-3 for example to see)). Should be a welcome addition as it is impossible to see or feel that a trim wheel is centered on the G940. And it is realistic too.

Landing Gear. Not a big deal, because all aircraft pretty much have clearly marked gear indicators on the dashboard that work. But hey, why not. This will also come in handy with the toe brakes - if the gears are up, the plane must be airborne and the toe brake rudder manipulation can be completely disabled. In combination with the tail wheel below, the toe brake system will only be manipulating the rudder when the tail is unlocked and the gears are down.

Tail wheel. This one is great, because I hate seeing that 'tail wheel locked/unlocked' on the HUD, and I removed it ages ago. So much more realistic this way.

Arrestor hook. Useful - can get rid of hook helmet mounted display message, and most aircraft don't have any indicator nor sound effect at all regarding the arrestor hook.

Chocks. Not useful. If the plane does not move, it is obvious the chocks must be on.

Flaps position (unknown at this point if it is the position of your axis or the actual flaps. The two can be significantly different so I hope the latter). Could be used for adding that chiming repeating horn in the Bf 110 if flaps are down but gears are not (yes, that's how it works). I know the Bf 109 is like that in the modified versions of IL-2 I use but I don't know about the stock versions. As it's not a mod to do it this way, it is good. I could make flaps that work just like the real Bf 110: two pull switches. Pull one out, and the flaps start moving in that direction until reaching the max position. To have the flaps in a position other than completely up or down, one has to push in the switch a bit, which will make them stop in their tracks. The flap position indicator of the Bf 110 doesn't exist in IL-2's cockpit, but I can make the G940, which has lights, show different colors depending on the position (To understand how this would work, have a go in the Ju 88 and look at your lower left panel while manipulating the flaps. Three lights, same color as G940 leds).

War Emergency Power (WEP). This one is very cool because practically NO planes at all have indicators for WEP (the ones that do are pretty much all american fighters with auto-wep that lights up if throttle is beyond a certain position). I already added nice support for this for the G940 (and could make it useful for non G940 users as well somehow, sound effect maybe): it currently blinks a button on my throttle red for as long as WEP is activated. I love it! It is impossible not to notice and an urgent reminder to turn it the hell off when you don't absolutely need it anymore. Best of all, being able to ditch that ugly, awful, immersion breaking "NAAAAWZ ENGAGED!!!!!!" constantly glowing in the mid right part of the screen. :D

Magneto position. This one is truly useless for three big reasons: Have to select the engine in question, to even be able to send a query to IL-2 (it works that way) so IL-2 can send back a reply with the status of that engine's Magnetos. This is a big problem because selecting an engine makes it take on every single setting of the previous engine selected, requiring an update of all it's systems to be re-done. Secondly, messing with the magnetos is dangerous because if it is set to none, and then another engine is selected, it will stop that other engine too (as it's magnetos are set to off as well). Thirdly, magnetos serve no useful purpose even if they worked well.

Level Stabilizer. A minor thing, practically useless. Because anyone likely to use level stabilizer is going to heavly be manipulating the bomb sight, which has no proper graphical interface or interaction other than keypresses and a helmet mounted display projection showing the current settings of the bomb sight. To be able to eliminate a single HUD message in this context is akin to a water drop in the ocean.

Supercharger stage. Maybe not entirely useless. I don't fly any aircraft that have superchargers, but the times I have tried (without HUDLOG) it would have been nice to have some kind of sound effect at the very least to tell me what mode it was just put into, and if it can't move into a higher or lower stage than current.

Propeller feathered or not. Nice to have, as there's no indicators for that in terms of graphical switches or markers in cockpits. Only some aircraft let you see the blade angle being a certain way. Unfortunately it is very difficult to check because the engine being checked must actually be selected in the process, bringing the problems mentioned for magnetos mentioned earlier. Sooo.. have to think of something. Glad to be rid of the Helmet Mounted Display message saying "Engine 1: un-feathered" at least. Can display it in color on the G940.

Air Brake. Not the most useful thing around, few aircraft have air brakes, and it is quite obvious if the air brake is engaged even without any sound effects or instruments. Still, why not, for the man with a bad Junkers addiction. Technically I can manipulate trims or even controls when air brake is deployed, if there's something unrealistic going on in how the game treats air brakes in some aircraft.

Gun pod on/off. This one must be 100% useless. Is there any time, ever, that the gun pod toggle is useful for anything? It doesn't even work most of the time.

Wing fold. Useless? I think so. One can just look out the window to see if they are folded or not.

Canopy (open or not). Mostly useless. Although I could play a loud wind noise effect if it is open and the plane is (probably) airborne. Not that people fly around with it open or would want a loud wind noise effect anyway.

Prop. Pitch. Could possibly be used in some way for multi-prop pitch use before the official 4.10 patch, but I doubt it'll be worth trying. Then it would be checking if the plane prop pitch was in the same position as the controller lever for that engine, and forcing another update if not (the biggest problem for dual prop pitch is making them not move around constantly to match the other engine due to the engine selection problem inherent in IL-2).

Throttle. Useless.

Time of day. Useless.

Plane type. Could be relevant to adjusting some functions to if the plane has them or not, but I don't really see how. I don't think it tells what kind of loadout the plane has either, making it even less useful.

Number of engines. Useless.________

The list is severely lacking. One cannot even check if an engine is even turned on or not or if the aircraft is airborne or standing still! Can't see anything about fuel mixture, radiators, temperatures, fuel drop tank, ammo counters, dropped bombs, low fuel warning. Can't even check if the plane is airborne. Only check if gears are up and assume it must be flying then. For this reason I cannot even make the G940 button lights show if the engine is turned on or off.chrome://dictionarytip/skin/book.png

[MikkOwl]

Multi-Throttle 4.0 is done.

http://hem.bredband.net/mikko.artist/Multi_Throttle_4.0_by_MikkOwl.zip

I'm working on writing the updated forum text, edit first post etc (not just this but several forums) but I'm so incredibly exhausted from trying to get it done so it may be a bit slow. But the link is here at least. I thought I would post it here first.

Bug fixes:
- Fixed a bug where the brakes would not release fully when having used the toe brakes.
- Fixed a bug where if both toe brakes were pressed completely the brakes would set to zero.

Changes & Tweaks & New stuff:
- Can now close all windows it creates when exiting (ALT-E).
- Can now detect if user is in an aircraft and at the controls. Does not try to send any commands if escaped, not in control of the aircraft's flight controls, bailed out, main menu (being alt-tabbed does not count).
- Toe brakes no longer manipulate the rudder (for differential braking function) if either the tail-wheel is locked or the landing gear is retracted (no more accidents for some of you and landings should be much be more stable).
- Added ability to detecting button presses for setting up individual engine key controls (start & feather prop).
- Added support for trims (in order to make new trim tweaking possible). Assign any axis to any trim.
- Added ability to limit the range of trims for a much smoother, accurate, realistic and relaxed trim experience (all IL-2 aircraft have an enormous trim range in all directions, but our controllers do not = hypersensitive trimming).
- Added feature to off-set the trims to either side (most aircraft only need to trim the rudder/ailerons in one direction, meaning the other 50% is wasted movement range on our controllers and making trimming twitchier).
- Replaced the dozens of individual config executables with a single, graphical user interface setup program (phew.......). The Setup folder is also gone. G940_tweaks.ini merged into mikkonfig.ini and moved to DATA folder.
- Ability to assign any of the G940 trim wheels to any trims in-game instead of just R1 and R2 to Rudder-Elevator. With reversal bug removal extended to these other trims.
- Radiator support is back (the code is revised but no full setup program support - edit the .ini file if you really want to use it).
- Dual Prop. pitch support.
- Support for G940 throttle button LEDs for IL-2! (Am I the man or what? Logitech owes me a paycheck and you G940 users especially owe me a donation :) ).
- Bonus: As information from devicelink and IL-2 is limited, wrote program functions to 'guesstimate' certain functions in order to provide more realistic LED behaviour.
- Bonus: One of the extra functions is a flap position indicator light, like the one in the Ju-88 A-4.
- Bonus: Like the real world Pe-2 and Pe-3, a LED button can now light up when the rudder trim is centered. (Knowing when the important rudder trim is centered can be difficult, especially on the G940 and even more with the new trim tweak abilities. Especially important for take-off).

[MaD88]

- Support for G940 throttle button LEDs for IL-2! (Am I the man or what? Logitech owes me a paycheck and you G940 users especially owe me a donation :) ).

You ARE the man:grin:
Have to try it this evening... Thanks for your work... donation is on the way!
You made my day!!!


Edit: Really great everything- I'm just missing the option to change behavior of the LEDs.
For Example: Flaps in=LED off, Combatflaps=Green, Takeoff=Orange, Landing=Red

[335th_GRSwaty]

Thanks MikkOwl!

GUI is a great advantage!

[MikkOwl]

I wish there was more info that could be gotten by devicelink to be used to control the G940 leds. Most of what is allowed to be read when in multiplayer is added... but I want to add more. I have some ideas on how to figure out ways to make very accurate guesses on the state of some systems. Like nav-lights for example. There's no way to read if nav-lights are on or off. But I have found ways to check if someone is in control of an aircraft or not (already implemented), but also a check on if the plane type can be read or not. If it cannot be read, it means that the player has not even selected or loaded up a plane. Soo, using a combination of the two above, I could make it, for example, switch nav lights only when allowed to, and reset the guessed state of the navlight system to off each time it is clear the player restarted the flight. I don't know if this makes any sense to anyone, but it does to me, and it can probably add many more systems.

The current wishlist for 4.1 (definitely not adding the whole list!) is:

1. Separate engine-off button for each engine (requested by sokol - I just didn't have the time to do it and get the release out with all the other things I added)

2. Add more systems for the G940 leds, through guesstimation.

3. Make the LED assignments also trigger the function they were assigned to. For example, WEP button triggers WEP, gear triggers gear. Now they only assign the lights inside the buttons, not the function itself. It could save time if people can just assign the function directly through multi-throttle (quick to change between planes, just alt-tab, close M-T, run setup, etc).

4. I would like to have separate trim tweak profiles for different planes available. This is planned for Storm of War, but I already have some neat trim tweaks implemented - just need to add the (quite large and complicated) infrastructure for loading them in multi-throttle, the setup program, and editing them, and saving them. I think that limiting the amount of profiles and all the variants of the planes can be done by reading keywords of the aircraft's name. Like one profile can be 'spitfire', and includes all spitfire models. Another is 109, another is 110, another B-17, another P-51, P-47, P-38, LAGG, Pe-2, Fw-190, Ju-88 and so on. That will allow us to have our trims tweaked just right for different planes.

5. If I add profiles for aircraft, then maybe also be able to add LED button assignments saved in the profiles. Means the buttons could change their LED light display, as well as their function, depending on the type of aircraft.

6. Perhaps integrate some of my previous work. For example:

I made a music player that allows you to play pre-defined tunes for what is going on around you (to match the setting) by the use of one top hat. I tried this myself, thinking it would be cool. It was cool. But I am already too nervous online and this made it crazy nervous. :D Need all my concentration just on flying.

A smooth fov switcher that can use a single button to zoom in and out between wide and realistic fov, and if held for just a moment it zooms in maximum (and also makes TrackIR go into super smoothing mode, making the view very stable). This function was quite useful, as it takes up only my S4 (middle left) thumb button on the G940 and controls all my viewing and does it in a logical, fast and easy to control way. I had many different versions for viewing in the past until I arrived at this configuration. Before I had smooth fov switching, I would lose sight of enemy aircraft when zooming in maximum, because the zoom is the 'middle' of the screen and sometimes I was not centering the enemy aircraft in the middle properly. Zoom being instant, I saw an empty sky and could not determine where the enemy was. With smooth zooming it was easy to see where I was looking.

Made a stay-in-cockpit-view-when-bailing-out, with a sound effect of trying to jettison the canopy and loud wind noise. In fact, I also flew online with this and added the feature of muting teamspeak completely as soon as I bailed out. This meant no one could hear me after I bailed, and I could not hear them either. :D

Safety switch for weapons. Can be a master-arm button for all weapons, or individual (it's not complicated). In this way, a single joystick button (the trigger) can be made to fire MGs or cannons, or both, by arming and disarming the weapon systems individually.

Scroll in-game map by using a top-hat. I made it and it works, but only on my monitor display resolution. Uses mouse emulation to click drag the map around. And I don't think it was practical. Reaching for the mouse was much faster and better, sadly.

Function not yet made, but possible to do: Read the log file generated by IL-2 (in real time when flying). And using that data, I can make the rear gunner in planes like the Bf 110 and bombers speak a little bit in multiplayer. Only some of the things they can say in single player.. But even that is better than complete silence. They can scream if wounded or killed, and they can comment on when targets are destroyed or aircraft was shot down "Target destroyed, great hit!". And only if they are still alive. Not really anything else. I most of all wish that they could speak if they see an enemy plane but that's not possible to do.

[Qpassa]

I have tested it ,it's great also is easier to configure.
I would like that you show(in the throttle) when you have the acrobatic gas,the prop pitch of all the engines,manual pitch.
Thanks!

[MikkOwl]

I have tested it ,it's great also is easier to configure.
I would like that you show(in the throttle) when you have the acrobatic gas,the prop pitch of all the engines,manual pitch.
Thanks!
Good to hear! :)

I am not 100% sure I understand what you are asking for. "Acrobatic gas"... :D funny. Do you mean 100% throttle? If so, what is the use of that? I think we can already see and feel easily on the G940 dual throttle handles (and the RPM gauge, manifold gauge and the throttle levers, in the game cockpit).

The prop pitch of all engines.. This you can also see on the RPM gauge in the aircraft. But yes, many of us don't have the extra levers to watch. If using the G940 trim wheels to set prop pitch for different engines, it is not as easy.

Button to show if we have manual or auto pitch? There is no such function in IL-2 to find out if it is automatic or manual. Buuut, I might be able to make the program look at what plane we are flying, if the plane is just starting fresh (refly etc) and then make a button show if we have manual pitch or not (and make it toggle manual/auto). I already had this idea on my to-do list for future versions, because I think it would be useful. :)

[Qpassa]

Well ,let's train to explain XD
In my throttle I have set this configuration:

1 toogle wingtip smoke
2 Wing fold (OK in the program)
3 Feather Prop
4 Manual Pitch

5 Tail wheel lock
6 Select Engine #1
7 Select Engine #2
8 All Engines




Acrobatic Gas=Wigtip Smoke ,sorry for the translation XD
In Spain we are playing a competition where if you want to make a Supply you have to use them over the cities(And you really need to know if they are ON/OFF,they also penalize.)

Wingfold OK

Feather Prop. Aww dude,its complicated to use your program when you have problems.

In my opinion would be great if you create some Turn ON/OFF of twin engine control

I just want to disable it and control the Engines individually,that' s why I also set the
#Engine1 #Engine2. I think I have to change #All Engines,here it 's useless.

Also the individually Pitch,let me a better control over my airplane.
I hope you have undertood it ;)

[MikkOwl]

Acrobatic Gas=Wigtip Smoke ,sorry for the translation XD
In Spain we are playing a competition where if you want to make a Supply you have to use them over the cities(And you really need to know if they are ON/OFF,they also penalize.)

heheh, funny. I understand. I think I can add this, even if it has a very very small chance of getting out of sync with the game. A general tip: The smoke can be seen from inside the cockpit easily - just look out the window to the left or right and watch behind the wings. The smoke will be there if it is on. Maybe this is practical for you already.

Feather Prop. Aww dude,its complicated to use your program when you have problems.
Does it not work properly? You should only need to open setup.exe, click "assign feather prop. 1", click OK, then hold the button you want to assign it to. Then, in the game, each time you press it, it will feather or unfeather the prop of the engine. So far it worked 100% reliable for myself, never any problems.

In my opinion would be great if you create some Turn ON/OFF of twin engine control.
I just want to disable it and control the Engines individually,that' s why I also set the #Engine1 #Engine2. I think I have to change #All Engines,here it 's useless. Also the individually Pitch,let me a better control over my airplane. I hope you have undertood it
I am trying to understand :P One thing that I especially do not understand is the last part about "individual pitch".

What part is it you want to disable exactly? The G940 throttles controlling the left/right engines? That is possible to disable. You can edit the mikkonfig.ini and put "no" for throttle 1 and 2 (but you have to do this each time you have used setup.exe, it automatically puts in the correct G940 throttles there). And also unassign prop pitch axis 1 and 2. Then you assign one of the G940 throttles in IL-2 under "HOTAS" to "power" and one to "prop pitch". You will have the reversal bug, but you can fly IL-2 and control the engines like as if you were not using Multi-Throttle 4.0. Meaning you have to select each engines with buttons and move them with the controller assigned to "power". You can still use the individual engine control buttons I think.

If you want to have the dual throttles control the power on left/right engine, but use 1 controller to control the pitch for both engines but individually, this is not possible. Because Multi-Throttle has to use the IL-2 regular control system. To move engine 1, it will check the G940 left throttle, assign it to 'power', then send a command to IL-2 to select the left engine, then send the new 'power' setting. Same for individual prop pitch and any other engines. Each time a new engine is selected, it will recieve the settings that the other engine is using. It cannot remember the setting the engine had from before. To get a feeling for how this feels like, just turn off multi-throttle and set things up without it.

Of course you may already know all these things, and maybe you want it. :) I explained just in case. I am pretty good with coming up with control solutions/setups by the way. If I understand better exactly what you want to do, I might be able to come up with solutions.

[Qpassa]

heheh, funny. I understand. I think I can add this, even if it has a very very small chance of getting out of sync with the game. A general tip: The smoke can be seen from inside the cockpit easily - just look out the window to the left or right and watch behind the wings. The smoke will be there if it is on. Maybe this is practical for you already.

Yeah ,but sometimes bandits start to attack you near the city and you can't evade and look to the wings :P

Does it not work properly? You should only need to open setup.exe, click "assign feather prop. 1", click OK, then hold the button you want to assign it to. Then, in the game, each time you press it, it will feather or unfeather the prop of the engine. So far it worked 100% reliable for myself, never any problems.

The Feather Prop. If I want to select Engine 2 to do it ,how should I do? I just have one key configured for Feather Prop #1
I am trying to understand One thing that I especially do not understand is the last part about "individual pitch".

What part is it you want to disable exactly? The G940 throttles controlling the left/right engines? That is possible to disable. You can edit the mikkonfig.ini and put "no" for throttle 1 and 2 (but you have to do this each time you have used setup.exe, it automatically puts in the correct G940 throttles there). And also unassign prop pitch axis 1 and 2. Then you assign one of the G940 throttles in IL-2 under "HOTAS" to "power" and one to "prop pitch". You will have the reversal bug, but you can fly IL-2 and control the engines like as if you were not using Multi-Throttle 4.0. Meaning you have to select each engines with buttons and move them with the controller assigned to "power". You can still use the individual engine control buttons I think.

If you want to have the dual throttles control the power on left/right engine, but use 1 controller to control the pitch for both engines but individually, this is not possible. Because Multi-Throttle has to use the IL-2 regular control system. To move engine 1, it will check the G940 left throttle, assign it to 'power', then send a command to IL-2 to select the left engine, then send the new 'power' setting. Same for individual prop pitch and any other engines. Each time a new engine is selected, it will recieve the settings that the other engine is using. It cannot remember the setting the engine had from before. To get a feeling for how this feels like, just turn off multi-throttle and set things up without it.

Of course you may already know all these things, and maybe you want it. I explained just in case. I am pretty good with coming up with control solutions/setups by the way. If I understand better exactly what you want to do, I might be able to come up with solutions.

Individually Pitch,select each engine Pitch.
Disable your program when I'm on flight is what I want to disable . (For the Feather Prop,Pitch etc for EACH engine)


Another question: Have you done this with sockets?
Thanks

[MikkOwl]

Yeah ,but sometimes bandits start to attack you near the city and you can't evade and look to the wings :P
If you have time to look on the G940 and press a button, maybe you have time to look out the window? ;) Either way, you need to look around to see what the enemy is doing.

The Feather Prop. If I want to select Engine 2 to do it ,how should I do? I just have one key configured for Feather Prop #1If you are using IL-2's "feather prop" and want to use only one button:

1. Move a controller on the engine you want to select (for example, right throttle for the right engine on a twin engined plane). That engine will be selected.

2. Press the feather prop button.

________

If you want to directly control the feather prop function of individual engines, with a unique button for each:

1. Assign the buttons for "Feather Prop. 1" and "Feather Prop. 2" (etc) in the Setup program. You can assign them to any controller button.

2. To feather or unfeather when flying, press the button you assigned for that engine. No need to move a throttle to select an engine.

You can use the mode 1, 2 and 3 on the G940 in creative ways to fit many more functions too.

Individually Pitch,select each engine Pitch.
Disable your program when I'm on flight is what I want to disable . (For the Feather Prop,Pitch etc for EACH engine)You can do it. But you will have problems controlling each engine, because that is how IL-2 works. I don't think you will find it practical or useful to try.

1. Do not assign anything to "Prop. Pitch Axis 1" (and 2) in Setup.exe. Unassign it if you assigned something there before.

2. Unassign the "Feather Prop. 1", 2 3 4 etc in Setup.exe.

3. In IL-2, assign "Feather prop" to the button you want. Then assign a controller axis to "Prop. Pitch" in the HOTAS section at the bottom.

4. When flying, it is just like default IL-2. You can select engines manually. Each time you move a throttle on the G940, it selects the engine it controls. If you select an engine manually with buttons, the engine will get the power & prop pitch of the other engine. Example:

Your left engine is a bit damaged. You want to be careful with it. You move the left throttle down a bit to power down, and move the right one up to give more power. Then, you try to select the left engine with a button (to put in lower prop pitch), but it jumps the power up high. The same power as the right engine. Despite your left throttle is set to low power. The same thing happens with prop pitch too, and Magneto, and fuel mixture.

This is how the Il-2 engine control works. When another engine is selected, it will copy the power, prop pitch, magneto, radiator and fuel mixture from the old engine. It is difficult to handle. The only way you will be able to control pitch individually without 2 axis in a reliable way, is to not use multi-throttle. Because each time you move a different throttle, it selects that engine and copies the settings from the old engine.

If you assign two axis to "Prop. Pitch Axis 1" and 2 in Setup.exe you can control them individually however. :)

Another question: Have you done this with sockets?
ThanksSockets? Like, network connection? It uses UDP networking to connect the programs to IL-2.

[Qpassa]

Well I will try today,yesterday was impossible to take off with Multi Throttle, the throttle doesnt take same power to both engines. Just training ;)
Thanks for all!
Will you include change of the colours in the throttle despite of Off Lights? For example: I want to configure when an option is ON,Colour will be Red,if it is OFF it will be Orange

[MikkOwl]

"Despite of off lights"? You will need to rephrase that. :)

If the throttles do not show the same position, you can tweak it. I made a function for it. DATA folder, mikkonfig.ini, and go down to "LEFT_THROTTLE_LAG=". It has instructions on how to use it. My G940 throttles are not syncronized normally either, so this function allowed me to put them very close.

[Qpassa]

"Despite of off lights"? You will need to rephrase that. :)

If the throttles do not show the same position, you can tweak it. I made a function for it. DATA folder, mikkonfig.ini, and go down to "LEFT_THROTTLE_LAG=". It has instructions on how to use it. My G940 throttles are not syncronized normally either, so this function allowed me to put them very close.

Ok.
When ,for example I fold the wings the light will be OFF(No light) and when I de-fold (don't know how to say :confused:) it turns RED.Could be changed OFF colour for ORANGE for example?

Its like a switch
http://www.wihe.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/mrs-switch.gif
ON=RED=No fold
OFF = No light= The wings are "folded"

[MikkOwl]

It is not possible for users to change it in the current version. It was set by me manually to whatever seemed most logical. In general, they are organized according to this system:

1. Borrow most of the colors and behaviour from the Junkers 88. It is logical for the most part. Indicators for systems are green when set properly for landing and taking off. Red when not proper for landing/take-off. Yellow if in between.

2. The red color is supposed to warn that the system is not set properly - so it includes the air brake and WEP/Boost. But on the G940 the lights are very close to each other and it is not obvious which one is what system. Mixing red for landing gear up together with WEP and other things is contradicting, because then the lights mean completely different things. RED for gear would be normal, while red for air brake and WEP would mean a big warning. This is why the 'off', or 'normal' flight color, is off instead of red or yellow. Wing fold is red only when the wings are folded, because that is very dangerous in any situation except parked on the carrier.

3. Green is used for systems that are not dangerous, or to show that a system is set properly for landing/take-off. Level stabilizer for example. Or flaps in landing position, landing gear down, and arrestor hook down.

4. Another reason for 'off' instead of other colors is because IL-2 keeps saying that things are not activated in planes that don't even have the system. If flying planes without wing-fold, the button would be yellow all the time.

[llama_thumper]

thanks MikkiOwl for this. I have a g940 and am trying to use your programme. i am following the instructions, and get to this part:

"2/4 - Run SETUP.EXE in the Multi-Throttle folder and set up your controllers. If a G940 is detected, the throttles and toe brakes will automatically be assigned and a different, more awesome interface will appear. Configure your stuff."

nothing of the sort happens by me - all I get is the GUI with the picture of the colour bf110s. should there be anything more?

[StkNRdr]

I have the G940 running v5.09 with original firmware. I have set up port 3333 under the Devicelink in the conf.ini. I ran the setup program which appeared to run fine. I ran the Multi Throttle 4.0.exe and my AV asked me to allow which I OKed. The program opens 3 DOS windows and leaves them open and that is all she wrote. (It never says found Pedals but they are there and working.) It also shuts off the LED lights on my throttle.

Attached is a screen print of the messages I receive. I have tried to start outside of as well as after starting IL2. When in the game I hit the alt-G, nothing happens. I have rebooted the computer and tried a few times but no go.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4632887200_bed84037ee_o.jpg

Ideas?

StkNRdr

[MaD88]

I have the G940 running v5.09 with original firmware. I have set up port 3333 under the Devicelink in the conf.ini. I ran the setup program which appeared to run fine. I ran the Multi Throttle 4.0.exe and my AV asked me to allow which I OKed. The program opens 3 DOS windows and leaves them open and that is all she wrote. (It never says found Pedals but they are there and working.) It also shuts off the LED lights on my throttle.

Attached is a screen print of the messages I receive. I have tried to start outside of as well as after starting IL2. When in the game I hit the alt-G, nothing happens. I have rebooted the computer and tried a few times but no go.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4632887200_bed84037ee_o.jpg

Ideas?

StkNRdr
Probably this will help:
Before hitting OK read the text that appear when you start multithrottle:
IL2 must be loaded and running. :)
Greetings

P.S. need a mousefunction for the miniaxis-coolie!!!

[Qpassa]

hi mikkowl:
do you know how to not feel the "reversal bug"?
Thanks ( I think its normal in IL2 a mate told me it happens with his X-52)

[StkNRdr]

Probably this will help:
Before hitting OK read the text that appear when you start multithrottle:
IL2 must be loaded and running. :)

I have tried to start outside of as well as after starting IL2.

Been there, done that.

StkNRdr

[Stanger]

Mikkowl. Thanks for all your hardwork. You would not have a version of this just for the g940 lights do you? The light feature is nice for us carrier opps folks. Since the next patch will have multi throttle your hard work will not go to waste with a g940 lights. Thanks again.

[Ala13_Kokakolo]

I have two computers, one ladtop with XP and a desktop with windows 7. I have installed this software in both. It only works with the xp. In the computer with vista there is an error message wich says "forward host lookup failed".

Any ideas?

[Ra'Kaan]

I am very curious to test out the differential braking aspect of your program with a set of X52 pro pedals.

Only one axis for braking is one of my few complaints in this otherwise nearly perfect WWII Sim.

I'll let you know my results when I have a chance to try this.

Thanks again!

[Ala13_Kokakolo]

I have two computers, one ladtop with XP and a desktop with windows 7. I have installed this software in both. It only works with the xp. In the computer with vista there is an error message wich says "forward host lookup failed".

Any ideas?

I have been doing more testing. I used a third computer with xp and kaspersky and it did not work either (same problem). Even if I stop antivirus and windows firewall the "forward host lookup failed" message appears. On the other hand the laptop with sophos antivirus works flawlessly even with the antivirus working. Any ideas please?

This is the same problem StkNRdr has, I got exactly the same error message