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.

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. :(

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.

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.

Version 3.0 is done.

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

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.

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).

Dual throttle support wasn't ever planned for 4.09.

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.

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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.

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. ;)