OnCourse Software

Here we go again. This is not a PF3 problem, but I am totally baffled as to why I cannot get the N52 keypad to send some commands to PF3, so wondered if anyone here who uses a keypad with FS9/FSX might have some ideas

I have used the N52 to send basic key commands to PFE for ages, with no problem (and now working fine in PF3 too). So one key on the pad sends '0'; another '1'; another, via a macro, C/S/W and so on: PF3 reacts accordingly and correctly.

I am trying to add to these to get the N52 to send a key press to control C/S/V (for auto VCP mode) and \ for 'Roger', but these new key presses don't work when sent by the N52. I tried changing to a single letter key press for those commands: so I now have PF3 hotkeys programmed as 'F' for VCP mode selection and 'K' for 'Roger' - and I set up the two chosen N52 keys to send those letters. (I chose those keys as they are free in FS9 keyboard assignments). There's no response to these keys in PF3 at all when inputted via the N52. All the key inputs I have been using previously in PFE continue to work just fine via the N52 in PF3 (for 'Say Again' or to override selection and so on).

What makes this so weird is that if I use the N52 with a txt file open and press the same keys, the associated letters, 'F' or 'K' appear on the page, so the N52 is correctly sending the key press I requested. In PF3, if I use my PC keyboard to send the same key presses, it responds immediately. So, given the N52 is sending the right key presses and PF3 reacts correctly if it receives them via the keyboard, why is PF3 dead to the same input from the N52 (bearing in mind, as I say, several other inputs from the N52 work without a hitch)?

If all that makes any sense to anyone (I know what I mean!), I'd be glad of some ideas 'cos it's driving me nuts!

Some more information.

OK, I have tested this extensively and there is no doubt that the keypad sends one set of key presses when PF3 is not connected to FS9, but a different set as soon as I connect PF3.

I tested this by opening a cmd prompt and pressing five N52 keys, (PF3 is not connected to FS9). In the cmd window, this appears every time:

C:\Users\Martin>^W^N^Yfk

that is, five keys which send the key strokes: Ctrl+W; Ctrl+N; Ctrl+Y; F; K

... which is what I want to send to PF3 to control some of its functions.

However, as soon as I connect PF3 to FS9 and unpause the latter, the same keys on the N52 kepad immediately send a different set of key presses:

C:\Users\Martin>7^W^N^Y

i.e. 7; Ctrl+W; Ctrl+N; Ctrl+Y - and the last key does nothing. That seems to correspond to an old profile that is no longer on my PC.

If I disconnect PF3, I get the first sequence back.

So the question is, how are PF3 & FS9 working together to change the key sequences that the N52 keypad sends - how is the information from the old N52 profile being stored? The registry?? The profile editor for the N52 always shows the first, correct set of key sequences programmed, that never changes.

I'd have said this was impossible, had I not seen it before my very eyes...

You can't edit your own posts on this forum after a very short timeout (why??), so I have to add a new reply...

I think PF3 is a red herring here, the key presses change from what is programmed in the N52 as soon as I run Fs9.exe, so that is why PF3 is not responding to the commands the N52 sends.
Topic probably irrelevant here, but still, maybe someone may have an idea. Maybe the Fs9.cfg file??? I'll try deleting the Fs9.cfg file, but no change..

Hi Martin,

I doubt I can be much help here as I don't have an N52 keypad but, the output to your CDM, is that coming direct from the keypad or is it via FS9? If it's the later then I guess the reason why it differs when you connect PF3 is because PF3 will block those keypresses from going through to FS. Other than that I have no idea why they don't work, except your first example shows the last two keys as being lowercase and that could be the problem.

When you assign a hotkey in PF3, say the 'F' key it saves it a an uppercase character (ASCII 70), whereas your lowercase 'f' would be ASCII 102. As far as PF3 is concerned they are two different keys.

Quote:

You can't edit your own posts on this forum after a very short timeout (why??), so I have to add a new reply...

I've just increase the timeout from 15 minutes to 30 minutes

Timeout increse helpful, thanks!

OK, here's a video of what's happening to make it clearer (small 12MB download - I guess I can't embed videos here from a URL?):

https://mega.nz/#!OopHRISK!EoVTFiWw_ABy ... fg4ozggsiw

I am always using the same key on the N52 keypad..... The N52 is programmed to type a letter 'f'

1. I tap the key a few times with the focus on a cmd window.. 'f' produced. Great...
2. Again, but the focus non a text editor window. Again 'f' - as expected
3. I repeat 1 & 2: all still OK
4. Put focus on to FS9 window, but that's all I do.
5. Move focus straight back to the cmd window - the same key on the N52 is now producing Ctrl+Y!
6. But back in the text editor, the 'f;' is still OK
7. Somehow, having hit the N52 while the focus was on the text editor, the programmed key press is restored
8. but shift the focus to FS9 then straight back to the cmd window and the wrong key press is produced again

The Ctrl+Y was in an old N52 profile, deleted from my PC. So where is the information coming from? The upshot is that the N52 is sending the wrong key strokes to the programmes I am trying to control with it.

I uninstalled the N52 software completely and reinstalled it. No change. Could the key presses be in FS9 somewhere? I really don't get it!

It turns out that this is nothing to do with PF3 - but it is PF3 that 'suffers' (and hence, me) as it is the programme that I can't control with the N52. If anyone has any ideas, though I know it is in the end a bit off topic on this forum...

My guess would be the profile data will be tucked away in the registry so you really need to clean that after remove the N5 software then reinstall again

There was no sign of anything in the registry that could be profile data. Oh well, I'll leave it. My 'gaming' mouse has a couple of spare switches, I've programmed them to fulfil the same function. (I also bought a Razer Tartarus last year that I didn't take to and never really used - could try with that again).