Microsoft Precision Pro USB

[YamaRaja]

Hello Folks,

I wonder if any one here still uses the MS Precision Pro USB.
I am having trouble setting up my joystick commands.
I have 20 of these sticks so thats what I use (didnt ever want to run out of them)
The stick has a shift button that make all the buttons on the stick double.
The control mapper does not see that.
It uses the shift button as just one button.
Does anyone know if AH supports this and or how to make it work?

Thanks Yama

[Ack-Ack]

Hello Folks,

I wonder if any one here still uses the MS Precision Pro USB.
I am having trouble setting up my joystick commands.
I have 20 of these sticks so thats what I use (didnt ever want to run out of them)
The stick has a shift button that make all the buttons on the stick double.
The control mapper does not see that.
It uses the shift button as just one button.
Does anyone know if AH supports this and or how to make it work?

Thanks Yama

There is a binding called "Control Mode" that acts as a modifier, which you can set your 'shift' key on your joystick.  However, it will probably be easier to use the Sidewinder profile to program your stick so you can get full use of the 'shift' button.

ack-ack

[boomerlu]

After Windows XP and the Pre Pro went to fully plug 'n' play, the software configuration program for it doesn't work. Control mode as mentioned above is the closest thing you can get to using the "shift" button.

Unless of course somebody wrote new drivers and a config program...

[WMLute]

Don't you need 2 buttons for the Control Mode thing to work?

Button 1 = Control Mode 1 
Button 2 = Control Mode 2

I use the Precision 2 but have a Pro that I have used as a "backup" and the only thing I was able to figure out was that the SHIFT button is just an extra button.

(unless like boomerlu said and someone wrote a new program/driver for the Prec. Pro)

[Ghosth]

Not  necessarily lute.

"In mode one"set button to switch to  mode 2.
"In mode two" set same button to switch to mode  1.

So whichever  mode your in, pushing the button sends you  to the other one.

Personally  I use mode 1 & 2 a lot, have the UP views set to hat switch in mode 2.

Mode 3 I have setup for CM eye, mode 4 the axis of the stick are mapped to trim.

[WMLute]

Not  necessarily lute.

"In mode one"set button to switch to  mode 2.
"In mode two" set same button to switch to mode  1.

So whichever  mode your in, pushing the button sends you  to the other one.

What a wonderful idea.

Thanks Ghosth!

IIRC when I used the Prec. Pro. you would hold down the SHIFT button while you pressed another button to give it a diff. function.

What you would do instead is just press it once, and it would change what MODE you are in.

When setting up a joystick in AH you get 4 "modes" to choose from.

Each Mode can be setup so the buttons do different functions.

For example I use Mode 3 to use CM Eye "God" mode for when I am offline, in a Special Event such as KOTH, or in the Duel Arena.  I use keyboards buttons (/ * on NumPad) to change from Mode 1 and Mode 3.  You would instead use that SHIFT button.

So if you are in Mode 1 you can set the SHIFT button to choose Mode 2.

You now can assign diff. options to some or all of the buttons while in Mode 2. 

While in Mode 2 you will assign the SHIFT button to select Mode 1.

Dang Ghosth, I never even thought about doing it that way.  What a great idea.

[boomerlu]

Lute,

That is exactly what I have set up. The old school "SHIFT" button only works with the old software, which happens not to work on Vista (what I'm running right now). Don't think it works with XP either.

[Krusty]

I used a mode toggle as well. I took it one step further and gave myself 2 modes each with a toggle (1 and 2 toggled to each other, and so did 3 and 4, 1/2 being fighter, 3/4 being bomber).

EDIT: I had to map a "Mode 3" and "Mode 1" key to my keyboard, but once in either mode would toggle between them with the single button.

I did that for a long time with 2 hands on the same stick, one hand on base, one hand on handle. All buttons are quite easily accessed.

The shift button is an outdated concept. Just use it as a normal button. Mine was often used as a "look up" to compliment my 8-way hat direction (giving me left, left+up, etc depending on my needs), when I used it.


When I moved to a separate USB throttle, my left hand moved from the stick base. I no longer had use of those buttons, even though the throttle had some as well.

I modified my stick to "move" or "clone" (with a parallel circuit) the buttons to the handle.





that's gameport, though. This Sidewinder 3D Pro Plus model never had USB it seems.

[YamaRaja]

Lute,

That is exactly what I have set up. The old school "SHIFT" button only works with the old software, which happens not to work on Vista (what I'm running right now). Don't think it works with XP either.

I am coming from Fighter Ace and hopefully can find a new "home" in Aces High. ( I know bash me if you want)
I was (well still am until Aug 1st) the Beta group coordinator for FA since 1999.
Many are going WB but I feel AH is a better fit for me personally.

In that game the shift button works to double the number of controls on the stick.
The shift key works even with the hat, giving and effective 16 + 16 for a total of 32 functions on one stick.

I dual boot between XP Pro and W7 64bit and have no trouble in either of them (the stick works as designed).
I will play around with the mode button. If it shifts fast enough it will seemingly be a work around.
I use one hand on the stick and one on the base.

Since I have 20 of these sticks as I stated earlier I really want to get it worked out.

Thanks Yama
  

[boomerlu]

In that game the shift button works to double the number of controls on the stick.
The shift key works even with the hat, giving and effective 16 + 16 for a total of 32 functions on one stick.

I dual boot between XP Pro and W7 64bit and have no trouble in either of them (the stick works as designed).
I will play around with the mode button. If it shifts fast enough it will seemingly be a work around. 

That's very strange. The shift button always appears to me as "just an extra button". I remember the old days with the old MS Pre Pro software that came with the stick, and that DID work as a "shift".

For the mode button work around, it works exactly as advertised. The only difference between it and the old style shift is that you press once to change, then press again to change back. Speed isn't an issue. Remembering to switch back might be though.

Anyways, welcome to AH. I dabbled with FA for a week, but there was never the amount of players as in AH by the time I tried it.

[Krusty]

The mode toggle is quite effective. With a shift button I assume you had to hold it down? It's probably easier (depending on the button you want to press) to hit 2 buttons in succession than it is to hold one, click another, then release the first.

One or two times I've noticed when I switch modes too fast that there might be a little "mode switch" lag.

I had a button mapped to "WEP" in mode 2 and "Combat Trim toggle" in mode 1. So if I hit mode2-WEP-Mode1 too fast sometimes it would toggle CT instead of WEP. That's only in extreme cases, mind you, where I'm really getting hyper about it. I could have just fat-fingered it. I suspect it's an issue with the internal chips inside the stick rather than in the game itself.

You should be able to get the hang of it pretty fast.

My stick mapping for the Sidewinder was this:
MODE 1:
Handle:
Trigger: fire primary
left side oblong thumb button: fire secondary
Upper right thumb button: Secondary select (bombs, rkts, etc)
Lower right thumb button: Combat trim toggle (hit it once, turn it off)
Hat: As normal but I mapped "forward" to be "Forward-up" by default. Some map this to a moved-in or zoomed-in position for better aiming.

Base: I have 4 buttons offset from the throttle and then the shift button at the back.
Shift: Zoom toggle, thumb normally resting on throttle
Left Near: Mode 2 toggle
Left Far: Flaps down
Right far: Flaps up
Right near: varried, sometimes did damage toggle, sometimes gear.

MODE 2:
Handle:
Trigger: fire primary (when you gotta fire, you gotta fire, no matter what mode you're in)
left side oblong thumb button: fire secondary (same reason as above)
Upper right thumb button: varried, sometimes chat buffer toggle, sometimes zoom toggle)
Lower right thumb button: WEP toggle
Hat: Same as Mode1 (basic combat functions the same with views/triggers, I use the modes for extra buttons)

Base:
Shift: Zoom toggle, thumb normally resting on throttle
Left Near: Mode 1 toggle
Left Far: brakes
Right far: gear (if not already mapped in mode1) or bomb bay toggle
Right near: varried.

Sometimes I used right far and right rear in mode2 for elevator trim up and down. Most times I forgot about it

[YamaRaja]

Thanks Krusty.

Sounds like you use the same stick Pre Pro 1 USB #57540

I will try that set up and see how it works. Just have to remember what mode your in.

Does anyone ever get "mode death" lol, by forgetting what mode you are in?


Yama

[boomerlu]

I've done some stupid crap with my mode, but nothing that resulted in outright death. Then again, my two modes are very similar.

The game gives you a message when you switch modes though.

[Krusty]

Thanks Krusty.

Sounds like you use the same stick Pre Pro 1 USB #57540

I will try that set up and see how it works. Just have to remember what mode your in.

Does anyone ever get "mode death" lol, by forgetting what mode you are in?

Yama

A few times I'll by trying to figure out why the heck my WEP isn't working, or why I'm not trimming out because I don't notice the chat buffer. It will tell you "Mode 1" etc, but you can miss it.

That's why I insisted on the BASICS being the same in both modes. I tried a lot of experimenting. I made my 8-way hat become a 4-way trim stick in mode 2 at one period of time. I found that when I wanted to toggle quickly to something and back I hated losing my views on the hat!!

So all the basics (fire 1 and fire 2, or if oyu prefer just "fire all", views, zoom toggle) really ought to be the same in both sticksets. That way no matter what mode you're in for the extra buttons, you can still fight.

P.S. Stick scaling will also be an issue. You don't have it scaled identically in both sticksets and it'll "jump" when you toggle. I suggest getting it right in mode 1 first then editing your settings file for that stick to copy/paste it over the other profiles. Much easier than "copy mode" -- which also copies your button mapping.

[YamaRaja]

Stick scaling.......scratches head......more to learn I guess, lol

Yama