Newbie Question: Problems with Key Mapping and Clearing

[Warty]

Hi All. Just got my gaming PC up, trying to get back into flight sims after very long break for RL.

I'm having some trouble mapping keys. I have a custom keyboard I want to use (well, standard USB keyboard, I've replaced keycaps). I can map SOME keys, but not all. For example, if I want to map Gear up/down to "n", I select gear/up down in list, click set key, hit n, and then it jumps to another function in the list (I forget which; fire all guns?). Ok, that's a bit odd, but hit clear key... and it jumps to some OTHER function. I go back to gear up/down, repeat, and lo and behold, n is back to whatever it was before. I tried clearing it like 5 times. Had some issue with SOME other keys. Are some of the keys hard-wired and can't be changed?

Version: whatever was current yesterday when I downloaded.
Windows: win7 home premium

Thanks in advance.

[shiv]

Little tricky sometimes.

1 - highlight function gear-up/gear down
2 - the default key will be highlighted on the keyboard, in this case g (note some are ctrl and shifts so check if they're highlighted)
3- click g to unhighlight it, then click n
4 - click "set key"

If the new key is in use for something else it'll ask you for confirmation for new mapping.

[bbosen]

You can see video training on this subject here:

http://techvideoreview.com/FlightSimMovies/AcesHigh/Training/AcesHighTrainingByPeabodyPage02Full.htm

The second of the available video clips is particularly focused on the task of remapping keyboard functions.

[Warty]

Thanks guys. I think I have it now. I don't know if it's a bug or not, but here are steps to reproduce it:

1. click on View radio button (in key mapping window).
2. find an item you want to change, and highlight it.
3. press the key you want to map to it. If the key has been mapped to a control in another section (flight, global, vehicle, etc.), you will be switched to that section, and the radio button for that section will be marked. However....
4. Click Clear to clear the key you want to use for the other function. It will not clear the key.
5. Click off that section, and back to it. Find the same item you tried to clear in 4.
6. Click clear to clear the key. It will now be cleared.
7. Go back to original function you wanted to map, and set the key.

I don't know what's going on, but it seems like when it switches you to the other section to show you what was already mapped to that key, it doesn't REALLY switch you. Or, the functionality that handles the Clear command doesn't get the message anyway.

[shiv]

Thanks guys. I think I have it now. I don't know if it's a bug or not, but here are steps to reproduce it:

1. click on View radio button (in key mapping window).
2. find an item you want to change, and highlight it.
3. press the key you want to map to it. If the key has been mapped to a control in another section (flight, global, vehicle, etc.), you will be switched to that section, and the radio button for that section will be marked. However....
4. Click Clear to clear the key you want to use for the other function. It will not clear the key.
5. Click off that section, and back to it. Find the same item you tried to clear in 4.
6. Click clear to clear the key. It will now be cleared.
7. Go back to original function you wanted to map, and set the key.

I don't know what's going on, but it seems like when it switches you to the other section to show you what was already mapped to that key, it doesn't REALLY switch you. Or, the functionality that handles the Clear command doesn't get the message anyway.

Step 3 is where you're going wrong.  You don't press the key on your keyboard, you click it on the onscreen keyboard map.  Then if that key turns out to be in use, it'll ask you to confirm new mapping when you click Set Key.

[Warty]

Thanks for the hint. I only used the onscreen keymap for clearing alt- and shift- combos. The help file seems to indicate that we should be pressing keys on the (real) keyboard:

----
http://www.hitechcreations.com/Help-Section/Flight-Sim-Controls/aces-high-help-keyboard-mapping.html
----
Select the command you wish to map or change
Press the key(s) on the keyboard you wish to assign to that command
Press the Set Key button
----

I don't know, probably just an interpretation issue, but maybe something to make less ambiguous in a future release of the help files. It certainly was annoying to me when trying to get set up as a newbie.

Off to be cannon fodder now...

[shiv]

You trying to set keymappings or indict someome?  It works fine.

[Warty]

I hadn't been thinking about prosecution, but that's a good idea! I'll bring my witch-dunking equipment, you bring the very small rocks (or a large scale and a duck), and we'll have a trial.

Actually I was thinking HTC could either adjust the help files, or adjust the in-game behavior to make it easier for future new players. If it was me, I'm a lazy programmer, so I would just adjust the web page and say "Bug? That ain't not stinking bug. It's doing exactly what it's designed to do. RTFM."

I think we'd all agree that anything that makes it a little easier on incoming players is a good thing for a game this complex.

<S>