Controller setup assistance sought

[davidk64]

HelloI picked up a copy of CFS3 Battle for Europe from our local op shop for $3 and thought I'd give it a whirl. My background is with P3D v3.4 using Logitech Pro 3D joystick, CH double quadrant, CH pedals and flying exclusively A2A C182T. I do have TrackIR version 4 but haven't been using it lately. Yes you might say I'm embedded in a block of amber regards keeping up with latest flight simulator software versions! My thought was just to use CFS3 as it comes in the box initially before trying the various freeware additions. First task is trying to get my controllers setup as I'd like. But the interface for doing this seems a bit different from P3D. Can anyone point me to a good resource that explains how to do it for my combination of controllers please?CheersDavid

[mongoose]

I'll let someone else discuss controllers as I use Saitek x56 setup and don't know anyone who uses CFS3 basic from the box. At the very least you need the updates to 3.1a and seriously upgrade to Daiwilletti's CFS3 upgrade here http://www.mediafire.com/file/bttbwn...de_v2.zip/file.
For controllers you may have to mess with the CFS3.xca file as that is what I had to do.
Seriously, out of the box sucks!

[davidk64]

Here's a specific problem I'm running into. I'm trying to set the throttle to one of my CH quadrant levers. When I try to add a new assignment with the controller selected it doesn't register any of the six levers. Then I tried a new assignment for Throttle axis 1 and it would only register one of the six levers. I had previously deleted any default throttle axis assignments that existed for the joystick and rudder pedals. I'd add a screenshot but when I click "Manage Attachments" nothing happens. Similarly I've no idea how you put carriage returns into a post on this forum!

[davidk64]

Thanks for the suggestion about patching mongoose. To instal CFS3 on my Windows 10 machine I ran the setup disks and then applied the no CD patch from here https://flyawaysimulation.com/downlo...3-no-cd-patch/ which says it is patched to 3.1 So I'm not certain whether that includes 3.1a or not? Since I'm not planning to fly a 4 engine aircraft anytime soon I thought I'd ignore the issue! Perhaps I could try the Daiwilletti's CFS3 upgrade you mention but when I read the forum post for it, it seems to have caused some angst to people despite it's intention to avoid just that? Having spent so much time fiddling around with trying to get OzX scenery to work with Orbx in P3D I'm gunshy of going down that path again least ways until I know whether CFS3 is for me or not. I guess it's a bit chicken or the egg!!!

[mongoose]

Well in some ways your last comment is the issue. The box CFS3 (given it's now 2020) will probably put you off completely! I never had issues with Dailwilletti's install with Win20 Pro. I have about 10 different CFS3 installs on 2 HDs, including a 10 era ETO?TOW day and night version; mostly no issues with a PC machine from 2011 and I have not scrubbed it clean since I changed to Win 10 many moons ago, and I am definitely not that Comp Sci literate. You should go for it if only to give CFS3 a fair shot. Now many might think IL2 products like CloD are better; which visually maybe they are; but as many of us here tinker with various degrees of cometence, CFS3 is more fun. gecko et al have done really quite realistic work on the Spit II of theirsm and if you want to fork ouit money, the pw WOTR CFS3 spin off is also good.

WRT to your controller, I must confess my Comp Sci. son fixed my Saitek X56 xca file, but I have a feeling that one used for P3D is probably over sophisticated for such an old sim, Even with the X56 which has 2 throttles, they are always yoked together for this sim. Someone who might help as they have their own xca file for the Spit Mk II and Fw190 are the gecko et al group.

[hunter]

David , it's extremely simple config your joystick for cfs3 .........but there is many commands not used in cfs3 , becouse it have a " command " of MS flight simulator 2000. example nose down or nose up for CONCORDE and many others.

[Daiwilletti]

Perhaps I could try the Daiwilletti's CFS3 upgrade you mention but when I read the forum post for it, it seems to have caused some angst to people despite it's intention to avoid just that? Having spent so much time fiddling around with trying to get OzX scenery to work with Orbx in P3D I'm gunshy of going down that path again least ways until I know whether CFS3 is for me or not. I guess it's a bit chicken or the egg!!!

Hi davidk64, I think you will find there are only a few people with problems for the upgrade package. There have been over 700 downloads and only a small handful have reported problems. The upgrade is designed to simply go "over the top of" a clean stock install patched to v 3.1a. On a modern computer with good hard drive space it is a pretty straightforward install, compared with the fairly complex installs with multiple theatres, multiple eras, and a need to ensure bat files have correct install paths, and are always run when switching theatres!

[davidk64]

On the quadrant front I thought I'd report back on progress after much experimentation in case CH quadrant users come this way in future. I was able to copy my P3D setup for the axes by editing a copy of the CFS3.xca file located in:

"C:\Users\David\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Comb at Flight Simulator 3.0".

If you number the axis levers from left to right as 1 to 6 then the identifiers are:

1="X"
2="Y"
3="Throttle"
4="RX"
5="RY"
6="Rudder"

So to set the throttle axis I used

<Axis ID="RX" Action="AXIS_THROTTLE_SET"/>

for propeller "RY"/"AXIS_PROPELLER_SET" and mixture "Rudder"/"AXIS_MIXTURE_SET"

Note that I was unable to do this via the CFS3 program interface.

P.S. Feeling chuffed to have discovered the setting that lets me type carriage returns and see them in my post. Surely it should be the default?

[davidk64]

Hi davidk64, I think you will find there are only a few people with problems for the upgrade package. There have been over 700 downloads and only a small handful have reported problems. The upgrade is designed to simply go "over the top of" a clean stock install patched to v 3.1a. On a modern computer with good hard drive space it is a pretty straightforward install, compared with the fairly complex installs with multiple theatres, multiple eras, and a need to ensure bat files have correct install paths, and are always run when switching theatres!

Okay sounds good. Unfortunately I only have a connection to the Internet using my mobile phone prepaid service conected to PC via USB cable. The 1/2 Gb download was going to take 5 or 6 hours. If I ever go back to a landline connection will try it out!