Keyboard prop pitch command problems

[SSI01]

In my FS9 installation I routinely use the keyboard combo "ctrl + F2" to decrease prop pitch as required. This has worked for years in multiple installs of FS9 until about an hour ago, when for some reason when now activating this key combo, I get a small black box in the upper left of the screen saying "recording not available." Repeated applications of the key combo just result in the box reappearing. After going into "options" and reinstalling the appropriate keyboard combination the "ctrl + F2" combination will still not work to decrease prop pitch, although the "ctrl + F3" combo will work for increasing the pitch. I can still manually change pitch using the mouse. This problem first surfaced on the - wait for it - F7F-1 package. I did a cold start and prior to engine start changed the prop pitch from its default position of full increase back to full decrease, then back to full increase. It's now transferred to every aircraft in the sim. Did I manage to foul something up in the sim settings by doing this in that aircraft's cockpit?

[ViperPilot2]

Check your Keyboard Assignments from the Settings tab in the Sim, and see if Ctrl+F2 is still the Default Setting for Decreasing Prop Pitch.

Alan :santahat:

EDIT: Oh... you did that. Oops!

[Motormouse]

Just a thought, key assignments that are not default are stored and read from fs9.cfg file, might be worth checking it's not been set to 'read only'

Ttfn

Pete

[Lane Street]

That sounds like an external program is reading that key command, something outside of FS.

Do you have any screen recording software that might use that key command as a recording trigger?

cheers,
Lane

[Tom Clayton]

I agree with Lane. That notification doesn't sound like anything that FS9 would ever do. It sounds like some other process has that key combo isolated.

[tgibson]

Did you install something like a flight recorder program or FRAPS or something similar?

[SSI01]

Interesting info.

No, there's nothing like a recorder on my machine. At least, not unless it's a part of Windows 7 Home Premium. I do take screenshots, but only in FS9. I don't do video, never tried. MS can be very adroit in sneaking things into your machine through updates, though.

I have a sim that's run through Steam on my machine, and I'm wondering if somehow some part of it has leaked through into my FS9 installation. There is also the possibility the command for Ctrl + F2 in FSX may be associated with recording a flight. I've never checked out that feature in FSX. These sims and FSX are on the same drive and have never shown any vestige of incompatibility up to now, although there's always a first time.

My own thoughts have been turning to a problem with the keyboard rather than the sim. In the morning I'll try unplugging it and reinstalling it and hopefully that will deal with the issue. If not - I've always wanted an illuminated keyboard for use in low-light conditions, like night flight. Maybe picking up that and installing it will take care of the issue.

In the meantime, I'm using Ctrl + F1 for the prop pitch change and it works flawlessly.

[Tom Clayton]

Out of those choices, the Steam option seems most likely. While I never flew with any regularity, I used to have FSX on a previous box. While it does have a built-in screen shooter (V key), there is no native video recording. If it's your keyboard, then it would have to be from support software that came with the hardware. If so, you should just be able to open that software and disable the feature.

[SSI01]

Got a little surprise tonight that seems to have turned this situation on its ear. I went into the 1960s version of FS9 to take a hop from KDET to Las Vegas, using a NAL DC-6B. I found the throttle axis in this version had been switched on its own so that advancing the throttle on the joystick retarded the throttles in the sim. Once I got that ironed out, I got off the ground and something made me use Ctrl + F2 to lower prop pitch and the master pitch lever actually responded to this input. So this is telling me when a keyboard setting fails to respond as it should in one version of the sim, I should be looking at all the other versions of the same sim on that drive because it may work properly in that version. I have not gone yet from the 1960s version to the basic FS9 I have installed on the same drive to find out if the Ctrl + F2 problem on that version of FS9 is now cured, but will save that for the morning. It's late, I'm tired, and there's so much left yet to do. We'll check in the morning.

[SSI01]

It doesn't.