FreePie ad over at Glovepie forum ....

[kmcwilliams]

Hello all,

I am new here, found my way here from a post at the glovepie forums.

I have read through this forum and the wiki almost completely ( no need to read about Razer hydra emulation or Wii remotes or other devices I do not have or use ) , I have also used the search funtion, using many different terms, but I still have a couple of questions that I could not find the answers to here, before I actually make the switch from glovepie to freepie.

1) I have tried several links in the forums to code (scripts) at github, and most are "not found". Is this a temporary issue, or have the various bits of code been taken down or moved ?

2) one of my issues with glovepie was that all of the devices supported, ( a lot of them ) were included in the main program. I have noticed that you seem to be working with a core program, with plugins supported. Will it be that I can run the program, and then only use the extras that I need ( use ), or is it that after testing they will be included into the main program ? I really rather prefer the plugin model, but am just wondering.

3) Most IMPORTATNT : I have a sim pit, built using a compilation of off the shelf products, ( ie.. CH Combatstick 568, Saitek Throttle Quadrant, ) and custom built controllers, based on some of the USB controller cards from B0dnar. They use the standard USB/ HID interface with Windows.

I currently use 4 PPoy virtual joysticks and have programmed all of the HW controllers (off the shelf and home built) through glovepie, to the 4 virtual joysticks for use in the games or programs.

Now I have a couple of very important questions about this.

First, one of my homebuilt controllers has in excess of 90 DX functions. Right now it goes all the way up to Direct X Button 92. Yeah, Windows Game Controllers control panel will not even see the buttons pressed, but other software ( ie glovepie) without the 32 buttton limitation will see them, and make use of them. Is there a 32 button limitation in FreePie ?

I use modes funtions so that various buttons of various controllers, will do different things depending on mode, using freepie, can I set variables (modes) with "if joystick1.button1 is pressed, then joystick2.button10 does this" and if joystick1.button2 is pressed, then joystick2.button10 does something else ? I am sure that is not the correct syntax, but you get my meaning.

I ask this because some of my pit is hardwired for different modes and I am not able to go back and completely re-wire the entire pit. To be more accurate, I am not willing to. You would not believe the amount of work I have invested in building it.

One last question and then I will be done. One of the B0dnar boards, has a set of custom PCBs connected to it, that only provide a 30 ms pulse to be sent when pushed. Is there a way to distinguish between a button held down and one that operates on such a short pulse ?

Lastly, this project looks promising, and I would very much be interested in trying it out, but if it can not, or will not be able to do what I need ........ I am sure you understand.

But I do want to add a great big thank you for all of your efforts and time contributed to this effort, Even if I can not make use of your progam, it does not mean I am not appreciative of all of the work you have put in, to contribute something to the greater good. I feel that way about ALL GPL programs and the programmers and testers that contribute, even if I can not use or do need their particular software or programs.

Good and decent people that are willing to contribute, in lieu of looking to make a buck are always deserving of respect from my point of view, So once again, thank you for your time and effors.

KMcWilliams

[CyberVillain]

Hi there Kmc

1) I have tried several links in the forums to code (scripts) at github, and most are "not found". Is this a temporary issue, or have the various bits of code been taken down or moved ?

Dont really know what you mean with those links? There are some examples here though
http://andersmalmgren.github.io/FreePIE/samples.html

2) one of my issues with glovepie was that all of the devices supported, ( a lot of them ) were included in the main program. I have noticed that you seem to be working with a core program, with plugins supported. Will it be that I can run the program, and then only use the extras that I need ( use ), or is it that after testing they will be included into the main program ? I really rather prefer the plugin model, but am just wondering.

FreePIE has a set of core plugins that it supports, but 3 party devs are free to create their own plugins. Sadly there are less of those than I hoped for when I designed the plugin system of FreePIE, only official third party plugin I know of is Vireio Perception.
FreePIE will only initialize the plugins that are used from your script and thus it will not take more resources than needed

3) Most IMPORTATNT : I have a sim pit, built using a compilation of off the shelf products, ( ie.. CH Combatstick 568, Saitek Throttle Quadrant, ) and custom built controllers, based on some of the USB controller cards from B0dnar. They use the standard USB/ HID interface with Windows.

I currently use 4 PPoy virtual joysticks and have programmed all of the HW controllers (off the shelf and home built) through glovepie, to the 4 virtual joysticks for use in the games or programs.

Now I have a couple of very important questions about this.

First, one of my homebuilt controllers has in excess of 90 DX functions. Right now it goes all the way up to Direct X Button 92. Yeah, Windows Game Controllers control panel will not even see the buttons pressed, but other software ( ie glovepie) without the 32 buttton limitation will see them, and make use of them. Is there a 32 button limitation in FreePie ?

I use modes funtions so that various buttons of various controllers, will do different things depending on mode, using freepie, can I set variables (modes) with "if joystick1.button1 is pressed, then joystick2.button10 does this" and if joystick1.button2 is pressed, then joystick2.button10 does something else ? I am sure that is not the correct syntax, but you get my meaning.

I ask this because some of my pit is hardwired for different modes and I am not able to go back and completely re-wire the entire pit. To be more accurate, I am not willing to. You would not believe the amount of work I have invested in building it.

One last question and then I will be done. One of the B0dnar boards, has a set of custom PCBs connected to it, that only provide a 30 ms pulse to be sent when pushed. Is there a way to distinguish between a button held down and one that operates on such a short pulse ?

Lastly, this project looks promising, and I would very much be interested in trying it out, but if it can not, or will not be able to do what I need ........ I am sure you understand.

But I do want to add a great big thank you for all of your efforts and time contributed to this effort, Even if I can not make use of your progam, it does not mean I am not appreciative of all of the work you have put in, to contribute something to the greater good. I feel that way about ALL GPL programs and the programmers and testers that contribute, even if I can not use or do need their particular software or programs.

Good and decent people that are willing to contribute, in lieu of looking to make a buck are always deserving of respect from my point of view, So once again, thank you for your time and effors.

KMcWilliams

FreePIE has ppJoy support so if it works in GlovePIE it should work as good in FreePIE, we also support DirectX input so you can use any gamepad or joystick for input into FreePIE and then use ppJoy or Vjoy to output fake joystick.
If you find any bugs or other problems emulating or inputing joystick data we happily fix it.

[WiredEarp]

You should post some simpit pics. I want to see what you are using 91 buttons for!

[kmcwilliams]

**** CyberVillain *****

Thanks for your replies to my various questions. The main reason I am considering a switch, is because glovepie development seems to have reached a dead end.

this project seems to be just getting started, and development is visibly ongoing, ergo ......

to this " or Vjoy to output fake joystick" , I do not believe I will be using the headsoft version. Did you ever hear back regarding their 5 minute time limit ? Have you considered support for the free (opensource) Vjoy version ?


and this in re: "Dont really know what you mean with those links?"

the link below in the vjoy thread gives a "404 page not found" and there were a couple more in the forums.

https://github.com/AndersMalmgren/FreePIE/tree/VJoy



***** WiredEarp ******

simpit pics ? I will be glad to provide pictures, as soon as I get home so that I can access those I already have, and possibly take some more.

My squad mates have been wanting me to put up a build log website, so that they can keep up with what I have and will do further. I may opt to just make a website for that purpose, and then provide a link.

But to your question about 92 buttons, and WHY someone would possibly need that much input, let me direct you to this http://www.737ng.co.uk/ website. Take a look at the various pictures; keeping in mind that my pit is no where near as elaborate or expensive, and that those picture are of a flight sim pit in someones home. It is not an actual Boeing 737. Just keep on repeating to yourself, it is not real, it is not real.

Now I do not fly MS FLight Simulator or XPlane, but have been flying war gaming flight sims since MS Combat Flight Sim (1). I have enjoyed flying many PC flight sims over the years, spanning from WW1 all the way up to the Operation Iraqi Freedom (an F18 simulator) My favorites over the years have been IL2 and all of it's variants, A-10 in LOMAC and it's spinoffs. I have lately been enjoying Rise of Flight, the various re-iterations of IL2, specifically Cliffs of Dover, and looking forward to the upcoming Battle of Stalingrad.

My pit has to be functional in all the various flight sims that I fly (play). Some do not need quite so many buttons or axis, but some need even more than I have, to have individual buttons for each function. Just take a look at an A-10 cockpit. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cate ... derbolt_II

Yeah, it is possible to need, and have a use for > 92 buttons in one game, actually the 92 is on just " 1 " of my controllers, I still have 4 more controllers in my pit. I already have more that 150 functions programmed in my A-10 profile. And closing in on 200 in my 4 engine bomber profile in IL2.

That is why making the switch from Glovepie to freepie is not a simple matter or a decision made lightly, I will have to re-write 10 or 12 profiles that are very elaborate.

Lenghtly I know, but you did ask ......

[CyberVillain]

That sim sounds sick, I too wanna see pics.

Ah, those kind of links actually links to the FreePIE source code, not scripts to use with FreePIE, the reason most of those links are dead is because they point to git branches, once the code is stable and confirmed by atleast one more than myself I merge the code into master and delete the branch, thats why you get 404.

Yes, i didnt know about the 5 minite limit, and if you google on it there is no info about it. I havent got a reply on my mail to Headsoft. Yupp, vJoy support is on my long todo list

[kmcwilliams]

I want to see what you are using 91 buttons for!

I just could not pass up the opportunity to update the info here.

I just downloaded the complete command list for DCS A-10. All told, there are almost 800 seperate commands for the complete control of that simulator in realistic mode. Now to be fair, that does include the different functions of both the left and right MFD (multi-function displays) and various other systems control panels and devices.

And some of those 800 commands, are using the same buttons, that do different things in diffrent modes, so some are repetitive and do not need seperate HW (hardware) buttons, but just a way to change how a button acts when the AC system is in differing modes. ( that is why I inquried earlier about having variables for modes in FreePie )

As stated in another thread here at MTBS, I already have GlovePie scripts, that are more than 1200 lines long. and that already operate more than 80 HW buttons and switches, for around 400 different in game functions. But as it turns ourt, my pit, the meek and simplified thing that it is, apparently will not be enough.

Something tells me that my poor little pit, just will not fit the bill any longer. I am contemplating an attempt at a rebuild, where upon I will try to make a build log with Pics to post online. I am not going to attempt a 100% realistic mockup, as I already stated, the pit must fit my needs of all my flight sim games, but it is clear that I need to do some "remaking" of what I have.

IT is just too small.

Yep, the days of a 4 button control pad are over. It is a brave new world in computer gaming.

And yes, this post is an attempt at humor, but also an effort to let the FreePie developers know, that the need for such a program, is most defininantly needed.

[CyberVillain]

Thats alot of buttons