Does anyone know of, or can think of, an easy way to temporarily disable a controller without pulling the USB plug out?
My situation is that I am using XP Force app with a force feedback joystick. With my Yoke plugged in at the same time there is no interference — meaning I can use the FF stick with yoke plugged in and it only takes inputs from the Stick.
If I decide I want to fly a Yoke aircraft, currently I have to unplug the FF stick because it is never in dead-centre, so it’s continuously fighting the yoke inputs.
Then if I want to swap back to the stick, I can’t just plug the USB back in because the XP Force software has lost its “connection” to it. I have to restart the whole sim. That’s what I’m trying to avoid.
Any way to do this?
The only way I thought would be to create an empty profile for the FF stick and select that when I want to fly with Yoke but it’s a mild pain. Any good ideas out there?
This I suspect is just an odd effect of using an ancient device for a modern game.
You may need to unplug it. I think the FFB just naturally pulls it off center because it is working as it should, but that causes the sim to recognize the input as in use, and it counts as input.
Hey, thanks for the reply mate. It’s not actually moving if you’re not holding it so it’s not the FFB’s “fault” but I just can’t find a position where it’s not having some tiny input, no matter how many nanometres I try and move it with a precision scientific microscope
If I’m making a profile with large dead zone then I might as well make the empty one and call it “DISABLED”. That is probably a decent option on reflection!
Plug the problematic controller into a powered USB hub that has individual power switches to each USB port. Then turn that port off. Turn it back on BUT only if you’re at Main Menu. That’s the most forgiving part of the sim friendly to USB start-stop.
Dude, I’d recommend trying to snag one up again! You can safely get a used one. They seem to be built like tanks. I’m using the one I got for £50 and it’s perfect.
I really like it. It’s very smooth and precise and gives another dimension - feels more interactive and like the things talking back to you even if the feelings aren’t real, it doesn’t just feel dead and disconnected. I’m gonna be loving it with the Wilga but it was also perfect with the Zenith and that kind of plane. Really fun! Get on eBay my man!!
Yes I do have a hub with individual power buttons. That’s not the problem, and the sim does seem reliable in re-detecting controllers that way.
The problem is as I wrote — as soon as you power down, the XP Force software loses its hold on the stick so even when MSFS detects it again, it has no feedback until I restart the sim using the XP Force icon (that’s just the way it works to activate the SimConnect layer I guess)…
Perhaps there is a work around but it would be new to me. IME, if it needs to load with the game, I have been stuck with the same solution as you. Exit, and restart.
There are some experts in here though, so there might be a way.
The answer is… Null (empty) Profiles.
I have a Null Profile for my Honeycomb Alpha when using my Logitech Extreme 3D HOTAS while flying Helicopters; and a Null Profile for my HOTAS when flying my Twin Engine Jet configuration, otherwise the HOTAS keeps wanting to center my rudder and conflicting with the Logitech Pedals.
I keep Null Profiles, with no mapping at all, for each of my attached devices.
I disconnect nothing… even with a USB hub with individual switches.
Just choose the correct Profiles before flight.
Exactly as JimSim831 says simply set up another profile for a controller you want to disable but with nothing assigned to it. I do exactly this so I can switch between a Logitech G940 stick for helicopters and my Warthog stick for everything else. Likewise I do the same with my Virpil collective works just fine.
Now if Asobo could allow us to set specifically which profiles to use with which aircraft then that would really enhance the sim in this respect.
I use About HidHide - Virtual Gamepad Emulation Framework when I need to temporarily hide some USB controllers. It’s not exactly super simple to use, but does work ok. Use ‘Enable Device Hiding’ on the Devices tab and select the ones you want to hide.
