Help Please, TM Warthog Throttle Thumb Coolie 1/4 Dead ingame

Management Summary

On my TM Warthog Throttle Thumb Coolie, the forward position in-game does not register. In windows device properties, where one can test all the buttons etc, it does work.

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This probably has to do with my having started DCS while windows was updating drivers, or configuration, or whatever self-abuse windows was conducting at the time.

I hadn't had my HOTAS attached to my PC for about 8 weeks because of technical issues with a defective data disk. After finding a workaround I updated DCS (1.5.7 Release and 2.1 Alpha), implemented my controller settings through OvGME and started 2.1 Alpha. Everything seems to work, except when I press the Throttle Thumb Coolie forward [Zoom-In Slow], it doesn't do anything.

I went into settings - controls - P-51 Sim - Views and tried to set the Thumb Coolie Forward again for Zoom-In Slow, but the 'press' doesn't register.

In windows, it registers the 'press', so I don't think it can be an hardware issue. This is how on confirmed this: Windows Icon on far left of taskbar - Settings - Devices - [Related settings] Devices and printers - [Devices] Throttle - HOTAS Warthog (right-mouse-click) Game controller settings - Throttle - HOTAS Warthog - properties - [Test]. Pressing the Thumb Coolie forward and the (4) button lights up. So physically, it appears to be working.

This all came about, because apparently windows was updating drivers, or device configuration, or something after having attached the throttle. There was no pop-up telling me that it was doing anything, like when you attach a new device for the first time and windows has to search for and install drivers. But while DCS was starting up a pop-up flashed for a second or so stating that it was updating a device I think. It was so quick I couldn't really register it. I immediately <Alt><Tab>'ed out of DCS to see what was going on, but there was nothing in the System Tray to indicate that any devices were being installed or updated.

I've spent hours trying to find a solution, but nothing helps.

I went through the bulkloader process TM describes, but their description is only valid up to Windows 7, and there is never a pup-up in the system tray saying that anything is happening. The only indication I can find that the bulkloading is working is on the [Devices and Printers] page (see above) while attaching the throttle to a USB port while holding the silence horn and autopilot engage/disengage buttons pressed, on the Devices and Printers page, under Unspecified an icon appears with the title throttle HOTAS bulkloader. After about 20 minutes it disappears and a game controller icon (looks like a game controller for XBox etc) appears under Devices titlted 'Throttle - HOTAS Warthog'.

I've uninstalled all TM software and drivers, booted and reinstalled them, but nothing helps.

Does anybody have an idea how to fix this?

[Test]. Pressing the Thumb Coolie forward and the (4) button lights up. So physically, it appears to be working.

4? When you press this HAT up should light up only up (N) position.

keep pressing it at least 20 times until it registers. Alternately if you know the key number, use the drop down.

4? When you press this HAT up should light up only up (N) position.

He says "Thumb Coolie" and probably means the MIC switch. Button 4 is correct.

And I agee with Wild Bill. Sometimes you have to press a switch many times in the control bindings screen. And it may be faster to just select JOY_BTN4 in the dropdown.

I had the same issue where I wanted to assign a hotas key to something and it didn't register. I had to select it manually in the dropdown menu. It happened multiple times actually. I guess it's a known issue with the sim. It's quite frustrating because it makes you think there's something wrong with your hotas when in fact it's perfectly fine.

Thanks for your responses guys.

Actually, Zoom In Slow is already set to JOY_BTN4 under Throttle, and has been for like forever... years.

One thing I forgot to mention, when I start TARGET Script Editor and enter Device Analyzer, when I click on the Enumerate HID Devices button or press <Ctrl><E>, it never finds any devices, and that's very worrying to me to be honest.

If I were in that situation, I would probably delete the references to Thrustmaster in the registry and let Windows create new entries.

I found two entries (folders with sub-items):

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Thrustmaster

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Thrustmaster

Well, I found out what was wrong with button no. 4. It was assigned in Controls - UI to 'toggle VR zoom' :doh:

So the issue is that it's not caught as a double assignment :huh: