How do I load my TARGET profile to A-10C Warthog?

I am new to DCS, but I have had much sim experience with Falcon 4.0 and Jane's Sims. I have even programmed my TM Cougar, TWS Throttle, and Elite Rudders with the older Foxy software with little trouble. After a hiatus of many years, I am back to tangle with DCS with a whole new system.

I am frustrated by the lack of information that is provided by ED on just how to load a profile onto A-10C warthog. So far, the program is made with a .ttm file for my DEFINES. It is compiled and have tested it. It works. I have read many posts about taking the .lua generated by TARGET and copying it to :

DCS Warthog directory/Config/Input/Aircrafts/A-10C/joystick, Run the profile in TARGET, and start a mission.

First thing, that file path is not on my system. The closest I can find is:

Program Files/Eagle Dynamics/DCS World Open Beta/Config/Input/Aircrafts/default/joystick

I placed by .lua file in the joystick directory and deleted all others.

When I start up a mission, say Training-Takeoff and Handling Mission, and push the Throttle forward, the aircraft veers to the left and I have to correct with my X key (Rudder Right) to straighten it. My rudder pedals should work here and they do, but not as intended. Instead, it seems that they are tied to my Throttle and advance and decrease the thrust of the engines. Obviously an axis conflict, but I have studied my code and I can't see where. Moreover, while in flight, the aircraft will randomly and suddenly veer to the left again causing the plane to go into an immediate barrel roll. If it is not corrected with X key quickly, the plane will go into an unrecoverable flat spin.

I have tried going into A-10C Settings/Controls/Clicking on the Joystick column (which lists the joystick, throttle, rudder, and COMBINED) and navigating to my .lua file. But it does not load or, at least, the sticks do not behave as I have programmed them.

Yes, I have made sure that Win10 is not turning the off USB drives.

Can someone help with this? I don't know what else to do.

Here is my system:

Intel i5-6600K (liquid-cooled), 32GB 2400 RAM, PNY 480 GB SSD, Zotac Mini 1050 4GB, MSI Z270 Motherboard, Windows 10 Operating System

Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog Joystick and Throttle, and Thrustmaster TFRP Rudder Pedals/Brakes.

I would attach my .tmc and .ttm files, but TARGET has decided to not startup. I don't know what is up with that.

While TARGET has its uses (there will be lots of people here who disagree with that statement) I am not sure why you need it for the A10 - DCS is already configured for the TM warthog. Turn off Target, launch DCS, and you are good to go.

OP is running a Cougar, sounds like.

There has been a slight change to the file path since DCS World incorporated multiple modules. I don't use target, but it sounds like you want to put your .lua file in DCS World/mods/aircraft/A-10C/input/A-10C/joystick. Alternately, you can open the control page then click "load profile" and navigate to the .lua manually.

For your rudders, open the control menu, select A-10C sim, then select the Axis Commands submenu. You'll note all axes are bound to all controllers by default. Click the rudder column, then clear the erroneous bindings and reassign your rudder pedals/toe brakes appropriately here.

My rudders do not work at all if I just run without TARGET and other things that should work do not. Is that normal?

Nothing works without assigning them to the appropriate axes; as I mentioned, there are some very basic (and wrong almost 100% of the time) default bindings applied to every USB device you connect to DCS besides the Warthog HOTAS and Cougar MFDs.

I have looked into that option, but when I go to assign bindings to the rudder, for example, the only options are for joystick buttons and axis. Or am I just misinterpreting it?

Are your rudders part of your target profile or are they an independent device?

Step 1 - select A-10C sim then the Axis Commands category

Step 2- you should see a list of your connected devices. If part of a target profile, they will all be rolled together. If disassociated from target, they will appear individually.

First click on a device to highlight the column, then click "clear category" to remove the default bindings. Double click on a field and move the axis and it should auto-detect, or you can assign it from a drop-down menu. If necessary, you can click the "Axis Tune" menu to adjust deadzone/curvature or invert the axis...this is frequently necessary with toebrakes

I have incorporated them into the TARGET profile. How do you attach your code? I will do that so it is more clear.

See edit; also your target code will be gobbledegook to me, I don't use it. ;)

Remove your rudders from the target profile so they appear as an individual device. If there is some functionality you require out of the HOTAS system that you can't achieve without target, by all means continue using it; you might have better luck just disabling the script and bindings the buttons manually however. When you do this each controller will appear as an individual device in that menu and you can assign them as you see fit within DCS.

OK, I will give that a try. Thanks so much for your help! I will let you know how it turns out.

Have to head to bed now but I'm sure someone else will be happy to jump in and help if needed.

Good luck! :thumbup:

I tried both (with and without Target) on my TMWH (OP uses Cougar, I know). I found out that using Target was a major PITA. Best option is (AFAIC) to disable Target and bind the axis and buttons in the game. Yes, that IS a lot of work, but after you did it, it's easy to load the profile while other A/C's are selected.

Some small things are to be noticed, like inverting the wheelbrakes and stuff like that, but the energy you spend on it in one evening is well worth it.

+1 to all that has been said. DCS does some "default bindings", for mine I have to go into my profile and fix the Axis every time, since it is assigning both rudder and stick to all the axis, leaving a very confusing initial config. But it doesn't take time to untangle them. Head to axis first, fix, then iterate through your key to button mappings.

I am interested in using the three position switch, boat switch, and China hat switch as modifiers for the bindings. Can that be done with the internal bindings page (Options Menu) in the game or do you have to use TARGET to do that?

If you add buttons 9 and 10 for that controller as modifiers then they can be modifiers just like LShfit, RCtrl, etc.

I am interested in using the three position switch, boat switch, and China hat switch as modifiers for the bindings. Can that be done with the internal bindings page (Options Menu) in the game or do you have to use TARGET to do that?

No you can't do it through the in game menu option. You have two choices. Target or modification of LUA files. There is a long/sticky thread in the INPUT and OUTPUT thread for switches. If you're comfortable with Target, you should be able to tinker with LUA files. An example (from the sub thread from the input/output: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=2894348#post2894348

Also, you should check out HomeFries Cougar and Warthog files for just about every aircraft. If nothing else, you can see how he does it.

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1922187&postcount=1

No you can't do it through the in game menu option. You have two choices. Target or modification of LUA files. There is a long/sticky thread in the INPUT and OUTPUT thread for switches. If you're comfortable with Target, you should be able to tinker with LUA files. An example (from the sub thread from the input/output: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=2894348#post2894348

 

 

 

Also, you should check out HomeFries Cougar and Warthog files for just about every aircraft. If nothing else, you can see how he does it.

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1922187&postcount=1

Yes he can turn his boatswitch and china hat into modifiers in the in game menu. He's not asking how to set up a three position switch.

There's a little button called "modifiers" on the bottom left of the control menu.

However - my advice to the OP.. no need.. you more or less want the functions of the boat switch and china hat as they are by default. As long as you're using trackIR or VR the ONLY thing you might want to change with your warthog is to assign the trim switch to trim without any modifier.

Yes you manually have to add your rudder pedals in the axis assignment menu.

But - all of your sensors, and choosing your SOI is controlled from the stick and throttle.

After the initial start up.. the only things you'll need your mouse for are for operating the CDU, and hitting OSB buttons on the MFCD and making entries on the UFC. Turning lights on and off.

Reset everything to default...bind the trim switch to trim functions, go into axis command and manually bind your rudder pedal and/or toebrake axes. You're set to start learning the A-10C.

Literally no need to bind anything else as you can use your mouse to access the rest of the aircraft, and you'll find that most of the work is done from the HOTAS in the A-10 ( and the majority of clickpit aircraft for that matter). If you do feel you want to bind some of the other switches or functions.. by default the pinky paddle is left free so you can easily set that as a modifier to double up the amount of controls you have at your fingertips.

Even with FC3 aircraft you don't need target as you can set modifiers via the ingame menu.

P.S. He has a warthog listed at the bottom of the OP guys. Cougar throttle doesn't have a china hat or a boatswitch. Of which all the terminology related to the buttons on the warthog stick/throttle co-relate to the exact same switch in the A-10C

Oops. Read that a little too fast. Mea culpa.

I'll reanimate this thread! I have the same setup: HOTAS and TFRP.

I have tried mucking with TARGET, but it is a bit obtuse for me at the moment. I can build a basic config which will show all 3 devices integrated in the DCS controls widow, but can't for the life of me figure out how to bind the &*#%& wheelbrakes. The sim runs fine and controls well with TARGET running or not.

Any ideas...?

I'll reanimate this thread! I have the same setup: HOTAS and TFRP.

 

I have tried mucking with TARGET, but it is a bit obtuse for me at the moment. I can build a basic config which will show all 3 devices integrated in the DCS controls widow, but can't for the life of me figure out how to bind the &*#%& wheelbrakes. The sim runs fine and controls well with TARGET running or not.

 

Any ideas...?

In order to assign the wheel brakes you have to go to Assign Axis/Axis Assign no the bottom of the controls page. (its a little button on the bottom bar). Once in there, Follow the Row for the Appropriate wheel brake, under the T-Rudder column. Double click on the intersecting box and all you have to do is engage the "braking" action with your T-rudder and the device will be automatically detected and assigned.

It is a bit hard to understand what I am talking about without visual references for you to look at. Tonight I will make a video and post it here for you