TM Boat Switch - A/A & A/G mode select

was searching the forums and couldn't find an answer. has anyone figured out how to do the below?

"I actually like the latter idea and would love to set this up so that moving the Boat Switch FWD engages the A/A Master Mode, returning the Boat Switch to the neutral position sets the Master Mode back to NAV and moving the Boat Switch to AFT would engage the A/G Master Mode. I looked in the DCS controls configuration and unfortunately we don't have mapping options that would allow us to do this with the sim alone and a custom TARGET profile may be needed here. The alternative is to re-select the active A/A or A/G position to return the jet to the NAV Master Mode. Doable but again the OCD in my isn't a huge fan of this workaround"

thanks in advance

That's not how the avionics in the actual jet work and as such one wouldn't be able to work that into the throttle without a macro.

Think: You are in A-G mode. If you use A-A weapon select to enter A-A mode, your throttle still thinks you have A-G mode active. You flip to center which sends a second press of A-G. Except you were in A-A, so instead that returns you to A-G. If you think a little bit there are no shortage of problem scenarios with the switchology.

If you want to use TARGET or similar macro app (Joy2Key etc.) you can make it happen. Boat FWD pressed: AA mode. Released: AG-AA-AA Regardless of what mode you are in, the computer logic will return you to NAV with that sequence of buttons.

Boat AFT pressed: AG mode. Release: AG-AA-AA

Not sure about target's capability but there are some similar bindings in the sim already. Not for the 18 and the master models but on some other occasions. The description in the key binds usually reads

"FUNCTION A ELSE B

and for the next line

FUNCTION C ELSE B"

Implementation of that logic by ED would solve that problem and allow for the proper use of 3way switches for a 3way function

My workaround is to use the AP button on the base of the throttle for navigation mode

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The boat switch works just fine. All you have to do is move the boat switch in the same direction again to go back to NAV mode. No programming, incredibly simple and straight forward.... exactly how I have it on my setup. I also have the 3 way autopilot toggle switch set for master arm off/on. Easy peasy.

i.e - boat switch aft to select A/G mode, boat switch aft again to deselect A/G mode. Just like pressing the button twice to the left of the DDI. It’s a wonder sometimes how one simply doesn’t just test this for themselves before overthinking things and resorting to try and use .lua modifications or additional software....

Cheers,

Don

The boat switch works just fine. All you have to do is move the boat switch in the same direction again to go back to NAV mode. No programming, incredibly simple and straight forward.... exactly how I have it on my setup. I also have the 3 way autopilot toggle switch set for master arm off/on. Easy peasy.

 

i.e - boat switch aft to select A/G mode, boat switch aft again to deselect A/G mode. Just like pressing the button twice to the left of the DDI. It’s a wonder sometimes how one simply doesn’t just test this for themselves before overthinking things and resorting to try and use .lua modifications or additional software....

 

 

Cheers,

 

Don

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I had the same Idea a while back and tried several Things in order to make it work. As I am not a fan of the Target software and rather want to solve such problems by editing the corresponding Lua files for the Stick/throttle, target was not an option for me.

I have already successfully modified my KA50 and F18 Lua in order to make the toggle switches work correctly for things like master arm, gear lever and so on.

As one of the guys above stated this works quite nice if the function you want to manipulate can only be triggered by the switch you mapped for this function. On the other hand this does not work well at all if the same function can be triggered somehow else. It is quite hard to describe...

Again the example that was already described above is exactly right:

Go into AG mode by your boat switch. Now by pressing Weapon select, your master mode switches to the AA mode, while your Boat switch is still in AG Mode. Every time you are out of sync between your switch and the mastermode in your plane, the workload to restore the sync is just not worth the benefits in my opinion.

So this is a problem that can not easily be changed by programming (except for messing around with the Target SW). The only way to make it work work like you (and me) want is by physically connecting your boat switch to the plane state, so that if you go into your AA mode, your boat switch will automatically snap into the forward position.

Maybe possible but again not worth the effort.

I think one can achieve the poster's objective using the methods in this thread:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=89226

The boat switch works just fine. All you have to do is move the boat switch in the same direction again to go back to NAV mode. No programming, incredibly simple and straight forward.... exactly how I have it on my setup. I also have the 3 way autopilot toggle switch set for master arm off/on. Easy peasy.

 

i.e - boat switch aft to select A/G mode, boat switch aft again to deselect A/G mode. Just like pressing the button twice to the left of the DDI. It’s a wonder sometimes how one simply doesn’t just test this for themselves before overthinking things and resorting to try and use .lua modifications or additional software....

 

 

Cheers,

 

Don

That's how I have it.

I am not sure I see the need. Usually when I select the missile using the weapons select button, the AA button is automatically turned on.

I actually use one of the rocker switches on my my left TM Cougar MFD for that. Up is AA, down is AG, straightforward and works like a charm.

I did use the boat switch in the past (without any TARGET profile) but I‘ve found that to be a bit unrealistic to have this as part of the HOTAS since in the real jet the pilot has to reach forward for the AA/AG mode switch. Thats how I came to the MFD button (which I had no other use for anyway).

Just recently had a huge long discussion about doing exactly this, just with a different 3-way switch. There is a two part solution which only work well hand-in-hand.

Technical Solution

Just add this coding to '..\DCS World{ Openbeta}\Mods\DCS FA-18C Mods\DCS FA-18C Cockpit Controls - HOTAS\Mods\aircraft\FA-18C\Input\FA-18C\joystick\default.lua' hopefully with the Game Mode Enabler of your choice (I recommend OvGME):

{	down = SMS_commands.AA_MasterModeSw,	up = SMS_commands.AA_MasterModeSw,	cockpit_device_id = devices.SMS,	value_down =  1.0,	value_up = 0.0,	name = _('Master Mode Button - A/A On else Off'),		category = {_('Instrument Panel'), _('Master Arm Panel')}},
{	down = SMS_commands.AG_MasterModeSw,	up = SMS_commands.AG_MasterModeSw,	cockpit_device_id = devices.SMS,	value_down =  1.0,	value_up = 0.0,	name = _('Master Mode Button - A/G On else Off'),		category = {_('Instrument Panel'), _('Master Arm Panel')}},

Logical Solution

Do the above, but when you switch to A/A or A/G imediateyl return the 3-way switch to the center OFF position. Why?, because leaving the switch at one of the On states 1. does nothing for your, and 2. can easily become incorrect if you activate a different mode through weapon selection.

So, if you use it correctly, it works perfectly well.

thanks all,

i will try the above suggestion. i also have the rocker switch where you have to go up or down twice in order to cancel which works just fine.

i was just wondering if there was away to avoid doing this and having the return to middle as the cancel (getting as lazy as the snowflake generation :~)).

i just recently found all the .lua adjustments which has helped immensely with my warthog setup

The problem with using the rocker switch as mode select is if you’re in AG mode and you hit the weapons select switch, it takes you to AA mode automatically, and your rocker switch will be out of sync with the game logic.