Saitek Yolk Trim Hat won’t change view anymore

[JimMcC]

The yolk trim hat on the left side of the yolk that changed the view (left, right, up and down) will now only move the view up. Tried disconnecting the yolk, throttles and rudder pedals, closing the Prepar3D v4.5 program, and rebooting my computer several times but still have the same problem - hat trim switch will only move the view up, but not in any other direction. Computer, yolk, throttles and pedals are all brand new and system was working fine for first two or three days. Anyone have this problem or know of a solution?

[Martyson]

How do you assign the buttons / switches / levers on your Saitek setup?

Which P3D version X.xxx are you using 4.5HF2?

Did you test the hat switch with the Saitek software?

[JimMcC]

I never made any assignments to the saitek yolk, the hat was changing the view correctly (up, down, left and right) after initial plug in, and for the first couple of days. I have Prepar3D v4.5, I don’t know about the HF2 designation, we did purchase it just a week ago if that helps. Didn’t really have to “test” the Saitek setup, it was working fine immediately. How do you make assignments to the yolk? Could we have unknowingly changed something that is affecting the hat switch? Thanks.

[Martyson]

I never made any assignments to the saitek yolk, the hat was changing the view correctly (up, down, left and right) after initial plug in, and for the first couple of days. I have Prepar3D v4.5, I don’t know about the HF2 designation, we did purchase it just a week ago if that helps. Didn’t really have to “test” the Saitek setup, it was working fine immediately. How do you make assignments to the yolk? Could we have unknowingly changed something that is affecting the hat switch? Thanks.

Did you test the hat switch with the Saitek software?

Edit: you have 4.5 with HF2 (Hot Fix 2)

[JimMcC]

I did not test the hat switch with the Saitek software. As far as I’m aware of we never got or downloaded any Saitek software. As I said the yolk, throttles, rudder pedals, and all their controls ( including the hat switch) worked properly as soon as we plugged them in so we never had to get any Saitek software. Everything worked for two days, then on day three the hat switch only worked to move your view up, but not in any other direction. If everything was working fine after we initially plugged it in, what would cause it to suddenly change a few sessions later? My stepson has the laptop we use at college and won’t be back til this weekend, so I can’t do any real troubleshooting til then. How do we tell if we have Hot Fix 2? How do we “test” the Saitek software? Is there something we unknowingly changed that would affect the hat switch? Thanks.

[Martyson]

You mentioned you just installed P3D two weeks ago so I then mentioned you have P3Dv4.5 (with Hot Fix 2).

You need to contact Saitek or you provider to get the software.
Mine came on a CD with the hardware purchase.
But, it may also be available On-line.
Check the documents that came with your hardware purchase.

Also, you mentioned "we".

Are you talking about a home personal computer setup (Saitek hardware ownership) or something you do not own like in a classroom setup?

In the case of an institutional setup you need to contact them or their their IT person.

You may have a USB or Saitek hardware failure.

You could do all of the General Debugging steps here:
viewtopic.php?f=6312&t=123246

[JimMcC]

Xmitr was right, that was pretty bad using “yolk” all week long on here, I don’t know why that looked OK.

“We” is just my stepson and I. I got him the laptop and Saitek hardware, he downloaded Prepar3D and the C172 software (JustFlight.com?) with me looking over his shoulder most of the time. He’s using the sim program to try and practice instrument flying.

I am having an email back and forth with Logitech, but they’re not up on weekends, and my stepson is only home from college with his laptop on weekends.

We tried downloading the drivers/software for the Saitek Yoke, but I’m not 100% sure it went as it should. It didn’t lead us into testing/assigning the yoke switches like their start up guide said it would. We opened up the Logitech desktop icon and the only thing we could try was programming, which you had suggested. Couldn’t really figure out how to do that, but when we changed the POV option to “buttons” we then got a list of eight POV axis boxes which highlighted when we used the hat switch in the eight different directions. We thought this would do it, but when we went into the Prepar3D we still had the problem where the hat switch would only move the view up. In Prepar3D we tried going into options, and controls, and saw where there where assignments to axis and switches, but couldn’t figure out how to change anything there either. There was an import selection there and we even tried importing the saved file from the Logitech program but the file we saved it to couldn’t be found.

Is there anything additional we have to do with the Logitech software after we download it (run?) or will Prepar3D “know” to find it and use it? Why did the yoke, throttles and rudder pedals work as soon as we plugged them in without even installing any software/drivers? Does the USB port we plug them into matter?

[JorgenSA]

Just make sure the USB hub is powered, otherwise power for the joystick etc. will have to be supplied by the laptop, and with a demanding application like P3D, the laptop's power supply is probably running flat out and overtime already.

Jorgen

[Martyson]

@Jimmcc

You mentioned:
"We tried downloading the drivers/software for the Saitek Yoke, but I’m not 100% sure it went as it should. It didn’t lead us into testing/assigning the yoke switches like their start up guide said it would. We opened up the Logitech desktop icon and the only thing we could try was programming, which you had suggested. Couldn’t really figure out how to do that, but when we changed the POV option to “buttons” we then got a list of eight POV axis boxes which highlighted when we used the hat switch in the eight different directions. We thought this would do it,"

I am interested in this part:
"but when we changed the POV option to “buttons” we then got a list of eight POV axis boxes which highlighted when we used the hat switch in the eight different directions."

Were you able to test (verify) the Hat switch responded in all directions?

Also, with the Saitec test software, could you test the Saitek's other axes (aileron, elevator,throttles) for proper operation?

You have a Saitek Yoke with:
Yoke Hat view switch, Elevator trim switch, Rudder trim switch, and 2 Red buttons and a Clock / Timer.
Did you test all of these for proper operation?

[JimMcC]

Jorgen,

I don’t think we have a USB hub, unless you consider the yoke box one. We have the throttle quadrant and rudders plugged into the yoke box, and that is plugged into the laptop.

Vaughan,

We do have a Saitek yoke with all the controls/ buttons you mentioned. We did test the yoke with the Saitek software, and the axes, buttons, trim switches and hat switch (in all eight directions) tested good, so I don’t think this is a hardware problem. When we open the Prepar3D sim program we still have the problem where the hat switch will only move the view up.

I found a YouTube video about setting up the Saitek yoke system, and they go into the sim program and make assignments to the yoke/throttle/rudder controls and the different buttons and trim switches. Although it was a different sim program (X-plane?), I found what looked like the exact same type of page(s) in Prepar3D, but I was not able to make any assignments. Unlike in the video, when I moved the yoke/switches, none of the axis boxes lit up, and I never got any window pop up where I could hit “OK” and make an assignment. Does this sound like I was going down the right road, was I close?

I think I’ve asked this before, but why would everything work fine on initial plug in, without me downloading any Saitek software, without making any control assignments, and then two days later the hat switch only moves the view up, and all the other controls/buttons appear to be working fine?

Thanks,

Jim

[Martyson]

Jim,

Glad to hear the Saitek software confirmed it is working ok on your setup.

Now I need to verify one thing.

You mentioned rudders, plugged into the Saitek Yoke box.
Why did you do that rather than plugging the rudders usb directly into computer?

Note:
Did your Saitek yoke come with a Power Adapter (mine did)?

I am wondering if the OS is changing usb port assignments every time the computer is used in another location ?

[Sabre57]

The hat switch is not recognized as an axis by P3d. You configure it under keyboard/buttons section in controls. Do a search on the pan command and you should see how its setup.

On another note, every once in a while my control scheme gets messed up and I need to correct a few key combinations. I attribute this to wonky USB in windows. This happens randomly, even when no changes have been made to my system, and the only way I’ve been able to correct it is to reboot. Unfortunately you have to catch this before you start p3d or the controls get changed.

[Martyson]

The hat switch is not recognized as an axis by P3d. You configure it under keyboard/buttons section in controls. Do a search on the pan command and you should see how its setup.

On another note, every once in a while my control scheme gets messed up and I need to correct a few key combinations. I attribute this to wonky USB in windows. This happens randomly, even when no changes have been made to my system, and the only way I’ve been able to correct it is to reboot. Unfortunately you have to catch this before you start p3d or the controls get changed.

Have you had the same problem reported here where the Saitek Yoke Hat switch won't change view?

[Sabre57]

The hat switch is not recognized as an axis by P3d. You configure it under keyboard/buttons section in controls. Do a search on the pan command and you should see how its setup.

On another note, every once in a while my control scheme gets messed up and I need to correct a few key combinations. I attribute this to wonky USB in windows. This happens randomly, even when no changes have been made to my system, and the only way I’ve been able to correct it is to reboot. Unfortunately you have to catch this before you start p3d or the controls get changed.

Have you had the same problem reported here where the Saitek Yoke Hat switch won't change view?

Not this exact issue. But several others related to usb issues. So many that I wired in a single pull 5 pole switch so I could isolate the yoke during boot up. He shouldn’t need the saitek software but he may need the saitek drivers. Some folks have reported that windows drivers work just fine. They never worked for me. It almost sounds if the hat is somehow setup to do a look up always command no matter which way the hat is pushed. One other thing to consider is if mouse panning was somehow turned on creating a controller conflict.

[Sabre57]

Two other things I just thought about. Maybe either the controls file or the config file is corrupt and should be regenerated.