#2091 Bug: Saitek ST290 Pro Joystick Inputs Wrong

[John D. Coleman]

For at least FlightGear versions 2018.3.1 & 2018.2.2
Platform: desktop Intel 64-bit Windows 10 Pro current version

Bug: Saitek ST290 Pro Joystick Inputs Wrong

The only input from the joystick that is correct is the elevator control and the buttons.

When I started FG 2018.2.2, selected Seneca II plane, the yoke was turned hard over to one side and quivering. Wiggled joystick. No change.
Checked Windows Update. Nothing needed.
Installed 64-bit driver from Saitek. Now I have a nice graphical panel to show what Windows sees from the joystick in the Control Panel.
Ailerons (X-axis) is off-center and quivering. Wiggled joystick around a lot to scrub the resistive potentiometers clean. It finally worked after a long time. Indicator is properly centered now.
All other axis and buttons work fine.
Restart FlightGear, still same problem.
Update FlightGear to version 2018.3.1, the yoke is centered until I move joystick. Then yoke moves hard over to right or left.
Disassembled joystick, Ohmmeter readings: 51KOhm across pot, 27K when centered, 8K-46K with left & right movements. That's 3%, 16% and 10% off from ideal.
Executed fgjs. Program failed to complete readings.
Saitek's driver "diagnostic" shows that the joystick is good. FlightGear says it's bad. Which is correct?

Why do we not have a Windows executable of js_demo?

I remember having this same problem with FlightGear years ago. I don't remember the solution.

[James Turner]

Stuart, I have no clue about this one, do you have any debugging suggestions?

[Stuart Buchanan]

I've got a couple of ideas that might help diagnose this:

Under File->Joystick Configuration, you will get a dialog box to configure the joystick.

1) Select your joystick from the dropdown.
2) Just underneath the dropdown will be displayed the joystick configuration file used. What does it say?
3) 4) Under "Input" on the left hand side, it shows what FG "sees" as the inputs from the joystick device. The range is from -1.0 to 1.0. It should show 0.0 on the X-axis. If it doesn't, it might be worth trying to uninstall the Saitek drives, as they may be doing something clever that FG doesn't understanding
4) The Control column shows what the input is mapped to each input. Is more than on Axis or button labeled "Aileron"?
5) If you have multiple joystics or input devices connected, it's possible that one of the others is also mapped to "Aileron". Use the dropdown to check each other device.
6) Try pressing "Refresh Joysticks".

Let me know how you get on.

-Stuart

[John D. Coleman]

Sorry for the late response.
File name: Saitek/ST290-Pro.xml
See attached pictures for "at-rest" settings.
Notice that the Saitek properties box shows all controls at rest while FG shows the aileron hard right.

A mouse and a keyboard are the only other input devices.

[John D. Coleman]

Bah. It seems I can only attach one picture in a post.

[John D. Coleman]

I booted into Fedora and played an older version of FG 2016.? just fine
I rebooted into Windows and played a web browser-based sim just fine also.
So the problem is in the Windows code of FlightGear.

[Stuart Buchanan]

Hi John,

Apologies for not following up on this for more than a year. I take it you still have this problem?

Random stab in the dark: Do you get any other items listed on the Joystick Configuration drop-down?

-Stuart

[John D. Coleman]

Don't feel bad. Your reply has been right in front of me since April and I haven't seen it until now.
No there is nothing else shown.
I'll pull the joystick out in a minute to remind me to try again. I haven't played FG ever since.

From: "Stuart Buchanan" stuartbuchanan@users.sourceforge.net
To: "[flightgear:codetickets]" 2091@codetickets.flightgear.p.re.sourceforge.net
Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2020 6:35:21 PM
Subject: [flightgear:codetickets] #2091 Bug: Saitek ST290 Pro Joystick Inputs Wrong

Hi John,

Apologies for not following up on this for more than a year. I take it you still have this problem?

Random stab in the dark: Do you get any other items listed on the Joystick Configuration drop-down?

-Stuart

[ https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/codetickets/2091/ | [codetickets:#2091] ] Bug: Saitek ST290 Pro Joystick Inputs Wrong

Status: NeedInfo
Milestone: 2018.3.0
Labels: input
Created: Fri Dec 07, 2018 05:30 AM UTC by John D. Coleman
Last Updated: Sat Jul 13, 2019 11:56 PM UTC
Owner: Stuart Buchanan

For at least FlightGear versions 2018.3.1 & 2018.2.2
Platform: desktop Intel 64-bit Windows 10 Pro current version

Bug: Saitek ST290 Pro Joystick Inputs Wrong

The only input from the joystick that is correct is the elevator control and the buttons.

When I started FG 2018.2.2, selected Seneca II plane, the yoke was turned hard over to one side and quivering. Wiggled joystick. No change.
Checked Windows Update. Nothing needed.
Installed 64-bit driver from Saitek. Now I have a nice graphical panel to show what Windows sees from the joystick in the Control Panel.
Ailerons (X-axis) is off-center and quivering. Wiggled joystick around a lot to scrub the resistive potentiometers clean. It finally worked after a long time. Indicator is properly centered now.
All other axis and buttons work fine.
Restart FlightGear, still same problem.
Update FlightGear to version 2018.3.1, the yoke is centered until I move joystick. Then yoke moves hard over to right or left.
Disassembled joystick, Ohmmeter readings: 51KOhm across pot, 27K when centered, 8K-46K with left & right movements. That's 3%, 16% and 10% off from ideal.
Executed fgjs. Program failed to complete readings.
Saitek's driver "diagnostic" shows that the joystick is good. FlightGear says it's bad. Which is correct?

Why do we not have a Windows executable of js_demo?

I remember having this same problem with FlightGear years ago. I don't remember the solution.

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[Gijs]

@jdc843 or any other users of the ST-290: I'm closing this report for now, but please comment if you're still around. We can re-open the issue if there's someone who can help troubleshoot it with current FlightGear.

[John D. Coleman]

I'm still around and breathing lol.
I tried to use FlightGear a few times since this problem started.
I got the same results even with newer versions of FlightGear.
I gave up and resumed my normal computer usage sans FlightGear.
With this reminder, I'll have to see how the new FG version works :)