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Gearing with one button
(16 posts, started )
#1 - petercollins
Gearing with one button
Hi all

With Grand Prix 4, it was possible to gear up and down with one button: gear up when accelerating and down when braking.

Is this possible to set up in LFS?

Thanks
#2 - Whiskey
Not really, you'd need an external program fiddling with your inputs to the game.
#3 - petercollins
Quote from Whiskey :Not really, you'd need an external program fiddling with your inputs to the game.

What a load of bollocks that is.
#4 - Flame CZE
Then if you think it IS possible to do in LFS, why don't you try it?

Oh wait, it isn't possible.
#5 - Gutholz
** Best answer **
Unique strange wishes requires uniquely strange solutions
As I see it, there are three ways:

a) If you are using buttons (like on a gamepad) it might be possible with LFS scripting, similiar to this: http://en.lfsmanual.net/wiki/Script_Guide#.22F9_.3E_F10_.3E_F11_.3E_F12_.3E_Off.22_Toggle
Make throttle-button rebind your gearchange-button "upshift" and brake-button makes it rebind to "downshift". So depending whether throttle or brake was last pressed, one button would shift up or down.

b) If your input devices comes with fancy profiler software (like some fancy flight joysticks do) there might be functionality for that. Basically define gearchange button to behave as button-A when throttle-axis above certain threshold or behave as button-B when brake-axis above certain threshold.

c) Write your own tool. Is it possible to get pedal-positions from LFS via insim/outsim? If not, then read controller axes directly. For sending command to change gears one could emulate key presses.
#6 - Degats
OutGauge does indeed show pedal inputs and sending keys is fairly simple with Windows APIs.
LFS' more accurate gearbox simulation may create some odd edge cases that may result in some odd shifts though.
#7 - petercollins
Quote from Gutholz :Unique strange wishes requires uniquely strange solutions
As I see it, there are three ways:

a) If you are using buttons (like on a gamepad) it might be possible with LFS scripting, similiar to this: http://en.lfsmanual.net/wiki/Script_Guide#.22F9_.3E_F10_.3E_F11_.3E_F12_.3E_Off.22_Toggle
Make throttle-button rebind your gearchange-button "upshift" and brake-button makes it rebind to "downshift". So depending whether throttle or brake was last pressed, one button would shift up or down.

b) If your input devices comes with fancy profiler software (like some fancy flight joysticks do) there might be functionality for that. Basically define gearchange button to behave as button-A when throttle-axis above certain threshold or behave as button-B when brake-axis above certain threshold.

c) Write your own tool. Is it possible to get pedal-positions from LFS via insim/outsim? If not, then read controller axes directly. For sending command to change gears one could emulate key presses.

I'll try choice (a)

It only requires the throttle to be pressed for a gear-up, throttle not pressed for a gear-down.

That's how it works in Grand Prix 1, 2, 3 and 4 and it works very well.
#8 - Keling
Or you can use the RPM in OutGuage.
#9 - Gunn
I have removed unhelpful posts.

Just for the record, I used to play GP2 (Geoff Crammond's forerunner of GP4) with a joystick using one button. It was the best way to play using that controller. When the stick was in the forward position (throttle) the gear shift sequence was up, and when pulled back (brake) the gear sequence was down. There is no need to ridicule the OP for a perfectly legitimate inquiry. Thanks for understanding guys.
Cheers.
#10 - dawesdust_12
Well to be honest, his response after being told "no you can't" wasn't really appropriate, especially using vulgarities. I don't really know what he expects from a racing simulator. Using a nearly 20 year old game as rationale for this "perfectly legitimate" inquiry doesn't make a strong argument either.

20 years ago a joystick may have only had 1 or 2 buttons, so the decision to use 1 button for both gear changes makes a bit of sense. It's an absolutely ridiculous request in modern time, where even $20 wheels have at least a handful of buttons at fingers reach

Then OP got upset and used vulgarities over the perfectly well formed and rational response to the question. Instead of asking for help with accomplishing his desired (ridiculous) objective, he chose to take the non-constructive route and just curse about it.
#11 - Gunn
Quote from dawesdust_12 :Well to be honest, his response after being told "no you can't" wasn't really appropriate, especially using vulgarities. I don't really know what he expects from a racing simulator. Using a nearly 20 year old game as rationale for this "perfectly legitimate" inquiry doesn't make a strong argument either.

20 years ago a joystick may have only had 1 or 2 buttons, so the decision to use 1 button for both gear changes makes a bit of sense. It's an absolutely ridiculous request in modern time, where even $20 wheels have at least a handful of buttons at fingers reach

Then OP got upset and used vulgarities over the perfectly well formed and rational response to the question. Instead of asking for help with accomplishing his desired (ridiculous) objective, he chose to take the non-constructive route and just curse about it.

And you chose to make a useless post, which is what I moderated. I'm not going to argue with you, so drop it, thanks.
#12 - dekojester
Binned some more useless posts. The user's question has been answered, there should be no more reason to post in here except for any follow-on questions from the original user.
#13 - petercollins
So does anyone know how this can be achieved?
#14 - Keling
It looks like you can't map one pedal input and a script on the same button.

I would still recommend an input proxy that choose shift direction by RPM. The problem with choosing by throttle is if you just happen to lose the throttle while trying to upshift for one time you would blow the engine.
#15 - Bob Smith
True, but that makes it more exciting right? No reason you couldn't make it more intelligent, tracking rpm and not allowing a downshift if it's too close to maximum. This is making it more semi-auto than manual though.
#16 - dawesdust_12
I would think the current longitudal (I think?) g-force might be a better indication. if >= 0, shift up, if < 0, shift down If stationary, use brake/throttle position as up/down indicator

Gearing with one button
(16 posts, started )
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