Cannot set game controls

FloydDroid

FloydDroid
I had this problem previously but none of the suggested coursed of action helped, I left Elite for a while as I wanted to do other things with my time and the controls problem was annoying. Now I am thinking about spending some time playing Elite again, predictably I find that all of my old control settings are gone (seems to happen with every update, infuriating and dumb!) but worse is that I cannot even set them now, they literally get wiped out the moment I click Apply and go back to the game.

Something is seriously wrong, I want to eliminate my local system as the cause so intend to completely clear Elite from my PC - could someone give me a guide on how to do this please? I can't just uninstall the game (through Steam, probably), I need to completely clear every trace of it so that I can be sure there are no corrupt or locked files hiding away somewhere. I am using Windows 7 x64, Elite used to work fine on it a few years ago but since an update about a year ago it has had this problem whereby it forgets my control settings, playing with keys or basic joystick / joypad input just isn't on, I spent good money on a joystick and a throttle with loads of buttons, I want to use them.

Thanks in advance!
 

Para Handy

Para Handy
Before you do that you could just go to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings and delete any .binds file other than "custom" then try to make your changes in-game and see if they stick. (There is a known "feature" that if there are copies of binds files with the same preset name INSIDE the file - filename doesn't matter - then changes are not saved.) Also make sure your binds file is not set to read-only.

BTW the other directory tree that Elite writes to is %USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\ where your logs and journals are kept.
 

FloydDroid

FloydDroid
Had a few minutes so looked into this just now, turned out there were quite a few .binds files in that %localappdata% folder mentioned, I just deleted all of them and the game made a new one for me, all seems to be good now, phew! I'll take a backup of that binds file once I'm happy with all of my controls and store it somewhere safe (away from that folder!)

Thanks again.
 

merlin851526

M
I have a similar problem. Been away from Elite for a while ,Ironically it was the controls issue that pushed me away. Anyway thought I'd give it a go, new PC fresh install fire up the game try to configure controls and I find the same issues that were present over a year ago still around. The controls are reset if you dont turn on your XBox controller before you start the game and therefore you must do it all over again (sigh) . For some reason the default for many of the controls & axis are inverted why it isn't the other way is beyond me. When I push my joystick to the left to roll I expect it to roll to the left not the right! why would I want the opposite ? seriously! So here we are, my hotas and my joystick are wiped if I don't switch my Xbox controller on before I start the game. It cannot be a duplicate bind file issue because it's a completely fresh install. It's no fun after launching off the pad to find everything wiped or inverted and the clock is ticking.
 
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Para Handy

Para Handy
merlin851526 said:
......l. It's no fun after launching off the pad to find everything wiped or inverted and the clock is ticking.
Click to expand...

As @STRONTIUM DOG has linked, rename your bindings file from "custom" and you will never have to re-do it ever again. If you don't have a controller plugged in on startup your get a bindings loading error and it loads a default and overwrites the "custom" file. All you have to do in future is go into the settings page and choose your own drop-down preset (made by you when you edit the file as per the link above).

Yes F D should get this sorted - all it needs is a "save as" button rather than having to manually edit your files. (Lazy coding again Frontier.)
 
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FloydDroid

FloydDroid
As Para Handy noted, I also discovered that it was a missing device (I'd unplugged the XBox controller in an attempt to solve some 'drifting', which in the end might have been caused by the mouse) that was also causing my problems - if you don't want something like this to occur then my advice is either to make sure your controllers that have bindings will always be plugged in or remove any bindings to controllers that you won't use, even if it's for controls that you don't use or care about.

There is an error log file I think in the bindings folder, it will tell you which control bindings it failed for if it can't find the controller for them.
 
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