Control bindings help.

nathanc213 · Jul 9, 2017

I have a friend who recently got the game but thay haven't played it yet because they have to set up their key bindings (i also have the issue on a second device i tried to play elite on).

I've tried multiple times to give them my file but every time they place it in the correct folder it adds the new preset in options however when they select it all the bindings are blank. Is there anyway to get this working correctly?

VonBlade · Jul 9, 2017

It seems to be incredibly sensitive to hardware. So, for example, if I bind everything to keys but have a HOTAS plugged in, then transferring them to someone without that HOTAS - even though it wasn't used - blanks them.

nathanc213 · Jul 9, 2017

I have it bound for my controller and my friend is trying to use a controller as well and it just blanks them, does the same thing with my second device.

CMDRvenerian · Jul 9, 2017

Honestly, let your friend do the (tedious) binding process himself. That way he will be familiar with the layout and can do changes to fit his playstyle. Just my humble opninion.

nathanc213 · Jul 9, 2017

Its also for my second device so figuring out how to get it working would be the better option tbh (and the reason my friend isnt binding it himself is because he liked my current setup).

furrycat · Jul 9, 2017

Your bindings will work if your friend has the exact same device. Just because it's a controller with the same number of buttons isn't enough. The game identifies controllers by their USB device ID.

As a workaround, have your friend bind some command with the other controller. Look in the bindings file for the device name written out against that command. "Xbox 360 Controller" or "Logitech Gamepad" or whatever it is. Then take your file and search 'n' replace all occurrences of whatever your own controller is called with your friend's.

Kingston@# · Jul 10, 2017

check this thread out gives all control bindings
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/334317-Keybinds-in-full-as-of-Beta-2-3

GJ51 · Jul 10, 2017

Goodness

How hard is it to open the options controls panel and press a button?

Sapporo · Jul 10, 2017

GJ51 said:
Goodness

How hard is it to open the options controls panel and press a button?

Quite hard it seems... :/

nathanc213 · Jul 10, 2017

furrycat said:
Your bindings will work if your friend has the exact same device. Just because it's a controller with the same number of buttons isn't enough. The game identifies controllers by their USB device ID.

As a workaround, have your friend bind some command with the other controller. Look in the bindings file for the device name written out against that command. "Xbox 360 Controller" or "Logitech Gamepad" or whatever it is. Then take your file and search 'n' replace all occurrences of whatever your own controller is called with your friend's.

We both are using xbox one controllers, im gonna try it again tomorrow see if i can get it working.

GJ51 said:
Goodness

How hard is it to open the options controls panel and press a button?

No point in doing all the controls again if i already have a file with them which can be transferred.

FoxTwo · Jul 10, 2017

I believe the "device ID" might play a part in it as well. You may have, say, 2 controllers, a gamepad, and a joystick... and your Joystick might be set as ID 2. Your bindings will refer to device ID 2. On your friend's system, his joystick may be ID 1. So the bindings are blank because there are no bindings for device 1 in the file you have given him.

The advice for your friend to do the bindings himself is a sound one - he will know which button does what, because he physically selected them.

nathanc213 · Jul 10, 2017

FoxTwo said:
I believe the "device ID" might play a part in it as well. You may have, say, 2 controllers, a gamepad, and a joystick... and your Joystick might be set as ID 2. Your bindings will refer to device ID 2. On your friend's system, his joystick may be ID 1. So the bindings are blank because there are no bindings for device 1 in the file you have given him.

The advice for your friend to do the bindings himself is a sound one - he will know which button does what, because he physically selected them.

He is already familiar with my bindings and would rather use them hence why i gave him my file, in time he probably will customise them to his liking. Also im trying to get it working on my second Device but no luck so far.

Kingston@# · Jul 10, 2017

nathanc213 said:
We both are using xbox one controllers, im gonna try it again tomorrow see if i can get it working.

No point in doing all the controls again if i already have a file with them which can be transferred.

my bindings are for KB, 360pad. alternative flight controls are for my hotas. 16mths and I still haven't managed to use it, with finesse. though I think its my wrists that's the issue. no not because of that. because of compound fractures.
anyway. OP here's a link to my bindings https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4xpgEiuWgwqbmd4ajM1WnhpNEU
put binds file here C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings
you will prob have to remap 360, X n B, I have them mapped to thrust left/right

furrycat · Jul 10, 2017

nathanc213 said:
We both are using xbox one controllers

You said you have two controllers. If they are identical then in the bindings file there will be extra information to distinguish between the two. That may be what confuses the game on your friend's machine where there's only one controller.

You'll have something like <Binding Device="GamePad" DeviceIndex="X" Key="...> with X after the DeviceIndex being some number. After transferring the file you can try removing the DeviceIndex="X" part altogether, on every line in which it appears.

Of course to test that theory it may be quicker to plug in your second controller temporarily than to edit the file!

As an important aside please note that after you copy a bindings file and a device is unrecognised the game will not just refuse to show the unknown controller in the menu it will actually delete the entries from the file! After each attempt which doesn't work you will want to copy the file over again.

nathanc213 · Jul 10, 2017

furrycat said:
You said you have two controllers. If they are identical then in the bindings file there will be extra information to distinguish between the two. That may be what confuses the game on your friend's machine where there's only one controller.

You'll have something like <Binding Device="GamePad" DeviceIndex="X" Key="...> with X after the DeviceIndex being some number. After transferring the file you can try removing the DeviceIndex="X" part altogether, on every line in which it appears.

Of course to test that theory it may be quicker to plug in your second controller temporarily than to edit the file!

As an important aside please note that after you copy a bindings file and a device is unrecognised the game will not just refuse to show the unknown controller in the menu it will actually delete the entries from the file! After each attempt which doesn't work you will want to copy the file over again.

Probably should have pointed out my second Device is an old laptop which can barely run elite not another controller.

His controller is different than my one so that probably does explain why its not working, when he gets on ill speak to him about it.