So my binds appear to not work anymore...

[Mohenjo]

So, I had previously saved my control binds file under the name Mohenjo. I haven't played the game for a while, and have got a new PC in the meantime, so I had to reinstall the game from scratch. When I went to my old PC for the keybinds, I put the Mohenjo file in the appropriate folder, as far as I can tell (Windows/User/MyName/AppData/Local/Frontier Developments/Elite Dangerous/Options/Bindings), but it doesn't appear in the list of presets in the game. There's a listing for the usual things, Keyboard, Keyboard & Mouse, Generic Joystick, and so on... but my personal setup isn't being listed.

Anyone know why that might be? How do I fix it? It's a ROYAL pain trying to remember how I had all the various controls and settings set up originally.

 

[Helmut Grokenberger]

My best guess is there is a controller bound in your bindings file that isn't present anymore. If a controller cannot be found, the game ignores the bindings file. Look in the bindings directory, there should be an error log telling you what is wrong. If you delete it, the game will recreate it and you will know it only fresh errors.

 

[Mohenjo]

The controller is there and functional. I tried launching my ship, but the controls wouldn't work at all. I quickly switched out to the Generic Joystick, and I could move the ship around, but had almost no control. Fortunately I was still close enough to call for autolanding. It's the same controller I used before... so I'm not sure what else to do with it. I might have to start from scratch AGAIN. Last time it took me almost 3 months to get everything the way I wanted it, what with missing certain controls, or binding them in the wrong places, or creating conflicts, or flat out not being able to figure out what to change (for example, in the past when contacting landing services, I could then use my mouse to navigate the window. Now, it's moving my view around when I use the mouse, and I have NO idea how to fix it... which means months of trial and error).

I really wish they would do something to stop this happening all the damn time.

 

[Helmut Grokenberger]

Did you do what I wrote above? If your bindings file isn't loaded, there is some problem with it. Maybe device IDs changed? Look into the error log file, the game will tell you what is wrong and why it didn't load your bindings file.

 

[Ashnak]

So, I had previously saved my control binds file under the name Mohenjo.

Did you only change the file name, or did you also change the bindings name (in one of the first lines inside the file)? You'll need to do both - see also the sticky.

The controller is there and functional.

Does it also still have the same ID? You wrote you did change the hardware - controller identification is done by some sort of ID string, which would be determined in the depths between USB drivers, BIOS and operating system. After all, unlike keyboards or mice, you can connect two physically identical controllers and still use them independently (often in the case of HOSAS).
Check your bindingserrorslog (or soemsuch, should be there in the same folder as your bindings file) and see if the game complains about some missing controllers.

Edit:

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

wow you joined in 2015 that makes you a veteran and haven't backed up your bindings
I could understand if you were using default there would be no need but you have toiled over getting a custom set tailored...…...
hopefully you still have an unmolested mohenjo file that just needs a statpreset.start file as mentioned in the guide
heres how to back them up once you get them working again
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threa...-free-backed-up-binds-look-no-further.554451/


sometimes if you haven't corrupted a file by trying to make changes with a device disconnected
your old custom bind file could still work straight off the bat once renamed as per guide if luck happens to be on your side that is...…….

 

[yianniv]

So, I had previously saved my control binds file under the name Mohenjo. I haven't played the game for a while, and have got a new PC in the meantime, so I had to reinstall the game from scratch. When I went to my old PC for the keybinds, I put the Mohenjo file in the appropriate folder, as far as I can tell (Windows/User/MyName/AppData/Local/Frontier Developments/Elite Dangerous/Options/Bindings), but it doesn't appear in the list of presets in the game. There's a listing for the usual things, Keyboard, Keyboard & Mouse, Generic Joystick, and so on... but my personal setup isn't being listed.

Anyone know why that might be? How do I fix it? It's a ROYAL pain trying to remember how I had all the various controls and settings set up originally.

Full disclosure: I don't use a controller, just kb + mouse, so I don't know how the innards of the .binds file show for such a device.
As the others have said, you've changed your pc, so the device ID must have changed.
May I suggest something? I don't know how comfortable you are with computers, but could you set some keys on a blank bindings file and then post that together with your old original one? Maybe we could see what device id the new file has assigned to your controller and replace that string in the old file. Unless you'd like to try that yourself.
Also, with Odyssey, the binds have a ".4.0.binds" extension to be recognized by Odyssey (and the Live Horizons version). Maybe the fault is there as well?

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

notepad ++ is excellent for copying a new device id to an old bind file if that's the issue using its find and replace feature

 

[metatheurgist]

It's also possible the backup is 3.x, and we are well onto 4.0 version of the binds now....

 

[Helmut Grokenberger]

It's also possible the backup is 3.x, and we are well onto 4.0 version of the binds now....

A 3.x binds file should be converted to 4.0 by the game without issues.

 

[pr1sm]

A 3.x binds file should be converted to 4.0 by the game without issues.

Can confirm my old 3.x bind was successfully read by the game then saved as 4.x

OP it most likely is the device i.d, a quick edit with notepad++ and you'll be up and running in no time. in my case though i did all that and ended up re-binding nearly all the buttons anyway as the old scheme i set felt clunky. Re binding everything took less than 15 minutes which in the grand scheme of time, is no biggie

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

ya I find it strange that peeps struggle with binds I mirrored from memory my basic binds over to fly dangerous in under ten mins, seriously if you like flight assist off & yaw give it a whir its free on steam...……..

 

[cruelcrazycoop]

i went to go back up my bindings again just before monday and the bindings folder is not on either of my computers anymore. i have backed them up before i know where they are supposed to be located and i can see my hidden files but since the new launcher i cant find the files to copy go check it out in your %appdata% for elite no more bindings folder now what do we do? i mean i did screen shots of all my binds but that is kinda absurd even to me lol

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

mines "right where it supposed to be" C:\Users\STRONTIUM DOG\AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings
have you tried manually inputing the above dir path?
the game will simply not work without one

 

[yianniv]

i went to go back up my bindings again just before monday and the bindings folder is not on either of my computers anymore. i have backed them up before i know where they are supposed to be located and i can see my hidden files but since the new launcher i cant find the files to copy go check it out in your %appdata% for elite no more bindings folder now what do we do? i mean i did screen shots of all my binds but that is kinda absurd even to me lol

For searching on the filesystem I find Everything by Voidtools irreplaceable. It reads the NTFS database directly so nothing can hide. If the folder exists, it will show.

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

coolcrazycoop just went to where his bindings are@ it seems
(vanished)
if you still cant see it follow the lost bindings sticky to the letter and in my yoda voice " revealed to you they will be!"

 

[Frankymole]

"Never bind without re-bind"... or... something.

 

[cruelcrazycoop]

i got them in game and i got backups on a different drive also here is a screenshot of where bindings should be(cpuB). how i figured this out is i built a brand new pc(cpuA) like not even 1 day old from 1st boot installed elite brang my bindings over and it didnt work so i went to go copy the files directly from the app data on my old(cpuB) perfectly fine computer that still has the bindings working in game and they are not there to copy but i went bounty hunting last night on (cpuB) after giving up on (cpuA) and it all worked fine and i still have yet to figure it out and i checked my laptop for the bindings also with the same results as (cpuB) im just so confused because the only thing that has changed was the launcher update we just had

 

[cruelcrazycoop]

im even gunna set them all manually on my new pc and see if i get a bindings folder because ??????

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

I shall say dis only once more time follow the sticky to the letter
*if game is working that is