Anyone have any experience swapping out their standard wired Xbox controller for a wireless Elite2 controller? I only use a controller for FSS work, seems to be the most efficient method I can find for scanning. Would be nice to get this cable and controller off my lap when I'm surveying. Should I unplug my cabled controller, make sure all is good with binds, then hook up the wireless Elite2? Any menu choice for setup work better than another or just go with custom? I've heard Elite Dangerous has a harder time with the Elite2 controller than a standard controller. Should I use something like a reWASD app? Any experience appreciated.
Xbox Elite2 Controller on PC
- Thread starter Crack_of Dawn
- Start date
Don't know about the Elite version but I found that to get ED to recognise my wireless xbox controller I had to buy a "Microsoft Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows 10", it seems ED doesn't like the bluetooth connection used by the controller and so had to use that dongle.
Like Fnord said - connecting a gamepad via regular BT on a Windows system is somewhat risky, (one of) the MS XBox wireless adapters usually works ok.
Oh - and
1) backup your binds (see the pinned post on the top of this forum)
2) it's highly likely that ED will see the wireless controller (i.e. the XBox wireless adapter) as a different controller that the wired controller, so you should be prepared to set up your binds for that "new" controller (again) (or edit the binds file to replace the controller IDs - I use notepad++ for this and other kinds of stuff)
Oh - and
1) backup your binds (see the pinned post on the top of this forum)
2) it's highly likely that ED will see the wireless controller (i.e. the XBox wireless adapter) as a different controller that the wired controller, so you should be prepared to set up your binds for that "new" controller (again) (or edit the binds file to replace the controller IDs - I use notepad++ for this and other kinds of stuff)
Open up your current Custom keybinds in Appdata (AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings) and copy paste it into the new keybinds profile. Then change the hardware ID to the new xbox controller using Notepad++'s replace function. This will let you keep your old profile. The elite controller 2's Device ID is 045E0B00
OK... I made a copy of my currently used binds file, called it "draft". Changed line 2 to reflect new name to see in game. Done that before, all good.
Using Notepad++ the new "draft" file has 1750 lines of code. Using find I come across 88 lines with "Gamepad" in it, no device ID.
Looked until my eye's crossed for that majic ID line. Any other hints to find the line to change device ID?
Thanks!!
Using Notepad++ the new "draft" file has 1750 lines of code. Using find I come across 88 lines with "Gamepad" in it, no device ID.
Looked until my eye's crossed for that majic ID line. Any other hints to find the line to change device ID?
Thanks!!
Inside your binds file, you have lines showing your Binding Device. For example: <Binding Device="045E0B00" Key="GamePad_LStickX" />. This is your Device ID.
So search the Device ID in Notepad++ and then replace it with the new one. This will let the Elite 2 controller use the old binds no problem.
So search the Device ID in Notepad++ and then replace it with the new one. This will let the Elite 2 controller use the old binds no problem.
Must be missing something here... there are only 4 lines of code out of 1750 that have a numerical entry associated with "Binding Device=". They all contain the same numerical device identifier, my TM Warhog Hotas.
No worries... I'll tackle this from another angle.
I have read that if I unplug my old Xbox controller and load any bind file that had that gamepadin it. it will BORK the entire binds file and I would have to rebuild from scratch. Is this true?
I'm getting a new hotas and stick in another month or two, so I'm going HAVE TO rebuild from ground zero, was just looking to get the new Elite2 controller working for footwork until then.
No worries... I'll tackle this from another angle.
I have read that if I unplug my old Xbox controller and load any bind file that had that gamepadin it. it will BORK the entire binds file and I would have to rebuild from scratch. Is this true?
I'm getting a new hotas and stick in another month or two, so I'm going HAVE TO rebuild from ground zero, was just looking to get the new Elite2 controller working for footwork until then.
What you could do is connect your controller, run the game, select any of the built-in profiles, assign something on the controller to a command, click apply and exit. Now you will have a "custom" binds file which contains an entry for the command you just assigned - showing what the game calls your controller. Use that in the find and replace method mentioned earlier.
I pretty sure the binds file calls my controller "gamepad", there are 62 lines of code that cover the gamepad buttons I have assigned to FSS functions, all making sense. All of them are associated with FSS commands, the only functions I use the controller for nothing else. I have looked at those 62 lines quite closely, none of them have a numeric device assignment, as there is for the HOTAS. Oddly, I also have a TM Warthog throttle, Crosswinds I use for brakes in the SRV, and 2 TM Cougar MFD's. Only the throttle shows up in the binds file along with the HOTAS and throttle. But it has no numeric device assigment code line for the Throttle, along with the gamepad, as there is for the HOTAS.
I'lll just live with using the old Xbox for the FSS. When I upgrade sticks and throttle here shortly I'm going to have a hell of a learning curve. All in good time.Thanks!
I meant your new controller - the Elite2.
While I have been using a Bluetooth adapter for my Elite 2 controller, I just moved to a Wifi/BT PCIe network card. This has changed my Device ID for my Elite 2 controller.
In C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings, my controls are still backed up for my Elite 2 via .backup files.
When launching the game with the controller connected over native BT, my controls are now gone. Go into controls and apply your Yaw Axis control (first one on the .bindings file to quickly find your ID). Apply and close game. Now go back into the bindings folder, open up your new controls that are mostly blank, and find your Device ID for your 'new' controller. For me, it is 045E0B22. The old device ID is 045E0B00.
In Notepad++, open up the new blank controls, and replace everything with your old controls. Now to CTRL-F, and replace your OLD device ID with the NEW one by doing Replace All. Save the file and launch Elite.
Now your new controller can use your old keymappings and without having to manually do each one by hand.
If it still does not work, check for an error log to appear in the Bindings folder.
In C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings, my controls are still backed up for my Elite 2 via .backup files.
When launching the game with the controller connected over native BT, my controls are now gone. Go into controls and apply your Yaw Axis control (first one on the .bindings file to quickly find your ID). Apply and close game. Now go back into the bindings folder, open up your new controls that are mostly blank, and find your Device ID for your 'new' controller. For me, it is 045E0B22. The old device ID is 045E0B00.
In Notepad++, open up the new blank controls, and replace everything with your old controls. Now to CTRL-F, and replace your OLD device ID with the NEW one by doing Replace All. Save the file and launch Elite.
Now your new controller can use your old keymappings and without having to manually do each one by hand.
If it still does not work, check for an error log to appear in the Bindings folder.
Last edited:
Hey man. I'm a total noob to PC gaming and have had a pretty painful and expensive journey to get to the point of having a gaming PC and a transferred account (that I was able to do successfully entirely on my phone incidentally) ready to go. I would love to use the PS5 pad.
Any particular steps I need to follow to get this going or just plug in and play? When I logged in it seemed to force an on foot Odyssey tutorial so I'm just gonna log into Horizons while I get used to the flight controls again and get button mapping sorted first.
If you're talking about an XBox controller with (one of) the standard layout - just (first) wire it up, then start the game. Use the wired USB connection. Steam may interfere there with one of its modes - I wouldn't know about that since I run my copies directly from the FD launcher.
Thanks. I want to use the PS5 controller so will just plug it in and see how it goes. Also using FD launcher as that's where I got the 'free' copy of the game when I transferred.
Should just work plugged in.
I recently got the central touch pad working as some extra buttons as it seems Steam have improved their support!
I've been using an xbox one Elite Series 2 controller in Windows 10 for years - and before then I had the first version of the Elite controller.
It works just fine if you just plug it in with the usb cable, but it can also connect via bluetooth if that's what you want.
Might be worth using the xbox accessories app (it's in the Windows store as a free download.) if you want to use the paddles on the bottom of the controller - and for updating the firmware on the controller.
I'm pretty close the the PC so I never bother with the wireless connection, but it worked fine the few times I tried it out for the novelty of it
It works just fine if you just plug it in with the usb cable, but it can also connect via bluetooth if that's what you want.
Might be worth using the xbox accessories app (it's in the Windows store as a free download.) if you want to use the paddles on the bottom of the controller - and for updating the firmware on the controller.
I'm pretty close the the PC so I never bother with the wireless connection, but it worked fine the few times I tried it out for the novelty of it
Hi shadowland,
I wanted to ask as your setup is the same as mine, have you managed to get all 4 paddles under the elite controller working?
I’m currently using the steam to launch the game and the Xbox accessories app to custom bind keys, but only 2 out of the 4 paddles work…
Any thoughts?
On my setup, all 4 paddles are working - but AFAIK, on a PC, you can only use the paddles as alternatives to the A/B/X/Y keys, not as independent inputs.
I use my outer paddles for thrust left and right (made a profile with left paddle as LS click and right paddle as back button.. then set strafe to those buttons in Elite) - so I can yaw and strafe at the same time. Inner paddles are still A and B buttons; nice for boosting while still using right stick, among other things. Certainly a lot better than a standard controller. Though I wish we could modify the sensitivity curves of the sticks in this game. It's just too sensitive on slight movements with a controller (and FA off aside, the physics are jerky too). I've had to switch to gimbal weapons since I stopped using a stick.