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‎readme.md‎

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# HOJAM #
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### *(Mouse-as-throttle -- experimental prototype)* ###
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Mouselook Gang!
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Are you tired of reaching back and forth, from your mouse to the dodgy 8-bit slider on your cheapo-joystick? Me too.
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I wondered, what if we could control the throttle simply by *dragging* the mouse forward and back? After all, there isn't any other interaction in the 3D cockpit controlled by drag/drop which would interfere with that.
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So I built this simple prototype as a proof-of-concept, to try it out -- it works by hooking mouse input in the background, watching for left-button-drag movement, and generating mousewheel-rotation input events in response. If you assign throttle-axis to the mousewheel in BMS, voila -- your mouse is now a HOTAS throttle! (With far fewer knobs and buttons.. but hey you can use it to look around.)
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Currently this is just a crude prototype -- but I'd like to get feedback and hear ideas before developing it further. (Is this useful for anyone but me?) Here are the details for installation and tips for configuration:
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## Instructions ##
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#### *Download and Install:*
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- <u>TODO: github link</u>
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- Simply download and unzip, anywhere you like. No installer, no dependencies, and no special permissions required.
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- Should run ok on Windows 10 version 1903 and later (requires .NET Framework 4.8).
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#### *Review settings in `DragWheel.exe.config` file:*
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- (optional) Adjust the `MouseResolution` value in `DragWheel.exe.config` if your mouse is more or less sensitive than mine. For a 1200 dpi mouse the total "throw" of travel for the throttle is about 2.5 inches of mouse movement.
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- (protip) You can also change the `MouseButton` used to manipulate the throttle .. button #0 (left-button) is the default. But if you have a 5-button mouse I recommend using button #3 or #4 (aka zero-based index of button-4 or -5) so there's no possibility of an errant click, when beginning to drag.
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- (protip) I've also added the ability to use a `JoystickButton` instead of a mouse button. If your stick has a pinky/dx-shift configured, I've found that can work well for engaging the throttle.
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#### *Review related settings in `falcon bms.cfg` file:*
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- (recommended) Disable wheel-knobs to avoid grabbing and spinning random knobs by accident:
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`set g_bMouseWheelKnobs 0`
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- (recommended) Disable clickable-hotspot anchoring, to clear the way for smooth uniform, mouse dragging:
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`set g_b3DClickableCursorAnchored 0`
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#### *Pre-flight:*
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- Simply launch `DragWheel.exe` before launching BMS .. it will open in a console window. Left-click and drag the window up and down, by its titlebar, and observe the stream of console output to verify it's working.
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- Relocate your mouse to the left side of your keyboard .. wherever you'd place your hotas throttle if you had one.
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#### *In BMS:*
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- Setup / Controllers => reassign the throttle to the mousewheel.
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- (recommended) Set the mousewheel sensitivity slider all the way to minimum, for finely-tuned throttle control.
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- (consider) Whether you want to fly with clickable-cockpit on or off (mouselook mode) by default. (See protip below.)
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- (optional) Assign your throttle slider to something else if you want, eg. FOV or toe-brakes.
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#### *In the jet:*
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- Use right-button-drag to look around, as you normally do.
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- ***Use left-button-drag (up and down) to control the throttle (forward and back, respectively).***
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- (protip) If you prefer to fly with mouselook engaged, you can press and hold both left+right buttons simultaneously to move the throttle without panning the view up or down. (Reminder: [alt+3] is the default key binding to toggle between mouselook and clickable-cockpit modes.)
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#### *Debrief:*
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- Close DragWheel.exe by pressing [ctrl+C] or simply close its console window.
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## Benefits
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- HOTAS flying sensation, on a shoestring budget -- experience the ability to look around while keeping hands on stick and "throttle"!
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- Vastly increased throttle sensitivity, compared to most cheap 8-bit consumer joystick sliders (eg. Thrustmaster T.16000M, or Logitech Extreme 3D Pro) .. makes easier landing, taxiing, holding formation, etc.
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## Caveats
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- This is just a prototype / proof of concept. The most obvious downside to this approach is, you lose ability to control FOV with the mousewheel.
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- Setting `g_fNarrowFOV 40` in bms.cfg can help mitigate that, if you assign `FOVToggle` "Look Closer" to a stick button you can make regular use of that while keeping hotas.
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- If your stick has a throttle-slider, consider assigning that to control FOV.
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- Mapping mousewheel-to-throttle isn't well supported or documented by BMS. There are many quirks.. eg. if you click the middle-button it will still reset fov, like normal, but also it will snap your throttle to the 50% point. And beware taxiway-starts -- be ready on the wheelbrakes -- you will spawn in with throttle immediately set to 50%!
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- Sometimes the throttle in BMS will stop responding to mousewheel entirely .. when that happens, clicking the wheel (middle) button usually re-engages it.. usually.
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## Future
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If this idea generates enough interest, I plan to pursue a different approach based on vJoy (or similar framework) to drive a virtual-axis for the throttle instead of relying on mousewheel.
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That should be more stable, supportable, and allow the mousewheel to return to its rightful role controlling FOV.
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With full control of a virtual-axis, we can also add the possibility of configurable detents (eg. stop the throttle at MIL power; require a second drag to go into AB). Or perhaps add a 2nd axis to control two engines independently -- perhaps by dragging with buttons 4 & 5 held (for 5-button mice) or dragging with a modifier key held. Or .. whatever other crazy ideas we come up with.
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‎src/App.config‎

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
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<configuration>
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<startup>
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<!--run on Windows 10 version 1903 or later-->
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<supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.8" />
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</startup>
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<appSettings>
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<!--mouse sensitivity (DPI) .. for typical 1200 dpi mouse, the total "throw"
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distance of the throttle is approx 2.5 inches of mouse travel-->
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<add key="MouseResolution" value="1200"/>
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<!--mouse button to engage throttle [0=LeftButton ... 4=XButton-Forward] -->
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<add key="MouseButton" value="0"/>
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<!--(optional) joystick button to engage throttle [0-31] -->
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<add key="JoystickButton" value="0"/>
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</appSettings>
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</configuration>

‎src/Config.cs‎

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using System;
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using System.Configuration;
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using System.Diagnostics;
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namespace DragWheel
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{
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internal static class Config
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{
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//----------------------------------------
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public static int MouseResolution
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{
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get
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{
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string configValue = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["MouseResolution"];
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if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(configValue))
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return defaultMouseResolution;
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return Int32.Parse(configValue, System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
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}
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}
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static int defaultMouseResolution = 1200;//dpi
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//----------------------------------------
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public static int? MouseButton
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{
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get
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{
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string configValue = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["MouseButton"];
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if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(configValue))
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return null;
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int value = Int32.Parse(configValue, System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
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if (value < 0 || value > 4)
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throw new ConfigurationErrorsException("MouseButton must be in range [0-4]");
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return value;
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}
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}
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//----------------------------------------
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public static int? JoystickButton
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{
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get
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{
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string configValue = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["JoystickButton"];
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if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(configValue))
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return null;
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int value = Int32.Parse(configValue, System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
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if (value < 0 || value > 31)
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throw new ConfigurationErrorsException("JoystickButton must be in range [0-31]");
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return value;
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}
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}
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}
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//------------------------------------------------------------------
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internal static partial class Tests
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{
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internal static void Config_NullOrEmpty( )
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{
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string configValue = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["__NonExistent__"];
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Debug.Assert(String.IsNullOrEmpty(configValue));
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}
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}
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}

‎src/DragWheel.csproj‎

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
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<Project ToolsVersion="15.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
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<Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props" Condition="Exists('$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props')" />
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<PropertyGroup>
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<Configuration Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == '' ">Debug</Configuration>
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<Platform Condition=" '$(Platform)' == '' ">AnyCPU</Platform>
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<ProjectGuid>{68C3A8AD-3FA0-4CF9-A942-F7056E61EDC1}</ProjectGuid>
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<OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
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<RootNamespace>DragWheel</RootNamespace>
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<AssemblyName>DragWheel</AssemblyName>
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<TargetFrameworkVersion>v4.8</TargetFrameworkVersion>
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<FileAlignment>512</FileAlignment>
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<AutoGenerateBindingRedirects>true</AutoGenerateBindingRedirects>
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<Deterministic>true</Deterministic>
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</PropertyGroup>
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<PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' ">
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<PlatformTarget>AnyCPU</PlatformTarget>
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<DebugSymbols>true</DebugSymbols>
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<DebugType>full</DebugType>
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<Optimize>false</Optimize>
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<OutputPath>bin\Debug\</OutputPath>
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<DefineConstants>DEBUG;TRACE</DefineConstants>
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<ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
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<WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
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<Prefer32Bit>false</Prefer32Bit>
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</PropertyGroup>
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<PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Release|AnyCPU' ">
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<PlatformTarget>AnyCPU</PlatformTarget>
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<DebugType>pdbonly</DebugType>
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<Optimize>true</Optimize>
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<OutputPath>bin\Release\</OutputPath>
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<DefineConstants>TRACE</DefineConstants>
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<ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
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<WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
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<Prefer32Bit>false</Prefer32Bit>
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</PropertyGroup>
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<ItemGroup>
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<Reference Include="System" />
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<Reference Include="System.Configuration" />
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<Reference Include="System.Core" />
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<Reference Include="Microsoft.CSharp" />
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</ItemGroup>
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<ItemGroup>
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<Compile Include="Config.cs" />
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<Compile Include="RawInputJoystickHandler.cs" />
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<Compile Include="MouseDragTracker.cs" />
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<Compile Include="RawInputMouseHandler.cs" />
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<Compile Include="Win32_RawInput.cs" />
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<Compile Include="Win32_MessageWindow.cs" />
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<Compile Include="Win32_SendInput.cs" />
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<Compile Include="Program.cs" />
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<Compile Include="Properties\AssemblyInfo.cs" />
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</ItemGroup>
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<ItemGroup>
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<None Include="App.config" />
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</ItemGroup>
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<ItemGroup>
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<WCFMetadata Include="Connected Services\" />
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</ItemGroup>
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<Import Project="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.CSharp.targets" />
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</Project>

‎src/DragWheel.sln‎

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Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
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# Visual Studio Version 16
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VisualStudioVersion = 16.0.31025.194
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MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1
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Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "DragWheel", "DragWheel.csproj", "{68C3A8AD-3FA0-4CF9-A942-F7056E61EDC1}"
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EndProject
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Global
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GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
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Debug|Any CPU = Debug|Any CPU
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Release|Any CPU = Release|Any CPU
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EndGlobalSection
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GlobalSection(ProjectConfigurationPlatforms) = postSolution
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{68C3A8AD-3FA0-4CF9-A942-F7056E61EDC1}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
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{68C3A8AD-3FA0-4CF9-A942-F7056E61EDC1}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
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{68C3A8AD-3FA0-4CF9-A942-F7056E61EDC1}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
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{68C3A8AD-3FA0-4CF9-A942-F7056E61EDC1}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
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EndGlobalSection
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GlobalSection(SolutionProperties) = preSolution
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HideSolutionNode = FALSE
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EndGlobalSection
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GlobalSection(ExtensibilityGlobals) = postSolution
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SolutionGuid = {502EB76F-6CC1-4ACA-9AA5-D4CBAAF7DDF7}
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EndGlobalSection
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EndGlobal

‎src/MouseDragTracker.cs‎

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/*
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* While left button is down (or optional joystick button held) track the net drag distance, and
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* high/low water marks from start of the drag. When drag distance exceeds the threshold in any
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* direction (ie. distance above low-water mark, or below high-water mark) generate a mousewheel
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* command, then update the high/low water marks accordingly.
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*/
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using System;
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using System.Diagnostics;
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namespace DragWheel
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{
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internal static class MouseDragTracker
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{
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// Virtualized coords, measured from start-of-drag position.
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static int _xPos, _yPos;
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static int _xHi, _yHi;
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static int _xLo, _yLo;
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//--------------------------------------------------------------
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// Interface
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//----------------------------------------
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static MouseDragTracker( )
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{
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ResetDragDeltas();
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}
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//----------------------------------------
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public static void ResetDragDeltas( )
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{
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_xPos = _yPos = 0;
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_xHi = _yHi = 0;
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_xLo = _yLo = 0;
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return;
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}
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//----------------------------------------
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public static int TrackDragDeltas( int deltaX, int deltaY )
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{
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// Accum drag-distance, and ratchet up or down the water marks.
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_xPos += deltaX;
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_yPos += deltaY;
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_xHi = Math.Max(_xPos, _xHi);
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_yHi = Math.Max(_yPos, _yHi);
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_xLo = Math.Min(_xPos, _xLo);
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_yLo = Math.Min(_yPos, _yLo);
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// If drag exceeds threshold distance from baseline, send mousewheel command(s) and update baseline.
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// The total "throw" of the throttle in BMS is 125 mousewheel-clicks. Mapping that to 2.50 inches of
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// mouse travel, is 50 wheel-clicks/inch of travel. For a typical 1200dpi mouse, that works out
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// to 24 mickies per wheel-click.
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int distanceThreshold = Config.MouseResolution / 50; // @1200dpi => 24 mickies (~0.02in)
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if (_yPos >= (_yLo + distanceThreshold))
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return CalcWheelDeltaAndUpdateBaseline(_yPos - _yLo);
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if (_yPos <= (_yHi - distanceThreshold))
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return CalcWheelDeltaAndUpdateBaseline(_yPos - _yHi);
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return 0;
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int CalcWheelDeltaAndUpdateBaseline( int draggedDistance )
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{
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int quantizedDistance = (int)(draggedDistance / distanceThreshold);
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if (quantizedDistance < 0)
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_yHi += (int)(quantizedDistance * distanceThreshold);
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if (quantizedDistance > 0)
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_yLo += (int)(quantizedDistance * distanceThreshold);
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return quantizedDistance * 120;//WHEEL_DELTA, one standardized "notch" of mousewheel rotation
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}
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}
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}
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//------------------------------------------------------------------
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internal static partial class Tests
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{
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//----------------------------------------
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internal static void MouseTracker_Up( )
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{
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MouseDragTracker.ResetDragDeltas();
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int dy = Config.MouseResolution / 50 + 1;
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Debug.Assert(+120 == MouseDragTracker.TrackDragDeltas(0, +dy));
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Debug.Assert(+120 == MouseDragTracker.TrackDragDeltas(0, +dy));
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}
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//----------------------------------------
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internal static void MouseTracker_Down( )
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{
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MouseDragTracker.ResetDragDeltas();
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MouseTracker_Up();
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int dy = Config.MouseResolution / 50 + 1;
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Debug.Assert(-120 == MouseDragTracker.TrackDragDeltas(0, -dy));
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Debug.Assert(-120 == MouseDragTracker.TrackDragDeltas(0, -dy));
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}
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}
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}

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