How Do I

[MichaelCHProd]

I thought I would put a basic Control Manager help thread in here to see if this is the level of support you are looking for from the CM Manual. This How-To Guide will cover some basics of button programming, saving a map, and downloading a map.


Lets begin....

For this "Map" I will be using a Combatstick only and I will be trying to program Button 1 (the trigger) to be "Control A".

First lets open the Control Manager..

If your controllers are plugged in and the Control Manager sees them it will open up and look like this...

http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/2.jpg

Note how the three Icons are lit...
Off Mode ftp://ftp.chproducts.com/pub/Postings/CM_Off_Mode.jpg
Direct Mode ftp://ftp.chproducts.com/pub/Postings/CM_Direct_Mode.jpg
and Mapped Mode ftp://ftp.chproducts.com/pub/Postings/CM_Mapped_Mode.jpg


If they are not "lit" and your screen looks like this...
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/1.jpg
Then either your CH USB controllers are not plugged in or the Control Manager has not seen them yet.

To get the Control Manager to scan your PC and find them press the Test/Calibrate button ftp://ftp.chproducts.com/pub/Postings/CM_Test-Calibrate.jpg

You might some windows that pop up and tell you that Windows has Found New Hardware but this is OK and you should let them install.

[MichaelCHProd]

On to our project. Now that we have opened the Control Manager and our controllers are seen by the Control Manager lets start a map. For the purposes of this guide I will be using only a Combatstick. So I will "Add" a Combatstick to my map by first clicking on the "Add" button...
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/3.jpg

[MichaelCHProd]

A new window will pop up showing all of the CH USB controllers supported in this version of the Control Manager.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/4.jpg

[MichaelCHProd]

Now I will left click with my mouse on the controller I wish to "Add" to the map. In this case I will select the Combatstick.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/5.jpg

Once it is highlighted I can click on "Okay" to place it in the map.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/6.jpg

[MichaelCHProd]

Once you hit "Okay" you will get a Control Manager screen with the Combatstick showing.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/7.jpg

Later on we will get into axis but for now lets just do a simple button. :)

[MichaelCHProd]

To program the button (or any button for that matter) I will need select that button. I can do this by either physically pressing the button on the unit or I can left click on the picture of the button on the screen.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/8.jpg

NOTE:

There are three pictures of the controller. Two in boxes which are for PROGRAMMING BUTTONS, and a third picture that is not in a box and is for PROGRAMMING AXIS.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/29.jpg

[MichaelCHProd]

If you remember from the begining of this thread we are looking to program button 1 on our Combatstick which is the trigger.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/8.jpg

Once I have clicked on the button in question you will note that a small yellow arrow points at the button and the right side of the Control Manager will show that button.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/9.jpg

[MichaelCHProd]

Now in order to program a button to send a keystroke (or a series of keystrokes) I need to take it out of DirectX mode.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/10.jpg

Once you uncheck the DirectX mode check box you will get the "Programmed Function" in the right side of the Control Manager.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/11.jpg

[MichaelCHProd]

Now we are going to program the button (the trigger) so first we will place our cursor in the "Press" box under "Normal Action".
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/12.jpg

We use the "Press" box as we want the button to send the keystroke when we press the button. We do not need to enter anything in the "Release" box as the Control Manager is smart enough to know that when you stop pressing the button to stop sending the keystroke. If you wanted to send something behind a command then you woudl use the "Release" box.

Example: push the button to drop a bomb and when you release the button is closes the bomb bay doors.

[MichaelCHProd]

There are a couple of ways to enter a command but we will go with the fool proof way... the Keystroke Recorder. To use the Keystroke Recorder right click in the "Press" box and a drop down menu will appear.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/13.jpg

Use your map to move down the list and select the "Record Keystrokes"
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/14.jpg

When you left click on "Record Keystrokes" you will get a new window...
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/15.jpg

[MichaelCHProd]

With this window open you can press ANY key on the keyboard and it will show up here in the "Keystroke Recorder" (the only exception would be special keys that are on non US keyboards).

Like I said earlier we are programming the trigger to send a combination of two keys, the "control" key and the "a" key. In the game I press and hold down the "control" key then I press the "a" key. So I will do the same here.

First I press and hold the "control" key on my keyboard...
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/16.jpg

Immediately the "Keystroke Recorder" shows that I have pressed the left control key down. I then press the "a" key on my keyboard...
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/17.jpg

Once again you will see that the "Keystroke Recorder" picks it up. Now I release the "a" key...
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/18.jpg

and the "Keystroke Recorder" tells me that I have "released" it. I then release the "control" key...
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/19.jpg

[MichaelCHProd]

If all has gone well I can click on the "Exit" key with my mouse to move on.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/20.jpg

NOTE:

If you make a mistake simply click on the "Clear" button to re-enter the keys. Also remember you MUST click on the "Exit" button with your mouse if you try to hit the "enter" key to get out it will only "Record" that input and not close the window.

[MichaelCHProd]

You will now see that the proper comand has been entered in the "Press" box for us.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/21.jpg

With this entered you can see that you can skip the "Keystroke Recorder" if you choose and simply type the command in manually. You will however need to be aware that this box IS case sensitive and you need to use the correct syntax for each key. So the "F1" key would need to be typed out by typing a capitol f and then a number 1.

The following is a list of syntax for different keys..

Key = You need to type

Backspace = BKSPC
Caps Lock = CAPS
Enter = ENT
Escape = ESC
Left Alt = LALT
Left Control = LCTL
Left Shift = LSHF
NumLock = NUMLOCK
Print Screen = PRTSC
Right Alt = RALT
Right Control = RCTL
Right Shift = RSHF
Scroll Lock = SCRLK
Space = SPC
Tab = TAB
Pause = PAUSE
K102 = 102nd Key (Non-US)

Function Keys

F1 = F1
F2 = F2
F3 = F3
F4 = F4
F5 = F5
F6 = F6
F7 = F7
F8 = F8
F9 = F9
F10 = F10
F11 = F11
F12 = F12

Auxiliary Pad Keys

Keyboard Del = KBDEL
Keyboard Down Arrow = KBDOWN
Keyboard End = KBEND
Keyboard Home = KBHOME
Keyboard Ins = KBINS
Keyboard Left Arrow = KBLEFT
Keyboard PgDn = KBPGDN
Keyboard PgUp = KBPGUP
Keyboard Right Arrow = KBRIGHT
Keyboard Up Arrow = KBUP

Keypad Keys

Keypad - = KP-
Keypad . = KP.
Keypad * = KP*
Keypad / = KP/
Keypad + = KP+
Keypad 0 = KP0
Keypad 1 = KP1
Keypad 2 = KP2
Keypad 3 = KP3
Keypad 4 = KP4
Keypad 5 = KP5
Keypad 6 = KP6
Keypad 7 = KP7
Keypad 8 = KP8
Keypad 9 = KP9
Keypad Del = KPDEL
Keypad Down Arrow = KPDOWN
Keypad End = KPEND
Keypad Enter = KPENT
Keypad Home = KPHOME
Keypad Ins = KPINS
Keypad Left Arrow = KPLEFT
Keypad PgDn = KPPGDN
Keypad PgUp = KPPGUP
Keypad Right Arrow = KPRIGHT
Keypad Up Arrow = KPUP

Special Keys

Left Windows Key = LWIN
Right Windows Key = RWIN
Windows Application Key = APPS
Mouse Left Click = LCLICK
Mouse Right Click = RCLICK
Mouse Middle Click = MCLICK
Mouse Double Click = DBLCLICK
No Key = NULL

[MichaelCHProd]

So like I said.... it's better to use the "Keystroke Recorder". :)

Now we have finished programming our stick we need to save our work. So we will click on the Save button...
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/22.jpg


And a new dialog box will open.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/23.jpg

By default it should open to the "Maps" folder in your Control Manager folder. Which is conveniently located at

C:\Program Files\CH Products\Control Manager[/b]

If however you have loaded a map from some other location it will default to that directory.

[MichaelCHProd]

Go ahead and type the name of your map (whatever you are so inclined to use for our demonstration I will use "test") into the "File name" box.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/24.jpg

Note that I just typed over the "*.map" that was there. The Control Manager is bright enough to know this is a map file and will put that file extension on there for you. (as long as you do not touch the "Save as type" box beneath the "File name" box)
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/25.jpg

[MichaelCHProd]

Once you press "Save" the box will close and you will notice that the far right of the Control Manager's tool bar will change to say "Editing Test.map" or whatever you named the map.
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/26.jpg


I know my screen shot is blurry, but pretend for me ok :)

[MichaelCHProd]

We have created a map from scratch, programmed a button, and saved our map. Lets get it working so we can play a game for Pete's sake. ;)

To get any map working we need to download it to the controllers. So click on the "Download" button...
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/27.jpg

If all goes well you might get a few "Windows has found new hardware" windows (which are good let them install, i.e. keep clicking on "Yes", "Ok", "Next", and "Finished") and a confirmation from the Control Manager that you are ready to play...
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/28.jpg

[MichaelCHProd]

Lastly you need to close the Control Manager. The Control Manager DOES NOT NEED TO BE OPEN while you are playing a game. So close it...
http://www.chproducts.com//retail/cm_images/How-To_1/30.jpg

Either the normal Windows "X" in the top right corner or the "Exit" button ftp://ftp.chproducts.com/pub/Postings/CM_Exit.jpg will do.