Prior Unanswered Post Re: Cargo Doors

[mbscjohnp]

I am a "Newby" here, but have been around for 10 years simming.

I was searching the net and located a post from 2012, answered by Virtuali, in which the reply was to "assign a separate single key to open the cargo doors" and the person asking the question replied:  "Which single key?"  There was no subsequent reply from Virtuali posted.  As far as I have concluded regarding exits in FSX, the secondary keys "1"=Main, "2"=Cargo, "3"=Emergency.

The opening EXIT key can be changed to a single key, such as "x", instead of the FSX "Shift+E", but then to open the cargo doors the process would be "x+2".

Now I have seen the secondary key "4" equaling a "right side mirror of Main" and a "right side mirror of Left Rear (Emergency)" to be used to open right side exits for catering trucks, even though FSX actually does not support a secondary key "4".

My search was the same as the person asking the question in reply to Viruali, as several add-ons, such as RC, use number keys to activate processes and opening the cargo doors with the secondary number 2, also activates RC's "Request ATC Clearance" and subsequently "Request Push Back".   Therefore, a single "Non-numerical" cargo opening key would be extremely useful.

If Virtuali, or someone else, knows something others do not know on how to assign a single key, or combination other than a secondary "2", to open the cargo doors, please explain, as FSX assigns the secondary key "2" to opening cargo doors.  John

[virtuali]

Your question is a bit difficult to understand. First, I would like to make it clear this is NOT a GSX question! It's a generic question about opening doors in FSX. How do you open doors in FSX is entirely unrelated to the presence of GSX. You continue to open doors as you always did before.

Now the first question: assuming you are interested knowing how to open doors for a DEFAULT FSX airplane, or a 3rd party airplane that uses standard commands for doors, what's wrong with the default FSX key assignment ?

Yes, you CAN assign some doors to a single key, and that's very straightforward, just use the standard FSX controls menu and assign them. But the issue is, you don't WANT to do that, because there are not many free keys in FSX, and using 4 different single keys JUST for the 4 standard doors it's a waste of keys, assuming you CAN find 4 single free keys.

THAT'S why FSX uses Shift+E for the 1st door, and Shift+E and a secondary keypress from 2 to 4 for the other 3 doors.

So, I really think the best solution for default airplanes it's just using the default key assignments, and simply get the hang of the timing between Shift+E and the number right, IF this was the reason for your wanting to change the keys in the first place.

[mbscjohnp]

Mr. Umberto:  Thanks so much for your reply.

After posting the below reply, I am most pleased to report that a helpful soul in the RC forum was able to supply a solution.  It so happens with RC, and not many other add-ons, the situation with number keys conflicting with those of FSX "Number Selection" is handled by RC in that the "Keyboard" is editable.  Therefore, I was able to edit RC's number 1 into number 5, number 2 into number 6, etc.  Now when I open the cargo doors with x+2, RC no longer responds to the 2 click, as now only a "6" click initiates RC's ATC Clearance request, and a subsequent Pushback request and only a "5" click, instead of a "1" click, initiates a Weather Briefing, and subsequent Contact Ground.  Since GSX utilizes mouse clickable responses, instead of key clicks, GSX was never a problem.   Mark this solution SOLVED.

Now to my original reply to your reply:

Yes, this was a question regarding the opening of doors and my post was in regard to your non-reply as to the question asked by the original poster, "Which single key?"

Why not use the standard Shift+E+Number, you ask.  Well, that combination has been the bane of the sim community for years with numerous posts regarding folks who "just could not get the hang of" getting the time delay right.  An answer was to substitute the available "x" in the controls menu to remedy the delay problem experienced by folks.  It seemed to reduce the number of folks having problems opening cargo doors, with a simpler x+2.

As for a single key for opening doors, since FSX apparently establishes the "number presses" for door activation, eg. 1=Main, 2=Cargo, 3=Emergency, unless one substitutes a letter for say the "Select Number" 2, that letter would only really substitute for the number 2 and it would open the Cargo doors, but that letter would now also have to be used for "Select Number" 2 and, at the same key press, interfere with RC by requesting an ATC Clearance, while the Cargo doors open.  Therefore your earlier suggestion to that poster apparently was misunderstood.

I was under the impression, from your earlier reply to that original poster, that you had a simple answer of "assign a single key to open the cargo doors."  I was simply hopeful that your "suggestion" provided a solution and, if not, that some other helpful soul would respond positively,  Apparently some add-on providers did not thinkt this numbering sequence through, as they continue to use the numbers 1 through 4, instead of perhaps 10 to 14 to activate their individual processes and avoiding interfering with the door sequences, and other single number selections, built into FSX.

My problem arose with RC and GSX running and opening the Cargo doors for Boarding.  The minute the number 2 in the Cargo door selection is depressed, the Cargo doors open, but RC also immediately responds with my ATC clearance.  Again, by closing the Cargo doors, the minute the number 2 in the Cargo doors selection is depressed, RC also immediately responds to my apparent request for Pushback.

Thanks again for your thoughtful reply and belated Happy Holidays. John

[virtuali]

My problem arose with RC and GSX running and opening the Cargo doors for Boarding.  The minute the number 2 in the Cargo door selection is depressed, the Cargo doors open, but RC also immediately responds with my ATC clearance.  Again, by closing the Cargo doors, the minute the number 2 in the Cargo doors selection is depressed, RC also immediately responds to my apparent request for Pushback.

Now everything's clear: because of the questionable way that product (which I don't entirely understand what it is, it's Radar Contact perhaps ? Never had a look at it ) handle key presses, you have some issues using the standard FSX way to open default doors using the key+number sequence.

It's just wrong for an add-on trying to use the un-shifted 1...4 keys, because those keys are RESERVED to do things with multiple choices, like opening different doors, starting specific engines, selecting different NAV radios, selecting different OBI indicators, selecting the default pushback direction, etc. and ALL of these requires an initial key press followed by a number from 1 to 4 (or 1 to 2) and if that RC program is getting into the way to intercept the number keypresses from 1 to 4, it's going to break ALL these features too, not just doors!

Again, please note this doesn't have anything to do with GSX. You would have had the SAME problem even if you never used GSX at all, because what that RC program is doing, is interfering with the STANDARD way of opening a default door in FSX.

Now, I guess that, before GSX, you didn't had much REASONS to open those doors, so you only get to notice this while using GSX, but not because of how GSX works, simply because you now have a reason to open such doors. It's important to clarify, even for other readers, this is not a GSX discussion, but rather of a discussion on how to handle a conflict with a 3rd party add-on ( RC in this case ) and the standard way of opening default doors in FSX.

I believe there are some free gauges, that allows you to open default doors with a mouse click.

[mbscjohnp]

Again, please note this doesn't have anything to do with GSX. You would have had the SAME problem even if you never used GSX at all, because what that RC program is doing, is interfering with the STANDARD way of opening a default door in FSX.

Umberto:  That is exactly why I posted my question solely in the "General Category-General Discussions" (feel free to talks about anything) area, seeking input and assistance from fellow compatriots, and only because your reply to that original poster regarding "a single key for opening doors" came up on the internet in response to my problem search.  I also made sure to note in the original and subsequent posts, "since GSX allows mouse clickable selections, GSX was never the problem."  

Thanks again for all of your good works and especially for KDEN, as that was my rest over on my actual route in an A321 to and from KCLT, which I still sim to this day.  At my age, I can't get out of the "habit."  When you complete EDDF, my later actual route in an A330-300 to and from KCLT before getting too old to pass my flight physical, I will be most pleased.   John