406: Saitek Driver Toggler

As mentioned in my Post 380 back in mid-September last year, I was working on a utility that would allow the toggling of the ON/OFF status of the Saitek Driver because SPAD.neXt requires the Saitek Driver to be removed (or unloaded) from the system in order to run properly.

Here it comes at last and I call the utility “SToggler” (abbr for “Saitek Driver Toggler“).  Edit: The utility has been updated and renamed as FIP Driver Toggler.   It is compatible with either Saitek or Logitech FIP drivers now.

The utility was designed to serve my needs to keep both Saitek and SPAD.neXt drivers on my system and at the same time could be selectively used when either of them was called up without interfering the other.

What the utility does when executes:

It will firstly check the FSX and P3D installation on the computer and make a backup copy of the current exe.xml file (which contains the script for the running of the Saitek Panel Plugin — SaiFlightSimX.exe), and create a “clean” exe.xml (without the Saitek Panel Plugin script) for the running of SPAD.neXt.

It will then further check if the Saitek Driver is running.

If the Saitek Driver is running, the utility will:
a) unload the Saitek Driver and
b) replace the current exe.xml with the clean exe.xml created by the utility; so that SPAD.neXt won’t be interfered when used.

Vice versa, if the Saitek Driver is not running, the utility will:
a) replace the clean exe.xml with the backup copy of the exe.xml last saved, then
b) reload and activate the Saitek Driver again.

The concept is pretty simple.

However, do note that the SToggler will ONLY function WHEN FSX or P3D or SPAD.neXt is NOT running.

It is because:
1)
When FSX or P3D is running, the Saitek Driver is in some ways connected to the simulator.  Turning OFF the Saitek Driver under such situation will cause errors most of the time.

Therefore, the SToggler is designed to quit itself while FSX or P3D is running so as to prevent unintentional crashing to the system.

2)
Similarly, as SPAD.neXt and Saitek Driver cannot be run simultaneously, the SToggler will also quit while SPAD.neXt is active in order to prevent unnecessary confusion to the system.

In short, to toggle the ON/OFF status of the Saitek Driver, ONLY run the SToggler WHEN FSX/P3D or SPAD.neXt is not running.

As mentioned above, the SToggler was originally designed to serve my needs.   However, it may be handy for other simmers who have the needs (or wants) to keep both Saitek and SPAD.neXt drivers in their systems for whatever reasons, too.

At the moment, the SToggler supports FSX and P3D only.  Supports to FSX-SE will be added in future updates.

The utility can be downloaded from the Freeware section in my shop.

Lastly, photos from Benjamin Weaver in Colorado have also been uploaded to the Cockpit Section recently.  The way he uses a black cloth to “cover up” his cockpit for a quick, effective, private area is truly creative.

17-0105_Ben Weaver-05 (KBJC, USA)

Ben also provides a youtube link about the building of his cockpit here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moee-KkEfKg

Happy Flying in 2017