U360 mapping question for Andy

[Ummon]

From http://ultimarc.com/UltraMap_ChangeLog.htm


"A custom restrictor setting; value is a scaling factor applied when the UltraStik reads the joystick’s location. Value must be between 0 and 255, inclusive; although most useful values are between 4 and 20."

Can you elaborate on how this works, exactly? Intuitive to me would be that, as this 'scales', there would be more increments the higher the value set. However, restrictors require lower value settings than without a restrictor. I don't get it.

[u_rebelscum]

Andy will know more, and probably correct me in a few places , but here's a quick outline of what I know:

The u360 internal senses the stick position in 14 bits per axis.  It sends 8 bits per axis to the computer (the standard for analog).  Changing the scale value doesn't change the 8 bits per axis (aka increments); it changes how the 14 bits are converted to 8 bits.

It's easy for me to picture that the value corresponds to a "radius" that covers the 8 bits sent to the computer: the bigger the value the bigger the "circle" of the 14 bits will get converted.  (I',m quoting because I think it's really a square, but circles are easier to picture.)  How this is calculated, I don't know.

Since it's being converting inside the u360 by the firmware, I doubt the calculation is too hard.  But I'm just as curious on how the value is used in the convertion as you are.

[Ummon]

Hmmmm. What you're explaining, if correct, to me seems just a linear equation where the value determines the range of the plane in question....unless the arc the magnet travels is part of things at that level. Hmmmm.

[Ummon]

Bumping this cos it's off the first page.

[AndyWarne]

The setting is the value by which the raw position is divided by, to get the value sent to the PC. There is of course more to it than this and other factors are taken into account, but because its a divisor, the unrestricted value must be divided by a greater amount for the same result than the restricted value.

Andy

[Ummon]

OKAY, I think I understand this. Essentially, since the travel is farther without restriction, there have to be more increments so that the movement is sensed, or perhaps translated, properly. Right?

[AndyWarne]

Thats basically it, yes.

Andy