# Aircraft Category Input Profiles<no value>
The purpose of an **aircraft category input** **profile**, is to create input mappings for a specific **device** that permit that device to work with most aircraft of any given category.

 

To set up this kind of profile we recommend having the device itself at hand, and ensuring that it has a device profile already present in the simulation. This can be one already included by the simulation or one supplied by third parties. On the occaision where you have the device yourself but there is no profile for it, you can create your own device profile following the instructions here:

-   [Device Profiles](device-profiles/)

 

 

### Setting Up The Category Input Profile Package

To set up your chosen aircraft category controls, we will be using the [Input Profile Editor](../../devmode/editors/input-editors/the-input-profile-editor/), which has a list of all the input actions used in the simulation, and permits you to bind the different controller inputs to them. However, first:

-   If this is a new project you will need to create a new package for the aircraft category profiles (see [Adding A New Package](aircraft-category-input-profiles/#new_package)).
-   If this is an existing [device profile project](device-profiles/) then you will need to add a new package for the input profile (see [Adding A New Package](#new_package)).
-   If you have already created a [transversal profile](transversal-input-profiles/), then you can simply add a new input configuration XML file to the existing input profile asset group (see [Adding A New Configuration XML](aircraft-category-input-profiles/#configuration_xml)).

 

 

#### Adding A New Package

For the first two of the above-mentioned situations, the approach is the same and starts with adding a package and an asset group specifically for the aircraft category profile using the [Project Editor](../../devmode/editors/project-editor/the-project-editor/). For this example we'll be adding a new package and asset group to an existing project that already has a device profile, which starts by clicking the `Add Package` button in the Project Editor, and selecting Input Profile:

{{< image-center
    src="images/5_Content_Config/Input/categories/category_2_assetgroup.png"
    alt="Creating The Profile Asset Group" >}}

 

On clicking {{< button "Next" />}}, you will be taken to the **Input Profile Wizard** (see below) where you can select the device to use for the profile, and set what kind of profile it's going to be.

 

 

#### Adding A New Configuration XML

If you already have a package with an input profile asset group - for example after creating a *Transversal* profile - then you can simply add another file to that asset group using the [Input Profile Editor](../../devmode/editors/input-editors/the-input-profile-editor/). This is done by clicking the {{< button "+" />}} button beside the existing **File path** in the editor:

{{< image-center
    src="images/5_Content_Config/Input/categories/category_1_addxml.png"
    alt="Adding A New Configuration XML File" >}}

 

This will then open the **Input Profile Wizard** (see below) where you can select the device to use for the profile, and set what kind of profile it's going to be.

 

 

#### The Profile Wizard

In the input profile wizard you will want to select the *platform* for the profile, and then select the category that you want to make the profile for. The assumption here is that you will be creating custom controls for the device that are *specific to the aircraft category*. For this example, we'll be selecting the **Helicopter** category.

 

Having selected the platform and the device, you need to give the device details. This starts with the **Product ID**, and - if you have the device available - you can simply plug it into your PC then select **Use A Device Connected To Your Computer** to select the device from the drop-down list.

{{< image-center
    src="images/5_Content_Config/Input/categories/category_3_wizard.png"
    alt="The Input Wizard When Adding An Input Profile" >}}

 

If you don't have the device then you will have to supply the following:

-   **Product ID** - This is the unique product ID, expressed as a hexadecimal value, format `0x0000`.
-   **Composite ID** - The composite ID is an integer value used to link multiple parts of a single product to a unique product ID (e.g. HOTAS…)
-   **Hardware Version** - Similar to the composite ID, the hardware ID is used to link multiple parts together when they do *not* all belong to a single product ID.

 

Once you have this information, you should give the profile an appropriate name, and then click the `Validate` button. This will save the profile XML to the package and it can now be edited in the [Input Profile Editor](../../devmode/editors/input-editors/the-input-profile-editor/).

 

 

### Setting Up Category Bindings

The **Input Profile Editor** is what will be used for setting up the bindings between device inputs and the simulation actions, which - in this case - is the device you wish to use for the aircraft category controls (in this example, *helicopters*), and it should be plugged into the PC if possible. If you do *not* have the device present, you can still set up the profile, but it may feel a little more complicated.

 

Having set up the package/asset group/XML for the input profile already, you should have the **Input Editor** open (but if not, you can open it from the [Editors](../../devmode/menus/editors/) menu, or by right-clicking on the package asset group and selecting *Load In Editor*), and it will look like this:

{{< image-center
    src="images/5_Content_Config/Input/categories/category_4_inputeditor.png"
    alt="The Input Profile Editor" >}}

 

In general, the bindings you will need to set up are only those that are specific to the aircraft category you selected (in this case, helicopters). All bindings that are not specific to the aircraft category - ie: UI, cameras, user avatar, etc... - should have been set up using a **transversal profile**, as explained here:

-   [Transversal Input Profiles](transversal-input-profiles/)

 

To set up these inputs, we recommend that start by checking the **Show All Actions** checkbox, and then in the filter type the category you require - in this example `HELICOPTER` - which will populate the action list with all actions associated with that category across the various category-specific contexts:

{{< image-center
    src="images/5_Content_Config/Input/categories/category_5_contexts.png"
    alt="Using The Filter To Find All The Helicopter Contexts" >}}

{{< callout context="note" title="NOTE" icon="outline/bulb" >}}

It is also worth exploring the `AIRCRAFT` contexts, since there are some controls that will be applicable for multiple aircraft categories available under the contexts that show up when using that filter.

{{< /callout >}}

 

To add the bindings you have the following two methods:

-   take the inputs directly from the device by clicking the **Get Input** button (![The Get Input Button](images/5_Content_Config/Input/transversal/icon_get_input.png)) and then moving the device joystick and/or pressing the device buttons.

Or:

-   use the drop down list button (![The Select Input Button](images/5_Content_Config/Input/transversal/icon_select_input.png)) and select one or more inputs manually.

 

Note that regardless of the method chosen to add the device input, you can "group" inputs on a single action to have two or more device inputs required for it, for example: press A *and* joystick UP to raise the landing gear.

 

{{< image-center
    src="images/5_Content_Config/Input/transversal/transversal_11_getinput.gif"
    alt="Adding An Input Using Direct Device Input Or The Drop-Down List" >}}

 

It should be noted that there are certain options available to you for each binding, and these can be accessed using the ![The Action Options Button](images/2_DevMode/input_editors/input_editor/icon_options.png "The Action Options Button") button, which will open the **Action Options** window:

{{< image-center
    src="images/5_Content_Config/Input/transversal/transversal_8_actionoptions.png"
    alt="The Action Options Window" >}}

 

From here you can choose from the various different *type flags* to use to modify the input. These *type flags* are all explained in detail here: [Type Flags](../../devmode/editors/input-editors/the-input-profile-editor/#type). Note that if you have checked the **MOD VALUE** type flag, you will have another option - **Value Event** - which allows you to change the value sent when the input is received (by default this is 0 / 1 or between 0 and 1 depending on the input), or if you are editing an Analogue or Axis input, then you will also have the [Override Axis](../../devmode/editors/input-editors/the-input-profile-editor/#override_axis) option.

 

For further aircraft categories, simply [Add A New Configuration XML](aircraft-category-input-profiles/#configuration_xml) and then repeat the process outlined above.

 

 

### Saving And Exporting The Project

Once we have set up all the aircraft category bindings, you can save the [Input Configuration XML](input-configuration-xml-properties/) to the package using the **Save** option from the [File](../../devmode/editors/input-editors/the-input-profile-editor/#file) menu. Once you've saved the bindings you can go ahead and build the package (see [Building A Package](../../devmode/editors/project-editor/the-project-editor/#building-a-package)) and then test the bindings in the simulation (ie: select the controller in the simulation UI and then start a flight using an aircraft of the chosen category, testing the different inputs that you have defined).