Originally Posted By: SolderMonkey

What do Zoom, Stop, Trim and Divisor do in Axis Programming?


ZOOM (out) = reduce axis curse by a factor set on DIVISOR when a pre-set button is pressed.

STOP = stop axis response when a pre-set button is pressed.

DIVISOR = value for ZOOM, e.g.2

Time ago a did a translation of early Configurator readme (notice that English is not my native language and I dont know Russian language, so use online translator), quote about ZOOM:

Click to reveal..

5.6) Zoom: Special mode activated by selected control key. When you press the joystick control button the movement of the axis cursor is reduce by value set on "Divisor" (9).
To understand this operation mode consider this simple example:
Normal mode: The joystick handle is in the center, reading 511, if the handle are alternately move to extreme positions the readings will vary from 0 to 1023 (minimum/maximum).
Zoom mode: Divisor is set to "2" , the Zoom activation button is pressed, the joystick handle is in the center, reading and 511: if the handle is moved to full down position the reading will show the value of 255 (the difference between the "middle = 511" - "minimum = 0" / "Divisor =2 ").
If the joystick handle is move to full up position the reading will show the value of 767 (the difference between the "maximum =1023" - "middle = 511" / "Divisor = 2" + center position [511]).
After releasing the "Zoom" activation button can happen that the physical joystick handle be at his maximum position (1023), and when the virtual joystick passed from half of the displacement (767) to maximum no sudden change occurs (between 767 and 1023) on "DATA" parameter. Each USB package (pps) ADC data between physical and logical joystick will be reduced by the value set on "Reduction".
In this example, if the "Reduction" is set to "256", after releasing the "Zoom" the axis following package jump abruptly to 1023.
If the "Reduction" is set to "4" then 1023-767 = 256 / "4" = the reduction is carried out for 64 cycles (equivalent to approximately 0.5 seconds if the joystick is 120 pps).
As a result, the "Zoom" allows, when the control button is pressed, gently moves the sights on the target.



Quote:

Is there a way to set one of the thrustmaster 3 way switches to actually work without putting in gate logic chips?


You mean that 3 position key (for modes) in WCS/Attack Throttle?

I think that this will depend in what you want this button do.

In Defender Cobra M5/VKB Mamba are a 3 way switch to allow 7 physical press buttons work in 3 different way, allowing 21 virtual buttons.

A way to use this kind of 3 way switch without logical chips is for change matrix lines or columns, allowing a physical button press different (software) button dependent on 3 way switch position...

Quote:

Can someone explain to me like I'm 5 - what are shift registers, how they work and why I would program them?


Not sure, but this function is related with micro chips existent inside Tm FLCS/F22 PRO/Cougar or Defender Cobra M5 grips... to send button press to main controller via ~5 wires (without use of diode matrix).

Sokol1