Once I assign and apply my own binds in Options -> Controls -> Keyboard for Fire Primary, Fire Secondary, Fire Tertiary and Turbo, then restart VO, my binds are being over written or appended with what looks like default mappings to JOY0BUTTON0, JOY0BUTTON1, JOY0BUTTON2, and JOY0BUTTON3.

At first I thought it was something to do with my new thrustmaster rig but it's also happening with a 'back to basics' run of the mill joystick plugged in with no other third party controller software loaded.

So my question is, is there a way to stop the binds I've setup being over written by these four seemingly default mappings every time I restart VO? I'm starting to put my hair out because, on the face of it, there just doesn't appear to be an obvious solution.

Sounds perplexing as the way you describe it makes it seem as though your key assignments are changing every time you start VO. If this is the case I recommend submitting a support ticket.

JOY0BUTTON0 etc. are VO's names for various buttons on your rig. The easiest way to configure controls that I've found is to go under Options -> Controls -> Keyboard, then highlight the function you want to assign by double-clicking it so that it appears red, then pressing the button on your rig you want it assigned to. The game will automatically name the button you have pressed. There is no need to use /bind unless you are setting up special configurations or aliases. A single function can also be assigned to more than one key or button.

Thanks Phaserlight but I think I've solved it.

It would appear that as long as JOY0BUTTON0, JOY0BUTTON1, JOY0BUTTON2, and JOY0BUTTON3 are assigned to something other than Fire Primary, Fire Secondary, Fire Tertiary and Turbo then JOY0BUTTON0, JOY0BUTTON1, etc. don't append themselves to Fire Primary, Fire Secondary, etc. The problem occurs when you don't assign them to something and they then default on there own to Fire Primary, Fire Secondary, etc. Does that make sense?

I think so. Still, having additional buttons on your rig assigned to fire primary, secondary, tertiary, and turbo shouldn't overwrite what you initially had those functions assigned to. If you want those buttons assigned to nothing you could try binding them to a dummy alias:

/bind JOY0BUTTON0 x
/bind JOY0BUTTON1 x
/bind JOY0BUTTON2 x
/bind JOY0BUTTON3 x

That might prevent the buttons from defaulting to fire primary etc., but I'm not really sure.

Make sure the game client exits properly at least once after ou sat your binds or else they won't save.

Thanks guys.

What a crazy couple of days that was I can tell ya! Once I'd figured out that JOY0BUTTON0 to 3 and JOY1BUTTON0 to 3 need to be assigned to something, anything, instead of me just removing them from Options -> Controls -> Keyboard, everything's peachy.
The daft thing is though MMBUTTON, LMBUTTON, and RMBUTTON etc. can be removed from Options -> Controls -> Keyboard quite safely without them returning on their ownsome to a default bind when you restart VO.

Editting the ini file directly usually will avoid any problems....

Remember too that Vo recognises a lot of js buttons as 1 number less than they are marked on the stick .

Thanks PaKettle and davejohn.

Eventually got all the buttons etc. working as I want them. All I need to do now is just figure out a way to invent a 'Matrix' style plugin to get all my old brain synapses firing as a fighter ace. If only!