MSFS2020 - Keys blue and multiscreen

Hello GULLIVER,

It sounds like you're facing a couple of challenging issues transitioning from FSX to MSFS2020. I've encountered similar situations in the past, and I'm more than happy to provide some assistance.

1) Cockpit Controls not responding

The issue of cockpit controls lighting up but not functioning could be a result of several factors. One common reason is that 'Cockpit Interaction System' (CIS) might be set to 'LOCK' mode, which could be causing this issue.

In MSFS2020, the CIS is used to manipulate the various controls, switches, buttons, and systems within the aircraft's cockpit. It's a context-based system that highlights (in blue, as you've noticed) the cockpit control under your mouse cursor. The system has two modes: LOCK and LEGACY. When set to LOCK mode, the system behaves as described above.

Try switching your CIS to 'LEGACY' mode. You can do this by going to Options -> General Options -> Accessibility -> Cockpit Interaction System, then select LEGACY mode. This should make the cockpit controls behave more like they did in FSX, allowing you to click and drag controls as expected.

2) Multi-screen Setup

Setting up a multi-screen environment in MSFS2020 can be a bit more complex compared to FSX due to its different architecture. However, it's definitely possible to achieve a similar setup.

a) Scenery on upper monitors

To display the scenery on your three upper monitors, you'll first need to set MSFS2020 to run in Windowed mode (Settings -> General -> Graphics -> Screen Mode -> Windowed). After this, you can stretch the window across your three top monitors. Remember to adjust your resolution to match the combined resolution of your three monitors for the best visual experience.

b) Cockpit on lower monitor

As for displaying the cockpit on your bottom monitor, you might want to consider using a 'pop-out' instrument panel. You can do this by hovering over an instrument in the cockpit, then right-clicking and selecting 'pop out'. This will create a new window with that instrument panel, which you can then move to your lower screen.

Note that due to the way MSFS2020 handles rendering, you may experience some performance impact when using this method, particularly on lower-end hardware. It's also worth mentioning that not all aircraft in MSFS2020 support this feature for all of their cockpit instruments.

I hope these solutions will help you get back to flying in no time. Remember, it's all part of the learning curve when transitioning to a new simulator. Patience and persistence always pay off!