A few points i am unsure of in model set up

I want to give a run down of what my level of use in deviation is so potential helpers have an idea of what level of understnding i have.
I have read the deviation user guide several times
I have read and watched the set up guides for dual rates and fbl set up
I have read as many of the forumn posts as possible in areas i am a little slow to fully undersand
I use advanced mode to avoid the "crutch" of faster learning to avoid never getting the full power of the firmware.
I am using a devo6 to fly everything i have now, i no longer even keep batteries in my dx6i and my 2801, i have not created any models from scratch however. All my models are from tom z, and others who make them available in the forum. I fly about a dozen walkeras from genius to master, with some 2801 pro rx's sprinkled into the mix
I also have about 1/2 dozen or so eflite birds from nano to 300x. Additionally i fly a few orange rx align and clones.
I have just gotten the itch to jump into some scale flying and so ordered some heli max / tacit rx'd machines that i will run off ppm anylink. I want to shore up the gaps in my understanding of some of the finer points of the firmware so next week when i start having to create models i have less guessing. In concept i fully understand what is happening with allocating channels, diferent mixing, curves ect. I have some very real gaps however in the actual aplication and set up that i want to better understnd. Below are the areas where what i understand to be the way things work and the reality of operation diverge!

I have set up all my helis with files downloaded from the models area. I have been able to get all my models to fly, but not always with the same level of tuning i would achieve from factory set ups tweaked to my liking before deviation. I 100% understand it is soley an issue of my understanding and patience, and my use of medel set ups from other people possibly for other tx models has caused most of the problem.
Here are the areas i am looking to clarify:
1) on some model ini files i have downloaded, from other forum members, the switch and function set ups have issues, some correctble others not so easly remedied. The most frequent issue being that the dual rates and throttle hold are inproperly set up. The DR are sometimes allocated to gear, and throttle hold is set up on DR. In the case of DR, I usually can simply move the function by putting the desired switch in the DR set up fir the channel.
The throttle hold sometimes can be remedied by looking for safety value in channel set up ( the channel will list the DR1, for example as safety value switch and i change it to a switch not already assigned) i have also looked on the mixing set up for throttle. There are a few cases though where i simply can not find how the throttle hold has been set up or asdigned, it simply is! I surmse these are cases where the set up was intended for a tx too far different from the devo 6, and so there must be a combining of switch function in firmware that allocates the function to another switch i simply cant find. I can certainly understand this, and wirk around by either using a different ini, or other fix, but would like confirmation or input on the cause. This is more to increase my understanding of how deviation works

2) gear set up for gyro value. I also have found severl modls where the value for gyro simply does not apear, yet the model seems to function. I look at channe 5 on walkeras, though i check all channels that i am not sure of to see where the rx is receiving gyro information. Fir example the model file i am using for my v120d02s devo protocal. I have checked models channel and mix for a value, yet none apears. I am surmising that one of two explanations fir the model operating properly, yet not seemingly having an associated value. First, the rx perhaps defaults to a value when none is given specifically that allows functioning, or second possible explanation is that the value, similar to the throttle hold isdue above, is being handled through a unseen channel link because of the devo 6 not having the associated switch. Again, i am not lazy, but hope an explanation from a more knoledgble source would further my understanding. I realize i need to be more consistant in ensuring i use only model files for devo 6 (and as i think i understand, devo 8 if no 6 is available, but with greater chance of above issues) but would like to know if i can just set up the value on apropriate channel for devo or spektrum fir gyro gain value in thie abive case and assign a switch, or is thre something i am unaware of

3) dual rates and expo: i must admit that prior to Deviation, much of my tuning was limited to mechanical model work, and minor tuning of tx/rx, my minimal adjustments were usually from a close set up to optimum. This aspect of deviation has started me diwn a riad of far greater understanding of the role and effect of rx/tx control, an aspect i understand is needed to be succesful in realizing the potential of todays fbl and model capabilies. Unfortunitely i have made it this far with an amazingky small amount of advanced understanding of how these things operate past the badic user experiance. I mention this because my next question may very well be explained as observed now soley because i am aware, and of no relationship to deviation and the specific channel mixing done by the firmware.
What i have obseved when setting up a dual rate on ail and elev channels is that the DR switch has a pronounced effect on the pitch when switched on. Again, i understand there is a relationship between the rate of travel of cyclic controls and pitch, as collective is a durect result if the coordinated effort of cyclic input as i understand it. I generally set this up on ail and ele channel mixing, unless seperately set up in model as A (sorry, i forget term here) channel derived to act on another channel seperate from the dedicated input channel.
As i imagined before being more intimately aware of the process, dual rates set on ail and ele would impact the level of travel on direct cyclic stick input independent of collective input from throttle position. This sudden change of swash position from alternate setting of DR switch i thought possibly caused by linked pitch curves i did not notice, but i cant find them if it is infact the culprit, in this case i would love to know either;, a. Dual rates always cause this, i just never noticed, b. i have a interaction caused by the phantom channel switch / combining because i am not using the correct tx, or c. The cirrect way to set up dual rate and expo curves so as to only effect the servo operation when under input from cyclic position and not collective. I use scale numbers on the DR page fir the channel output to set up the dual rate, then set the curve fir the expo, just to clarify how i set my DR currently

I want to stress hoewvthrilled i am with the firmware. Though my current level of experiance and undertanding only scratches at the true potential and power that deviation makes possible, It has profoundly broadened my very limited understanding of this aspect of the hobby..... Plus i love being able to put together a travel case to fly during breaks at wirk that dies not require a trunk load of tx's!
I am writing on an ipad and know that there are probably tons of mistakes in soelling, i apoligize. I also know i am covering a broad range of topics wich likely require considerable energy to clarify. I apreciate ant help though, even if someone cares to only adress a small aspect of what i am requesting. I will also try to answer any questions pertaining to specific settings or detils needed to understand my problems, just ask!
Thanks in advance for any assistance, and to all those who have had a part in making this incredibly valuable tool available. I would gladly have paid for the huge benifit this upgraded firmware allows, it blows me away how much some people have contributed to there fellow hobbyist and i want to make my apreciation known.

Your post is so long that I prefer answering the parts separate (without having read to the end).
(1)
All tx models use a different set of switches. I try to make it visible here so you can see what happens:

	Devo6	Devo7e	Devo8	Devo10	Devo12
Rudd DR	=DR	=Hold	2	2	3
Ele DR	=DR	=Hold	2	2	3
Ail DR	=DR	=Hold	2	2	3
Gear	2	=Hold	2	2	2
Mix	3	=FMode(1)	3	3	3
FMode	3	2(2)	3	3	3
Trn	-	-	-	-	2
Hold	-	2	-	-	2
DR	2	-	=Ail DR	=Ail DR	=Ail DR(3)

=xx means: mapped to xx
2 means 2-way-switch
3 means 3-way-switch
- means not mapped to anything
(1) Mix2 mapped to FMode1
(2) FMode2 mapped to FMode1
(3) DR0 mapped to Ail DR0, DR1 mapped to AIL DR1

You can see that every tx model has a different number of switches and with sometimes completely different names (see Devo10). You will also see that Devo12 has mostly 3-way-switches - the third position does not exist for other tx.
Some mapping is done in the code, but not consequently for all switches and positions.
I am quite sure to have never seen such a table as above. This might be the reason why the switch mapping is not done in a consistent way for all tx models.
If you load a config made for a specific tx model and load it into another tx where some of the used switches are not present and not mapped to others, they will be ignored. This can lead to strange behavior of the model when mixer pages (in complex mixers) exist, but the switch is ignored so they are always active.

(2)
Might be resulting from (1).
Gyro channel for Walkera is mostly 5, with WK2801 sometimes also 7, when I remember correctly.
I tried to test this, but I am not sure about the result. ASs far as I have seen in a quick test there is not the switch which is ignored as I have written im My post to (1) but the complete mixer page is not transferred.
In other words: if a mixer uses a switch which is not present or mapped the mixer page will be ignored. This can lead to non-existing gyro settings.

(3)

Helimaniac8 wrote: What i have obseved when setting up a dual rate on ail and elev channels is that the DR switch has a pronounced effect on the pitch when switched on. Again, i understand there is a relationship between the rate of travel of cyclic controls and pitch, as collective is a durect result if the coordinated effort of cyclic input as i understand it.

Here you make a fundamental mistake (while you are really not the first):
Pitch should be always on a separate channel. I am sure this is correct for your config. Pitch is usually a function of the throttle stick (together with some curves activated with FMode) when you set up a FBL heli (where pitch mixing is done in the fbl receiver). If you have a heli where the pitch mixing has to be done in the transmitter - and in this case you should start with a 6-channel-heli-template which sets up the pitch mixing (depending on the type of swash plate like 120°, 140°, 90°...) from three inputs: the cyclics. If you use the template they appear on the aileron channel, on the elevator channel and the pitch channel. You set the expo/dr values to ail, ele and pitch when you put mixers on cyclic 1, 2 and 3.
Try to start with a blank config (new model) and load the template. Look at what you get to understand what is done.

I generally set this up on ail and ele channel mixing, unless seperately set up in model as A (sorry, i forget term here) channel derived to act on another channel seperate from the dedicated input channel.
As i imagined before being more intimately aware of the process, dual rates set on ail and ele would impact the level of travel on direct cyclic stick input independent of collective input from throttle position. This sudden change of swash position from alternate setting of DR switch i thought possibly caused by linked pitch curves i did not notice, but i cant find them if it is infact the culprit, in this case i would love to know either;, a. Dual rates always cause this, i just never noticed, b. i have a interaction caused by the phantom channel switch / combining because i am not using the correct tx, or c.

The results from the mixing you do by yourself - if you change the input values (and in your case they are obviously not the sticks but the channel outputs influenced by some switches) the ail/ele values are used for calculating the pitch value and a jump on an input value result in a pitch jump.

The cirrect way to set up dual rate and expo curves so as to only effect the servo operation when under input from cyclic position and not collective. I use scale numbers on the DR page fir the channel output to set up the dual rate, then set the curve fir the expo, just to clarify how i set my DR currently

Look at this extract of a model config file which has loaded only the 6-ch-template:Important are the "template=cyclic" lines for ch1, 2 and 6 (ail, ele, pitch) in combination with the virtual channels 1-3 (ail, ele, pitch).

Thank you, i have wirked hard to get a grasp on the firmware. Its pretty clear to me at this point in thehobby that it was designed to allow the user to directly create the models control . The trade off for POWER is that you have to truely understand how things work, as you are the architect, as oposed to standard tx's where you work in a relatively protected envirement. Fir me it has firced me to actually try to understand areas i let slip before,
Confirming the fact that there is some unwanted results from using midel files not meant for my tx helps.
The table of switch lsyout is excellent, hope i did not miss that in manual!
I thought of breaking post down, but since i felt there wasa good chance some of the issues were interrelated, wanted to have them in one pist, thanks for thepatiance.
I will not disrespectfully throw questions regarding the above mixer info until i have taken theevenong to try and wrap my head around it, thank you very much, i am grateful

Ok guys, have digested a bit and looked over the very thourough responses. Few quick points
Rbe2012, i dont fly anything with pitch mixed in tx, essentially everything i have would be a fbl processor single servo set up. As you mentioned, and i now understand, my pitch should be derived from the channel output derived from throttle plus whatever mixing i am having done to it. Just to save you the trouble of having to make sure you civer what i dont use.
So for pitch In the case above, even with actual servo mixing fir pitch happening orx (or procesing after rx for beastx as example) channel 6 would be throttle source , then whatever actual mixing i want, say 5 point curve and some offset or scale depending on models actual requirement.
If in this case, i set up virtual channels, source being cyclic 1 & 2 dest being ale & ele, and switch being dr1 mixing being dr template
I would have dr effecting only the cyclic response, not the pitch, because i am outputting the mixing soley to cyclic response and essentially allowing firmware to mix the pitch before the dr mixing?
I know i have some errors here, but feel im comming close to a break through lol

I will diligently reread the tutorial. I have read it, i know this isnt rocket science, but it just takes a few times to really jell.....
Bare with me.....
I find that there is more than adaquit documenttion, however the firmware is so far more advanced than what the pedestrian segment of hobbyists is used too (me! Lol) that gaps remain. Before i jump into the tutorial again, i didnt want you to think i wasted your time ithout reading it first. I think i my get more out of it with some of what has been fkeshed out for me.
Stay here a few minutes, im comming back and have a hunch i ill want to confirm a few things to be sure. I will definitely try to focus on setting upbmy own modeis if i cant find devo6 stuff...promise

Soooooo,
tutorial, i read it originally As posted orc groups and here is very well laid out to overview the mix and chnhel assignment. However, what i am unsure of is the following still:
1) using the advanved dr mixer on al and ele channels, roght of actual chsnnel assignments (ch1 & 2) does this still have an effect on my pitch when switching between dual rates (another words scale rate of the sle ele servos being passed to servo swash position as i have observed in some models? (or have we determined the reason i observed swash position change,pitch, is that there is something like a unseen switching of flight mode because my tx does not have the actual switch set up for flight mode)

Why is the dual rates oale and ele sometimes done on a virtual channel, what is thebenifit of setting this up on a virtual channel that is different from simply running the dr and expo on the channel 1 and 2 cyclic directly?

FDR,
Before you waste your time, i want to make sure you understand the actual situation:
This is happening on several models that were not set up by me, and most likely for devo 8, 7, possibly devo 10. I downloaded about 20 or so early on in my use if deviation a few months ago. Since i fly many similar blades and walkeras that each can use similar model files ie master cp, genius, v120d02s and nano, mcpx, i have swutched between several and have not noticed this on all of the models i try. I just wnted to be sure that this was not supised to happen. I am 100% certain that im the problem and not deviation. I think it is comming from switch malpping changes in firmware where pages are assigned to another switch when none is there like from devo 10 to devo 6. If the experts think this is plausable, i know to ditch models with thesymtom and find or create devo 6 models.
On another note, shame thedevo 6 was not more popular, great little tx! Maybe i would have purchased the12 had i known 2 years ago that i would fly everything i own with one tx, but i am not sorry i went with it.
Unfirtunitely there is no where near as many models files out there, good reason fir meto figure therest out!

Im going to Be working on configs this weekend. I just got in a anylink and a few scale helimax birds, so will need to upload some models. Since i was not careful when starting out to pay attention to the config intended tx, i want to clean house.
I will back up my model files, but nothing is really unique or represents a refined state of tune that would be difficult to reproduce.
By carefully assembling only devo 6 models, I can isolate the issue and see if I am chasing diwn a phantom issue I am probably cursing inadvertently.
Few quick questions:
If I can not find model files for what I want in devo6, and I am uncomfortable setting one up from scratch, is devo8 the best alternative?
If so, any consistant process to straighten the file out?
I would only anticipate this for setting up channels on anylink, since It would save me from having to deal with the channel mapping.....though I think I could do it now, it would be nice to start with something close for settings. I set it up on my dx6 today and can see how much easier it would be on deviation since the alternate channel mapping anylink uses would be so much easier done from tx.
I just have to rig up a power tap of some sort, only have the included cables and don't want to spend $ on cables I can probably accomplish acceptable results without.
The house cleaning will ensure I am strarting with as compatible as possible model files.
Thank you and I will report back once I have one this. If I find a model that is intended for devo 6 and still has same issues, I will upload. Thanks