[FSHotFSX & later versions of FSUIPC]

Steve,

I'm going to research this further. It will take time, because my FS9 takes simply ages to load because I have so much scenery, aircraft, Ultimate Traffic etc.

I will try various versions of FSUIPC at several different airports, and see what happens.

My experience has been that with some versions of FSUIPC the tyre squeal comes after touchdown, and some before.

David H

[FSHotFSX & later versions of FSUIPC]

I've tested FSHotSFX (not FSHotSeat), which I don't have) with FSUIPC V3.6, and, surprisingly, the 'tyre squeal' sound now actually happens about 4 seconds before the tyres hit the tarmac and generate smoke. So now we have V3.4 which works fine, then some subsequent versions when the 'tyre squeal' comes after the event, and now v3.6 where it comes before! TrafficLook just shows 'Landing'.

Yes, but in which list -- airborne or ground? If you saw it after touchdown still you must presumably have been looking at the ground list?

The whole trouble is that the "Landing" state starts when the aircraft is on finals, and only changes to "rolling out" for a short time some time after ground contact. In fact with the poll rate of many programs the 'rolling out' is often not seen.

What happened a couple of years (nearly) ago was that I was classifying it on ground or not based on the "on ground" flag, separate from the state flag. However, that turned out to be dodgy because of bouncing, and so on, and it was apparently too late for programs like hotSeat or HotSFX or whatever it was back then.

So, for the last year or more (since 3.47 in fact), I've classified the AI as "on ground" if their state is obviously one on ground (sleeping, pushback, taxi etc), or rolling out. "Airborne" likewise (departing, enroute, in pattern). That leaves two dubious ones:

"Take off 2" and "Landing": here, since 3.47, I classify them "airborne" if they are at least 50 feet off the ground (measured to their datum, so cockpit probably), otherwise ground.

There are other programs, like Radar Contact and AIsmooth, which depend on this stuff, so I needed to try to get it reasonable.

Really, unless we understand how FSHotSFX or whatever is making its decisions there's nothing we can do. I would be reluctant to change it again when it was confirmed as fixed over a year ago and is in common use the way it is now. As far as I can tell from watching programs which use this information, I think the methods I use now are fine.

Did you report this to the author or his support system at all? I don't know how you'll get it resolved else.

One thing you can do for more "responsiveness" (but possibly reduce your FS frame rates a little) is increase the Traffic poll rate in FSUIPC -- the default is only 10% of AI aircraft per frame. If increasing that to 100% removes the delay then the problems you are seeing may just be polling delays. Ideally FSHotXXX should allow you to configure the delay (positive or negative) to handle individual systems performances.

The parameter to change in FSUIPC's INI file is TrafficScanPerFrame.

Regards

Pete

Pete,

I was using the Airborne list in TrafficLook. It remains on 'Landing' during touchdown & reverse thrust.

I tried changing the TrafficScanPerFrame parameter to 100, but it made no difference.

I've posted a message on the FSHotFSX Forum, addressed to the authors, but no reply as yet.

I'll keep you informed.

DavidH

[FSHotFSX & later versions of FSUIPC]

I can confirm that all versions of FSUIPC after v3.40 do cause FSHotSFX to delay the 'touchdown' and 'reverser' sounds until long after the AI aircraft have touched down. I know, because I've tried them all :)

By "long after", what do you mean? Can you check the AI status in TrafficLook and see what changes to cause it? Reversers do not normally get used until some time after touch down in any case -- all wheels down, then time to spool up.

I don't have the program and I don't know what it is doing. Certainly, the fix I put in was specifically for a problem with FSHotSeat, and the user who reported it tested it and approved.

Sorry, I really cannot do anything without the author investigating and telling me what the problem is. I suggest you contact him and ask him to investigate. We can resolve it between us then.

Regards,

Pete

Pete, I've tested FSHotSFX (not FSHotSeat), which I don't have) with FSUIPC V3.6, and, surprisingly, the 'tyre squeal' sound now actually happens about 4 seconds before the tyres hit the tarmac and generate smoke. So now we have V3.4 which works fine, then some subsequent versions when the 'tyre squeal' comes after the event, and now v3.6 where it comes before! TrafficLook just shows 'Landing'.

It is more difficult to check the reverser sound because the sound comes on more gradually, but it does seem to be OK now.

I'll goto the FSHotSFX Forum and see if I can get any joy there.

David H

[FSHotFSX & later versions of FSUIPC]

Versions of FSUIPC later than V3.40 don't work properly with FSHotSFX, as they cause the 'landing' sounds and 'reverser thrust' sounds of AI aircraft in FS9 to be delayed or not work at all.

Is there any solution to this?

3.40 is very very old. I'm sure that was fixed -- it's to do with the classification of AI aircraft states into "on ground" or "airborne" -- FSHotSFX only looks at one of the tables.

Just checking the History document for FSUIPC, this is the relevant item, in the list of changes for 3.47:

The classification of AI traffic into the airborne or ground TCAS tables was partly in error for AI aircraft in “Landing” state. These were classified as airborne even after touch-down. This is fixed in this release.

That was well over a year ago, and was confirmed as fixing it. The current version in 3.60. Please keep up to date.

Regards,

Pete

Pete,

Thanks for your prompt reply. I have tried the latest versions of FSUIPC, I have a registered copy, and I can confirm that all versions of FSUIPC after v3.40 do cause FSHotSFX to delay the 'touchdown' and 'reverser' sounds until long after the AI aircraft have touched down. I know, because I've tried them all :).

I have the latest version of FSHotSFX, v1.1.61

DavidH

[FSHotFSX & later versions of FSUIPC]

Versions of FSUIPC later than V3.40 don't work properly with FSHotSFX, as they cause the 'landing' sounds and 'reverser thrust' sounds of AI aircraft in FS9 to be delayed or not work at all.

Is there any solution to this?

David H

[FSNav DBC Hangs on Addon Scenery]

I'm sorry to say that my problem is back again, and this time is resisting all attempts to solve it.

FSNav DBC hangs on Addon Scenery. I can't stop the process or close the window, and have to resort to ctrl+alt+del.

Any suggestions?

[FSNav DBC Hangs on Addon Scenery]

I think I might have found the answer to my own problem.

Although not obvious, it seems to have been caused by a contaminated scenery.cfg file, although it looked OK when opened in Notepad.

I ran FS9, went into the library, clicked one of the scenery entries on and off, got the usual message to exit FS9, did so, restarted FS9, exited FS9 again, and this time FSNav DBC ran without problems.

I also did a couple of other things:

1. There were several old backup de-activated scenery.cfg files, created automatically by various programs. I removed them

2. I ran the excellent Flightsim Manager by Rana Hossain, which has a utilty to analyse scenery.cfg. It found that I had two scenery entries with different names pointing to the same scenery. I deleted one of them

DavidH

[FSNav DBC Hangs on Addon Scenery]

I'm running FS9 with all the updates, Windows XP, also with all the updates.

I've been using FSNavigator for years, currently V4.7, with no problems at all.

Today I had to run FSNav DBC after adding new scenery and AFCADs. It started OK, quickly taking my new sceneries, but when it got to Addon Scenery it hung, and has refused to continue.

I've checked the Addon Scenery/Scenery folder, but can't find anything amiss. I tried reinstalling FSNavigator, but it hasn't helped.

Any suggestions gratefully accepted.

David H

[Flight 1's Ultimate Traffic & FSUIPC V3.30]

The problem with Palmspotter was that it isn't showing all flights arriving and departing. It appears to affect only users who have installed the latest version of Ultimate Traffic. If yours is an earlier one you might not experience the problem.

The reports say that after installing the latest version of FSUIPC the problem disappears, and all flights are now shown in Palmspotter.

I should add that this is unconfirmed. If I have time, I'll try installing an older version of FSUIPC and see if it's really true.

The time error is well-documented, and is caused by the way UT interacts with FS.

David H

[Flight 1's Ultimate Traffic & FSUIPC V3.30]

There have been comments from several users of Flight 1's 'Ultimate Traffic' that a function called 'Palmspotter', which hasn't been working properly, is now happily working as it should after FSUIPC v3.30 is installed.

No-one seems to know why this has happened, but it does appear to have solved a problem which has been worrying the Flight 1 developers for some time.

So thank you, Pete Dowson.

May I also add my best wishes, Pete, for a full recovery after the operations to improve your eyesight.

David H

[Newbie to WideFS]

Copyright material can only be distributed with the express permission of the copyright holder. My email is included in the package, and they've never made any attempt to contact me to ask for my permission.

That may be so, but it is advisable to always make your wishes clear - as you've discovered.

Additionally, they've modified the downloadable .zip file to remove the file that states that the program is uploaded for distribution through Avsim.org - again, wthout my permission.

That's inexcusable.

The readme also says that no charge can be made for the app - in my opinion Flightsim.com's charging for their "First Class membership" to let people get past the endless "All nodes busy" constitutes charging for the software that those first class members then download. They also sell CD's of other peoples software, though I have no idea if they've put anything of mine on any of them.

There is apparently some confusion about this. It seems that 'Freeware' means only that no charge may be made for the product itself. It does not prohibit websites like flightsim.com from including freeware packages, even though they may have a 'first class membership' charge. Also, although not generally known, a reasonable distribution charge may be made for freeware material. You can, of course, specify in your EULA that no distribution charge may be made.

I'm not sure that it is right to blame flightsim.com. The real culprit is the person who uploaded your material without your permission. I think you might be able to find out who that was by asking the webmaster. Flightsim.com makes it clear that uploaders must always ask permission of the authors. If you contact Nels Anderson and explain what has happened he will delete it. He does not like that type of thing either.

The reason I only wanted the files available through one source was version control. A revision of FSEicas is being uploaded in a day or two, with some extra features an some bug fixes. Anone who saw the original on Avsim will hopefully se thee's a revision and download that. I have no idea if / when flightsim will poach it and repost it, so people will still be using - and emailing with bug reports on - an obsolete version.

That's a good enough reason.

David H

[Newbie to WideFS]

Pete,

I came into this via a trafficLook clone called 'TrafficList" (I presume you know about it), which specifically mentioned that it was designed for use with WideFS. As I have a laptop sitting on my desk next to the desktop PC I couldn't resist trying it out, and I'm glad I did.

David H

[Newbie to WideFS]

Interesting...... The Eicas panel you refer to is an application that I wrote - and that I never uploaded to Flightsim.com, nor gave them permission to distribute.

If you look on Avsim.org, there's also a file called FSPanel which is a GA Instrument panel designed to run on an external computer that also communicares with MSFS vis WideFS.

Richard

I've had a look at the flightsim.com file. It doesn't say anywhere that it can't be uploaded. Your readme.txt doesn't indicate whether you have released it as freeware, shareware or whatever, although it does state that you hold the copyright.

I've no idea to what extent this restricts the use/disatribution of your product. May I suggest that you have a look at the recommended EULA on flightsim.com.

The subject interests me because I've tried to get permission to include a ProjectAI aircraft in one of my packages. They expressly refuse permission for anyone to upload any of their work without their approval. I've asked for it, but have not had a reply.

David H

[Newbie to WideFS]

I've purchased and installed WideFS (and of course FSUIPC), connected my two computers with a LAN, and I now have FS9 showing on one computer and TrafficLook on the other. And it's great!

Now I want to know what else is available for WideFS. I've seen an ECAS gauge on Flightsim.com which uses it, but nothing else.

I would be interested in both freeware and shareware.

Any suggestions?

David H

[TrafficLook & AI Times]

I think I've found the reason for this; the aircraft.cfg was referencing the wrong .AIR file so the aircraft wasn't showing.

Hmmm. It's interesting that the system generates the traffic even if it can't produce an image for it! Very strange.

Regards,

Pete

I'm only guessing. If I can find time I'll check it out.

My logic is that the aircraft is placed in the aircraft.txt file with an AC#(number) and a description taken from 'Title' in the aircraft.cfg file. But if the [fltsim.xx] has the wrong .AIR file ref (if you see what I mean) the flight will be generated, but without a visible aircraft.

I did find some wrong .AIR files on my system. When I had corrected them all the aircraft did actually appear on the ground, so I presume they must have been missing in the air as well before I corrected them.

David H

[TrafficLook & AI Times]

I've been finding that TrafficLook has been showing some flights approaching and landing, but they don't actually show in FS.

I think I've found the reason for this; the aircraft.cfg was referencing the wrong .AIR file so the aircraft wasn't showing.

Really? I've never seen that. you can scroll through all the visible traffic in a separate window in FS using CTRL+W.

You've answered another issue which has puzzled me, i.e. what CTRL+W was showing. Thanks!

Regards

David H

[TrafficLook & AI Times]

I could understand what the information in all the columns meant (the help file omits most of them)

>>Sorry, they're all supposed to be self-explanatory. Which ones are a puzzle?<<

Only the 'Ref' column.

The display could indicate scheduled times for take-off (Ground) and landing (Airbourne). Is this possible?

>>TrafficLook is only showing the data FSUIPC is providing, it isn't examning any traffic files as such. I did TRY to find the ETD and ETA -- and in fact I got close, but the code is very convoluted and it would have involved going through two additional FS modules in assembly code to work out how to decipher what I could find. It took many hours of hacking just to get the airport and runway data.<<

I thought that might be the problem, otherwise you would probably have included them!

I think what you want may be better served by TrafficBoard, which uses both FSUIPC data on traffic and decoded traffic schedules. There's a separate Forum near here about that.

Regards,

Pete

Thanks for introducing me to TrafficBoard, which I've not heard of before now. I've downloaded both the FS2002 and Beta FS2004 versions, and they seem to be just what I was looking for.

I've recently become interested in AI traffic, which brings FS to life. I've installed lots of ProjectAI traffic in FS2004, and the shareware Ultimate Traffic (which is registered with FSUIPC) in FS2002.

I've been finding that TrafficLook has been showing some flights approaching and landing, but they don't actually show in FS. I've been trying to find out which flights they were, but TrafficLook doesn't make it easy to search the relevant FlightPlans file to get more information.

Maybe TrafficBoard will give me more info to go on. It seems to be quite a complex program, and I will probably take some time to find out what it is capable of.

Regards,

David H

[TrafficLook & AI Times]

I've only recently realised how useful TrafficLook can be.

It would be even more useful if:

1. I could understand what the information in all the columns meant (the help file omits most of them)

2. The display could indicate scheduled times for take-off (Ground) and landing (Airbourne). Is this possible?

I opologise if these subjects have been raised before. I tried 'Search' but couldn't find anything.

David H

[FSSE Exchange]

I've also had trouble downloading files from fsse scenery exchange. On occasions the web page has failed to appear.

More recently I've discovered that sometimes the download file doesn't exist, and the 'download' hyperlink won't work. I tried today to download EGJB, filename guernsey_egjb.zip. It wouldn't work, and when I went direct to the ftp site the file itself wasn't there. This has happened with several other downloads.

I've sent an e-mail to LAGO, and am waiting for a reply.

DavidH