[Saving PMDG flight plans (answered)]

Hi everyone,

I recently invested in PMDG’s wonderful 737 and as part of a sharp learning curve including investing in FS2Crew as a training aid, now trying to save flight plans for this new aircraft. Hence, my reason for seeking help. Despite having read and re-read that part of FSC’s manual dealing with the subject, I am unable to save flight plans to FS9/Pmdg/FLIGHTPLANS.

FSC’s ‘Save/Load Flight Plan’ window suggests that a flight plan can be saved in various formats simultaneously, i.e., FS Commander/Flight Simulator, Radar Contact, PMDG B7XXX/MD11 and several others, and understandably, so long as the locations to which the flight plans should be filed are ‘registered’ on the Flight Plan tab of the Options window.

First, the Flight Plan Tab under the Options window does not provide for a PMDG flightplan file location as it does for others such as SquawkBox, Ivao, Radar Contact, etc.

Second, even if I choose to alter the address for the first entry (Folder Flight Simulator 2004 (for add-on aircraft)) to the Z:\ drive (FS9) and replace the address with the path to FS9/Pmdg/FLIGHTPLANS, the Save/Load Flight Plan window doesn’t permit me to save the plan. The message given is ‘Flight plan cannot be saved because FS Path unknown! Please specify FS Path in Options Window!’ I can understand the logic behind the message: both FS Commander/Flight Simulator and PMDG B7XXX/MD11 are selected and I suspect that if I could unselect (untick) the box for FS Commander/Flight Simulator which FSC will not permit me to do, then probably FSC would allow me to save to the Z drive. When the FS Commander/Flight Simulator option and the Radar Contact option are selected, then FSC saves both plans without a hitch but when the PMDG option is selected as a third option, then the plan can’t be saved because I haven’t told FSC where to file it. How do I do that?

For sure I’m missing something but what? It reminds me of the guy (me) being unable to find the quart of milk in the refrigerator when it’s sitting right on the front shelf! Many thanks in advance to anyone who can ‘wake me up’.

I can already hear some of you saying “. . . how is this guy going to learn to fly a 737 if he can’t even . . .” !!

Regards, Jean-Jacques

1. FS9

2. FSUIPC 3.9 / WideFS 6.7.8 (both registered)

3. FS Commander 8.5 (Build 230309) and Database Manager 8.5

4. Download version (full version rather than update)

5. Main rig: Windows XP Home SP3 running FS9

6. Secondary rig: Windows XP Professional running FSC, Radar Contact, ActiveSky 6.5

[version 8.5 screen size.]

Bonjour (sans nom)

Si vous espérez recevoir une réponse des auteurs, il faudrait fournir plus d'informations. Prière de voir le premier "post" intitulé 'Everyone please read'.

Mais pour vérifier, j'ai comparé la grandeur de l'image de FSC 8.5 lorsque la grandeur de l'image est réduite et selon moi, la grandeur est la même que la version 8.4. J'ai aussi testé la possibilité de réduire à nouveau cette plus petite image ce qui est impossible. Je n'ai jamais testé cette possibilité avec la version 8.4. Est-ce qu'il était possible de réduire à nouveau cette petite image? Si oui, il faudrait le mentionner dans votre demande d'aide.

Salutations, Jean-Jacques

[FSC Toggle key]

Hi John,

Failing the assignment of the AltTab Windows feature to a CH or other hardware button, you might want to take a look at this rather interesting utility that allows the switching of opened programs using the mouse to replicate the LeftAlt+Tab key combination. It is called AltTab Mouse Shortcut and is available at http://cybernetnews.com/2008/02/24/alttab-mouse-shortcut/.

I’ve tested it and its works perfectly to switch between programs such FS9, FSC (with words of caution below), Radar Contact, and AISmooth. In fact when I tried it, I also had Word and Explorer running and I could switch between any of these programs using the mouse. Holding down the left mouse button and tapping the right mouse button brings up the AltTab window which lists all programs running and while continuing to hold down the left mouse button, tapping the right mouse button allows the selection of the desired program. Pressing the left mouse button and the right mouse button in that order and releasing both button always returns the user to the previous program which is excellent for switching from FS to FSC to view the map for example and then returning to FS.

In accordance with a tip found on the above web site, I’ve placed the utility in the following folder which activates the utility when Windows is started and places its icon on the Tool Bar:

C\Document and Settings\(user name)\Startup Menu\Programs\Startup. Left-clicking on the Icon provides the following choices: Suspend hotkey, Pause script, and Exit. If you are interested in downloading the utility, take care to download the right version. The version for Windows XP is available within the ‘Update’ paragraph on the web page.

Now for my words of caution regarding FSC. When the utility is active, using the left and right mouse buttons on the FSC map to switch between programs will not work unless the cursor is located somewhere on FSC’s Menu bar. This is not a serious limitation once known.

I will not use this utility to switch between FS and FSC because I’m running FSC and other programs on a separate networked computer which is my preferred option because FSC’s map is always displayed. However, I will keep the utility on my main computer because it definitely simplifies and speeds up the process of switching between programs running concurrently. And if it hadn’t been for you John, I would probably never have found the little gem!

Paper airplanes! Hummm . . .

Regards, Jean-Jacques

[FSC Toggle key]

Hi John,

What works in Windows (with reservations explained a little further) to switch between two programs is pressing LEFT ALT + TAB. I verified this before posting my note to you by running FS9 and FSC on the same computer using only one monitor. Pressing those keys in that order will switch the two programs. Now for the reservations; first, it doesn't work 100% of the time and that may be due to the speed the keys are pressed but I'm unsure and second, the switching of programs using the keys only seems to work when only two programs are running concurrently. If three or more programs are running, for example FS9, FSC and AISmooth, the procedure doesn't work; at least it didn’t when I tried it. Although I use three CH products, I've given up on trying to understand the logic behind their system to program their hardware (in comparison to Saitek's programming software which is so simple to use). If you give it a try, then I'd be interested to find out whether you were successful in programming a button or toggle switch on a CH product to switch between FS and FSC using the keys mentioned above.

Regards, Jean-Jacques

[FSC 8.4 qualified user with Horrible Frame rate drop]

Hi Peter,

Yes, you're right about WideFS. You only need it if you network computers. Regarding FSUIPC, just download the unregistered version and install it by copying the FSUIPC.dll to your Modules folder (at least that's where it belongs for FS9). Its free. If my memory serves me right, the only thing you get after purchase is a key to enable the 'registered' version which provides the user with a host of additional features. The registered version of FSUIPC is a very powerful utility offering much more than a communications port between FS9 or FSX and other programs. For example, it will automatically start programs such as FSC, Active Sky, Radar Contact or any other program when a few lines of coding are added to the FSUIPC configuration file (in the Modules folder). I use it also to enhance FS's sky rendition which truly does a better job than FS9's rendition, etc, etc. Read FSUIPC's User Manual. There are two versions: a short version and a more advanced version.

Regards, Jean-Jacques

[FSC 8.4 qualified user with Horrible Frame rate drop]

Hi Peter,

As I mentioned in my note, I don't think I can be of much help to you from a technical perspective and hope someone will come forward now that you have amplified on your setup and the technical challenge you're facing. In the meantime and unless you've already done so, you may want to download and install the latest version of FSUIPC (3.90 for FS9 or 4.50 for FSX) from Peter Dowson's web site at http://www.schiratti.com/dowson.html.

It may also be helpful to glance at my input to a recent post on this forum entitled Matrox and FSC in which the use of TripleHead2Go is discussed.

I don't remember reading about an issue such as you describe. My understanding has always been that FSC has very little impact on FS's framerate but I stand to be corrected. I run my version of FSC along with Radar Contact and Active Sky on a second networked computer which is by today's standard very slow and yet FSC doesn't seem to put that much of a strain on both the 'old' computer and FS running on the main computer.

If I think of something else, I'll post it.

Regards, Jean-Jacques

[FSC 8.4 qualified user with Horrible Frame rate drop]

Hello (name?)

There may be a couple of reasons why your post is yet unanswered. Although I can't help you technically, please permit me to raise a couple of points.

First, the authors have informed us, and rightly so, that posts that don't provide 'minimum' information will not be answered (see the very first post under this section - Topics - Everyone Please Read). Although you provide most of it, a bit more information on your set-up would help anyone trying to help you, for example, are you running FSX in 'windowed' or 'full-screen' mode? is your set-up using only one computer or have you networked two (or more) computers? what version of FSUIPC are you using?

Second, you claim that it (FSC?) warns you that it (FSC?) won't operate with FSUIPC. FSC's web site clearly states that FSC uses FSUIPC in its communication with FS9 and FSX. Here's the statement that appears on FSC's Web Site: For connecting FlightSim Commander with Flight Simulator you need a version of Peter Dowson's FSUIPC.DLL 3.7x (for FS2004) or FSUIPC4.DLL (for FS-X). If you wish to use FlightSim Commander in a network, you also need Peter Dowson's WideFS package.

And lastly, please sign your post. This forum is a friendly place where flightsimmers enjoy helping each other and to promote informal communication, calling themselves by their first names.

I hope my contribution will help you get help.

Regards, Jean-Jacques

[matrox and fsc]

Hello Gerrit,

In order to run two or more programs on Windows and be able to view them, they must all be running in windowed mode. Don't forget that FSC runs as a separate program; it is not a module of MSFS. To solve your problem (because you're saying Matrox will not run in windowed mode), you need to run FSC on a second computer in a networked configuration and making use of WideFS. I along with many other users of FSC have done it very successfully. You can then run FS in full-screen mode on your main computer using Matrox and view FSC using a second computer, in your case, a fourth screen.

The authors of FSC have done a great job documenting how to do this. Have a look at the Appendix to the manual available from FSC's Help Menu. The appendix is called 'Appendix Network'.

Regards, Jean-Jacques

[Weather Patch]

Hi Volker,

Faced with the same issue, I've been following this post with much interest. If as suggested by John, reloading FSC seems to fix the problem, what's the most efficient process to follow? For example, if FSC should be reinstalled from scratch, does version 8.4 that can be downloaded from the FSC web site include the patch or, does the user need to download and install version 8.4 then add the patch to version 8.4? I suspect other users may be wondering also. Many thanks for your assistance and as others have said many times, FSC is a wonderful tool. The rate of exchange of info on this forum is a testament to the popularity of FSC.

Regards, Jean-Jacques

[Beware of 'commas' in file titles!]

Hello Everyone,

To facilitate the retrieval and eventual disposition of information, all my addon scenery files are organized, with a few exceptions, in a subfolder to the FS9/Addon Scenery directory. To further enhance easy identification of information, I use more rather than less descriptive file titles. I doing so however, I used commas to separate bits of information in file titles, for example, Pittsburgh, PA KPIT (2008). Such a file title resulted in the following entry in FS9's Scenery configuration file:

[Area.348]

Title=Pittsburgh

PA KPIT (2008)

Local=Addon Scenery\JJ Addon Scenery\Pittsburgh

PA KPIT (2008)

Remote=

Active=TRUE

Required=FALSE

Layer=105

rather than

[Area.348]

Title=Pittsburgh PA KPIT (2008)

Local=Addon Scenery\JJ Addon Scenery\Pittsburgh PA KPIT (2008)

Remote=

Active=TRUE

Required=FALSE

Layer=105

The use of the comma in the file title caused part of the title to go to a second line both under the heading of "Title=" and "Local=". Although the scenery continued to be available to FS9, FSC's DataBase Manager ignored the file. In the end, I ended up with the correct scenery being displayed in FS9 but the wrong information being displayed by FSC (ILS, parking and other info). Somehow, the information displayed by FSC was from another AFCAD, either in ‘Addon Scenery/MyWorldAirports’ (My Traffic 2006 for FS2004) or FS9’s stock AFCAD (in this case AP926170.bgl).

After deleting all commas used in my scenery file titles, FSC now displays the correct information for all addon scenery files. I thought I’d share this information in the hope that it is useful to some of you.

Regards,

Jean-Jacques

[Cliocking on screen]

Hi Bob,

You may be wondering why an answer hasn't been forthcoming. To help the authors of FSC help us, please read the following: http://forums.simflight.com/viewtopic.php?f=155&t=71055

And especially the last sentence! Hope this helps you get a response.

Regards, Jean-Jacques