Pete Dowson

Hmm. I thought that was aimed specifically to help folks with CH gear? I didn't have anything to do with it of course. The "manual" to follow when using FSUIPC to calibrate things is the one supplied with FSUIPC -- the "User Manual". It provides a very simple step-by-step guide for ALL types of joystick, yoke or rudder system. I've no way of explaining anything in any more basic way, as that is it.But it sounds like you've not actually referred to it? :-( Pete

You need to properly calibrate the rudder pedals with an adequate null zone. If you have it working fine in FS, what are you trying to use FSUIPC for? I don't have any of those. But didn't you see the earlier, "sticky" thread in this Forum entitled "FSUIPC guide for CH Users"? I really don't think I can help more than that! ;-) Regards Pete

You've evidently not reviewed the two other recent threads here on this subject? It has been a real pain hacking through FSX's code to try and get some sort of control over the winds, but by all reports it is a helluva lot better with version 4.219, available in the FSX Downloads. Do please also read the other relevant threads. None of the intimate weather control we had with FS2004 and before is easy in FSX. The facilities in FS2004 and before cost me many thousands of hours hacking into FS code. With the coming of SimConnect in FSX I thought I was over all that (I am getting too old), but it wasn't to be. I've tackled the wind smoothing now. I cannot make the visibility smoothing work no matter what I try. And no one has, so far, mentioned any need at all for pressure smoothing in FSX. Are you saying that this jumps up and down badly as well? The user guide for the FSX version of FSUIPC does explain a lot of this, if you'd care to look. It does show a complete lack of pressure smoothing, you'll notice. ;-) Regards Pete

Well, I'll do some more testing and try to find it next week. Meanwhile I'm releasing 4.219, which fixes a problem stopping 4.218 being used without FSX SP2 or Acceleration, and also, hopefully, improves the simulation of turbulence in my wind smoothing stuff. I've tried to make turbulence introduce fast but small variations in all three directions. I've got to get my cockpit up to date next week then do some proper "flight testing". Everything I've done so far has been on my development PC, so no real flying of any consequence. Regards Pete

No, obviously it is getting the wrong address. I have seen such a thing before, someplace, but I can't remember what the cause was. Something to do with Network card drivers I think. You are providing the Server name, I see. (A rather complicated one too, "127019600301"). All WideClient does with that is ask Windows to convert it to an IP address. That's the one you are then seeing it try. Windows should of course provide the correct IP address. Are you using WinXP or later on both PCs? If so you could simply allow WideFS to connect automatically. Do this by removing both the ServerName and Protocol parameters from the WideClient.INI file. The default installation as supplied from the WideFS downloads should work this way in any case. If you aren't using WinXP or later on both, then just try specifying the correct IP address yourself, as "ServerIPAddr=n.n.n.n", and remove the ServerName. For this, though, you will really need to set fixed IP addresses for each PC, not allow the router to set them, as they may not be the same each time if you do. Fixed addresses tend to be more efficient in any case (I've always used them), as it saves extra traffic, asking the name server (your router) for a translation each time something wants to start a fresh transaction. Regards Pete

I've checked my FS9 code, and there is still a test facility built in which would enable us to ascertain whether it was related to some Weather files or not. Edit the FSUIPC.INI file again, adding Debug=Please LogExtras=8 to the [General] section. Then see if FS9 gets any further. If not then I have no idea, because with that in place and you not being registered, FSUIPC is doing nothing at all until some application links to it. Regards Pete

You've not "pissed me off". You are just not reading and following my suggestions, so it eventually becomes not worth replying to you. Well, not until now you haven't. You didn't look among the Announcements then. All the Announcements at at the top of the Forum. All you have to do is scroll up from where your message is!! Assuming you added the LogReads and LogWrites lines correctly, it shows nothing attempting to access FSUIPC, so we must conclude it is something in FS itself. From your later message: Okay, so it cannot be a rogue joystick driver. The only thing FSUIPC is doing at that stage (especially as you are not Registered so it isn't operating any user options) is reading the Weather data. So possibly you have corrupt weather data in FS9. That can happen sometimes when real weather downloads go wrong, but usually it is fixed by deleting all the existing WX files. You did delete ALL the files in your "My Document\Flight Simulator Files folder, didn't you? If so then it must be elsewhere. Quite honestly, I'm stumped. This is unique. I suspect there must be something you must have left un-deleted last time you uninstalled and re-installed FS9. Are you CERTAIN that you deleted the whole of the folder (and all its subfolders): C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\FS9 because I think the answer must lie there. And when you uninstalled FS9 last, you did delete any remaining folders that its uninstall left behind, didn't you? The uninstaller doesn't delete all add-ons and changes, only the original install. In particular, there would be additional files in the FS Modules folder which it would not have deleted. Maybe there's a rogue module in there. You have to do a fair bit of tidying up, deleting loads of bits left behind. Pete

Ah, sorry. Sounds like you don't have FSX SP2 or Acceleration installed. As just reported in another thread here, it was discovered earlier today that I made a silly build error with 4.218 and it only works with those. I will post a revised build over the weekend, Monday at the latest. 4.219. If you believe you do have FSX SP2 or Acceleration installed, please show me the FSUIPC4 log file (from the FSX Modules folder). BTW there is really no need to keep posting those pictures, lovely though they are. I do tend to believe folks -- even if I didn't I'd prefer other types of proof (logs etc) not disk-filling and screen pictures! ;-) Regards Pete

Well I can probably set that up without a flight from you. I'd need to fly my 737-700 as my ASX is rigged up only for my cockpit which is a 737 not a 747 -- too many changes. I won't have time till next week, but I'll try to remember: KSFO headed, what, towards KSEA, with the weather from, say 1700Z on 23rd Jan '08? Do you use the AutoSave option at all? If you do and can set it for a save every, say, 2 or 3 minutes, then if you do get the same thing again -- i.e. a sudden directional shift NOT explained by the wind variance value -- please make a note of the PC's system time and go save me a copy of the FLT + WX AutoSave files from the nearest time beforehand. This would be the most efficient way for me to find out what is happening. Regards Pete

Windows is blocking the access. That's what "connection refused" means. WideClient is simply relaying the error it is being told by Windows. Well, I'm pretty sure the answer lies in that direction (firewalls, that is). Well, it won't do -- replacing a program with an identical copy of the same program changes nothing. Sorry, you need to find what is preventing access. It could be something stopping Wideclient seeing out or the Server receiving the connection, so double check firewalls both ends. Not anti-virus programs, they aren't relevant. Regards Pete

Ah! Sorry! I've just found that I built it with the wrong list of Simconnect manifests, so it only looks for SP2 and two recent Betas. I'll fix that and upload a fixed version over the weekend, or Monday at the latest. I'm in the midst of some other changes. Look for 4.219 before Monday. Regards Pete

Well, something is wrong with the file. Maybe it got corrupted or something? There are at least two files saved - a FLT file and a WX file. The latter contains the weather and it is in binary, so impossible for you to check. I'd delete it if I were you and try again. The FLT file is easy enough to check as it is a text file. what "AutoSave.DLL"? AutoSave is not involved in loading any files at all, and it doesn't even save them -- all it does is call the FS save facility, the same as you pressing the ";" key and entering a name. It just enters the name for you, nothing more. My advice is just delete the bad FLT + WX files and move on. Maybe you had some sort of hardware glitch when they were saved. Pete

Yes. I am sorry, I am also at a loss with Vista. I do have a copy installed on a LapTop (much against my best inclination), but I've tried to change permissions on the WinSxS folders and cannot. it seems you need "TrustedInstaller" status to do anything with it at all. It's enough to drive you crazy. Okay. thanks. Good luck. Pete

No. All versions of FSUIPC4 since 4.10 should run fine on any state of FSX update. Only 4.0xx versions had any problems after SP1. What was your previous version? Does FSrealTime connect okay? Please show me the Install log and the FSUIPC4 log from the Modules folder. Close FSX first and show me the whole file in each case, please. You can also enable IPC read and write logging (on the Logging page), then try FSRealTime again and see what the log contains. Regards Pete

Ouch! That version number is for SP1, not SP2, even though SP2 is shown to be there by the Installer. I think the SP2 installation is screwed up, and it is this which is causing the hang. You say and I think this explains it -- there have mean many problems arising for uninstalling and reinstalling things. It seems this "side by side" library system devised by MS is, er, rather fragile. Acceleration includes both SP1 (which won't install again if it is already there) and SP2. When you uninstalled it I guess you didn't remove the SimConnect folders, so in fact those didn't get repaired. . I think the next step is to try to "repair" SimConnect. Here is gets a little, er, complicated I think, especially on Vista. You need to see if you can delete the three WinSxS folders for SimConnect we identified earlier. You will probably need to run Explorer using "run as" Administrator, and you may have to change the folder permissions even then. If you can't do it I'm afraid I'm not much help. I don't yet use Vista (I don't like it one little bit). If you succeed, then you can try uninstalling SP2, then SP1, then run the FSX repair (i.e. run the original install again, from the DVD). That should get the base SimConnect working -- you could test it at this stage. Re-run the FSUIPC4 installer and make sure FSX loads. Then re-install SP1 and test again (there should be no need to reinstall FSUIPC4). Finally reinstall SP2 and test again. I don't want to alarm you, but some folks have eventually re-formatted their disks and reinstalled Windows to recover from FSX installation problems. I'm sure there must be better solutions, but I think you would need to contact your Microsoft support centre to get their advice. There are some additional assists provided by Microsoft on the http://www.fsinsider.com web site. You might like to read some of those too, before you start. Regards Pete

Okay. Maybe I remember it wrong -- it's a long time since I flew one. Make sure that this is so with the FS simulation -- turn the effect off under "realism" and see if it changes. Also make sure you do tests with zero wind -- the Cessna is light enough to try to veer into even light winds. Pete

Okay. and does the "pulling" occur to one side only (which way, the left?) only with prop planes, and is it more pronounced with higher engine revs? If so are you sure it isn't simply the normal effect of the propeller torque and the tailfin backwash? In a real prop you have to apply some rudder to stay on the centreline, and more as you increase throttle. Alternatively, possibly you have the rudder trim set off-centre? With a zero input to the rudder the rudder will be central, neutral. Go outside the aircraft and look at it to check. Pete

Thery are zero all the time, no matter what the input is showing? Have you actually calibrated them at all? That sounds exactly like either the calibration has not been done in FSUIPC, or you've done it badly. That sounds like the brake pedals are not only operating the analogue brakes, but also sending a normal "brake button" control (like the '.' on the keyboard) as that is exactly what that does. Are you sure you aren't using some CH driver too, sending such messages? Show me the [JoystickCalibrations] and [Axes] sections of your FSUIPC INI file (from the FS Modules folder). You can cut and paste those into a message here. I also need to know the VERSION numbers of both FSUIPC and FS. If you are not using the latest FSUIPC, please do so first. Pete

Okay. I just installed the PMDG 747 for FSX. It actually installs 3 (THREE) DLLs, and adds them to the DLL.XML file automatically, when installing. These are PMDG\DLLs\PMDGOptions.dll PMDG\DLLs\PMDGEvents.dll PMDG\DLLs\PMDGSounds.dll where the PMDG path is inside the main FSX folder. So, it looks like, with your configuration as you've shown me here, the PMDG aircraft won't work either. Possibly all this is down to whatever it was which messed your DLL.XML file up? After showing me the SimConnect log I think it would be a good idea to delete the DLL.XML file, re-run the FSUIPC installer, and also re-install the PMDG aircraft. Regards Pete

Hmm. That shouldn't happen though, unless the layers were marked to be "shear", which is not usual or had such variance allowed (which I assumed they had not or, having looked at WeatherSet2 you'd have remarked). I'll see if I can find out what is happening there. I don't suppose you saved a Flight for me? Regards Pete

If the INI file is correct, then, since FSUIPC4 is creating a Log file it must be getting loaded. Since SimConnect logs things before loading any DLLs, it MUST be producing a Log before crashingunless, ah, Vista! Maybe that stops FSX creating files in the C:\ root folder? I never thought of that and no one has mentioned it before. I've changed the FSX Help message now, just in case that's the problem, please? If you still get no Log there must be a mistake in the INI file. In such a case please show me the SimConnect.ini file you created. Paste it all into a message here. By "files" here I do hope you mean "folders". They must be folders. They each contain one file. The FSUIPC4 install log you posted showed this: Checking compatibility with installed SimConnect: ... Okay, Probe Manifest matches installed SimConnect 60905 (Original) Found later build SimConnect 61242 (SP1 May07) Found later build SimConnect 61259 (Acc/SP2 Oct07) so that is why there are three SimConnect folders. The names MUST all start with C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect_67c7c14424d61b5b_10.0.60905.0 C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect_67c7c14424d61b5b_10.0.61242.0 C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect_67c7c14424d61b5b_10.0.61259.0 because if they do not, it would be impossible for FSUIPC4's installer to find them and report that they are okay. Furthermore, if the first isn't there then FSUIPC4 would not get loaded in the first place. I have recently discovered that, whilst the part after the bits above seems consistently the same on XP machines, it is different on Vista (eg it could be "none_ ..."). I think that part is a security scrambled ("hash") key to check the rest, to prevent folks "inventing" their own such folders to fool Windows, so I assume Vista is using a different hashing algorithm to XP. I'll amend the "FSX Help" text to reflect this. However, that is of no consequence at present. It wasn't on the Agendayet. Not sure why you posted that? Do you think it relevant? If you have the Deluxe edition of FSX, the original SDK is on the DVD, so you didn't have to download it. However, the one on the DVD isn't compatible with SP1 or SP2, so versions for those would have had to be downloaded. This is was I was worried that you had installed the original SDK and not updated it for SP1 or SP2. But according to all the details you also installed SP2 (or was it Acceleration you installed?) I am about to install the PMDG 747 myself. According to its instructions it also installs a DLL, and requires this to be loaded via the DLL.XML file. Did you read the installation "read me" you got with it? Somehow the (possibly) required DLL is not present in your DLL.XML file. No. Seems that some very mysterious things have been happening on your PC without your knowledge. The disappearing FSUIPC4 entry in the DLL.XML file, the presumably disappearing PMDG DLL entry too, and the appearance of all those SDK entries! That is indeed very very weird. I'm sorry, but all my installer does is find the DLL.XML file and, if it exists, adds its own entry. If it finds no DLL.XML file it creates one with only its own entry in it. If not you then certainly something you have used / installed has made a mess here. I think you ought to delete the DLL.XML file altogether, then re-run the FSUIPC4 installer to create a simpler one. But let's see if we can get the SimConnect log file first. It is looking more and more like a complete repair is needed -- especially if the PMDG 747 needs a DLL installing too (I'll know soon ...) -- but I'm in favour of taking things in order, and the simpler ones first. Regards Pete

No idea, sorry, but I think it works fine in the latest interim version (4.218) available above, in the FSX downloads announcement. Please try that. Pete

Well, you could stop ignoring all my replies and suggestions and try some of the things I mentioned. That would be a start, wouldn't it? Did you ever make the logging changes I asked and show me the results? Did you check for joystick drivers? Did you use the Joyview program I attached? Have you actually bothered to try doing what I suggested two days ago -- installing 3.777 and setting PollInterval=0 as I said, just to see if it a rogue joystick driver? You seem to be ignoring my replies, so why bother to post here at all? Pete

No, this is the sequence since you had a problem. That doesn't help understand how you got into this state in the first place -- it is the sequence of FSX, SP1, SP2/Acceleration, FSUIPC4.1, PMDG whatever, FSX SDK (and which version did you install???), etc., that led to the problem in the first place that is important. Here's another thing which seems wrong. you say you are using PMDG aircraft. Which? Is it one specifically designed for FSX? As far as I knew, all PMDG aircraft need a DLL installed, and for FSX this needs an entry in the DLL.XML file. In particular the PMDG 747X, for instance, says in its install "read me": "FSX has an "achillies heal" of sorts in a file named DLL.XML. This file is located in the same directory as your FSX.CFG file and contains information that allows third party add-ons such as this product to run within FSX. For almost every aircraft add-on developer, this file must be modified to list certain data about the dll files that are needed for the add-on aircraft. I've not investigated this further, having just managed to get a copy of the 747 so I can look into some wind-smoothing problems folks reported with this aircraft and FSUIPC 4.217. I want to see if I've fixed them in 4.128. But I'll check into this DLL tomorrow. So, if you do have PMDG aircraft needing this DLL, how come it isn't mentioned in your DLL.XML file? I thought I was very clear on that. I only wanted to know which version it was, so all you needed to do was find it in the RC package you have, right-click on it, thus getting the Version from the Properties, exactly as I described earlier. Never mind. Too late now. It wouldn't correctly remove SimConnect for the reasons I've already stated, unless you find the SimConnect side-by-side folders and delete all those too. Not easy in Vista unfortunately. You'd have to change permissions etcetera.. Why not at least get a SimConnect log first? I mentioned this right at the beginning and it seems a damned sight quicker and easier to do that than all this prevaricating, doesn't it? Well, not upset but admittedly rather frustrated that I keep having to repeat myself and you appear to be ignoring my requests and suggestions. It is very difficult to help someone who won't cooperate. No one is asking any programming or "SDK" off you -- but whilst you are on the subject, why did you install the SDK anyway if you didn't want to use it? I'm off to bed now, it is getting late here. Good night. Regards Pete

That's a complicated way of telling me one little piece of information, isn't it? Searching through that vast amount of irrelevant stuff (I do not examine RC logs), I see it reported "FSUIPC_Version 41520000", or in other words version 4.152. That was one of the Beta versions made available here before 4.20 -- about August 2007. 4.20 was released when FSX Acceleration was released, in October. Incidentally, there is a much later Beta version here now -- 4.218, in the FSX Downloads announcement above. I really cannot do anything else until I see the SimConnect log file which may hopefully show what SimConnect is doing. If that shows nothing, but merely indicates that it hung, then I can only think it is a SimConnect corruption, in which can I can tell you how to reinstall it -- uninstalling FSX and re-installing it doesn't do this, nor does uninstalling SP1 or SP2 and re-installing. It's all to do with the Windows "side-by-side" library system used here and it gets really complicated, especially on Vista which seems designed to stop you doing anything important. If you can remember the actual sequence of installs and uninstalls you've performed, both of FSX, its updates, and your add-ons, it may help to work out what has happened here. Regards Pete