Pete Dowson

My PMDG contacts have been trying 3.763 for me with the 747 and cannot reproduce these problems, so this is likely to be quite a tough nut to crack. There's really no much FSUIPC involvement in any of the actions their code uses to start engines. Do you have any other FSUIPC client programs running at the same time? And when you say "and no EPR" do you mean no indication at all, or a constant value of 1.0? Regards Pete

I cannot find anything different about Engines 2-4 compared to Engine 1. According to my contact in PMDG the EGT read-out is from their code. The chap in PMDG cannot reproduce your problem, so we're a bit stuck in trying to understand this problem I'm afraid. You say "My guess is, some of the new features in the FSUIPC betas are conflicting with the custom PMDG 747 coding.", but the problem with that is -- there are no new features which have anything much to do with Engines, only this one: Which is basically just a change in timing. Anyway, I attach 3.759 -- this is the last I have before the above change (I no longer have 3.761 or 3.762, which only had changes to the Traffic Zapper anyway). Please try that ASAP and let me know. Oh, one more thing. When you say "and no EPR" do you mean no indication at all, or a constant value of 1.0? Pete FSUIPC3759.zip

Oh, right. Okay. So what range of values do you see in the FSUIPC axis assignments Tab. Do they move through the range, or jump from one extreme to the other? Ah .. it sounds like you somehow have the yoke set to a "digital" mode, like a Game Pad. Doesn't it show this behavious in the Game Controller (Windows) screen too? No. As I say, it sounds more like what you would get from one of the rockers on a gamepad, or a game pad joystick when set to "digital" instead of "analogue" mode. Strange. I've really no idea. All FSUIPC does here is read the axes directly instead of via FS. You didn't mention if it was FSUIPC3 or FSUIPC4 (for FSX) you are using, but FSUIPC4 uses the same system (DirectInput) as FS, whereas FSUIPC3 uses the old Windows API. What made you go direct to the total-FSUIPC rather than the easier (older, more established, less complicated) FSUIPC joystick calibrations of FS assignments method? If we are talking about FS2004 and FSUIPC3 here, it may be that the drivers for this yoke do not support the older Windows joystick interface very well. I attach a utility which uses the same interface -- you could check with that. If we are talking about FSX and FSUIPC4, then it is a real puzzle -- if it were acting like a digital pad via DirectInput it wouldn't be flyable through FS's assignments either. Regards Pete joyview.zip

Phew! Thank you! I was getting worried. What 4-engined prop are you using in FSX, BTW? I was going to have to ask you because I've not got one so couldn't properly test the prop pitch and mixture stuff, only in theory! ;-) Regards Pete

I assume you've claibrated them in Windows first? If not, that's your first step. Then check the Sensitivity and Null sliders in FS -- the sensitivity should be at maximum (full right) and the null zone full left. That should give you a "normal" FS response. For more control, calibrate in FSUIPC: follow the instructions in the FSUIPC User Guide, step by step. Regards Pete

If you have two throttles assigned, and map them as you say, AND you have a 3 or 4 engine aircraft loaded, then, in FSUIPC, you will only use the calibration sections for throttles 1 and 2. Ignore 3 and 4. I've made just those assignments here, and the throttles are operating the correct levers in FSX. They work fine, no matter whether I assign in FSX itself, or assign to FS controls (Axis throttle1 set and axis throtte2 set) in FSUIPC's Axis assignments, or even if I assign direct to FSUIPC in the axis assignments. The only odd-looking thing in that in at least one of those modes the Calibration screen may show the throttle 4 responding, and in the FS-assigned mode both the Throttle1 and 2 calibration IN/OUT values change when you move the throttle 1 lever (but #2 shows the calibrated values IN and OUT). None of this matters -- use the calibrations as normal. On your other reports: what does "can not be set" actually mean, please? I don't understand. Nothing at all in this area. Please review the list of changes posted in the "FSX Downloads" Announcement. The entry which refers to the fix you say worked is #9/ That's not been changed at all since then. I need more information, please. I cannot make anything go wrong here. Regards Pete

No, unfortunately I can't. I will need someone in PMDG to tell me what variable they are using which isn't looking right. As far as I am aware I've made no changes which should do anything like what you observe. I'll ask PMDG to look at this thread and let me know what may be amiss. Regards Pete

Sorry, what is this a list of? Where is this related to FSUIPC, please? I don't understand anything you are saying, I'm afraid. What is CTRL_G supposed to do, where? Could you refer to the things you are asking FSUIPC to do? What are you assigning and what to, and where (which Tab). What is the name of the thing you are assigning to? Et cetera. Do you mean the 0-9 keys on the keyboard, or are you referring to some FS controls? If you mean the FS controls "ATC Menu 0" to "ATC Menu 9", then you should know that all FSUIPC does is send them to FS. If FS is ignoring them, then FSUIPC can do nothing. I expect they aren't programmed in FSX any more -- there are a few strange things which occur when the ATC menu is displayed, like the keyboard elevator/aileron controls don't work either. I think Microsoft have programmed the ATC menu differently and are scanning the keyboard instead of processing controls. You may need to change your button assignments to send the 0-9 keypresses instead. Unfortunately it is quite common for controls listed in the Table in The FS CONTROLS.DLL to be left in, listed, even when the code for them is no longer there. Also, sometimes new ones are added but they run out of time and don't actually code them, though that certainly isn't the case here. Regards Pete

Oh dear. :cry: :roll: :cry: :roll: I said file TYPE "Log". I also said they were ordinary text files. You have your Explorer set in its stupidly annoying mode where it hides the file types for types it thinks it "knows"! You are reading descriptions, not filenames! Two of those files, no doubt the two text files, are type LOG! The "FSUIPC4 configurations settings" file is type INI. You'll need to understand that too, one day. Just double click on the text files!! Pete

As I said, they will be in the FSX Modules folder. That's a folder inside your FSX folder with the name "Modules". They are files of filetype LOG, and will be ordinary text files which will open with Notepad or any other editor. Just cut and paste their contents into a message here. If SimConnect is blocked then many add-ons cannot work. Pete

No, because more information is needed. Does it produce a Log (in the Modules folder of FSX)? Does it show an installation window with details? And the "error reporting tool" message has ways of getting lots more information -- I need some of that. Please take a closer look at it. But first and foremost I need the version. If it isn't the current one (4.16) go get that first please. Pete

They sound the same as the one I fixed. what's the difference? No. Can I see the Calibration and Axes sections of your INI file please? Pete

Yes, it works identically. I use it, with Radar Contact, all the time. FSUIPC4 does not intercept and re-direct FSX's own texts. I thought you said you used Radar Contact? It works with that and any external program providing messages. Regards Pete

The errors in the Event viewer are in no way related. They are "standard" errors reported by Windows every time you either Install FSUIPC4 or run FSX with FSUIPC4 installed, and they occur during initialisation. Please see the many other threads about this, or in particular this one: viewtopic.php?f=54&t=64737 CTDs when doing thinks like switching views tend to relate to video driver issues. See if it happens in Windowed mode. Try newer or older drivers. Try changing some of the video settings. Regards Pete

Show me the two Log files from the FSX Modules folder -- both the Install log, which shows the progress of the installation, and the FSUIPC4 log which will tell us what is wrong. It does sound like a normal SimConnect blockage, probably by your firewall, but the log s will tell us more. Regards Pete

Doesn't this completely depend on how the Airbus is implemented by the add-on aircraft maker? Or are you only concerned with the (rather poor, I've been told) implementation of the Airbus in FSX? From other support inquiries over the last few years I was under the impression that the specific throttle "detente" positions to which you refer were implemented in add-ons like those from PSS by specific keystrokes or controls, not by detente ranges on the throttle. If this is the case then the facility to calibrate such detentes is already most certainly present in FSUIPC -- it is handled by the assignment capabilities on the right-hand side of the Axis Assignments tab. I'd like to know a lot more first, as it is not a trivial job -- probably a week or two's sold programming and testing. I also suspect that it would still be easy enough to do it via the Axis Assignments facilities. You can program specific axis input ranges (your detentes, with a little leeway each side) to send the appropriate "Axis Throttle Set" controls with the parameter required to select the correct position in the FS aircraft implementation. In fact, the Flaps detentes could have been done this way too -- it is just that the latter facility was added long before I provided the more generalised axis assignments capabilities. Take a closer look. I'm sure you are missing something you can do already. Regards Pete

Sorry, could you explain in more detail what you mean? FSUIPC itself does not offer specific ATC facilities. Regards Pete

Not really, I don't know it. Not the FSUIPC Log. Show me the FSUIPC log, please. The complete log -- i.e. run FS, get the error, close FS, show me the FSUIPC Log file from the Modules folder. Well, 3.74 is not supported, it is too old. The oldest currently supported version is 3.75, as listed in the Announcements above. However, that won't be the reason. Try removing, temporarily, the FSUIPC.KEY file from the Modules folder, to make it appear unregistered. If it then works you have something wrong with your Key. If it is still the same the most likely causes are either (a) the DLL file is corrupt, causing the Signing check to fail, or (b) the codesigning root for GlobalSign is not installed on your PC. Checking the log should help determine which, though you can also right-click on the DLL itself, select Properties-Signature and see if it is correctly signed. For more details on codesigning and fixes, read the current documentation or the first few paragraphs in the "Other Downloads" Announcement above. Regards Pete

Possibly, though McAfee was one of the programs which caused problems with SimConnect in the early days. Maybe the re-install got that sorted. Glad it's all working for you now. Good flying! Regards Pete

I have good news and much worse bad news, I'm afraid. After fixing the above and trying a real flight with my wind smoothing doing what I intended, I have come to three conclusions: 1. The severe wind shifts are either a direct result of the appearance in WX station weather settings of large numbers of spurious and untenable wind layers, or they are related to that as a parallel symptom. 2. By having FSUIPC read the nearest weather station METARs, detecting the spurious layers (both wind and temperature ones), removing them and writing the result back, most of the occurrences of severe wind shifts are removed. In one complete flight, albeit only 45 minutes, I had only one such shift. In others, before I had this working, I could be assured of many more than that, especially during climb and descent, which I believe exacerbates the layering problem (as you are travelling through them). I believe the shifts that do slip through are due to the impossibility of detecting and changing them all fast enough without killing performance, and also to the likelihood that the three WX stations actually contributing to the conditions at the aircraft are not always found by the simple 3 x 3 matrix of points I use at present. 3. The act of setting the corrected METAR back to the WX station via SimConnect causes a stutter. When several occur close together, you get a severe stutter. The main period of the stutters exactly coincides with the timing of the smoothing scan -- controlled by the 1-30 value on the Winds tab in FSUIPC4. (For FSX SP2/Accel, value 1 = 500 mSec, Pre-SP2 value 1 = 1 sec). Conclusion ======== I'm afraid (3) above is a killer. I'll provide FSUIPC4 version 4.174 after a final test flight, tomorrow morning perhaps, but it will have the "change FS own weather" option clearly marked as causing stutters. The facility will, at present, merely be a demonstration, not, in my opinion, a usable feature. At least all this work has given me a lot of "ammunition" in discussing the whole mess with Microsoft. I just hope I can make some progress. If I can think of any other way to pursue our goals here, I will undertake them when I can. As a very last resort maybe hacking into the FSX code is going to be necessary, but this is not something I am inclined to do, and it certainly won't be this year. Please lookout for 4.174 if you want to try things out further despite the likely drawbacks. Regards Pete

FSInterogate is an aid, you should certainly not be using that as a reference! Please always refer to the Programmer's document in the FSUIPC SDK. If you'd checked there you would have found this, regarding the PayLoad weights: These loadings can be changed, and this does have some effect, but such changes are not being promulgated to the overall weights (offsets 30C0, 30C8, 3BFC) nor balance (2EF8), and it looks like they have to refreshed, as FS overrides them from time to time. It has also been reported that FS can crash if a lot of changes are made here, so care and full testing is needed. I think this is why they are marked as "read only" in FSI -- it's a safety matter. By all means experiment, but I think the problem is that no one ever found the right way to tell the rest of FS to take proper note of the new payloads, at least not until you enter the Aircraft payload menu and ok out of it. Regards Pete

You might as well hold off for a while longer. I've just done a proper test flight, and it isn't smoothing. I've got something wrong somewhere. It works well on my test system (with the debugging system running), but not in my cockpit. I hate this sort of problem -- you try to find out what is happening, and the very act of looking makes it work okay! Grrr. I'll be in touch again when I have something better. Unfortunately I'm running out of time this week, so it will probably be next week now. [LATER] Okay -- I found out what the problem was. I has a little program called SA_WXR running in my cockpit, which reads out the weather at all sorts of locations all the time FSX is running, so that it can display a weather radar picture. Due to a stupid error on my part, this regular read action caused my normal smoothing actions to be by-passed altogether! Duh! :roll: So, I'll fix that now and test it, and may upload 4.174 tomorrow morning, or even later today, if it is okay. Meanwhile, if you don't get it, you can still test 4.173 provided you have no programs or gauges running which are reading the weather through FSUIPC. Regards Pete

Actually, it was there in the FSX Downloads announcement a few minutes after I sent the message in this thread! ;-) Pete

The FSUIPC4.ZIP file contains a program called "Install FSUIPC4", and even a "User Guide", which strangely enough, tells you to run the Install program! Just look at the section cunningly entitled "Installation" Adding FSUIPC4 to FSX isn't a simple matter, it is done by the Installer! Please do try to help yourself just a little! Although you said "Absolutely. Frequent looks." to my question as to whether you ever looked at the Announcements here, it seems you meant you "looked" but did not actually "read" them! Next time I shall have to re-word such questions so I get a correct meaningful answer! :-( Pete

Make sure you have the currently supported versions of both PFC.DLL and FSUIPC.DLL. Companies like PFC have a habit of supplying out of date versions. Go to http://www.schiratti.com/dowson and download the current ones. The PFC.DLL doesn't need registering, and unless you want to use the additional facilities in FSUIPC, that doesn't either. Check the User Guides, see if you want to first. Follow the links and instructions in the User Guide. It tells you not only where to go and pay, but also how much. ;-) Of course, just follow the instructions in the PFC.DLL user guide. First use the TEST tab to make sure it is seeing your buttons and switches okay. Pete