Pete Dowson

I'm not sure exactly which switches you mean, but I think they are some of those which are only implemented in the gauges themselves. They are not part of FS's simulation engine, and I'm pretty sure they can only be operated by mouse. If you want to program them on keys or buttons I think you will need something like Luciano Napolitano's Key2Mouse program. Regards Pete

Yes. In fact there is an FS axis control for spoiler, so you should be able to do it in FS's assignments in any case. Did you look? Mind you, it may not be there. For some reason they don't list them all. I don't remember off-hand. To do it in FSUIPC instead, first make sure the axis is not assigned in FS (orassigned to something completely innocuous), then go to the FSUIPC Axis Assignments tab, get it to recognise your axis. Then you can select the Direct to FSUIPC option, check one of the 4 assignment lines below, and in the drop-down, find the Spoiler. After assignment, go to the Calibrations tab and calibrate it. You'll probably want it REVersed too, so spoilers are down when the lever is fully forward. Regards Pete

Er .. if it's a joystick, known to Windows as a joystick, it would be seem by FSUIPC. What does Windows think it is? What does FS itself see it as? What IS it, in fact? Regards Pete

Possibly, I just don't know. Maybe their code is as complex as mine! ;-) Regards Pete

Really? That does surprise me, as it has been using DirectInput for joysticks (axes and buttons) since FS2002. Yes, sorry, but the work to expand it to 64 buttons per joystick, even in FSUIPC4 (where I do use DirectInput for the axes already) turned out to be a complete re-write, and as it is so complex (with all the conditional programming facilities etcetera) I didn't want to possibly jeopardise existing users' setups. The only way I though I might do it was to operate as if buttons 32-63 were on a different joystick, one you haven't otherwise got. But really that is also a whole heap of work (including converting the current simple button reading direct in Windows "joy" API to the horribly complex DirectInput interface). Quite honestly, for the few devices which have more than 32 buttons it simply isn't worth it. Sorry. Regards Pete

Show me the FSUIPC INI file too -- just the [buttons] section. Cut and paste it into your message. That eliminates the hub then. So its either the units, or multiple assignments, or you've made a mess in the settings. Pete

I'v been experimenting with trying to overcome wind shifts by continually reading amd modifying the weather in the 9 nearest weather stations (and GLOBal weather), continuously whilst you are flying. I have made some progress, but it does, unfortunately, impinge upon performance somewhat. I'm hoping that the new SimConnect efficiencies which will be incorporated in FSX SP2 later this year will offset some of this, but I've also provided for some adjustment in the options. I'll be able to release an interim FSUIPC4 version with this wind smoothing tomorrow (Sunday), or Monday at the latest. Would you like to try it out, and let me know if it helps more than (through performance problems) hinders? Regards Pete

This is getting a bit confused. Are you simply saying that your GoFlight buttons and switches are behaving erratically? Erwithout knowing what you are programming or how I cannot comment on whether you are "programming them correct". But if you are getting inconsistent unpredictable results from the buttons and switches then it sounds to me as if they are suspect, or more probably the USB connection is suspect. If you are using a hub to connect these things then I would try another, or try plugging them directly into the PC. I can help with specific questions, of course, but with this sort of random ramblings I don't know how to help. If you could be more specific, scientific even. Use some method in your assignment and testing and say what you actually set and when then transpired, step by step. If you are getting random and different results al of the time then there are only two possibilities I think: 1. You have a hardware or connection problem, as i mentioned, or 2. You have multiple assignments to the same buttons/switches and this is confusing you. If you think you have made a mess of assigning things in FSUIPC, simply delete the INI file and start again. Or, if you prefer, just delete the [buttons] section inside the file so you can retain your other settings. Sorry but it is explained as best I can, with examples and pictures where things get complicated. I'm sure it is no where near as learning to fly an airplane properly. Maybe you are overreaching yourself and need to step back a bit? Regards Pete

First you need to decide whether you want a revering lever, or just a reverse zone on the normal thrust levers. This indicates that the settings in FS itself are wrong. You have the sensitivity set to zero in FS's settings -- it wouldn't do anything in FS, let alone FSUIPC! As documented, you need maximum sensitivity and minimum null zone. It seems the CH drivers and FS between them often combine to play this trick on the mixture axis. Alternatively of course you can de-assign it in FS and assign it directly to the reverser in FSUIPC. But there should be no need if you have FS assignments set up correctly. Regards Pete

Well, not if it was only applicable to MP aircraft, like this. That's actually a lot more work. I've just done it the way I suggested -- basically, if an aircraft has got to or past the initial taxi-out stage and hasn't been assigned a destination airport yet, then I assume it isn't under local FS ATC control. Then, if there's a non-zero Transponder code set, I provide it in place of the destination ICAO, as 4 printables. This means it is immediately visible in places like TrafficLook, but doesn't adversely affect any known program. I strive to make facilities which were in FS2004 or before work in FSX, but I rarely am able to go backwards -- too much hacking involved. Each new version of FS brings new facilities, such as this. Previous versions didn't support MP aircraft as AI in any case, so it is actually impossible to do the same thing there. Regards Pete

Okay, good! Maybe you'd also like to check the wind smoothing I'm doing, using the same technique? It isn't anywhere near as good or efficient as in previous versions, but I'm hoping it will be useful until I can get better facilities sorted out in FSX. I don't think it will make the performance any worse than the graduated visibility does -- and I've put the adjustment factor in the Wind options page so you can experiment. I'll probably put up an Announcement about it, maybe tomorrow or Monday. Regards Pete

If you've simply lost the program, download it again. If you've lost your Key, see the Announcement about what to do. Pete

The DLL.XML file has to contain a section to tell SimConnect to load FSUIPC4 when FSX is initialising. It should be possible for it to be created/edited in your AppData folder, for your user name, in Documents and settings. It might be aliased in Vista as ProgramData, I don't know. If you are getting an error it could be that your Registry is not correct for FSX entries. If you could show me the actual install Log, which is produced for exactly such diagnosis, I might be able to help further. Regards Pete

Not arrived yet. Well, that's indeed a puzzle then, as I cannot reproduce anything like that here. Please, don't both to send me pictures. Send INI settings plus a save FLT + WX + FSSAVE set. I need to be able to reproduce things, not view pix. Thanks. Also, if you enable Weather logging, I can see what it is trying to do in the FSUIPC4.LOG, so include that as well please. So far, in several days of testing I cannot make the graduated visibility go wrong at all, so I need to know how to make your odd problems occur! I hope you are not mixing up low visibility due to clouds with the real visibility settings. Regards Pete

Ah, yes -- Actigate rings a bell. I think one version of that has caused problems -- when FSUIPC is unable to respond it hangs occasionally. Best to see if you can find another version. I think ViMaCore is okay. That's a fairly standard DLL used with a lot of Aerosoft's products (and Lago before that). Regards Pete

It occurred to me that for MP aircraft there isn't a filed Flight Plan for ATC in the local PC, so the fields for source and destination ICAO codes are unused. Perhaps I could put a character version ("nnnn") of the Transponder Code into the Destination field? It would show as a numeric in my own TrafficLook progra too, then. What do you think? Are you able to test such a change (FSX only) if I incorporate it? Regards Pete

Yes, and not featured in the documentation either, that is what puzzled me about this query. ;-) Best Regards, Pete

You wish to "Register an Application"? What application? There has been no Application registration since about version 3.72. Where are you reading this “tutorial” which tells you such things? The User Guide supplied in the Zip for 3.75 most certainly doesn't have any such instructions! I can't tell you what to do. You tell me what YOU want to do and I'll tell you where to find it in the User Guide. There is actually a Contents list at the front. Did you refer to that at all? Regards Pete

How do you stand the aircraft "still" in the air, without pausing? If you pause I think the weather engine pauses, at least to some extent, too. Not arrived yet. I'll look tomorrow. You set the maximum upper visibility to 10 miles!!??? This is topsy-turvy. The visibilty will have to decrease! I don't think I programmed for thatbut maybe it will work. I've never tried anything so strange! Ah, good. So it worked -- heavy decrease to the 10 sm you set!? That's because you set 10 miles, not 100. 100 miles in 1/100ths of a mile would be 10000, not 1000. Yes. Any filter action, when enabled with "change FS's own weather" checked makes FSUIPC not only read the 10 stations nearest (including Global weather), but for each it has to write back the changes. It isn't very nice. It will be faster when you have FSX SP2 because the traffic is going by a faster route. You can also influence it by changing this paramter in the INI file: WeatherReadFactor=n If n=0 the weather read/write cycle is totally disabled. This is only for testing -- without that cycle application programs won't get any weather data either. The larger "n" is (up to 30 I think) the less often will the weather be read and updated. I think it is roughly 1 = 1 second in the current version you have, but I'm changing that. Basically, with 10 stations to scan and update a 1 second rate will take 10 seconds per iteration, so that pretty well limits the "smoothness" of any visibility changes. All this gets much more important in my next interim release, where I have a crude form of wind smoothing working, using the same technique. Unfortunately, this generates an even bigger performance impact and, to avoid terrible windshear altogether, the cycle time has to be kept low, making it worse. I'm going to release it as an "experiment", for evaluation so that folks can see if it is worth pursuing further. Both of these techniques could be made to work much more efficiently and reliably if FSUIPC could get hold of the ICAO IDs of the 3 WX stations contributing to the ambient weather at the aircraft, as then it could operate just on those three and be sure of good results. I'm pressing Microsoft on this, and may start trying to find them for myself. Regards Pete

WideClient will certainly be issuing the command to Windows -- assuming your parameters in the INI are the same as in the other PCs. Something is preventing Windows from closing. I've had problems like that, completely separately from and nothing to do with anything FS-wise. It was more frequent on Windows 98 and before, but it does still happen with WinXP too. I think it is some service, driver or other background activity which won't close for some reason. How you find out which and how to stop it is difficult. Trial and error usually. From what you said I thought WideClient had actually teminated, but check that first -- via the task manager (you can't tell just by whether there's a Window there or not. Apps can close their windows yet still be running). If it is still running and FSComnunicator is the only app, it may be that this is somehow tying up WideClient. There are parameters you can use to stop that (slowing FSCommunicator down by idling in between calls), but this really hasn't been necessary on any App I know of for a long time. I don't know if there are any other programs which will do this for you. There are several programs to start things up automatically, but I don't know about closing the system itself down. I have a Master power switch on the wall, where the whole cockpit -- PCs, control boards, panels ,etc - can all be switched off. I just ruthlessly switch the lot off there even if one or two are stuck on. If they are idling in any case it does no harm. Regards Pete

Are you using UDP protocol, or TCP? I get this on one or sometimes two (out of 8) PCs on my cockpit occasionally, but more often using UDP where, I think, the blocks get lost in the confusion of traffic with others closing. It seems quite rare with TCP here, though it can happen. And it isn't always the same PC. All WideClient can do is issue the instruction to Windows, requesting the shut down. Have you checked in the Windows task manager on that PC (CTRL_ALT_DEL) to see if there is something running still, stopping the shutdown? See if it shuts down without FSCommunicator running (i.e close that first, then do the full shut down). Regards Pete

You most certainly are. Please look at the extracts above. See that you told Wideclient that the server name is "rickey", which is IP 192.168.0.4. Do you see what the server name really is, "ATK-BBF6E2B97AA"? Even you stated that the client IP was 192.168.0.4. Surely it is pretty obvious that the client cannot connect to itself? It needs the Server! Regards Pete

Sorry, I don't understand what the question is. The language used in your FSUIPC application has nothing to do with the version of FS you are using. The FSUIPC interface remains the same throughout FS98-FS2000-CFS1-FS2002-CFS2-FS2004-FSX. New things are added but I make every effort to support older stuff each time. Regards Pete

Hmm. FSX "MP" aircraft, yesthey are created via the AI interface of SimConnect I think, by programs like Squawkbox and FSInn? They are not true MP. I can see the possible use of the Squawk code there. I'll put it on my list for consideration. Maybe I can find a way to fit it in, somehow. Regards Pete

I've checked these, and they are not fixed. On my system I don't know where they are -- not those addresses for sure -- and I suspect even on yours they aren't necessarily consistently where you've found them. Those addresses are outside any actual module, in heap-space land, which means they are in structures allocated dynamically. I don't know how you found them, but you need to go further -- find out how they are reached through object pointers and so on. You need to find somewhere in the FS code which refers to them, probably via a handle/pointer -- which may, again, be in dynamic space. And so it goes. In many parts of FSUIPC I have to track through one pointer to one object in order to get a pointer to another, and so on and so on. One other thought. You aren't using TrackIR are you? If so, are you sure those addresses aren't within the TrackIR DLL rather than FS? Regards Pete