Pete Dowson

Good. I've got another small fix to make (Spoiler Inc/Dec, as per another thread), so by the time it gets into the Downloads Announcement it wil be 4.156 or 7. Regards Pete

Actually, Galicia is the North-West-most province of Spain, just North of Portugal. Our son lives right near the border with Portugal. Our last railway holiday (in June) was through Hungary, Slovakia and southern Poland -- very good, reliable railway system including superbly kept steam locos. Good. Regards Pete

The FSUIPC Spoilers inc and dec added controls, you mean? ... ... Ah! The problem is that the "SpoilerIncrement" parameter, which always used to be written to the FSUIPC INI for version 3 is not currently written to the FSUIPC4.INI file, and it consequently defaults to zero instead of 512 as documented. Good catch! I'll fix that in the next update. Meanwhile, just add: SpoilerIncrement=512 (or whatever you prefer) to the [General] section of the INI file and it will work fine, though note that you have to be in the air for spoiler adjustment -- on the ground you can only arm them which will deploy them fully automatically. Regards Pete

Please try the attached version 4.155 and let me know. If okay i'll put it up in the Downloads Announcement. Regards Pete FSUIPC4155.zip

Okay. Thanks. I'll bear it in mind! Problem there is that is really does need 3 buttons. One to request pushback. As you start being pushed you look out the side windows to see when you then need to select the '1' or '2' ("SELECT 1" and "SELECT 2" controls, I think they are). That makes three buttons. You make the selection about one plane-length from the line you want to be on. Then to push the original push button again to stop it all when lined up - it's a toggle. FSUIPC does include the necessary code to make sure you can actually look sideways between the Pushback request and the selection -- FS doesn't actually allow that else. I suppose you could work out a way of using two buttons -- you'd have to hold the button down till you wanted the turn selected, then release it -- program pushback on both button "press" and the Select 1 or 2 on the release. Two problems I can see with that: first you probably cannot hold the button in and get another button seen to select a view. Second, you'd have to push the same button again after, to stop the pushback, which leaves a spare "select" key operating. that's probably harmless, but you never know. Most of this can be programmed around using FSUIPC's conditionals and flags, editing these in the FSUIPC INI file, but it can become more complicated than it is worth. Best to try the way I said first. Just came back from a short visit to my son in Galicia. Next one starts at the end of this month -- Serbia and Bulgaria, steam railways again. ;-) Regards Pete

Yes, sorry. Saw it just after I posted. I think I know what is going on. I tried some experiments. Basically, it now seems to be failing to initialise some of the parameters in the Comms control block, and leaving them set to the previously set values -- so a lot depends on previous usage of that Port. The change I actually did was to include the \\.\ part of the name in the port spec when building the new block. That helped in certain reported cases with USB ports, but it seems to have this side effect. I'll upload a revised version when I've figured out what to do. Apologies for the inconvenience. Regards Pete

If they all seem to do the same I'm sure whatever they are doing doesn't matter to you much. As long as you set the altimeter to read the ground elevation before taking off, you'll be okay for the sort of flying you are doing. When you get more into it the differences will become more evident in any case. :-) :-) Same, here, except I'd never program either. Do you really think I've tried them all or know what they all do in such a certain way I could write them up? Believe me, I did start out in FS98 days, but it is a never-ending thankless task with no real benefits in the end. Mostly you don't need to know about any of it in any case. If you want to do something, you know what it is you want to do and you go investigate the things that look likely to do them. There's no point listing things "just in case" in such a technical arena, believe me. Regards Pete

Weird. I only get 8 bit words here, but I'm not seeing the data you are seeing either. What sentences are they? Can you show me the GPSout section of your FSUIPC4.INI file, please? Pete

You need Microsoft support then. Without a proper FSX installation almost no add-ons can work. You are actually pretty unique in that the repair doesn't work, so there's something in your system which is preventing a correct FSX installation, and only MS can help there. Pete

As I surely already said, I need to see the actual logs. Please refer to the EPICINFO documentation for how to enable full logging. Log everything. Then ZIP the file and send it to me (petedowson@btconnect.com) with details about what you think is wrong. Pete

It means what it says. The version of SimConnect which should have been installed with FSX is not correctly installed on your system. FSUIPC (and most other SimConnect add-ons) need that in order to load. See the FSX Help announcement above for how to repair the SimConnect installation. Regards Pete

Okay, in that case the only way is by assigning the axis in FS to some axis control you don't need, for example, Propeller Pitch 4. Then look up whichever control you assigned it to in my FS2004 Controls List (available on the Schiratti download web page) to get the number of that control. Look in your FSUIPC.INI file in the [JoystickCalibration] section, and find the line RudderTrimControl=0 Change the 0 to the number of the control you assigned. Then calibrate the rudder trim in the FSUIPC calibration page. regards Pete

Yes. Using FSUIPC's Axis Assignments you can assign controls like Gear Up and Gear Down to ranges of your joystick axis. In fact the use of any axis to operate the Gear is the main example of this described in the FSUIPC User Guide. Check the axis assignments section. Regards Pete

You could certainly write a program to do that, if you know the Excel format. Regards Pete

Is this in FSUIPC3 or FSUIPC4? In FSUIPC3 I use the standard Windows joystick API, which only recognises 6 axes (XYZRUV). In FSUIPC4 (i.e. on FSX) I use DirectInput, so all axes recognised by FSX will be recognised also by FSUIPC4 -- up to 8 of them instead of 6. Regards Pete

Strange, because nothing was changed. Sorry, you are saying the 4.152 is sending data, but your device doesn't recognise it? Please try PortMon and tell me what difference you see in the data. I am using GPSout here all the time, and there's no difference I can see. You can get PortMon from http://www.sysinternals.com. It is freeware. Pete

Not "mine", the FS controls are extracted from the FS "CONTROLS.DLL", and use the names they supply there. Barometric STD must of course be Altimeter Standard, which I think only works to the North American standard for flight levels (18000 feet) Barometric is obviously the 'B' or "Altimeter Reset" (a cheat -- nothing of the sort exists on a real aircraft) Kohlsman Set is a way of directly setting the value, in 1/16s of a hPA. It takes that as a parameter. Why not just try them if you aren't sure. It would actually be quicker than posting here! ;-) The name Kollsman (as it should be spelled -- Microsoft mis-spelled it right since FS5 days) comes from the German company which originally made altimeters with the small window showing the pressure setting. It became known as the "Kollsman Window". Thanks! :-( I don't see why you are so confused in the first place. There are lots and lots more controls listed in CONTROLS.DLL which are much more confusing, including some which are completely misnamed and many which may or may not work. Getting confused over trivia which is so easy to verify yourself is rather surprising really. The hot key facility (and example) for "STD" setting arose because such a control was not originally provided by FS, and in any case I think theirs is related only to North America (though I'm not sure about that). Airliners have an "STD" button on the EFIS switch panel -- this does the same thing when changing from altitudes to flight levels. None of them do the same thing. No, sorry, no chance. There is no way I am going to embark on trying to interpret a varying set (from FS release to FS release) of FS-defined controls. I define the ones I add, the specific FSUIPC controls for special things, but no way will I start on a never-ending job of attempting to document FS's controls. I did try that in FS98 days. Ugh. Just try them -- it is surely quick and easy to assign one, and try it. Pete

Of course, because it's the elevator you need to de-assign from that axis, not the right brake! There is nothing in any of FS or FSUIPC or anywhere else which "converts" brake input to elevator. you have another assignment somewhere. Regards Pete

FOR FSUIPC or WIDEFS keys purchased through SimMarket Note that, on the SimMarket sales pages for FSUIPC and WideFS it says "Personal Registration Key will be Generated and Emailed within 24 hours". If you don't receive your key by email in a reasonable time, after 24 hours, then you should fill in a "trouble ticket". This can be done via either the "Customer Services" link at the top of every sales page, or the "Contact Us" in the "Information" lists on the left. When you get to the Customer Service page (which you can also get to via http://www.simmarket.com and the link at the top of the page), the very first selection takes you to where you can report your problem. Regards, Pete

First, let me tick you off for not taking better care of things you pay for! Best thing to do, when you receive notification of keys and so on, is to make a copy -- a printout, or a copy on disk or CD or another PC. With FSUIPC-entered keys, you can and should backup your FSUIPC.KEY file. You will find this, after registration, in the FS Modules folder. The KEY file is an ordinary text file and you can read it with, say, NotePad, in order to know exactly what to re-enter. Right, back to the present. The main point you should understand is that I am not at all involved in the issue of keys, excepting only those which I personally issued for those special cases of advanced donations made before July 2003.* Commercial key generation is handled entirely by the retailers. They do all that stuff so that I can concentrate on development and support, and it is a very worthwhile system because of that. Whether they maintain a database of customers and keys issued and would therefore be able to verify and grant claims for re-issue is entirely up to them. Even if they do, I would not blame them if this is purged from time to time. However, that said, I do know that if you purchased it from SimMarket then you can go to http://www.simmarket.com and open your account there, and retrieve your keys directly. I hope this helps. But if not, then some proof of purchase will probably be required. So please do take care. Regards, Pete * There may also be the odd exception since then where FSUIPC and WideFS keys were purchased separately and with an email address change between. Where you know that the key was obtained directly from myself, I may be able to retrieve it given full details—write to me at petedowson@btconnect.com—but please note that I tend to purge my system at intervals too. Certainly anything more than a year will be a problem.

Certain keys are trapped by the ATC window in FSX. I don't know if they are going to fix it, but it is even more serious than you have found as it actually stops the Num Pad keys being used to fly. Any user still using the keyboard to fly with will not be able to control the aircraft whilst an ATC window is open. It certainly does not affect all keys or key combinations, so you'll need to find which ones you can use, at least until the FS team fix this error. Regards Pete

No, FS doesn't seem to make these available directly. But your title says you can't find it in the FSUIPC Axis Assignments list. Are you really sure? Where are you looking? Just go to FSUIPC's axis assignments, and assign your axis to Rudder Trim. Yes, that too. In FSX you can simply assign the button to "Rudder Trim Set" with a parameter of 0. In FS2004 you will have to use the FSUIPC control "Offset float64 set/1000" with an offset of x2EC0 and a parameter of 0. Pete

Not I, but I have seen stuff about clouds flickering, related to weather control rpograms like ASV6.5, ported from FS9. I think that's fixed in ASX. I've not seen haze "flashing". Is the VATSIM interface program controlling the weather? Is that what you are "turning off"? I don't fly on-line so I'm afraid I am not much use in this area. Regards Pete

Sorry, I don't know anything about that hardware. Have you asked the suppliers? Pete

Sorry, but it works fine here. It gets the file from the same place as all those in my "downloads" announcements. Regards Pete