Pete Dowson

That's extremely odd, then, because I add the \\.\ part to ALL names before using them in the CreateFile call -- I'm sure I said this earlier. You need it for all COM ports. If you are also adding this it means two things: 1. The name in the CreateFile call is now "\\.\\\.\COM19" 2. The name when setting the COM state (parameters like speed and bits per character) is \\.\COM19. With 'normal' COM ports this isn't used, only the COMn part is used -- including COM9 and above. As long as it works and you are happy, that's fine, but I don't understand and your explanation doesn't help me to, unfortunately. It must have something to do with the way that particular application is coded. MixW manages to make virtual ports which look like real ones, so I don't know why that program cannot too. Ah well. Regards Pete

That's easy to say, but how? What IS the port name? It is obviously not COM19. Is it "bizVCOM19"? They say the standard API can be used, but first the port has to be opened, and that needs a name! There's nothing I can do without it, and none of the information you are posting tells me that. Regards Pete

Sounds like the Port isn't really called "COM19". If it were it would certainly be found in my enumeration attempts in any case and listed, as I try CreateFile on all COM ports 1 to 254 when building the list. The fact that it isn't really "COMn" seems to be supported by the fact that it doesn't appear in the COM port list in Device manager either. You need to find the "true" name. Maybe FileMon (from http://www.sysinternals.com) will show what it is when you run "XConn", whatever that is, though I think that only monitors true disk files. Regards Pete

In GPSout, I read the Port parameter from the INI file and use it directly in the form "\\.\" in the CreateFile call. That's it. The only check on the name is that it isn't "WideFS" because if it is obviously I do something different. In FSUIPC4 (as opposed to GPSout.dll) I also check for "" because that will appear if none is set. Only FSUIPC4 ennumerates the *unused* ports, but it does this by trying to open COM1 through to COM254 in turn. This is only to populate the drop down selection list, as an aid. There is a facility to enter any port name you wish (that's how the USB devices are specified). Or you can simply edit the INI file directly, as you had to with GPSout.dll. Haven't you tried this? Both GPSout and FSUIPC4 allow any names. Regards Pete

Hi again Daryl, I've checked into this and can in no wy reproduce the problem. I think what may be confusing you is this: On UNREGISTERED installations of FSUIPC, the Axes are, by default NOT intercepted. There's a parameter "AxisIntercepts=No" by default, which can be changed to "Yes" if needed, but as the program is not registered and the calibrations cannot be used, there is little point. On REGISTERED installations, that parameter is replaced by "NoAxisIntercepts=No" by default, but that can certainly by manually changed to "Yes" (when FSX isn't running of course), and it certainly then stays that way. The only thing I can think happened to give rise to your report is that someone with an unregistered FSUIPC4 added it "just in case" it was responsible for some problem he had, and, of course, it would have been replaced by the "AxisIntercepts=No" parameter instead. Regards Pete

Might be due to FSX deficiencies in weather control stillit isn't all there yet. We are hoping for more improvements in the DX10 update later this year. But do report concerns with ASX to HiFi too -- Damian is more of an expert in FSX weather control than I now, it is his speciality. Regards Pete

In your "My Documents\Flight simulator X Files" folder (suitably translated for non-English versions). A saved flight is made up of three files, types FLT, WX and FSSAVE. Regards Pete

Same error as what? Sorry, but your message seems to come out of the blue, with nothing related to it. And what is "ver 10"? Do you mean 4.10. What do you think is different between 4.10 and 4.12? No. Pete

Well, yes, that looks better, but 65867 is "AXIS_SLEW_AHEAD_SET", which may only get through in SLEW mode. Try it anyway -- in may possibly work. Otherwise choose a non-Slew mode axis. The only line you are manually entering is surely the "ThrottleB=..." line. The others should be made by using the axis assignment and calibration screens in FSUIPC options. I'm not going to check those. Sorry, I've never heard of it. Does it emulate a standard DirectInput joysick, or come with its own driver for FS? If the latter I cannot possibly support it, you have to use its own driver. Sounds like their driver isn't a proper modern Windows driver and only provides the old Windows API. I upgraded FSUIPC4 to DirectInput because all modern devices support DirectInput and it provides more axes and POVs. Regards Pete In the fsx with the fsuipc4 recognize only the CH YOKE. Regards Lambis

Yes, it is all wrong. Well, to start with there is no facility for multiple spoilers, only the 6 controls which are actually listed. They ARE listed by name, so I don't know where you got "SpoilersB" from. Secondly, all of the axes have to be assigned to FS controls, NOT directly to FSUIPC. You can do this in FS assignments, or in FSUIPC Axis assignments, it does not matter. You must assign the extra (B, C, D) axes to axis controls you dso not use for anything else, it doesn't matter what. Third, you must provide parameters in the INI file giving the "control number" of the FS control you assigned. Control numbers are listed in the control numbers lists provided. Please try to read it again. I'm afraid you have understood nothing, and I really don't know any other way of explaining it. Regards Pete

Don't you need the SendInput method set? Have you tried it? Obviously the API exists, else it couldn't be linked to or called and WideClient wouldn't even load because of this. Without delving deeper (which I will when I get time, soon hopefully), my only guess is that it needs some special privileges now, or only works on a target program which has something specifically enabled. Regards Pete

Okay. This does actually show that the Menu entry for FSUIPC (and hence "Add-Ons" is added okay). This is only reported if SimConnect is working and has responded correctly. I have no idea about add-on planes, I'm afraid, but I cannot understand at all why you cannot see the Add-Ons menuunless possibly one of the Add-Ons (planes or otherwise) is attempting to add a menu entry and somehow screwing it up, losing the whole Add-Ons menu in the process. Maybe the same screw-up is preventing the planes being listed too? There are two ways to proceed. First, get a SimConnect log. Instructions for this are in the FSX Help announcement above. It'll be large, so ZIP it up and send it to me at petedowson@btconnect.com. Second, try uninstalling your add-on planes one at a time and see if one of them is the culprit. Regards Pete

You need to repair SimConnect, as the base version needed is somehow missing from your system. I don't know how you managed that, but to get the FSX repair facility to re-install SimConnect you first need to delete a folder -- otherwise it thinks it is okay even though it is not. Please refer to the FSX Help announcement above which explains this. Regards Pete

You should find everything you need in the FSUIPC SDK, available from http://www.schiratti.com/dowson Regards Pete

Strange. Looks like a Vista incompatibility problem. Can you show me the [user] section of the WideClient.INI file. I don't know if there will be a way around this, if Microsoft have removed facilities needed. Possibly it needs even greater privileges than "run as administrator". Pete

Are you using a registered version of FSUIPC? If so, do you, by any chance have the Reverser axis calibrated in FSUIPC? It defaults to using the mixture axis. Pete

Did you read the installation instructions, in the User Guide? Why? There is no need, it accomplishes nothing at all. Ah .. you run FSX from the Icon or EXE by right-clicking and selecting Run As Administrator? That has worked 100% so far. Not sure what any of that means. Sorry. Could you show me the Install FSUIPC log file, please. So far there have been NO Vista install problems which have not been solved by running FSX "as administrator" when wanting to Register. There was a problem with one user where the option to "Run As Administrator" option was not on the right-click menu for the Icon (shortcut), but that was solved by right-clicking on the FSX.EXE in Explorer, where the option did appear. I fear Vista is to be avoided by serious users at present. I do hope they come out with a fix for all the problems in Vista soon. I have two Vista installations (one Home Premium, one Ultimate) but will not risk using them for anything serious at present. Regards Pete

Oh, yes. That's feasible using conditionals. You'd need to edit the INI file. Refer to the Advanced User's guide -- come back with questions if you get stuck. Two problems there. One is that there's no window ident read-outs you can use, and the other is that the window ident is not a useful reference because FS supports multiple Windows -- which Window should the ident refer to? You can not only change the functions of the current window but open another and another andwell, you get the picture. Regards Pete

Oh. So the adapter not only provides a Game Port, it installs joystick drivers too? That's unexpected. I assumed it would just emulate the Game Port and allow you to select whatever driver you wanted. This is what happens with serial port adapters. Maybe that one is too sophisticated for its own good? Regards Pete

Strange. The full Game Port can only provide 4 axes and 4 buttons (using all 15 wires), but the CH method (used by PFC) of decoding the 4 button lines gives up to 15 (combinations of those lines) -- with the restriction that it won't recognise more than one button pressed together. What, through the adapter, or direct to the Game Port too? Maybe it needs new potentiometers, or maybe a clean. Yes, the CH driver decodes the 4 button lines to give you more buttons -- up to 15 are possible. Won't the CH driver see the Game Port via the USB adapter? It should do. If you are reasonably adept at unsoldering and re-soldering, and good at following instructions, it may be worth your while contacting PFC support in Sacramento (speak to Eric) and getting him to send you whatever is needed and instructions. It would be far cheaper than sending the kit back. Regards Pete

Of course. Wimbledon. ;-) Yes, of course. Is this for when it rains at Wimbledon, or can you bear to miss some? ;-) Give me a ring. Best Pete

Good. They talk to each other? Odd. Don't you mean they both happily talk to FSX? ;-) No. From the last logs you posted, these are the salient bits: From the Installer (which worked fine, but was done on 16th June, presumably before this mess?): Checking compatibility with installed SimConnect: ... Okay, Probe Manifest matches installed SimConnect 60905 (Original) Found later build SimConnect 61242 (SP1 May07) also, interestingly, it did have to correct your Simconnect.xml file: Now checking for a SimConnect.XML file ... ... There is a SimConnect.XML, checking for "local" section. No previous "local" entry found, so adding it now ... ... "local" section of SimConnect.XML written okay From the FSUIPC4 log: Running inside FSX (SimConnect SP1 May07) and 14859 Running in "Microsoft Flight Simulator X", Version: 10.0.61355.0 (SimConnect: 10.0.61242.0) Regards Pete

That's a definite bug then. Hopefully they'll fix it. Another bug? Hmmm. Update coming shortly, then? ;-) Regards Pete

More importantly, did it change the altitude reading? Maybe you are looking at the First Officer's altimeter, or the standby analogue one? The built-in FS facilities only deal with the Captain's altimeter. Have you checked for possible added keyboard shortcuts provided in the package. Many of these advanced cockpit add-ons do provide other means of control than mouse. Regards Pete

Well, I don't have a Game Port one at present, but I use the Serial ones always in preference to a real serial port and the USB hardware part of the PC is much faster and the USB handling in Windows is far better than the serial port handling. In my experience the adapters (at least the ones I use) are far better. I would have thought that the Game Port adapters would be even better still, as the way potentiometer settings are measured is by going around a tight loop measuring the discharge rate of a capacitor. A horrible little non-interruptible loop. Throwing that out to a little dongle on a wire seems good to me. Look for a full implementation then. Maybe that very cheap one I found at Amazon isn't good enough. Check this one (in the US, but you should be able to find one locally): http://www.usb-port.com/rm203.html That seems to cope with every possible mode. Sorry, can you re-phrase that? I don't understand the question. Yes. The USB adapter does not change the device to a USB device as far as the PC software is concerned. It still looks like a serial port device. The adapter will get a COMx port number. Regards Pete