Pete Dowson

Eryou are vtalking about FSUIPC joystick calibration, I assume? Have you checked the User documentation at all? There is no such default mapping whatsoever. IF (and only IF) you go and calibrate the reverser is the Mixture axis assumed, by default (though it can be changed in the INI file, just like many of the others). If you don't calibrate the reverser, no such assumption is made in any case. Even if you do calibrate it, there is an option, which you would normally set, to do this for Jets only. But FS does not support anything called a "reverser axis". This is an invention by FSUIPC to allow the use of a separate lever for reversing! Since you cannot assign any axis to a reverser in FS, how can you think that you can then use FSUIPC to map it to something else? If you want to use an axis for cowl flaps you have to assign it to cowl flaps. Have you looked in FS's assignments? If the version of FS you are using does not support such an assignment (for instance, if you want separate ones for Engines 1 to 4), then you have to assign it to some other axis you don't need (in FS) then edit the FSUIPC.INI file to tell FSUIPC which other axis is used. The Advanced Users guide explains this in the section "Assignment of additional controls". Alternatively, and possibly much easier, you can bypass FS assignments altogether and try using FSUIPC's Axis Assignments to assign the axis directly. Just forget "reverser axis" as there is really no such thing. It is only a facility in FSUIPC to control reverse thrust using throttles. Regards Pete

Ahin AXIS ASSIGNMENT! Ahanothing to do with joystick calibration or mapping or anything then! It sounds like that axis is one of the two extra axes supported by DirectInput which are not supported by the standard Windows joystick interface. The latter supports 6 axes (XYZRUV), whereas DirectX supports 8. In FSUIPC4, for FSX, I have managed to change the Axis Assignment facility over to use DirectInput, so it will probably be okay there, but I'm afraid this is not something I can really do in FSUIPC 3. It's an enormous change. It was only possible in FSUIPC 4 because I had to re-write everything in any case. Regards Pete

Okaythat is one way, the 'original' way implemented in FSUIPC. The possibly easier way is to assign them in FSUIPC's Axis Assignments, using the "direct to FSUIPC calibration" option. In the drop-down list there you will certainly find both of those Trim Axes for assignment. However, if you do it this "more modern" way, be sure to check that FS itself hasn't also automatically assigned the same axes to something else -- if it has, they will operate both assignments. Regards Pete

Can you give me the FSUIPC version number of this "latest version" please? Everyone always says "latest version" but they only mean the "latest they have seen and downloaded". I always need the actual version number. Where are you actually looking to "see" this Throttle? If it is on the 4 throttles page, are you sure you've not mapped the main throttle (in the first, general flight controls page)? Maybe you should show me the [JoystickCalibrations] section of your FSUIPC INI file. [LATER] I forgot to tell you to check the obvious -- that the Sensitivity slider in FS is at Max (full right) and the Null Zone slider is at MIN (full left). Regards Pete

In that case they can't be used for anything at all. Sounds like you need to look at the Epic programming to make those two axes work correctly. Yes, exactly. There's nothing much to understand. It is merely a matter of "stealing" two axes wich can be assigned in FS to use as axes which FS doesn't support directly. But none of that will be of any use if nothing recognises your axes in the first place. Your first need is to make them work properly. Regards Pete

How did you add them to the FS9.CFG file in the first place? If you didn't do it via the FS Assignments dialogue, they probably are not legal assignments for FS, only therefore supported via FSUIPC. As far as I remember, the rudder and aileron trim axes are not supported by FS itself. If you can assign them to two otherwise unused axes in FS, then you can edit parameters in FSUIPC.INI to use them as for these trims -- see the Advanced User's documentation, the section entitled "Assignment of additional controls". You'll need the list of FS controls too to get the numerical values. If you have axes not showing in FSUIPC's Axis Assignments then they aren't being detected in the standard Windows joystick driver routines, possibly only in DirectX as the two extra ones it supported. Check them with the attached "joyview" program -- if that doesn't see them, they aren't seen by FSUIPC3 either. Regards Pete joyview.zip

That's a good question! Now that Microsoft has updated its FS web site for FSX there doesn't seem to be a repository for the older SDKs. [LATER] Ah, a quick Google leads to this useful site which has all the links you need: http://www.byteforge.com/simworld/msfs_files.htm Regards Pete

Yes. Not sure what you mean by "second joystick section". Are they seen in FSUIPC's Axis Assignments tab? In FSUIPC version 3 only 6 axes per joystick can be seen and assigned. FSUIPC 4 (for FSX) can handle all 8 supported by DirectX, but FSUIPC 3 uses an earlier Windows facility for joysticks. How have you so assigned the axes? The FSUIPC joystick calibration facilities can only calibrate assigned axes. You have to either assign them to the functions you need in FS itself, or in FSUIPC's axis assignments facility. FSUIPC cannot guess what axis you want for each function. Regards Pete

Really you should notify the virus checking authority for your virus checker so they can revise the way they check for that particular virus. False alarms from these programs aren't desirable, and they do try to avoid them. One does not follow from the other, as you don't actually buy the programs, only a Key to unloack them. The programs are only as up to date as the last time you downloaded them, and then only if that website was up to date. Regards Pete

Client axes have never been supported by WideFS! Before USB, when Game Ports only supported 4 axes and you were hard pressed to get more than one such port on a PC, I did think of adding this, but there's virtually no use made of game ports at all now, and USB can support up to 128 devices each with up to 8 axes, so it never has been worth adding. Sorry. Best connect then to the FS PC -- there's no reason why you need to have them on a client and they'll be much better (no latency) on the server. Regards Pete

Is the trim not re-settable? When you use the NumPad 7 and 1 keys, will it adjust, or does it keep moving without you doing anything? If you can adjust it, centre it and save a new default flight for FS to load initially. Otherwise there's really only four possibilities I can think of 1. A/P enabled 2. An axis input affecting the trim position. Check the FS or FSUIPC joystick assignments -- make sure you haven't accidentally assigned an axis to elevator trim. 3. A key, button or switch assigned to trim up/down which is permanently closed/enabled. Check all the assignments you have in FS and in FSUIPC. Make sure your keyboard isn't going wrong, permanently showing a key pressed. 4. You have an add-on/add-in which is doing it, either directly or via FSUIPC. Find it by a process of elimination. If you go to FSUIPC's Logging options page you can enable logging of both Axis and other control events. Do that then check the log to see what is happening. Regards Pete

No, none whatsoever. FSUIPC doesn't do anything by itself, it is an interface for other things. It sounds exactly as if you have the autopilot enabled on the ground, by default. Try switching it off. Regards Pete

Okay, but 3.71 is getting quite old now -- 3.73 was released a while ago, and there's a 3.734 available from the "other downloads" announcement above. 3.74 is due early April. As it says in the Announcements, I really can't support old versions. Yes, you can do conditional button programming, but it means editing the FSUIPC INI file. Details are provided in the Advanced User's document. Yes, also okay with conditional programming, though you need to understand vthat FSUIPC sees the hat as 8 (or 4 for some hats) separate buttons. There's an example of exactly how to program the Hat for panning in FSX in the FSUIPC4 user guide -- I don't think I updated it into the FSUIPC3 document, so it might be worth your while downloading FSUIPC4 just to see it (in the Buttons section). Er .. I seem to have missed something here. What has TAB support for extra key combinations to do with what you say you want to do? Yes, FSUIPC3 and 4 both support the assignment of Key combinations with TAB, Windows Key and Menu Key as extra shifts, as well as Ctrl, Shift and Alt (though Alt is inadvisable). This does greatly extend the number of controls you can access directly from the keyboard. But you are wanting to use buttons, so what has extra shifts for more key combinations got to do with it? Ahif the Advanced document explains conditional button programming as best as I can, how can I explain it better here? If I could explain it better, I would have done so in the first place, to save having to do it over and over to every user. Please, I can try to help, but you have to try. There are examples in the document for you to follow. It isn't hard if you read it properly and think. Please read it again, ask specific questions about specific points if there's something you don't understand. But you do need to appreciate that doing advanced things isn't going to be quite as easy as doing easy things. You have to work a little at it. Regards Pete

Thanks, Lefteris! I didn't think it could be all that secret! ;-) Best Regards Pete

1. An FSUIPC 3 registration is valid for FSUIPC 3 for all time. You would need a new one for FSUIPC 4 (for FSX and beyond). 2. I don't have the Keys. Please see the Announcement/Sticky above about what to do if you lose your key. Regards Pete

Yes, FS2002 used to do that. Only if you want to use the facilities. Browse through the User guide, see if you want it. Regards Pete

Don't do that, at least not yet. I'm sure there's something you are not telling me. It simply is not possible for version 3.73 to say it is 2.975. Regards Pete

Right click on the EXE, check Properties then Signature. If it says my signature is valid then the file is good and cannot possibly have acquired a virus. Your checker is mistaken and is simply being fooled by the random bit arrangements in a compressed and encrypted binary file. If it says it isn't valid, or there's no signature to check, delete the file and go get the latest. This is what signatures are for, to assure you of the correctness and validity of files thus signed. Regards Pete

There are only three possible explanations I can think of for that. 1. You are, in fact, putting a correct FSUIPC 3.70 into a folder, and maybe even a Modules folder, but not the FS Modules folder for the version of FS you are, in fact, running! (Don't laugh -- this has happened to folks many times!) 2. Or, the DLL you think is 3.70 is actually 2.975. Right clcik on it, and check: Properties -- Version. 3. Or there is another copy of FSUIPC either in the correct Modules folder, but with a different name, or in the main FS folder. Regards Pete

Yes, the measured surface altitude was always based on the elevation of the nearest airport. At one time you couldn't even have two airports close together (within several miles) at different elevations. Hills and mountains were "bolted on" polygon-based shapes, on top of the otherwise flat ground. I think it must have been FS5 (becoming FS5.1 then FSW95, the first Windows version). Hmmm, maybe, though it does sound a little unlikely. When are you going to check FSX? Detailed observations with FSX would be useful as I can feed them back to MS -- there's little point, now, with FS2004. Have a nice holiday! Regards Pete

Hmmmperhaps FS is more sophisticated that we're giving it credit for and computing some sort of small "fiddle factor" to represent the variations you would probably get over land -- for variations in ground altitude, clutter, air densitiy, whatever? (I don't know exactly what affects EM waves at these frequencies but I doubt that they are not affected by anything like that). Either use the little "Quote" button provided for the purpose, or enter the closing quote part with a / instead of the \ you are using. ;-) Regards Pete

Please find the key on your computer keyboard labelled "Caps Lock" and turn it OFF! There are three different methods of setting weather through FSUIPC: 1. The old FS98 method, only applicable to global weather and restricted to facilities which worked in FS98. This is via offsets in the 0F1C to 0F8C range. It is the least likely to work well in FS2004 as you must prevent localised weather changing your settings or overruling them. Global settings only apply where there is no localised weather, i.e. immediately after you clear all weather properly. 2. The Advanced Weather Interface (AWI) which was invented to handle the more advanced weather systems in FS2000. It still only works with global weather, but allows all of the other features added in FS2000 to be utilised. This uses special commands and data structures, and is documented in the separate AWI header and text in the SDK -- a separate ZIP. The program "WeatherSet" uses these facilities and is a demonstration of what they can do. It works well in FS2000 and not too bad in FS2002, but in FS2004, because the weather is constantly dynamic, you still get discrepancies unless you regularly clear all the weather and re-establish it. Unfortunately this give flickering or stutters. 3. The "New Weather Interface" (NWI) using offsets again, in the range C000 to CFFF. Documentation is again separate in the SDK, with structures and values defined in a header. This works with FS2002 and later, and is the only method which allows both global and local (ICAO-identified) weather to be set and read. Programs like FSMeteo and ActiveSky currently use this. The program "WeatherSet2" uses it and is a demonstration of its capabilities. When and if you ever get to FSX there are yet other methods, but the FS2002/2004 AWI works fine with that too (or at least it will once MS has fixed all the FSX weather bugs). There's also a "straight to SimConnect" facility supported to set weather using METAR encoded strings. Regards Pete

For FS2002 or FS2004 you need the MS Multiplayer toolkit. That's as much as I know -- I've never had anything to do with multiplayer myself. For FSX it isn't possible yet as far as I know -- MS have not released any information allowing MP to be used by third parties. On-line flying programs will be using SimConnect to inject and control "AI" traffic planes instead. Regards Pete

Sounds like you have a VERY very old version of IVAP, then, as FSUIPC 2.975 only applies to FS2002 and earlier and hasn't been available or supported now for nearly 4 years! 3.70 is not supported either. The current version is 3.73 (with a later version still available in the "other downloads" announcement above). Also, what do you mean by "tried to install"? Installing is only a matter of copying the DLL into the modules folder. If you copy version 3.7x into the modules folder and don't try installing another bad and very old package it will still be 3.7x -- it cannot change by itself! Regards Pete

FSUIPC itself changes nothing direcly, it is only an interface. I'm afraid I know nothing about your "Simulink" nor "Aerosim". Are they lumps of hardware, or just add-on software, or a bit of both? I've not heard of "FSInterface" nor an "S-Function", nor "sfunflightsim.dll" either, I'm afraid. I think you need to contact the supplier of whatever it is you are using which doesn't work. Sorry. If you downloaded FSUIPC from some unofficial place it may well be out of date in any case. The current version of FSUIPC3 is 3.73, though there's a later increment available in the "other downloads" Announcement above. Regards Pete