Pete Dowson

Okay. Feeling a lot better today! ;-) It's working fine with the Boeing suite (CDU + PFD/ND) -- the CDU displays the legs and the ND shows the magenta route line as well as the waypoints. The problem must be specific to the pmRJ package. Sorry I can't help with that. Regards Pete

I did add that -- check the FSUIPC4 log, it will say if it recovered. Regards Pete

I've been down with 'flu' or something these last few days, and only attending the PC to answer questions and emails. Sorry. I hope to get to it soon. Pete

Hmmm. A bit of a waste of axes when fuel cutoff/idle is really only a toggle lever/switch? How have you done it for the Gear on an axis, then? If you've been assigning controls in the right-hand side of the FSUIPC axis assignments tab, then it is identical for FSUIPC offsets. You just need to use the "Offset" controls for that instead of the "Gear" controls. For SETTING a bit, you'd use Offset Byte Setbits, for Clearing a bit you'd use Offset Byte Clrbits. In the above cases the offset is x561A for both left and right, but the bit value is 1 (=2^0) for Left and 2 (=2^1) for Right. The offset values go into the Offset field (which will magically appear when you select an Offset control), and the bit values go into the Parameter field. Regards Pete

Yes, it does. Yes, all versions of FS are like that. They do not make good use of multiple processors. Yes, FSX is very demanding and quite fragile, especially if you run it in full screen mode. If you want to do other things I would recommend you only ever run it in Windowed mode (ALT + ENTER). It also seems less likely to crash or hang in Windowed mode. It sounds very much like a typical Simconnect problem with two Simconnect clients running. Please gather all the information you have on this, including what you've told me here and send it to tell_fs@microsoft.com. It might be a good idea to try FS with one one of the Simconnect clients at a time, just to prove that it is okay then. Okay. I'll have a look ... ... Hmmm. Odd. No useful information in the SimConnect Log, because just after Active Camera has started, two other starts must occur but all the information has been replaced by ".... info removed"! How did that happen? Here: Active Camera is client #63somewhere in the intervening 302 seconds (which you've removed?) FSUIPC starts, and presumably restarts? Or something else? The following line is about Client #61, so a whole client #62 has come and gone already! Why is this a secret? If you are going to send any stuff to MS I would advise not to delete all the possibly important parts! ;-) Anyway, try a complete flight with Active Sky but without Active Camera. Regards Pete

To get a SimConnect LOG Create a file containing these lines: [SimConnect] level=Verbose console=No file=path to logfile\SimConnect%01u.Log file_max_index=9 file_next_index=1 where you need to replace the "path to logfile" by your particular path where you want to store the log file, and save this file as Simconnect.ini in your - for FSX: My Documents\Flight Simulator X files folder (or, for a non-English Windows or non-English FSX, the folder where FSX stores and loads your saved Flights and Plans). - for P3D: <USER>\Documents\Prepar3D v? Files folder (replacing '?' with the P3D version number - for MSFS Steam installed versions : <USER>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator folder - for MSFS MS Store and boxed versions: this will be in one of two places, either <USER>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState or <USER>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache depending on where your UserCfg.opt file is located and your FLT files are saved. (where <USER> indicates your top level windows home folder) The Log will be found, after or even during your sin session, in the specified location. With the options as shown you will get a file "SimConnect1.Log" first, then on the next session "SimConnect2.Log" and so on, with it cycling to 0 after 9, overwriting previous copies. If you run the sim in Windowed mode you can, if you wish, set "console=yes" to see a real-time display of what is going on. Regards Pete

That seems to happen quite a lot with FSX. It's normal to see the Traffic reloading if the time has been changed by more than a minute or so, and it might even be reloading if the weather is changed significantly. I see you are running ActiveSky -- is that the 6.5 update? Do these events coincide with a weather update? Well, this doesn't look good: Seems that something is preventing Simconnect operations here. Do you have any other SimConnect client programs or DLLs running? Simconnect seems to stumble quite easily at present when more than one program is using it. Then: seems to be ActiveSky repeating its initialisation attempts again, over and over, every 6-7 seconds. I'm not sure what would make it do that. Possibly the new (third) connection to Simconnect isn't functioning properly either? IIn a P.S> below you'll find directions for getting a Simconnect Log, which may help work out what it is doing. At least it may provide more detailed evidence to send to Microsoft. I hope and expect that they are working furiously on fixing all these things right now, but to what timescales I really have no idea I'm afraid. Regards Pete To get a Simconnect LOG: Create a file containing these lines: [simConnect] level=Verbose console=No file=C:\SimConnect%01u.Log file_max_index=9 and save it as Simconnect.ini in your "My Documents\Flight Simulator X files" folder. The Log will be found, after or even during your FSX session, in the C:\ root folder. You can of course set the path to somewhere more convenient. With the options as shown you will get s file "SimConnect1.Log" first, then on the next FSX session "SimConnect2.Log" and so on, with it cycling back to 1 after 9, overwriting previous copies.

That's because the two throttles use separate pots or optical devices which, no matter how similarly you calibrate them, will ever give identical results for identical positions. This is especially true of analogue poentiometers, whether wirewound or carbon or similar types. The best you can do is merely ensure that the idle and max thrust areas match so you can always 'park' them there without looking. This is not unrealistic. You don't really think that the separate throttle levers on a real aircraft are giving exactly the same N1 or N2 when at exactly the same position do you? In all my cockpit rides (before 9/11 of course) and in all the cockpit videos I've seen the throttles are rarely in a dead alignment. Surely one of the extra realistic parts of your sim now is that you have to adjust them separately (slightly anyway) to give a balanced thrust? Regards Pete

HmmI'll re-check. I might need more information then, as it looked okay here when I checked it. There were some other changes afterwards, but they shouldn't have affected this. BTW I mistakenly referred to 02C8 in the Release Notes. I've got a bad cold/flu at present and have been unable to concentrate as well as I usually do, let alone work the long hours! Regards Pete

If they are visible in FS you can assign them there. Shouldn't be a problem. So FS cannot see this 2nd throttle lever? Is this "SLIDER" the 2nd throttle? does it actually go by thast name? I've never seen that! Strange -- it must be something to do with this axis name "SLIDER"? Not really, sorry. Did you actually try the Axis Assignments tab? If FS cannot see it at all there is really not much chance for FSUIPC, as that uses a more limited Windows interface for its scan -- it recognises a standard 6 axes, XYZRUV. The slider should come up as U or V if your Saitek driver supports the old interface. But if it only supports DirectInput for the extra axes then I'm afraid I've no idea. Regards Pete

I don't know this Peter "Dawson", but Enrico Schiratti does maintain a "Dowson" page where you can find all my files and programs related to FS, except for later bits and pieces available above. It's http://www.schiratti.com/dowson. I'm not sure why you'd want the list of FS controls usable through FSUIPC unless you'd downloaded FSUIPC, in which case the same list is provided inside the ZIP. For normal programming in FS you use the lists in FS's Assignments dialogues. Pete

If it was transparent that wasn't the AdvDisp window. I did try transparency for Advdisp (it was a much requested feature) but I could never make it work consistently with different video cards and FS modes (full screen/windowed), so I removed the option. A version was never released with a wroking transparent window. It is enabled by default IF an installed AdvDisp is NOT already activated. Pete

Ahglad you found it! Pete

It will still work fine -- but it needs enabling. For some reason (I assume an INI file replacement?) is wasn't enabled in the screenshot you provided. That's why it wasn't ticked in the menu. To enable it, select it in the menu. Then it gets ticked. Instructions for AdvDisp should be in the ZIP for that -- since you used it before I would have thought you'd know how to use it? Probably you just thought the new window RC was using was the AdvDisp one so didn't bother to enable Advdisp? It is still your choice which you use -- unless you move to FSX where there won't be an Advdisp in any case. ;-) Regards Pete

Well, with already 12 controls available to do whatever you weant I suppose andding more, just for keyboard users, wouldn't even be a thought. I realy forgot all about those NNN tpye ways of selecting thing -- they date from about FS1 or FS2 or so when joysticks had only one or two buttons and keyboard operation was essensital. now its all buttons or mouse, and buttons use controls. Actually most keys use controls too, in the end, but there are still those strange arrangements with numbers (== controls SELECT 1 to 4) which are a hangover from the early days. All the SET type controls take a parameter. The parameter specifies the complete frequency to be set. In the case of radio frequencies they are in BCD (binasry coded decimal) in kHz I think. The solution is pretty easy with FS controls, as I explained. Trying to do it reliably with keystrokes will be a problem. Why not simply use controls? Regards Pete Jeff

If they can send controls, why not send controls. Better than keypresses any day. but you can on NAV1? How do you do it on the real keyboard -- I assume you are simply sending keypresses as if they were from the keyboard, so what's the difference? Ernow it IS really confusing. The KeySend facilities are for sending keypresses from the SERVER to the CLIENT, not the other way around! I think you need to start again, please and tell me what the actual problem is in the context of the way you've set it up. I'm not surprised. Why not use FS controls? Regards Pete

Well any instructor package worth its salt would be able to do all those things, but I can't think of one which is specifically helicopter oriented at all. It may be more beneficial to post in a more general forum, say the FS2004 or FSX one (though don't expect much for FSX just yet). The instructor package I am aware of is the one from Project Magenta, which works with all of their other packages for full airliner cockpit simulations. Whether it can be applied to helicopters is less likely, but it may be worth your inquiry. http://www.promagenta.com. Regards Pete

So pmRJ is irrelevant to the question? Can't phidgets send button presses? That would be esier. Otherwise you might be better having it send unallocated key combinations like CTRL+ALT+X and programming the actions as controls in FSUIPC's Keys page. So what is the problem? How would you normally do that via the keyboard? I'm still a bit confused here about what your question really is! There are separate FS controls not only for NAV1 and NAV2 but also for the whole number part and the fractional parts. It would be easier, of course. But it can be done with one provided you have a switch or button you can program to change a Button Flag and the use conditionals in the Button programming in FSUIPC. But I'm afraid there's no clever programming tricks in FSUIPC for Key presses. If your Phidgets driver can send buttons it would be better. If Phidgets cannot send buttons directly, have a look at using the ButtonKeys facilities in Wideclient -- check the documentation section entitled "ButtonKeys: making use of FSUIPC’s virtual buttons facilities" In the WideFS documentation. You can use any keystrokes on the client to operate any of the 288 virtual buttons in FSUIPC, then program them there instead of messing with keystrokes. Regards Pete

Sorry, I'm confused already. Does the "pmRJ suite" support the radio stack or are you talking about something independent of PM working with FS direct? If you are talking about driving pmRJ then you need to ask your questions via the PM support webgroup or support email. As documented, neither 0374 nor 0378 have done anything in FSUIPC since FS2000 days. They aren't needed and have no function in any case. They are both being re-used for other things in FSX. But the N selections (I thought it was N for NAV1 and NN for NAV2, etc? But maybe they've changed to N1 and N2?) are to select the radios for use with the +/- type keypresses for incrementing or decrementing. I am really at a loss to understand what you are doing. I don't know where "pmRJ" comes into it, so the rest of my answer here will be on the assumption that the pmRJ reference is spurious. If it isn't, if it is something to do with pmRJ's own radio treatment, then you need to talk to PM. Okay then: if you are using the keypresses as you would on a keyboard, then you could stick to those and they should work. If you are using controls then I think the NAV RADIO control is the equivalent to the "N" but you'd then still need the 1 or 2. However, there are FS INC and DEC controls to adjust the radios -- separate ones for each . They start "NAV1 ..." or "NAV2 ..." and are included in the drop down controls lists in FSUIPC's Keys and Buttons tabs. For one rotary you could have your NAV select button switch between to lots of FS controls, via the conditional button assignment facilities as described in the FSUIPC Advanced User's documentation. It would mena editing the FSUIPC.INI file though. Regards Pete

Hmmm. Seems you need to read a little of the documentation for FSUIPC. That Window is NOT the AdvDisp window, it is the new FSUIPC Window, enabled by a check mark on the first displayed FSUIPC options. The AdvDisp menu item is not checked because you've not checked it. If ADVDISP is not enabled FSUIPC defaults the FS Window on. The options are all explained. AdvDisp is not supported any more, but you are welcome to use it in FS2004 and before if you actually prefer it -- the new FSUIPC facilties replace it and are far preferred by most folks (actually everyone, until now! ;-) ). The new Window is an FS window, and behaves like any other FS window -- you can move it, size it, and undock it. It will not be transparent if you undock it. Please do read the FSUIPC user documentatiion. This window is described at the beginning. If you decide to use it you are best removing AdvDisp. Erno, it is not possible for that transparent window to remain when FS is closed. It is produced by and maintained by FS itself. 1. You are not using Advdisp as you have not enabled it. 2. You are not reading the documentation provided. I don't understand why you prefer the old AdvDisp method -- everyone likes the new Window better. It is more flexible and in keeping with FS's own ATC windows. No. Your registration is for FSUIPC3, not 3.70. In fact 3.70 is not supported, you should be using 3.71 by now. FSUIPC3 regsistrations are for FSUIPC3, not for one specific release. I cannot support old releases. You don't buy FSUIPC3 again. You buy a new product, FSUIPC4, then, yes, a new registration must be purchased. FSUIPC4 is NOT an upgrade, it is a new version for FSX. It won't work with anything earlier. As your FSUIPC3 purchase was quite recent you will get a discount when you buy FSUIPC4. Please just follow the links from the download page on http://www.schiratti.com/dowson. Regards Pete

Right. So it it gets its connection into FSUIPC done before FSpilot starts up it is okay. That FSpilot mst be doing something rather odd. Yes. Just move your 3.71 FSUIPC.DLL file someplace safe, then put the 3.60 FSUIPC.DLL in its place, in the Modules folder. Don't change anything else. Run the test then put the 3.71 back. Regards Pete

Ooops! Yes, you are right. The changes to try to speed things up by reducing the different messages sent to me by SimConnect messed it up. Also, by the looks of it, some of the DME character strings. I'll fix that in the next increment release, or maybe it will be 4.06, probably on the weekend. Regards Pete

Further to my last reply, I've now tried connecting GoFlight devices and using the new FSX GoFlight driver software with FSX and FSUIPC4, and this has no adverse affect on the Buttons Tab in the FSUIPC4 options. So we are most certainly left with the only other possibility -- there is an old possibly long forgotten joystick or game controller driver installed in your system which is hanging when scanned for its status. I attach a little program, originally from Thrustmaster, which scans joysticks in the same way as FSUIPC. Maybe this will show you the culprit even if Game Controllers does not -- but try Game Controllers first. Regards Pete joyview.zip

WideFS you mean? Version 6.71 only applies to the WideClient part, the part you install on each of your client PCs (the ones not running FS). WideClient is completely independent of FS version -- it doesn't even care what FS it is on the Server PC. The WideFS product which works with FSX is called WideFS7. Is that what you purchased? Or WideFS6? Check your receipt. The Server part of WideFS7 is actually merged into the FSUIPC4 code for ease of installation and efficincy in execution, but it is still there, as "WideServer 7.xxx", just not shown as a separate DLL. To use WideFS with both FSX and FS9 you have to buy both WideFS6 and WideFS7. You'll then have a key for both. If you have bought WideFS6 and have a Key but with a different email address to your FSUIPC3 Key then you'll need a new Key for FSUIPC3 in the same new email address. Please send me all the details (FSUIPC3 registration, preferably original receipt or else the FSUIPC.KEY file) and your WideFS6 registration and I'll make a new matching FSUIPC3 key. Send these ZIPPED up to petedowson@btconnect.com. Regards Pete

Hmm. Strange. Could you try one more test, then, please. Remove the GFDev.DLL from the Modules folder and rename the other one wherever it was (this is temporarily, for a test). I need to know whether it it to do with the GoFlight driver or not. I don't have much in the way of GoFlight devices any more, just an RP48, but tomorrow I will try connecting that to my FSX PC (I use it on a WideFS client PC). What devices do you have? When you say you tried without the GF hardware interface running, did you succeed? In other words, was there ANY go flight software at all running at the time? Assuming it isn't GF, can you also tell me what other add-ons, if any, you have running for FSX. If it isn't some conflict between GFDev.DLL and the new FSX GoFlight drivers, and you don't have an EPIC, I'm essentially running out of things which may possibly be interecting with a plain button scan. Oh, yes, one other possibility -- any drivers for other game controllers installed, possibly for devices you no longer use? Check the Windows Game Controllers setting. Something at the back of my mind tells me that this has happened before (on FS9, not FSX though) and it turned out to be a rogue game driver. It just has to be something like this, because what happens uniquely* when you go into the Buttons tab is that it loops around scanning all possible joystick connections waiting for you to press a button. Something, possibly an old driver, is reacting to the query and hanging the process waiting for a device which is probably no longer connected. Regards Pete * P.S. Actually, it isn't quite unique to the Buttons tab -- the Axis Assignments tab would also do this -- only in that case it wouldn't also include the Go Flight driver. So, please see if the Axis Assignments tab hangs in the same way. If so it is defintely a rogue game controller driver in your system. You may be able to find it and uninstall it, or altrernatively plug in whatever it wants.