Pete Dowson

Isn't there a message at the top explaining why? As mentioned in the documentation, if you program multiple buttons, or conditions and so on, in the INI file, then you can no longer edit them in the window. This is to keep the window simple for its main uses. If you didn't edit the INI file for such things, then maybe it has got corrupted somehow. Either way, you'll need to delete the entries (or double entries) in the INI file. Regards, Pete

Well, further to my last surmises, I've tried your wxstationlist, no problems. I've downloaded real weather -- got a slightly DIFFERENT wxstationlist, again -- no problems. So it isn't directly related to that file. This is therefore really a puzzle. I look forward to hearing your findings. I can't see any other files here which may get changed by downloads, nor really corrupted. But just in case, perhaps you could Zip up the contents of your FS "weather" folder -- just the three files: wxmapping.bin icao pos.bin wxstationlist.BIN Mine are dated 30 APR 03, 5 MAR 03 and 26 APR 02 respectively, so they obviously aren't touched by weather downloads. But I'd like to compare yours with mine, just in case they've got corrupted by something else. I attach the latest test version of FSUIPC (3.454), which has some other changes but nothing in this area. However, it would help if we are using the same version, just in case. Thanks, Pete FSUIPC3454test.zip

Thanks for the files. The FSUIPC log shows that the crash is happening on the (simple!) "clear all weather" call from FSUIPC, right at the start! It isn't even trying to set or change any weather yet! I am now very suspicious of the FS download site. I think it is at the end of December, or in January perhaps, that Microsoft/Jeppesen must update the weather station list on the FS weather download site. I seem to remember the same sorts of crashes in FS occurring this time last year too. I'm going to save a copy of my own weather station list then download some weather and see if some weather stations have been removed. What I think may be happening -- and this causes crashes in FS without FSMeteo or AS2004 -- is that there are WX or other files which refer to weather station index numbers now vacant because the weather station is lost from Jeppesen's list. Either that, or (perhaps more likely?) the update itself goes wrong and creates a corrupt list. This seems to do no harm at the time, but probably creates bad structures, or structures with bad pointers, in the weather matrix inside FS. Then when a weather program or something else comes to change it, crash. Not sure if I can find anything, but I'm going to look. Meanwhile, please can you confirm or otherwise that you have used FS downloaded weather in the last few weeks? Also, without using ActiveSky, can you try clearing all the weather via FS's weather menus, WITHOUT running ActiveSky at all. In fact, try all sorts of things with the menu. I have a feeling that you may be able to crash FS quite easily. BTW you sent me the wxstationlist.BIN file. Thanks. This is dated and timed exactly the same as the FSUIPC log and FS9.CFG file. I'm not sure how they all got to have exactly the same date and time, but did you actually try moving out or deleting the original, like I suggested? I also compared it with mine. There's one weather station missing. I've not identified it yet, but I'm going to try using your list on my PC. Perhaps you could try the one from mine, attached. Regards, Pete wxstationlist.zip

That'll be because you have the wrong version number in your Linkage structure. Whatever you've written to connect to FSUIPC (FSUIPC_Open2(...) and linking to the module user's library I hope?) evidently isn't running then, or it is and is wrong. Don't you have any diagnostics built in to help you debug it? Doesn't your compiler come with a debugger? Sorry, but I cannot tell you how to debug programs. You need to think about how you are going to test it rather than plunge into the deep end. And debugging DLLs deep inside FS isn't easy -- the Microsoft Visual Studio debugger can do it, though. What docs did you hope to find on writing and debugging FS modules? Microsoft don't really approve of it and certainly won't encourage it. No, that's a version number check, that's all. Regards Pete

He started a new thread for some reason. Please see re: writing active weather to fsuipc from active sky Pete

No, this was solved recently, by Lee Glover, and the solution is documented explicitly in the WideFS documentation, under the heading "PTT (push to talk) for Roger Wilco, AVC and TeamSpeak" There again, that word "latest". Folks always say "latest", yet time and time again I then see logs and things relating to months old versions. "Latest" just means "the latest version I saw" or "the latest version I could be bothered to download". Please ALWAYS give version numbers. Regards, Pete

Oh, the transponder. Yes. I have these simulated on my PFC kit, but they don't do anything in FS at all. They must be specific to Squawkbox. I see Jamie has given you a good answer (thanks!). Pete

Sorry, I don't know. AdvDisplay just records the screen coordinates then places itself there each time. It works fine here. If you check the AdvDisplay.ini file you should find the screen coordinates it records for its "Locked" position. Maybe it's something to do with the way the video drivers define those coordinates. Does FS successfully remember moved panel parts? I know a lot of folks have difficulties with those too unless the video driver supports the multiple monitore as a single "wide" screen. "Docking" is similar, but the window then comes and goes with the panel part -- the panel part does not control the position. You might be better Docking it to the main panel on the main monitor even if it is positioned away from it. Panel names are used and you can edit the [AdvDisplay] section in the relevant PANEL.CFG file in order to change that. I think the names used follow the names given in the PANEL.CFG file, so the main panel will be either "Main Panel" or something like that. Regards, Pete

Well, there's no siginificant difference there at all. Unfortunately the vital piece of information is missing -- "at 00000000" should give the address at which the crash occurs. Looks like something is jumping via a link which isn't set. Well, possibly. But let's not quite do that yet, please. Maybe we can find out more. This may produce a HUGE log, so please don't let it run long, and maybe truncate it after the first **** ERROR block occurs. Or otherwise ZIP it up and send it to me at petedowson@btconnect.com. First, before loading FS, edit the FSUIPC.INI file and add the following lines in the [General] section: Debug=Please LogExtras=2048 LogWeather=Yes LogWrites=Yes (replace any lines with the same keyword). Then run FS, load the weather program, get the problem, close FS and see how big the log is! The main suspect is still some discrepancy between the weather station list and the stations in some weather file, but I would like to get a proper diagnosis if I can. Did you delete your wxstationlist.BIN file? If not, perhaps, if you ZIP the log to me you could include that? Thanks, Pete

I must correct you. You are very much mistaken! The only possible reason you will get a problem with a registered copy of FSUIPC and not without registration is that you were using either a time-limited key, or more likely a stolen or counterfeit key. Good, genuine keys, purchased from the appointed outlets, work fine, and in fact operation is more efficient then because all of the individual application access checking, which is occurring all the time the application is running, is by-passed. Of all of the folks I have asked to send their KEY files to me for checking, after they reported problems indicating the possibility of a counterfeit key, only three have ever done so. With two the keys were genuine and the problems did lie elsewhere. The third was ceertainly an illegal counterfeit key. The fact that all of the others never followed up, and never came back for more support, is suspicious in itself. Should I add you to my growing list? Regards, Pete

If you don't mean as PTT (Push To Talk), which is what I assumed you meant, then I don't understand. You surely don't mean to use as a Morse tapper? :wink: PTT for both Roger Wilco and AVC are built in as special controls in the drop-down lists in FSUIPC's Buttons assignments page. If you are using TeamSpeak instead, then just assign whatever Key press is used in TeamSpeak. Look at the Buttons page in the FSUIPC Options, on screen (Modules menu, select FSUIPC). You will see you can assign controls or keypresses to buttons there. If you want to tap out Morse Code on your button that is another matter. I wouldn't know how to advise you on that! Regards, Pete

It hasn't arrived yet. Maybe, as it is a "key" file, if you didn't ZIP it, it will be removed by my ISP as a potential hazard (Key files are also Registry updates I think). Since it is a text file, maybe you could just dump the text into a your email message instead? Also, please check that you got my email address correct: petedowson@btconnect.com. Regards, Pete

It's probably 255, and it is because you are using WideFS 6.44. this was fixed in the interim releases posted here (6.442 and 6.447) with a big announcement at the top of the Forum, and then in the current release which is 6.45. Remember? I did say this a few messages back: First thing is that you are using an out of date unsupported version of WideFS. Current is 6.45. Use 6.45 then we'll talk about it. I cannot possibly support old versions. I spend enough time fixing things and making things better, I cannot keep repeating the same things after I've done that. If you still get problems with the current supported versions of my software (FSUIPC 3.45 too), THEN get back to me. Pete.

Yes, and all that does is toggle that bit in that offset. What then happens is up to PM software. Why are you thinking about entering anything by hand? I don't understand where you are going now. All of the PM stuff is accessible in the drop-down. I only referred you to the Advanced guide because it contains a list of some of the parameters for a couple of the PM offsets -- the MCP Kcodes and the GC options. But the controls for these are in the drop-down, you just need the parameter values to enter into the box marked "parameter"! The PM offsets list on the PM website gives a full and more up-to-date list. Regards, Pete

Going back a bit, you said this: Wouldn't it be easier for everyone (me included, I think) if I added such new controls to FSUIPC's repetoire, instead of messing about with delay specifications and things? If you just want separate engine autostart facilities, remind me please exactly what the "all engines" one does in FS (I don't think I've ever used it!), and I'll see about doing the same for separate engines. Regards, Pete

So you combine turning the fuel on with operating the starter? That needs a little editing in FSUIPC's INI file to place two controls on one button. What would happen (in FS I mean, not in the real thing), if the switch was left in the start position indefinitely -- i.e. akin to the "continuous ignition" mode in Boeings? Well, at present I've not really any idea how to actually specify such a complex sequence in the current structures FSUIPC uses. If a button is ON, it is ON. Are you using a toggle, or are you saying you want a momentary button push to look like it stays on even after it goes off, for a period of so many seconds? The latter sounds feasible, even if messy to present in a user-friendly manner. Regards, Pete

Are you talking about EpicInfo? You really need to mention context please. If so, check the FSUIPC_READ facility, for reading any FSUIPC offset into your choice of PH. Regards, Pete

No idea, sorry. What are they modes of? Pete

This is normally easily done by holding the switch and having it repeating. What would the delay be for? You operate the starter level (fuel cut off) to "start" (i.e. enable the fuel) when you see the N2% rise enough -- e.g. 20% in the 737, and then release the starter. In the real airliner the switch is magnetically held in the start position until the engine starts. I'm not sure if there's a timeout on that. Perhaps if you could be a little more specific about what you want to actually achieve? Regards, Pete

Thank you! It's very nice to get some positive messages in the midst of all these technical difficulties I deal with every day! :D :D :D Regards, Pete

But the positions in the FSUIPC calibration are only so that a correct centre can be achieved. Centre is merely the value 0 (ZERO) fed to FS. Minimum is -16383 and maximum is +16384. FS knows no other specific positions, so there's no way FSUIPC can know what other intermediate values to calibrate to, is there? It is different with Flaps, as FSUIPC can get the number of flap detentes from FS and it knows that these are equally spaced along the range of values. Your aircraft presumably is taking some arbitrary input values on the axis and treating them the way it wants. There's no way I can calibrate to unknown arbitrary values. Your best bet is to calibrate for a good min, centre and max, then mark the position on your lever for achievement of whichever of the two intermediate values isn't actually set by a zero input. Regards, Pete

Not without more information, no. Please tell me the version numbers of FSUIPC, WideServer and WideClient. If these are not the current ones (3.45, 6.45 and 6.45 respectively) please try those first. Then check the WideServer.Log file (in the FS Modules folder) and the WideClient.Log file (in the same folder as WideClient. If they are short enough, show them here, otherwise Zip them up and send them to me at petedowson@btconnect.com. Be sure to close everything down first. I need to see the performance figures too and these are only provided on close down. If you've been changing any of the performance parameters in WideFS INI files, please remove those and let them default again. Regards, Pete

There's something odd going on here -- I saw your new email flash up on my MailWasher program as suspicious (highlighted in Red) and before I could get it it was deleted from my mail server. Seems like someone somewhere does not like your email address! I am sending the original email containing the Key again. Let me know. Regards, Pete

You deleted the first few lines from the log, so I am still none the wiser about which version of FSUIPC you are using! PLEASE always state versions when asking for support! This error: is catastrophic. If FSUIPC hadn't trapped the error then it would have resulted in FS crashing to the desktop, probably with not even an error message. It looks very much as if some part of the FS installation is corrupted. The most usual reason for this particular type of crash is a corrupted weather file (WX). The fact that it seems to occur when trying to change the weather with AS2004 reinforces this surmise. As an experiment, try removing the FS9.CFG file. You'll find this in: Document and Settings\\Application Data\Microsoft\FS9 Keep a safe copy so you can restore it later, if removing it doesn't help. Then run FS again -- it will generate a new default CFG file. Another file there which may be responsible is the wxstationlist.BIN. I think (but I'm not sure) that if this is removed it will get re-created from the one in the FS "weather" folder. Finally, I see you are still having FS load, as default, the original FLTSIM.FLT file from the FS "Flights\Other" folder. This will have a short WX file too, which may possibly be corrupted, so you could try creating a new Flight with its own base weather from the initial menu and saving it as default, then reloading FS so it uses that as its starting point instead of the original. I'm not sure how these "corruptions" arise, but I think it is to do with the occasional updates made in the weather station list by Microsoft/Jeppesen. These updates will be applied when you download MS weather. If you've never used downloaded MS weather then I am very puzzled. Regards, Pete

I don't actually have or use any voice program, so I don't know how to set the key you want to use in those. You'll need to look at their documentation. If it is just that you want to program a button to produce a key press in FSUIPC, this is described in the Buttons section of the FSUIPC user guide, and is easy enough to see what to if you go to the Buttons page in FSUIPC options in any case (Modules menu, select FSUIPC then Buttons). With Roger Wilco or AVC there are, in fact, special controls added for Push To Talk, so rather than assign keystrokes you should use those. Regards, Pete