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Everything posted by Pete Dowson
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How to apply airbrakes?
Pete Dowson replied to Raymond van Laake's topic in FSUIPC Support Pete Dowson Modules
You could try an FSUIPC_Write call, instead of a Read? Pete -
"Fix control acceleration" availabe in unregistere
Pete Dowson replied to Steku's topic in FSUIPC Support Pete Dowson Modules
No, sorry. None of the user options are. The free installation is just an interface for other programs, just as its predecessor, FS6IPC, was. Regards, Pete -
It's a little easier than that, as there will be another, for the same module function, to an adjacent address in FS's EXE Linkage table, in the DLL's "De-init" too. Choose a DLL with small Initi and Deinit routines and it can be pretty quick. Well, no, because I prefer to encourage the use of external EXE programs. One of the best applications for FS is, for me, completely ruined by being an FS DLL rather than an external program which I can run on a WideFS client PC -- this is FSNavigator. Shame. Regards, Pete
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Button Repeat of Joystick on a Client
Pete Dowson replied to Thomas321's topic in FSUIPC Support Pete Dowson Modules
Okay, I can reproduce that here. Very strange. I will fix this and re-test here. Are you in desperate need? I am away from Friday for 8 days (visiting my son in Spain), but I am hoping to make a new release (with lots of small improvements) aound the end of the month, or perhaps early October. If you are in dire need I could send an interim fix, but some things may not be quite finished and there will be no new documentation, yet. Sorry for the inconvenience, either way. Odd that no one has spotted this problem and reported it before! Regards, Pete -
Multiple copies of WideFS next to each other?
Pete Dowson replied to Jackson5's topic in FSUIPC Support Pete Dowson Modules
Yes, as described in the WideFS documentation in fact. Not at all! They both send and receive it! WideClient provides a complete remote FSUIPC interface. Where do you get the impression that they cannot send data from? There are many cockpits built around programs like Project Magenta, for example, where not only all the instrumentation is held on Client PCs, but the FMS and main autopilot (MCP) controlling flight. TaKe a look sometime at the Project Magenta site. I've run both ActiveSky and FSMeteo on a client PC, under WideClient, for many years -- in fact right back to FS2000 days in the case of FSMeteo. Regards, Pete -
How to apply airbrakes?
Pete Dowson replied to Raymond van Laake's topic in FSUIPC Support Pete Dowson Modules
All FS keyboard controls can be changed anyway, by the user, in Options-Controls-Assignments, so it is always hazardous using specific keys. You should always use the controls you want, instead. Airbrakes == speedbrakes == spoilers. Spoiler controls Spoilers_On, Spoilers_Off and Spoilers_Toggle. The '/' key is normally assigned (in FS Options-Controls-Assignments) to Spoilers Toggle. You can either send FS the control, directly (as a WM_COMMAND) or via offset 3110 in FSUIPC (which has the advantage of also working via WideFS), or, via FSUIPC, you can control the spoiler setting directly in offset 0BD0. Regards, Pete -
Button Repeat of Joystick on a Client
Pete Dowson replied to Thomas321's topic in FSUIPC Support Pete Dowson Modules
Hmmm. How odd. Okay, I'll set something up here and see if I can reproduce this. It is odd, because all the client button pressing does is set a flag bit in FSUIPC offsets when the button is pressed, and clears it when it is released, so it should look "pressed" all the time it really is pressed. If you program a different action for the Release, does that happen correctly, when released, or immediately, at the same time as the press? I'm a bit tied up this morning, but I'll get to this later today, maybe tonight. Regards, Pete -
Sorry, I can't help since I don't know if your problem is to do with lack of engines being synchronised. Are you using two throttle levers? If not, then it can't be synchronisation. If you are, then increase the left throttle slightly, compared to the right. You can check whether thrust is equal on both by reading the N1 or EPR figures on the cockpit engine instruments in any case. It sounds to me more likely a rudder which isn't centred. If you are using pedals try re-calibrating and give them a bigger "null zone" (this can be done in FS, it's just more precise in FSUIPC ). It could be rudder trim -- find the rudder trim in the cockpit (sorry, I don't know the aircraft myself) and adjust that. Regards, Pete
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Axis_Throttle_set -vs- Throttle_Set
Pete Dowson replied to Skittles's topic in FSUIPC Support Pete Dowson Modules
No, I think all "_SET" controls are axes. The only difference here is that THROTTLE_SET is the original FS98/FS2000 control whilst the AXIS_THROTTLE_SET was introduced in FS2002 onwards. There's a lot of duplication with slight variations. Just look at all the ways of setting the ADF frequency for instance. You can check my FS2000 and FS2002 lists (both also still available) to see some history. In fact the FS2000 one is worth having as there's much more explanation in there, most of it still valid. Sometimes they forget to support an old ones, sometimes they add new ones to the list but don't get time to put the code in to implement them. So it's a bit of pot luck when you try things. Where there are alternatives like this, the joysticks page in FSUIPC accepts them all but converts them to one -- though whether it's the newer or the older one depends on whatever side effects there may be, if any. No, the parameter facility is there so you CAN apply fixed "SET" values for axis commands if you like. The example in my documentation, for setting STD pressure, for instance, uses an "axis" command with a fixed value. Also, as I found out very recently, some of the button controls MAY take a parameter -- someone said something about some of the INC/DEC controls using the parameter as the increment (in place of 1 or -1) if it's non-zero. But I couldn't get that to work on ones I tried. Mind you, I haven't got that sort of patience! Regards, Pete -
Button Repeat of Joystick on a Client
Pete Dowson replied to Thomas321's topic in FSUIPC Support Pete Dowson Modules
"POV-Views"? I don't list such a control. Can you be more explicit please? No, it will be a "POV" (point-of-view) control, neither a button nor an axis as far as Windows or FS is concerned. It returns an angle between 0 and 360 degrees. An 8-way hat (which is as much as FS or FSUIPC copes with) supplies angles at 45 degree intervals. FSUIPC converts those into buttons 32-39. POVs are treated as above both in WideFS, for Clients, and in FSUIPC. No difference. FSUIPC doesn't handle Axes at all at present, not just not for clients. It is a big job, bypassing all of the FS axis assignment systems and providing all the options which would be needed. It's been on my list for a couple of years. The controls you've assigned here are "PAN LEFT" and "PAN RIGHT". In cockpit mode those actually select VIEW_LEFT and VIEW_RIGHT, and repeating those will obviously not make any difference. If you want them to actually pan around you have to be in Virtual cockpit mode. However, there is a "fix" if that's what you really want to do in 2D cockpit mode -- it isn't defaulted because it appears very odd having the cockpit stationary whilst the scenery slides past in front of you. To apply the fix add pan_in_cockpit_mode=1 to the [Controls] section of the FS9.CFG file. I think this is one of the hints in the FS2004 FAQ somewhere in SimFlight (ref. FS2004 Forum). Regards, Pete -
Multiple copies of WideFS next to each other?
Pete Dowson replied to Jackson5's topic in FSUIPC Support Pete Dowson Modules
It cannot and never will be able to. WidClient is a single server - multiple client system. The server runs FS, the clients run ancillary programs. It can run whatever it is suitable for running. But if you are not running FS on it then it cannot run WideServer (which is an FS DLL, not a separate program, nor WidevieW (ditto). It is WidevieW's job to synchronise everything between the two FS machines, that is what it is for. I don't know how it is dealing with the weather in FS2004 -- in FS2000 and FS2002 it used the advanced weather interface, which only works with "global" weather. It probably does the same now -- i.e. reads the current weather from one and sends it to the other as "global" weather. Recent versions of ActiveSky, of course, deal with local weather stations. However, provided WidevieW transfers the weather regularly, there shouldn't be any big discrepancy. If you are thinking that clouds formations and edges etc can be synchronised, lined up as it were, then that wouldn't happen even if what you wanted was possible. There's really no way to synchronise cloud graphics, the same as there's no way to synchronize AI traffic. Hmmm. I seewhat an odd use of WidevieW. Sorry, I thought you'd use it for multiple views. Wouldn't your setup work as well, if not better, making your secondary system the one and only FS machine and just add a PCI graphics card for the panel? If not, then what you really want is WideServer on the machine showing the graphics, and send it the weather, then somehow get WidevieW to transfer weather the other way. This sort of thing was possible in the original, full-blooded WidevieW. It could be run bi-directionally with configured data. As the documentation clearly says, you can use IPX/SPX or TCP/IP. There's even a table in there showing pros and cons. Regards, Pete -
I'm not certain about what synchronises with what, but the callbacks are by adding procedures in your code to one or more "chains". There are two FS routines --- Chain and Unchain, both of which used to be in CHAIN.DLL but which are now merged into the base EXE. The best way to find out what these procedures are and how to use them is to do what I did -- disassemble one of the shorter modules. You must already know that, like Gauges, each module has an INIT and a DEINIT call from FS, listed in its linkage. (If you don't know this much, best first to write some gauges and see how they operate, examine the code.) Most all modules register one or more procedures in specific Chains in their "Init" routine, and Unchain them in their "Deinit" routine. You will be able to spot those quite easily after finding the Initi and Deinit routines via the Linkage export. Those calls work fine IF there's a panel loaded, but are likely to crash FS if used before FS is "ready to fly" (fully loaded a panel), or is in the process of reloading one as part of loading an aircraft. You might find the FSUIPC offset 3364 and 3365 flags useful here, but it is difficult to make things truly crash-proof if you make gauge calls from a DLL. The 0x13 value for gauges isn't used in the ImportTable -- obviously, not all gauges can fit in one import entry in any case. Worse, I think some add-in DLLs used the same ID, presumably because they used the Panels SDK as a starting point. You can determine the correct IDs for each official FS DLL by looking at the declaration of their ID in their Linkage. Only "Linkage" and "ImportTable" are exported in any case by DLs and Gauges, so you should have no trouble sussing out the structures -- but get the official panels SDK for it to be revealed fairly clearly in any case. Bear in mind that once you set off down this path you will have a program which, like FSUIPC and my other modules, will need checking and updating, perhaps extensively, for each new version of FS. Regards, Pete
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Hmmm. Actually, for aircraft specific entries in the Buttons and Keys sections, I think they will get loaded if you edit them for a different aircraft, then change to that aircraft (or just change and return). This is because there's no limit on the number of different aircraft I may have to cater for, and I don't know their names in any case before they are loaded. So, those sections are read when needed. I will add the facility to reload the general Buttons and Keys sections to my list of things to do. Rather than have a special button/key/menu option to do this, though, I think I would reload it when the aircraft is changed/reloaded (even if same aircraft). That should be easy enough. Alternatively, just going to the Keys or Buttons pages in the options and "okaying" out could be made to do it. What do you think? I don't want to apply this to any of the other sections in the INI file, though. Much too dangerous -- I would have to recheck too much of my coding. The buttons and keys stuff is okay because it is all concentrated in two specific modules, nicely self-contained really. Regards, Pete
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To calibrate the reverser? That is not programming, nor advanced! It is enumerated step by step in the User manual. Which particular step don't you understand? There is really no point in me re-printing sections of the manual here! Why on Earth are you thinking you have to go anywhere near any INI file? The options are provided in a DIALOGUE, on screen, when you are running FS. Install FSUIPC, run FS, select FSUIPC (Modules Menu, FSUIPC, or ALT M F), select the Joysticks tab, and so onthere are even pictures of the dialogues in the User manual! What are you missing here? The instructions for calibration are in the joysticks section of the user guide, and are enumerated. Please skim through the manual and find the joysticks section, then read the little bit on calibration and follow the instructions, one line at a time. If there is a line you don't understand, please tell me what and why. This part of the documentation has stood the test of time now for three releases of FS -- FS2000, FS2002 and already over a year of FS2004. I don't mind trying to improve it, but I need to know WHY you don't understand it? And why you are even thinking about editing any INI files! It looks like I may be out all day tomorrow and it is 01:25 hrs here now, so there may be a delay in any further replies. Regards, Pete
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Multiple copies of WideFS next to each other?
Pete Dowson replied to Jackson5's topic in FSUIPC Support Pete Dowson Modules
Of course. What an odd question! There's no realistic practical limit on the number of clients -- there is a built-in limit of 256, but I really wouldn't expect anyone to get anywhere near that number (I think problems of performance and timeouts would start occurring long before then). Most Project Magenta users will have several clients -- I myself normally have 4 client PCs for my FS server PC. Regards, Pete -
What makes you think there will be any such offsets? Many add-on panels are programmed with their own data in their own code and with no access for anyone else. I really cannot hack into every add-on to expose their particular variables. In fact, some of the PMDG stuff does use FSUIPC offsets, but these are private to PMDG and have not been published. I understand someone has hacked some of them, but I'm afraid I am not at liberty to help further in this matter as it is not the policy of PMDG to allow access to these things. Please write your objections and needs to PMDG. I would hope that with enough user demands they may perhaps one day relent and publish their SDK. Regards, Pete
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For the spoiler you don't need FSUIPC. Just go into FS Options-Controls-Assignments, select Joystick axes, and reassign your prop axis as a spoiler. For reverse thrust on the mixture control, you simply go to FSUIPC's Joysticks page, find the part with the reverser on it, and calibrate it there (press the "Set" button and simply follow the numbered steps for calibration in the User Guide). Is the user documentation really that bad? :( Regards, Pete
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Multiple copies of WideFS next to each other?
Pete Dowson replied to Jackson5's topic in FSUIPC Support Pete Dowson Modules
No. One of the parameters you have to set in WideClient is the name of the Server. You can't have two Servers with the same name. Regards, Pete -
Courseplanner and WideFS
Pete Dowson replied to ian007's topic in FSUIPC Support Pete Dowson Modules
It occurred to me that I may be able to help. I still have an FS2002 installation, so if I had the utility that Nav3 uses to make its database I could make you one. Of course, it will relate to the default FS2002 scenery rather than FS2004, but most things will be the same and it would certainly be better than nothing. Regards, Pete -
Okay -- I assume this is built into the program or in the Version Information, to save user's having to enter it manually. the manual method was provided only for "dead" software and seems to confuse folks. Yes, that's okay. User registrations are valid for any 3.xxx version. When you install the "latest version" do you check that the one they have is not later? Otherwise you should make that optional. Regards, Pete
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This is all a function of the seller. Was this from SimMarket? They say, on their site, that you get notification within 24 hours, and if not to report it via their problem button/report system (is it a "problem ticket"?). Please check the site on this, as I do not know all the details. It may be that the email was sent but has gone astray. If the email address was in error this will happen, of course, but there may be other reasons. If you go to http://www.simmarket.com and open your account there you may find your key that way, if it has been generated. Regards, Pete
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No, this really cannot be anything near the correct explanation. Go tell Damian. You have been programming buttons and keys, yes? This means you have a fully user registered FSUIPC installation. There is NO accreditation checks on any DLLs, Gauges, programs, or anything else for a registered user. That whole part of FSUIPC is completely unused once you register as a user. No, FSUIPC has no idea whether you've just installed anything or not. That really is a straw Damian is clutching at that is totally irrelevant. There is no such thing as Network accreditation, and I haven't the foggiest idea what Damian is on about here. So, something is different in that's software's data when it is initially installed, which it is corrupting thereafter. It is really all in Damian's own hands. There is no way either FSUIPC or WideFS can retain any memory of anythng affecting applications between sessions. That is just plain not happening. It must be something in the data Damian's software is using. Is "installing ActiveRadar" more than just moving in the DLL? If so, see what is being changed in the data files it installs. the answer has to lie there. MR2? What's that? Sorry, I am not in Damian's Beta team, we have only discussed wind smoothing and direct wind control mechanisms. Sorry, Damian has not mentioned a word about this to me before blaming my software in this way. I find that quite annoying and will be asking him what he thinks he means by it. Regards, Pete
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Problem with button programming in FSUIPC v3.30
Pete Dowson replied to DRamsey's topic in FSUIPC Support Pete Dowson Modules
I've fixed FSUIPC ready for the next release, but it isn't any help with that GPS power control because, as I say, it doesn't appear to have anything to do, what with the GPSs having no power switches. Regards, Pete