Pete Dowson

Unfortunately the FS COM simulation has either COM1 or COM2 in TX state all the time, with the same one or both in RX state. There's no "PTT" mechanism actually simulated. That doesn't appear to be simulated either. I'm afraid I don't know how to get to those. It's all tied in with DirectSound COM type interfaces and gets pretty complicated when trying to hack through disassembled code. I never got very far. For ATC I actually use Radar Contact. There are many who use on-line (Internet) ATC of course, via Roger Wilco and the like. I expect both of these to be more worthy of such realism. Regards Pete

I didn't find it needed any documentation just to run it as it is with PM + FS. I just run the EXE and that's it. It works. Regards, Pete

If you don't tell me which part you don't understand, how can I possibly help here? If I could explain it better I would do it in the documentation. That is what it is for. The documentation has been used successfully by thousands, even those whose English is not so good. I spent a lot of time on it! If you want help you have to do some of the work -- it is no use me reproducing the best explanation I can muster here when it is already in the documentation. Regards, Pete

FSUIPC does not touch anything to do with your controls unless you ask it to. Just delete the FSUIPC.INI file before loading FS -- by default no joystick facilities are operative at all and FSUIPC leaves everything alone. Sounds like you have some rubbish calibration settings in the INI. Regards, Pete

The instructions are in the User Guide. Which part don't you understand? I don't really want to copy it all into here. Regards, Pete

Easiest for several reasons is simply to develop it with a user-registered version of FSUIPC. When and if it comes nearer the time that you think you want to distribute it, then apply for a Key. For freeware that will be free, but otherwise we discuss it. Please check the Access Registration document in the FSUIPC SDK. Regards, Pete

Sorry, I don't understand the point of that statement. What do you mean? Okay. And that has a seat belt switch? What does it do? The seat belt signs aren't actually simulated in FS at all, so this is particular to that aircraft -- maybe the programmers have provided a keyboard shortcut for it, in which case you can program that in FS from your switch. If not you may be able to program a key for it via Luciano Napolitano's "Key2Mouse" program, which translates keys to mouse movements and clicks. Well, unless the panel programmer has provided a way, no -- or unless you wish to program it via Key2Mouse, but for that to work the FS panel window must be visible too, which spoils the point somewhat. If that's all the switch does on the panel you are using, why not wire up your switch to a device that goes dong? Or you could download pmSounds (which was freeware once, I don't know if it is still) and see if you can trigger it to make the correct sound. I think it is relatively flexible in that way. I think we could have made this thread a lot shorter if you had explained yourself a little more, initially, don't you think? :wink: Regards, Pete

Is this with default panels? Maybe sometihng in the aircraft panel you are using is failing to redraw the value or bug position at a decent speed? That sounds rather like a hardware problem then. A few seconds? Phew! The only change on the PFC driver in any of this was to adjust up or down in 10's at the fast rate -- in fact it is more intelligent than that. It will go to the next mulitple of 10 up or down, so you can get to any value very quickly in 10's then turn it slower to adjust the units. This has been working perfectly on my two systems since it was implemented back in 1.844, as described in the User documentation thus: "Before" what? You need to see what you may have changed, but possible avenues to explore are (a) aircraft panel problems, or (b) hardware problems -- in the latter case you'd need to get in touch with PFC. Regards, Pete

If you are building an OHP, what is this about "toggle popup the ohp"? How do you toggle popup a hardware ohp? If you are talking about some add-on aircraft panel you do really need to say so, as so far all this is really very confusing. Even if you are talking about an add-on FS panel, surely you wouldn't use its ohp once you have built your own? If you are a Project Magenta user, there are both seat belt and no smoking sign switch controls accessible through FSUIPC. All they do, of course, is trigger that nice dong sound so familiar to air travellers -- but only if you also run PM sounds. Oh, and the state of the signs is noted on the EICAS if you have it in the correct mode. When pmSystems is released, it will have a programmable OHP, and you will be able to interface your hardware OHP to its implementation, giving you all the correct interlocks and so on. Regards, Pete

No, I'm afraid I can't. I don't deal with registrations. But I understand that you can retrieve your key by going to http://www.simmarket.com and opening your account there. Best make a backup or hard copy next time! Regards, Pete

That is because FSUIPC runs in FS and provides an interface to FS, and FS does not implement seat belt signs. Or no smoking signs for that matter. Regards, Pete

Well, the error number is described as meaning "The requested service provider could not be loaded or initialized." according to the MSDN reference. What that really means I've no idea I'm afraid. The "socket()" call is the first one used in trying to setup the service. The call I use is: socket(AF_NS, SOCK_SEQPACKET, NSPROTO_SPX); for IPX/SPX or socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0); for TCP/IP. Hope that helps you. I really have no idea I'm afraid. Most all the code I use for Network stuff is lifted straight out of Microsoft examples. I don't necessarily understand it -- and expecialy not some of those obscure error descriptions. Sorry. Regards, Pete

Have you set the reverser (Joystick options)? If the button in the Reverser section says "Reset", click it so that it changes back to "Set". Then FSUIPC leaves the mixture alone. Alternatively perhaps you have used some other of the options in the Joysticks section, to calibrate or map the mixture controls, and haven't calibrated correctly. If you have got the joysticks section in a mess just either delete trhe FSUIPC.INI file and start again, or edit it -- find the Joysticks section and delete it entirely. Regards, Pete

Isn't that a standard feature of FS as it is? It always used to be -- you could opt to have is setting "flight" time (i.e. as saved in the flight you load) or as current local time as on your PC. Certainly the default way I have FS set up here seems to do that. I've just loaded up FS, it got to its initial "create a flight" menu and the "Selected time and season" entry is automatically preset to today at the time on my PC. I've just checked the Options - Settings - General, there's a Time option for "System Time" or "Flight Time". Maybe you have Flight Time set? Regards, Pete

Yes, but not the same time -- the same difference in time. Basically it makes sure the seconds match, the rest follows. It is to stop FS saying say 3 hours have passed when your watch says otherwise. What does that mean? Sorry, I don't understand the question. Regards, Pete

Sorry. I'd love to be able to provide such information, but I've never found it. I'd need to spend a lot more time hacking into modules of FS with which I am currently completely unfamiliar, and I really haven't had such amounts of free time to do this. Regards, Pete

Ah, I see! I used the tools provided in WinXP, somewhere (don't remember where) to move it. That presumably why I din't have any problem. Thanks! Regards, Pete

FS2004 canot be 'split' between two or more PCs. It won't even use two processors on one PC! Please read some of the documentation for WideFS. Just the first few paragraphs will tell you what it is for. You should really have done that before you paid for it, it would have saved you some money. All WideFS provides is a Network extension of the FSUIPC interface, so that programs which interface to FS through FSUIPC can be run on other PCs. Regards, Pete

No, it can'twhat was more likely is that the key really was invalid. It is easy to mix up 1's and I's, O's and 0's, and I've even known folks to mix up 2's and Z's. Best to cut-and-paste to avoid these mishaps. Anyway, I'm glad you got it sorted eventually. Regards, Pete

Oh, I doubt it. Most sim cockpit enthusiasts spend most of their time tweaking! You get very critical, so each time you start a flight you see something else that, well, may be a little better ifetc. :wink: Regards, Pete

"Found" my forum? It is referred to on the first page of the FSUIPC User Guide, on the main options screen in FS, on the Schiratti download page, and many other areas. What do you mean "put "2.3" afterwards? Where do you do that? I think you misunderstand something. As you will see from the Freeware Keys list: The program name is "Squawkbox". That's all that is needed entering, plus the Key of course. The Product and Company names are there so you can check the Version Information in the program -- right click on Squawkbox in Explorer, select Properties-version. I'm not surprised you get this if you entered the program name wrong -- you can see it there -- Client Application: "squawkbox". The name is "squawkbox"!! Nothing's changed in this, it's always been that way. You are getting yourself mixed up for some strange reason. Regards, Pete

Well, it would take me a long time to get used to programming like that. I'm used to looking at big chunks of code and visualising what they are doing. I'd make too many terrible mistakes that way. Thanks for the idea though. I manage okay at present. just need to take lots of long breaks. I'm just not used to not programming solid all hours. :) Regards, Pete

"Legacy"? Is C and C++ relegated to a "legacy" category now? Most all of FS2004 is written in C++ (some parts are C and ASM leftovers, but very little now). And pretty much all of Windows is too. How can all these modern modules be classed as "legacy"? Regards, Pete

It sounds like you have not calibrated the normal (forward thrust) throttle well enough to ensure that it is truly stable at idle (zero) when pulled right back. That's always been the reason so far when folks have had such problems. Yes, this is because FS is, at intervals, seeing a forward thrust value from your main throttle -- it is probably jittering slightly. Calibrate it with a decent null zone in FS, or more accurately in FSUIPC. When brought back to idle the reading for the 'ouput' in FSUIPC must be zero, every time. Push it back and forth. If you ever see an output other than zero when it is pulled back, you need to allow more of a dead zone. These things vary somewhat with humidity and temperature, so what works now might not work in six months. Check it now and then or make a significant null zone. You cannot engage reverse thrust without the main throttle being in idle. It is this way on the real thing too (though there is a mechanical interlock there as well). Regards, Pete

Yes, but the frames are short and your network should very easily cope. Take a look sometime at the Project Magenta web site http://www.projectmmagenta.com and the many multi-PC cockpits using WideFS with full instrumentation for, in many cases, pilot and co-pilot -- no instruments on the FS PC at all. My own setup is like that. Also see the Jet Cockpit made by PFC (http://www.flypfc.com) -- that uses 6 PCs linked by WideFs and PM. Of course it helps if your Network is 100 mbps or more, not the outdated 10 mbps type. And if you have more than 2 PCs, a switch rather than a hub. But such network gear is cheap these days -- even switches can now be had for the same price as a hub. Regards, Pete