Frank.O

Hi Tony, the value with the axis fully forward or back should be 16384. Since you don't achieve this on any axis it seems they are not calibrated properly. Have a closer look at the calibration section of the manual again and make sure you set a small dead zone at either end as well as at the idle zone. Regards, Frank

Ian, sorry I can't help you with the push back but I do know that FSUIPC and WideFS are interdependant. WideFS is just an extension of the FSUIPC interface across a network and you need both. With FSUIPC4 for FSX the server part of WideFS is even integrated into FSUIPC. As for the pushback - is it possible that FSUIPC and FSInn are interfering? Did you try if it works with FSUIPC working and FSInn disabled? Just a thought. Regards, Frank

Murray, you need to be a little bit more patient. Pete is away at the moment and many of the users don't have vista already. I don't have it and I even don't have FSX but I seem to recall there was an option implemented into FSUIPC to disable the axis handling. You don't have this option switched on by accident? Regards, Frank

Hi Luiz, with FSUIPC list I assume you refer to the list of FS controls which can be accessed on the buttons or keys tab of FSUIPC? This is the complete list of all controls FS provides and even some more. If something isn't in there it is not simulated and therefore can not be controlled. So either these special switches (Bleed Air - Open/Close , Engine Auto Ignition - Arm/Off , etc.) can only be dummies (you can flip them and may be make an indicator light up but they won't have any influence in FS) or you relable them and use them for something else that is available in the controls list. Regards, Frank

Hi, I think both McAfee and windows firewall have to be deactivated. Some security software even has to be uninstalled. Also you need administrative privileges to register FSUIPC. Log on as admin or use the "run as" option from the context menu (right click on FSX.EXE). If FSUIPC installation went OK first check wether or not there is an add on menu in FSX. If there isn't disable all security software and check again. If that doesn't work uninstall security software and check again. If there is still no add on menu refer to the sticky post about the SimConnect repair at the top of this forum. Sorry I'm no expert I just repeat what has been asked and answered before :wink: Regards, Frank

Hi Paul, me again, I'm glad my babbling was of some use for you. That seems to indicate then that the gauge does not use the Windows keyboard messages. So there's nothing FSUIPC can do about it. Ah.. I see. So the panel/gauge provides some clever additional logic to emulate what is not simulated in FS. Yes that would be the first thing to try. But if he can't do this there may be another solution. You could try using a hardware keyboard emulator that works in parallel to your original keyboard (I did something similar once using a Y-type cable but it is easier to use one with USB connection) and wire the buttons that need to issue real hot keys to that instead. Just a thought. Regards, Frank

Hi Paul, I see, but what do these commands actually do then, I mean they can't operate the APU because it's not simulated. Do they simply flip a switch on screen or light an indicator? OK so it's all inside FS. Hm... strange, it must be down to the programming of the gauge then - at least I think so. Well - not really. I can only guess and I am on rather thin ice here since I have no idea about programming. As I said it's really not my cup of tea, but this may be due to the way the gauge traps the key press. I've searched the forum and I found two replies from Pete which could be related to this. I'll quote them here: This is something you could try. Set FS to windowed mode switch focus to something else and then try the key press on the keyboard and see if it takes. If yes then I think it would be up to the author of the panel/gauge to fix this (make the gauge able to work with windows keyboard messages). I know that wideClient isn't involved here but the problem seems the same to me. This is all help I can provide I'm afraid. You would have to wait for Pete to return if the problem persists to discuss it in more detail. Regards, Frank

Good morning Dave, it's been a long time since I tinkereed with these things, and I have it not quite to my satisfaction yet either. The best you can achieve is when setting reasonable vis limits on the ground for the four different weather conditions (the four top left values on the vis tab) and use visibility smoothing and graduated visibility. To avoid seeing a sharp horizon set the upper vis limit (downmost value on the right side of the vis tab) to no more than 30 miles. This is fine for GA flying but I learned from Pete that it can be unrealistic at times when flying at high altitudes because sometimes a sharp horizon is seen there. A vis layer setting up to 8500 feet seems a bit high for me. Try a lower setting and set the starting of graduated vis to Zero (top of the three lower values on the right) so it starts graduating at the top of FS's own vis layer. The upper value (where the graduating stops) can be left at 25000 and the upper limit should read 3000 if you don't want the sharp horizon. Check smooth visibility and leave it at 10% every 2 seconds. The one on the right is the maximum vilibility at high altitude and it is set by FSUIPC. The left one is the altitude where FS's own layer of restricted visibility ends. Exactly what it says I think. It deactivates the smoothing as long as you are on the ground. It delays the smoothing for so many seconds after all weather was cleared which can also be done by an external weather program. This is useful if you (or the weather program) deliberately changed the weather and want your changes to be applied fast so that you are ready to start flying. Hope this is of some use to you. Regards, Frank

Paul, go to the buttons page in FSUIPC and press the button you want to assign something to. Then the first line should display the joystick# and button#. Just below this the are two checkboxes labeled "select for key press" and "select for Fs control". You should check the first one (left side). Then in the lower part of the left side are two entry fields labeled "press the key(s) to be sent when you press this button" and "press the key(s) to be sent when you release this button" and either of them has two buttons next to it labeled "Set" and "Clear". Click on "Set" next to "press the key(s) to be sent when you press this button". The Entry field becomes active and you can now press the key combination on your keyboard and it will be recorded there. If you made a mistake click on "clear" and start again. You can the (optionally) assign a key combo to the button release in the same way and choose wether or not the keypress shall be held while the button is pressed and if the key press shall be repeated while the button is held. This is how it works when your sent key press actually triggers something inside FS, i.e. something that is simulatedand in FS and I assume you know this? I'm not sure about the APU here. How is your panel programmed? Is it an internal part of FS (then the above should work) or is it an application that interfaces to FS and simulates the things FS doesn't? In this case you'll have to make sure your app has the focus and can actually receive the key press. Is it on the same computer as FS? Regards, Frank

Hi, I don't think you can run FS and Wideclient together. The purpose of Wideclient is to run on a non FS computer yet trick add on programs into "thinking" they are running alongside FS with FSUIPC. It substitutes FS. So running it together with FS means roughly the same as running two FS's. It might be possible using a different Class Name but I don't know how to do that. May be the documentation can tell you. But I don't see where WideFS comes into play here if you want to run an application on the same machine as FS. Do I understand it right in that the virtual com port driver links the two ports (5 and 7)? Wouldn't it be sufficient then to direct the GPSOUT output to com 5 and make GoogleEarth listen on com 7? Sorry that I can't ber of more help but this all isn't really my cup of tea. Regards, Frank

Bodo, that depends on what you consider an optimum. IMO the best you can achieve is by using the FSUIPC visibility options. Set reasonable values for the surface limits in different wheather conditions and use the "graduated visibility" option. If you set the altitude where the graduation should start to zero it will use the altitude of the upper limit of the surface visibility layer. I also use "smooth visibility changes". Regards, Frank

Hi, I have neither vista nor FSX nor FSUIPC4 but one thing that comes to mind here is that you must have administrative privileges to register. Log in as admin or use the "run as" option to do so. Regards, Frank

Hi Robert, this may well be possible, I don't know, but I cannot think of any situations where it would be useful. The taxi wind option is there to overcome the slightly overdone weathervaning effect during taxi and takeoff run. In automatic mode it is triggered by the landing gear touching or leaving the ground. You can't have the parking brake set when taxiing or taking off. And when parking with the parking brake set the aircraft stands still so wind doesn't matter and forcing a wind setting of 1kt is no use. But may be I do not understand your intentions correctly. Regards, Frank

Pablo, yes there is (at least I think so) but only on a very basic level. Google for a utility called "makepink". It does exactly what the name says. It makes gauges appear illuminated in pink as soon as you switch the lights on. Regards, Frank

Well, I'll give it a try. Hi Peter. My setup: 2 PC, PC1 with FS and WideFS-Server, PC2 with SB3 and WideFS-Client FSUIPC 3.71 - FSUIPC and WideFS (recent release also) both registered --> I didn't use FSUIPC4 by accident !! Problem scenarios: 1. when I make FSUIPC unregistered I can load PMDG737, all gauges work, almost everything is normal but no connection to SB3 of course because the registration is missing 2. If I try to register FSUIPC via the modules menu the computer freezes. When I go back to the desktop via task manager and try to relaunch FS I get an out of memory error and have to reboot. 3. If I try the same as in #2 but first deactivate "Actigate" in the modules menu registering is possible for FSUIPC and WideFS. Then I reboot and launch FS wich correctly connects to the 2nd PC. I can load PMDG737 but all gauges are off, engines are running, key commands (shift+z for instance) don't work, CH yoke doesn't work. If I try the PMDG747 (wich works fine in scenario #1) it reports an outdated FSUIPC. 4. SB3 refuses to connect saying it needs a running FS and an up to date FSUIPC. Firewall and antivirus are off, network should be ok, ping is possible in both directions. I am using the key I got from Simmarket with my order #277413 dated 29.09.06. I have repeatedly removed and reinstalled the PMDGs (737 and 747) all to no avail. I am quite desperate now and hope you can help me. Martin Ziegler Freiburg Martin, Ich hoffe ich greife Petes Antwort nicht zu weit vor, aber ich vermute mal, daß er Logs braucht, um zu erkennen was da abläuft. Mach also eine (möglichst kurze) FS-Session, reproduziere das Problem und nachdem FS korrekt beendet ist (oder abgestürzt) sichere die Dateien FSUIPC.log und WideFS.log aus dem FS modules-Ordner und das Wideclient.log aus dem Ordner in dem der WideFS-Client installiert ist. Du kannst den Inhalt einfach hier in ein Post reinkopieren oder sie Zippen und an ein Post anhängen. Auch Informationen über die Betriebssysteme auf den vernetzten Computern und über Deine FS-Version (9 oder 9.1) wären vermutlich hilfreich. Pete, I already told him to produce FSUIPC and WideFS logs and to include information about the operating systems and FS version (9 or 9.1). HTH, Frank

Pete, this is exactly what I wanted to say too. I hope your eye sight will change for the better, the sales of FSUIPC/WidwFS are going well and you now and then get some time to do some flying and enjoy this wonderful hobby of ours. Kind regards, Frank

Good morning, Pete, I think he is using the innards of a disassembled keyboard and instead of connecting keyboard type keys to it he connected toggle switches. This acts like an additional keyboard that works parallel to the original one. Tony, if my above assumption is true, then yes the respective keypress would be repeated until the switch goes to off again. I had such a self built device in use long time ago and for exactly that reason I only used push buttons, not toggle switches. It would be much better to get some cheap joysticks/gamepads with as much buttons as you can get and use their circuit boards with the connecting cords instead of the keyboard card you are using. The switches you use would have to be wired to the circuit boards instead of the original buttons and they would be plugged into the computer like normal joysticks/gamepads and be recognised by windows as just that. And then you could use the button assignment in FSUIPC to assign proper "on" and "off" controls to everything you want. Regards, Frank

Hi Jeff, Pete, I haven't used these key presses for a really long time but if I recall correctly the NN selects the fractional digits of whichever Nav radio was selected before. So: N then 1 to select Nav1 whole digits, then +/- to adjust then NN to select fractional digits on Nav1 and +/- to adjust N then 2 to select Nav2 whole digits, then +/- to adjust then NN to select fractional digits on Nav2 and +/- to adjust But as I said it's been I think FS5 where I used these things, so I might be wrong. Regards, Frank

Hi Garry, well I don't know anything about event codes and such but I think it's not what you need. The weight of payload and passengers is stored in the aircraft.cfg file of the respective aircraft and read every time the aircraft is loaded via aircraft menu or a saved flight. Have a look at the [weight&balance] section. To change passengers and payload you need a program that edits this file properly and you have to either do this before actually loading the aircraft/launching the sim or reload the aircraft via aircraft menu. At least that's what I know about it :) Regards, Frank

Hi, I may be wrong but there is still a difference. May be making it the default flight triggers this behaviour.Regards, Frank

"Yes" to all three questions, Patrick. Regards, Frank

Hi Peter, according to the FS2004 Controls document they are called ELEV_TRIM_DN and ELEV_TRIM_UP. HTH, Frank

Hi, the GPS controls actually work. I have programmed the buttons on the PFC digital avionics to completely operate the standard FS GPS via FSUIPC. There are three controls for the clear button:GPS_CLEAR_BUTTON, GPS_CLEAR_BUTTON_DOWN and GPS_CLEAR_BUTTON_UP. I used the last two and programmed GPS_CLEAR_BUTTON_DOWN on the press of the button and GPS_CLEAR_BUTTON_UP on the release. Works the same as clicking on the clear button on screen. Regards, Frank

Hi Mike, interesting reading, thanks. As I said, helicopters are not my cup of tea entirely and what I typed above was just from my memories of a discussion about this topic that we had in the german FS newsgroup long ago. There a helicopter pilot who had flown military helis for a very long time (25 years or so) wrote such things. I especially remember his complaints about how absolutely wrong heli flying was pictured on TV and in movies and that example with the billard ball. I stand corrected if that's all plain wrong, no problem :wink: Regards, Frank

Hi all, well, I'm not a heli flyer as well and I may be wrong but from what I read on the forums I think a helicopter doesn't have any trim at all. Flying a helicopter is not like what is seen in TV films where the pilot would talk to the passenger and not look at the gauges or out the window. Flying a helicopter is a very demanding and stressful thing to do. You have to constantly make small and careful inputs on all controls. You'll have to kind of foresee what the heli would do next and "prereact" to it to keep it stable and flying. A helicopter in itself is an unstable flying device. Imagine you are holding a big (1/2 metre in diametre) sphere made of polished metal with grips on each side. Now put a billard ball on top of it and try to balance it so the billard ball stay on top and in the centre. Real heli flying is much like this. Regards, Frank