whizzbang Posted June 30, 2004 Report Posted June 30, 2004 Hi all Using: Windows 2000 fully patched FS2000 fully patched Radar Contact 3.1 FSUIPC 3.22 ADVDisplay 2.1.2.3 Problem: I load up a flightplan, start flying, then on receiving DESCENT instructions from a Center Controller, I dial in the new (lower) altitude. The FS autopilot then changes the descent rate to PLUS 1800 fpm instead of MINUS 1800 fpm!!!!!!!! If I remove FSUIPC.DLL from the MODULES folder in FS2000, and restart FS2K, I can descend fine...except of course I then can't use RC :-( Does anyone have any idea what's going on? Many thanks in advance Peter Salvage
Pete Dowson Posted June 30, 2004 Report Posted June 30, 2004 I load up a flightplan, start flying, then on receiving DESCENT instructions from a Center Controller, I dial in the new (lower) altitude. The FS autopilot then changes the descent rate to PLUS 1800 fpm instead of MINUS 1800 fpm!!!!!!!! Check the FSUIPC options in the "Technical" page. This is the relevant part of the FSUIPC User Guide: Enable A/P altitude fix (FS2000) or Enable V/S sign correction (FS2002/4):This is actually rather technical. On FS2000 it does two things. First, it patches the autopilot in so that it calculates the aircraft’s pressure altitude in the same way as the altimeter display is calculated. Otherwise, when the atmospheric pressure (QNH) is different from the Altimeter setting (e.g. 29.92” or 1013mb, when flying at ‘Flight Levels’) the autopilot’s altitude hold will hold the aircraft at a different altitude than expected, and the difference is greater by the degree of difference in pressures. Second, it corrects the Vertical Speed setting in the autopilot if it is set to descend when the target altitude is above the aircraft, or vice versa, to ascend when the target is below. (This latter correction is not performed if the target altitude is zero, or higher than 65,000 feet). In FS2002 and FS2004, the first fix isn’t needed, but the second one is applied if selected. There’s a possibility that you may find an aircraft panel that is programmed to drive the AutoPilot in a different way, using the V/S value to control climbs and descents irrespective of the altitude setting. If the latter is not set to zero or a value above 65000 feet, then this FSUIPC option could cause problems. In that case, turn it off. You can identify quite accurately whether the option is a source of such problems by turning on logging of “Extras”. Part of the extra data this logs is when the V/S sign is corrected: look for lines beginning “*** Vertical speed …”. The V/S sign correction should be disabled if you are using a panel or external autopilot which emulates a real airliner’s V/S modes correctly, as these can be set to fly away from the currently set altitude. The only restriction that the altitude value imposes in many airliners is that you cannot (under autopilot control) fly through that altitude—if approached the aircraft will level off. I'm not sure what's happening with the sign reversal -- the FSUIPC fix was originally designed for FS2000 because it can get the sign wrong by itself. With FS2000 not being used very widely any more, and of course many many developments for FS2002 then FS2004, maybe some error has been allowed to creep in. I can investigate this, but can you please see if you can get it down to basics. No Radar Contact or AdvDisplay needed. Just try setting a higher altitude with A/P Alt Hold on, and see what V/S is set, and similarly a lower one. If you can reproduce it easily that way, fine, just tell me. If not then we need to examine the details of your previous experience more. Like are these specific altitudes (what to what), and is Radar Contact's co-pilot doing anything or are you in sole command? Sight of the FSUIPC Log would be useful too -- especially if you enable "Extras" logging first. Thanks. Regards, Pete
whizzbang Posted June 30, 2004 Author Report Posted June 30, 2004 Hi Pete Hope you've recovered health-wise? I took off from Meigs with the default FS2K B737, climbed to 7500 ft with FSUIPC loaded and ADVDisplay disabled and Radar Contact not running... Tried to descend to 5000 ft (previous attempt with Radar Contact was from 29000 to 24000) and same problem. FS changed descent to PLUS 1800 fpm and plane started climbing. Re-established at 7500 ft and tried climbing to 9000 ft, that worked fine. Have included FSUIPC log (with "extras" logging) for your perusal as requested - it's BIG! Hope the info helps Regards, Peter Salvage ------------------------------ can investigate this, but can you please see if you can get it down to basics. No Radar Contact or AdvDisplay needed. Just try setting a higher altitude with A/P Alt Hold on, and see what V/S is set, and similarly a lower one. If you can reproduce it easily that way, fine, just tell me. If not then we need to examine the details of your previous experience more. Like are these specific altitudes (what to what), and is Radar Contact's co-pilot doing anything or are you in sole command? Sight of the FSUIPC Log would be useful too -- especially if you enable "Extras" logging first.
Pete Dowson Posted June 30, 2004 Report Posted June 30, 2004 Hope you've recovered health-wise? Thanks, but my eyesight won't be fixed till the other eye is operated on. I see the surgeon tomorrow and hope for an early date. Meanwhile using one eye at a time is tiring. Have included FSUIPC log (with "extras" logging) for your perusal as requested - it's BIG! Please ZIP it and send it to petedowson@btconnect.com. Did you check the Technical option I mentioned, and try it switched on or off (whichever it isn't?), or is your copy not user-registered? Regards, Pete
whizzbang Posted June 30, 2004 Author Report Posted June 30, 2004 Hi Pete Have emailed it as requested. Don't have registered version but will probably do that now! Please ZIP it and send it to petedowson@btconnect.com. Did you check the Technical option I mentioned, and try it switched on or off (whichever it isn't?), or is your copy not user-registered? Regards, Peter
Pete Dowson Posted June 30, 2004 Report Posted June 30, 2004 Have emailed it as requested. Don't have registered version but will probably do that now! Better not rush though, as your Log shows that FSUIPC is actually crashing on your FS2000 installation. It traps its own crashes and logs them, as that way not only do I avoid crashing FS but I'm able to get more information, which FS and WinXP in particular are otherwise very reluctant to give me! I'm sending you my latest Beta to try, just in case it is now fixed. There have been a *lot* of changes since 3.22. If that fails too I shall have to get FS2000 up and running again, to see for myself. Regards, Pete
jd Posted July 1, 2004 Report Posted July 1, 2004 i have 3.253 and fs2000 installed and running. anything i can test for you?
Pete Dowson Posted July 1, 2004 Report Posted July 1, 2004 i have 3.253 and fs2000 installed and running. anything i can test for you? Hi JD. I sent Peter 3.253 to try and he has confirmed that the problem has been solved. Thanks for the offer though! Best Regards, Pete
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