re: writing active weather to fsuipc from active sky

[Spectre_One3]

I just checked my text from my fsuipc after trying to write weather from active sky, here is a sample of the text:

ClassOptions: UIPCMAIN=FF7F, FS98MAIN=FF7F, FS2KMAIN=FF5E

WeatherOptions(Orig)=40003605[40003605]

InitDelay: 0 seconds

WeatherReadInterval=4

LogOptions=00000001

DebugStatus=15

3359 System time = 19:38:39

3359 C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\

3375 System time = 19:38:39, FS2004 time = 12:00:00 (00:00Z)

6171 FLIGHTS\OTHER\FLTSIM.flt

6218 AIRCRAFT\c172\Cessna172SP.air

6953 Aircraft="Cessna Skyhawk 172SP"

10250 Client Application: "AS2004" (Id=2432)

10250 C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\Modules\ActiveSky2004\AS2004.exe

10265 Product="ActiveSky2004"

10265 Company="HiFi Simulation Software"

10265 Module [M1] identified = "ActiveRadar.dll"

10281 Module [M1] "ActiveRadar.dll" access registration is okay

24453 C:\Documents and Settings\Andy\My Documents\Flight Simulator Files\UI generated flight.flt

38531 Advanced Weather Interface Enabled

38531 Traffic File #14 = "scenery\world\scenery\traffic030528"

38750 ***ERROR C0000005 at 00000000 ChainedProcFF

38750 *** Access violation trying to read address 00000000

38750 *** EAX 61047A30 EBX 00000000 ECX 00000000 EDX 00000000 EDI 00000000 ESI 00000001

38750 Stack -1 (0D3043F8) = 0042CB71, Bad=N

38750 Stack -2 (0D3044A8) = 00000005, Bad=Y

38750 Stack -3 (61666544) = 20746C75, Bad=Y

38750 ***ERROR C0000005 at 00000000 ChainedProcFF

38750 *** Access violation trying to read address 00000000

38750 *** EAX 61047A30 EBX 00000000 ECX 00000000 EDX 00000000 EDI 00000000 ESI 00000001

38750 Stack -1 (0D3043F8) = 0042CB71, Bad=N

38750 Stack -2 (0D3044A8) = 00000005, Bad=Y

38750 Stack -3 (61666544) = 20746C75, Bad=Y

39031 ***ERROR C0000005 at 00000000 ChainedProcFF

If anyone can figure out what this means please let me know thnx

[Pete Dowson]

I just checked my text from my fsuipc after trying to write weather from active sky, here is a sample of the text

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:

38750 ***ERROR C0000005 at 00000000 ChainedProcFF

38750 *** Access violation trying to read address 00000000

38750 *** EAX 61047A30 EBX 00000000 ECX 00000000 EDX 00000000 EDI 00000000 ESI 00000001

38750 Stack -1 (0D3043F8) = 0042CB71, Bad=N

38750 Stack -2 (0D3044A8) = 00000005, Bad=Y

38750 Stack -3 (61666544) = 20746C75, Bad=Y

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

[Spectre_One3]

Thanks Pete, I did what you recommended and that did improve the response some. I still get the same catastrophic message with one difference I'll post it here, including the fsuipc version I am running. Sorry about that by the way.

********* FSUIPC, Version 3.45 by Pete Dowson *********

Running inside FS2004 (FS9.1 CONTROLS.DLL, FS9.1 WEATHER.DLL)

User Name="Andrew Mintern"

User Addr="paranormal74@hotmail.com"

FSUIPC Key is provided

WIDEFS not user registered, or expired

Module base=61000000

ClassOptions: UIPCMAIN=FF7F, FS98MAIN=FF7F, FS2KMAIN=FF5E

WeatherOptions(Orig)=40003605[40003605]

InitDelay: 0 seconds

WeatherReadInterval=4

LogOptions=00000001

DebugStatus=15

1765 System time = 19:07:25

1781 C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\

1781 System time = 19:07:25, FS2004 time = 12:00:00 (00:00Z)

3953 C:\Documents and Settings\Andy\My Documents\Flight Simulator Files\new departure.flt

3984 AIRCRAFT\c172\Cessna172SP.air

4218 Aircraft="Cessna Skyhawk 172SP"

5281 Client Application: "AS2004" (Id=3096)

5281 C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\Modules\ActiveSky2004\AS2004.exe

5281 Product="ActiveSky2004"

5281 Company="HiFi Simulation Software"

6500 Module [M1] identified = "ActiveRadar.dll"

6500 Module [M1] "ActiveRadar.dll" access registration is okay

6984 Advanced Weather Interface Enabled

12437 ***ERROR C0000005 at 00000000 ChainedProcFF

12437 *** Access violation trying to read address 00000000

12437 *** EAX 61047A30 EBX 00000000 ECX 00000000 EDX 00000000 EDI 00000000 ESI 00000001

12437 Stack -1 (00000000) = 0042CB71, Bad=N

12500 ***ERROR C0000005 at 00000000 ChainedProcFF

12500 *** Access violation trying to read address 00000000

12500 *** EAX 61047A30 EBX 00000000 ECX 00000000 EDX 00000000 EDI 00000000 ESI 00000001

12500 Stack -1 (00000000) = 0042CB71, Bad=N

I think my best solution would be a complete uninstall and reinstall of the sim to correct this error. At least that way I'd be starting fresh. Thanks again for the advice

[Pete Dowson]

Thanks Pete, I did what you recommended and that did improve the response some. I still get the same catastrophic message with one difference

...

12437 ***ERROR C0000005 at 00000000 ChainedProcFF

12437 *** Access violation trying to read address 00000000

12437 *** EAX 61047A30 EBX 00000000 ECX 00000000 EDX 00000000 EDI 00000000 ESI 00000001

12437 Stack -1 (00000000) = 0042CB71, Bad=N

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.

I think my best solution would be a complete uninstall and reinstall of the sim to correct this error. At least that way I'd be starting fresh. Thanks again for the advice

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

[Pete Dowson]

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

[Pete Dowson]

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

[Spectre_One3]

Hi Pete: thanx for those files I'll check that out. As to your other questions, yes I did remove the old wxstation list the one I sent you is completely new as of yesterday as is the fs9 config file. In regards to changing weather within FS: I can clear all weather within the sim without any trouble at all. I've run the gamut of weather changes up to and including real world weather from jeppeson. They all seem to work fine with minimal weather default set in the fsuipc module. I have attached here the three files you asked for and I hope they help in some way shape or form. I had no idea I was creating a new problem lol but I'm glad you've narrowed it down for me. Regards. I'll send them directly to you

icao pos.zip

[Pete Dowson]

In regards to changing weather within FS: I can clear all weather within the sim without any trouble at all.

Hmmm. That's very odd, because the crash with AS2004 is occurring when it asks FSUIPC to clear the weather, and all FSUIPC does for that is call exactly the same routines as the "clear weather" theme does in the FS menus. In fact, that's how i worked out what to do!

I have attached here the three files you asked for and I hope they help in some way shape or form.

Got them by email, thanks. But it doesn't help I'm afraid. Your three files are identical to mine.

So, it's got to be somewhere else. You deleted the FS9.CFG file and got it re-created, so it can't be anything in that. It's got to either be a corruption in the FS program modules themselves (which is a reinstall as you suggested), or it IS one or more of the .WX files which is getting loaded and creating a bad structure. Maybe you need to delete the default FLT+WX file completely, so it doesn't even try loading it. This may give an error first time, but you can clear all weather manually in the weather menu, then save the new default.

However, I would have most certainly thought that if any of those things were true, you'd get problems with FS's weather menu as well, so it remains a puzzle. I'll dwell on it, see if I can think of any way of getting more information. Meanwhile, if anything you try changes anything, please let me know.

Did you try the attached FSUIPC 3.454, earlier? It shouldn't make any difference, but it is the one I'm using, so I am curious.

Regards,

Pete

[Spectre_One3]

Hi Pete. yes I tried your fsuipc 345 with no results to show. As I stated earlier without active sky running I have full control over the various weather conditions within FS so I am at a loss to explain the difference. However I did notice something today while trying the new module. After about 30 sec or so of running the sim with active sky running I noticed a slight flicker on the horizon line which seemed to suggest the time AS was trying to write the weather within the sim. I think I'm going to try a complete reinstall of both programs and start fresh. With any luck I'll be able to narrow things down a bit. I'll let you know if I meet with any success. I have noticed a few glitches with the sim in regards to reloading already loaded scenery files which is causing my scenery file to grow every time I start it. I'm sure there has to be a fault within the program itself. Something got corrupted in there. Thanx for your expertise and suggestions I'll post my results as soon as I have some.

Thanks

[Pete Dowson]

yes I tried your fsuipc 345 with no results to show.

3.454 I assume you mean? That's a relief really, as I've not changed anything in the weather section of FSUIPC. In fact nothing's been changed in the weather stuff for many months now. It's been very stable. Since the problem is FS itself actually crashing when FSUIPC is calling the FS "clear weather" routine, I'm lost. Something in FS isn't right, but unless I can reproduce it here I've got no chance.

However I did notice something today while trying the new module. After about 30 sec or so of running the sim with active sky running I noticed a slight flicker on the horizon line which seemed to suggest the time AS was trying to write the weather within the sim.

That's probably simply some grahics interference occurring because of the tight loop which is occurring between FSUIPC continually calling "clear all weather" and FS crashing into FSUIPC's error trap. Really, once that has happened once, which is right near the start, the rest of the session is worthless -- you cannot trust the software once it has crashed. The error traps in FSUIPC are only to aid diagnosis, not to allow attempts to continue. Unfortunately, in this case, the information isn't sufficient by the time the error is trapped.

If I could reproduce it here I would simply trace through from the call to the Clear Weather routine to the point where the crash occurs -- it will be a jump to a virtual procedure that hasn't been set for the call for which the pointer is supplied. But it's nothing FSUIPC can be supplying -- the "Clear All Weather" routine is parameter-less, so there's nothing being supplied by FSUIPC. The crash is all to do with internals in FS.

I think I'm going to try a complete reinstall of both programs and start fresh. With any luck I'll be able to narrow things down a bit. I'll let you know if I meet with any success.

Okay. thanks. Here's hoping!

Meanwhile, if I can think of a way of getting more information on this, I'll get back to you.

Regards,

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

I think I'm going to try a complete reinstall of both programs

Before you do that (if I've caught you in time!), could you try the attached 3.456?

I checked through the code for "clear weather". In fact it isn't ONE call to FS, but four. This reproduces what I saw happen in FS when you clear the weather there. However, I am not sure that the middle two calls are really needed, so, just as a test, I've removed them in this version. The first call clears the weather, the last call makes it visual. I thought the intermediate ones were to do with populating all the local WX stations with default weather, but maybe FS does that in any case.

I'll carry on testing here with FSMeteo and ActiveSky, but please try there too and let me know.

This is a sort of last-ditch attempt from me, really. The set of four calls for clear weather have actually been there in FSUIPC since FS2004 was first released, 18 months ago.

I've a feeling that all this may do, if it does do anything, is move the problem to the first real weather setting call, instead of the clear weather call. But if it does move it, at least i will know it is something to do with one of those two routines I've removed calls to.

Regards,

Pete

FSUIPC3456test.zip

[Pete Dowson]

I think I'm going to try a complete reinstall of both programs and start fresh. With any luck I'll be able to narrow things down a bit. I'll let you know if I meet with any success.

I haven't heard any results from you on this, good or bad. If this is not yet resolved, I would like a couple more simple tests done, if possible, please.

First, with the current FSUIPC, before running AS2004 at all, clear all weather in FS itself. i.e. go to the Weather folder and select "Weather Themes" and "Clear skies". Does it still crash? (This has probably been tried before, but I mention it just in case).

Second, please install the attached FSUIPC 3.461. Then try AS2004. Let me see the Log. In this version not only do I trap errors but I try to identify which routine the error was in via flags, which will be logged too (as "Diag="). From this I may just be able to tell which FS routine is responsible.

Of course, whether I can then actually do anything about it is another matter. The FS routines to clear and visualise weather are very complex and call lots of other routines, mostly indirectly via C++ type virtual procedure tables. Really horrible stuff to follow.

Also, however, if a crash does occur before weather setting or weather clearing, the crash logging routine now clears down the FSUIPC flags telling it that there is a weather operation pending. Therefore it now may not actually loop, but carry on even without clearing the weather.

I suspect this will make it crash somewhere later, and it isn't a solution at all, just a way of trying to get nearer an explanation.

Thanks & Regards,

Pete

FSUIPC3461test.zip

[Spectre_One3]

Hi Pete sorry I haven't been getting back here I have been real busy lately. I have done a complete uninstall and re-install of fs2004 but have as of yet not tried the active sky program. Thanks for the new test version I will be trying it out today hope to show some results by the end of the day. In the meantime I'll swap out the fsuipc with the new one and will post a portion of the log here. Thanks again Spec

[Spectre_One3]

Hi Pete, I really want to thank you for all the help because (wooooohoooooo) it works!!!!!!! I have a secure connection to the game via acti ve sky and your test fuipc attached find a copy of my log file. Once again thank you very much for all your input and diligent work. My best regards, Spec.

here is a portion of that file:

********* FSUIPC, Version 3.462 by Pete Dowson *********

Running inside FS2004 (FS9.1 CONTROLS.DLL, FS9.1 WEATHER.DLL)

User Name="Andrew Mintern"

User Addr="paranormal74@hotmail.com"

FSUIPC Key is provided

WIDEFS not user registered, or expired

Module base=61000000

ClassOptions: UIPCMAIN=FF7F, FS98MAIN=FF7F, FS2KMAIN=FF5E

WeatherOptions(Orig)=40003605[40003605]

InitDelay: 0 seconds

WeatherReadInterval=4

LogOptions=00000001

DebugStatus=15

8328 System time = 10:58:05

8328 D:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\

8344 System time = 10:58:05, FS2004 time = 12:00:00 (00:00Z)

9985 FLIGHTS\OTHER\FLTSIM.flt

10016 AIRCRAFT\c172\Cessna172SP.air

10735 Aircraft="Cessna Skyhawk 172SP"

13516 Client Application: "AS2004" (Id=140)

13516 D:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Modules\ActiveSky2004\AS2004.exe

13516 Product="ActiveSky2004"

13516 Company="HiFi Simulation Software"

13657 Module [M1] identified = "ActiveRadar.dll"

13657 Module [M1] "ActiveRadar.dll" access registration is okay

14016 Advanced Weather Interface Enabled

20094 NWI weather clear actioned

20094 External weather discarded

20094 WeatherOptions set, now 4000370D (timer=255)

21735 C:\Documents and Settings\Andy\My Documents\Flight Simulator Files\UI generated flight.flt

21938 Clear All Weather requested: external weather discarded

34985 Traffic File #14 = "scenery\world\scenery\traffic030528"

4433985 C:\Documents and Settings\Andy\My Documents\Flight Simulator Files\UI generated flight.flt

4434344 Clear All Weather requested: external weather discarded

4444735 System time = 12:12:01, FS2004 time = 10:58:09 (18:58Z)

4444735 *** FSUIPC log file being closed

Memory managed: 2231 Allocs, 35316372 Freed

********* FSUIPC Log file closed ****

Thanks a bunch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!