programming goflight for PM with fsuipc

[mermoz33]

Hi Pete!

I used the button tab to assign most of project magenta MCP commands to RP48 and MCP goflight modules. my problem is about rotary knobs on the RP48. it is ok when I'm parked, turning knobs is quite synchronized with reading on the MCP panel. My problem appears while flying, there is more FPS and network traffic. Then, turning knobs on RP48 has quite delayed effect on MCP display (altitude, speed...).

So, is there a way to optimize fsuipc or wideFS ini files to make this process faster? does it only depends on the different PC's CPU speed in my network? I know you wrote something about rotary encoder reading with FSUIPC, but I cannot remember where...

thank you,

Stephan

[Pete Dowson]

My problem appears while flying, there is more FPS and network traffic. Then, turning knobs on RP48 has quite delayed effect on MCP display (altitude, speed...).

Are you running the PM MCP on a Client PC?

Without knowing more about your configuration it is difficult to know where the delays might be occurring. Generally, with a fast enough FS PC it should be easily possible to maintain data frame rates over WideFS to every client in the 20's. What are you experiencing? (The performance figures are provided at the end of all the WideServer and WideClient log files when you close everything down).

With, say, a data frame rate for a client of 20, the MCP should be able to see 10 changes per second (it needs two-way exchanges). This is probably slower than you may be used to, and that may be the problem. You'd get more predictable results by turning the knobs more slowly.

Personally, I always run the PM MCP on the FS PC in any case. This is far better for autopilot control, and, with the MCP being more or less the "hub" for so much of PM's data flows, reduces a lot of the exchanges from needing to be two-way over the Network to one-way, or even avoiding the Network altogether for the GF devices are on the FS PC.

I have a new version of WideFS almost ready for pre-release testing by those interested. It tightens things up quite a bit by using its own timing system -- all previous versions relied upon the windows Timer message scheme, which I've recently found to be rather unreliably wonky! I hope to post this here early next week -- it may be well worth your while trying it when it appears.

There will also be an update to FSUIPC and the Beta release of my "GFdisplay" program, hopefully sometime next week too. With the latter I am including examples for GF unit programming (both displays and switches), with the MCP featured for use with FS A/P or PM. I am hard at work on the documentation, which it badly needs as, I'm afraid, it is horribly complicated looking.

Regards,

Pete

[mermoz33]

Thanks Pete for your analyse.

So, I tried to improve my FPS and data rate. This data rate seems to depend the CPU speed. Keeping a slow PC in the network is like a bottleneck. Now, I have 12 FPS...which is acceptable. I'll try to reach 20 but I have to upgrade one of my PCs

I moved one GF-RP48 to the MCP PC , using GFREMOTE is the best way to solve my problem...I have a chance because the PM function I need here is managed with GFREMOTE.

I noticed like a bug happening in the following situation :

My main PC is running XP2 SP2 fs9.1, with all my goflight modules attached to.

I used FSUIPC to assign pm_ND_range inc and pm_ND_range_dec parameters to one GF-RP48 rotary knob (slow rotation CW and CCW)

my project magenta GC is running on a networked PC.

Now, everything seems to be ok. But if you try to change the ND range turning the knob CW and CCW several times, then FS9.1 nearly hangs. (mouse pointer lost, sound interruption, video freezes....). I tried this attaching the RP48 to another PC but I got the same result.

then, the only way is to kill FS9.1 using the process management window.

This is why I'm now using GFremote to assign this parameter.

you say GFdisplay is near to be released, GFdisplay is a very useful idea, I'm eager!!

best regards,

Stephan

[Pete Dowson]

So, I tried to improve my FPS and data rate. This data rate seems to depend the CPU speed. Keeping a slow PC in the network is like a bottleneck. Now, I have 12 FPS...which is acceptable. I'll try to reach 20 but I have to upgrade one of my PCs

Well, the only bottleneck should be the processor on which FS is running. If the "data rate" you are reading is the one displayed in the PM PFD program's graphics display, then, yes, that could depend on the processor on that PC AND on the graphics card there too. But that won't slow down the rest, and it certainly should not slow down the WideFS operations, even on that PC.

Your best bet for the PM MCP is still to run it on the same PC as FS.

I noticed like a bug happening in the following situation :

My main PC is running XP2 SP2 fs9.1, with all my goflight modules attached to.

Even more reason to have the PM MCP there.

Now, everything seems to be ok. But if you try to change the ND range turning the knob CW and CCW several times, then FS9.1 nearly hangs. (mouse pointer lost, sound interruption, video freezes....). I tried this attaching the RP48 to another PC but I got the same result.

then, the only way is to kill FS9.1 using the process management window.

This is with the PM MCP on a Client PC too? There's something odd there then. Are you sure the GoFlight driver (GFdev.dll) is up to date? There's no such symptoms here with any of the GF modules on any system. Check the GF website for a more recent driver package.

Regards,

Pete

[mermoz33]

ok Pete!

I understand I really should run my MCP on the FS PC. I'll try this.

About my bug and GFdev.dll, I searched my files and...I discovered 2 versions. the latest in Goflight directory ver 1.52.0.3 and an other one in xplane directory ver 1.14.0.2 .

the 1.52.0.3 is in the latest goflight package ver 1.50 and maybe you have the same.

is there a way to know what version is loaded and used with FS and FSUIPC?

I may try to delete the older one...

regards,

Stephan

[Pete Dowson]

About my bug and GFdev.dll, I searched my files and...I discovered 2 versions. the latest in Goflight directory ver 1.52.0.3 and an other one in xplane directory ver 1.14.0.2 .

... is there a way to know what version is loaded and used with FS and FSUIPC?

Not easily. Unless the GoFlight installer made the Registry point to the X-plane folder that older one won't be used.

I may try to delete the older one...

Or overwrite it with the newer one so it doesn't matter?

Regards,

Pete

[mermoz33]

I search the registry for GFdev.dll ...and nothing is pointed to be loaded

in fact, when you close GFconfig, a GFdev2k4.dll (ver 1.50.0.5) is placed in the FS2004 modules folder . this one is then loaded as you launch FS

To answer your question, when my bug is happening, PM MCP is running on a networked PC, not the FS one. I'll try with MCP running on my FS PC

[Pete Dowson]

I search the registry for GFdev.dll ...and nothing is pointed to be loaded

I think the registry points to GFconfig. The GFdev.dlll file is in the same folder as GFconfig.

Regards,

Pete