Delay using custom programs and widefs

[nauwa]

Dear Sirs,

We are using FSUIPC and WideFS latest versions with FS2004. In our SAAB Viggen cockpit simulator, we need other self made programs as well, to fully simulate the cockpit behaviour. In early stages of the cockpit, we used joystick buttons to send commands by widefs to the client programs, worked fine.

Today, the cockpit has grown, and we are not able to use joystick buttons due to the many switches. Instead we have used free offcets in FSUIPC to send the data. This make it possible to use Opencockpits IOCards and SIOC to program the logics in the simulator. But as we started to send the commands this way, there is a notisable delay in the communication between the cockpit and our other programs. When we test on one computer running all programs there is no such delay, so we think it is in widefs.

Does anybody have any idea if it's possible to solve this delay, btw. we are running the sim on 4 computers on a 100mbit network.

[Pete Dowson]

Today, the cockpit has grown, and we are not able to use joystick buttons due to the many switches. Instead we have used free offcets in FSUIPC to send the data.

Free offsets? You should really apply for an allocation, as a "free-for-all" use of offsets which don't appear to be allocated will most certainly result in clashes between applications in the long run.

... as we started to send the commands this way, there is a notisable delay in the communication between the cockpit and our other programs. When we test on one computer running all programs there is no such delay, so we think it is in widefs.

What sort of "noticeable delay". I have 8 PCs in regular use n my cockpit, all connected by wideFS and running assorted parts of Project Magenta. The "delay" between operating a switch and seeing the result is occasionally there, but it is minimal. Certainly acceptable for switches and dials/rotaries, and even analogue flight controls unless it is a jet fighter you are flying (where response ineeds to be absolutely instantaneous).

Project Magenta cockpits all over the world use WideFS.

If you have problems with WideFS please check the Log files -- both for WideServer and WideClient.

You can also display the WideFS frame rate on the WideClient title bar, for monitoring in real time. In most circumstances you should be able to easily maintain the same sort of frame rate as FS -- but keep the latter down to something reasonable, to suit all of your clients. I usually set the FS Frame Rate limiter to 25 or 30, though on my main 8 PC system (which has all fast PCs, none less than 2GHz, and a firewire network, 400mbps) I set it at 50 or 60.

Running everything with WinXP SP1 (at minimum) helps too.

Regards

Pete

[phlerp]

Free offsets? You should really apply for an allocation, as a "free-for-all" use of offsets which don't appear to be allocated will most certainly result in clashes between applications in the long run.

well "free" offsets might be the wrong term, but we're using the offsets suggested in this thread: http://forums.simflight.com/viewtopic.php?t=49743

As we don't intend to use any other FSUIPC using software in this project than our own custom built there shouldn't be any conflicts. but it would be nice to have "our own" offsets to play with though we don't really know how many offsets we will need yet.

I'll let Nauwa describe the delay since he is the one experiencing it. I'm only the programmer :wink: