Problems with FSUIPC V4.0.6.4

[Vulcan]

Hi Pete,

Installation of the above version of FSUIPC seems to have caused me problems.

I have only just tried FSX since installing V4.0.6.4 and all I get is the FSX splash screen then FSX quits.

After some head scratching I decided to remove the DDL from modules and reinstall V4.0.6.0, now FSX runs OK.

All the previous FSUIPC version updates have not caused a problem.

Any thoughts?

Regards

[Pete Dowson]

All the previous FSUIPC version updates have not caused

What other SimConnect clients are being loaded automatically? The FSUIPC installer now places FSUIPC as the first DLL to be launched instead of the last, which probably changes the timing of some of the loads and the well-known SimConnect bug of multiple launches comes into play.

Check the DLL.XML and EXE.XML files and let me know. Also please see the FSX Help announcement, and get a SimConnect Log. We need evidence for Microsoft so they can fix this thing!

Mind you, that change was made in version 4.061. When you say "all the previous FSUIPC version updates", did you possibly skip 4.061-3?

There's a parameter you can add to the [General] section of FSUIPC4.INI which may also help may things work better, but it remains precarious. This is

StartImmediately=Yes

It make FSUIPC4 initialise the SimConnect interface immediately it is loaded, instead of waiting till FSX is ready. That used to work fine, until additional Clients were added.

Regards

Pete

[Vulcan]

Hi Pete,

I can't be sure I installed 4.061-3 but thought I had installed each of the updates.

The one that does work is dated 25/11/2006

4064 & 4065 cause FSX to quit after the splash screen, i.e FSX does not run.

I will email you the simconnect log, dll.xml and FSUIPC install log files for each of the 3 installs, hope yo can make sense of them :)

Incidentally the simconnect log file did not increase its number each time I ran FSX, it just overwrote 'simconnect0.log'.

I did not change anything in the fsuipc.ini file during the updates.

Regards

Dave

[Pete Dowson]

I can't be sure I installed 4.061-3 but thought I had installed each of the updates. The one that does work is dated 25/11/2006

The only change which can induce the Simconnect bug to change behaviour is the one which puts FSUIPC4 at the head of the list of DLLs to install. That was done in 4.061.

4064 & 4065 cause FSX to quit after the splash screen, i.e FSX does not run.

That's what I understood you to say in the first place.

The question I asked seem to be unanswered, i.e, you seem to have not read this part of my message:

What other SimConnect clients are being loaded automatically? The FSUIPC installer now places FSUIPC as the first DLL to be launched instead of the last, which probably changes the timing of some of the loads and the well-known SimConnect bug of multiple launches comes into play.

The error you are reporting has been reported before and it is all to do with the way multiple clients cause Simconnect to crash depending on timings during initialisation.

I also said:

Check the DLL.XML and EXE.XML files and let me know.

Did you not see that part either?

Sorry to have to repeat myself. I also said this:

There's a parameter you can add to the [General] section of FSUIPC4.INI which may also help may things work better, but it remains precarious. This is

StartImmediately=Yes

Did you try that at all?

All this information is important to decide the correct work-around to use for these SimConnect bugs until we manage to elicit a fix from Microsoft.

I will email you the simconnect log, dll.xml and FSUIPC install log files for each of the 3 installs, hope yo can make sense of them :)

Why would I need information from three installs? The only reason for the SimConnect LOG is just in case there's extra information there, not already sent to Microsoft.I'll will look at it and advise you, but you need to report all this stuff to Microsoft via tell_fs@microsoft.com. It's the only way to apply enough pressure to get this all fixed!

Perhaps you could please look again at my message and see if you can answer the questions, pretty please? It is very difficult trying to help else.

Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

I will email you the simconnect log, dll.xml and FSUIPC install log files for each of the 3 installs, hope yo can make sense of them :)

The files just arrived. Only one of them was needed of course. The failing SimConnect log shows this (which you could have mentioned directly in answer to my first question -- i.e. FSCopilot.DLL loading as well):

0.43815 Panels data export found and set to 20A41990

9.58254 DLL Loaded: Path="Modules\FSUIPC4.dll" Version="4.0.6.4"

9.69429 Panels data export found and set to 20A41990

10.26057 DLL Loaded: Path="Modules\FSCopilot.dll" Version="1.2006.1006.1"

This is just about the most connon clash causing SimConnect to crash that has been reported. It first happened with FSUIPC4 version 4.01 or so I think, which was, of course, when FSUIPC4 was being loaded last instead of first. I changed FSUIPC4 to delay its Simconnect initialisation, and this work-around worked, then.

However, having FSUIPC4 last in the DLL.XML file can give other problems, as I found later, which is why I changed the installer to put it first, in 4.061.

The problem *probably* is that, loading first but with a delayed initialisation probably puts its initialisation on at the same time as FSCoPilot's.

The StartImmediately=Yes parameter should be tried first, as I suggested. If that doesn't help, remove it and edit the DLL.XML file to put the complete FSUIPC4 entry at the end. i.e. move this part:

FSUIPC 4

False

Modules\FSUIPC4.dll

to the end, just before the final line which reads

Alternatively, disable FSCoPilot (rename the DLL or change its

False

line to read 'True' instead of 'False'.

Until Microsoft manages to fix these problems with SimConnect crashing easily with multiple clients there are going to be these sorts of problems, and since they are all very timing-dependent there is no universal work-around.

Regards

Pete

[Vulcan]

Thanks for the second reply.

The StartImmediately=Yes parameter did not cure the problem, however moving FSUIPC from the top of dll.xml to the bottom has cured the problem and both V4064 & 4065 now install and FSX runs.

No exe.xml file was found.

What would be useful to send to tell_fs@microsoft.com, the dll.xml file,a log file or just an explanation of what was happening and the work-around cure?

Regards

[Pete Dowson]

The StartImmediately=Yes parameter did not cure the problem

Hmmthat's a shame. Thanks, it is useful information.

however moving FSUIPC from the top of dll.xml to the bottom has cured the problem and both V4064 & 4065 now install and FSX runs.

It hasn't cured it so much as avoided it. It isn't a solution at all, and the next add-on you install may make things go wrong again I'm afraid. It isn't just FSUIPC4 + Another Add-On, but almost any pair of Add-Ons if they are real SimConnect clients (some just use DLL.XML or EXE.XML as a way of loading only).

What would be useful to send to tell_fs@microsoft.com, the dll.xml file,a log file or just an explanation of what was happening and the work-around cure?

The DLL.XML that works, the DLL.XML that doesn't, obviously each with an appropriate new name, and a description of the crash -- if there's any information with it (or does FSX merely disappear without a trace?).

Thanks!

I have reported this directly and added it to the MS bug list internally, but reports via tell_fs from "real users" help weight this bug compared to all the others they probably have to fix by now! ;-)

Oh, please don't expect a reply -- there may be an automated one at best.

Happy Christmas, by the way!

Best

Pete