Some errors found in the Event Log after FSUIPC 4.156 FSX SP

[Emile]

Hello,

Found following error information in event log after FSX crash .

Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance

[Pete Dowson]

Found following error information in event log after FSX crash .

Any recommendations?

Yes, ignore the "Side by Side" errors. These are all a result of FSUIPC4's flexibility in selecting the best of any number of SimConnect side-by-side DLLs you may or may not have installed.

In your FSUIPC Install log you will see a list of SimConnect versions you have installed. Each time the Install runs, it tests for the presence of each version it knows about and lists them. That process in itself unfortunately creates these error entries, which are irrelevant -- it merely means that the installer issued a Manifest Probe for those versions which failed because they are not installed.

Similarly, when FSUIPC4 runs (it is manifested to the original SimConnect DLL so that it can get itself loaded), it checks for the latest versions it knows about, and works backwards until it finds one it likes, then links to that. The same Manifest Probe produces the same errors.

The alternative for FSUIPC4 would be to have a different version for each supported version of SimConnect, which would be intolerable.

I think this marks a deficiency in the way the SidebySide system works, as it does not differentiate between an error caused by "trying" from an error caused by "doing". Maybe it should have a separate API for "trying". But that won't occur now in Windows XP. We'll see what Vista SP1 brings -- but then, more incompatibility. :-(

Meanwhile, don't worry about it. It does no harm other than helping to fill your disk with a little more unnecessary logging -- and it has actually been occurring since version 4.10 of FSUIPC, which was the first version with the flexibility to cope with multiple SimConnect installs (because of the release of FSX SP1).

Regards

Pete

[Emile]

Hello an thanks for this information.

Have a nice day.

[DanKH]

Hi I got the exact same errors as Emile.

Only getting when in connection with a FSX crash.

In my case I had the sim standing untouched for a very long time (a couple of hours) when the computer suddenly rebooted (it has been setup to do so in the start up and recovery section of Computer management).

But as Emile wrote, I only had these errors in connection with a FSX crash. If I have a successful FSX-session with normal use, and closure, the event is not logged/fired only in the case of a FSX crash....

As I currently do not have any applications running that relies on FSUIPC, I have it uninstalled for the time being. But I hope it won't be an issue once I get to the point where I need it....

On of the events in the log states that the referenced assembly couldn't be found, and another statement that simconnect isn't installed on your system.

To me that indicates some non-efficient error-handling code, as I presume that (at least in my case) when having the SDK installed, FSUIPC should also be able to find it?.....

But as I do not know the source code, I'll be reluctant to judge if it is FSUIPC that enforces the crash or not....

But I bet you (Peter) will try to explain why it couldn't be FSUIPC's fault that FSX crashes .. or?

I hope that you will be able to either convince us that it isn't FSUIPCs fault, or if it is, that you will be able to solve it.

ATB

DanKH

[Pete Dowson]

Hi I got the exact same errors as Emile.

Of course. The side-by-side "assembly not available" errors will occur every time you load FSX with FSUIPC4 installed. They merely refer to the versions of SimConnect which FSUIPC can handle but which you don't have installed.

Please check the times of those entries.

As I currently do not have any applications running that relies on FSUIPC, I have it uninstalled for the time being. But I hope it won't be an issue once I get to the point where I need it....

Please yourself, but I think you'll find that it is completely and utterly irrelevant to your problem.

On of the events in the log states that the referenced assembly couldn't be found, and another statement that simconnect isn't installed on your system. To me that indicates some non-efficient error-handling code, as I presume that (at least in my case) when having the SDK installed, FSUIPC should also be able to find it?.....

As I already explained, if you'd care to refer back, FSUIPC looks for a number of different releases of SimConnect, and uses the one it prefers from those it knows. In the course of checking their presense, Windows in its wisdom, logs these errors. They mean exactly what they say, that FSUIPC has tried to connect to a specific version of the DLL and failed (because it isn't present) -- that error is actually returned as a result of the calls FSUIPC makes and this tells it that that version isn't present, so it proceeds to the next one.

It is absolutely nothing to do with any SDK -- the SDK isn't even provided to FSX users of the non-Deluxe version.

FSUIPC 4.156 supports 4 different versions of the SimConnect.DLL. This will vary from release to release as Beta versions are superseded, but on the whole it will simply grow. The "Acceleration" expansion pack option will add another, as will the DX10/SP2 update later.

Since it worries you so much I will have a further look to see if the error can be prevented from going into the Log, but even if there is a way of doing it, it won't change anything else about what FSUIPC4 has to do in this area.

But I bet you (Peter) will try to explain why it couldn't be FSUIPC's fault that FSX crashes .. or?

I hope that you will be able to either convince us that it isn't FSUIPCs fault, or if it is, that you will be able to solve it.

You please yourself what to believe. You are misinterpreting what you are reading, or simply not reading what I am writing, so there's no point in me trying to say much else really, is there?

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

... I will have a further look to see if the error can be prevented from going into the Log.

Unfortunately there appears to be no provision for preventing these log entries, nor is there a facility I can use in Windows XP or Vista which allows me to check for a valid SimConnect version without actually "trying" its context, which produces three Error entries each time.

Basically, therefore, there will always be a multiple of three "Error" entries whenever FSX is loaded with FSUIPC4 present and the latest version of SimConnect which that FSUIPC4 version supports is not installed.

To understand this, look at the current set of SimConnect releases understood by FSUIPC 4.156 (this will vary depending on FSUIPC4 version):

1: Acceleration update (add-on), Beta1

2. Acceleration update (add-on) Alpha

3. FSX update SP1

4. Original release

It tests for these in that order. Since only Beta testers will have the first one or two, currently there will be 6 "Error" entries, 3 for each of those two. If the user has not installed SP1 there will be 9.

When the Beta period is finished and Acceleration is released, a new version of FSUIPC4 will be provided which will have only these listed:

1. Acceleration update (add-on)

2. FSX update SP1

3. Original release

Then those who purchase and install Acceleration will get no error entries, those with SP1 as the latest will get 3 entries, and those with only the original installation will get 6.

When the next update for FSX (SP2 or DX10?) is available the list for the matching FSUIPC4 will have that as number 1. I'll leave the Error counting to youyou can see how it goes by now.

And so it goes onthe big advantage is that FSUIPC4 will continue always to work with older versions of FSX whilst still being able to take advantage wherever possible of the latest changes. This is the purpose of the SidebySide installation system. The only disadvantage, it appears, is the appearance of these Error log entries and the annoying confusion it creates for those users like you who look for them. Maybe I need to document this someplace, though getting folks to read documentation is difficult anyway! ;-)

Regards

Pete

[DanKH]

"Please check the times of those entries"

Ha Ha, I like the way you talk back to people Pete, always have and always will. You missed to quote one of my statements:

"But as Emile wrote, I only had these errors in connection with a FSX crash. If I have a successful FSX-session with normal use, and closure, the event is not logged/fired only in the case of a FSX crash...."

"It is absolutely nothing to do with any SDK -- the SDK isn't even provided to FSX users of the non-Deluxe version"

Sorry my bad, I naively thought that simconnect only shipped with the Deluxe version as the SDK does, hence the question.

But as you have most clearly pointed out, there's nothing wrong with FSUIPCapparently. So I just hope that time will show that you're right. I can't remember when you last started out a reply with a "really`, I'll take a look to see if there could be something wrong here..." Normally it take a few postings to convince you that something might need to be "adjusted"... well anyway. Thank you for your program, I continue to use it out of necessity. And of course always use your latest version. Hopefully I won't run into the same problem when I need to have it installed in the future.

[Pete Dowson]

You missed to quote one of my statements:

"But as Emile wrote, I only had these errors in connection with a FSX crash. If I have a successful FSX-session with normal use, and closure, the event is not logged/fired only in the case of a FSX crash...."

No, sorry, I saw that, and ignored it, because Emile did NOT actually say that. Please go back and re-read. He had a crash then went and looked. He never said "only". You can go look at the event log and find every single time you loaded FSX, with FSUIPC -- 4.152 or later -- installed, you will get those errors. It is actually impossible not to unless you have the appropriate SimConnect Betas installed. Please do read my explanations of why this is so.

Regards

Pete