No Addons Menu

[cfelix]

Hi,

I've been using FSUIPC4 for a while but I just had a situation that required a re-install of FSX. The FSX re-install went fine, and when I installed FSUIPC4 there were no errors and it registered OK. However, I just cant get the Add-Ons menu to appear. In looking through this forum, I saw some indication that this might be caused by a Simconnect problem but I don't seem to have some of the folders (files) shown in the posts. I took a lookin my winsxs folder and the only simconnect items there were "Cat" and "Manifest" folders. I didn't see any Simconnect folders with DLL files. I've now tried several reinstalls, with and without adding the SP1 and SP2 upgrades but no luck. I am running Vista 32. Any help would be gratly appreciated. This is my FSUIPC$.log:

********* FSUIPC4, Version 4.26 by Pete Dowson *********

Reading options from "E:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Modules\FSUIPC4.ini"

NOTE: SimConnect Acc/SP2 Oct07 found but not in WinSxS folder!

... please check and possibly remove "E:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\fsx.exe"

User Name="Charles Felix"

User Addr="XXXXXXXXXXX"

FSUIPC4 Key is provided

WIDEFS7 not user registered, or expired

Running inside FSX on Windows Vista (SimConnect Acc/SP2 Oct07)

Module base=61000000

Wind smoothing fix is fully installed

DebugStatus=15

125 System time = 15:18:00

187 FLT UNC path = "\\MYCOMPUTER-PC\Users\My Computer\Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\"

187 FS UNC path = "E:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\"

1716 LogOptions=00000001

1716 Could not link to all needed SimConnect facilities

16754 **** Retrying SimConnect connection****

16754 Could not link to all needed SimConnect facilities [code 0]

31762 **** Retrying SimConnect connection****

31762 Could not link to all needed SimConnect facilities [code 0]

46800 **** Retrying SimConnect connection****

46800 Could not link to all needed SimConnect facilities [code 0]

64397 System time = 15:19:05

64397 *** FSUIPC log file being closed

Memory managed: 2 Allocs, 2 Freed

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

Charlie - KSBP

[Pete Dowson]

The FSX re-install went fine, and when I installed FSUIPC4 there were no errors and it registered OK.

Please show me the Install Log. There's information in that which may help.

However, I just cant get the Add-Ons menu to appear. In looking through this forum, I saw some indication that this might be caused by a Simconnect problem

It certainly is. Your FSUIPC4 log shows that there's no correct SimConnect to link to. It is mis-installed.

but I don't seem to have some of the folders (files) shown in the posts. I took a lookin my winsxs folder and the only simconnect items there were "Cat" and "Manifest" folders. I didn't see any Simconnect folders with DLL files.

You should have one, two or three folders in WinSxS containing SimConnect.DLL files. These are mine, for FSX original ("RTM"), SP1 and SP2:

If you haven't got these you need to re-install or repair FSX.

Regards

Pete

[cfelix]

Hi Pete,

Thanks for responding so quickly. I tried the repair that you suggested in your reponse but it did not create any of the x86... folders you mentioned. It did create another Cat/Manifesr pair. Is it possible to create those folders manually and, if so, is the simconnect.dll the same in all 3? I ran a re-install of FSUIPC4 after the repair and the following is the log:

Installer for FSUIPC4.DLL version 4.26

Looking in registry for FSX install path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight

Simulator\10.0

Parameter"SetupPath"

SetupPath="E:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\"

Checking version of FSX.EXE:

... Version 10.0.61472.0 (Need at least 10.0.60905.0)

Checking compatibility with installed SimConnect:

... Okay, Probe Manifest matches installed SimConnect 60905 (Original)

Found later build SimConnect 61242 (SP1 May07)

Found later build SimConnect 61259 (Acc/SP2 Oct07)

Checking if there's already a version of FSUIPC4 installed in:

E:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator

X\Modules\FSUIPC4.DLL

... Version 4.260 found.

FSX Modules folder already exists.

Okay -- installed FSUIPC4 into "E:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft

Flight Simulator X\Modules\FSUIPC4.DLL"

Looking for the current user's Application Data path:

... found as "C:\Users\My Computer\AppData\Roaming"

Now finding \Microsoft\FSX\FSX.CFG for all users, including this one

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\AppData\Roaming"

Found FSX.CFG in "C:\Users\My

Computer\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX\FSX.CFG"!

Now checking DLL.XML ...

... There is a previous DLL.XML, checking for FSUIPC4 section.

... FSUIPC4 section already exists but will be replaced.

... FSUIPC4 section of DLL.XML written okay

Now checking for a SimConnect.XML file ...

... There is a SimConnect.XML, checking for "local" section.

... "local" section already exists, file not modified.

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Application Data\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Contacts\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Cookies\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Desktop\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Documents\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Downloads\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Favorites\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Links\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Local Settings\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Music\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\My Documents\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\NetHood\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Pictures\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\PrintHood\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Recent\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Saved Games\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Searches\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\SendTo\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Start Menu\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Templates\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Looking in "C:\Users\My Computer\Videos\Roaming"

No FSX.CFG there

Now installing additional files into the Modules folder:

Installed "FSUIPC4 User Guide.pdf" okay

Installed "FSUIPC4 for Advanced Users.pdf" okay

Installed "FSUIPC4 History.pdf" okay

Installed "List of FSX controls.pdf" okay

All installer tasks completed okay!

Registration check for FSUIPC4 was successful! (result code 00)

*************** End of Install Log ***************

Thanks again for your help.

Charlie

[Pete Dowson]

I tried the repair that you suggested in your reponse but it did not create any of the x86... folders you mentioned. It did create another Cat/Manifesr pair.

What are these "cat/manifest pairs? They can't all have the same name. Do you mean to say that in the Windows\WinSxS folder there are only "Catalogs" and "Manifests" subfolders, and you are looking in those? In my Vista there are many many folders beginning "msil_ ..." followed by many more beginning "x86 ...". In fact there are 5,563 folders in my WinSxS folder -- pretty much the whole of Vista is in there, all of its libraries and so on. Your system cannot work without many of them.

Is it possible to create those folders manually and, if so, is the simconnect.dll the same in all 3?

No, I wouldn't if I were you, and no, each SimConnect DLL is different. That's why there are three in side-by-side folders.

I ran a re-install of FSUIPC4 after the repair and the following is the log:

Well that certainly shows that all three SimConnect versions are installed:

Checking compatibility with installed SimConnect:

... Okay, Probe Manifest matches installed SimConnect 60905 (Original)

Found later build SimConnect 61242 (SP1 May07)

Found later build SimConnect 61259 (Acc/SP2 Oct07)

So, those folders, or similar, MUST be there. Maybe they are hiding from you? Did you change Windows' options to show system files and folders?

Regards

Pete

[cfelix]

Pete,

Sorry that I wasn't very clear. Yes, there are 8,057 folders under winsxs. I do have the folder options set to show all files & folders. When I do a search in the winsxs folder for the word "simconnect", there are six files (no folders) found. All six files are in the "Manifets" folder. There are 3 with a .cat extension and 3 with .manifest extensions. For each of the 3 .cat files, there is a .manfest file with the same name (attached is a jpg file showing their names). There are no x86_Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect_... folders on any of my 2 hard drives.

Charlie

[Pete Dowson]

There are no x86_Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect_... folders on any of my 2 hard drives.

In that case I am sorry, but I simply don't know what is going on. I'm afraid it is a matter for Microsoft support. Most certainly it seems that your FSX installation is flawed, but whether this is down to FSX itself or a problem with your Windows installation I have no idea.

Until you manage to get this resolved I suspect that no SimConnect-using add-ons will be able to work. You could try doing a complete uninstall and re-install again -- but from what I've read over the last year most FSX problems seem to arise after re-installation, so it may only make things worse. However, I see little alternative apart from possibly also reinstalling Windows. This is where expert advice from, hopefully, Microsoft, is needed.

Regards

Pete

[cfelix]

Hi Pete,

Just thought I'd let you know how things turned out. After fooling around with my setup for another day, I decided to bite the bullet and reinstall Vista and FSX. Fortunately, not too long ago I built a dedicated FSX machine so there weren't too many non-FS applications to reinstall. After the Vista install, FSX loaded as it should and the SimCommect folders appeared in winsxs. After a couple days of trying to find all of the install programs for my addon aircraft and scenery, and tyring to remember all of the tweaks to the CFG files, I have thigns back online. I'm not sure what exactly went bad but I sure hope I don't have to do this too often. Thanks for all your help.

Charlie Felix - KSBP

[Pete Dowson]

After the Vista install, FSX loaded as it should and the SimCommect folders appeared in winsxs. After a couple days of trying to find all of the install programs for my addon aircraft and scenery, and tyring to remember all of the tweaks to the CFG files, I have thigns back online. I'm not sure what exactly went bad but I sure hope I don't have to do this too often.

Glad you got it all straightened out it the end. It's a bit of a drastic solution -- I've got my only Vista installation in a mess this weekend (not with FSX, but another unrelated application) and I too am wondering if I'll have to re-install it. I'm trying to hack my way to a solution via Registry editing, but no joy so far.

I've decided I don't like Vista. It seems very good till it goes wrong. Then it's awful.

Regards

Pete