FSUIPC4 v4.26 breaks FSX thermal modeling

[Joshua Robertson]

Hello Pete,

I just thought I'd give you a heads-up in regards to a problem with FSUIPC4 v4.26 breaking FSX's thermals modeling. This modeling is necessary for successfully completing the missions "Tutorial 7: Introduction to Soaring", "Swedish Championship Soaring Course", and "Austrian Alpine Soaring Course".

I tracked the problem down to FSUIPC by the process of elimination - removing add-ons and retesting until the culprit was found. Once I found that FSUIPC may have had something to do with the problem, I verified the problem by doing a clean install of Windows XP and then FSX on a spare HD I had temporarly installed into my system. The thermals simulation worked okay up to this point but then when I install FSUIPC v4.26, the thermals simulation no longer worked.

[EDIT] In addition to the current version of FSUIPC4, I further tested previous versions of FSUIPC4 and found FSUIPC4 v4.25 produces the same problem while FSUIPC4 v4.20 does not. [End EDIT]

In the non-working state, the thermals show graphically (either schmatically with green spirals or naturally with soaring birds) but do not provide actual lift.

Best Regards,

Joshua Robertson

Lead developer, FS Real Time

3D Softworks Design Studios

http://www.3dsoftworks.net

[Pete Dowson]

In addition to the current version of FSUIPC4, I further tested previous versions of FSUIPC4 and found FSUIPC4 v4.25 produces the same problem while FSUIPC4 v4.20 does not.

Is this with all versions of FSX, or only SP2/Accel?

It must be releated to the hooks and patches I am making in order to get wind smoothing (and other smoothing actions) working.

Sounds like folks who need those facilities mayl have to switch off all of the new smoothing facilities. If it is still a problem with those disabled, try also adding

NoHorribleHack=Yes

AutoGlobalWeather=No

to the FSUIPC.INI [General] section. Maybe it will workwithout the smoothing disabled and only "AutoGlobalWeather=No".

I could experiment here to find out if there's a better solution, but I'm not a glider pilot and I wouldn't know whether it was working or not. Is there an easy way I can tell without actually flying anything?

Let me know, please. If I can't fix it I'll at least need to add a note about it to the documentation.

Regards

Pete

[Joshua Robertson]

Is this with all versions of FSX, or only SP2/Accel?

Yes, the problem appears in all versions of FSX - not just in SP2/Accel.

Sounds like folks who need those facilities mayl have to switch off all of the new smoothing facilities. If it is still a problem with those disabled, try also adding

NoHorribleHack=Yes

AutoGlobalWeather=No

to the FSUIPC.INI [General] section. Maybe it will workwithout the smoothing disabled and only "AutoGlobalWeather=No".

I tried flying thru a thermal with all smoothing facilities disabled (for what was able to be disabled in the FSUIPC4 GUI) and the NoHorribleHack and AutoGlobalWeather settings you indicated added to the FSUIPC.INI file with no luck. The thermals still did not produce any lift.

I could experiment here to find out if there's a better solution, but I'm not a glider pilot and I wouldn't know whether it was working or not. Is there an easy way I can tell without actually flying anything?

I don't know of any way you could test this without actually flying anything. It's pretty simple to tell if thermals are working properly or not by flying the DG-808S straight and level thru one with the glider trimmed for 60 KIAS. The variometer will sound a beeping tone for rising air and a steady tone for still or sinking air. The pitch of the tone indicates how strong the air is rising or sinking.

I suppose I could perform these flights for you in effort to test the FSX thermals modeling with FSUIPC4.

Best Regards,

Joshua Robertson

Lead developer, FS Real Time

3D Softworks Design Studios

http://www.3dsoftworks.net

[Pete Dowson]

I tried flying thru a thermal with all smoothing facilities disabled (for what was able to be disabled in the FSUIPC4 GUI) and the NoHorribleHack and AutoGlobalWeather settings you indicated added to the FSUIPC.INI file with no luck. The thermals still did not produce any lift.

This was with FSUIPC 4.26? (4.25 didn't have those last two parameters). If so I don't understand, because those are the only areas where I could begin to imagine any interference. Without those operating FSUIPC4 is just another standard SimConnect client as far as weather is concerned. Those were the changes in 4.25 onwards.

Maybe you should send me your FSUIPC4.INI file so I can check you have everything disabled. petedowson@btconnect.com.

I don't know of any way you could test this without actually flying anything. It's pretty simple to tell if thermals are working properly or not by flying the DG-808S straight and level thru one with the glider trimmed for 60 KIAS. The variometer will sound a beeping tone for rising air and a steady tone for still or sinking air. The pitch of the tone indicates how strong the air is rising or sinking.

Well, it might be best then if you can set up such a flight and send me the FLT + WX files so I can just load it and see it / hear it. Please include them with your FLT + WX files.

Regards

Pete

[Joshua Robertson]

Maybe you should send me your FSUIPC4.INI file so I can check you have everything disabled.

Okay, I just sent you an e-mail with the information you requested.

Best Regards,

Joshua Robertson

Lead developer, FS Real Time

3D Softworks Design Studios

http://www.3dsoftworks.net

[Pete Dowson]

Okay, I just sent you an e-mail with the information you requested.

Thanks! I'll try to deal with this within the next day or two.

Best Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

Okay, I just sent you an e-mail with the information you requested.

Very useful files, thanks. Found it, fixed it -- it was a silly typo -- a parenthesis in the wrong place, making FSUIPC set the vertical wind speed as if it had been written by an IPC application!

I've fixed it and tested it, and it will be okay even with wind smoothing etc enabled. Please delete those extra parameters I gave you from your INI, they were irrelevant after all.

The fix will be in the next FSUIPC4 incremental release, probably 4.261, which I shall be posting in the Announcement above within the next few days. I am in the middle of a couple of other small changes so I cannot release it immediately.

Best Regards

Pete

[Joshua Robertson]

Very useful files, thanks. Found it, fixed it -- it was a silly typo -- a parenthesis in the wrong place, making FSUIPC set the vertical wind speed as if it had been written by an IPC application!

I've fixed it and tested it, and it will be okay even with wind smoothing etc enabled. Please delete those extra parameters I gave you from your INI, they were irrelevant after all.

The fix will be in the next FSUIPC4 incremental release, probably 4.261, which I shall be posting in the Announcement above within the next few days. I am in the middle of a couple of other small changes so I cannot release it immediately.

Great news, Pete! Glad to hear the problem was found and fixed. Thanks! :D

Best Regards,

Joshua Robertson

Lead developer, FS Real Time

3D Softworks Design Studios

http://www.3dsoftworks.net