Wideclient 100 % CPU use with Radar Contact 4

[avan1001]

Hi Pete,

Understand you also use RC4 and I wonder if you can help out / point me in the direction for a solution to the following problem.

For easy reference I may refer to part of my correspondance with JD on his RC4 forum :

quote

RC4 and Txt display are the only 2 programs running on a client PC (Windows XP - 1.9 Ghz) connected with FS through a registered Wideclient/Wideserver v6.75.

Most of the time there is a big delay and upon checking it appears the CPU usage of the client PC is practically always 100 %.

Monitoring the Wideclient CPU-use during flight I noticed that :

- just the connection between RC and FS shows a 100 % usage

- when there is an action in RC (e.g. heading call) the usage drops ;

- when FS is paused the usage drops considerably ;

Adding extra memory to the PC does not change anything .

RC works, but the high CPU load too often causes big delay in reponse time and leads to skipping / mixing up some calls.

unquote

I have never had any such problem with Wideclient on any of my other 5 PC's clients in the same network even not with PMSystems/PMInstructor on 1 PC.

JD is checking with his beta testers (since he is not using wideclient) .

What is your experience and is there anything I can do about it ?

Kind regards

Tony

[Pete Dowson]

Most of the time there is a big delay and upon checking it appears the CPU usage of the client PC is practically always 100 %.

Monitoring the Wideclient CPU-use during flight I noticed that :

- just the connection between RC and FS shows a 100 % usage

- when there is an action in RC (e.g. heading call) the usage drops ;

- when FS is paused the usage drops considerably

Whilst 100% CPU usage isn't meaningful in itself (earlier versions of FS use to give the save value even when not doing much -- it was just that they soaked up idle time instead of Windows' own "idle time" process), the only times I've seen that on any of my systems is when there's been something wrong on the Network.

RC works, but the high CPU load too often causes big delay in reponse time and leads to skipping / mixing up some calls.

Well, not the high CPU load directly, but the lack of the processor being released.

No where in WideClient is there any "loop" which takes any measurable time. it is all "get message from Windows" -- "Process it" -- "return to windows". All the processing is relatively short. Whenever I've seen this problem the time being taken is always deep down, in Network modules or in Game Port / Game Device sections of Windows.

I have never had any such problem with Wideclient on any of my other 5 PC's clients in the same network even not with PMSystems/PMInstructor on 1 PC.

Is the PC you have a problem with one on which you have ever had any joystick device, but no longer? Especially an old game port type? It may be a joystick driver polling the joystick for Wideclient's button scanning. Unless you tell it not to, WideClient scans all joysticks apparently installed on the PC so that you can program their buttons back in FSUIPC. When one is missing, especially a game port one, Windows seems to get stuck deep down in the driver waiting for a response. With the default scanning rate of 50 per second (20 mSecs) there may be little time for anything else. But WideClient has higher priority threads for Network and Client calls.

Check Windows Game Controllers -- see if it has registered drivers for non-existent devices. If so, uninstall them. Also make sure you don't have GFDev.dll installed if you have no Goflight units on that PC.

You can also stop WideClient scanning buttons by setting

ButtonScanInterval=0

in the [Config] section of WideClient.INI.

If it isn’t button scanning it is almost certainly a Network problem. Run it, get that 100% symptom, close FS and WideClient. Show me the WideClient.INI file, and both WideClient.log and WideServer.log files.

Incidentally, version 6.759 is available in the downloads announcements above. You may want to change to that.

Regards

Pete

[trisager]

I'm having exactly the same problem as the OP. The laptop running Wideclient has never had any gamecontrollers installed, and I checked in the hardware device tab just to be sure. Laptop is running Windows XP sp2, latest beta of Wideclient, latest beta of FSUIPC, and I did try ButtonScanInterval=0 with no improvement.

I should mention that the same laptop is running Active Sky X without Wideclient misbehaving. Logfiles below.

Tom

Wideclient.ini:

[Config]

ButtonScanInterval=0

Window=75,81,593,489

ClassInstance=0

NetworkTiming=5,1

MailslotTiming=2000,1000

PollInterval=2000

Port=8002

Port2=9002

ResponseTime=18

ApplicationDelay=0

TCPcoalesce=No

WaitForNewData=500

MaxSendQ=100

OnMaxSendQ=Log

NewSendScanTime=50

Priority=3,1,2

Wideclient.log

********* WideClient Log [version 6.759] Class=FS98MAIN *********

Date (dmy): 25/04/08, Time 21:19:25.578: Client name is TOM-LAPTOP

691 Attempting to connect now

751 Server = TOM-DESKTOP

761 Trying TCP/IP host "TOM-DESKTOP" port 8002 ...

761Okay, IP Address = 192.168.1.35

761 Connection made okay!

71212 New Client Application: "rcv4" (Id=3132)

111039 ****** End of session performance summary ******

111039 Total time connected = 110 seconds

111039 Reception maximum: 15 frames/sec, 667 bytes/sec

111039 Reception average whilst connected: 14 frames/sec, 458 bytes/sec

111039 Transmission maximum: 6 frames/sec, 335 bytes/sec

111039 Transmission average whilst connected: 0 frames/sec, 31 bytes/sec

111039 Max receive buffer = 612, Max send depth = 2, Send frames lost = 0

111039 **************** Individual client application activity ****************

111039 Client 3132 requests: 3393 (Ave 30/sec), Data: 346148 bytes (3146/sec), Average 102 bytes/Process

111039 ********* Log file closed (Buffers: MaxUsed 3, Alloc 5053 Freed 5053 Refused 0) *********

wideserver.log

********* WideServer.DLL Log [version 7.272] *********

Blocksize guide = 4096 (double allowed)

Date (dmy): 25/04/08, Time 21:11:04.678: Server name is TOM-DESKTOP

17222 Initialising TCP/IP server

17222 Initialising IPX/SPX server

17222 IPX/SPX socket() failed [Error=10047] Address family not supported by protocol family

17222 Failed to start IPX/SPX Server

17222 Initialising UDP/IP server

18127 Broadcasting service every 1000 mSecs

19624 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=8952) TCP

19780 Connected to computer "TOM-LAPTOP" running WideClient version 6.759 (skt=8952) TCP

332921 Error 10054: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=8952) TCP

503774 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=7308) TCP

503914 Connected to computer "TOM-LAPTOP" running WideClient version 6.759 (skt=7308) TCP

614144 Error 10053: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=7308) TCP

636905 Close signalled to clients

638028 Closing down now ...

Memory managed: Offset records: 351 alloc, 350 free

Read buffer usage: 252 alloc, 252 free, max in session: 1

Write buffer usage: 5851 alloc, 5851 free, max in session: 1

Throughput maximum achieved: 19 frames/sec, 607 bytes/sec

Throughput average achieved for complete session: 4 frames/sec, 140 bytes/sec

Average receive rate from "TOM-LAPTOP": 0 frames/sec, 24 bytes/sec

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

[Pete Dowson]

I'm having exactly the same problem as the OP. The laptop running Wideclient has never had any gamecontrollers installed, and I checked in the hardware device tab just to be sure. Laptop is running Windows XP sp2, latest beta of Wideclient, latest beta of FSUIPC, and I did try ButtonScanInterval=0 with no improvement.

Hmm. Shame. That was the most likely option.

I should mention that the same laptop is running Active Sky X without Wideclient misbehaving.

ASX doesn't use WideFS.

Nothing wrong with the logs or INI, so I'm at a loss really. Perhaps you could enable more logging at the WideClient end (Log=DebugAll in the [user] section) and try. Don't let it run too long as the Log will get huge. ZIP it and email it to petedowson@btconnect.com.

I've not really changed anything in WideClient for years, especially for those using 6.75, so how suddenly these problems arise for old programs for several users at the same time is really mystifying. I can't see how it could be RCV4 either as I've used that on a WideClient for years too, along with many other programs on the same PC.

Pete

[trisager]

ASX doesn't use WideFS.

Pete

I must be tired :oops: I tried with FS Commander instead, WideClient sits at about 10-20% CPU on my laptop with that application (1.7 GHz Pentium M, 1 GB Ram).

I've sent you the logs via email. The high CPU usage kicks in about 2-3 seconds after the Radar Contact window appears on the FSX screen.

Tom

[Pete Dowson]

I've sent you the logs via email. The high CPU usage kicks in about 2-3 seconds after the Radar Contact window appears on the FSX screen.

Okay. I see what is happening, but it may not explain all the difficulties you are getting. That really depends on lots of things. I think one of the problems is that you haven't got enough client applications using WideClient on that PC and a safeguard I built in to stop one program monopolising it is coming into play.

There's a mechanism in WideClient which is explicitly designed to stop one Client program hogging the whole PC. It kicks in when it gets lots of requests very close together. RC is doing this -- it is sending lots of requests very quickly, without much of a gap between.

So, every few of these requests WideClient refuses to return control to it immediately, and instead loops in a message checking mode for about 25 mSecs. During this time it is asking Windows for messages and processing any it has, but also offering to relinquish control to other processes all the time -- via a "Sleep(0)" call.

Sleep(0) offers control to any other waiting process, but gets it back immediately if no one else wants it. It is this mechanism which eats up "idle time" and makes it look as if WideClient is demanding 100% of the processor. In fact, any other process should run easily -- EXCEPT Radar Contact which is held up because it is awaiting the response to its last call to WideClient.

I am making a revised version of WideClient for you to try which has these values changed -- reducing the time RC is held off and increasing the Sleep value so that WideClient doesn't look like it is hogging things. I'll post a link to the updated version for you to try soon ...

Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

I am making a revised version of WideClient for you to try which has these values changed -- reducing the time RC is held off and increasing the Sleep value so that WideClient doesn't look like it is hogging things. I'll post a link to the updated version for you to try soon ...

Okay. Please try this version and let me know how you get on:

http://fsuipc.simflight.com/beta/WideClient6760.zip

Regards

Pete

[avan1001]

Hi Pete,

From the moment RC4 started running on the XP-2000 PC the CPU use rose to 100 %.

When I closed FS , it immy dropped to minimum.

Here are the results :

********* WideServer.DLL Log [version 6.75] *********

Blocksize guide = 4096 (double allowed)

Date (dmy): 26/04/08, Time 09:14:58.281: Server name is XP64-3500

59297 Initialising TCP/IP server

59297 Initialising IPX/SPX server

59297 IPX/SPX socket() failed [Error=10044] Socket type not supported

59297 Failed to start IPX/SPX Server

59297 Initialising UDP/IP server

59297 Broadcasting service every 1000 mSecs

59938 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=6292) TCP

60016 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=6284) TCP

60016 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=6272) TCP

60094 Connected to computer "P2-350" running WideClient version 6.750 (skt=6292) TCP

60094 Connected to computer "XP-2000" running WideClient version 6.750 (skt=6272) TCP

60250 Connected to computer "COMPAQ" running WideClient version 6.750 (skt=6284) TCP

61063 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=6248) TCP

61141 Connected to computer "P4-1900" running WideClient version 6.750 (skt=6248) TCP

62094 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=6320) TCP

62094 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=6332) TCP

62094 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=6344) TCP

62328 Connected to computer "P3-500" running WideClient version 6.750 (skt=6344) TCP

62328 Connected to computer "PMSYS" running WideClient version 6.750 (skt=6320) TCP

62391 Connected to computer "P4-1500" running WideClient version 6.750 (skt=6332) TCP

269813 **** ERROR! Sumcheck or length fails on received socket 6320 block, len=1252 (time=3328)

708031 **** ERROR! Sumcheck or length fails on received socket 6320 block, len=6828 (time=3328)

711250 Error 10053: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=6272) TCP

730172 Close signalled to clients

731281 Closing down now ...

Memory managed: Offset records: 1418 alloc, 1418 free

Read buffer usage: 11905 alloc, 11905 free, max in session: 1

Write buffer usage: 48693 alloc, 48693 free, max in session: 1

Total number of received blocks having sumcheck errors = 2

Throughput maximum achieved: 113 frames/sec, 24377 bytes/sec

Throughput average achieved for complete session: 31 frames/sec, 3574 bytes/sec

Average receive rate from "P2-350": 0 frames/sec, 20 bytes/sec

Average receive rate from "PMSYS": 7 frames/sec, 1282 bytes/sec

Average receive rate from "P4-1500": 2 frames/sec, 109 bytes/sec

Average receive rate from "COMPAQ": 3 frames/sec, 98 bytes/sec

Average receive rate from "P3-500": 1 frames/sec, 740 bytes/sec

Average receive rate from "XP-2000": 0 frames/sec, 20 bytes/sec

Average receive rate from "P4-1900": 0 frames/sec, 36 bytes/sec

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

; PLEASE SEE WideFS documentation for parameter details

; =====================================================

[Config]

Port=8002

Window=32000,32000,112,27

Visible=Yes

ButtonScanInterval=0

ClassInstance=0

NetworkTiming=5,1

MailslotTiming=2000,1000

PollInterval=2000

Port2=9002

ResponseTime=18

ApplicationDelay=0

TCPcoalesce=No

WaitForNewData=500

MaxSendQ=100

OnMaxSendQ=Log

NewSendScanTime=50

Priority=3,1,2

; -----------------------------------------------

[user]

Log=Errors+

RunReady=C:\Program Files\TSR\CockpitSystemsB737\CockpitSystemsB737.exe

REMAllowShutdown=App

REMRunReady1=C:\BaseFolder\Modules\ASv6\ASv6.exe

REMRunReady2=C:\Program Files\Aerosoft\FDC\FDC.exe

REMCloseReady1=Yes

REMCloseReady2=Yes

; ===============================================

********* WideClient Log [version 6.75] Class=FS98MAIN *********

Date (dmy): 26/04/08, Time 09:13:54.640: Client name is XP-2000

1891 Attempting to connect now

2891 Trying to locate server: Need details from Server Broadcast

2891 Failed to connect: waiting to try again

3437 New Client Application: "ShowText" (Id=1080)

4891 Attempting to connect now

68891 Trying to locate server: Need details from Server Broadcast

146766 Server = XP64-3500

146781 Trying TCP/IP host "XP64-3500" port 8002 ...

146781Okay, IP Address = 192.168.1.11

146812 Connection made okay!

712422 New Client Application: "rcv4" (Id=1064)

796453 ****** End of session performance summary ******

796453 Total time connected = 648 seconds

796453 Reception maximum: 14 frames/sec, 409 bytes/sec

796453 Reception average whilst connected: 9 frames/sec, 202 bytes/sec

796453 Transmission maximum: 16 frames/sec, 584 bytes/sec

796453 Transmission average whilst connected: 0 frames/sec, 21 bytes/sec

796453 Max receive buffer = 376, Max send depth = 5, Send frames lost = 0

796453 **************** Individual client application activity ****************

796453 Client 1080 requests: 1681 (Ave 2/sec), Data: 229324 bytes (353/sec), Average 136 bytes/Process

796453 Client 1064 requests: 7800 (Ave 12/sec), Data: 152374 bytes (235/sec), Average 19 bytes/Process

796453 ********* Log file closed (Buffers: MaxUsed 6, Alloc 15663 Freed 15663 Refused 0) *********

Look forward to receiving your advice.

Kind regards

Tony

[trisager]

Thanks, Pete. The new version of WideClient solved the problem - Radar Contact performed quite well on a test flight.

Tom

[Pete Dowson]

From the moment RC4 started running on the XP-2000 PC the CPU use rose to 100 %.

It is only soaking up idle time. Please read the thread.

Look forward to receiving your advice.

Check this thread again, please.

Pete

[avan1001]

Hi Pete,

Installed your special Wideclient version and it works like a charm.

Take it this version is only to be used for RC4.

Tony

[Pete Dowson]

Installed your special Wideclient version and it works like a charm.

Take it this version is only to be used for RC4.

No, I hope not. It will be the new current Wideclient once I've verified that I've not messed anything up!

Please try it for everything.

Pete

[avan1001]

Hi Pete,

Tried it on PMSystems/PMInstructor , all work and CPU load appears to be lower BUT

there is NO "User part" in the .ini file (e.g. for runready etc ).

Tony

[Pete Dowson]

there is NO "User part" in the .ini file (e.g. for runready etc )

ErI didn't supply an INI file, so that is yours!

User parameters are supplied bythe User! That is why it is so named. You create a User section using a line which says [user].

Why did you delete your previous INI file? WideClient NEVER deletes it!

Pete

[avan1001]

I just unzipped and ran the 6.76 version in a new directory for a clean install/use.

(A bit cautious may be but I learned the hard way with new software versions).

No problem.

I now copied the 6.76 exe file in the old directory and overwrote.

Works fine.

Thanks for your continuing support and assistance.

Tony

[Pete Dowson]

I've had a response from one tester of 6.760 who said that, unlike previous versions, it "locked up" on his system. In fact the Log showed it failing to stay connected. I'm a little worried that I may have changed the timings too far the other way now, giving the applications to much time making the networking suffer.

So, I have a "compromise" version, with the timings half way between those two extremes. This is:

http://fsuipc.simflight.com/beta/WideClient6761.zip

Do you think you might try this and let me know how you get on with it, please? I'll send this privately too, to make sure you see it. Hope you don't mind.

Regards

Pete

[trisager]

Hi Pete,

I've tried a couple of flights with the version in the post above - RC seems to be slower to respond with this version than with the previous, but I did manage to complete the flights.

Is this particular timing value something that could be set via the ini file, or as a command-line option?

Tom

[Pete Dowson]

I've tried a couple of flights with the version in the post above - RC seems to be slower to respond with this version than with the previous, but I did manage to complete the flights.

Well, it shouldn't really be noticeably slower, or at least that it matters at all -- it's getting almost as much time as before. Do you have any other programs running on the same PC? Any other WideClient applications?

Is this particular timing value something that could be set via the ini file, or as a command-line option?

No. it isn't one timing value but a set of interacting values. It isn't something I want to be user adjustable as it is easy to make a mess.

There is one parameter which would change things, though i'm not sure by how much:

NetworkTiming=5,1

Applications get more time the lower these are, but then the Networking gets less. These values have been arrived at over years, so you don't realy want to mess much. You could try:

NetworkTiming=5,0

but if you do, please change it back for any other tests you do for me, else I'll be working on false premises.

What amazes me is that the original system has been working well for about 10 years now, and through all versions of Radar Contact -- with, in particular, a huge amount of use with RCV4 -- and suddenly out of the blue there are two users complaining about response and CPU utilisation. Nothing has changed, so it is very puzzling.

With such an untroubled history I don't really want to make any significant changes in WideClient, just maybe teensy tweaks which will hopefully not affect most users at all. Here's another little tweak, back towards what you liked, but not too much:

http://fsuipc.simflight.com/beta/WideClient6762.zip

Try it without changing that NetworkTiming parameter, please.

Pete

[trisager]

Very puzzling, and I do understand your reluctance to change things. I just tried again with the first version you adjusted, and there very definitely is a difference. Both in response time when I try to do something with RC4 on the laptop (e.g. show the list of ATC frequencies, or just bring the window to the foreground) and the length of pauses in the dialogue. The flights today were all done with another Wideclient application running (FSAcars).

Perhaps it is not that common for RC4 users to use Wideclient? After all it does require either using speakers (something I cannot do since I share the room) or wearing two sets of headphones (which makes you look a bit odd).

I'll try with the latest version later this evening.

Tom

[Pete Dowson]

Perhaps it is not that common for RC4 users to use Wideclient?

No, it is quite often used that waybecause ...

After all it does require either using speakers (something I cannot do since I share the room) or wearing two sets of headphones (which makes you look a bit odd).

... the most normal usage would be speakers on the FS PC and headphones on the RC PC -- much more realistic, you see? ;-)

I've used RC with WideFS throughout its entire existence. With my present cockpit the FS speakers are forward and rear, whilst RC talks to me via speakers in the overhead (OR via headsets (optional)). The headsets are equipped with microphones, and I have experimented with voice recognition programs converting spoken commands into to RC menu selections, though really the set up was intended for on-line flying (which I've never got around to. Anyway, that didn't last long. The voice recognition wasn't as good as I'd hoped, and anyway I felt really daft talking to a PC! ;-)

I'll try with the latest version later this evening.

Okay, thanks.

Regards

Pete

[avan1001]

Hi Pete,

Have tested 6.761 during full flight EHRD-EDDH and all running progs remained connected.

6.761 however delays the reaction time too much and this is very noticeable with e.g pmSystems (when you start to think it does not work, there comes the light...).

It furthermore has a conflict (neglectable because only when running idle) with the Cockpitsonic B737 driver for panels and gauges.

Therefore I will only use your modified version for RC4.01.

This solves the problem I initially had .

Thanks again for your assistance.

Kind regards

Tony

[trisager]

Hi again,

The latest version in this thread worked quite well on a test flight - about the same as the first one you modified I would say.

Thanks,

Tom

[Pete Dowson]

The latest version in this thread worked quite well on a test flight - about the same as the first one you modified I would say.

Good. That might be the one to go with then. I think I went a bit overboard with the change in the first.

[LATER]

I've made one other change -- to weight it more in favour of the Networking, i.e. against the applications, for the first 5 seconds or so of connection. In other words, for the first 5 seconds after a successful connection, it operates more like 6.75x, then changes to what you found works well. This is to avoid bottleneck problems when several hungry programs are started using "RunReady", all competing to get lots of initial data.

So, the version on release in the Announcements above is now 6.763.

Pete

[avan1001]

Hi Pete,

Ive been using Wideclient 6.763 on my "Radar Contact" PC ever since.

Now want to upgrade to FSUIPC 3.85 and Widefs 6.78 (and latest versions of PM).

Can i use your latest version without problems with Radar Contact ?

Kind regards

Tony

[Pete Dowson]

Can i use your latest version without problems with Radar Contact ?

Of course! In fact you are on your own without support if you don't!

If you want the very latest interim versions, look in the Downloads announcements above.

Pete