Causing Failures - offset set, but no result?

[Slopey]

Hi All,

I'm trying to cause failures in-flight by setting the appropriate offset with FSUIPC from within vb.net. I'm using FSX.

If I try to fail the fuel gauge for example, using offset 0B6C, I write a 1 to that offset which I can verify has happened using the FSUIPC logging functions, but there's no result in FSX - the gauge continues to operate as normal. The same is true for other offsets, or for example the Hydraulic system failure offset at 32F8 - if I write a 1 to that, the Flaps still operate.

Just wondering if I'm missing something obvious as to why the offset is set, but the chosen indicator doesn't "fail".

Cheers,

S.

[Pete Dowson]

I'm trying to cause failures in-flight by setting the appropriate offset with FSUIPC from within vb.net. I'm using FSX.

... Just wondering if I'm missing something obvious as to why the offset is set, but the chosen indicator doesn't "fail".

Probably not missing anything -- the failure mode bytes are all marked in the current FSUIPC4 Offsets Status document, both reading and writing, as "validity unknown. Needs checking and feedback please".

Yours is the first such check and feedback. Thanks, I'll look at them to see if it is a lack of advertised SimConnect support or something in my code.

On this, however:

or for example the Hydraulic system failure offset at 32F8 - if I write a 1 to that, the Flaps still operate

That certainly worked once, but I see it doesn't now. I'll find out why.

Thanks,

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

Probably not missing anything -- the failure mode bytes are all marked in the current FSUIPC4 Offsets Status document, both reading and writing, as "validity unknown. Needs checking and feedback please".

Yours is the first such check and feedback. Thanks, I'll look at them to see if it is a lack of advertised SimConnect support or something in my code.

I just checked the most recent SimConnect documentation on these -- documentation which appeared long after I'd written that part of FSUIPC. It seems that there are three failure modes which are read-only:

3BDB Avionics

0B6C and 3BDF Fuel indicators

0B72 and 3BE5 Turn coordinator

although, actually, I see i hasve marked the latter two higher offsets as not writeable already. I shall revise the offsets status on the others.

The others should work. Have you tried them?

Regards

Pete

[Slopey]

Hi Pete,

Ahh - ok - Seems I was just unlucky and was testing ones which are no-longer available (or that were not writable in the first place - whoops!).

I'm testing the others just now, but with a quick check, the Altimeter failure works as expected. I'll let you know if I find any others which don't fail.

Many thanks,

Slopey/Duncan.

[Pete Dowson]

I'm testing the others just now, but with a quick check, the Altimeter failure works as expected. I'll let you know if I find any others which don't fail.

Actually, please let me know about the ones which are okay too -- I'll revise the list accordingly.

On this:

The same is true for other offsets, or for example the Hydraulic system failure offset at 32F8 - if I write a 1 to that, the Flaps still operate.

I've found the reason the first 3 bits don't work at present (the others should be okay). I made the axis operations more efficient (responsive) by using direct access to FS, bypassing SimConnect. These failure bits operated using that mechanism to send axis values to keep the control where it was. That worked okay via SimConnect as it arrived in FS just after the intercepted control did. Now, with the higher efficiency / less latency, it gets there first!Duh!

I've fixed it by Posting those particular controls via the normal Windows Messaging system. That seems to deal with it okay. This fix will be in the next increment (4.318), but I won't upload it till I've got the rest of your feedback, just in case.

Regards

Pete

[Slopey]

Just to follow up, so far I've tested

0B64 ADF

0B65 ASI

0B66 ALT

0B67 AI

0B6D DI

0B6E VSI

And they all work as expected.

0B73 Vacuum - doesn't appear to work, however, I'm not sure if all it does is fail the gauge. It certainly doesn't fail the instruments you'd expect to fail with a vacuum failure.

Also, COM1/2 on 3BDA/0B68 I can't get to fail either (and possibly the same for Nav1/2?) - it's always possible to contact ATC with the fail flag set, but I guess that's something internal to FSX.

Good news on the hyrdaulic front - I would have got round it by continually setting the appropriate value to whatever it was when the "failure" occured, but it'll be neater with the next version :)

Anyway - hope that's of some use.

Cheers,

S.

[Slopey]

Oh - and before I forget:

0B6D DI/Heading - this fails ALL heading indicators in the cockpit - even the magnetic compass, which is a little wierd, but it does fail them.

[Pete Dowson]

Just to follow up, so far I've tested

0B64 ADF

0B65 ASI

0B66 ALT

0B67 AI

0B6D DI

0B6E VSI

And they all work as expected.

Okay, good. Thanks.

0B73 Vacuum - doesn't appear to work, however, I'm not sure if all it does is fail the gauge. It certainly doesn't fail the instruments you'd expect to fail with a vacuum failure.

Actually, all of these SimConnect modes are documented as "gauge failures" so i assume all they do is stop the gauge updating, not the undelying function. I'll clarify that in my list.

However, in this case the Vacuum one is definitely non-responsive (stays at 0), at least in the 738. Maybe it needs a panel with a vacuum gauge. I'll try that.

Also, COM1/2 on 3BDA/0B68 I can't get to fail either (and possibly the same for Nav1/2?) - it's always possible to contact ATC with the fail flag set, but I guess that's something internal to FSX.

Since they are gauge failures I would have expected them to simply make the knobs and display failed, with perhaps the radio still working on its unseen and unchangeable frequency. But no, both the NAV and COM failure flags seem to be non-responsive, like the vacuum.

I'll update the list with this info. Thanks.

On this:

0B6D DI/Heading - this fails ALL heading indicators in the cockpit - even the magnetic compass, which is a little wierd, but it does fail them.

I don't get that happening here, at least not in the 737-800. The mag compass above the window is still operating even with the DI on the PFD failed.

Possibly, these things being gauge failures, it depends on gauge implementation. If it does it is a worry that add-on panels may not obey them. I would have thought the FS core would stop sending the updates, but I really don't know. Maybe, if any panel-beaters are reading this they might comment.

Anyway, on the hydraulics, FSUIPC version 4.318 is now available above, fixing 32F8 bits 0-2.

Thanks & Regards

Pete