Total Frustration

[fbass]

A little background. I've been in the computer business for more than 45 years. I cut my teeth programming mainframe computers (for those that know what those are). I've been using FS software for more years than I care to remember. I've spent so much money.....ugh.

So, with that said, here's my system. ASUS P65X58D mobo; Intel i7-975 Extreme CPU; 12Gb Corsair RAM; BFG GTX 295 graphics card. EVGA GeForce 9800 GTX card. Two (2) Seagate 1.5Tb Barracuda disk drives in RAID1 config; Two (2) Pioneer DVD/Blu-Ray drives; Thermaltake Armor Lcs case with liquid cooling; GoFlight airline consol with 4 radios, various switch modules, 4-engine throttles, MCP, EFIS. VRInsight CDU-II. SimTechnik pedals. VMax Yoke (soon to be ACE B373 yoke). Matrox TripleHead2Go Digital screen extender. Three Samsung SyncMaster T260HD monitors and one Samsung 943. The main aircraft hardware is plugged into my computer at USB 2.0 sockets. The remaining USB hardware is plugged into powered USB hubs. So, lots of stuff.

Software: Windows7 64-bit OS. FSX with Acceleration. FSUIPC 4.6 payware.

Actions taken thus far: Double checked all USB connections in the Windows Hardware Manager (all OK). Downloaded the latest version of FSUIPC for FSX. Disabled the joystick settings in FSX. Deleted all the axis assignments for keyboard and mouse. Read the FSUIPC manuals multiple times. Tried to follow several tutorials. Double-checked that FSUIPC is registered.

The frustration: I've followed all the recommendations including starting with a fresh FSUIPC.INI file. Thus far, not one setting in FSUIPC is taking hold. I've set the axis and tried to calibrate the main hardware (yoke, pedals, and throttles). I've used the "Send Direct to FSUIPC calibration" setting for all devices. I followed the checklist in the FSUIPC User Manual. I've rebooted after settings in FSUIPC. I used a default aircraft (C172) and a "lite" airport. My yoke does not change any controls nor do my pedals. One of the throttles works but when the aircraft loads the throttle is maxed out even though the lever is on idle settings. The flaps lever makes the aircraft's flaps go crazy - down, up and every point in between.

So far, nothing works. I tried to follow one of the tutorials in the Forums but the actions do not match the current version of FSUIPC. Note: When you first start ouf you need to have specific instructions and screen shots that match the version you have. Otherwise, there is a high percentage that you will miss something.

Anyway, I'm at a loss. There must be something I'm not doing. Please help.

Thanks,

Frank

PS I can get most of my hardware working if I use the standard FSX settings (without FSUIPC). Howver, the precision of operation is not good.

[Francois Dumas]

I moved this to the proper forum for ya :wink:

[Pete Dowson]

I can get most of my hardware working if I use the standard FSX settings (without FSUIPC). Howver, the precision of operation is not good.

How come you didn't see the links to the correct Support forum, so that your long message of woe had to be re-directed to the correct place? This support forum is noted in all my documents and there are links on the sales site and the download site, and even on the main front page of the options!

But now you are here, please close FSX. find the FSX Modules folder, and paste into a message here the FSUIPC4.LOG and FSUIPC4.INI files. You can enclose them as "code" so they can be easily scolled and extracted as needed.

That'll be a start, so I can at least see what it is you've been doing, or trying to do.

Incidentally, why are you going direct to the extreme of wanting to do everything in FSUIPC? That makes life a bit more complicated unnecessarily. If all you wanted was a little more precision, as you say, why didn't you simply set everything up in FSX, as you say you can, then just calibrate in FSUIPC, via the one tab for this, and following the numbered steps to do so? You don't need to assign those things in FSUIPC -- such facilities are invaluable for advanced use in cockpit builder's hands, but certainly not at all necessary just for "more precision". The original use of FSUIPC for this never had any assignment facilities in any case.

FSUIPC is like the Swiss Army Knife, a kit of many tools. Just choose what you need, don't try to use everything just because it is there.

Sorry, it is getting late here, so it'll be tomorrow (Thursday) before I get to look at anything else now.

[LATERIt's morning now]

Other little comments on your 'report':

I've followed all the recommendations including starting with a fresh FSUIPC.INI file.

Is that the recommendation when jumping from a very old version of FSUIPC to a new one? Or from someone saying do that to avoid confusing yourself? I ask this because I've striven veery hard to make sure all INI file details remain compatible throughout all updates and developments, to avoid the need ever to discard past settings. I am still using INI files which started life many years ago!

Thus far, not one setting in FSUIPC is taking hold.

You mean they are not saved and reloaded, or do not do what you expected in the first place? Please clarify. The INI file settings are only saved if you OK out of the options. Cancelling or ESCaping will reverteverything set in that entry to the way it was before you went to the options menu.

I've rebooted after settings in FSUIPC.

Why? That seems a bit OTT. What on earth prompted you to do such a thing?

One of the throttles works but when the aircraft loads the throttle is maxed out even though the lever is on idle settings.

Two things can do that. First is that the flight being used was saved with the thottle at max -- neither FS nor FSUIPC applies any axis value until it changes, so if you've not moved the throttle its current position isn't relevant. The other possibility is that the joystick driver is supplying spurious values initially. That sems to hapen more often with certain makes. If they are connected via USB the Windows Power Management may be putting them to sleep too -- switch poweer management off on all USB devices used in FS. However, since you say things are okay in FSX assignments I don't see how that could be a problem.

The flaps lever makes the aircraft's flaps go crazy - down, up and every point in between.

That's almost 100% sure to be a double assignment -- having two devices assigned to the same control, or the one device assigned in two places.

BTW please can you explain this:

I tried to follow one of the tutorials in the Forums but the actions do not match the current version of FSUIPC.

as these sorts of facilities haven't really changed much at all in 11 years. Additional little things have been added, but I'm pretty sure there can't be any "tutorials" out there which simply don't match any version of FSUIPC from many years.

Regards

Pete

[fbass]

How come you didn't see the links to the correct Support forum, so that your long message of woe had to be re-directed to the correct place? This support forum is noted in all my documents and there are links on the sales site and the download site, and even on the main front page of the options!

Answer: There is a lot of material to absorb in setting up FSUIPC. The fact that I missed a link to the proper support forum is hardly a major transgression. I simply forgot that simFlight is much more than just FSUIPC. I'm sorry I missed that link.

Incidentally, why are you going direct to the extreme of wanting to do everything in FSUIPC? That makes life a bit more complicated unnecessarily. If all you wanted was a little more precision, as you say, why didn't you simply set everything up in FSX, as you say you can, then just calibrate in FSUIPC, via the one tab for this, and following the numbered steps to do so?

Answer: I didn't expect your own documentation to steer users away from the program. Almost everyone who uses FSUIPC indicates a singular usage for the program - configuration and calibration. I was basically following the crowd. I didn't set up my hardware in FSX because the manual (s) and tutorials do not indicate that, for basic uses, one should set up hardware in FSX and then use FSUIPC for calibration.

Is that the recommendation when jumping from a very old version of FSUIPC to a new one? Or from someone saying do that to avoid confusing yourself? I ask this because I've striven veery hard to make sure all INI file details remain compatible throughout all updates and developments, to avoid the need ever to discard past settings. I am still using INI files which started life many years ago!

Answer: I was following a posted tutorial regarding the use of a fresh FSUIPC.INI file. It seemed to me that if starting from scratch with configuration and calibration one might want to start out with a clean slate in the INI file. I didn't see any mention of movement from an older version of FSUIPC. Since I am new to using FSUIPC I am trying to learn as I go.

"settings not taking hold" - You mean they are not saved and reloaded, or do not do what you expected in the first place? Please clarify. The INI file settings are only saved if you OK out of the options. Cancelling or ESCaping will reverteverything set in that entry to the way it was before you went to the options menu.

Answer: I did not escape out of the settings or calibration menu. What I mean here is that when I closed FSUIPC and went back to the aircraft, the settings did not take. For example, setting up my yoke to control the aircraft did not take. When I moved the controls nothing happened.

"rebooting" Why? That seems a bit OTT. What on earth prompted you to do such a thing?

Answer: It may seem odd, but I believe that the tutorial I read called for this action.

"one throttle working at max" Two things can do that. First is that the flight being used was saved with the thottle at max -- neither FS nor FSUIPC applies any axis value until it changes, so if you've not moved the throttle its current position isn't relevant. The other possibility is that the joystick driver is supplying spurious values initially. That sems to hapen more often with certain makes. If they are connected via USB the Windows Power Management may be putting them to sleep too -- switch poweer management off on all USB devices used in FS. However, since you say things are okay in FSX assignments I don't see how that could be a problem.

Answer: I have no saved flights with any particular configuration or calibration. I don't use the save function in FSX for flights. As for lever position - I don't quite understand you here but before I start my system or before I start FSX, the control positions of all hardware I use is at center or minimum position. There is no way for me, as a user, to tell if a hardware driver is sending spurious signals. If the Windows Hardware Manager shows all USB connections are usuable, then that is all I know to check. I'm not using any energy management on my system. All of that has been disabled.

"flap levers" That's almost 100% sure to be a double assignment -- having two devices assigned to the same control, or the one device assigned in two places.

Answer: My pedals and yoke have no configuration control other than the FSX or FSUIPC settings. These devices are just standard USB controls. The GoFlight throttle body is essentially the same except there is a FGConfig program that allows you to set GoFlight hardware levers and switches to the function you need. This is a basic setup. You tell the program you want to use a specific lever to be, for example, engine 1's throttle. There is no axis or calibration here - that has to be accomplished in FSX. As for configuration or calibration in more than one place, I indicated in my original post that I had disabled ALL joystick settings in FSX. I don't know what other source of device settings exist.

"tutorials" as these sorts of facilities haven't really changed much at all in 11 years. Additional little things have been added, but I'm pretty sure there can't be any "tutorials" out there which simply don't match any version of FSUIPC from many years.

Answer: I don't remember the specifics here. However, it seems to me that I read actions concerning axis assignment that were not in the FSUIPC manual. Anyway, there were a number of places where there was a mismatch.

[Pete Dowson]

What I mean here is that when I closed FSUIPC and went back to the aircraft, the settings did not take. For example, setting up my yoke to control the aircraft did not take. When I moved the controls nothing happened.

Then they either were not assigned, or not calibrated.

I'm not using any energy management on my system. All of that has been disabled.

The USB power management is normally on by default and has to be turned off individually in the Device Manager for each USB hub listed there. It's nothing to do with the easy control panel power stuff.

My pedals and yoke have no configuration control other than the FSX or FSUIPC settings.

Yes, but they can be assigned in both, which will give the conflicts you state, and also you can, in FSUIPC and FSX, assign more than one control to the same thing. This is what I was describing, not anything outside of FS at all.

I indicated in my original post that I had disabled ALL joystick settings in FSX.

Yes, i know. but re-check. FS has a habit of redoing assignments automatically unless you actually disable the controllers themselves, not the assignments. It will especially do this if you ever unplug any of them and reconnect -- and the power management side might also be doing the same.

I don't remember the specifics here. However, it seems to me that I read actions concerning axis assignment that were not in the FSUIPC manual. Anyway, there were a number of places where there was a mismatch.

None of the tutorials are mine, but contributed by users. If they have mistakes in them it would help to point them out, please, so they can be remedied. I'm too close to it all and wouldn't see them.

You haven't supplied any actual data as I requested so I cannot help further at present, but if you want to try again I'd suggest, yes, deleting your INI file, get everything working in FSX, not in FSUIPC, and then going into FSUIPC just to calibrate those axes you want to be more "precise". Thousands of folks have used these facilities to great satisfaction in the past, and they have stood the test of time -- the calibration part having remained essentially unchanged since FS98 days. I'm sure you can manage, but please ask about things before getting het up and in a state of "total frustration". Except when I'm away I always strive to give really fast support, so there's really no excuse not to simply come here and ask. But please be specific.

Regards

Pete

[fbass]

Thank you sir. I found, during FSX configuration, that my GoFlight throttle body was no longer functioning. I will provide the data you requested shortly. Sorry for the delay.

Regarding the power management issue - I did not know that each USB hub had its own power management setting. So, I've gone into the Hardware Manager and turned off the power management. Thanks for that tip.

Frank