FSUIPC prevent FSX termination

[ChrisEDDF]

Hi!

 

I have recently discovered a problem with my FSX/FSUIPC installation.

 

I noticed it because I was not able to open the FSUIPC windows. Whenever I clicked on the menu option nothing happened. That lead me to investigate a bit. Here is what I found:

 

Whenever FSUIPC is not installed (all fsx.cfg and dll.xml references removed), I am able to open FSX, use it and close it. The FSX process is terminated normally.

 

When I reinstall FSUIPC (tried 4.91 and 4.929) and open FSX it works fine the first time. I can open the FSUIPC window. When I then close FSX, the window closes but the icon in the taskbar stays there and the fsx.exe process continues running in the task manager. It will stay like that forever (waited up to an hour) until I force-terminate the process through the task manager. If I open FSX after this, the FSUIPC window doesn't open anymore. Also, whenever I close FSX the process never terminates as just described.

 

I haven't installed anything else recently. This came up after not using FSX for a couple of weeks because I was away. Have you ever experienced anything like this?

 

Any help appreciated.

 

Regards

Christian

 

 

PC running: Windows 7 64-bit, FSX SP2, FSUIPC registered version, ActiveSky Next

[Pete Dowson]

I noticed it because I was not able to open the FSUIPC windows. Whenever I clicked on the menu option nothing happened.

 

The FSUIPC menu entry uses standard Windows dialogue facilities. Those are supported by video drivers. In all previous cases reported like this the problem has been a bad video driver.

 

Whenever FSUIPC is not installed (all fsx.cfg and dll.xml references removed), I am able to open FSX, use it and close it. The FSX process is terminated normally.

 

There's no FSX.CFG references for FSUIPC excepting some "Trust" lines which mean only that you allowed it to run.

 

What other programs are being loaded by your EXE.XML and DLL.XML files?

 

When I then close FSX, the window closes but the icon in the taskbar stays there and the fsx.exe process continues running in the task manager. It will stay like that forever (waited up to an hour) until I force-terminate the process through the task manager. 

 

 

That's a thread hanging, which implies something is using it. I need more information, especially about what programs are actually using FSUIPC, because it will likely be one of those causing this.

 

If I open FSX after this, the FSUIPC window doesn't open anymore. 

 

 

That makes no sense. FSUIPC cannot be any different one time it is loaded to the next. You have something very odd going on. maybe one of the programs or add-ons loaded in the first run is still running and this is causing the problem?

 

Pete

[ChrisEDDF]

Hi Pete!

 

I have tried a lot and could reproduce the above described problem every single time. I was even ready to go ahead an reinstall FSX.

 

However, having installed 4.931 today has at least fixed the problem with FSX not terminating anymore. I can now start FSX and it will completely terminate when being closed. I don't know what has caused this problem but it seems to be gone.

 

Now, there is still the problem with the FSUIPC window not opening. I have the FSUIPC entry in the Add-on menu but when I click on it nothing happens.

FSUIPC is working as the settings I can do through the INI manually will be effective once FSX is running. Also, WideServer works and I connect the client from another PC to FSX.

 

The problem is now only that the window is not showing. You mentioned that it could be a bad video driver but I have updated my GeForce driver to the latest version. Are there any other things I could do? Maybe there is a wrong setting in the video settings.

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

Christian 

[Pete Dowson]

I have tried a lot and could reproduce the above described problem every single time. I was even ready to go ahead an reinstall FSX.

However, having installed 4.931 today has at least fixed the problem with FSX not terminating anymore. I can now start FSX and it will completely terminate when being closed. I don't know what has caused this problem but it seems to be gone.

 

What was your previous version, then? I have actually never known any such problem in FSUIPC itself. It can be caused by FSUIPC client programs, notably add-ins like aircraft gauges and at one time certan plug-in methods.

 

Now, there is still the problem with the FSUIPC window not opening. I have the FSUIPC entry in the Add-on menu but when I click on it nothing happens.

 

Do you have any Log to show me? The only way that can occur is when if the standard Windows library for dialogue displays isn't compatible with the video driver. Some video drivers used to replace that library, so on a subsequent driver update which didn't change it they brought about a mismatch.

 

The only other way iI think it could happen is if some other add-on is aactually somehow intercepting the SimConnect even from the menu entry.

 

Pete

 

[ChrisEDDF]

The previous version was 4.929, now 4.931.

 

My log file shows the following:

 

********* FSUIPC4, Version 4.931 by Pete Dowson *********

Running inside FSX

Module base=5D6D0000

User Name="XXX"

User Addr="XXX"

FSUIPC4 Key is provided

WideFS7 Key is provided

       15 System time = 21/04/2014 18:58:03

       15 FLT UNC path = "\\PC\Flight Simulator X Files\"

       47 Trying to connect to SimConnect Acc/SP2 Oct07 ...

       62 FS UNC path = "\\PC\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\"

      437 LogOptions=00000000 00000001

      437 SIM1 Frictions access gained

      437 Wind smoothing may be by ASN, not FSUIPC, if it is running

      437 Will switch smoothing action when ASN starts/stops

      437 G3D.DLL fix attempt installed ok

      437 SimConnect_Open succeeded: waiting to check version okay

      437 Trying to use SimConnect Acc/SP2 Oct07

     7379 Running in "Microsoft Flight Simulator X", Version: 10.0.61637.0 (SimConnect: 10.0.61259.0)

     7379 Initialising SimConnect data requests now

     7379 FSUIPC Menu entry added

     7410 \\PC\Flight Simulator X Files\Last Flight.FLT

     7410 \\PC\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes\Piper_J3Cub\Piper_J3Cub.AIR

   121977 System time = 21/04/2014 19:00:05, Simulator time = 18:58:07 (23:58Z)

   122055 Aircraft="Piper Cub"

   122960 Starting everything now ...

   122975 AES Link established

   158434 System time = 21/04/2014 19:00:41, Simulator time = 18:58:32 (23:58Z)

   158434 *** FSUIPC log file being closed

Average frame rate for running time of 23 secs = 15.2 fps

G3D fix: Passes 10146, Null pointers 0, Bad pointers 0, Separate instances 0

Memory managed: 9 Allocs, 9 Freed

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

 

 

Does this look normal?

 

As I said before, I am not able to access the FSUIPC window at any time.

[Pete Dowson]

Does this look normal?

 

Yes, the log shows everything okay.

 

 

As I said before, I am not able to access the FSUIPC window at any time.

 

In both Windowed and full screen modes?

 

What other add-ons / add-ins are running?

 

Please add the following to the [General] section in the FSUIPC4.INI file before running FSX. Then run it and try to enter the FSUIPC Menu, and show me the resulting Log.

 

Debug=Please

LogExtras=x8000

 

Pete

[ChrisEDDF]

Hi Pete!

I have done as you asked me to and here is the LOG file. FYI, I have tried to open the FSUIPC window twice in this session, but it didn't open. However, FSUIPC/Wideserver is running.

 

********* FSUIPC4, Version 4.931 by Pete Dowson *********
Reading options from "f:\microsoft flight simulator x\Modules\FSUIPC4.ini"
Running inside FSX
Module base=5D5F0000
User Name="XXX"
User Addr="XXX"
FSUIPC4 Key is provided
WideFS7 Key is provided
       15 System time = 23/04/2014 12:44:52
       31 FLT UNC path = "\\PC\Flight Simulator X Files\"
       62 Trying to connect to SimConnect Acc/SP2 Oct07 ...
       62 FS UNC path = "\\PC\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\"
      452 LogOptions=00000000 00080011
      452 SIM1 Frictions access gained
      452 Wind smoothing may be by ASN, not FSUIPC, if it is running
      452 Will switch smoothing action when ASN starts/stops
      452 G3D.DLL fix attempt installed ok
      452 SimConnect_Open succeeded: waiting to check version okay
      452 Trying to use SimConnect Acc/SP2 Oct07
     8237 Ready Flags: Ready-To-Fly=N, In Menu=N, In Dlg=N
     8237 Running in "Microsoft Flight Simulator X", Version: 10.0.61637.0 (SimConnect: 10.0.61259.0)
     8237 Initialising SimConnect data requests now
     8237 FSUIPC Menu entry added
     8268 Ready Flags: Ready-To-Fly=N, In Menu=Y, In Dlg=Y
     8268 \\PC\Flight Simulator X Files\Last Flight.FLT
     8268 \\PC\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes\Piper_J3Cub\Piper_J3Cub.AIR
     8970 Memory in use: 993Mb, Avail=3103Mb
    10046 Ready Flags: Ready-To-Fly=N, In Menu=N, In Dlg=N
    10374 Ready Flags: Ready-To-Fly=N, In Menu=Y, In Dlg=Y
    37362 Aircraft="Piper Cub"
    37362 System time = 23/04/2014 12:45:29, Simulator time = 12:44:54 (17:44Z)
    38953 Ready Flags: Ready-To-Fly=N, In Menu=N, In Dlg=N
    43587 Starting everything now ...
    43602 AES Link established
    43602 Ready Flags: Ready-To-Fly=Y, In Menu=N, In Dlg=N
    69218 Memory in use: 1415Mb, Avail=2681Mb
   103865 ### MENU: EV_MENU [15] received: dwMenuEvent=0, fInScanJoy=0, fInOptions=0
   116267 ### MENU: EV_MENU [15] received: dwMenuEvent=15, fInScanJoy=0, fInOptions=0
   128576 Ready Flags: Ready-To-Fly=Y, In Menu=Y, In Dlg=Y
   128576 Sim stopped: average frame rate for last 90 secs = 15.6 fps
   129372 Memory in use: 1447Mb, Avail=2649Mb
   136797 System time = 23/04/2014 12:47:09, Simulator time = 12:46:24 (17:46Z)
   136797 *** FSUIPC log file being closed
Average frame rate for running time of 90 secs = 15.6 fps
G3D fix: Passes 9817, Null pointers 0, Bad pointers 0, Separate instances 0
Memory managed: 10 Allocs, 10 Freed
********* FSUIPC Log file closed ***********
 

Apart from FSUIPC, I have Ultimate Traffic 2 running. Also, I have menu entries for PMDG and Level-D aircraft, but I don't think these addons are running as long as the actual aircraft isn't loaded.

 

It has worked before with the same combination.

 

 

Christian

[Pete Dowson]

   103865 ### MENU: EV_MENU [15] received: dwMenuEvent=0, fInScanJoy=0, fInOptions=0

   116267 ### MENU: EV_MENU [15] received: dwMenuEvent=15, fInScanJoy=0, fInOptions=0

 

Those are the two instances of the menu being called.  In the first the "dwMenuEvent=0" value says that SimConnect is not at present in Dialog Mode, so the very next thing FSUIPC does is ask SimConnect to enter dialog mode. 

 

It then has to wait for a response from SimConnect saying that dialog mode has been successfully enabled.  This event is never seen! So FSUIPC cannot display the actual dialog.

 

The second time you selected the menu entry, "dwMenuEvent=15" occurs, which tells FSUIPC that SimConnect has exited dialog mode. So, something in your system is preventing SimConnect from sending the confirmation event, or, more likely, is stopping FSUIPC receiving it.

 

Apart from FSUIPC, I have Ultimate Traffic 2 running. Also, I have menu entries for PMDG and Level-D aircraft, but I don't think these addons are running as long as the actual aircraft isn't loaded.

 

The DLLs will be running no matter what aircraft you are flying. They should only do something when needed, but they are running as SimConnect clients all the tim, receiving and handling all the events they have registered.

 

I'd mostly suspect the "PMDGoptions.DLL" module -- early versions of that did cause problems. Please try renaming just that module, so it doesn't load, and see if this is the case. If so I think you need a PMDG update installed, because it was fixed some time ago.

 

If it isn't this then, please, as a test, rename both your DLL.XML and EXE.XML files, so no add-ons/ins load, then re-run the FSUIPC4 installer and test again. If that works, then there's a process of elimination to be followed on each add-on/add-in in turn.

 

If none of this gives a result then I can only think your SimConnect installation is faulty. 

 

Regards

Pete

[ChrisEDDF]

Hi!

 

I have tried the above with a strange result.

 

When I started FSX with completely empty exe.xml and dll.xml files (also without FSUIPC), it worked fine. When I then just add FSUIPC, FSX will crash with a CTD as soon as it has finished loading the flight. Please see the FSUIPC LOG file which basically gets cut off at the moment it crashes

 

********* FSUIPC4, Version 4.931 by Pete Dowson *********
Reading options from "f:\microsoft flight simulator x\Modules\FSUIPC4.ini"
Running inside FSX
Module base=64620000
User Name="XXX"
User Addr="XXX"
FSUIPC4 Key is provided
WideFS7 Key is provided
       31 System time = 23/04/2014 15:31:42
       31 FLT UNC path = "\\PC\Flight Simulator X Files\"
       62 Trying to connect to SimConnect Acc/SP2 Oct07 ...
       78 FS UNC path = "\\PC\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\"
      421 LogOptions=00000000 00080011
      421 SIM1 Frictions access gained
      421 Wind smoothing fix is fully installed
      421 G3D.DLL fix attempt installed ok
      421 SimConnect_Open succeeded: waiting to check version okay
      421 Trying to use SimConnect Acc/SP2 Oct07
     2028 Running in "Microsoft Flight Simulator X", Version: 10.0.61637.0 (SimConnect: 10.0.61259.0)
     2028 Initialising SimConnect data requests now
     2028 FSUIPC Menu entry added
     2043 Ready Flags: Ready-To-Fly=N, In Menu=Y, In Dlg=Y
     2043 \\PC\Flight Simulator X Files\Last Flight.FLT
     2043 \\PC\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes\Piper_J3Cub\Piper_J3Cub.AIR
     2215 Memory in use: 516Mb, Avail=3580Mb
     3042 Ready Flags: Ready-To-Fly=N, In Menu=N, In Dlg=N
     3088 System time = 23/04/2014 15:31:45, Simulator time = 15:31:44 (20:31Z)
     3151 Aircraft="Piper Cub"
     3198 Ready Flags: Ready-To-Fly=N, In Menu=Y, In Dlg=Y
    31886 Ready Flags: Ready-To-Fly=N, In Menu=N, In Dlg=N
    33259 Starting everything now ...
    33275 Ready Flags: Ready-To-Fly=Y, In Menu=N, In Dlg=N
 

 

Do you think that it is rather a problem of SimConnect? Should I reinstall that?

 

Christian

[Pete Dowson]

When I started FSX with completely empty exe.xml and dll.xml files (also without FSUIPC), it worked fine. When I then just add FSUIPC, FSX will crash with a CTD as soon as it has finished loading the flight. Please see the FSUIPC LOG file which basically gets cut off at the moment it crashes

 

Do you think that it is rather a problem of SimConnect? Should I reinstall that?

 

No. That's exactly like a corrupted FLT or WX file being loaded by default -- i..e. 

\\PC\Flight Simulator X Files\Last Flight.FLT

 

As soon as FSUIPC starts doing things, it is accessing the weather through SimConnect. A corrupt WX file, saved with the FLT, can cause problems. Try deleting just 

\\PC\Flight Simulator X Files\Last Flight.WX

 

In fact, after doing a search on EV_MENU I found an earlier thread in which the Menu wouldn't appear for exactly the same sort of reason.

 

There is another file which can get corrupted -- WXStationList.BIN, in your FSX.CFG folder. You can delete that too -- FSX will build another.

 

Pete

[ChrisEDDF]

Hi Pete!

 

That was the solution. I deleted the WX file and the WXStationList.BIN file and everything is working again.

 

Thanks for helping me out.

 

Christian