Problem with AutoSave and FS2002

[Juha]

When starting my FS2002 AutoSave versions 1.46, 1.48 and 1.49 cause error "can not load the selected aircraft" (or somehing like that) and reset FS to its default Cessna-in-Meigs-situation. Version 1.40 works OK. AutoSave is configured to save only one flight every fifth minute.

AutoSave.cfg:

[user]

Interval=60

Files=0

AlsoSave=z

AlsoInterval=300

SaveOnGround=Yes

[Files]

Next=1

And BTW: is there any advantage of using FSUIPC 3 with FS2002 compared to the last freeware version (2.975, I guess)?

[Pete Dowson]

When starting my FS2002 AutoSave versions 1.46, 1.48 and 1.49 cause error "can not load the selected aircraft" (or somehing like that) and reset FS to its default Cessna-in-Meigs-situation. Version 1.40 works OK. AutoSave is configured to save only one flight every fifth minute.

Hmmm. Odd. No one else has reported such problems, and 1.46 was released some time ago. Autosave does not relate to loading of aircraft, so it seems very odd. Can you tell me WHEN this message occurs -- i.e. what are you doing, and exactly what it looks like? Thanks.

Is that filename for the "AlsoSave" parameter correct? Just a "z"? Is that intended? I wonder if that is related? Do you still get a problem if you use the normal file cycling method (Files=1 instead of 0)?

Version 1.40 is so old now I've no way of determining what might be different. This has to be treated as a specific system-related problem for the moment I'm afraid, theefore I need a lot more information.

Regards,

Pete

[Juha]

Can you tell me WHEN this message occurs -- i.e. what are you doing, and exactly what it looks like? Thanks.

Is that filename for the "AlsoSave" parameter correct? Just a "z"? Is that intended? I wonder if that is related? Do you still get a problem if you use the normal file cycling method (Files=1 instead of 0)?

After flying for some time with Autosave saving flight every fifth second I quit FS. During the next start of FS2002 it complains about not being able to load the selected a/c and loads the FS-default flight instead.

With version 1.40 there is no problem, FS loads flight "z" which is set as startup flight in FS. The filename "z" is intended, Autosave saves correctly the two files, z.FLT and z.WX.

I'll provide soon a screenshot of the error message and also try with FSUIPC 2.975 instead of the unregistered 3.06.

[Pete Dowson]

After flying for some time with Autosave saving flight every fifth second I quit FS. During the next start of FS2002 it complains about not being able to load the selected a/c and loads the FS-default flight instead.

Ah, so AutoSave is not causing the crash -- the file which it gets FS to save is not liked by FS when re-loaded!?

That is totally weird. AutoSave doesn't save the files. It merely calls upon the FS routine to do this. If this cal is resluting in a z.FLT files, then that must surely be the correct one.

With version 1.40 there is no problem, FS loads flight "z" which is set as startup flight in FS. The filename "z" is intended, Autosave saves correctly the two files, z.FLT and z.WX.

Okay, then what it needed is to find out what the difference is between the z.FLT saved by 1.49 and the one saved by 1.40 -- they are both saved by FS so they should both be okay.

Can you load the flight saved as z.FLT, via the Flights menu? If so, then it is correctly saved. In that case I can only think it is some sort of timing problem. Perhaps the first "save" attempt made by AutoSave when you load FS is a bit earlier, and this is causing a problem?

I'll provide soon a screenshot of the error message and also try with FSUIPC 2.975 instead of the unregistered 3.06.

No. Please don't. FSUIPC won't make any difference in any case. Now that you've explained that the loading failure occurs when loading, and not when autosave is saving (which was my big puzzle with your first message), all we need to do is find out

(a) whether the z.FLT file saved by 1.49 is okay -- i.e. will it load, and

(b) if so, why won't it load initially? Is it maybe a timing matter.

Please try loading a z flight explicitly. If it loads, then it is not (a).

You could actually run version 1.40 to generate your z Flight. Then close FS down, install 1.49, then run FS. If it fails then, it must be something to do with a small difference in timing -- maybe AutoSave is saving when FS wants to load the same flight. I would need to check -- it probably shouldn't save for 5 minutes.

Regards,

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

And BTW: is there any advantage of using FSUIPC 3 with FS2002 compared to the last freeware version (2.975, I guess)?

I missed this in your original.

The advantage is that FSUIPC 3 is supported and developed. As and when new facilities are added, if any are applicable to FS2002 (and undoubtedly some will be) they will be added to version 3, not 2. If any bugs are found they will be fixed in 3, not 2, and so on.

Otherwise, at present there are no significant differences for FS2002. There are a few additional values mapped for applications -- one immediate example is in 3.08, to be released this week, where the Tail Hook position is now mapped for both FS2002 and FS2004. This would be useful for cable arrestor programs. There are others. But at present, no, there are no additional user facilities for FS2002.

Regards,

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

Rightwith the further information you gave me I was able to reproduce this problem.

It is a timing thing. What happens is that the "AlsoSave" file is getting saved immediately AutoSave is loaded. This is before any flight is actually loaded by FS, so the FLT file is bereft of important data, like aircraft, position, and so on -- everything in fact.

FS then tries to load the default flight, which is this "empty" one just saved! That's what is giving your error.

It only occurs with the AlsoSave method, which is why probably hardly any one else would notice. As to why it occurs with recent versions but not with 1.40 I can't say - I cannot see any code I've changed there, but maybe AutoSave starts off a bit earlier than it used to, for some reason.

Ah, yesI think it might be because I made it independent of FSUIPC sometime recently! Before that it would probably have waited till FSUIPC was ready, and that was deliberately delayed by a few seconds.

Anyway, the solution was to change the method of timing for the AlsoSave files, and make them only save AFTER the first interval -- which in your case would be 5 minutes. Try the attached version 1.491. It seems to work fine here, with your CFG file too.

It's a bit of a shame I hadn't known about this a few days ago. I don't really want to make yet another release -- that would be three in a week. :( Ah well ...

Thanks & Regards,

Pete

AutoSave1491.zip

[Juha]

Totally amazing! A perfectly working update accompanied by a complete explanation about the reason causing the original problem. :D

And talking about FSUIPC, I take it, I'd better to stay with 2.975 until upgrading to FS2004...

Thank you very much!

[Pete Dowson]

And talking about FSUIPC, I take it, I'd better to stay with 2.975 until upgrading to FS2004...

Well, not necessarily. Yes if you want to use the facilities without paying, no if you see in any of the release details (which will be posted in the Announcements here) anything you want or need which may be added in Version 3, as time goes by.

Regards,

Pete