P3D v3.3 CTD when FSUIPC 4.955c is enabled

[quinyu]

Hello,

First, I must thank you for a very useful product. It worked for a while, and had nice visuals with it, and P3D Realtime Weather plus FSXPilot. As you probably know, both those depend on FSUIPC.

Then it stopped working. I have tried everything that I could find suggested, including deleting wxstationlist.bin and the collected .wx files. Reinstall FSUIPC (install goes without any complaint). Deleting fsuipc4.ini. Deleting SimObjects to have it rebuild. Nope. If setting FSUIPC Disabled True in dll.xml, the scene loads and remains stable. I can take off and do everything. The moment I enable FSUIPC though, I get CTD as the scenery begins to load (getting half-loaded virtual cockpit visuals for the few seconds before crash, and half-loaded scenery). The CTD, according to Event Viewer, happens either in util.dll, or, more often, in weather.dll. Both are 0xc000005 errors. The fsuipc4.log file suggests no cause as to why it would crash, the last log line being consistently the "Starting everything now..." message. (Maybe "starting everything" is the cause of it, I don't know.) At crash time, neither P3D Realtime Weather nor FSXPilot are running, so I would not put them to blame. I have no further addons installed in dll.xml. I have tested the memory chips for a good four hours last night with Memtest86, nothing there.

I have been busy trying getting this back to working state for the past one day or so, but to no effect. System is windows 7 equivalent (Server 2008 R2); have 8Gb of memory. There are a couple of planes installed, the one I am trying to fly is a Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 Marquise, made by Premier Aircraft Design (an FSX design, but works quite well). I know the above is not a full run-down, but please indicate what information you'd require next to help resolve this issue, or any further suggestions as to what to try.

Thank you in advance

Peter

Edited July 28, 2016 by quinyu
missing word

[Pete Dowson]

1 hour ago, quinyu said:

Then it stopped working.

After what changes?

1 hour ago, quinyu said:

P3D Realtime Weather plus FSXPilot. As you probably know, both those depend on FSUIPC.

No, I'm not sure I do. By "P3D real time weather" do you mean the built-in weather facilities in P3D, or is "Realtime Weather" a product name. I googled it but came up with nothing relevant to FS or P3D.  And isn't FSXPilot an iPad or Android App. doesn't it have its own interface to FS/P3D?

1 hour ago, quinyu said:

Deleting SimObjects to have it rebuild.

SimObjects? What's that? How os it related to FSUIPC?

1 hour ago, quinyu said:

The moment I enable FSUIPC though, I get CTD as the scenery begins to load (getting half-loaded virtual cockpit visuals for the few seconds before crash, and half-loaded scenery). The CTD, according to Event Viewer, happens either in util.dll, or, more often, in weather.dll. Both are 0xc000005 errors. The fsuipc4.log file suggests no cause as to why it would crash, the last log line being consistently the "Starting everything now..." message. (Maybe "starting everything" is the cause of it, I don't know.)

All those are definitely symptoms resulting from corrupt weather data being loaded by SimConnect. To show it is weather related try setting the "WeatherReadFactor"  parameter in the INI file to 0 (it defaults to 2). This stops FSUIPC reading the weather from SimConnect at regular intervals.

FSUIPC 4.955f (released yesterday, by coincidence -- see the Download Links subforum) also includes a special diagnostic option to stop FSUIPC having anything to do with weather at all, so that could be used to further prove things one way or the other.

You say you have tried deleting the wxstationlist.bin and all of the .wx files, and so far this has always sorted this sort of problem. Are you sure you deleted the files from the correct folders? The .bin file is the User AppData Roaming folder for Lockheed Martin P3D3 I think. The .wx files will be in the Prepar3D Files folder in Documents.

Pete

 

[quinyu]

1 hour ago, Pete Dowson said:

After what changes?

The only change that was done is installing AIRAC cycle 1608. I wonder whether that could be the cause but I find it unlikely.

1 hour ago, Pete Dowson said:

No, I'm not sure I do. By "P3D real time weather" do you mean the built-in weather facilities in P3D, or is "Realtime Weather" a product name. I googled it but came up with nothing relevant to FS or P3D.  And isn't FSXPilot an iPad or Android App. doesn't it have its own interface to FS/P3D?

I apologise that I was not specific enough - I went by the shortcut name I set up myself. The weather is provided by FSXWX 1.5.6. As of FSXPilot, it is the one found here, it is a proper Windows application. It appears to also have an Android version but I do not have or use Android.

Deleting SimObjects (from AppData\Roaming\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3\) was suggested at alternative places as one of the CTD solutions. It does not harm the installation, apart from the fact that P3D needs to subsequently copy things there again. I thought I would give it a try, sadly to no avail.

And I checked - the correct folders and files were used. In fact earlier I have set up a .bat file just for the purpose of purging these files, I checked and the commands were without typos.

I will now try the following:

• editing the INI for no read factor
• putting the 4.955f release
• delete and recreate the scenario (nothing fancy - it is a flight with plan RJFU-SGE-TQT-RJDC, cruising FL040.)

---------------------------------------------------------

No. Weather.dll CTD on scene loading completion and beginning loading of the virtual cockpit. A .wx file corresponding to the flight was created somehow. I deleted it by running the weather eraser .bat file.

I tried again. This time, somehow, no .wx file is created. I am setting the read factor back to 2.

Produces CTD, now with util.dll. It produced a .wx file as well.

---------------------------------------------------------

Next steps?

Edited July 28, 2016 by quinyu

[Pete Dowson]

13 minutes ago, quinyu said:

Next steps?

I don't really know. Apart from Weather, FSUIPC doesn't really have anything to do with UTIL.DLL. In fact I've no idea what UTIL.DLL does in any case. Normally corrupt weather data crashes WEATHER.DLL, FSUIPC itself, or SIMCONNECT.

Since you downloaded 4.955f, did you try with NoWeatherAtAll=Yes, as documented in the Changes PDF? That was the point of getting 4.955f, wasn't it?  (With that set, if FSXWX sets weather through FSUIPC, it won't work -- but this is only for a test).

Then the next test is to see if it is scenery location specific or aircraft specific, which would point to an error in one of those if so. You would need to load with a different default starting place and / or different aircraft.

[LATER]

I had a look at the P3D3 version of UTIL.DLL -- P3D now names all the exported functions, so it gives a little inkling as to what it does.  It seems to be a collection of utility functions, to do with Lat/Lon conversions and calculations, 3D scenery computations, and simple more general stuff like copying strings, allocating memory, and so on. So basically it could be used by WEATHER.DLL or any other part of FS. (FSUIPC doesn't use it at all).

Pete

 

[quinyu]

1 hour ago, Pete Dowson said:

Since you downloaded 4.955f, did you try with NoWeatherAtAll=Yes, as documented in the Changes PDF? That was the point of getting 4.955f, wasn't it?  (With that set, if FSXWX sets weather through FSUIPC, it won't work -- but this is only for a test).

Did not try that switch yet - but will do so now. The point? uhm... I tend to simply update things whenever an update is available, given that (in the majority of cases) they are supposed to bring some improvements. Maybe naivety on my side. So let me see, incrementally...

• Attempt #1. Weather files/stations purged. NoWeatherAtAll=Yes switch put in .ini file. Set User Defined Weather on. Gives weather.dll CTD.
• Attempt #2. No weather/station files were produced so no need to purge them. Set Weather Theme: Fair weather. Other settings unchanged. Gives weather.dll CTD. (And loaded some clouds before that.)
• Attempt #3. No weather/station files were produced so no need to purge them. Set Weather Theme: Clear Skies. Other settings unchanged. Gives util.dll CTD. (Sky is clear.)
• Attempt #4. No weather/station files were produced so no need to purge them. Set airport to Germany Schonefeld (EDDB), no flight plan. Other settings unchanged. Gives weather.dll CTD (Loads the newly set airport.)
• Attempt #5. No weather/station files were produced so no need to purge them. Still at EDDB. Loading with Lockheed's own Beech Baron 58. Other settings unchanged. Gives weather.dll CTD.

Now, since it was not clear: at the same time of applying the NoWeatherAtAll=Yes switch, am I supposed to also set the WeatherReadFactor to 0?

Peter

[EDIT]

In addition to the above, I checked the last FSUIPC4 log, the last line contains a Weather Read request. So the NoWeatherAtAll switch doesn't override that one, it seems.

[FURTHER EDIT]

Another curious thing in the log file that I noticed just now: "Link check value = 1FE00 (should be 1FFFF)" What does that mean if anything?

Edited July 28, 2016 by quinyu

[Pete Dowson]

39 minutes ago, quinyu said:

Now, since it was not clear: at the same time of applying the NoWeatherAtAll=Yes switch, am I supposed to also set the WeatherReadFactor to 0?

No, it becomes irrelevant. FSUIPC just doesn't touch weather at all, and removes all the weather options from the menus.

So, something else is corrupting memory somehow.

40 minutes ago, quinyu said:

In addition to the above, I checked the last FSUIPC4 log, the last line contains a Weather Read request. So the NoWeatherAtAll switch doesn't override that one, it seems.

Just because it receives a request from an application doesn't mean it does anything with it. Were you running your weather app?

Please show me the log.

42 minutes ago, quinyu said:

Another curious thing in the log file that I noticed just now: "Link check value = 1FE00 (should be 1FFFF)" What does that mean if anything?

It means that links made into WEATHER.DLL and other parts related to the weather facilities were not made.

Please show me logs not try to interpret them yourself.

Pete

 

[Pete Dowson]

Aha! Sorry -- mea culpa. Yes, the Weather reads are still being done. Unfortunately, when I tested, I'd already set "WeatherReadFactor=0". Please retry with that set too.

I'll fix the "NoWeatherAtAll" option to assume that too (4.955g).

Pete

PS could you also please give the module offset in UTIL.DLL when you get it crashing there? I have an example of a UTIL crash in FSX-SE and I'd like to compare the code in the same area, to see if this is a more common thing.

[quinyu]

WeatherReadFactor=0, NoWeatherAtAll=Yes

I deleted the events - but if I catch one in UTIL, I'll let you know. And no, I wasn't running the weather app in any of those cases, nor FSXPilot, as to avoid any interference for the time being.

• Attempt #1. Weather files/stations purged. Setting User Defined Weather (Scattered, no prec, visi 8km, wind light from the East). Flight plan RJFU-SGE-TQT-RJDC, 4000', plane Mitsubishi (as originally). Loads, stable, can fly take-off by hand. Weather (clouds etc) is present.

So it seems that these factors do not influence stability as long as FSUIPC is not trying to interact on its own. Should I go through the other (reduced) scenarios as previously, or is that unnecessary?

Peter

PS: Log of this last-mentioned flight, for reference.

********* FSUIPC4, Version 4.955f (27th July 2016) by Pete Dowson *********
Running inside Prepar3D v3 on Windows 7
Module base=115D0000
User Name=""
User Addr=""
FSUIPC4 not user registered
WIDEFS7 not user registered, or expired
      234 System time = 28/07/2016 17:14:04
      234 FLT path = "C:\Users\Peti\Documents\Prepar3D v3 Files\"
      234 NOTE: configuring for no weather reads or writes!
      234 ------ Module Version Check ------
      234        acontain.dll: 3.3.5.17625
      234             api.dll: 3.3.3.17556
      234        controls.dll: 3.3.5.17625
      234      fs-traffic.dll: 3.3.5.17625
      234             G3D.dll: 3.3.5.17625
      234        language.dll: 3.3.5.17625
      234            sim1.dll: 3.3.5.17625
      234        visualfx.dll: 3.3.5.17625
      234          window.dll: 3.3.5.17625
      234 ----------------------------------
      234 Trying G:\Prepar3D v3\Modules\SimConnectP3D3.dll
      265 Found it: trying to connect
      280 FS path = "G:\Prepar3D v3\"
      296 LogOptions=00000000 00000003
      296 -------------------------------------------------------------------
      296 ------ Setting the hooks and direct calls into the simulator ------
      296 --- CONTROLS timer memory location obtained ok
      296 --- SIM1 Frictions access gained
      296 --- FS Controls Table located ok
      296 --- Installed Mouse Macro hooks ok.
      296 --- Wind smoothing fix is not installed
      296 --- Link check value = 1FE00 (should be 1FFFF)
      296 -------------------------------------------------------------------
      296 SimConnect_Open succeeded: waiting to check version okay
      296 Trying to use SimConnect Prepar3D
    34866 Running in "Lockheed Martin® Prepar3D® v3", Version: 3.3.3.3 (SimConnect: 3.3.0.0)
    34866 Initialising SimConnect data requests now
    34866 FSUIPC Menu entry added
    34928 C:\Users\Peti\Documents\Prepar3D v3 Files\RJFU to RJDC.fxml
    34928 C:\Users\Peti\Documents\Prepar3D v3 Files\IFR Nagasaki to Yamaguchi-Ube [M2G N700ES].pln
    34928 G:\Prepar3D v3\SimObjects\Airplanes\mu2_G-LTUS\mu2l.air
    36114 C:\Users\Peti\Documents\Prepar3D v3 Files\IFR Nagasaki to Yamaguchi-Ube [M2G N700ES].pln
   156781 Weather Mode now = Theme
   165376 Weather Mode now = Global
   412653 System time = 28/07/2016 17:20:56, Simulator time = 17:14:40 (09:14Z)
   413465 Starting everything now ...
   514382 Sim stopped: average frame rate for last 103 secs = 7.5 fps
   514382              Max AI traffic was 60 aircraft

 

[Pete Dowson]

3 minutes ago, quinyu said:

I deleted the events

Really? From the Windows Event Viewer? Why would you do that? I can refer back to any type of system or application event logged there, in case of investigations needed later.

5 minutes ago, quinyu said:

So it seems that these factors do not influence stability as long as FSUIPC is not trying to interact on its own.

Hmm. I think there must be something wrong in the SimConnect part of your P3D, as all the FSUIPC weather stuff now (additionally) prevented by the "WeatherReadFactor=0" option is all just standard SimConnect weather calls. There are no hooks, no clever code, nothing other than properly documented SimConnect stuff. (All the 'clever' stuff is switched off by the "NoWeatherAtAll=Yes" option).

The problem is solving that one. I've no idea how to do that, and unless you can do without a weather App which needs FSUIPC (eg change to AS16 or Opus or REX) you'd need to resolve it.

It would be worth reporting both the WEATHER.DLL and UTIL.DLL crash details to Lockheed-Martin, on the support forum.

One little thing you could try, though I don't think it would make any difference, is force FSUIPC to use one of the FSX versions of SimConnect (which you'd need to install if you don't have one already ... see what the FSUIPC4 Installer found, logged). To make it use a different SimConnect DLL just remove the SimConnectP3D3.DLL from the P3D Modules folder.

The reason I don't think that will change things much is that the SimConnect DLLs are really only an interface for applications into the real SimConnect code, which is spread around in the main modules. Yes, like WEATHER and UTIL.

Pete

 

[quinyu]

Well, I'm taking a different approach then...

• Uninstall current SimConnect, erase FSUIPC4 folder. Done. Test if flight crashes -> No, it doesn't. SFSG
• Install FSUIPC4, read install log. -> Installs without complaints. Test if flight crashes -> Yes, it does, on weather.dll.
• Erase FSUIPC4 folder. From redist folder, install FSX-SP2-XPACK interface (v10.0.61259.0), not ESPv1 (somebody somewhere suggested that the XPACK one is more stable.) Test if flight crashes -> No, it doesn't. SFSG
• Install FSUIPC4, read install log. -> Installs without complaints. Test if flight crashes -> Yes, it does, on weather.dll.
• Erase SimConnect DLL from the Modules folder, leaving the rest there. Test if flight crashes -> Yes, it does, on weather.dll.
• Uninstall current SimConnect, erase FSUIPC4 folder, putting ESPv1. Test if flight crashes (sans FSUIPC4) -> No, it doesn't. SFSG
• Install FSUIPC4, read install log. -> Installs without complaints. Test if flight crashes (with FSUIPC4, without .ini modifications) -> Yes, it does, on weather.dll.
• Erase SimConnect DLL from the Modules folder, leaving the rest there. Test if flight crashes -> No, it doesn't. SFSG
• Starting up FSXWX, just to see if the whole thing would survive. -> P3D survives. FSXWX complains (and crashes) about not finding the XPACK version. In the log file, FSUIPC4 also complains about not finding SimConnect (such as this, but repeated rather many times) :

  1865647 Trying G:\Prepar3D v3\Modules\SimConnectP3D3.dll
  1865647 !!! Error 126: The specified module could not be found. 
  1880733 ... Now trying to connect to another version of SimConnect ...

• Copy the XPACK version DLL into the Modules folder (from the redist dir), renaming it SimConnectP3D3.dll. (I know this is getting rather hack-y...) FSUIPC4 doesn't like it, based on the log file, so I stop loading and exit.

This is it, for today, I'll give it a try tomorrow. Thank you for your support so far.

Peter

[Pete Dowson]

2 hours ago, quinyu said:

FSXWX complains (and crashes) about not finding the XPACK version. In the log file, FSUIPC4 also complains about not finding SimConnect (such as this, but repeated rather many times) :

Yes, well ... if there's no SimConnect.DLL at all it can't connect.

I thought you'd used FSXWX before, so how come you needed to "install FSX-SP2-XPACK interface (v10.0.61259.0)" in one of your earlier tests?

2 hours ago, quinyu said:

Copy the XPACK version DLL into the Modules folder (from the redist dir), renaming it SimConnectP3D3.dll. (I know this is getting rather hack-y...) FSUIPC4 doesn't like it,

I'm not surprised. The exported names are all wrong. You have to INSTALL SimConnect, not copy in a DLL. The "SimConnectP3D3.DLL" is not the same, it is my own creation to save folks having to install an FSX SimConnect.

The only thing you seem to have changed in all of this is that it now always crashes in WEATHER.DLL, not in UTIL.DLL. I suppose that's progress (is it always at the same offset in WEATHER.DLL? If so, what is the offset?). But it does indicate something up with your specific system -- I've no other reports of such consistent crashing, only those due to corrput weather files which have always been fixed by deleting them -- and, after all, FSUIPC is in use on thousands of installations. Registered or not, without those special parameters to stop it, FSUIPC is always reading weather.

I really have no more advice to give. I assume you've already eliminated all other loading programs, eg via DLL.XML and EXE.XML, in case they are interacting somehow? Perhaps a clean start is in order?

Pete

 

 

[quinyu]

Yes, well, I have to agree with you. It'll be a nuke and rebuild. Have you got any suggestions as to the install order or procedure, or link to some good list that works well based on your experience?

[Pete Dowson]

2 hours ago, quinyu said:

Yes, well, I have to agree with you. It'll be a nuke and rebuild. Have you got any suggestions as to the install order or procedure, or link to some good list that works well based on your experience?

Not really, except that it is definitely a good idea to do it a step at a time, re-booting between each addition, and testing each one as you go.

Pete

 

[quinyu]

Hm. Went through reinstall, roughly the following order:

• Base program ✔
• FSUIPC ✔
• SimConnect was already fine and seemingly the proper version, no twerping there... ✔
• Texture add-ons for clouds and world, plus AI-controlled goats for mountainous regions ✔
• Add-on aircraft ✔
• Add-on meshes ✔
• Add-on airports ✔
• Starting up FSXWX. Connects and updates weather. ✔
• Starting up FSXPilot. Connects and flies. ✔

So... frag me if I know what was the issue earlier. Now it works the way it's meant to. If I bump into something again, I'll let you know. Thank you for your continued support.

[Pete Dowson]

4 hours ago, quinyu said:

Now it works the way it's meant to

Good. Hope it stays that way!

Pete