Write METAR data in Prepar3D

[Leonid_0071]

Hello,

 

I have question, when i write METAR data string in Prepar3D (offset 0xB000) it crash with message (in FSX i write same data, and it work fine and properly): 

Problem signature:
  Problem Event Name:    BEX
  Application Name:    Prepar3D.exe
  Application Version:    3.4.9.18400
  Application Timestamp:    57d9b14e
  Fault Module Name:    MSVCR120.dll
  Fault Module Version:    12.0.21005.1
  Fault Module Timestamp:    524f7ce6
  Exception Offset:    000a46bb
  Exception Code:    c0000417
  Exception Data:    00000000
  OS Version:    6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1
  Locale ID:    1049
  Additional Information 1:    9efc
  Additional Information 2:    9efcf318ebeee5282af4d728d33959b9
  Additional Information 3:    e09d
  Additional Information 4:    e09dbb6f4beb35894a30272a9c3ab93b
 

question - in prepar3D, the offset 0xB000 work? or am I doing something wrong?

thanks for the answer and best regard`s

Leonid.

[Pete Dowson]

12 hours ago, Leonid_0071 said:

in prepar3D, the offset 0xB000 work? or am I doing something wrong?

I don't know. FSUIPC does the same thing in both cases -- the code isn't different between the two. Maybe you've found another bug in P3D.

What version of FSUIPC are you using?

Can you show me the string you write to B000? Maybe I can try it here.

If it is a P3D bug it needs reporting to L-M, but let me verify that first.

Pete

 

[Leonid_0071]

Pete,  thanks for the answer !

--------- What version of FSUIPC are you using?

4.956

--------- Can you show me the string you write to B000?

I try many string before write, for example:

"ULLI 271700Z 32002MPS 9999 SCT006 OVC019 M02/M03 Q1021 R24R/520336 R24L/420340"

"ULLI 290830Z 18002MPS 6000 NSC M10/M11 Q1030 QFE752/1002"
"ULLI 290830Z 22003MPS 9999 OVC008 M00/M02 Q1025 R88/290050"

 

 

best regard`s

Leonid.

[Pete Dowson]

1 hour ago, Leonid_0071 said:

--------- What version of FSUIPC are you using?

4.956

First of all please update to the currently supported version, 4.96.

Quote

I try many string before write, for example:

What do you mean "many before the write"£. What do you do with the strings that you don't write? This makes no sense to me.

Anyway, I don't think your strings are in the correct format for sending to SimConnect. It doesn't use standard METAR notation, but a variation of it. You need to refer to the SimConnect SDK details for the correct formatting. I'll try to help when I have some time. Maybe I can correct one of your examples for you. But another way would be to examine the SimConnect log file with a working weather program running, or just when using FSUIPC's own NWI weather interface, which does the conversions into the correct format for you. If you use the FSUIPC facilities the Weather Logging in FSUIPC's Logging options will show what it is writing, (and reading) in the FSUIPC log file.

Note that the SimConnect reading and writing formats aren't quite the same. They are very different for upper wind and temperature layers, for instance.

Pete

 

[Leonid_0071]

--------- First of all please update to the currently supported version, 4.96.

ок.

--------- What do you mean "many before the write"

I meant by what was said: "I tried a lot of different examples", sorry for my bad English... 

---------- Anyway, I don't think your strings are in the correct format for sending to SimConnect.

I understand correctly: I have transform METAR string into another format before write it ?

Strangely enough, but why then under FSX is working properly?

Edited January 29, 2017 by Leonid_0071

[Pete Dowson]

1 hour ago, Leonid_0071 said:

I have transform METAR string into another format before write it ?

Strangely enough, but why then under FSX is working properly?

Ah, I forgot you said it was okay in FSX. So that does indicate that it may be a P3D bug. I'll use your strings here and what response I get. If it looks like a P3D bug I'll report it to L-M.

Pete

 

[Leonid_0071]

Pete, thank you very much for your time !

 

best regard`s

Leonid.

[Pete Dowson]

Okay.

 

Yes, it most definitely is a bug in L-M. Not sure why it affects the sorts of METAR strings you are sending and not those that FSUIPC and programs like Active Sky send successfully, but I think it must be due to something not abiding by the "rules" for the strings set out in the SimConnect SDK documentation.

I'll report it to them saying if the string is in error then the erroneous parts should be ignored or signalled in the log, but should never cause a crash.

Meanwhile, I think it would be a good idea to examine your METAR strings in relation to the documentation. It may just be that whereas FSX is lax in checking, ignoring errors, P3D is checking -- but then going wrong when it finds an error. Of course it shouldn't crash, that's a bug, but if you want to find a solution meanwhile, check against the documentated allowed formats. I might try to do this too.

Pete

 

 

[Pete Dowson]

I just went right through the documented METAR write format and tried to make one of your strings look right according to the 'rules'. This was the result I then tried using:

"EGLL METAR 271700Z 320002MPS 9999M R24R/5203FT R24L/420340 SCT006 OVC019 -02/-03 Q1021"

But, alas, this still crashed P3D. 

I do recall, back 10 years ago when I implemented the NWI, finding that the METAR documentation in the SimConnect SDK was not good enough. It omits to say some stuff, or says things are optional when they are not, and even has some things totally wrong.  Unfortunately i simply don't remember any of those details these days.

So, I think the next step would be to use the FSUIPC NWI facilities to set the weather, and see what that produces. It does convert the binary data set you write into a proper SimConnect METAR string which should surely still work. With Weather Logging you can see what it sends and whether that is successful.

I won't have time to do this now till at least tomorrow, maybe later, so please do try this yourself and let me know.

When I report the problems to L-M, as I shall tomorrow in any case, I will want to mention that the documentation is (still) sorely lacking. In fact I think it's just a copy of the original FSX stuff, just with "FSX" replaced by "P3D".

Pete

 

[Leonid_0071]

Pete, I find it )))

it's key name - " MPS" (in wind section)  - replace it to "KT" and it work fine ))

 

best regard`s

Leonid.

[Leonid_0071]

Once again, thank you very much!

[Pete Dowson]

17 hours ago, Leonid_0071 said:

Pete, I find it )))

it's key name - " MPS" (in wind section)  - replace it to "KT" and it work fine ))

That explains why no one else came across this P3D bug. I think KTS is pretty universally used, except it seems in Russia!

I suppose you found that the RVR data you are supplying does nothing in either FSX or P3D? It's probably discarded. I think you can only set the general visibility, your 9999.

Anyway, I'll report the bug it to L-M with the details. Thanks!

Pete