Simmconnect message window always grabs focus

[mark2013]

I am currently going round the houses on this weird problem I am having.  Recently using Prepar3D V4.3  FSUIPC 5.132c It is as if the simmconnect message window is set to always on top so it grabs focus back to P3D window. 

I am using only a single pc so for example I may be looking at a chart or even in the middle of reading an email during a flight and any output from third party ATC addon (PF3) even background ATC chatters from the ATC addon brings the focus immediately back to P3D window. While a simmconnect message is being displayed I just cannot move away from the P3D window until the message windows is closed. I've looked Prepar3D options but do not see any option that explains this behaviour. This only just recently shown up as an issue but I cannot say it happened because of  upgrade to v4.3. I have already had the 3^rd party ATC addon cleared as a suspect.

My current most likely suspects are Prepar3Dv4.3, the simmconnect version installed by Active Sky and FSUIPC v5.132 and am just going through a process of elimination. Of course I cannot rule out this being a windows 7 problem 

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

[Pete Dowson]

21 minutes ago, mark2013 said:

I am using only a single pc so for example I may be looking at a chart or even in the middle of reading an email during a flight and any output from third party ATC addon (PF3) even background ATC chatters from the ATC addon brings the focus immediately back to P3D window. While a simmconnect message is being displayed I just cannot move away from the P3D window until the message windows is closed. I've looked Prepar3D options but do not see any option that explains this behaviour

That's a very strange symptom.  It certainly doesn't happen here, on Win7 or Win10.

There have been strange things reported in P3D4.3 which eventually narrow down to actual memory corruptin due to a bad "wxstationlist.bin" file. You could try deleting that before starting P3D4. I'm actually planning to automatically delete that file at the end of a session. P3D will make a new one in any case. (You'll find it in the AppData folder, next to the P3d CFG file).

Otherwise I really cannot think what could be doing it. 

25 minutes ago, mark2013 said:

My current most likely suspects are Prepar3Dv4.3, the simmconnect version installed by Active Sky and FSUIPC v5.132

SimConnect is not "installed" by FSUIPC. FSUIPC interfaces directly to the SimConnect interface built into P3D itself. Programs only install and use separate SimConnect DLLs when they are designed to interface to legacy versions (any of three FSX versions), or need to run on a networked PC.

Pete

 

[mark2013]

Thanks Pete

 As suggested I deleted the file and this resolved the problem however, and I have tried this several times with the same result, with this file deleted, ATC addon  PF3, works as normal up until the point I request taxi. PF3 then responds "Stand by" followed by another "Stand by" and that is it PF3 stops responding.

When I restart everything again the "wxstationlist.bin file" is back and so is the problem with the simmconnect window, but PF3 works normally again.

I have posted an update on the support topic I created on the PF3 forum with this new info,  but this is looking more and more like some weird things are going in  P3DV4.3 and I am going to try to get as much background info as I can.

Thanks again Pete,  this wxstationlist.bin does seem to at the very heart of this issue

Mark

 

 

[Pete Dowson]

7 minutes ago, mark2013 said:

this wxstationlist.bin does seem to at the very heart of this issue

Normally after deleting it a new one is created by P3D (though possibly only when closed?).  Instead of deleting it you could try copying it yourself from the Weather folder in P3D. I think that's all P3D does in any case.

But if one of your add-ons then corrupts it almost immediately on starting P3d, it will obviosly give some problem. But it sounds like that must happen later. It would be nice to determine what add-on is doing it as it certainly isn't P3D itself.

I've been trying to get L-M to perform some sort of checks on this file before using it blindly. I don't know which add-on is corrupting it, but the bad ones I've seen so far are pretty much the same -- just around 200-300 bytes instead of the required kilobytes.

L-M say they cannot reproduce any problems, but I think that this is only because the symptoms are so varied. Usually, for me, such a file just crashes P3D. But others have had things like add-on menus not appearing and other strange issues.

I believe bits of memory are somehow being corrupted, but this varies system to system.

Do you have Dropbox or something similar, where you could put the bad wxstationlist.bin file, and send me a link. You can't email it and I don't think this forum will allow it as an attachment. Link to petedowson@btconnect.com.

Then I'll see what it does here, and forward it to L-M as more evidence.

Pete

 

[mark2013]

First thing is disregard my comments on PF3 no longer working when this file is deleted. That was me being stupid.

Deleting this file does resolve the problem but only for a minute or two and then the problems comes back. All OK during ATIS, clearance taxi, but by the time you are at the runway threshold the issue is back.

I need to investigate this further over the weekend and will post an update. Unfortunately I do not have dropbox and there is a size limit of 0.02mb so I can't attach it to this note  

Mark

 

 

 

[Pete Dowson]

1 hour ago, mark2013 said:

I need to investigate this further over the weekend and will post an update. Unfortunately I do not have dropbox and there is a size limit of 0.02mb so I can't attach it to this note

If it is that big then it isn't the same corruption I've seen so far. Anyway, it should ZIP up very small.

Try a process of elimination on your add-ons. something is causing the problems.

Pete

 

[mark2013]

Hi Pete,

Attached is my recently wxstation.bin file zipped with 7-zip 

Hope this helps

Mark

 

wxstationlist.zip

[Pete Dowson]

Thanks. I'll try it here in the morning.

Pete