FSUIPC7 fails to handle sim restarts gracefully

[aurel42]

Hi,

starting with the previous version released on Oct, 3rd, FSUIPC is often misbehaving on my system when I restart the sim while FSUIPC is running.

I've seen it become unresponsive once. Quite often, I experience lack of controls in MFS until I restart FSUIPC. When testing with the Axes or Buttons dialogs in FSUIPC in this situation (before the restart), all controls appear to be working fine, but they don't have any effect in MFS. 

I don't use the wrapper script (I don't like the "preparing the cabin" thing), I'm always starting FSUIPC and MFS separately.

Note the "empty" line at timestamp 845953 in the attached log file.

Cheers,
Marc

FSUIPC7.ini FSUIPC7_prev.log

Edited November 6, 2020 by aurel42
timestamp

[John Dowson]

Hi Marc,

could you try one thing please. Delete all the parameters in the [General] section of your ini and let that get rebuilt the next time FSUIPC7 runs.

You have a lot in there not applicable anymore.

The empty line is strange. I'll do some further tests when I get a chance. For now, if cleaning your ini doesn't help, just turn on the Exit with FS option and restart with MSFS (or use the provided link/bat file).

[aurel42]

After removing the cruft, I have not seen another instance of FSUIPC misbehaving.

 

[John Dowson]

Ok, thanks for reporting back.

[aurel42]

I was too quick to report back. I've seen the same issue today: I quit MFS last night, let the PC (incl. FSUIPC) run because I was downloading liveries. This morning, I started MFS and had no controls (until I restarted and registered FSUIPC).

Not 100% sure, but my impression is that FSUIPC is only misbehaving when I quit MFS and the application exits "cleanly". When MFS crashes, FSUIPC behaves as expected and does not have to be restarted.

 

[John Dowson]

As I said, I'll take a look at this when time permits. But it is low priority. There is really little point in having FSUIPC running without the FS. You should start/stop FSUIPC7 with the FS.
The latest installer creates a shortcut item to start them together, and you can now exit MSFS and FSUIPC from within FSUIPC.

John

[N987PL]

John,

Is there an easy parameter to change that will allow me to undock MSFS from the FSUIPC.exe?  I prefer to start FSUIPC independently from MSFS.

[John Dowson]

3 minutes ago, N987PL said:

Is there an easy parameter to change that will allow me to undock MSFS from the FSUIPC.exe?

Sorry, I don't understand what this means. They are both distinct applications.

3 minutes ago, N987PL said:

I prefer to start FSUIPC independently from MSFS.

Nothing is stopping you from doing that. Just don't use the provided batch file (and don't install the link on your desktop), and start FSUIPC7 as before, by running the FSUIPC7.exe.

If you don't want FSUIPC7 to exit when you exit MSFS, then disable that option from the Options menu.

The batch file (and desktop link) are provided for convenience only. You don't have to use them. 

John

[N987PL]

Got it.   Thank you for the quick reply.

[aurel42]

3 hours ago, John Dowson said:

As I said, I'll take a look at this when time permits. But it is low priority.
The latest installer creates a shortcut item to start them together, and you can now exit MSFS and FSUIPC from within FSUIPC.

Sure, just reporting that removing the cruft did not actually fix the issue, so I wouldn't provide misleading information.

As I mentioned in my original post, I don't like the use the bat, because I don't like the "Preparing the cabin" image (I'm generally not fond of "startup graphics" appearing on the desktop, just a matter of taste), and I got my flow starting all the tools I need. I don't need to restart any of my other tools (LNM, TrackIR, FSE client, Navigraph…) when I restart the sim (e.g. when modifying or updating mods, or when I suspect that the sim has entered an unstable state), so it would be nice if I didn't have to restart FSUIPC either.

Take your time, but just keep in the back of your head that different people have different preferences and ways they like to do things. 😄

[John Dowson]

11 minutes ago, aurel42 said:

Take your time, but just keep in the back of your head that different people have different preferences and ways they like to do things. 😄

Yes, of course. But as I said, the batch files (and shortcut) are only there as a convenience, you don't have to use them, and you can adjust them to your needs (i.e. remove message or splash screen).
For all other flight sims, FSUIPC was an embedded dll and so always closed with the FS.

 

[John Dowson]

By the way, does this occur all the time or only occasionally?
I've had FSUIPC7 running for several hours and have closed/re-opened MSFS several times.

I have noticed an issue with data from simconnect seeming to be stalled (although aircraft operates ok), so I'll look into this, but other than that it seems to be ok.

I am wondering if this could be due to the Rotaries.lua that you are auto-starting. Maybe you could test without this running.
Looks like FSUIPC7 isn't killing the luas when the FS disconnects which it should I guess. I'll look into this.

John

[aurel42]

I'll do some testing and report back!

[aurel42]

I believe the problem is reproducible on my system: when MFS quits to desktop, FSUIPC "hangs" in some form or other; when MFS crashes to desktop (it happens much less often than before, but even with 1.10 it sometimes happens on my system), FSUIPC will keep working.

1. Started FSUIPC, started MFS, started a random flight from World Map, control check: free & correct, returned to Main Menu, Quit to Desktop
2. restarted MFS, random flight, control check: no controls (at this point, I would usually restart FSUIPC and commence flying), returned to Main Menu, Quit to Desktop, quit FSUIPC (File / Exit), removed [Auto] section from FSUIPC7.ini
3. restarted FSUIPC, restarted MFS, random flight, control check: free & correct, rotaries do nothing (so the lua appears to be deactivated), returned to Main Menu, Quit to Desktop
4. Started MFS, random flight, control check: no controls, restarted FSUIPC, controls free & correct

Dammit. Tbh, I totally expected the controls to work in step 4.

The "empty" line in the log appears to be the signature of the problem. Whenever I lose control inputs, I see that empty line.

 

[aurel42]

• I removed everything from FSUIPC7.ini that didn't seem relevant to how I use it, and restored the [Auto] section
• MFS was still running, I started FSUIPC, controls free & correct
• I restarted MFS, no controls, empty line in log

At this point, I have no idea why you wouldn't see the issue as well. I'd be happy to test with a FSUIPC binary with extra logging or whatever. (I'm following this thread, so let me know here when you find the time, please.)

[John Dowson]

Leave it with me, I'll get back to you.

[John Dowson]

38 minutes ago, aurel42 said:

At this point, I have no idea why you wouldn't see the issue as well

I see the empty line in the log, which is strange. However, my controls still work fine. I do continually get the following message:
   795062 #### ERROR: No SimConnect data seen for more than set stall time!
which is not good! 

As I said, I'll investigate and get back to you.

[John Dowson]

@aurel42 The empty log line was a log of an empty AIR file being received...I have now changed this to an appropriate message when this occurs, and then not using this to update offset 3C00.

Can you try the attached version please (7.0.1a): 

FSUIPC7.exe

[aurel42]

Testing was a bit delayed by the arrival of 1.10.11.0. 🙂

1.10.11.0 + 7.0.0: no controls after MFS restart

1.10.11.0 + 7.0.1a: working controls after MFS restart

Thanks, John! ❤️

Note that 7.0.1a stopped logging while it was still running. Possibly because I opened the logfile with an editor? Not sure how write locks work in Windows.

FSUIPC7.log

[John Dowson]

6 hours ago, aurel42 said:

Note that 7.0.1a stopped logging while it was still running. Possibly because I opened the logfile with an editor? Not sure how write locks work in Windows

It shouldn't do. But if that was what you saw in the editor, maybe it saved and overwrote the full log when it closed?
I don't see why FSUIPC would stop logging - unless it has crashed. Let me know if it happens again.

Btw, to view the log in real-time you can use Log -> Open Console.