Hotkey issue

[Dave March]

Hi John, I have some users who are experiencing hotkey issues again with the latest version of FSUIPC (7.4.9), where FSUIPC simply doesn't seem to be detecting them. They've all reverted back to the previous version (7.4.8) and the problem is now resolved resolved

[John Dowson]

I can't see any changes between 7.4.8 and 7.4.9 that could cause this... I will need to see a log file with logging for Buttons & Keys activated.

Some users reported key presses not being received in 7.4.8, and this seemed to be related to the timing of acquiring the connection to MSFS. This was changed slightly (i.e. a delay added between the detection of MSFS and attempting to connect) and seemed to fix the issue for those that reported it. Its rather annoying that this has now broken the same thing for some other users.

I have no idea why MSFS is just not sending keys to FSUIPC7 in some cases, and no errors are reported.

The users having this issue can maybe change the timings using some new ini parameters (undocumented). How are these users starting FSUIPC7 - is it auto-started (recommended) or are they starting it manually, and if so when (i.e. before or after MSFS is started).

Are these users using a registered/licensed version of FSUIPC7 or an unregistered/freeware version?

John

 

Edited March 21 by John Dowson
Further info added

[Dave March]

Thank you John... I'll run some tests myself tomorrow and if I can recreate it I'll send the logs. I'll also try to get more info from the users reporting the issue.

[Dave March]

Hi John, I've just tried this myself with the latest FSUIPC and can confirm I have no problems at all.

I have now posted on our support forum asking for further information (as you requested). Whether or not that will be forthcoming I don't know as they are using the previous version... we'll see

[John Dowson]

39 minutes ago, Dave March said:

I've just tried this myself with the latest FSUIPC and can confirm I have no problems at all.

Ok. This problem is that key presses are not being received and seems to be related to the state if MSFS when FSUIPC obtains the connection and starts requesting data and the key presses. It seems that sometimes the requests are accepted (i.e. no errors) but the request to receive keys is not processed and no key input is received. This seems to be a timing issue related to when the connection to the sim is obtained. I have been adjusting this in recent releases to fix this issue when reported, but this then breaks it for other users. Very annoying...

What your users who are experiencing this issue can try is to manually set the delay between detection and connection. This is controlled by the ini parameter (in the [General] section of the FSUIPC7.ini file)  DetectToConnectDelayAuto, which uses a default of 60 (seconds). They can try both increasing and decreasing this to see if that helps, e.g. add the following to the [General] section of the FSUIPC7.ini file:
    DetectToConnectDelayAuto=75
or maybe
    DetectToConnectDelayAuto=30
(note this ini parameter has a max of 90 and a min of 30).

There is also a related ini parameter DetectToConnectDelay which is used when FSUIPC7 is manually started, which has a default value of 5, a max of 10 and a min of 1,

Anyone experiencing this issue should play around with those parameters. I would be interested to know if this fixed the issue, and if so what values are used.
Also, any log files from people experiencing this would be of use.

Cheers,

John

[Dave March]

Thank you, I'll pass that on and get whatever infor I can for you

[mwa05]

Hi John,

I use Dave’s software (PF3) and did not have the issue in 7.4.8 however I can’t use the Key Press in 7.4.9, which means you can’t initiate contact with ATC.

Can I ask what was the DetectToConnectDelayAuto default in 7.4.8? If it is 60 seconds in 7.4.9, a starting point (for me) would be to manually add the entry using the last default value, as that worked, assuming there was a timing change between the two versions.

My version is licensed and auto starts with MSFS.

Thank you and regards,

Mark

[John Dowson]

7 hours ago, mwa05 said:

I use Dave’s software (PF3) and did not have the issue in 7.4.8 however I can’t use the Key Press in 7.4.9, which means you can’t initiate contact with ATC.

Can you show me/attach a log file please.

8 hours ago, mwa05 said:

Can I ask what was the DetectToConnectDelayAuto default in 7.4.8? If it is 60 seconds in 7.4.9, a starting point (for me) would be to manually add the entry using the last default value, as that worked, assuming there was a timing change between the two versions.

This parameter didn't exist before 7.4.9. Try the minimum value of 30 (seconds),

John

[Tigerhawk]

Hi John,

Log attached using 7.4.9 - no response with PF3 using Hotkeys

Dave

FSUIPC7.log

[mwa05]

19 hours ago, John Dowson said:

Can you show me/attach a log file please.

This parameter didn't exist before 7.4.9. Try the minimum value of 30 (seconds),

John

Hi John,

Please find attached log using 7.4.9, which is registered and automatically launches with MSFS.

I have found that using the DetectToConnectDelayAuto does not seem to make any difference regardless of =30, =75 or =90 however = 75 in one instance of my testing worked properly on initial launch.

What does work consistently, after finding you have no hotkey connection (when you want to call for airways clearance) is quitting FSUIPC and PF3 in game, and re-starting FSUIPC and PF3 and then the hotkeys will connect and operate as normal. So that is the work around, currently. And this log should show me stopping and restarting.

Regards,

Mark

FSUIPC7.log

[John Dowson]

11 hours ago, Tigerhawk said:

Log attached using 7.4.9 - no response with PF3 using Hotkeys

This log shows that FSUIPC7 couldn't connect until more than 3.5 minutes after the sim was detected...very strange. Do you have a lot in your community folder? I will adjust to allow more time to be specified before the attempt to connect is made.

4 hours ago, mwa05 said:

And this log should show me stopping and restarting.

No it doesn't. When you stop FSUIPC7, the log file is closed, and when you restart it a new log file is created and the old/previous one is renamed to FSUIPC7_prev.log. I therefore need to see the FSUIPC7_prev.log file if you do this, as that will be the log for when the hot keys were not working.

The log also shows that you did not activate logging for Buttons & Keys, and also no hot keys were registered.

John

 

[Tigerhawk]

41 minutes ago, John Dowson said:

This log shows that FSUIPC7 couldn't connect until more than 3.5 minutes after the sim was detected...very strange. Do you have a lot in your community folder? I will adjust to allow more time to be specified before the attempt to connect is made.

 

 

I don't have a massive amount ( I don't think!) - 26 folders:-

[mwa05]

1 hour ago, John Dowson said:

This log shows that FSUIPC7 couldn't connect until more than 3.5 minutes after the sim was detected...very strange. Do you have a lot in your community folder? I will adjust to allow more time to be specified before the attempt to connect is made.

No it doesn't. When you stop FSUIPC7, the log file is closed, and when you restart it a new log file is created and the old/previous one is renamed to FSUIPC7_prev.log. I therefore need to see the FSUIPC7_prev.log file if you do this, as that will be the log for when the hot keys were not working.

The log also shows that you did not activate logging for Buttons & Keys, and also no hot keys were registered.

John

 

Hi John,

I now understand the information re stopping FSUIPC and restarting (which I did not know) so I will approach it that way next time.

When you say I did not activate logging for Buttons and Keys, is that a selectable item somewhere in FSUIPC? Or is it the logging function for Buttons and Keys in PF3 you want to see?

When you say no Hotkeys were registered; I don’t know what to do with that statement? I know that, as I could not use them to transmit to ATC. I don’t have any hotkeys mapped by me via FSUIPC, the mapping is done by PF3 when you launch it. That is the function that is not working?

Sorry for being a bit thick, I’m just an old bloke trying to get something to work again that has worked for years. Bear with me, I can do some more testing tomorrow night!
Thanks,

Mark

[Tigerhawk]

Hi John,

I again had the problem using 7.4.9 and used Mark's suggestion to stop FSUIPC and PF3 and then restart them (which worked!).

Log and PrevLog attached.

FSUIPC7.log FSUIPC7_prev.log

[John Dowson]

2 hours ago, Tigerhawk said:

I don't have a massive amount ( I don't think!) - 26 folders:-

That is quite a few and will certainly affect the start-up time of the FS. You should consider using the MSFS add-on linker program which can be used to limit the community folder to just the items you will be using for the flight -see https://flightsim.to/file/1572/msfs-addons-linker

1 hour ago, mwa05 said:

When you say I did not activate logging for Buttons and Keys, is that a selectable item somewhere in FSUIPC?

Yes - menu Log -> Buttons & Keys.

1 hour ago, mwa05 said:

When you say no Hotkeys were registered; I don’t know what to do with that statement?

This may have been because you had not activated the appropriate logging, but these statements are now present in your log files, e.g.
    66703 HotKey entry at 3214, VK=48, Shifts=0, Flags=0, Result=0
 

Can you both try the attached version please. Add the following to the [General] section of your FSUIPC7.ini file:
    DetectToConnectDelayAuto=240

John

FSUIPC7.exe

[John Dowson]

Well, I am not getting any key  press/release events through to FSUIPC7 now...no idea what is happening at the moment, but this seems to be a problem with the MSFS SDK.
I will investigate and get back to you.

John

[John Dowson]

Not sure what happened previously, but with the attached version FSUIPC7 always receives the key press/release events, so can you try this version please.

John

FSUIPC7.exe

[mwa05]

15 hours ago, John Dowson said:

Not sure what happened previously, but with the attached version FSUIPC7 always receives the key press/release events, so can you try this version please.

John

FSUIPC7.exe 663 kB · 6 downloads

Hi John,

I tried v741003c however there is no difference I am afraid.

I have enabled buttons and keys, and I started the flight and could not connect, In the game, I then exited FSUIPC and PF3 and restarted both and like the previous versions, the hotkeys then worked, Both the logs are attached this time, the original flight and then the restarted flight where it worked after closing down both. 

Kind regards,

Mark

FSUIPC7.log FSUIPC7_prev.log

[mwa05]

Hi John,

Using v741003c, I disabled auto start. So, when MSFS is active and after I press Fly Now and the aircraft is loaded, I then go to FSUIPC which launches but does not connect, and I then select connect now and then launch PF3 and the hotkeys work. 

That log is attached. 

Kind regards,

Mark

FSUIPC7.log

[John Dowson]

1 hour ago, mwa05 said:

I tried v741003c however there is no difference I am afraid.

I have enabled buttons and keys, and I started the flight and could not connect,

As I have said, you need to tune the DetectToConnectDelayAuto ini parameter when auto-started. Looking at your prev log, you should try a value of 105, i.e. please add the following to the [General] section of your FSUIPC7.ini file and try again with auto-start and auto-connect:
    DetectToConnectDelayAuto=105

If that doesn't work, try increasing it until you arrive at a value that consistently works for you.

John

[mwa05]

Hi John,

I did not read the two messages together. I love HM's English! 

I read the last message with a new .exe as cancelling the previous post with the first amended .exe and the manual entry requirement so I took no action with regards to a DetectToConnectDelayAuto=240 when uploading and using v741003c.  

Now that I understand that they went together, I have now added DetectToConnectDelayAuto=105 to v741003c and can confirm it works!  

I have done several new starts, and it connects consistently. 

I have run out of night to do a full flight however I think we have progress; I have attached the last log for good measure. 

Kind regards,

Mark 

FSUIPC7.log

[John Dowson]

1 hour ago, mwa05 said:

Now that I understand that they went together, I have now added DetectToConnectDelayAuto=105 to v741003c and can confirm it works!  

I have done several new starts, and it connects consistently. 

Ok, that's good. As I said, this issue seems to arise when FSUIPC7 connects while MSFS is starting, and the requests to receive key presses/releases are not honored, even though no error is returned. I will report this to Asobo.
The fix would be to use this parameter and adjust to a value where the initial connection attempt succeeds and a reconnection is not required.

Regards,

John

 

[ark1320]

2 hours ago, John Dowson said:

The fix would be to use this parameter and adjust to a value where the initial connection attempt succeeds and a reconnection is not required.

John,

What do you anticipate will be the min, default, and max values for the DetectToConnectDelay and DetectToConnectDelayAuto parameters in the next official release of FSUIPC7?

Thanks,

Al

[John Dowson]

1 hour ago, ark1320 said:

What do you anticipate will be the min, default, and max values for the DetectToConnectDelay and DetectToConnectDelayAuto parameters in the next official release of FSUIPC7?

The default values will be the same as in the current release - 60 (seconds) for DetectToConnectDelayAuto and 5 (seconds) for DetectToConnectDelay. Both ini parameters will have a maximum value of 300 (seconds) and a minimum of 1 (second).

I will also create a FAQ entry on how and when to adjust this value from the default.

John

[Tigerhawk]

Hi John,

I've just done a couple of tests using 7.4.10c.

First with Detect.....Auto setting at 105.  This failed to connect, but did after closing and opening FSUIPC and PF3 (see 2 logs with 105 added to FSUIPC).

Then with Detect....Auto value at 240. This did work straight away (see log with 240 added).

Hope these help?

Dave

FSUIPC7105.log FSUIPC7105_prev.log FSUIPC7240.log