Starting PMDG 777/NGX from FXML File Fails in P3Dv3

[Sartanius 399]

First off, I am not claiming that this is a bug.  Right now this is just a problem I am having with P3Dv3, and it is definitely possible it's something specific to my setup.

 

In my previous environment using P3Dv2.5 I would typically start the sim by double-clicking a stored situation file (.fxml) so that the aircraft would load at the airport/gate I desired to initiate my flight from.  I began doing this since starting from the .fxml file used less total VAS than starting a flight from within the Scenario Setup screen.  This worked perfectly every time.

 

Now, when I try doing this with P3Dv3, it fails.  Default aircraft load from a saved fxml file just fine, but when I try and start from a saved PMDG aircraft .fxml file, the sim begins to load, then fails to the desktop with no notifications.  Then I need to go into the Task Manager to "end task" on the Prepar3D.exe process since it's still loaded.  I have tried many different variations of this and it fails in this way every time when using either the PMDG 772 or 737 NGX.

 

Added Note:  If I start P3Dv3 normally, then load the saved situation file, it loads correctly every time.  But again, when I go to file explorer and double-click the saved situation file, P3Dv3 fails to the desktop and I have to stop the process.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks,

[downscc 1,327]

That's a clever trick. I have fxml associated with my editor so I can see into the xml file. The only reference to PMDG in the xml is the section for name=sim.0 where you see the pointer to the aircraft.

 

I assume you are not trying to use P3Dv2 fxml files with P3Dv3. Not sure if that would work, but fxml created with v3 should logically work.

 

Having to stop the process with task manager or process explorer usually points to an application hung error. Look in event viewer and you will probably see appHang events. Usually this means the application is waiting for something to happen. Perhaps in this case P3D is waiting for the load to complete but since it failed you wait forever.

 

Bottom line, to my knowledge it's up to P3D to install the aircraft named by the sim.0 variable.

[Sartanius 399]

Appreciate the response, Dan... and before I go any further... thanks a TON for your "LogEdit2" utility.  A terrific little tool that I use very frequently.

 

Yes, these are brand new, P3Dv3 generated fxml files.  I just assumed the P3Dv2.5 versions I already had wouldn't work, but don't know for sure.

 

Edit:  I tried loading a saved P3Dv2.5 fxml file using the P3Dv3 exe and it failed in exactly the same way as the P3Dv3 fxml file.  Appears from the viewer that the fxml files from both v2.5 and v3 are identical.

[downscc 1,327]

Wow, thank for the plug for my logbook editor.

 

I suggest asking this question is either the AVSIM or LM P3D forums, from my limited knowledge of how things load I believe it's up to P3D to load the object named in the xml rather than the object loading itself. Sorry I'm not much help here.

[Sartanius 399]

Due to the nature of the question, and that it appears to pertain to PMDG only, I feel sure folks in the other AVSIM forums would tell me to post this here  But, what the heck... you only live in this world once...  Cross-posting now...

[Michael Moe 494]

I have a simular issue i guess.

 

P3Dv2 is still installed on seperate drive as is P3Dv3. As soon as i load a saved P3Dv3 fxml file -  P3Dv2 loads the file 

 

 

Michael Moe

[Petraeus 147]

I have the same problem as the OP - can't start a PMDG saved flight by clicking on the .fxml. Task Manager says P3DV3 is still there, but there's nothing on the screen.

[downscc 1,327]

Full names in the PMDG forums please Petraeus.

 

I haven't seen this reported in the L-M P3D forum yet, which seems to be a much better place to post this finding if you want P3D developers to be aware of the issue.

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

Doug,

 

I will add this to our rapidly growing list of things we are feeding to Lockheed Martin, but I would ask that you please go to their forums and report it as well.

 

The more the merrier as they say.

 

I suspect what you are seeing is actually a secondary after effect to the problems users see if they load an aircraft and then load a PMDG aircraft second.  The results are pretty similar- and while the reason is unclear we are very certain there is some kind of logical failure in Prepar3D causing this to happen.

 

Lockheed IS looking over that issue...

 

Keep us posted if you find a work-around or if you get a response that indicates it is to be fixed, etc...  I'll let you know if we hear anything on our end.

[JRBarrett 3,046]

I have the same symptom exactly if I click on the FXML file, OR if I try to load P3D with the NGX saved as the default flight. I know that using the NGX or 777 as the default flight is not recommended in any case - but not for this particular reason.

 

The P3D splash screen comes up for several seconds. Normally one would then get the "select a scenario" menu, but instead it simply goes back to the desktop though prepar3d.exe shows as a running process in Process Explorer.

 

I have ASN - not sure if this is significant, but ASN does load a module during the preliminary stage of starting the sim which appears as a secondary process under the main prepar3d.exe

 

I watched how P3D initiates normally in Process Explorer (with a default aircraft) and see the ASN module appear under prepare3d.exe after which the scenario selection menu comes up.

 

When loading from an FXML NGX saved flight, something different happens. The prepar3d.exe process appears first, which tries to load the ASN module, and ALSO a Microsoft service called "wisptis.exe", which is normally only used for pen or tablet input devices - don't know why that would be required on a desktop Win 7 system?

 

A few moments later the DirectX "DXDIAG" process runs, and it is right after that, when the splash screen disappears. I know that DXDIAG is used for a variety of things relating to DirectX. It can be run as a standalone program to check or test installed DirectX components, but I believe it is also called by the system when there has been an error in a DirectX component - and may very well write an error log someplace - but I'm not sure where.

 

I have verified that nothing is being written to the standard event viewer system when P3D fails to load correctly in this situation.

 

When this quasi-CTD occurs, If I kill prepare3d.exe using Process Explorer, the ASN module unloads itself after a few seconds, but the spurious wisptis.exe process keeps running. I never see that process being called when P3D loads correctly.

 

FWIW

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

Jim,

 

Thanks.  Interesting.

 

I would DEFINITELY put this in front of Lockheed Martin in their forum.  It might lead them someplace useful.

 

They are working on a number of different issues for an update to v3.  They made some pretty significant core changes, it seems- and there are inevitable issues cropping up.  Like most major platforms- they will get it more stable over time.

[JRBarrett 3,046]

Jim,

 

Thanks. Interesting.

 

I would DEFINITELY put this in front of Lockheed Martin in their forum. It might lead them someplace useful.

 

They are working on a number of different issues for an update to v3. They made some pretty significant core changes, it seems- and there are inevitable issues cropping up. Like most major platforms- they will get it more stable over time.

This I will do. I am thinking that the main sim is not fully initializing before it tries loading the aircraft when started from a saved situation file. The wisptis.exe process being called by prepare3d.exe is a strange one, since I have "tablet" functionality turned off in the Windows Features menu.

 

In any case, I'll definitely post my findings at the LM forum.

[Sartanius 399]

Well, it's been a while and the .fxfm situation still exists with the latest P3D v3.4.18.19475.  Mind you, this is not a significant problem, just an annoyance.  Any process that saves steps and minimizes VAS usage is a plus in my book, so seeing this fairly minor issue resolved would benefit my experience.

 

I cross posted in LM's forums, but there was no formal comment or planned resolution.  Would appreciate you guys at PMDG keeping this item on your list of issues with LM... although, again, this isn't a huge thing.

 

Thanks again for all your hard work at PMDG.  It shows!

[Sartanius 399]

On 10/22/2015 at 1:52 PM, rsrandazzo said:

Doug,

Keep us posted if you find a work-around or if you get a response that indicates it is to be fixed, etc...  I'll let you know if we hear anything on our end.

Time to resurrect this post for an update, now that P3Dv4 is out.

As the thread above suggested, this exact issue was posted over in the LM Prepar3D forums in Oct 2015, but I completely missed a workaround Jens-Peter Hoel posted there which shows how to get the non-default aircraft .fxml files to start from a file double-click.  Here's Jens' post.

As can be seen, this workaround was (and is) indeed posted for LM to see in their forums, and I was hoping this would have been fixed for P3Dv4, but unfortunately it hasn't.

Fortunately, though, Jen's workaround does still work with P3Dv4, and it is a fairly easy thing to do before a flight.  Hopefully LM has this on their to-do list.

 

[Tyrian Prime 2]

Thank you so much, because of your thread, i found the answer to the same problem that still exists...

V4, Pmdg 737, used it as default, and lost the p3d, while it was "running" on the Task Manager...erased the fxml, reloaded a default plane, and tada. 

Thank you Sir dmiannay!