Possible TBM load problem

[WarHorse47 3]

>Rats! I was beginning to think we were on to something.>Although finding out what the bug is not is still progress.>>Thanks for everything WH.>Fred>Agreed.I wonder. Is there anyway we could determine if there is a gauge causing the conflict, and which one?My gut is telling me we may have a gauge that is not unloading from memory when we attempt to switch models. The relocation of the sound and panel folders are working in part because of the shorter path which might affect memory usage. Just a wild guess.If we knew which gauge could be causing the problem, it could be temporarly disabled to see if its the cause.Gonna have to think this one out. :-walksmile --WH

[Guest kennethg]

For what little it's worth, I've had the same sort of CTD when switching from/to the Spitfire Mk. XVI by Plane Design, which is another plane with a lot of instrument coding. The CTD only happens after I've been flying either the Avenger or the Spitfire for awhile, I seem to be able to switch freely between them for the first couple of minutes after the sim loads. It also seems to happen more when I switch TO the Spitfire, rather than from it.

[fbfbfb 0]

Hi,>My gut is telling me we may have a gauge that is not unloading>from memory when we attempt to switch models.This was among my first thoughts but I'm quite sure the gauges are cleaning up ok on exit. Anyway this should effect everyone not just the unlucky few. At this point it appears that most of us can switch in and out all day long without the CTD.>If we knew which gauge could be causing the problem, it could>be temporarly disabled to see if its the cause.Commenting them out "//" one by one is the only way. The only gauge absolutely required is this one in the [Vcockpit01] section of panel.cfg. Without this the plane should refuse to load.gauge00=MAAM_TBM!VC_Control, 0,0,1,1One other thing to try is bringing the plane up in VC mode without using 2D at all and see what happens.Thanks

[fbfbfb 0]

Thanks Ken, every clue is worth consideration. Although in this case we may be injecting someone else's bug into the mix.

[WarHorse47 3]

Ken and I had the same experience with the PD Spitfire.The drop tank gauge in the VC was causing a CTD when you wanted to switch a/c.Mine is still disabled, and there hasn't been a problem since.The problem is identical to what I think we're experiencing, but it seems more limited to certain machines or video cards or drivers or something else.--WH

[fbfbfb 0]

The Torpedo controls in the TBM use the Drop Tank function so you may be onto something here.If true then the CTD would also occur in the 2D panel since VC gauges remain active in 2D mode.Unfortunately in this case the "gauge" is coded into the model so there is no way for a quick check.

[Guest Quicksand]

Okay guys.... I'm going to stir the mix a little here. Keep in mind I am somewhat "computer-impaired", and only know when something's broken, not how to fix it... Please look over my lack of computer savvy. My Fly-by v.2 packed up on me on my last Avenger flight. Just an observation here... One of the default key commands for this program is "shift+f", although I've always used the default settings. Next, I had assigned "shift+f" as the command to arm and release my drop tanks in so equipped aircraft long before I ever installed Fly by. Lastly, the connection between the torpedo commands of the Avenger and the drop tank commands working the same.... I have no idea what the connection might be, but it sure is getting complicated, especially since the majority of folks seem to not have any problems... When I fly the Avenger, I drag a torpedo everywhere, mainly because a torpedo bomber just isn't a torpedo bomber without a "fish." It's funny, though, because I use Fly-by in tower view alot while I fly, and it worked fine until this particular flight. The only thing I did differently this time was to load real world weather after I took off. I've flown the same scenery many times already without anything bad happening other than the CTD after the flight was complete. I'm dizzy from all that mental exertion. I think I'll sit down now. *:-* :-hmmm

[WarHorse47 3]

Quicksand, perhaps this might explain the logic.FS9 has a ton of commands. The 'G' command is the standard for lowering or raising the landing gear. You can change the that command through the control assignment interface, but FS9 will always have the 'action.'Gauges are another way of executing the command, except they are built into the gauge which talks directly with FS9. The landing gear lever in the Avenger is a gauge that tells the program to raise or lower the gear.Some gauges execute multiple commands. A bomb release gauge would tell FS9 to issue the command and might also trigger another command or sound or effect.I'm not a modeler by any means, but I understand the logic. But there is one more aspect in more current a/c and that is the xml gauge. Some gauges interact with an xml routine before issuing the final command to FS9. For example you might want to drop that torpedo, but the xml file will first check to see if the doors are open or not.A quick look at the Avenger panel.cfg supports what Fred said and this discussion. There are several gauges for the bomb door and light, but none for dropping the bomb (or torpedo or tanks) so it's likely part of the model.I've only had one (of many) flights where I practiced with the armament. If I recall, the loading is set before takeoff with the doors open and you select between bombs or torpedos. Once airborne there is a selection between guns and droppiing the ordinance. I was able to fire the guns, and I think I dropped the torpedo but never saw it visually. To me this is a very complex (and impressive) arrangement to parallel the real thing. BTW - firing the guns or dropping the ordinance is through the trigger, which is the brake commmand in FS9. It's a command that cannot be disabled.--WH

[fbfbfb 0]

>But there is one more aspect in more current a/c and that is>the xml gauge. Some gauges interact with an xml routine>before issuing the final command to FS9. For example you>might want to drop that torpedo, but the xml file will first>check to see if the doors are open or not.>>A quick look at the Avenger panel.cfg supports what Fred said>and this discussion. There are several gauges for the bomb>door and light, but none for dropping the bomb (or torpedo or>tanks) so it's likely part of the model.Right you are WH. The TBM is full of this stuff, particularly the Electrical Panel with the torpedo and light functions. Lots of communication between XML code in the model and the C++ 2D gauges.Fred

[WarHorse47 3]

Okay, I did some more tests and wanted to share.I was curious to see what the memory was affected by flying the Avenger, and test to see if the problems were the same in windowed mode.I had a background program running for measuring available memory. My total available memory is 1023 mb, and there was 665 mb free before firing up FS9.I use FSAutoStart to shut down background programs, so after shutting down a few things and firing up FS9 I had 614 mb free.After selecting the avenger for my default flight the memory dropped to 551. After FLY NOW! was selected and my flight started the memory dropped to around 361 mb to as high as 371 mb even after cycling all views and taking off.After flying a short distance I switched to window mode from full screen and notice no memory drop. Then I went to change models. While waiting for the error message and CTD to come, the memory dropped to 270 mb available. After closing out the program, it returned to 685 mb.So, now we know that the problem persists in window mode and there is an increase in memory usage when switching models.--WH

[Guest MudMarine]

Add me to the list of CTD's. The same thing is happening to me when I change aircraft.........baaammm.........CTD. Otherwise an absolutely outstanding aircraft!! S/F

[WarHorse47 3]

What video you got, MM? Quicksand and I both have ATI.--WH

[Guest ematheson]

I just went through, reloaded some of the older betas to compare, see how things have changed...got a CTD on every past version! until I moved MAAM_tbm.gau into the respective panel folders of those betas...perhaps moving MAAM_TBM.GAU from "Gauges" to "aircraftfsfsconvMAAM-SIM_TBF_PANEL" and "aircraftfsfsconvMAAM-SIM_TBM_PANEL" will fix the CTDs they way it did for me?I hope that works... I cannot tell though, since the final release y'all have works flawlessly for me...

[WarHorse47 3]

>I just went through, reloaded some of the older betas to>compare, see how things have changed...>got a CTD on every past version! until I moved MAAM_tbm.gau>into the respective panel folders of those betas...>perhaps moving MAAM_TBM.GAU from "Gauges" to>"aircraftfsfsconvMAAM-SIM_TBF_PANEL" and>"aircraftfsfsconvMAAM-SIM_TBM_PANEL" will fix the CTDs they>way it did for me?>>I hope that works... I cannot tell though, since the final>release y'all have works flawlessly for me...Out of curiosity, what video card do you have?--WH

[Guest ematheson]

>Out of curiosity, what video card do you have?>>--WHI have an integrated ATI X200 chipset... (runs surprisingly well with FS... so long as you treat it right...)