Hi,I've lately become interested in making add-ons for FS9 that are able to access and change interenal FS data, just like programs such as Squawkbox or ActiveSky, things like that. It seems those programs are made mostly using Dynamic Link Libraries(DLL). I have Visual Basic 6 and can make DLLs but I don't know how to access the flight simulator through them. I'd appreciate any help in pointing me in the right direction with this.-James

Hi James.There's little need to make a DLL. FSUIPC, FSConnect, and FDSConnection are all IPC ( interprocess communication modules ) that will access the state data within the sim. All you need to do is make your VB program to connect with the DLL. All the above IPC's have examples in their documentation.FSUIPC is the most well known, but you'd need to register your program with Pete Dawson to access that ipc as freeware. If you want a DLL that requires no registration, then FSConnect may be your best bet for development. It's available at the AVSIM Libary "fsc300.zip" by Russel Dirks.Dick

Don't those IPC's only give you aircraft information and stuff? What I want to do is make something like IGFly Walk and Follow (I'm cheap so I don't like to pay for anything) that allows you to move around in a cockpit better and allows you to walk and/or follow your aicraft from the outside, making awesome screenies and movies. Also, I'm a geek and like to do things from scratch. I'd want to make my own IPC if I needed one :(

Sounds like you need the MSFS SDK. Especially if you want to start from scratch. ;*DSenior Captain, Pier Glass Aviation

I have all of the MSFS SDK's but those are all for like aircraft, scenery, and the like. If I had more inside knowledge on those things I'd be interested in that kind of development, but for now I'm not interested in those types of add-ons. I dunno, maybe if my computer teacher will teach us how to make DLLs and stuff, I might know a little more about it all, though i'm afraid he wouldn't even know what DLL stands for >_< (He's a nice guy but he doesn't know half of the things he really should).

Well, I think what you are saying is that you would like a DLL made - Dynamically Linked Library - something you could use as a "black box" - to call a function that you know nothing about to perform some action for you.I personnally love libraries, since I don't believe in recreating the wheel over and over again.Now going over again what you posted, perhaps you are thinking virtual cockpit? and for lack of a better term - virtual external views? Or maybe even better would be a movable tower view - such that you could "walk around the plane". Well that would be a nice piece of work.Actually, making a DLL is easy. The hard part is creating the functions that go into a library.Sounds like a good project. Many commercial compilers offer the ability to make DLLs. In addition you might want to check out an Open Source (and free BTW) solution called wxWidgets using cygwin which can also make DLLS with or without a GUI.Good luck Obeone.Senior Captain, Pier Glass Aviation