*** DirectX Problem - Temp Solution for Crash to Desktop***

[Guest BarbadosKid]

Hello PSS MembersHere is a solution for all of those experiencing CTDs (Crashes to Desktop). The problems is related to DirectX and how the panel was compiled by PSS, it is not 100% fully directX compliant, it only loads for some in windowed mode and for others it will crash, this could be a DirectX version issue. Temporary Solution Follow these steps:1. Load FS92. Select Your PSS T7 Aircraft, and set any other Options such airport, time etc ...3. Then switch to full-screen (Alt-Enter)4. Now select FLY NOW.5. After every thing loads up you can leave it in full screen or switch back to windowed mode (Alt-Enter)For some reason it only loads properly without any CTDs when switching to full screen.PSS can you publish the version of DirectX used for compilation so others can upgrade/downgrade but the problem is some thing to do with DirectX.Sean Batson

[Guest alextooi]

Hi Sean,At last, you are the one found a root cause. I tried with full screen& Pss777 able to load up successfully. My directX is 9.0c latest version. Pss members, since root cause have been identify, please workfor a patch to correct. Sean, How do you know full screen can solve a problem?B/Regards...Alex Ooi

[Bob Scott 7,721]

I think you gents may be jumping to a premature conclusion.Based on your description, this looks to me like a video driver issue more than a Direct-X version problem. What video card and driver version are you using?RegardsBob ScottATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-V L-300Santiago de Chile

[Guest BarbadosKid]

Hi All ...It is nothing to do with a video card driver issue.DirectX is the cushion between your video card and yourapplication, similar to how you can have many brands of cd-roms drives and sound cards and directx being the application layer to see them. If the application is not initializing thedirectX routines properly and not catching the exceptions and dealing with them, then you will have dumps. It is clear that there is problem in the code initialization sequence in the directx routinues being called by the gauge.Sean.

[Guest bigun]

Sean,Just curious. If this is the case, why doesn't EVERYONE suffer this problem? I, for one have never had a CTD with the release version.

[Guest BarbadosKid]

Hi george To answer your question is simple apart from being a programmer, the version used by PSS to compile the guage is not the same as what is install on the systems getting the problems. I have fixed my CTD problems by doing the follow.1. I download the latest directx 9.0c runtimes for oct 2005 from the Microsoft website along with the version 9.0 oct 2005 sdk. I installed the 9.0c runtimes updates which adds the dot net version of directx in Manage form along with the developer runtimes from directx 9.0 sdk.2. Before loading FS9 and selecting the T7 i switch from retail to debug version of directx via the windows control panel and on both occations loading the T7 in windowed mode do not result in any CTD.3. This concludes that all systems are not equally carrying the releases of DirectX and those used in the development of the T7 hence when loaded will dump on those systems with the current interfaces used by the PSS team.So for those having CTDS download the October 2005 runtime release of directX and the DirectX 9.0 SDK OCtober Release and your CTDS are history.Sean Batson.

[Guest bigun]

Thanks for the anwser Sean. Now I understand.

[Bob Scott 7,721]

All that said, I've seen the same kinds of issues with a new version of Direct-X paired together with an older video driver that does not properly interact with the new application layer. When DX 9.0c first hit the streets there were several older versions of nVidia drivers that, when run together with the new DX version, would bomb certain programs...but not others, probably a function of which API calls were being made by the programs.Fixing the problem by changing Direct-X version could have as much to do with the driver-to-DX interface as with the application-to-DX interface.Moral of the story...if you've upgraded to a newer version of Direct-X, it'd be a good idea to also upgrade to the latest video drivers...which hopefully are compatible with any very recent DX release. In the aforementioned example, I think nVidia took around a month to release WHQL certed drivers fully compatible with 9.0cRegardsBob ScottATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-V L-300Santiago de Chile

[Guest BarbadosKid]

Hi Bob Don't deter the folks let those having the problems try it and see for themselves cause I didn't have to update my video drivers for this. It is just a matter from a distribution point of view that what was used to build the PSS gauge was not package in the install to put all systems on the same playing field.Sean.Have fun.

[Guest BarbadosKid]

Ok George!