FS-X to FS9 SimConnect "bridge" possible?

[blave 0]

I would like to run FS2004 on a 2nd networked PC, that would be linked position-wise (x/y/z) to FS-X running on my main machine - purely to be able to run some add-on avionics things (FS9 gauges) on that 2nd computer that would of course be driven by FS-X's position data. I am not a programmer - is this possible?Thanks,Dave Blevins

[rich135 0]

Interesting thought. I could envision how this would be programmed, but I don't see a huge market demand to drive its development. Do your FS9 gauges work with FSX? Linking two FSX machines is possible; although I have never tried it.

[DadJokeCinema 145]

Well, it may or may not be possible, depending on the gauges, but basically, what you would have to do is write a program that took the data from FSX via SimConnect and fed it into FS9 via FSUIPC. I haven't done a lot with FSUIPC, but I assume that it can alter position data. That is assuming, as rich pointed out, that the gauges don't work in FSX natively.

[blave 0]

My specific application is to run RealityXP gauges, especially the RXP430 and 530, on the FS9 box. That way I don't have (a) wait for the developer to make those FS-X compatible, and possibly (:( pay $ for the new versions. Besides, I am trying to offload as much as I can from my main FS-X PC, especially for things like those products - a part of them runs in 16 bit mode which seems to have some overhead. Anything that I can run on the "auxiliary" PC means more CPU cycles that FS-X can use.cheers,Dave B.

[beatle 0]

I don't remember the name of the FSUIPC option (or it might have been a seperate addon that worked via FSUIPC), but wasn't there something called WideFS that would link 2 FS9 computers together? If this worked via FSUIPC, it might also work to hook together a FSX and a FS9 computer.Tim

[rich135 0]

Yes, WideFS is the client piece for extending the FSUIPC API to a second PC on FS9. Here are the obstacles as I see it.1. Pete may want to verify, but I believe WideFS (FS9 client piece) is not compatible with FSUIPC for FSX.2. To use WideFS, the gauges would have to be written to communicate using FSUIPC in the first place. This is often not the case with gauges as they run inside the FS process and do not need FSUIPC.3. Even if the gauges were hosted inside a second copy of FS9, FSUIPC/WideFS is not an interface to link two copies of FS together. That is what WidevieW does for outside views, but not to the extent of extending panels and gauges to another machine.Regards,Rich

[blave 0]

Thanks for that detailed reply. I guess I didn't think it would be that hard to get x/y/z coordinates into FS9 - I thought that there was something along those lines included as a demo in the FS9 SDK - but I guess I'm wrong.Dave B.

[rich135 0]

I believe Brian is correct, this can be done with some custom FSUIPC and SimConnect glue (depending on the gauges). However, I do not think there is an out-of-the-box non-programmatic solution that will provide the bridge function at this time. In the big picture, the best solution is for RealityXP to offer you an FSX upgrade path for the gauges.Best,Rich

[Pete Dowson 558]

>Yes, WideFS is the client piece for extending the FSUIPC API>to a second PC on FS9.No, WideFS refers to the two components -- a Server in the FS PC and a Client in each other networked PC not running FS. It extends the FSUIPC interface to networked PCs which don't have FS running.>1. Pete may want to verify, but I believe WideFS (FS9 client>piece) is not compatible with FSUIPC for FSX.No, The current WideClient program is fully compatible with all versions of FS since FS98, including FSX, and even CFS1 and CFS2.>3. Even if the gauges were hosted inside a second copy of>FS9, FSUIPC/WideFS is not an interface to link two copies of>FS together. That is what WidevieW does for outside views,>but not to the extent of extending panels and gauges to>another machine.Correct, though if it it only the position of the aircraft which mattered to a gauge then that would be okay via WidevieW.RegardsPete

[DadJokeCinema 145]

Of course, technically the app itself could talk between the two computers. I'm not worried about that part, it's just the translation between FSX and FS9.What I'm concerned about is what that does to the payware market upgrading their products to FSX.

[rich135 0]

Pete, that is good news. I apologize and thanks for the corrections.Best Regards,Rich

[beatle 0]

Hey Rich,OK, I knew there were the 2 different pieces, just wasn't sure what each one did completely :->About the only solution I can think of is to create an app that runs on each FS9 machine that you want to talk to the main FSX machine that uses SimConnect via an IP connection to talk with FSX and then uses FSUIPC to talk to the local FS9 instance.Tim