GPS crashes sim - HELP!

[Guest Nimby]

Recently, when I try to enter a destination airport using the GPS "Direct To" function in most of my airplanes, FS9.1 immediately crashes.The following planes all crash when using the "Direct To" function:All default FS9 planes,All of my Eaglesoft planes.My Aeroworx B200.All of my Carenado planes.My Flight1C-172, and AOPA 112 and Cherokee Six.The only ones that work perfectly are my Dream Fleet A36 and Archer. The only other third party software that I use is Active Sky version 6.5. However, the crasher occur with or without Active Sky running.I'm running the sim on an iMAC under Boot Camp. With the exception of this problem, everything else seems to be working just fine.Has anyone seen this problem before? If so, can you please give helpful suggestions.Thanks.

[Guest avrovulcan]

Hi,I have a simalar problem, however default GPS will still allow me to enter the airport name (e.g. Heathrow) but will crash to desktop if I enter the IACO code (e.g. EGLL). All third party GPS's such as the Relaity XP ones used by Flight 1 work fine.This has happened on both my Packard Bell Laptop and My custom built Quad core, on which I have both FSX and FS9 installed on. I know it worked fine on the inital install as I soak tested FS9 on both computers before installing any third-party addons.And I know that none of my payware aircraft caused the problem, as I generlly soak-test each aircraft after install.However I got sloppy when installing the hundreds of freeware aircraft zip-files that I have and in my case I believe that this may be the problem.Have re-installed the FS9 default GPS guage from the FS9 install disk, but this didn't solve the problem. I think the GPS guage gets its information from a central database, and that the database has become corrupted (any ideas anyone??), but if that is the source of the problem I suppose if you had a spare computer you could install FS9 on it then copy the database across.I am still looking at this problem and will let you know if I find a solution.Kind regardsAndy

[Guest Nimby]

Hi Andy,Thanks for the reply. It would appear that we're the only ones having a problem with the GPS crashing the sim.I too tried re-installing the FS9 default GPS guage from the FS9 install disk - also unsuccessful. It sounds like you may be on to something concerning the central database, but I don't know where to look to find this file (any suggestions?). Is it located on the install disk somewhere?Unfortunately, I don't have a spare computer. And I would hate to have to re-install everything for the sim. Although, this might not solve the problem if it's related to some third party file corrupting some necessary file.Sounds like we need a Flight Sim Sherlock Holmes!I appreciate your continuing to research this.Nimby

[Guest avrovulcan]

Hi Nimby,As far as I know all the data required for the instillaition are held on the 4 intall disks (in no particular order).As you know, it's possible to re-install particular files from the CD's to replace corrupted ones. The only problem we have here is that the database file/s for the GPS dosen't appear to have a logical name (Nav Database for example). I have looked through my system and thus far cannot find any clues as to where the data is contained.Im pretty certian its not a function of the guage as we have both tried replacing it, and in any case the GPS guage file looks to small in size in order to contain the database as well.I own Flight 1's Panel Studio, so what I will do is install it, select the GPS guage and see if the Modify guage function shows any kind of script that may point to where the database might be.Will keep you postedAndy

[Guest Nimby]

Andy,I was reading the Dream Fleet Forums concerning GPS problems they had in the past. What stood out was that the Garmin 400 Series Trainer (needed for their GPS systems to work properly) uses a "new" database, that is fairly recent. I'm wondering if this new database somehow replaced the original FS9 file(s). The only problem, which you discovered, is finding the allusive original FS9 file. The Garmin Trainer files on my system seem to all be contained at "C:Program FilesGARMINGARMIN 400 Series Trainer". This includes four files with the ".dat" ending. Is it possible that this new database has a different format then the original FS9 one, causing the crashes?If it sounds like I'm grasping for straws - I am!I'll be reading the Flight1 forums later to see they have any insight.Nimby

[Guest avrovulcan]

Hi Nimby,Thats intresting, I certianly think its possible, I have both the Flight1 Beechcraft products that installed the 400 and the 500 series trainer, and I think you could be onto somthing here.The GPS system on these aircraft work fine so they eithe have there own database or updated and use a modified default database.At the moment im still looking myself for the elusive GPS dat file, and will keep you posted.When I get access to my disks I will De-Install the Flight1 products and see if the GPS returns to normal. (It's worth a try).RegardsAndy

[Guest Nimby]

Andy,I don't know if this is related, but I noticed something interesting concerning any airplane that uses the default FS9 GPS. I had installed a scenery enhancement that added Victoria Falls to Africa. When I would try to enter an airport identifier using the Direct To feature, the first letter would default to an "o" instead of the typical "K" for U.S. airports. The Dreamfleet planes that use the Reality XP GPS units (which work just fine) always defaults to a "K" for the U.S. airports. Upon checking into this, it turned out there was several new airports listed at the beginning of the database that had the "o" as the first letter. After trying to actually go to these airports, I found out that they were all located off the west coast of Africa in the middle of the ocean! After deleting this scenery, all of the airports that starting with the "o" were deleted also. Now the default GPS shows a "K" as the default first letter. However, as soon as I try to enter additional letters, it still crashes!Out of frustration, I'm really close to giving up and doing a re-install of FS9/9.1. If I do, i'll re-install each third party airplane (starting with the Dreamfleet) to see if it effects the default GPS.I'm really not looking forward to doing this, but...Bryan

[Guest avrovulcan]

Hi Bryan,Hope you dont have to do a re-install. It's not somthing I am going to do as I have been living with this problem for months, normally I will just enter the full airport name when using the direct-to function.For me I have so much software that (.zip files ect) it would take me 3-4 months to re-install all my software.Howeve fear not, I will be gettint my quad-core system moved from me mum and dads house to mine in the next few weeks, I have alredy de-instaled FS9 from it (only using it for FSX), I will re-install FS9 and hopefully be able to tell you what peice of software causes the problem. In the mean time Im still searsching for that elusive .dat file for the default GPSRegards Andy

[Guest Nimby]

Hey Andy,You just saved me from days of work!I tried entering the full airport name instead of the I.D. in the Direct TO function as you suggested and it worked! I was so used to entering the I.D. that I didn't even think to try the full name. - A BIG THANKS TO YOU!This will keep me happily flying as we continue to search for that pesky .dat file.So, does this mean that there's separate .dat files; one for the airport I.D.'s and another for the full airport names? If so, it would appear the the I.D. .dat file is the only one that's corupted. --- Hmmm? And the plot thickens.Nimby

[N60JBravo 27]

Hi guys,I have been following this thread with interest and hope you get it resolved.If I may, I would like to add my 2cents worth.I don't think you will find a database file for the GPS, I would assume it reads the AP9****0.bgl files for it's information. It also would be aware of AF2 type files for addons, this stuff would all be listed in the scenery.dat files. The data is there why duplicate it somewhere else?And if those files (or this database you search for) were corrupt it would affect all planes.You mentioned replacing the GPS, I am assuming the gauge files. Did you try replacing the GPS.dll found in the Modules folder? Looking in that folder I see a couple possible .dll's which might affect the GPS, this one being the most obvious.You can find that .dll on disc 2 in MSGAME3.cab .Best of luck resolving your problem.

[Guest Nimby]

N60JBravo,Thanks for the input. I can use all the help that I can get.I have to admit that I don't know all the ins and outs of the FS9 file system.And when it comes to this particular problem, I'm totally baffled.Here's a couple of additional clues:- This GPS "Direct To" problem effects all planes except the Dreamfleet ones using the Reality XP GPS.- The crash happens when you try to input an airport I.D. into the "Direct To" GPS function.- As you suggested, I tried replacing FS9 GPS gauges files one by one, including the .dll files in the Modules folder, and checked to see if either one solved the problem. Nothing worked.- I tried replacing both the Garmin 400 Series Trainer and the Garmin 500 Series Trainer files, used by the Reality XP GPS's. This didn't work either.- I'm checking to see if there's any of the file types that you mentioned in my scenery add-on's.- As Andy noted, entering the full airport name works just fine; but, entering the airport I.D. still causes a crash.- The crash is not accompanied by any error messages. The FS screen just goes black. A few minutes later a message comes up saying that the program has unexpectedly quit, and it give you the option to report the problem to Microsoft.Please continue to think about this and post your suggestions.I appreciate it.Thanks,Nimby

[N60JBravo 27]

When you see the box that asks if you want to report to microsoft there should be an option to see the error report. Usually an underlined "click here". If you click on that it will typically tell you what .dll caused the crash. This is my best memory, haven't seen it for a while (knock on wood).Keep an eye out for that and report back what you find.PS. the gauges that work OK, are they located in the Gauge folder or are they in the Panel folder for that plane?

[Guest Nimby]

N60JBravo,YOU DID IT!!!I disabled all of my add-on scenery, quit and re-started FS9. To my surprise, the GPS "Direct To" feature now works!I can enter the airport I.D. with no crashes!Now I just have to re-activate my scenery files one by one to find the culprit. THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT!!!Nimby

[Guest Nimby]

In my excitement I accidently posted the same message twice.Thanks N60JBravo!Bryan

[Guest avrovulcan]

Hi, Read you input with much intrest, and I tink that i would agree with you in that the GPS guage probably reads the AFCAD file system directly.I will also try what Nimby has done, that is disable all of my third party scenery software and then re-try running the sim to see if that works.Its a bit of a drawn out task but it would be nice to put it to bed once-and-for-all.Strangly my setup does not CTD with any error messsage, it just bins me out.However watch this space I like Nimby will keep you posted on what I find, it would be ironic if out of all the software you can install we happen to have the same one that causes the problem.Again many thanks for your inputMany Kind regardsAndy