I did not have an older version

I may have an older version, Julian, which I can PM you later. Am grabbing the opportunity of a break in decent weather to clamber up a ladder doing house maintenance.

 

 

O/T: Loving your new Opus banner Julian!

Pity I don't have the plane that is depicted Dave. But the T7 came first :lol:

I may have an older version, Julian, which I can PM you later. Am grabbing the opportunity of a break in decent weather to clamber up a ladder doing house maintenance.

That would be great Rick. No hurry, nearly about to call it a night. BTW, the new GSX update was supposed to be for the T7, but even that does not work. You have to reset GSX to get the pushback to work <sigh>

FSDT products installed, my FSX has CTD's FSDT products uninstalled, FSX runs without problems. That sums it up for unfortunately. It is a shame I cannot use them since their products are nice but hey I can sim without them.

I'm glad I read this thread. I don't have any FSDT airports and was just about to buy some. After reading this thread I don't think I'll be putting any FSDT software on my new smoothly running computer....at least not until I read that this issue is resolved.

 

Ted

I'm glad I read this thread. I don't have any FSDT airports and was just about to buy some. After reading this thread I don't think I'll be putting any FSDT software on my new smoothly running computer....at least not until I read that this issue is resolved.

 

Ted

Then you're a perfect example why Umberto should DO something about it, instead of blaming the users.

It wouldn't be as big of a deal if the developers didn't insist it's never their fault and not even bother to try to fix most problems.

 

That's actually a syndrome among many developers though.

 

 

It wouldn't be as big of a deal if the developers didn't insist it's never their fault and not even bother to try to fix most problems.

That's actually a syndrome among many developers though.

And that is so, so true at Cloud9/FSDT with Umberto. That's why I do not even bother wasting my time going there.

 

 

Then you're a perfect example why Umberto should DO something about it, instead of blaming the users.

Hear, hear, Phil.

Add me to the list of not wanting to deal with Couatl on my PC also.

To be fair to Umberto / FSDT, I wonder if someone could raise the discussion, diplomatically, on their forums and point out the apparant lack of popularity for the Couatl engine, and the Add-on Manager used by FSDT?  .................... maybe linking to this thread, but with the right message.

 

I'm not member over their, but maybe someone that Umberto would know of (an established user over there) could refer to this post, and the possible loss of revenue caused by the dislike of these 'tools', by quite a number of people?  (I'm not suggesting it's a majority).

 

Maybe they could consider an option of using an alternative method for authentication and updating; one where the products can be installed but without Add-on Manager, and without the Couatl functions.

 

Just trying to think constructively - it is a big shame, and ultimately our loss not to be able to use FSDT's really great airports.   As I said, I desparately wanted FSDT Zurich but won't buy it while the Add-on Manager and Couatl components are required.

Flight beam is going this way too ..thats unfortunate. I have their KPHX which I really needed. But I have not gotten their KSFO and their DC airport.

 

So purchase decision is now restrcited to..do I REALLY REALLY Need this airport territory and am I willing to pay the overhead cost of bloatware and CTDs...for the airport that I wish to use. 

 

The thing is, there are now quite a bit of airports in FSX.  And given that I can fly only during the weekends I have enoug airports to fly to and from that I think I can avoid these problem addons.

 

I also am begining to enjoy Thai Creations  airports so much... Their PARO, Bhutan, VNKT KATMANDU, VABB MUMBAI,  Maccau, next to Kai Tak  are getting so good...so I have expanded to Asia.

 

The Aerosofts Greece airports are plenty and wonderful too.

 

 

point out the apparant lack of popularity for the Couatl engine, and the Add-on Manager used by FSDT

 

I can't speak for others, but I have tried that route (posting screenshots, log entries, etc. etc.) -- can't really force anyone to do anything if they aren't open to it.

 

My current solution is to "Ignore Updates", which is unfortunate, but it's better than having to re-installing everything and the Add-On manager. 

 

I'll stay with my current FSDT stuff (I have most of it anyway), but I am going to think twice about future purchases of any product that is under the Couatl Add-On Manager unless I see a more positive approach to problem resolution.  That process starts with the developer trying to reproduce end user problems (which I haven't seen happen) ... I'll admit this can be a very difficult process (lots of different computers and configurations).

 

Being a software engineer I know there are code paths that can be implemented to catch "unexpected" conditions and/or log each step of the process for the purpose of debugging.  The Couatl.exe runs in a separate thread but is launched from FSX so "almost anything" is possible from a technology level so long as one understands the security context from which couatl.exe is under.  The "bglmanx.dll" is the FSX side and that will have it's limitations, I assume it's responsible for launching the couatl.exe (pretty sure it is).

 

With Microsoft, many security context exceptions do not always return an error state or return an error state that is incredibly vague like "not found" when in fact it is a security context blocking access to specific file location, registry location, or something else.

 

But during any Add-On manager based update to FSDT or other products under it's control, I will often see is a "failed message show up" but the process continues and then overlays a "successful" message, but in fact the failed message is important but never seems to get logged and more of the than not I'll have a problem with a product under the coualt control. 

 

Point of this ramble ... the best step to take is to starting logging conditions and return conditions and look at how the application responds to internet connection issues, security context issues, on an end user's computer not a developer's computer.  This is how you start the process of identification of problems.  If Umberto is doing that, then great, but he's certainly not indicating any such activity, I've certainly tried to help him, but he seems to want nothing of it, I'm wrong, my issues are my fault, I don't understand, and that's that.  I'm not really sure how I can respond in any other way than to think twice about future purchase under the Couatl umbrella?

 

Rob

Same here. Since the last update I get the eseller mismatch message requiring reactivation. Formerly it atleast let me reactivate easily but now requires me to go through a cumbersome web interface. Sometimes I can clear the error by just letting my PC sit at the BIOS screen overnight. This initiates some sort of trash collection routine on my SDD drives and after that the error goes away till the next update. But with this last update I am constantly getting the error.

 

pumrigar

 

 

ame here. Since the last update I get the eseller mismatch message requiring reactivation. Formerly it atleast let me reactivate easily but now requires me to go through a cumbersome web interface

That was precisely my experience which has raised my hackles about the way the whole shooting match works. I paid for a product. It is supposed to re-install( or is someone at Cloud9 which is where I feel the root of the issues emanate from, under the impression that we all stick with one motherboard, one CPU, one FSX installation throughout the life of these superlative add-on airports??)seamlessly and activate equally seamlessly using the activation keys supplied when purchasing these airport add-ons. So, why all this nonsense of having to go thru' a web interface, then having to copy/paste each block of that activation code? Too much hassle. Is it really worth that hassle? IMHO, a definite no.

So glad I read this thread... was planning on buying GSX but was not aware of these problems. Reminds me of all the useless TSR programs that made my life miserable back in the DOS days. At least there's no shortage of other add-ons to use my credit card on... time to go shopping....

I knew that one day the paying customer would see as I saw years ago the problem with having to re activate addons in an unstable platform.