PMDG 737/777: Problems after loading a saved flight

[DragonAsh 3]

In general I almost never load saved flights, mainly because I usually fly for a VA, so flights have to be done in one sitting. However, I do use FSUIPC to save flights for any (thankfully rare) CTDs and such. 

 

I have PMDG's 737 NGX and the 777. When I do have to load a saved flight after a crash, the flight is never started from the correct 'saved' condition, other than being at roughly the same altitude (but starting to dive), in the same area.

 

Whatever route I had saved in the FMC is gone. Most times I'm not able to load a new flight route, trying to put the destination in the 'Dep/Arr' page comes up with 'invalid entry'. On the 777 I'm able to get something from the Rte2 page, but still get 'Perf/VNAV not available' errors.

 

Any suggestions? TIA!

[downscc 1,327]

I am not familiar with the FSUIPC save feature, although it is mentioned here often as a source of freezes or stutter.

 

You can save a flight in MSFS/P3D without interrupting it, give that a try.  I save/restart flights very often and always have good results. The only missing part seems to be the forecast descent winds in the 777 but the NGX doesn't lose 'em. User your FSUIPC to display VAS memory remaining and start saving occasionally when it drops below 1 GB. This should not interfere with your VA flight.

[pcubine 143]

 

 

Any suggestions? TIA!

Are you saving the flights using the FSX save or are you using Autosave in FSUIPC or both?

[DragonAsh 3]

FSUIPC: I'm not 'saving' flights, I'm specifically talking about the autosave feature in FSUPIC; the only time I use it is after a crash-to-desktop etc. 

 

The saved flights from FSUIPC don't 'freeze or stutter' - they fly fine - it's just the route info & FMC etc. is blown all to heck. 

 

 

I'll try saving a flight through FSX and see if that works better. If so I might just have to manually save every so often.

[pcubine 143]

I have had most flights work fine when they were saved by Autosave. Some don't work very good. I believe the ones that didn't work very good were saved just before the CTD and therefore FSX was already setting up for a CTD, I save them at ten minute intervals and only keep the last two saves. I probably should have selected the flight that had the earlier save time.

 

Never had a problem with an FSX save except for what Dan Downs mentioned.

[Mike777 163]

 

 

I have PMDG's 737 NGX and the 777. When I do have to load a saved flight after a crash, the flight is never started from the correct 'saved' condition, other than being at roughly the same altitude (but starting to dive), in the same area.

 

Hi, Scott,

 

FSUIPC'S Autosave usually works very well w/ these two aircraft.  When you reload the saved flight, it should load a saved panel state.  When your problem happens, it usually means that the panel states are not being saved.  You can tell by looking in the two panel state folders, which are in FSX/PMDG/PMDG 777X [OR PMDG 737 NGX]/panelState  .

 

For a given saved flight, there should be several files beginning w. the same name as the saved flight, w/ several different extensions - FLT (possibly two), fmc, sav.  If Autosave is working correctly, you should see many saved panel states starting with "Autosave..."

 

You can also see if there is a saved panel state corresponding to your saved flight by using the "Load panel state" function in the CDU.  In fact sometimes you can rescue your restarted flight by manually loading the corresponding saved panel state.

 

You didn't say which version of FSX you have or whether it is installed in a Programs or Programs(x86) folder.  If it is in one of these folders you probably have a write permissions problem.  So check if the panel states are being saved.

 

Another issue might be if you are using an old version of FSUIPC, especially if you are using Steam. 

 

Mike

[DragonAsh 3]

Hi Mike, thanks for the suggestions. 

 

Should have noted this earlier, but I'm on FSX:Steam, Windows 10 64-bit (although had the same problem with Win7 64), and unless there's been an update of FSUIPC in the last week or so, I have the latest version. I have Steam etc. saved to a folder on the C: drive, not under the Programs or Programs (x86) folder. 

 

The panel states are being saved correctly; as noted I have both the .fmc and .sav files. And yes, lots and lots of autosave files. I hadn't thought about trying to manually re-load the panel state, I think I might try that next time. 

 

I have a pretty beefy computer, so I don't think I've ever had a memory error-related CTD, more often it's an accidental PC shutdown by one of the kids etc. LOL.

[Mike777 163]

I have both the .fmc and .sav files

 

Hi, Scott,

 

You should also be seeing a file w/ the same name ending in Flt.0.rte (sometimes Flt.1.rte).   This file can be absent if you save w/out a flight plan, but I seriously doubt you are flying for a VA w/out a flight plan!  So if that is missing, that needs looking into.

 

A long shot question, but are both aircaft up-to-date?

 

Mike

 

PS:  Do you usually save your flight after arrival and then start up your next flight from the previously saved arrival?  Repeated saving of a panel state often causes weird problems to creep in

 

Yet another thought - Does using FSX to save mid-flght produce all the correct files, and does reloading from an FSX saved flight work OK?.

[DragonAsh 3]

Txs again for the response. Yes, I should have noted; I do indeed have the .rte files as well. Both aircraft are up to date. 

 

In general, I never save flights 'on purpose' - in other words, when I do have to load up a saved flights, it's not by choice, it's because of some crash etc. in the middle of a flight. I start every flight 'fresh', from cold 'n' dark, so I don't think I should be seeing any problems due to repeated saving of a panel state. 

 

I'll do some testing to see how FSX handles saving and loading saved flights (including for non-PMDG aircraft).

 

 

txs.,

[Mike777 163]

I'll do some testing to see how FSX handles saving and loading saved flights (including for non-PMDG aircraft).

 

Hi, Scott,

 

The key thing is to see if panelstate files saved by FSX's save function load up OK when you restart the flight.  You will know if 1) the flight loads normally w/ full flight plan, etc., and 2) you can see the saved panel state files in the panelstate folder. 

 

I looked through some older threads on this topic but I didn't find anything that looks helpful.  But you can try a search in the PMDG top level forum w/ key words "FSUIPC" and "save" or something similar.

 

If FSX is working OK, but FSUIPC is not, try posting in the FSUIPC support forum, or start a new thread here with FSUIPC in the title, and there's a good chance that Pete Dowson, the maker of FSUIPC, will respond to your posts.

 

One thing not directly related to your issue: To stop your PMDG\[NAME OF AIRCRAFT]\panelstates folder from filling up with autosave files, you can enter the following in the [Autosave] section of the FSUIPC.ini file (in modules folder).  It will delete older saved files same as it does with saved files in ...\Flight Simulator X Files. There may never be rte files ending in 2.rte, 3.rte etc but it won't hurt to have the lines in just in case there are.

 

AutoSaveEnabled=Yes

AlsoManage1=PMDG\PMDG 777X\PanelState\*.FLT.0.rte

AlsoManage2=PMDG\PMDG 777X\PanelState\*.FLT.1.rte

AlsoManage3=PMDG\PMDG 777X\PanelState\*.FLT.2.rte

AlsoManage4=PMDG\PMDG 777X\PanelState\*.FLT.3.rte

AlsoManage5=PMDG\PMDG 777X\PanelState\*.FLT.4.rte

AlsoManage6=PMDG\PMDG 777X\PanelState\*.FLT.fmc

AlsoManage7=PMDG\PMDG 777X\PanelState\*.FLT.sav

AlsoManage8=PMDG\PMDG 737 NGX\PanelState\*.FLT.0.rte

AlsoManage9=PMDG\PMDG 737 NGX\PanelState\*.FLT.1.rte

AlsoManage10=PMDG\PMDG 737 NGX\PanelState\*.FLT.2.rte

AlsoManage11=PMDG\PMDG 737 NGX\PanelState\*.FLT.3.rte

AlsoManage12=PMDG\PMDG 737 NGX\PanelState\*.FLT.4.rte

AlsoManage13=PMDG\PMDG 737 NGX\PanelState\*.FLT.fmc

AlsoManage14=PMDG\PMDG 737 NGX\PanelState\*.FLT.sav

 

Mike

[Flyboy 4]

G'Day....

 

Would appreciate some help on this very same topic...

I am running FSX Steam, FSUIPC, and many other standard addons.

For the first time since I've been using FSX Steam, My panel states are not loading up as saved.

I have used the FSX save flight process many times for long flights where oom risk is higher...

Never a problem until Last night. Everything loads up but to the default panel state...

I see the state saved under the PMDG/Panel State folder, so I know the flight saved but the panel state does not load.

What might have changed from the previous times I've used it to what is happening now?

The only new program I've added is the FSUIPC.

 

Thank you kindly...

Flyboy53

[downscc 1,327]

Full names in the PMDG forums please...

 

Check the FMC PMDG Options > PMDG Setup and make sure the STARTUP STATE field is blank.  Then select the saved panel state you want with PANEL STATE LOAD and verify that panel loads for you.