FMC in 777 Freeware

[kkpedo16 0]

Hello all

 

I am quite new to this website so excuse me if I am posting this in the wrong place. 

 

So I have just downloaded a freeware B77W from the link below: 

 

http://www.fs-freeware.net/downloads/download/52-civil-aircraft/2445-boeing-777-300er-emirates-livery-a6-ecs

 

My only problem is that I cannot write in the FMC. No data whatsoever such as thrust limit can be entered in the scratchpad. Nothing. I just press the buttons and there is no ultimate effect. Is there a solution to this? 

 

Thanks in advance. 

[Luke 782]

Generally speaking, you're not going to get a functional FMC in freeware aircraft.

 

Chers!

Luke

[vgbaron 3,496]

The link you provided says "see the FMC docs" - perhaps they have a special way of activating it. The listing indicates it is functioning using Views - Instrument Panel.

 

Vic

[Mike777 163]

 

 

My only problem is that I cannot write in the FMC. No data whatsoever such as thrust limit can be entered in the scratchpad. Nothing. I just press the buttons and there is no ultimate effect. Is there a solution to this?

 

Hi, KKPedo16,

 

If the FMC that comes with your download doesn't work out, you can try the following download (on AVSIM).  It has a panel with a working FMC designed specifically for POSKY 777s.  It works with the POSKY VC, which it looks like your download includes.  (POSKY VC models exist only for FS9 AFAIK, but they will work in FSX). It also provides a 2D panel.  It is only for FSX.  It has good, but somewhat complex instructions you will need to follow carefully.  It requires FSX flight plans, but there are a number of programs that can create them (besides the FSX native flight planner).

 

http://library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=jb+panel+777&CatID=fsxpan&Go=Search

 

Mike

[Mike777 163]

My only problem is that I cannot write in the FMC. No data whatsoever such as thrust limit can be entered in the scratchpad. Nothing. I just press the buttons and there is no ultimate effect. Is there a solution to this?

 

KKPedo16,

 

I just downloaded the package you are using, and it already contains the panel I linked to in my earlier post, Greg Wilson's JB777panel_rel_1_032.zip.

 

I have used this panel in the past in FSX w/ POSKY aircraft (as it is designed to be used) and it is the most sophisticated free panel I have ever seen for the 777, and probably for any aircraft.  But it will take some learning!

 

In looking through the package, it looks like it is missing Greg's read-me file, although I may have missed it.  I also don't think a simple unzip of the package will install all the files properly, although I haven't tried it.

 

One thing that needs to be done is to properly place the two files in the Modules folder inside OS777-300ER_Emirates folder.  jb777_fmc.dll and jb777loader.dll need to be copied to FSX\Modules.    All the files in 777-effects should go in FSX\effects (they may already be there if you have other POSKY aircraft).  This is less important.

 

However I suggest you download the whole JB Panel package at the link above, as it contains a detailed read-me file that will show you exactly how to install his panel and where all the files need to go.  You will need to follow Greg's installation instructions very carefully, and then read the three pdf files inside the FMC Docs folder.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Mike

 

PS: What version of FSX are you running? If it's the Steam version you need to install the three "legacy" simconnects that it comes with, but are not installed.

[Mike777 163]

KKPedo16,

 

Looking further at Greg's read-me file you also need to edit the dll.xml file, as he explains.  So please download the JB Panel package and work from there.  There is no way the package you downloaded would automatically edit the dll.xml file.

 

Again if running FSX Steam version, you will need to install the three legacy simconnects. You should be able to find out how from searching AVSIM's forums.

 

Mike

[Mike777 163]

 

 

My only problem is that I cannot write in the FMC. No data whatsoever such as thrust limit can be entered in the scratchpad. Nothing. I just press the buttons and there is no ultimate effect. Is there a solution to this?

 

Hi, again kkpedo16,

 

I just noticed that if you go to the above link I gave you for the JB Panel, click on "ZipDive" and then on the "readme.txt" file at the top of the listing, you can view Greg's instructions for installation.

 

The dll.xml file is going to be located at

C:\Users\[YOUR NAME]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX .  It's a simple text file.  Be sure to make a backup of it before you try to edit it.

 

Mike

[kkpedo16 0]

Thank you all for your very fast responses. Really appreciate it. 

 

@Mike777: Thank you very much for investing a lot of your time into helping me. I tried everything yesterday, I even re-installed my FSX. I am running it on the Gold edition by the way. I followed all the "readme" installation instructions precisely, but it just won't work. 

 

Thank you all again  

[Mike777 163]

 

 

@Mike777: Thank you very much for investing a lot of your time into helping me. I tried everything yesterday, I even re-installed my FSX. I am running it on the Gold edition by the way. I followed all the "readme" installation instructions precisely, but it just won't work.

 

Hi, kkpedo16,

 

Sorry you can't get it to work.  I don't mean to sound rude, but reinstalling FSX is almost always a waste of time for a problem like this, which concerns a specific addon.  People more knowledgeable than I am have often pointed this out.  It makes much better sense to troubleshoot the specific problem.  Depending on when you did the reinstallation, you might have overridden files that needed to be there.

 

I realize that I provided a lot of information across several posts, so let me sum up the most likely fix:

 

1) If you have uninstalled the Emirates 777, go into the emirates_b777-300ER_fsx.zip folder, keep going further down until you get to the folder OS777-300ER_Emirates and copy it to FSX\SimObjects\Airplanes

 

2)  In the same folder OS777-300ER_Emirates, open the folder called "Modules."  Select the two files ending in ".dll".  Copy them.  Next go to your top level FSX folder.  Find the folder called "Modules." (FSX\Modules).  Paste the two dll files there. 

 

3) -- this is the trickier part -- locate a file called "dll.xml."  You must edit this to get the FMC to work. 

 

If your windows installation is on C: drive and you are using Windows 7 or a more recent version, the dll.xml file will be located here:

C:\Users\[YOUR NAME]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX .  It's a simple text file. Be sure to make a backup of it before you try to edit it.  Just copy it and paste it somewhere outside  of the folder it's in.

 

If you just click on it, it may try to open in an unusual program since it ends in xml.  So right click and choose "open with" and select Notepad.

 

Now you will see different entries depending upon whether you have other addons installed.

 

If you have no other addons, paste the following on a new line right after the entry   <Launch.ManualLoad>False</Launch.ManualLoad>

 

  <Launch.Addon>
    <Name>jb777 Panel Loader</Name>
    <Disabled>False</Disabled>
    <Path>Modules\jb777loader.dll</Path>
  </Launch.Addon>
  <Launch.Addon>
    <Name>jb777 fmc</Name>
    <Disabled>False</Disabled>
    <Path>Modules\jb777_fmc.dll</Path>
    <DllStartName>module_init</DllStartName>
    <DllStopName>module_deinit</DllStopName>
  </Launch.Addon>
 

If you have other entries, paste the above section on the line right after the last entry that ends with </Launch.Addon>  (note the "/" before "Launch".  The dll.xml file will make sense if you look through it, as it has separate entries for each addon that you have, if any.

 

Save the dll.xml file, make sure it saves with the ending "xml" and not "txt". 

 

Here is what an abbreviated section of my dll.xml file looks like w/ the JB panel installed:

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="Launch" version="1,0">
  <Descr>Launch</Descr>
  <Filename>dll.xml</Filename>
  <Disabled>False</Disabled>
  <Launch.ManualLoad>False</Launch.ManualLoad>
  <Launch.Addon>
    <Name>Level-D Simulations</Name>
    <Disabled>False</Disabled>
    <ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad>
    <Path>Modules\LVLD.dll</Path>
  </Launch.Addon>
  <Launch.Addon>
    <Name>jb777 Panel Loader</Name>
    <Disabled>False</Disabled>
    <Path>Modules\jb777loader.dll</Path>
  </Launch.Addon>
  <Launch.Addon>
    <Name>jb777 fmc</Name>
    <Disabled>False</Disabled>
    <Path>Modules\jb777_fmc.dll</Path>
    <DllStartName>module_init</DllStartName>
    <DllStopName>module_deinit</DllStopName>
  </Launch.Addon>
  <Launch.Addon>
    <Name>Fly the Maddog</Name>
    <Disabled>False</Disabled>
    <ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad>
    <Path>C:\Flight Simulation Programs\Flight Simulator X\Modules\LeonardoSH.dll</Path>
  </Launch.Addon>
</SimBase.Document>
 

 

Start FSX, load the Emirates 777-300ER and see if it works!  Good luck!

 

Mike

[kkpedo16 0]

Hey Mike777, 

 

Thanks for really trying your best. 

 

I think the problem is indeed my dll.xml file. I opened it to edit yesterday and again today, and for some reason, it is almost empty, with no entries that correspond to what the "readme" file says; ie: that one line must end with SimBase.Document. 

 

Is there a way to re-install what I presume is this damaged dll.xml file? 

 

Thanks in advance. 

[Mike777 163]

I think the problem is indeed my dll.xml file. I opened it to edit yesterday and again today, and for some reason, it is almost empty, with no entries that correspond to what the "readme" file says; ie: that one line must end with SimBase.Document.

 

I don't have FSX Gold edition but I think the file will be the same -- it is in both my FSX Box and FSX Steam versions.  Anyway you can always restore the backed up dll.xml file in the worst  case (but it sounds like you don't have any addons that have modified it anyway).

 

Back up your existing dll.xml file outside of the folder in which it is normally found.

 

Copy everything between the two dashed lines below -- but not the dashed lines themselves -- into Notepad.  Save as "dll.xml" into the folder described in my previous post.  Make sure notepad does save it with the ending "xml" and not "txt".   If it does just highlight the file name and rename the ending from txt to xml.    This already has the entries for the JB panel in it so no need to add them.  If you placed the two dlls in the FSX/modules folder, it is pointing to them correctly.

 

Either on startup or when you load the Emirates 300ER FSX may ask you if it's OK to run and to "trust" these dlls.  Say yes.

 

//-------------------------

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252"?>

<SimBase.Document Type="Launch" version="1,0">

  <Descr>Launch</Descr>

  <Filename>dll.xml</Filename>

  <Disabled>False</Disabled>

  <Launch.ManualLoad>False</Launch.ManualLoad>

  <Launch.Addon>

    <Name>jb777 Panel Loader</Name>

    <Disabled>False</Disabled>

    <Path>Modules\jb777loader.dll</Path>

  </Launch.Addon>

  <Launch.Addon>

    <Name>jb777 fmc</Name>

    <Disabled>False</Disabled>

    <Path>Modules\jb777_fmc.dll</Path>

    <DllStartName>module_init</DllStartName>

    <DllStopName>module_deinit</DllStopName>

  </Launch.Addon>

</SimBase.Document>

 

//----------------------------

 

Mike

 

PS Just realized that Greg Wilson included the dll.xml file in his panel package if you downloaded that separately.  It's not in the Emirates package though (neither is Greg installation instruction readme).  At any rate following the above procedure will work too.  My version looks identical to his.

[kkpedo16 0]

!! IT WORKS!! 

 

THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO SO MUCH. 

 

CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. 

 

REALLY APPRECIATE MATE.  

[Mike777 163]

CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.

 

REALLY APPRECIATE MATE.

 

Glad it's working!  You can now easily add any POSKY 777-300ER to the same folder, as long as it is using the exact same model.  You need to drop the texture into the same aircraft folder and modify the aircraft.cfg file to add the new repaint.  Just back up that file before editing it!

 

I hope you enjoy flying it!

 

Mike

 

PS: Also wanted to mention that the dll.xml file (and the exe.xml file, in same folder, not used by JB Panel) is often edited by commercial addons.  But a reputable commercial addon company should not damage the previous entries.  However if you have commercial addons already installed, they may stop working.  If you install any in the future, you can't just start over with the dll.xml file you have now, as you will overwrite the additions made by later commercial installers.

 

AFAIK, free addons do not and should not mess with this file.  They should go the route that Greg Wilson did: provide instructions for manual editing.

[fltbuff71 3]

Thank You

 

I realized I had not copied the 2 items from modules into modules, AND

placed the needed code into the dll.xml  to launch the FMC etc

which

 

made the input cursor flashing and data input accepted on the BendixKing Honeywell FMC

 

Thanks again

 

Nice documentation !