RXP GTN 750/650 Touch v2.4.5 available

[RXP 2,338]

Hi,

Before an official release, I wanted to let you try the v2.4.5 release candidate!

It is meant to be the next official release If there are no 'widespread crash' reports.

List of changes since v2.4.2:

• Added selected discrete inputs (see below)
• Interim 'fix' for TCAD on PiloteEdge / Vatsim.
• Settings Panel cosmetic enhancements.
• Attempt to fix the issue for the couple customers running Win8.
• Further performance and stability enhancement.

List of changes since v2.4.1:

• added support for mouse click-spots in 3D and 2D panels
• fixed issue with transparent/last screen image when powering off/on the device.
• new render targets option: "PANELS" supports both 3D and 2D panels at once.

List of the changes since v2.4.0:

• Massive performance gains: our tests systems show minimal to nearly no FPS changes from 1 to 2 GTN (and even up with 2GNS + 2GTN in some cases - YMMV).
• TCAS missing targets corrected.
• Revisited and greatly improved all 'panel instruments links', with support for mixing GNS and GTN devices (GPS datarefs, HSI datarefs, NAV datarefs and related instruments).
• Always On option: now you can opt to have your devices 'always on' regardless of the avionics switch. This shall help with 3rd party aircraft with custom/non-standard electric buses.

Additional notes (v2.4.5):

The new v2.4.5 adds three new X-Plane commands: CDI_SOURCE, OBS_MODE, TAWS_INHIBIT.

You can map these commands to your joystick for example (there are standard X-Plane commands).

As for the missing online TCAD targets, we introduce an interim fix. The issue is very simple: X-Plane SDK tells how many aircraft are active around you. However, although the SDK also provides a function for PilotEdge-like plugins to set the number of active aircraft, this value drops to 0 when on PilotEdge for example. We don't know if this is a bug in X-Plane (the function doesn't work), or if this is a bug in PiloteEdge (they don't call the function). Therefore, v2.4.5 considers there is up to 20 aircraft (X-Plane maximum) whenever X-Plane is not controlling AI traffic.

Previous additional notes:

The list of panel types has been extended and now supports the following (frame.type) :

WINDOW, PANEL2D, PANEL3D, PANELS

The new 'PANELS' helps for aircraft with only a 3D cockpit, as there is no need to configure 2 separate INI file render targets entries for the 3D and the 2D panels. A single entry covers both.

Mouse support in 3D/2D panels comes in the form of new settings in the INI file.

For frame.type = 'WINDOW' comes a new setting (default shown):
; enable mouse clickspots if true, disable if false (use SHIFT to override)
usemouse = true 

When true, the popup window supports clickspots as before. When false, you have to depress the SHIFT key while clicking to temporarily override the restriction. This might become useful in the future for panels where you'd expect disabling all mouse interactions with the device (hardware controllers?), but don't want to have it in the virtual cockpit.

For frame.type = 'PANELS' (or PANEL2D/PANEL3D) (default shown):
; enable mouse option: NONE,POPUP,TOUCHSCREEN
usemouse = TOUCHSCREEN

This lets you select if the screen should only toggle the popup window, or if you want full touchscreen support in the virtual cockpit!

Download link for both e-commerce installers

[bluebell2 36]

Hi Jean-Luc,

Just tried out v2.4.5 and all seems to be working even the wind indication on the map.

Taws inhibit is a nice touch as I fly low level in helicopter all the time.

The only thing I do not like is the power on/off. I still have a problem with my setup when I power down ie avionics and battery, the last screen showing stays.

I have over come this on the Cessna 172SP_750 by adding a black screen linked to battery on/off.

Bye the way tested both GTN 750 and 650.

Tom.

[RXP 2,338]

Thank you for the feedback Tom.

What is peculiar is that this version especially draws a black rectangle in place of the screen rectangle when there is no power.

Besides, the previous versions didn't fail on us either when powering off. Either it is a video card driver issue of some sort (i.e. some combination of OpenGL state) or a dumb bug we've failed to properly assess in the code.

I promise I'll review once more the code paths before initial release. While typing this I'm already thinking of something to cross-check!

[bluebell2 36]

If it is any help the GNS 530/430 power on/off no problem for me and v2.2 of GTN did.

[marcfsx 2]

Hi Jean-Luc,

I am experiencing problems with the settings dialog in this new version, it is only working once.

After you’ve changed the settings once, and want to change the settings again, the settings dialogue doesn’t show up anymore.
Restart of XP11 is necessary to have the settings dialogue to show up again.

It this XP11 related of something with this new version ?

Marc.

[bluebell2 36]

3 minutes ago, marcfsx said:

After you’ve changed the settings once, and want to change the settings again, the settings dialogue doesn’t show up anymore.
Restart of XP11 is necessary to have the settings dialogue to show up again.

Can confirm this happen to me as well.

[RXP 2,338]

6 minutes ago, marcfsx said:

After you’ve changed the settings once, and want to change the settings again, the settings dialogue doesn’t show up anymore

I'll review this ASAP. There have been a lot of changes to the settings panel behind the scene in this version, ironically one of these changes is to make sure the issue you are reporting is not happening. Go figure!

 

[RXP 2,338]

11 hours ago, bluebell2 said:

and v2.2 of GTN did.

Thank you for this, I thought the issue was older. This will help narrowing down the code changes.

[RXP 2,338]

The GTN v2.4.5 has just been re-uploaded to correct the 'settings panel not opening twice' issue.

Tom, it also includes support to help you debug the screen off problem. Just add the following to your [GTN_XXX] section: DebugValue = 2

When set, the screen gets filled with red instead of black when powered off. This might help finding out what is happening on your end.

[bluebell2 36]

14 hours ago, RXP said:

Just add the following to your [GTN_XXX] section: DebugValue = 2

Not too sure where to put this, tried this:-

[GTN]
; comma separated list of gauges
gauges = GTN_750_1, GTN_750_2

[GTN_750_1]
DebugValue = 2
; comma separated list of render targets.
drawto = WINDOW, PANELS
; is the master device if true.

Still the same power off problem, logs.

17/04/17 15:18:27.285 08812 -    ] # win.xpl version 2.4.5.0

17/04/17 15:18:30.351 08812 -    ] # rxpGtnSim64.dll version 2.4.5.0

[bluebell2 36]

To show the problem I see when powering ON/OFF the GTN here is a quick video GTN v GNS.

The 3D cockpit I have linked to the Battery switch. This is the Cessna 172SP_750

 

[RXP 2,338]

Thank you for the video Tom.

DebugValue is at the correct location.

What it tells me is that there is a specific issue when you power off the GTN: the trainer process fails to stop properly (as if crashing somehow). This prevents the following power on to start the trainer process again.

This might happen if the process is waiting for a file handle to unlock for example, of if your anti-virus is locking a file, or just because of a bug in our code.

Let's try to pinpoint why this happens on your system:

0) Change DebugValue = 2 to DebugValue = 3. This will not only enable the 'red' screen, but also enable Video Card debugging info to the log file (if any error occurs).

1) I'd suggest you try with only 1 GTN instead of 2 because the log file is 'shared' between the two devices and this will help tracking the issue better in the log. Also, you might want to make a copy of the log files before switching power back on otherwise the log file resets and we loose information.

2) Try opening task manager, or better yet Process Explorer, and see what happens to the 'GTN trainer' process(es) when you power off then on. In other words, when powering off, the GTN trainer process should close then reopen.

3) If it seems the GTN process is not closing, you can double click the process name and see the running threads. It is possible in that case there is only 1 or 2 threads running with 1 stuck waiting on something. If that is the case, double clicking the thread opens a 'stack view' window with very important information pertaining to 'where' it is stuck.

[bluebell2 36]

29 minutes ago, RXP said:

0) Change DebugValue = 2 to DebugValue = 3. This will not only enable the 'red' screen, but also enable Video Card debugging info to the log file (if any error occurs).

1) I'd suggest you try with only 1 GTN instead of 2 because the log file is 'shared' between the two devices and this will help tracking the issue better in the log. Also, you might want to make a copy of the log files before switching power back on otherwise the log file resets and we loose information.

2) Try opening task manager, or better yet Process Explorer, and see what happens to the 'GTN trainer' process(es) when you power off then on. In other words, when powering off, the GTN trainer process should close then reopen.

3) If it seems the GTN process is not closing, you can double click the process name and see the running threads. It is possible in that case there is only 1 or 2 threads running with 1 stuck waiting on something. If that is the case, double clicking the thread opens a 'stack view' window with very important information pertaining to 'where' it is stuck.

Will try this.

[marcfsx 2]

18 hours ago, RXP said:

The GTN v2.4.5 has just been re-uploaded to correct the 'settings panel not opening twice' issue.

Hi Jean-Luc,

Issue with the settings panel is resolved with this latest upload. Thanks for your quick response;

Marc.

[bluebell2 36]

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