Flightplan troubles - import & export (resolved)

[Babbo 2]

Hello all! Yes, right at the start, I do know, this has been discussed a million times but ... sorry ...

... whatever I tried, nothing worked: the goal is to actually import RXP's example KSLE_KSLE.gfp into a GTN650, to be more precise into the GTN-Trainer environment. I checked several versions of the "Reality XP GTN User's Manual (XPlane).pdf" and many internet advices (use an FPLN-directory, use a GTNNAVDATA-, GTNAPPDATA- or GTNSIMDATA-directory - connected with a c:\ProgramData\Garmin\GTN Trainer Data-directory, which also comes as short Trainers-directory ... interfaced (or not) with a GTN-directory ... the mystical import-button never appeared!

To give some information, I should note that I'm using a new updated trainer (Ver.6.62.0) and I'm working with a c:\ProgramData\Garmin\GTN Trainer Data\GTN\-directory, which now contains an FPLN-dir (with KSLE_KSLE.gfp and that user.wpt) from my last trial and, second, after the update, a GTN1nonvol1-dir which still contains my unsuccessful gfp/wpt-files from my trials before the update. My flightplan catalog contains just a KPDX-KPDX-plan (no idea, where that one is stored) and the Flight Plan Catalog Menu does not come up / never came up with said import-button.

My final question, and I didn't find that one discussed  in the net (or elsewhere), is: if I create a flightplan in a GTN (trainer or X-Plane directly), can that plan be stored (for later uses in the trainer or X-Plane) and, moreover, can one export that plan for some different external application (e.g. export to Little Navmap, to be edited there)?

Many thanks for any help!

[Babbo 2]

Well then, here's another iteration. And a worse one.

After another bunch of hours, I thought it would be a good idea to check whether my flightplan problems, maybe, don't exist in X-Plane itself (since up to now, I only investigated these with the trainer). Guess what: launching X-Plane with my current favourite aircraft (vFlyteAir's Piper Arrow III), I did not reach that stage of investigation at all, because the GTN650 remains blank with a black screen (both, 3D-panel and window)!

The only, reasonable logical reason, since it worked in the trainer and in X-Plane, must have been the trainer update performed recently.

Summarizing facts:

The GTN650 worked in the trainer and in X-Plane before, simply say, the troubles started
The GTN650 now works in the trainer (even though without flightplan import capability), but not in X-Plane
rxpGTN.xpl.log:
    19/10/26 12:02:16.057 04876 -    ] # win.xpl version 2.5.3.0
    19/10/26 12:02:16.057 04876 INFO ]
rxpGtnSim.dll.log:
    19/10/26 12:02:19.545 04876 -    ] # rxpGtnSim64.dll version 2.5.3.0
    19/10/26 12:02:19.544 04876 INFO ]
    19/10/26 12:04:06.373 04876 WARN ] can't find trainer installer path
    
Regardung environment variables and the last line. I didn't/don't actively set any. Also, checking my environment variables via Windows 10 system shows that there is no such entry ... Nevertheless, a command "set" (I mean "DOS"-level) reveals that some mechanism really generates a

    GTNSIMDATA=c:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\GTN   

Also of interest, maybe, the fact that the trainer is not at its default place, but in

    j:\Programme\Fly\Garmin\Trainers\

containing three subdirs \Launcher, \Packages and \ProgramData. However, I'm convinced that this special location shouldn't be a problem now, since, as mentioned, it worked in the Trainer and in X-Plane for years, and, note, it did that without setting any environment variable by myself.

That's my bad state of the weekend, thanks for reading and your suggestions!

[RXP 2,338]

1 hour ago, Babbo said:

    19/10/26 12:02:19.545 04876 -    ] # rxpGtnSim64.dll version 2.5.3.0

Hi,

No wonder: the latest GTN version is 2.5.20.2...

 

[Babbo 2]

Great, problem 2 (blank screen in X-Plane) solved. Thank you, the RXP-update worked! But still no success with the flightpln import, neither in the trainer nor in X-plane. So I defined your 3 environment variables from p.17:

GTNAPPDATA=j:\Programme\Fly\Garmin\Trainers\Packages\GTN\data
GTNNAVDATA=c:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases\
GTNSIMPATJ=j:\Programme\Fly\Garmin\Trainers\Packages\GTN\bin\

(where all paths correspond to existing paths on my PC). That's the result:

rxpGTN.xpl.log:

19/10/26 20:06:59.630 11752 -    ] # win.xpl version 2.5.20.2
19/10/26 20:06:59.630 11752 INFO ]
19/10/26 20:07:03.309 11752 INFO ] using GTNAPPDATA = "j:\Programme\Fly\Garmin\Trainers\Packages\GTN\data"
19/10/26 20:07:03.314 11752 INFO ] using GTNNAVDATA = "c:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases"

rxpGtnSim.dll:

19/10/26 20:07:02.907 11752 -    ] # rxpGtnSim64.dll version 2.5.20.0
19/10/26 20:07:02.906 11752 INFO ]
19/10/26 20:07:39.646 11752 WARN ]  not found: j:\Programme\Fly\Garmin\Trainers\Packages\GTN\data (APP)
19/10/26 20:07:39.650 11752 WARN ]  not found: c:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases (NAV)
19/10/26 20:07:39.707 11752 INFO ] GTN 650.1 - TRAINER 6620
19/10/26 20:09:19.101 11752 WARN ]  not found: j:\Programme\Fly\Garmin\Trainers\Packages\GTN\data (APP)
19/10/26 20:09:19.110 11752 WARN ]  not found: c:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases (NAV)
19/10/26 20:09:19.164 11752 INFO ] GTN 650.1 - TRAINER 6620

Obviously, there is a conflict ...!

My FPLN-dir sits in the databases-dir (2nd from above). By the way, correctness, I found it a little confusing that on p.9 the manual speaks of "...\Databases\FPLN" (as it is in my way) and on p.17 a variable "GTNNAVDATA\..\Database" (singular, not bases) is defined. Could that be the source of my importproblem?

 

[Babbo 2]

Wait, found a typo: GTNSIMPATJ ...

Edit, lol: GTNSIMPATJ ...

2nd Edit: its not GTNSIMDATA, but GTNSIMPATH ...

Edited October 26, 2019 by Babbo
Double-typo plus tiredness ...

[Babbo 2]

Ok, confused some env-names, but the following - deemed correct - are still wrong in some sense:

GTNAPPDATA=j:\Programme\Fly\Garmin\Trainers\Packages\GTN\data
GTNNAVDATA=c:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases\
GTNSIMPATH=j:\Programme\Fly\Garmin\Trainers\Packages\GTN\bin\

which gives (from an X-Plane start):

rxpGTN.xpl:

19/10/26 20:33:13.213 06248 -    ] # win.xpl version 2.5.20.2
19/10/26 20:33:13.213 06248 INFO ]
19/10/26 20:33:17.035 06248 INFO ] using GTNSIMPATH = "j:\Programme\Fly\Garmin\Trainers\Packages\GTN\bin"
19/10/26 20:33:17.039 06248 INFO ] using GTNAPPDATA = "j:\Programme\Fly\Garmin\Trainers\Packages\GTN\data"
19/10/26 20:33:17.043 06248 INFO ] using GTNNAVDATA = "c:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases"

rxpGtnSim.dll.log:

19/10/26 20:33:16.643 06248 -    ] # rxpGtnSim64.dll version 2.5.20.0
19/10/26 20:33:16.642 06248 INFO ]
19/10/26 20:33:48.767 06248 INFO ] using: j:\Programme\Fly\Garmin\Trainers\Packages\GTN\data
19/10/26 20:33:48.773 06248 WARN ]  not found: c:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases (NAV)
19/10/26 20:33:48.782 06248 INFO ] GTN 650.1 - TRAINER 6620
19/10/26 20:34:50.145 06248 INFO ] using: j:\Programme\Fly\Garmin\Trainers\Packages\GTN\data
19/10/26 20:34:50.150 06248 WARN ]  not found: c:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases (NAV)
19/10/26 20:34:50.158 06248 INFO ] GTN 650.1 - TRAINER 6620

There still is a NAVDATA-problem around ... : c:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases just contains my FPLN-dir, what is missing?

 

 

 

[RXP 2,338]

Why do you expect having to setup the environment variables to get started?

When you install the trainer, it leaves registry entries about its installation location and the need for env vars is only if you manually move the trainer files to another location than the one it has been installed to.

Just get rid of the env. var to get started and see what does it tell you in the log files.

[Babbo 2]

Why? In many discussions one gets advised to define env-vars if the trainer is not installed at its default location. Anyway, I deleted all vars and got the following clean logs ...

19/10/27 17:24:26.708 07220 -    ] # win.xpl version 2.5.20.2
19/10/27 17:24:26.708 07220 INFO ]

19/10/27 17:24:30.170 07220 -    ] # rxpGtnSim64.dll version 2.5.20.0
19/10/27 17:24:30.170 07220 INFO ]
19/10/27 17:25:08.046 07220 INFO ] GTN 650.1 - TRAINER 6620
19/10/27 17:25:32.806 07220 INFO ] GTN 650.1 - TRAINER 6620

... and still no import button around.

New annoying X-Plane insight: scrolling down the settings menu of the GTN650 crashes the sim to desktop.

 

[RXP 2,338]

41 minutes ago, Babbo said:

In many discussions one gets advised to define env-vars if the trainer is not installed at its default location

You are right but: only if it doesn't work as-is first, and this was I believe in older discussions with older trainer versions isn't it?

So now you get it running in X-Plane, our plugin auto-detects the location, and runs and displays it ok.

From there, the RXP GTN User's Manual p9 tells the FPLN folder must reside in the folder known as GTNNAVDATA.

The default 'known as folder' path is further indicated p17 and is:

"C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Database"

So just search where this one goes in your system (probably the same location) and either create the FPLN folder or shortcut (preferred) as indicated in the manual.

47 minutes ago, Babbo said:

New annoying X-Plane insight: scrolling down the settings menu of the GTN650 crashes the sim to desktop.

Do you mean the RXP Settings Panel?

48 minutes ago, Babbo said:

19/10/27 17:25:08.046 07220 INFO ] GTN 650.1 - TRAINER 6620
19/10/27 17:25:32.806 07220 INFO ] GTN 650.1 - TRAINER 6620

This shows the 650 #1 device has been opened once (with the aircraft loading?), then reopened 30 secs later.

Was it you doing this?

[Babbo 2]

You argue via the env-var GTNNAVDATA, which defines the FPLN-location, on the other side you wanted me to get rid of env-vars, aren't we running in circles?

Also, as already stated: p.9: Databases (plural) and p.17: Database (singular) ...(?)

"Do you mean the RXP Settings Panel?" (CTD) - yes, exactly.

"Was it you doing this?" (reopening of 650 #1 device) - no.

Edited October 27, 2019 by Babbo
typo

[RXP 2,338]

You are right it seems there is a typo p17, thank you for this one, we'll correct the manual in the next update once we validate whether it is p9 or p17 which is right.

In the meantime, please make sure to read, not interpret, what I'm writing above: known as GTNNAVDATA

The emphasis is 'known as'. In other words, because there are different paths to talk about, we're using an alias name and refer to this alias name as 'known as'. This is to give you an indication of which path we are talking about. However, to make it simpler too, we also choose to name the env. vars with the same name alias.

The whole point is to make it easier for you to connect the 2 together, but it is not to assume/presume you have to use the env. vars. In other words: should you have to use the env. vars, then, you can find out which is which in associating the env. var name with the name alias in the manual.

Basically it is simple enough though: the trainer installs its files in 2 main locations: the executable and binaries in the Program Files folder, the data in the ProgramData folder. It can't be any simpler than this.

So the FPLN folder or shortcut must be set in the 'program data' folder, more specifically in the 'Databases' subfolder.

PS: unless you have both a Database, and a Databases, folder, it shouldn't be too confusing to find out which one is the one with any mention of 'database' in its name.

 

[RXP 2,338]

16 minutes ago, Babbo said:

"Do you mean the RXP Settings Panel?" (CTD) - yes, exactly.

Can you please post the content of the rxpGTN.xpl.log file?

[Babbo 2]

c:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases\FPLN\ did not work.

No log-file unfortunately, it's already overwritten.

Meanwhile, X-Plane hangs after opening an aircraft.

[Babbo 2]

 Got it running again, no additional RXP-settings-crash, but flightplan issue remains.

[RXP 2,338]

20 hours ago, Babbo said:

c:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases\FPLN\ did not work.

Let's troubleshoot this:

1) was this folder already there on your drive "C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases"?

2) what others files/folder do you see in "C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases"?

 

20 hours ago, Babbo said:

No log-file unfortunately, it's already overwritten.

Every RXP log files start anew with each session. The last one when exiting the simulator is therefore valid. Can you please post the content of both rxpGTN.xpl.log and rxpGtnSim.dll.log files?