RXP GTN 750 coming up blank in Rotate MD80 Pro (resolved)

[jfwharton 50]

I did add that line to the file.  Here are the contents of the file.

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

[GTN_750_1]
LogTrainer = 5
; comma separated list of render targets.
drawto = WINDOW, PANELS
; is the master device if true.
MasterDevice = true
; aviation db: 0: nav_db2_grm, 1: nav_db2, 2: nav_heli_db2_grmn, 3: nav_heli_db2
NavDbType = 1
; connects to: 'PFC_GTN' or any '#PID' (#D067 for PFC_GTN)
; no value connects to first found, 'OFF' disables connection.
HardwareDevice = 
; hardware selector number or -1 to disable.
HardwareIdx = -1
LinkCrs = true

[GTN_750_1.WINDOW]
; display window if true.
visible = false
; show screen only gauge if true.
nobezel = false
; display type: WINDOW,PANEL2D,PANEL3D,PANELS
frame.type = WINDOW
; display position and dimension (left,top,width,height)
frame.rect = 1090,1007,830,790
; screen only border size (pixels).
border.size = 0
; screen only border color (#RGB or #RGBA).
border.rgba = #000000
; enable mouse clickspots if true, disable if false (use SHIFT to override)
usemouse = true 
; left mouse button on the screen toggles popup window if true (requires SHIFT+left mouse button).
popleft = false
; right mouse button on the screen toggles popup window if true (requires XP11.1).
popright = true 
; VR mode position and dimension (left,top,width,height) (requires XP11.20)
vrmode.rect = 0,790,830,790
; display as popout window if true (requires XP11.1).
undocked = false
; display mouse tooltips if true.
tooltips = false
; freeze display position if true.
locked = false
; auto hide in external view if true.
autohide = false

[GTN_750_1.PANELS]
; display window if true.
visible = false
; show screen only gauge if true.
nobezel = true
; display type: WINDOW,PANEL2D,PANEL3D,PANELS
frame.type = PANELS
; display position and dimension (left,top,width,height)
frame.rect = 0,0,0,0
; screen only border size (pixels).
border.size = 0
; screen only border color (#RGB or #RGBA).
border.rgba = #000000
; enable mouse clickspots if true, disable if false (use SHIFT to override)
usemouse = true
; left mouse button on the screen toggles popup window if true (requires SHIFT+left mouse button).
popleft = false
; right mouse button on the screen toggles popup window if true (requires XP11.1).
popright = true
 

[RXP 2,338]

13 hours ago, jfwharton said:

[GTN_750_1.WINDOW]
; display window if true.
visible = false

 

13 hours ago, jfwharton said:

[GTN_750_1.PANELS]
; display window if true.
visible = false
; show screen only gauge if true.
nobezel = true
; display type: WINDOW,PANEL2D,PANEL3D,PANELS
frame.type = PANELS
; display position and dimension (left,top,width,height)
frame.rect = 0,0,0,0

no wonder you won't see anything! (see bold text above)

[jfwharton 50]

And why then is this happening and how can I correct it?  Initially the display in the GTN popup windows works but after two restarts of XP11 then it comes up blank, so something is causing those changes to blank out the window.  I haven't noticed this on other aircraft.

Edited January 16, 2020 by jfwharton

[RXP 2,338]

I'm not sure what is happening which would reset these entries to 0, especially the [ .PANELS] one, because it is a read-only section in the plugin (it never writes it except if missing in order to serve as a template for user modifications).

It is possible though because you are experiencing a 'lock up' there is something happening with the file buffers which get 'reset' somehow.

This is definitely something happening from time to time with some customers of the Carenado aircraft (mostly) but we've never been able to repro or track any particular reason. Could be anti-virus related as well for all we know.

At this stage, you might want to keep a copy of a configured ini file (just in case), or, use the "defaults.ini" facility documented in the RXP User's Manual so that you make sure if ever this file is erased the facility will recreate the values from scratch.

[jfwharton 50]

Thank you but if I can't get a fix for this then I just have to give up on using the GTN 750 with this aircraft.  The options you gave above are not sufficient unless they would automatically recreate the file.  I can make a backup of the file but to have to copy the backup and overwrite the ini file each time I want to fly the aircraft just wouldn't hack it.

[jfwharton 50]

I looked in the manual regarding the RealityXP.GTN.defaults.ini file.  All the manual says is to create a file but no other information.  Do I start the aircraft, set up the GTN 750 and then close down XP11, find the RealityXP.GTN.ini file and save it as RealityXP.GTN.defaults.ini?

[jfwharton 50]

So I checked one of my Carenado aircraft, the B1900D, which does not have GTN integration so I have to use the popup window.  The settings in the RealityXP.GTN.ini file are the same as in the MD80 file.  The settings you highlighted above.  So what is the story?  Because the GTN 750 works perfectly well on the B1900D.  Please keep in mind that neither of those aircraft have GTN 750 integration into the instrument panels.  The GTN 750 can only be used as a popup.

Update, I did bring up the MD80 and brought up the GTN 750 popup window.  Then exited XP11 with the popup window displayed.  Checking the ini file I saw that the line under 

[GTN_750_1.WINDOW]
; display window if true.
visible = false

was now

[GTN_750_1.WINDOW]
; display window if true.
visible = true.

So that part of the ini file only pertains to wether the popup window is displayed or not.

 

 

Edited January 17, 2020 by jfwharton

[RXP 2,338]

Hi,

I'd suggest you start with these:

1. Review the RXP GTN User's Manual "Aircraft Configuration" chapter to better understand the structure of the RealityXP.GTN.ini file.
2. Review the RXP GTN User's Manual "Integration Guidelines" chapter to better understand the use of the "defaults.ini" file.

The ini file is central to the integration and the configuration and these are the most important chapters to better understand what it is about.

By default the GTN is loading with default values if no ini file is present, and by default, it creates a default ini file and the few default sections if not present. If you've had a perfectly well configured ini file which reverted to default values upon exiting the sim or changing aircraft, this would occur only if there is a glitch with Windows handling files, or a bug in our code.

Like I've said this has happened already in the past for a few customers and mostly when using Carenado aircraft but we have not been able to repro nor to pinpoint the root cause. This is not happening for most our customers otherwise the forum would be flooded with support issues about this.

[jfwharton 50]

OK thank you for the information.  I am giving up on getting the GTN 750 to work with this aircraft.

[RXP 2,338]

7 minutes ago, jfwharton said:

I am giving up on getting the GTN 750 to work with this aircraft.

I'm hoping this is the sole aircraft causing any issue on your system and that you'll enjoy flying the GTN with most of your other aircraft.

Nevertheless, if this aircraft also has an FMC it would make it harder further down the line to fly it with the GTN because both would be essentially fighting each other to control the autopilot and the instruments, which is expected in this case.

You might want to get accustomed to the Reality XP GTN in different aircraft and over time, when you get confidence with the more in depth topics, you might want to revisit the integration with the MD80?

 

Edited January 17, 2020 by RXP

[jfwharton 50]

Thank you.  I have come to the conclusion that the issue is most likely caused by the Rotate MD80 having it's own FMS and not using the default X-Plane 11 FMS.  And that FMS is fighting with the GTN Simulation.exe file.  Well it's only one aircraft having this issue out of the many payware aircraft I have for X-Plane 11.  I have learned to use the FMS in this aircraft and now can fly it without any issues.  Will miss the GTN but I have it in most of my other aircraft.

[jfwharton 50]

What is frustrating is that the GTN 750 worked with this aircraft in an earlier version.  I just can't remember which one that was.  I had asked in another thread how to install a previous version but never got an answer.  When you uninstall the current version and install a previous one and then bring up the GTN 750 it still shows this same version.  So something is not being overwritten when I install a previous version of the GTN software.

[RXP 2,338]

Some of the product components are shared and stored in "C:\ProgramData\Reality XP". They are not uninstalled during automatic uninstallation otherwise this could break other products using the same components (namely: rxpGtnSim##.dll). The version number showing up in the GTN screen during POST is this component version. However, the gauge/plugin component could be a different version number.  Usually we update both the shared components and the simulator gauge/plugins at the same time with the same version number, at least, the same first 3 out of 4 (1.2.3.x). In addition, you can cross check the exact file version # in just looking at the first line of any RXP log file in "My Documents" (any file starting with 'rxp' most likely).

Please note: the installer only installs newer components on top of what you already have on the drive. To downgrade, you'd have to make sure the components are no longer present on the drive prior proceeding with the installation of an older version.