Installing Pilot2ATC to work with MSFS 2020

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 870]

To use P2A with MSFS 2020, you must install the latest FSUIPC7 beta.  The process to do that has been simplified, so here are the steps that worked for me:

Setting Up FSUIPC for MSFS 2020

• Download FSUIPC v7 beta.  This link has details and a link to the software:
• Pete & John Dowson's Software (fsuipc.com)
• Unzip the FSUIPC7 file to a folder of your choice.  It does not need to go into a subfolder of MSFS.
• If you are a current user of FSUIPC and have customized files from release version of FSUIPC, you can copy the files like (FSUIPC.ini, .lua,.dll etc files to the new folder)

You have now installed FSUIPC7 and should not have to do the above steps again.

You can set FSUIPC7 up to launch automatically when you launch MSFS or you can have FSUIPC launch MSFS for you.

You can start Pilot2ATC at any time.  Just don't connect until after MSFS is up and running and you are in the cockpit!

Now, each time you start MSFS and want to use P2A with it, you should do the following

• Start start FSUIPC7 and let it Start MSFS or, if you set it up correctly, Start MSFS and let it launch FSUIPC7
• Turn off ATC in MSFS so it doesn't interfere with P2A
• After MSFS is completely up and running, you can connect Pilot2ATC

Settings to Turn Off in MSFS

The following settings should be turned off in MSFS so its features do not interfere with Pilot2ATC:

Options -> Assistance->Piloting->Delegate ATC To AI - OFF
Options -> Assistance->Navigation Aids->Route & Waypoints - OFF
Options -> Assistance->Navigation Aids->Taxi Ribbon = OFF
Options -> Assistance->Navigation Aids->Landing Path - OFF
Options -> Assistance->User Experience->ATC UI Panel Open at Start - OFF
Options -> Assistance->User Experience->Show Message Log in ATC Menu- OFF
Options -> Assistance->User Experience->ATC Voices - OFF

Have Fun!

Here's a video on how to set up Pilot2ATC with MSFS 2020 that Clumsy Geek made. 

Thanks Clumsy!

 

Here's a very nice "Quick Start" from Filbert that you might find useful.  Thanks Filbert!

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by Dave-Pilot2ATC
Added another video

[vp49p3 216]

You are a jewel.  Thanks.

[DocPadds 15]

Once they fix the simconnect issue that causes frame drop, i will be trying this but on WideFS 🙂

 

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 870]

Yes, I've done a little testing and it seems that cranking up FSUIPC7, which uses SimConnect, MSFS starts stuttering....big time.  Of course, those of you with MEGA machines may not notice it.😁

[Adrian123 1,015]

It will absolutely KILL performance. Same for anything like Littlenavmap that uses simconnect!

 

[DocPadds 15]

Just now, Adrian123 said:

It will absolutely KILL performance. Same for anything like Littlenavmap that uses simconnect!

 

I have LittleNavMap set to 2 second updates and no multiplayer etc and it works without noticeable stutter

 

[Adrian123 1,015]

5 minutes ago, DocPadds said:

I have LittleNavMap set to 2 second updates and no multiplayer etc and it works without noticeable stutter

 

Not me! Perhaps because im using navconnct in a network which uses simconnect. Very stuttering unless shutting it down. Been stated, anything using Simconnect will cause stutters.

 

[DocPadds 15]

1 hour ago, Adrian123 said:

Not me! Perhaps because im using navconnct in a network which uses simconnect. Very stuttering unless shutting it down. Been stated, anything using Simconnect will cause stutters.

 

Thats how i am using it, LNM is on this PC I am on right now using the remote connector.

 

[Adrian123 1,015]

Just tried LNM on sim computer. Stuttering badly.

 

Edited August 20, 2020 by Adrian123

[snomhf 14]

6 hours ago, Dave-Pilot2ATC said:

To use P2A with MSFS 2020, you must install the latest FSUIPC7 beta.  The process to do that is not totally intuitive, so here are the steps that worked for me:

Setting Up FSUIPC for MSFS 2020

 

Yea!!!!!!!!

Long live Pilot2ATC!!

[Pete Dowson 558]

19 hours ago, Dave-Pilot2ATC said:

• Place MSFS into developer mode on the main MSFS setup menu.  This will allow you to download the MSFS 2020 SDK.  Even if you will never develop anything, you have to download this package.
• Download and install the MSFS SDK which includes SimConnect.dll file you need for FSUIPC7
  • In MSFS 2020, Click Help -> Download SDK in the developer menu
  • That will open a web browser and start the SDK installer download
  • When the download is complete, your security software might try and block it because it is an executable .msi file.  Tell Windows to allow it.  How you do this will depend on your specific security software and settings.
  • Run the installer file. MSFS_SDK_Installer_0.5.1.0.msi The installer will install the SDK.  The default folder is C:\MSFS SDK\SimConnect SDK\lib
  • The SimConnect DLL file is the only one you need out of the SDK.  It can be located in the default folder highlighted above. 

None of that is needed with the latest version of FSUIPC7. ASOBO actually released the static library the day after the release, and so it is now built into FSUIPC. Download the current FSUIPC7 and delete the Simconnect.DLL you placed in its folder.

Oddly enough they also gave permission for us to include SimConnect.DLL in our packaging, nor that we no longer need it! 😉

16 hours ago, Dave-Pilot2ATC said:

I've done a little testing and it seems that cranking up FSUIPC7, which uses SimConnect, MSFS starts stuttering....big time.  Of course, those of you with MEGA machines may not notice it.😁

Yes. this affects ALL SimConnect applications. It's very annoying as the last Beta we received worked fine, still smooth, even with several client applications. Developers never saw a release candidate.

Pete

 

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 870]

14 minutes ago, Pete Dowson said:

None of that is needed with the latest version of FSUIPC7. ASOBO actually released the static library the day after the release, and so it is now built into FSUIPC. Download the current FSUIPC7 and delete the Simconnect.DLL you placed in its folder.

Pete,

Thanks for the update.  Do you have a link to the latest FSUIPC7?  

Thanks,

Dave

[Pete Dowson 558]

7 minutes ago, Dave-Pilot2ATC said:

Do you have a link to the latest FSUIPC7?  

Same as before. Links are in the Announcement:

https://forum.simflight.com/topic/90193-fsuipc7-beta-for-msfs/

Pete

 

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 870]

Thanks Pete.  I was confused because that's the link I used yesterday and it required the SIMConnect.dll to be installed...but I can affirm it has been updated and you do not need the SIMConnect.dll file anymore.

Thanks again,

Dave

[Pete Dowson 558]

31 minutes ago, Dave-Pilot2ATC said:

I was confused because that's the link I used yesterday and it required the SIMConnect.dll to be installed.

Yes. I always put the version number or similar in the filename, so the links would be different each time. John prefers to do it differently. And he doesn't tend to update version numbers for Beta releases, so you might only see the date of the build changing. (I used to run out of version numbers, as with "FSUIPC3.999z9", so I can't blame him, especially with something like MSFS which, hopefully, will be evolving rapidly).

Pete