Hi there,

I am extremely impressed by this app. It is very good.

However, I have a frequent and repeating issue whereby during a flight, the controls set in AAO stop responding completely.

I’m fairly certain it’s an issue with MSFS2020, which doesn’t seem to keep focus very well.

I’ve tried restarting AAO, but the controls remain dead.

Just wondering if you have any thoughts on this?

10 hours ago, NigeUK23 said:

Just wondering if you have any thoughts on this?

Possibly incompatible controller soft-/hardware or an unstable USB connection.

In AAO go to "Hardware->Device Blacklist". Move everything into the list on the right with the "Ignore" button that you are not using in AAO. This includes all keyboards and mice, they must be blacklisted too. Restart the app after you did this.

Edited December 2, 20241 yr by Lorby_SI

Thanks for the reply.

Extraneous devices are already on the blacklist.

I will explore usb issues.

Although AAO sees the controllers during these outages and they operate as expected.
It’s just that msfs doesn’t react to them. These are all with previously working AAO profiles.

Edited December 2, 20241 yr by NigeUK23

Isn't it true that Simconnect is pausing when escaping to the Menu in MS2024 and causing some apps... including AAOs... to stop working/disconnect ?

1 hour ago, Maddog_777 said:

Isn't it true that Simconnect is pausing when escaping to the Menu in MS2024 and causing some apps... including AAOs... to stop working/disconnect ?

Yes. Active Pause also causes this. Also, MSFS is shockingly bad at keeping focus. I run fullscreen and without tabbing out at all, the game loses active focus at the drop of a hat. It’s possible that AAO loses the connection and then can’t get it back.

I’m using MSFS2020 but it would not surprise me to see the same issues ported over to the new version!

1 hour ago, NigeUK23 said:

Yes. Active Pause also causes this. Also, MSFS is shockingly bad at keeping focus. I run fullscreen and without tabbing out at all, the game loses active focus at the drop of a hat. It’s possible that AAO loses the connection and then can’t get it back.

I’m using MSFS2020 but it would not surprise me to see the same issues ported over to the new version!

In the standard configuration, SimConnect uses Pipes to talk to MSFS. Those don't depend on app focus. 
It is possible to screw this up a little bit by creating a SimConnect client configuration file that forces it to use the IP stack instead - that is easy(er) to interrupt, for example by AntiVirus or a Firewall.

But the most common cause of a SimConnect - disconnect is a so called "flood". In that case, the SimConnect API is overwhelmed by a massive amount of requests and simply decides to quit. It can also be compromised by multiple addons using the same SimConnect client ID - but the chances of that happening are very slim (albeit possible, I had this happen a few times in the past)

In your case, when the controls stop responding - is that only in the sim? Do the little black lines still move on the axis / LEDs light up on the buttons in AAO?

Edited December 3, 20241 yr by Lorby_SI

20 minutes ago, Lorby_SI said:

In your case, when the controls stop responding - is that only in the sim? Do the little black lines still move on the axis / LEDs light up on the buttons in AAO?

Yes, only in the sim. AAO still responds to the controls. Controls definitely stop working in Active Pause.

SimConnect being flooded with requests seems a likely cause though. I will have to monitor things in more detail.

7 minutes ago, NigeUK23 said:

SimConnect being flooded with requests seems a likely cause though. I will have to monitor things in more detail.

Check for Axis in "Continuous" mode, or endlessly repeating buttons or scripts. And the AAO logfiles. A handful of exceptions is OK, a massive amount is not. Also, if SimConnect becomes unstable, AAO will log that too. Plus, if there are too many problems, the main LED on the AAO window will turn yellow, then red - and the app disconnects and reconnects automatically. 

 

Edited December 3, 20241 yr by Lorby_SI

1 minute ago, Lorby_SI said:

Check for Axis in "Continuous" mode, or endlessly repeating buttons or scripts. And the AAO logfiles. A handful of exceptions is OK, a massive amount is not. Also, if SimConnect becomes unstable, AAO will log that too. Plus, if there are too many problems, the main LED on the AAO window will turn yellow, then red - and the app disconnects and reconnects automatically. 

Excellent. Thanks very much  for those tips. I will check all my configurations. I didn’t know that AAO logged SimConnect instability, so I will have a look at the logs too.

1 minute ago, NigeUK23 said:

Excellent. Thanks very much  for those tips. I will check all my configurations. I didn’t know that AAO logged SimConnect instability, so I will have a look at the logs too.

The thing with AAO is, that it isn't running just the one SimConnect client. Every core module has its own connection, which are programmed to recover from floods. That is why my first impulse goes to the USB devices. When in doubt, send the AAO logfile of a failed flight to the support address (last page of the manual). Please include your proof of purchase.

11 minutes ago, Lorby_SI said:

The thing with AAO is, that it isn't running just the one SimConnect client. Every core module has its own connection, which are programmed to recover from floods. That is why my first impulse goes to the USB devices. When in doubt, send the AAO logfile of a failed flight to the support address (last page of the manual). Please include your proof of purchase.

Understood. Will do.

21 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

In the standard configuration, SimConnect uses Pipes to talk to MSFS. Those don't depend on app focus. 
It is possible to screw this up a little bit by creating a SimConnect client configuration file that forces it to use the IP stack instead - that is easy(er) to interrupt, for example by AntiVirus or a Firewall.

But the most common cause of a SimConnect - disconnect is a so called "flood". In that case, the SimConnect API is overwhelmed by a massive amount of requests and simply decides to quit. It can also be compromised by multiple addons using the same SimConnect client ID - but the chances of that happening are very slim (albeit possible, I had this happen a few times in the past)

In your case, when the controls stop responding - is that only in the sim? Do the little black lines still move on the axis / LEDs light up on the buttons in AAO?

Hi Mr Lorby.

So we're at loggerheads here as all I'm concerned about is MSFS24.

I've had NO issues in 2020 either configuring my hardware OR using Streamdeck profiles that depend on various plugins, including AAOs.

Can I rest assured that 2024 WILL be fine with SD plugins and hardware when pausing the sim ? I've heard people ARE having issues.

Hopefully Adobo will work with devs to sort this out. I cannot envisage flightsim without my Streamdecks, especially given they cost me 500 bucks.

 

THNX.

16 minutes ago, Maddog_777 said:

Can I rest assured that 2024 WILL be fine with SD plugins and hardware when pausing the sim ? I've heard people ARE having issues.

I was working with simulator pause just the other day when updating my Time Machine app. I couldn't detect anything wrong with it (other than the PAUSE_TOGGLE SDK Event not working as expected). I was able to pause and unpause MSFS 2024 using SimConnect any time I wanted, not trouble at all.

No idea about "Active Pause" though, sorry.

16 minutes ago, Maddog_777 said:

Hopefully Adobo will work with devs to sort this out.

Doesn't have to be the sim. It is also possible that people have a SimConnect client running in their setup that can't handle sim pause, and is flooding the API with requests that can't be processed. You never know.

At the moment I can't see any "systematic" problem here. I haven't had related support requests either (except this thread, which strictly speaking isn't about Pause at all? )

Edited December 4, 20241 yr by Lorby_SI

16 minutes ago, Maddog_777 said:

Hi Mr Lorby.

So we're at loggerheads here as all I'm concerned about is MSFS24.

I've had NO issues in 2020 either configuring my hardware OR using Streamdeck profiles that depend on various plugins, including AAOs.

Can I rest assured that 2024 WILL be fine with SD plugins and hardware when pausing the sim ? I've heard people ARE having issues.

Hopefully Adobo will work with devs to sort this out. I cannot envisage flightsim without my Streamdecks, especially given they cost me 500 bucks.

 

THNX.

1. Please don’t hijack my thread. Make your own.

2. You were lucky with FS2020 - In my experience pause and active pause in FS2020 causes hardware and software addons to be paused or to disconnect.

3. I thinks it’s very unreasonable to expect 3rd party devs to provide free updates for a new sim. FS2024 is a new product and its developers are charging full price to purchase it. Why should 3rd party devs update their products for no charge?
Also, what makes anyone think that 3rd part devs have any inkling about the technical backend of FS2024?
FS2020 is still buggy and unfinished after more than 4 years of tweaks and updates. 24 has only just been released, so expect the same journey as with 2020.