TCalc2004 v2 -- Unusual Problem

[Guest The_Sarge]

Did a search on the forum topics, but didn't find this question or anything even close to it. I use XML to place all sorts of objects, and even create exclusions. One of the programs I want to use is Richard Ludowise's TCalc2004 v2 -- from the looks of it, it's exactly what I need to get the precise positons of the max/min Lats and Lons to define the excludes in XML.But I'm having a problem. D/L of the file (from AVSim, of course) was nominal, no problems. Unzipping the files into a dedicated directory, also nominal. Copying FDSConnection.dll into the FS9/Modules folder -- again, nominal (date/time stamp on the file and file size verified with original, no problem). However, when I start up FS9 in windowed mode, slew to the location I need the coordinates for, then open TCalc2004 in "always on top" mode, I get lats and lons that have absolutely no relationship to the actual position (i.e, Lat 43 comes out Lat -104, Lon -70 comes out Lon -3); and the ground elevation TCalc2004 shows goes as high at 16.75 million meters!!!!!!Can post screenshots of the process if anyone is familiar enough with this program to maybe offer some suggestions. Email'd Richard and described the problem; he's never heard of anyone having this particular problem. I'm running FS9.1, but so is Richard and he gets normal operation.Any ideas? Have done complete unload/re-install five separate times into five separate directories, using various paths -- same results.

[Guest Crashgate3]

I couldn't get TCalc working either. I was losing my mind until someone posted this:http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho..._id=25674&page=It adds 4 decimal places to the lat/long coordinates when you slew, instead of 2, giving you 100 times the accuracy.Also I've found, when using the slew to get coords, if you hit F1 to move your plane up above the camera it leaves only the red crosshair, and press R then '-' 4 times to lower the time acceleration to 1/4 of the speed, you get much more precise control over the slew.

[rhumbaflappy 113]

Hi Sarge.I just downloaded the program, reinstalled the module, and tested it. It works fine.What may be happening is that some other addon module may be interfering with the output. I've never had that happen, and that shouldn't happen, but you never know.It's odd 2 people couldn't get it working. It's a very simple program to operate.

[GHD 21]

Hi Dick,I know another person who couldn't get TCalc2004 to work see http://www.visualflight.co.uk/forums/topic...Terms=tcalc2004I created a very simple MFC program using FSUIPC and your code and this works for him.We never figured out why TCalc didn't work.George

[Guest The_Sarge]

It's VERY odd .... logically, it makes no sense whatsoever that it isn't working. I've been in contact with Richard and there's never been (reported to him, anyway) a problem like this; I'm in contact with another designer who is using it seamlessly. I know when the patch to FS9 came out, Peter had to update the FSUIPC for it to work correctly; but Richard is running FS9.1 as well and it's working for him.The coordinates I'm trying to pin down are in the Lat 43/Lon -70 area and the airport elevation is 30.48m. But TCalc2004 consistently gives me -105 to -114 Lat and anything from -3 to -10 Lon, with an elevation between 15km and 1600km high.Oh, well; back to the drawing board, I guess.

[Holger 0]

Howdy,odd indeed - never had any problems with TCalc either. Perhaps try removing any other add-on modules from your Modules folder while working with it?Another simple way at getting at coordinates that can be copied and pasted is to switch to the Map view; it'll give you the current lat/long though not with the same precision as TCalc. Similarly, using AFCAD as a coordinate display tool would work too.Cheers, Holger

[scott967 62]

Or, get file tdfcalc2004.zip. This one has TDFCalc2004 V3 which works with FSUIPC 3.45 and includes the reg key to enter in the FSUIPC key file if you don't have a registered FSUIPC.dll. This version works fine for me, but of course YMMV. I don't recall all the hisotry, but I think tcalc2004 was designed to get away from FSUIPC and use the FDSConnect module instead. Tcacl2004 does provide a lot more info, but for lat/long/height ISTM that TDFCalc2004 will do the job if the FDSConnect isn't getting the job done for you. Unfortunately, Dick's "readme" files don't always give a lot of insight into the history of the different versions, but seeing how vital his work has been to the community, I certainly won't complain.scott s..

[Guest The_Sarge]

>Or, get file tdfcalc2004.zip. This one has TDFCalc2004 V3>which works with FSUIPC 3.45 and includes the reg key to enter>in the FSUIPC key file if you don't have a registered>FSUIPC.dll. This version works fine for me, but of course>YMMV. I don't recall all the hisotry, but I think tcalc2004>was designed to get away from FSUIPC and use the FDSConnect>module instead. Tcacl2004 does provide a lot more info, but>for lat/long/height ISTM that TDFCalc2004 will do the job if>the FDSConnect isn't getting the job done for you. >>Unfortunately, Dick's "readme" files don't always give a lot>of insight into the history of the different versions, but>seeing how vital his work has been to the community, I>certainly won't complain.>>scott s.>.>Thanks, scott s.; will do. I've been over the setup for TCalc2004 two dozen times in the past 24 hours. Everything says it should be working, but it just isn't. Even tried it with a default aircraft in the scenry instead of the payware I usually fly -- same garbaged coords/elev. Took a reading in Mexico City, Calgary, Tokyo, Buenos Aires -- same thing, wrong coords and airport elevation in millions of meters. The bar across the top of the TCalc screen says it's connected via FDSConnection, but the data coming back isn't anywhere in FS9, so it can't be connected.Will try tdfcalc2004 ....

[rhumbaflappy 113]

Hi Sarge.Are you using a NoCD FS9 EXE? Or do you use a regional language setup for Windows that is NOT US english?I don't believe it's Tcalc, or it wouldn't run at all... it only gives odd data. I think it must be the output from the module that is the problem.Jim Keir's LWMViewer also can use FDSConnection.dll, so it can be used as a test if you remove all other addon modules from the Modules directory first.Dick

[Guest The_Sarge]

Nope; CD in the CD-ROM drive. English, too.I finally gave up on it and just started doing the conversions myself. (AFCAD2 lat N43 17.1565, or DD:MM.mmmm -- divide 17.1565 by 60 and add the result as fraction of degrees -- produces 43.2859416 (DD.ddddddd) and it works fine with the XML I write.)There is one other possibility I haven't looked at yet, and that is determining what TCalc uses as decimal points. If it's the standard period (.), then that isn't the issue because my set-up is also based on that character. However, in some parts of the world, the decimal point is expressed by a comma (,); and if that's how TCalc is set up, then it will definitely produce erroneous numbers. I don't think that's the case, though; I have several other folks that do design work, and all but one of them have TCalc up and running fine; just me and the other guy are having (basically) the same problem and have gone to other methods.But from what I can see of the program, if it works on your system, it's an ideal tool for getting precise locations and elevations.