Gypsy Baron

Still not able to connect to the A2A sight here in the US. The only reports I have seen of successful connects have been by folks in Europe. Paul (2000 UTC)

Nick, It seems the site is still off line. And for what it is worth, I am seeing 'long SSL response time' on a couple of other sites that I visit. One is Wells Fargo Bank. So, it may be that the A2A hosting service may be chasing their tail trying to fix something that is broken outside their realm. Paul

Thanks for the update Nick. I just sent off an email to the webmaster in panic!! Paul

If you have OrbX EU installed you won't see the stutters at CLN. It happens with Vector installed but not EU. ,I posted this issue on the OrbX forums over a year ago but nothing has been done to address it. I even told them what BGL file was causing the stutters. As for the NorCal/SouthCal I don't have many problems with Northern CA but Southern CA is unusable. Every few miles I was getting 3,4,5 second pauses flying mostly up the coast. Just too many stutters to even think about trying to isolate the problems so I just never enable it. Paul

Glad I could help, then and now :) Paul

cvx_FTX_EU_ENG_water_4813 I reported that issue over a year ago and there has been no reply or effort by OrbX to fix the problem. If one has the OrbX EU area, you will not experience the problem. The problem is in the file " "4813_WTR_Waterbodies.bgl" found in the OrbX\FTX_Vector\FTX_VECTOR_CVX\scenery folder. When the EU region is installed that file is not used. Instead a file named "cvx_FTX_EU_ENG_water_4813.bgl" is ued in that area and does not have any issues. Paul

The biggest pluses for me regarding FSUIPC is the ability to have 'conditional' control assignments, thus having a single switch operate any number of controls/switches. Additionally, the Lua script facility adds a great deal of power to the capabilities of FSUIPC. My Saitex dual throttle quads have 12 switches (not counting the 'detent' switches on the axis) and I use 2 of those switches to change the value, up or down,of a user-defined offset which acts as the 'conditional' portion of the control assignments for the other10 switches. Think of that as being analogous to the 'Mode' switch on various controllers. Those are usually limited to 3 modes where the system I use the number of 'modes' is virtually unlimited. In practice, I believe the maximum number of 'modes' for an aircraft is 10. (The equivalent of 100 assignable switches) Most are around 5 to 8 modes. With so many assignments to each of the 10 switches, I use a Lua script to display the assignments for the current mode when I change modes, or when I hit F10. The length of time the display remains is settable from 1 second up. I usually have the displays set to 3 to 4 seconds. In most aircraft I can go from cold& dark to in the air, cleaned up and trimmed just by selecting the 'modes' and operating the appropriate switches. I also use Lua scripts to display the trim value for 1 second each time I change one of the trim axis. There are several PDF files in the Modules/FSUIPC Documents folder that covers the capabilities of the program. Here is a JPG of one of my control assignment setups for the A2A B-17G: Paul

Pete Dowson has stated that he will not be developing a FSUIPC addon for FSW. He is, however, developing a new FSUIPC5 x64 for P3D x64. There is more to FSUIPC4 that just assigning buttons/switches. Much more. There is access (with the registered version) to all the FSX offsets. Those that can be written are accessible as well as all that are read only. There is also a range of 'user-defined' offsets that can be used to create complex conditional control assignments among myriad other uses. There is the ability to define L:variables which then appear in the FSUIPC4 assignment menus so that one can assign switches/key strokes to send parameters to those L:Vars. Then there is a most powerful capability built in to FSUIPC4 which is the Lua implementation. Again, access directly to offsets and L:Vars. Simple and easy to implement. My current FSUIPC4 implementation for the 'aircraft specific' assignments and special functions runs to over 7500 lines in the ini file. I make heavy use of conditional assignments where 10 switches handle over 100 assignments for each of my more complex aircraft. Very little mouse or keyboard activity is needed with my setup. Most everything is handled by those 10 switches. In many cases, a single button/switch activation simultaneously operates 3 or 4 controls on some of my aircraft. (engine select, primer select, fire extinguisher set, starter activated is one example) I also have unique as well as 'common' Lua scripts for each aircraft. I have 100's of hours of work invested in my FSX setup using FSUIPC4 and Lua. Pete has said that the new P3D version will afford the same functionality as the current FSX version and that my 7500+ lines in my INI file can simply be moved over, as is! I do not see that level of integration happening with FSW and certainly not a simple 'copy over' of current configuration files, And I have seen no mention of Lua scripts in any FSW discussions. Without the ability to customize my installation to the extent I currently have and not spending 100's of hours again to do so, I'm afraid the only path to the 64-bit flight sim world in via P3D. Paul

No FSUIPC is a deal breaker for me as well! Without the ability to customize the assignment of controls/switches/buttons and to run Lua scripts, I won't be a customer of this endeavor. Paul

Another thought. Are you running FSX 'as Administrator'? The logbook.bin is in your Documents folder and there should not be a permissions issue but it doesn't hurt to try the run as admin. I sure can't think of what else may be involved here as any time in the past that someone had those 'hung on the splash screen' it was due to the editing of the logbook and subsequent corruption. You might try Googling those symptoms and see what pops up. Paul

You aren't editing the logbook from within FSX are you? There is a serious flaw with the edit function for the logbook in FSX and can cause it to become corrupt, ending in the same symtoms you are seeing. Usually the issue doesn't occur if one only edits the vary LAST entry but editing any ofther entry is a sure way to get a corrupt logbook.bin file. Paul

I have my FSX on my "X:" drive, Addon Scenery is on my "J:" drive while some aircraft are on my "Y:" drive. Orbx is on my "O:" drive and some scenery is located on my "Z:" drive. It's really up to you as to where you put stuff, as long as FSX 'allows it'. IMO Scenery, which gets accessed the most should definitely be on a fast drive/partition. If everything your FSX stuff fits on the two SSD drives then you probably do not need to divide stuff up any more than you have already indicted. I spread my stuff around as a convenient way of organizing all the various parts of my FSX install with an eye on what goes to the SSD's and what goes to fast hard drives. With OrbX, drive space is the driving force. More than 100 GB of stuff there so I have that on a suitably sized partition on one of my SSD's and mount that drive in the EMPTY OrbX folder in the FSX folder. I use that method for the Addon Scenery as well, The 'mounted drive' must be dedicated to the files that would normaly be in the default folder in FSX and be at the root of that drive. Paul

I had originally put the low FLAK and AAA at the Mohne, Eder and the Sorpe, I removed the 'protection' for that in a later update. The 91st flies the mission in Lancasters with a 'makeshift wooden bomb sight'. Our flight plan takes us to the Mohne and Eder dams from RAF Scampton. That air base scenery was created for this mission. Here are a couple of JPGs of the attack run flight segments: ; I'll get back to you on the files for the mission via a PM. And Paul, yes I am in Oz at the moment. Sydney to be specific. I needed a couple of weeks of 'summer' to escape the cold, rainy San Francisco winter! I will PM you as well with the Operation Chastise files. Paul

Paul, The 91st Bombarment Group flies that mission pretty much every year. I created some additional low level FLAK and AAA with tracers to 'protect' a couple of the dams. I forget which now, and I am 'down under' for a couple of weeks and on my laptop so I may not be able to pull out the files and make them available. I'll look into this a bit later. Paul

I'm not really sure as I never use an external weather engine, although I have two or three. My guess would be that the external weather engine will 'take over' and the saved WX will be discarded. I have found that using the default FSX menu item 'World \ Weather' , it is an easy exercise to create custom weather for each or all weather stations along your intended route. I usually start by using the "All weather stations" option and set some global weather parameters. Then I select the "A specific weather station' and set unique weather for those stations along my route. Paul

Saving a flight also saves a .WX file which is the weather. I do not know why you are not seeing the weather conditions that existed when you saved the flight as I know that a saved .flt with a .wx will reload with the correct weather. For my multiplayer needs with the 91st Bombardment Group on our missions, I create custom weather for the entire mission route then save the flight. I do this while sitting at our takeoff field. I then distribute the .WX file to all the pilots prior to the mission. They create a saved flight at their assigned parking spaces then substitute the .WX file that is created with the WX file that I distributed. On mission day we all have the same winds, cloud conditions, etc. So, bottom line is I don't know why what works for our group does not work for you. Paul

As I mostly fly multiplayer, I too am awaiting the update that will show 'AI' traffic aka 'multiplayer traffic'. Paul

Look at the MD-83, which I believe is an FSX default AI aircraft. In the MD-83 folder is a "soundai" folder. In that folder is a file "soundai.cfg" In that file you find: [fltsim] alias=B737_800\soundai This is pointing to the default B737_800 soundai folder. That is the structure you need but the "alias=" path can be to whatever aircraft 'sound' or 'soundai' folder you have and wish to use for the AI aircraft in question. Paul

In flew the below legs in the A2A B-17G as part of the 91st Bombardment Group's "Hop Program". A series of 135 hops designed to familiarize new members with the operation of that aircraft and to hone formation flying skills. We always fly 'real time' and I personally always stay in the VC except for head calls and a trip to the kitched for more coffee. I have flown all of these legs more than once. Initially after I first joined the 91st a few years back, and subsequently to accompany other new pilots on their hops as various phases require a minimum of 2, 3 or 4 B-17s in formation. SBFZ - GOOY Pinto Martins Intl. - Leopold Sedar Senghor 1674 NM KMCF - KALW MacDill AFB - Walla Walla Regl. 2009 SRF - PHJR Hamilton - Kalaeloa (John Rodgers Field) 2091 JON - PKWA Johnston Atoll - Bucholz AAF 1413 RODN - PWAK Kadena AB - Wake Is. 2185 PHNL - PADK Honolulu Intl. - Adak 2030 The longest flight time was approximately 12 1/2 hours. My current A2A B-17G has over 1700 hours on it The lowest time engine (#2) has more then 1500 hours on it. Paul

Somewhere out there is a little utility that will grab your FSX serial number. I can't remember what it is called or where I got it but someone here, or in the Google world, should have the info. Paul

FYI, I get G3D errors, trapped by FSUIPC4, around the area of UKBA, Duxford, Stansted. I am pretty certain that these errors are caused by scenery elements as they always occur in that area. I haven't taken the time to fly test patterns to try to pinpoint the actual position of the error-causing elements yet. I just don't have time to do that at the moment. I have OrbX EU plus Global and Vector installed and run in Hybrid mode so I believe the active scenery reverts to the EU scenery. I do have several custom airports installed as well so one or more of those may be causing the issues. I have REX soft clouds installed but I am almost certain that these are not causing the G3D errors sine, on my system, they are area specific. I suggest running FSUIPC4 in FSX. That SHOULD trap the G3D errors, preventing a crash. The FSUIPC4.log file will show if any G3D errors were trapped along with a time stamp that might prove useful in tracking down where in the flight you encountered the error(s). Paul

FSX and FSX:SE can not co-exist in a multiplayer environmemnt. In 'fixing' multiplayer, DoveTail broke the 'Direct Connect' feature of FSX, which works just fine but apparently they want peopleo only use their MP servers and the old gamespy connect approach. Anyone that uses other servers such as DigitalThemePark can only do so with a genuine FSX install. FSX:SE won't hack it. Dovetail also apparently changed the sim connect code with respect to multiplayer thus making it incompatible with FSX, thus the problem that the two 'versions' of FSX...real FSX and FSX:SE can not co-exist online. For me that makes FSX:SE unusable so I'll stay with FSX although I have SE also installed under a 2nd user account but haven't launched it since 2 days after installing it. Paul

You can move scenery anywhere you wish, as you must 'tell FSX' where it is when you activate a folder in the Scenery Library. One could edit the scenery.cfg file to add the new paths or you could rename your 'old' scenery.cfg and then move the scenery. Let FSX build a new scenery.cfg and then go about adding all the folders to the new Scenery Library. I've done both in the past. If all you want to do is move your entire 'Addon Scenery' folder you could move it to th ROOT of a new empty drive or partition reserved exclusively for scenery and then MOUNT that drive or partition into the EMPTY 'Addon Scenery' folder in the FSX directory. I have done that operation with m\y Addon Scenery, now residing on my "J:" drive (FSX is on my" X": drive) as well as my OrbX scenery, now on my "O:" drive. That removed over 1.5GB from my FSX folder Another thing I do is swap scenery.cfg files...cfg's tailored for a given region or type of flying. I keep several scenery.cfg files in the default location with descriptive names. Europe_scenery.cfg, USA_scenery.cfg, Missions_scenery.cfg, etc . When I want to change scenery cfg files I simply open the desired cfg file in Notepad and then do a 'Save as' operation or simply remove the prefix leaving 'scenery.cfg' and save that, overwriting the last used file. Do this BEFORE you launch FSX to avoid any anomalies. Another thing to do is disable any and all photos cenery if you do not intend to fly in those areas. FSX loads them by default whether you fly there or not, impacting your VAS. Paul

You are welcome. Here are 3 JPGs that I annotated a long time ago explaining how the HotKeySelect assignments and the FSX Control Menu relate. Hope those help to clarify the operation. Paul

I use CameraDefinition entries in my aircraft.cfg file to define the left, right and one other view. I then assign them to FSX views via the HotKeySelect statements added to the CameraDefinition entries. On my X-45 stick, I assign the 4 views VC (F9), the left, right and other views to the #2 hat switch. A flick of the thumb changes the views instantaneously. Very easy to implement and add to all your aircraft. I use the 'other' view as an aircraft-specific assignment. It might be 'over the cowl' for a good view while taxiing or a closeup of the instrument panel. I use TrackIR so the left/right cameras are usually down and left, down and right to see controls on the sides of the cockpit in my single engine aircraft or the right seat and two other views in my multi-engine aircraft.. TIP 'takes care' of looking left or right In the A2A B-377 I used the CameraDefinitions to move me to the FE Station, the right seat and the Navigators position. Here are my definitions for the B-377: [CameraDefinition.001] Title = "Co-Pilot" Guid = {8ff6c134-098d-409f-baec-caba3f683f98} Origin = Virtual Cockpit MomentumEffect = YES SnapPbhAdjust = Swivel SnapPbhReturn = False PanPbhAdjust = Swivel PanPbhReturn = False Track = None ShowAxis = YES AllowZoom = TRUE InitialZoom = 0.5 SmoothZoomTime = 2.0 ZoomPanScalar = 1.0 ShowWeather = Yes XyzAdjust = TRUE ShowLensFlare=TRUE Category = Cockpit PitchPanRate=100 HeadingPanRate=100 InitialXyz=0.99, 0.0, 0.0 InitialPbh=20, 0, 0 HotKeySelect=5 [CameraDefinition.002] Title = "Flight Engineer" Guid = {BBCB4E9C-ECF6-4c6c-AD83-C16084DC0B10} Origin = Virtual Cockpit MomentumEffect = YES SnapPbhAdjust = Swivel SnapPbhReturn = False PanPbhAdjust = Swivel PanPbhReturn = False Track = None ShowAxis = YES AllowZoom = TRUE InitialZoom = 0.4 SmoothZoomTime = 2.0 ZoomPanScalar = 1.0 ShowWeather = Yes XyzAdjust = TRUE ShowLensFlare=TRUE Category = Cockpit PitchPanRate=100 HeadingPanRate=100 InitialXyz=0.5, 0.0, -1.17 //InitialPbh=20, 0, 30.0 InitialPbh= 0, 0, 35.0 HotKeySelect=6 [CameraDefinition.003] Title = "Radionavigator" Guid = {515136DD-1A45-47c9-AF8D-C749BEEFA8C3} Origin = Virtual Cockpit MomentumEffect = YES SnapPbhAdjust = Swivel SnapPbhReturn = False PanPbhAdjust = Swivel PanPbhReturn = False Track = None ShowAxis = YES AllowZoom = TRUE InitialZoom = 0.4 SmoothZoomTime = 2.0 ZoomPanScalar = 1.0 ShowWeather = Yes XyzAdjust = TRUE ShowLensFlare=TRUE Category = Cockpit PitchPanRate=100 HeadingPanRate=100 //InitialXyz=0.1, -0.3, -2.5 InitialXyz=-0.2, -0.40, -2.3 //InitialPbh=7, 0, 263.0 InitialPbh=-15, 0, 275.0 HotKeySelect=7 usually all you need to do to customize a view is tweak the InitialXyz and InitialPbh values. Paul