ZG862

No problem. Have you got it working now?

Just as a reminder, you need to set "console=1" in SimConnect.ini on the FSX machine.

Z

Sounds like a TrackIR problem rather than SimConnect but let's see. Best way is to switch the debug logging window on (see previous posts in this section) and then look for errors at the point of failure.

Z

You're welcome, Paul-Henri.

Sounds like a very interesting project you have.

It seems to me that as soon as one starts to experiment with non-trivial hardware, the integrated model found in FSX's architecture starts to break down a bit. In my prototype, I want the aircraft to always be where I left it (unless I explicitly choose differently from an instructor station) with systems updated to reflect such things as reduction in battery charge etc. This has necessitated playing around with the FLT files in the way I suggest above which seems to work well. My client application initialises separately from FSX, makes whatever changes I require to the file then copies it across the network to the FSX machine and after establishing a SimConnect connection (well, 3 connections actually) loads it. From what I could find out, most elements of the flight file can be changed dynamically using SimConnect functions but it just seems simpler to me to do the bulk of the work in the file. The bit I haven't yet figured out how to do is establish the simulator state programmatically, which doesn't matter so much at the moment but will become important to achieving fault tolerance.

Anyway, best of luck with your project. Look forward to hearing how it progresses.

Z

Hi Paul-Henri.

Can I ask what you are trying to achieve? It sounds a bit like you want to be flying along then have the surface textures change instantly - which seems a little odd. Do you have something a little more cunning in mind?

Also, I've never tried setting the date just before the season cut off and seeing what happens as the day changes. I suspect that FSX loads the season textures as the flight initialises and then sticks with what has been loaded, which may mean that dynamically changing in-flight is not possible. Like I said though, I've never tried it but would be interested to know the results. If it can change from day to night textures dynamically then perhaps this is the same?

Cheers,

Z

PS/ You can certainly load a new flight programmatically if that is your issue. Ask if you need more details as I'm doing this a lot at the moment.

Not sticking it on a remote machine in this way, no.

It may well be that there is a way to configure it so that it works on a remote machine but so many elements seem to be dependent on things it would access locally that I would be very surprised if it DID work just by copying the exe across. I'll defer to anyone who knows better of course, but there would seem to be far simpler ways to confirm that SimConnect is installed correctly - not least to install a mature application designed to reside remotely.

If you've got Office installed, I could probably write you a few lines of VBA that would do the trick.

Z

Hi Paul-Henri,

The season is held (amongst other places) in the .flt file. One way to change it is to use the Windows API's WritePrivateProfileString() function to write to the "Season=" entry in the "DateTimeSeason" section before you load the flight. I have yet to try to change season once the simulation is loaded and don't know if this is even possible (I suspect not but am happy to be corrected).

If you take a look in the variables section of the SDK documentation (located in the SDK folder of wherever you've installed the SDK and named "sdk overview.html") there are likely to be reference to date/time/season settings.

Cheers,

Z

Oh this is frustrating!

I see nothing wrong with that SimConnect.xml file. I wouldn't use that port number personally but it's a trivial thing - I read somewhere that 1200 was a good starting point.

So let me remind myself of the issue:

When you run AI Traffic.exe on the remote machine, you get a command prompt window opening and closing, right - with no indication that it is operating?

Having just tried the very same thing on my machine without FSX running on my remote server, this is exactly what I get and I KNOW SimConnect is working just fine on this machine, since I've been programming with it.

I'm having another a-ha! moment (no Morten jokes please).

What's to say that SimConnect is not working on your setup too?

Maybe AI Traffic needs a bunch of other stuff to run... More reading required. Watch this space.

Z 

[Edit: After a pause for reading]

Hmmm.

I find nothing in the help file (%SDK installation folder%\SDK\Environment Kit\Traffic Toolbox SDK\Traffic Toolbox.html) that indicates that it can/should run on a remote machine.

Am I missing something?

Z

Hi Ernie.

Not sure the OP reported a problem seeing his ac in Plan-G; If I've understood the root issue correctly, he seemed to be unable to run AI from a remote machine and suspected SimConnect to be the culprit.

I'd agree with you that the FSUIPC log seems to indicate that it is working correctly LOCALLY, although there has been nothing yet to confirm that "global" (i.e. across the network) operation is working.

My strategy was to establish that the server starts normally and to see it's address/port settings in the diagnostic window and then observe the attempted connection from the remote machine. Sadly, we've failed at the 1st hurdle since the dialog window doesn't display, despite the SimConnect.ini file being apparently configured for it to do so. This suggested to me that the server is not reading the .ini file for some reason (permissions?). The other option is the log file - but the settings for this are also in the .ini file so I'm not expecting that to work either.

The current line of investigating the SimConnect.XML file can show us the configured port for the global entry but I can't see how we can establish whether or not SimConnect is even starting (other than the apparent operation of Plan-G which I presume uses SimConnect through the local connection?). I suppose it should probably show up in Task Manager. Thoughts?

Z 

What a well constructed install log. He's good, that Pete Dowson.

But alas, I don't think this sheds a great deal of further light. The references to SimConnect seem entirely normal. The installer finds the SimConnect.XML file (in which the local port is specified) in the "\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX" folder and ascertains that there is an entry in it for the local FSUIPC to access.

What is doesn't say is if the SimConnect.XML file has a "global" entry - which sets the parameters for a remote machine to access this one.

Perhaps this is a good time to take a look at that SimConnect.XML file. Would you mind posting it?

Also, can you confirm that you are not logging in using the Administrator account?

Cheers,

Z

Dunno (99% sure they can co-exist happily) - but can we have a look at the install log?

Makes sense to me - just didn't realise SimConnect could do this.

Nevertheless, I'm still baffled by Fnav's issue with displaying the diagnostics window. Without this (or some debug output) I don't see how we're going to be able to work out which add-on is failing at which point. Since I've only ever experienced this functionality behaving itself as advertised, I'm struggling to come up with a theory of what may be going wrong.

The previous suggestion of mine relates to an application placing the SimConnect.dll in the Global Assembly Cache resulting in all .Net applications referencing the same version. I can imagine how this could cause problems within add-ons. However, Fnav reports that he's not using SE (the culprit in the thread on FSDeveloper) so I wonder if another add-on's installer (ASN?) might do the same thing??

If I get time I'll do some reading up on the GAC...

Z 

Hi Ernie.
 
<quote> I find that creating a separate SimConnect.cfg for each program [...etc] </quote>
 
How do you programs tell SimConnect.dll which SimConnect.cfg file to use?
 
Z

By way of an addendum I came across a thread on FSDeveloper (can't insert hyperlinks at the moment for some reason) that might indicate the cause of the problem.

Have you by any chance installed the Steam Edition? It seems that it does something in its installation that forces .Net programs to use a particular version of the SimConnect dll - which may be incompatible with FSXA.

Just a thought.

Z

Sadly, I am too at a loss and this is beyond my experience, so I'm hoping others may chip in with ideas at this point.

With regard to the AI traffic thing, the way I understand it is that the client application must refer to the SimConnect.dll library that it wishes to use. As you point out above, there may be multiple versions installed (in the WinSxS folders), each of which may communicate to FSX servers (potentially on different machines) using the parameters specified in the cfg file 

And yes I did mean the FSX menu.

The only other thing I can think to try is setting the ini file to produce an output file - but if the console isn't displaying then I can only think that the ini file is not being read.

Help! We need a grown up!

Hmm. Very odd. That is exactly the setting that controls the display of the debug window.

I can't understand why it wouldn't work unless that is not the SimConnect.ini that FSX is reading.

Please could you search your system to see if there is more than one SimConnect.ini on the FSX machine?

If there is not, could I trouble you to rename the one you have to SimConnect.ini.old and create a new one in Notepad/Wordpad containing just the top 3 lines? (not a very structured step I admit but I'm just trying to eliminate any reason why the file may not be being read). Then start FSX again and once the menu is displayed cycle through open windows to confirm the existence or otherwise of the window.

Z

Hi Fnav.

If you edit your SimConnect.ini on your main machine (server) you'll see a line that I would imagine presently reads "console=0" or maybe ";console=1". Change it to read "console=1" without the quotes or any traces of a semi-colon and save.

Setting the value like this will cause a little window to display when you start FSX. As it does so, the first lines written confirm the version of SimConnect running on the server. We're both expecting 61637, right?

When a client program tries to connect to the server, it sends an "Open" command, and this will show in the console.

If the client program starts and there is no "Open" line, then it's a fair bet that the client program is not configured correctly. Typically the local SimConnect.cfg contains has the wrong address for the server or is using the wrong port. This can happen if the .cfg file is using an IP address to refer to the server and the server gets its IP address from a DHCP server - i.e. it can change.

If the "Open" line is there, then we'll want to have a more detailed look at the output to see what is happening.

So:

1) Set the console on

2) Start FSX and take a look at the output

3) Start your 1st 3rd party add on and take a look at the output

4) Etc for each add on.

If SimConnect is the source of the problem then we'll know at this point.

Cheers,

Z

No problem. Shout when you're ready.

If you switch the SimConnect console window on, you'll see what version you're running at what happens (if anything) as you load your add-ons. Using Acceleration the version should be the same as mine (think it's 10.0.61637).

ASN freezing suggests it doesn't succeed in connecting to the server. If other things are, it suggests that the ASN configuration is the problem.   But that's for later.

Z

Hi Fnav,

It's probably best to start with some of the basics about what SimConnect is and then we can move on to sorting your problem.

FSX basically runs around in a loop checking the state of all sorts of stuff like your control positions, engine thrust, velocities and accelerations. It also runs any AI vehicles you have in the mix, worries about what the ground looks like from where you are looking, deals with the weather and a fair bit more besides.

Somehow in all of this it can also find time to tell interested external programs the state of various controls and sensors and respond to any input they may have.

The role of SimConnect is to provide this interface. When installed correctly, the SimConnect server hangs around waiting for external programs to introduce themselves. They do this using the SimConnect client program and its associated configuration files. These essentially tell the client program where the server is and which technique to use to talk to it (3 options are available). So, client program talks to SimConnect client an tells it to say to the server, "Hi, my name is X", to which the server (hopefully) replies "No error occurred when you asked me that". The client says stuff like "I'm interested in position, radio frequencies and outside temperature" and again, the server tends to respond "No error occurred" - which basically means "Gotcha!". Depending on the what was asked for or sent, the server may then periodically inform the client of changed data and/or when specific things happen. To make sure that this doesn't cause your FSX session to grind to a halt, it tends to do all this without showing you the user any indication that it is going on - unless you ask it specifically to do so.

So let's relate this to your situation.

Firstly we must check that the server has been installed correctly.

Next that the client has been installed and that it has been configured to talk to the server.

Then we need to know that your 1st 3rd party client connects to the server.

Finally we need to identify any add in that is NOT connecting and work out why.

Therefore, please can you give:

1) a summary of what you have installed over and above FSX (and the edition of that would be handy).

2) a list of the addins using SimConnect that you're trying to use

3) a summary of what is and is not working

Depending on what that tells us, I might then talk you through producing a SimConnect log file and we can investigate further.

Cheers,

Z

Welcome to the world of software... :Black Eye: :Broken Heart:

My point is that you don't appear to have a SimConnect error at all at this point, so I was asking the broader question of "what's not working?"

Z

To be honest, there is nothing to indicate that SimConnect isn't working perfectly now....

OK. Got the attachments.

That SimConnect log is totally different to the 1st.

It appears to show:

• The ASN config manager executable file loading
• FSUIPC library loading
• Elite library loading
• The active sky library loading
• Elite code setting up various event traps and maps to FSX events
• AS code doing the same
• FSUIPC setting up LOADS of data definitions and event traps
• Data flowing through to all the apps that have requested it

i.e. It looks very normal to me. No exceptions or failures showing in SimConnect. The SimConnect.cfg files seem fine and point to a machine on 192.168.1.4 which I assume is your FSX machine.

What do we have that now reports SimConnect not working? Any dialog box?

Cheers,

Z

Ok, we're getting somewhere. This is your exe.xml file: 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="WINDOWS-1252"?>
-<SimBase.Document version="1,0" Type="Launch">
<Descr>Launch</Descr>
<Filename>exe.xml</Filename>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<Launch.ManualLoad>False</Launch.ManualLoad>
-<Launch.Addon>
<Name>as_btstrp_config_manager</Name>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<Path>as_srv\as_btstrp_config_manager.exe</Path>
</Launch.Addon>
</SimBase.Document>

Save a copy, then edit this one in Notepad and change the line "<Launch.ManualLoad>False</Launch.ManualLoad>" to "<Launch.ManualLoad>True</Launch.ManualLoad>" then save and load FSX.

I'm expecting ASN to either work or prompt you for some stuff.

It probably won't do anything for other addons so refer to my previous post for further instructions.

Let me know how you get on.

Z

Hi Les,

Got the email and taken a long journey through the log file .

Here's what it shows (to me):

You're running SimConnect version 10.0.61259.0 - which I the same as I'm running (FSXA)

There's an error indicated which a little web searching says relates to use of Active Sky Next (ASN). Let me know if you are using this and you get an ASN error dialogue displayed when you start up.

"Elite FSX" successfully opens a connection to FSX and at some point seems to ask for duplicate data causing an exception.

Lots of successful data notifications are sent to Elite FSX.

However, no other exceptions show in the log and no other applications attempt to connect.

This doesn't seem to tally with your experience which makes me think:

1) Maybe the log doesn't relate to a period in time when the add ins you are having problems with are trying to connect or

2) Maybe the add ins are not trying to connect to this SimConnect server.

If the former then you just need to delete/rename the log file and run up FSX one more time along with every problematic add in. (And send me the new log)

If the latter, then I think we need to see the SimConnect.cfg file(s) from the machines running failing addins.

Shall we do both?

Moving forward.

Z

Edit: D'oh! Of course you're using ASN. I'm off to read a bit more about that error. Watch this space.

Hi Les,

Never seen FSE before so I took a quick look at their website (www.fseconomy.net if anyone else is interested). Interesting concept. Presumably uses SimConnect to capture your aircraft data and pass it to other players. I'd expect it to trigger a connection and do some event mapping when its client application loads. I'd expect its installer to either find an existing SimConnect.dll or install a new one and reference it. If it uses an IPv4 connection to FSX (most likely) then it's going to want to know the FIXED IP ADDRESS of your FSX machine if it is not the local machine (which it should be able to reference on 127.0.0.1).

But back to the point in hand: I can't tell what is going on without seeing the SimConnect log output.

On your FSX machine, logged in as the user you normally use, open Windows Explorer and go to \Documents\Flight Simulator X Files

Copy the SimConnect.cfg you find there to SimConnect.cfg.old (or some such name, so you have a backup in case we want to see what the old one said at some point in the future).

Edit SimConnect.cfg by opening it in a text editor e.g. Notepad.

Remove everything from it and edit so that it just reads:

[simConnect]

level=verbose

console=1

file=C:\MySimConnect.log

...and save it.

Start FSX. Load up your addins. Now close FSX.

You should now find a file called MySimConnect.log in the root folder of your C: drive. Paste it's contents here or mail it to me and we'll see what is going on.

Cheers,

Z

PS/ Just re-reading before adding, I'm wondering whether dynamic IP addressing may be the source of this issue. Let's dig further once we've taken a look at the log.