Unable to Install on Wireless Network

[jhkaye]

I downloaded and installed Plan-G on a computer running under Windows XP.  The installation appeared to work OK and I have the yellow airplane icon.  However, the Home, Map, and View icons are grey and cannot be selected.  According to the manual, the File tab should have other options, such as Open, Save As, Print, Help, and Options, as well as Exit.  I don't see any of these.  When I select the Build Database option, can create a database for FSX from Drive E, but really want to create it from my network Drive G.  My goal is to run FSX from my Alienware Aurora PC, and view the flight plan and moving map... from my Dell PC operating under Windows XP.  I have created a network Drive G, and accessed the files on the Aurora, but need to create the database from files on the Aurora, not from drive E on the Dell PC.

I do not have FSX currently installed on the Dell PC.  I was planning to use FSUIPC since I have a licensed copy, but could try using SimConnect if that is preferred.  At this time I'm not sure how to proceed.

Jim Kaye

[tim arnot]

Install it onto your FS PC, build the database there and then copy the contents of the Plan-G\Data folder across to your other install. The full set of menus will not be available until you have built a database.

[jhkaye]

I installed Plan-G on my FSX computer (Alienware Aurora, Win 7 Home Premium), and it worked great! :)  However, my goal is to run Plan-G on another networked computer running under Windows XP.  Copied the Data folder to the networked PC, which allows me to enter the Options.  So far so good.  Then attempted to modify the SimConnect.xml file using notepad for what should be the correct settings for SimConnect in network mode IPv6.  Using 192.168.0.196, which is the IP address for the Aurora running FSX, and using Port 4506.  When I try to connect on the networked PC, it says 'Unable to connect to flight simulator.'  The FS Connection settings on the networked PC are: Network Mode IPv6, FSX computer 192.168.0.196, server port 4506.  The SimConnect.xml file is as follows:

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252" ?>
- <SimBase.Document Type="SimConnect" version="1,0">
  <Descr>SimConnect</Descr>
  <Filename>SimConnect.xml</Filename>
  <Disabled>False</Disabled>
- <SimConnect.Comm>
  <Disabled>False</Disabled>
  <Protocol>IPv6</Protocol>
  <Scope>link-local</Scope>
  <MaxClients>64</MaxClients>
  <Address>fe80::d4fa:3ac1:f225:85eb</Address>
  <Port>4506</Port>
  </SimConnect.Comm>
  </SimBase.Document>

There must be something I am doing wrong, but don't know what it is :( :(.

Ran Plan-G last night on the Aurora, and I love it!  Haven't seen anything so good since using FS Navigator years ago.

Haven't tried using IPv4.  Could also use FSUIPC, but in that case, where does the file need to be on the networked PC.  My Plan-G on the networked computer is in the path C:\TA Software\Plan-G v2.  Maybe it needs to be installed under Program Files?

Jim Kaye

[tim arnot]

192.168.0.196 is an IPv4 address. The IPv6 address is fe80::d4fa:3ac1:f225:85eb from your xml. You need to make sure you are using the correct address for your selected protocol.

[jhkaye]

I changed the SimConnect.xml file on the Aurora so that it corresponds to the IPv4 Network Mode, and also verified that the FS Connection Parameters on the network PC were also set to IPv4.  The FSX Computer was set to 192.168.0.196, General was set to SimConnect and the Port was set to 4506.  The latest SimConnect.xml file is:

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252" ?>
  <SimBase.Document Type="SimConnect" version="1,0">
  <Descr>SimConnect</Descr>
  <Filename>SimConnect.xml</Filename> 
  <SimConnect.Comm>
     <Disabled>False</Disabled>
     <Protocol>IPv4</Protocol>
     <Scope>global</Scope>
   <MaxClients>64</MaxClients>
   <Address>192.168.0.196</Address>
     <Port>4506</Port>
   <MaxRecvSize>4096</MaxRecvSize>
   <DisableNagle>False</DisableNagle>
  </SimConnect.Comm>
  </SimBase.Document>

Very frustrating.  In checking internet connections it said that IPv4 was connected to the internet, but IPv6 was not.  Don't know how to change this, which is why I decided to use IPv4 protocol for both the Aurora and networked PC.  Verified that SimConnect.xml is in the same folder as fsx.cfg.  :( :( :( :(

Jim Kaye

[tim arnot]

Could you post the Plan-G logfile as well please?

Your IP6 address is Link-Local, which means it's restricted to your local Lan. (all addresses starting fe80:: are Link-Local). If you run IPConfig, you'll see that there's a separate IP6 address for connecting to the external Internet (ie it will be passed through by a router). Link-Local should be fine for Plan-G. You also don't need to erase the IP6 entry in the xml to add an IP4 one; just make sure you use a different port number -- I usually tie the last digit to the protocol, so 4504 is IP4, 4506 is IP6 and so on.

[jhkaye]

When running Plan-G on the FSX computer, it said I did not have the latest version, so I uninstalled it, then installed the latest version, 2.0.2.481.  Thus I now have the same Plan-G version on both the FSX (Aurora) and networked (FLIGHTSIM1) computers. Then I created the SimConnect file on the FSX PC by adding the lines for IPv6 as per the manual.  Copied the data folder to the FLIGHTSIM1 computer.  Selected IPv6, FSX computer fe89::..., and Connect with SimConnect.  After a short delay, got message 'Unable to connect to remote Flight Simulator (timeout).  Check that FSX is running and protocol settings are correct.' :( :(

The log file (1/5/2011) is as follows:

20:40:26.7
20:40:26.7 ---===+++===---
20:40:26.7 Starting Plan-G, build 2.0.2.481
20:40:26.7 OS is Microsoft Windows NT 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3
20:40:26.7 Location is
20:40:33.8 Window_Loaded
20:40:34.0 SetInitialControlStates
20:40:34.2 Checking DEM availability
20:40:34.3 FS9 is installed
20:40:34.3 FSX is installed
20:40:34.3 Checking FSX database built status
20:40:34.8 IsDataLoaded: True
20:40:34.9 Data Source = C:\TA Software\Plan-G v2\Data\PlanG_FSX.sdf
20:41:24.5 FSX database is built
20:41:24.5 Checking FS9 database built status
20:41:24.5 IsDataLoaded: False
20:41:24.5 Data Source = C:\TA Software\Plan-G v2\Data\PlanG_FS9.sdf
20:41:24.6 Setting ribbon group
20:41:24.6 Setting db button states
20:41:24.6 Selected data set is FSX
20:41:24.7 SetInitialControlStates done
20:41:24.7 SetTheme Blue
20:41:25.1 Checking Internet available
20:41:43.3 Setting MRU
20:41:43.3 Opening map
20:41:43.5 Starting timers
20:41:43.5 Window_Loaded done
20:41:47.1  DEBUG: Aircraft
20:41:47.1 Clear all Airspace. (ClearAirspaceBoundaries)
20:41:47.5 =====>> PlotOverlayElements. N = 51.8442625272017 s = 50.8406358280604 w = -3.13934326171875 e = -1.439208984375 Zoom = 9
20:41:47.5 =====>> PlotOverlayElements. N = 51.8442625272017 s = 50.8406358280604 w = -3.13934326171875 e = -1.439208984375 Zoom = 9
20:41:47.5 --> Zoom Still
20:41:47.5 DrawFlightPlan. MoveMap = False nodes = 0
20:41:47.5 No plan - erasing line
20:41:48.7 PlotOverlayElements - starting plot
20:41:48.7   Airspace
20:41:49.1 GetAirspaceInBounds retrieved 12 boundaries
20:41:49.1 Plot ICAO Airspace. 12/0 boundaries
20:41:49.2   NDBs
20:41:49.3   VORs
20:41:49.4   Airports
20:41:54.5 GetAirportsInBounds retrieved 18 airports.
20:41:54.5 Plotting . 3/0 Large airports
20:41:54.6  DEBUG: plotLargeILS
20:41:56.3 WxTimer_Tick
20:41:56.3 Checking for updates
20:41:56.4 DownloadCurrentMetars thread started
20:41:56.5 Plotting . 10/0 Medium airports
20:41:56.5 Metar03Z.TXT started
20:41:56.5 lTAF18Z.TXT started
20:41:56.5 Metar04Z.TXT started
20:41:56.5 sTAF00Z.TXT started
20:41:56.5 lTAF00Z.TXT started
20:41:56.5 sTAF18Z.TXT started
20:41:56.9   ISECs
20:41:56.9   UWpts
20:41:56.9   done
20:41:56.9 DrawFlightPlan. MoveMap = False nodes = 0
20:41:56.9 No plan - erasing line
20:41:57.4 sTAF00Z.TXT done
20:41:58.5 sTAF18Z.TXT done
20:42:03.7 lTAF00Z.TXT done
20:42:09.2 lTAF18Z.TXT done
20:42:09.6 Metar04Z.TXT done
20:42:10.0 Metar03Z.TXT done
20:42:10.0 DownloadCurrentMetars done
20:42:11.9 ProcessMetars done
20:46:25.7 RibbonButton_Click_ConnectFS
20:46:25.8 SimConnect.Connect
20:46:25.8 SimConnect.Connect - Remote. Mode = IPv6 Server = fe80::d4fa:3ac1:f225:85eb Port = 4506
20:46:46.3 SimConnect remote connection timed out
20:46:46.4 SimConnect.Disconnect
20:46:47.4  DEBUG: removeUserAircraft
20:46:47.4  DEBUG: removeAIAircraft
20:48:04.1  DEBUG: removeUserAircraft
20:48:04.1  DEBUG: removeAIAircraft

I would really like to get this to work, as Plan-G is really a neat program!

Jim Kaye

[tim arnot]

Try specifying the PC by name in the Plan-G configuration -- some people have reported that works better for them.

One further thought: If you have a Simconnect.cfg file on your client PC (used by some other apps for comms with FSX, what you have entered in Plan-G must not conflict with it.

Finally, you could enable Simconnect logging in FSX. To do this enable debugging in the Simconnec.ini file which you should find in your My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files folder. But a word of warning: The files it produces are massive. Only make the briefest of runs - just long enough to connect and then exit. See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc526983.aspx#Thesimconnectinifile for the ini file details.

[jhkaye]

I love this program, and am determined to get it to work on the client PC, but so far it has resisted all my efforts! :( :(

1. There appears to be no Simconnect.cfg file on the client PC according to search results.

2. I found SimConnect.xml on the client PC using a search, but it no longer exists because drive E crashed, which I had been using for FSX.  The SimConnect.xml file referred to an FSWidgets program which also no longer exists.

3. Tried using Aurora, the name of the FSX PC in place of the fe80::... address for the SimConnect settings on the client PC.  Same timeout message.

4. Tried using \\Aurora\ also,  Same message.

5. Tried turning off all firewall settings in my Charter Security Suite settings, and changed IPv6 traffic filtering options from Block to Normal.

6.  Turned Windows Firewall off.

7. Set up the Trusted network adapter DW1525 (802.11n) with IP address 192.168.0.196

8. Learned about Nagle, and tried with and without that line in the SimConnect.xml file.

Plan-G works great on the FSX PC if I use FSUIPC mode.  I could install FSX again on the client PC and use FSUIPC if that would work.  I have set up networked Drive G to allow accessing fsx.exe and other files on the FSX PC from the client  PC, and that seems to work.  Will again send you the latest SimConnect.xml file, in case you can see something I am missing.  According to the log file on the client PC all seems OK until it times out.

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252" ?>
- <SimBase.Document Type="SimConnect" version="1,0">
  <Descr>SimConnect</Descr>
  <Filename>SimConnect.xml</Filename>
  <Disabled>False</Disabled>
- <SimConnect.Comm>
  <Disabled>False</Disabled>
  <Protocol>IPv4</Protocol>
  <Scope>global</Scope>
  <Address>myserveraddress</Address>
  <MaxClients>64</MaxClients>
  <Port>500</Port>
  <MaxRecvSize>4096</MaxRecvSize>
  <DisableNagle>False</DisableNagle>
  </SimConnect.Comm>
- <SimConnect.Comm>
  <Disabled>False</Disabled>
  <Protocol>Auto</Protocol>
  <Scope>local</Scope>
  </SimConnect.Comm>
  <SimConnect.Comm>
     <Disabled>False</Disabled>
     <Protocol>IPv6</Protocol>
     <Scope>link-local</Scope>
     <MaxClients>64</MaxClients>
     <Address>fe80::d4fa:3ac1:f225:85eb</Address>
     <Port>4506</Port>
   <MaxRecvSize>4096</MaxRecvSize>
  </SimConnect.Comm>
  </SimBase.Document>

Thanks for your quick response on this.  May try to enable Simconnect logging.  Would it provide any info on why it times out?  I am having to learn more about networking than I wanted to know! :P

Jim Kaye

[tim arnot]

Simconnect logging will show if the connection attempt gets through to FS, and how it responds.

[jhkaye]

There aqppears to be no Simconnec.ini file on either the FSX computer or the networked computer.

Jim Kaye

[jhkaye]

Some seem to have succeeded by using the computer name instead of the IP address.  Is this change made in the SimConnect.xml file on the FSX computer (Aurora in my case)?  What is the syntax for creating this line?  Is the same name used in the Plan-G settings on the networked computer, ie Aurora, rather than the IP address?

Jim Kaye

[tim arnot]

There aqppears to be no Simconnec.ini file on either the FSX computer or the networked computer.

If it's not there, just create it. The contents are exactly as described in the link I gave you.

Just replacing the ip with the name works on my PC. You can try it at either end or both.

[jhkaye]

Today I ran FSX on the network client computer, and the SimConnect.ini file created the following output:

0.00000 SimConnect version 10.0.61242.0

2.83321 File not found: Path= E:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight
Simulator X\Flight One Software\Ultimate Traffic 2\UT2Services.exe
2.83343 File not found: Path= E:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight
Simulator X\Modules\WinchX \WinchX.exe
2.86035 File not found: Path= WidevieW\wideview.dll
2.86051 File not found: Path= E:\Program Files\Instant Scenery\InstantSceneryFSX
.dll
2.86062 File not found: Path= AbacusPremierCollectionFSX.dll
2.86075 File not found: Path= Modules\FSWidgets\EFBFSX\EFBFSX.dll
2.86085 File not found: Path= FeelThere\Legacy\LegacyXHUD.dll
2.86094 File not found: Path= Modules\b21_vario\b21_vario.dll
2.86104 File not found: Path= Modules\FSWidgets AirView\AirViewConnector.dll
4.08759 Panels data export found and set to 20A819B8
5.54161 DLL Loaded:  Path= Modules\FSUIPC4.dll   Version= 4.6.0.0
> 14.06636 [63, 1]Open: Version=0x00000004  Name= FSUIPC4
< 14.06656 [63] >>>>>  EXCEPTION=5, SendID=1, Index=61242  <<<<<
> 14.06661 [63, 2]  Unrecognized Client: received data ignored. [63, 2]
14.64700 [63] Disconnected  (4, C000013E)

Most or all of these 'File not found' lines are because I reinstalled FSX on this Dell XPS Gen 4 computer after a failure which caused me to replace the hard drive on which FSX was installed.  Programs like Ultimate Traffic, Wideview and Instant Scenery have not been reinstalled.  However, the last few lines after the line 'DLL Loaded... might be meaningful in attempting to understand why I can't get the network link to work with the Alienware Aurora running under Windows 7.

I have decided to try making the connection using FSUIPC and WideFS, but would prefer to use SimConnect if it would work.

Jim Kaye

[Skynet]

61242 is SP1. To use Simconnect with Plan-G you must be using SP2 or Acceleration. For SP1 yow will only be able to connect with FSUIPC.