SimConnect problem

[larshgf]

In another thread this conclusion was stated:

Another thing you could try is to enable FS logging in the simconnect.ini. This will tell you if the connection attempt is reaching FS. But beware, the FSX simconnect log will be massive.

Otherwise, connection problems basically boil down to one of three things:
* The numbers don't match or are wrong in the xml and Plan-G configs
* The simconnect.xml file is in the wrong place
* The connection is being blocked (user access rights, firewall, antivirus)

I just have a few questions in order to go on trying to solve my simconnect problem and be able to run Plan-G from my laptop. I would like to donate some money because I find Plan-G a very fine and interesting program but off course on condition that I will be able to make Plan-G connect properly from my laptop.  :-\

So my questions are as follows:

How can I try to make FS logging in the simconnect.ini?
Concerning the right place for the simconnect.xml file: Is it correct that it must be placed only on the FSX-computer and in the same folder as scenery.cfg? (And not somewhere on the Plan-G computer as well?)

Kind Regards
Lars

[tim arnot]

1. Here are instructions for simconnect.ini: http://forum.simflight.com/topic/45074-fsx-help-logging-simconnect/

2. No. It goes in the same place as FSX.CFG. e.g. C:\Users\<Tim>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX

[larshgf]

I try to connect to FSX from my laptop but gets a timeout error. The first few lines in my log-file looks like this:

0.00000 SimConnect version 10.0.61259.0

0.01026 Server: Scope=local, Protocol=Pipe, Name=\\.\pipe\Microsoft Flight Simulator\SimConnect, MaxClients=64
0.01440 Server: Scope=local, Protocol=IPv6, Address=::1, Port=49836, MaxClients=64
0.01755 Server: Scope=local, Protocol=IPv4, Address=127.0.0.1, Port=49837, MaxClients=64


0.19260 Panels data export found and set to 20B319D8
0.73560 DLL Loaded:  Path="Modules\FSUIPC4.dll"  Version="4.4.0.0"
0.73820 Panels data export found and set to 20B319D8
1.30897 DLL Loaded:  Path="Modules\GPSModule.dll"  Version="<Unknown>"
> 2.95027 [ 0, 1]Open: Version=0x00000004  Name="FSUIPC4"

And the simconnect.xml file I made from looks like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252" ?>
<SimBase.Document Type="SimConnect" version="1,0">
  <Descr>SimConnect Server Configuration</Descr>
  <Filename>SimConnect.xml</Filename>
  <SimConnect.Comm>
    <Disabled>False</Disabled>
    <Protocol>IPv6</Protocol>
    <Scope>link-local</Scope>
    <Address>fe80::e1c4:75a3:c90e:501b</Address>
    <MaxClients>64</MaxClients>
    <Port>4506</Port>
    <MaxRecvSize>4096</MaxRecvSize>
    <DisableNagle>False</DisableNagle>
  </SimConnect.Comm>
</SimBase.Document>

Does it give any clue to the solution of my simconnect - connection problem?

Could you use the Plan-G-log to find a solution?

[tim arnot]

Not really. You need to include the section of the log that covers the connection attempt from Plan-G. Also include the Plan-G log file.

[larshgf]

Here is my Plan-G-log file.
I can't find the connection attempt in my SimCinnect0 file. Could you give me a small peace of text I can search for in this big file?

[tim arnot]

You could try "connect" or "connection" or "remote" or something like that; "Plan-G" even, but I can't really say because I don't know what it will contain.

The next thing to look at is the IPConfig output from the FS PC, to confirm that the IP address you are using is correct.

[larshgf]

The next thing to look at is the IPConfig output from the FS PC, to confirm that the IP address you are using is correct.

The IPConfig IPv6 address is changing everytime I start up my FS PC. According to the manual, the IP-address which must be used is the one you find on your FS-PC's LAN.
If you see the details of this LAN there is something called link-local-IPv6-Address and that is the one I have placed in the simconnect.xml and (off course) the one typed into the FS Connection option in Plan-G. Hopefully this is correct??

In the SimConnect log file no matches for "connect", "remote" or "Plan-G".

[tim arnot]

The link-local address is normally based on the MAC address of the network card, and so shouldn't change. Unless you have a DHCPv6 server built in to your router, which is overriding it. But that would be very unusual. (link-local simply means it is restricted to your local LAN, and has no access to the outside Internet)

[larshgf]

According to the Plan-G manual page 92 the IPv6 address used in the simconnect.xml:

To find your Windows 7/Vista computer's IP address:

• On the Start menu, right-click on 'Network'
• Select properties, then click on the active connection ('Local Area Connection' or 'Wireless Connection' for example.
• This brings up the 'Connection Status' dialog. Click on 'Details' and all your parameters are listed, including the IPv6 address, which always starts 'fe'.

We agree that this is correct?

[tim arnot]

Yes.

[larshgf]

Hi Tim,

Sorry to keep on bothering you with my questions. But I am very enthusiastic about your program and I'm eager to get Plan-G working on a seperate laptop.

Maybe the blocked connection has something to do with me LAN. My desktop FS-PC is cabled to the router and the network is named "Network 2". My laptop Plan-G PC has a wireless connection to the same router and this network called "HomeF". 
Looking at the details its a fact that "Network 2" and "HomeF" has 2 differen link-local-IPv6-addresses. Maybe that is a problem and does hinder the simconnect to work properly??As you wrote earlier connection problems basically boil down to one of three things:
1) The numbers don't match or are wrong in the xml and Plan-G configs [no problems here as far as I can see]
2) The simconnect.xml file is in the wrong place [placed in the scenery.cfg folder - that should be OK]
3) The connection is being blocked (user access rights, firewall, antivirus)

I think that item 3) is my problem. I dont know if you have some hints concerning the solution for firewalls and antivirus?. I have tried to turn of both without luck........

Finally - if the usual simconnect fails, will there be a chance that WideFS will make things function?

Best Regards
Lars F

[tim arnot]

Link-local addresses are tied to the network adapter, so obviously the address will be different at each end of the connection. It is possible you have more than one adapter, even a virtual one, so it's important to check you are using the correct address - ping the other machine to test the connection is valid.

As I said above, the simconnect.xml file should be in the same place as FSX.cfg NOT Scenery.cfg.

[larshgf]

I am putting the FS-PC's link-local address in the simconnect.xml and in the FS-conection option in Plan-G too. And the simconnect.xml is placed in the correct folder containing FSX.cfg too.
It is just a mystery why this is not working properly. Right now I'm a bit exhausted - I have to admit. I have the feeling it is a tiny little stupid error that is blocking the connection. But I must admit that life is too short for problems like that. Will WideFS help me here??
If not I will give this problem a break and maybee another time get down to it again. And hopefully some other time Plan-G will be a program I appreciate while flightsimming..... :-\

[tim arnot]

Maybe - the protocol is different, so what's blocking Simconnect might not block that.

[larshgf]

Hi Tim, could will you please check that I have done the setup properly?

1) I run IPConfig on my desktop FSX-PC
2) I use the "link-local-IPv6 address" = fe80::e1c4:75a3:c90e:501b  (the one for my Ethernet-LAN-connection !)
3) I create this simconnect.xml file and put it in the same folder as FSX.cfg

<?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>IPv6</Protocol>
    <Scope>link-local</Scope>
    <MaxClients>64</MaxClients>
    <Address>fe80::e1c4:75a3:c90e:501b</Address>
    <Port>4506</Port>
  </SimConnect.Comm>
</SimBase.Document>

4) The folder containing the FSX.exe and the folder containing the scenery.cfg are given permission for ALL users.

5) On my laptop with the plan-G program I go to Options|Locations. First I locate the FSX.exe by browsing and choosing the FSX.exe. Then I locate the scenery.cfg file by browsing and choosing this file.

6) Then in Option|FS Connection I have these parameters:
   
Connect with: Auto
Network Mode: IPv6
FSX Computer: fe80::e1c4:75a3:c90e:501b
Server Port/Pipe: 4506

7) I have cutt-off the firewall on my laptop with Plan-G
    I have cutt-off the antivirus program AVG on my laptop with Plan-G

Is something missing here??

Best Regards
Lars