update and simconnect

[marc2990]

I updated to the last version today.
For years I have been connecting my sim (nowadays FSX-SE) via FSUIPC; but lately the connection is not so stable anymore.
So I would like to connect via simconnect, but I have no succes.
How should I proceed?
I have Windows 7 Ultimate and my steam version path is: f:\Steam\steamapps\common\FSX.
Right now under SimConnect Settings (FSX) the boxes say: IPv4, FSX Computer: localhost, Server Port/Pipe: 0
Thanks for a simple and detailed advice.

[nemoz2000]

Same here, but with the added joy that I am now using FSX SE on a desktop Win10  and a Gen 8 i7 (coffee lake) and a B360M chipset motherboard - i.e. the new "militant" Win 10 combination with horrendous security and permissions barriers, which I'm discovering every day.

I wish I'd saved my money, the old 2nd-gen i7 was pretty good in retrospect.

Everything worked perfectly on the old Win 10 setup, including SimConnect, but nothing seems to make sense now.

Have you created a new SimConnect.xml file as per the Plan-G manual, sections 17, 18, 19?

I've done everything according to the book, but the copy of Plan-G v.3.2.1.151 on a laptop (on which I have been running Plan-G) can't connect to or even see the Steam folder on the networked desktop, let alone generate a navigation database.

In Windows Explorer I can map the Steam folder easily, and all permissions are in order (I think), because I can do anything in Win Explorer. The "browse" buttons in Plan-G file>options>locations just do not see the remote machine.

I should add that the sim itself is working perfectly, and new Plan-G also works perfectly from the same pc using FSUIPC. I have also tried copying across the "data" folder to circumvent creating a new database, but to no avail.  Plan-G just accepts the datbase ok, but hangs and terminates itself after about 4 seconds when I click "connect".

Is anyone else having similar troubles? What about the WideFS method?

[nemoz2000]

OK, after another day spent reading and debugging, I've got mine working. There have been four things done since yesterday.

First, to recap, I am running FSX SE on a just-upgraded i7 desktop with Gen 8 Intel processor, Win 10 Pro all activated, updated and proper. It is networked via wired LAN and wireless to a laptop also running Win 10 Pro and Plan-G v3.2.1.151.  The previous setup which worked perfectly was identical except for the upgraded hardware, and the desktop ran Win 10 Home.

The four things are:

1.) Installed the SimConnect config tool on the desktop, and ran it. This itself was a jungle of confusion, and anyone wanting more information has only to ask while it's in my head. It simply automates the process outlined elsewhere for setting up the SimConnect system on the FSX machine.

2.) Reinstalled the FSX SDK on the laptop. It goes in a subfolder under the Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Games folder and is necessary for some reason.

3.) Used my Microsoft account (not the usual network or local account) to log on to the desktop from the laptop. Suddenly the Plan-G "locations" worked. I suspect this is part of the new security paranoia surrounding the Gen 8 chips, somebody might know more?

4.) Most significant: created and installed a SimConnect.cfg  file on the laptop, under "Documents". See the SDK itself for details. Interestingly, it was not there before but the old system worked, so it might be a new requirement under my setup.

The Navigation Database that I had already installed was accepted OK, and I can refresh it now.

At last it all works, and all the frustrations of the last few weeks can be put behind. On with the flying!   

[marc2990]

I am running fsx-se on my desktop (not networked with another computer) and Plan G on the same machine.
In my first post I gave the path of the flightsim.
PLan G is in: c:\program files (x86)\plan G.
So everything as common as possible and still the simconnect does not work.
Mind that I have several other programs that do work with simconnect (so that configuration should be ok).
All help is welcome.

[nemoz2000]

I had my FSX SE on Win10 Pro working happily with Plan-G 3.2.1.151 under FSUIPC before using the remote (SimConnect) version.
What problems have you had under FSUIPC ? It's unusual for it not to work, and relatively easy to debug. SimConnect on the other hand can be a nightmare, and should not be necessary when Plan-G is on the same machine.

Things that come to mind though (if you really want to persist with SimConnect) are:

1.) The SDK should be present as a folder named SDK under Program Files (x86) > Steam > steamapps > common > FSX. This would have been installed at the time FSX was installed by Steam I think.

2.) There must be two files, named SimConnect.xml and SimConnect.dll in the same folder as your scenery.cfg and fsx.exe. In Steam Edition that would normally be in  the same folder as 1.)  My .dll file has the version id of 10.0.62615.0 (FSX 20150710-1055) with copyright by Microsoft. According to the manual. you don't need to do anything to either of these files.

3.) Unless I'm mistaken, your setup is covered in some detail in section 18 of the Plan-G manual, and there is more in section 20.  Just to be sure though, I think you could check the SimConnect .xml as per section 20, remembering that we now have a new version of Plan-G plus the Steam edition of FSX which is also a little "different".

4.) Look for a SimConnect.cfg file in the folder  "This PC > Documents > ". This worked wonders for me, but I have no idea of its relevance, nor why it would be needed when Plan-G is on the same machine as FSX. It's not mentioned in the manual, but this is what mine looks like:

*******************************************
[SimConnect]
Protocol=Auto
Address=[mine has the FSX machine's ip address]
Port=[mine has the FSX machine's port number]
MaxReceiveSize=8192
DisableNagle=0
*************************************************

End of sermon ... Good luck!

[nemoz2000]

Missed before - you don't need ipv4, use pipe.