Connection & Database Problem

[johnwillimas]

Since I updated to 3.2.2.167 Plan-G is no longer showing my position. I thought to rebuild the database but when I did so I get through to "Writing 30755 runways", the green bar moves all the way across and then the build process hangs (takes twenty minutes or more) with the message "Failed to build database (A duplicate value cannot be inserted into a unique index. [table name=Runways, Constraint name=PK_Runways])" I tried uninstalling and reinstalling Plan-G (and removing all the Plan-G files folder) but this hasn't made any difference. The log file doesn't seem to be capturing the problem (copy attached) - I ran my last test at around 11:50am and the log file shows no activity after 09:28. I'm running FS-X Acceleration on Windows 10. Any suggestions welcomed.

[tim arnot]

Nothing in that log file. You need to save the log file the same day you do the test - it gets reset at midnight.

As a general point though, there is absolutely no connection between your nav database and whether Plan-G connects to the sim. The failure to connect will be because new versions of Plan-G have separate preferences files, and you need to reapply your connection parameters.

[johnwillimas]

Thanks for that I will explore the connections.
I deleted the log file and ran the test again here is the revised log file..

[johnwillimas]

Connection now working again....

[tim arnot]

It just seems to fall through, makes no attempt to build the database. Most likely cause of that is it didn't find the scenery.cfg.  For FSX it *should* find that from the registry, but check the paths are also set up in Build Options.

One thought: You're not trying to build across a network from a remote PC are you? Don't do that!  Build the database from a local copy of Plan-G and copy it across (doesn't matter if it's a version or two old, the database hasn't changed in a long time).

[johnwillimas]

Thanks for the thoughts, Tim but the paths seem OK. I'm not trying to build across a network.

[tim arnot]

Hmm. The only path through the build process without any logging, is if you don't select a sim to build for - it'll just behave exactly like a Cancel. But that shouldn't be possible, since the ok button is disabled until you select a sim. Starting with "Building Database For..." You didn't hit cancel by mistake? Pretty much any failure mode produces loads of log entries, whether it's files not found, failures to read, failures to write, or whatever.

That's all I can think of right now.

[johnwillimas]

Thanks Tim,

Here's another log file with slightly different content but still, I think, no clues. The failure pattern is still as in the first post of this thread.

I guess we'll have to put this down to "software, huh!" for the  time being and I'll keep trying to see if I can spot any more clues.

Thanks for your help.

[tim arnot]

One more thing that might be worth trying, is delete the FSX database before you start Plan-G (it'll create a new blank one). Maybe there's some kind of corruption in it that stops things.

In any case, here's a copy of my FSX database, so at least you have something to plan/fly with.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wn303o3zokrdysz/PlanG3_FSX_SDF.zip?dl=0

[johnwillimas]

That solved it!  :) :) :)
Many thanks for all your help, Tim.

[johnwillimas]

Tim, although the FSX database you supplied gave me a functioning G-Plan it didn't fix the user aircraft problem, so I carried on and have what I think is the definitive solution to this problem  (and possibly others with similar difficulties).

The answer seems to be the Controlled Folder Access feature in Windows 10.  ::)

With this feature on, I cannot build the database and the yellow user aircraft and breadcrumb flight path are not seen (even though the yellow wind arrow is). >:(

With the feature off it is possible to build the database and both the user aircraft and breadcrumb can be displayed. :D

It is also possible to have the feature on if the location of Plan-G.exe is included in "Add An Allowed App".  :)

I hope this helps folk.

[tim arnot]

Interesting to know, thanks.

I didn't know about this setting, so I checked it out, and on my PC it's set to Off. (whether it's on or off by default, or varies with the version of the OS, I don't know. But it's definitely something to add to the List Of Things To Check.)

[johnwillimas]

I think it turned up in the November 2019 Update. It's not "supposed" to be on automatically but I don't recall turning mine on.... Anwway, all seems well now!