Simconnect

[John Lygo]

Thanks for this forum Tim. Just tried out the new version 355; the only problem I appear to have is that it won't connect to FSX SP1. It doesn't crash though - just won't connect. Log file attached.

[tim arnot]

The log doesn't show any attempts to connect. Are you sure the 'Connect' button is active? (It should be a darker blue than the 'Disconnect' button, and will glow orange when you move the mouse over it. Please describe exactly what happens when you click on the Connect button.

[John Lygo]

Have been running V349 until now with no problems. I tried to connect V349 with FSX when FSX was not running and got the message: Unable to connect to SimConnect (Is FSX running?). No surprises there, then. However, when I tried the same thing with V355 I got no response whatsoever.
Anyway, to answer your question.....I have FSX running and then I run Plan-G. I now get the security warning about my browser restricting this file from showing active content etc. Click here for details. I click on 'Allow active content' then Yes and we're in!! Incidentally, I did not get this warning with V349. Everything shows up fine, all the additions are there, great job. At the top, the connect button is a darker blue than the Disconnect one, and when I roll the mouse over the Connect button, there is a drop down box appear saying Connect....Connect to FSX. The Connect button is also highlighted with an orange background. When I press the Connect button, absolutely nothing happens anywhere. The Connect button is still active. Log attached.
Regards,
John

[tim arnot]

Did you install 355 in a new directory, or did you overwrite 349? (try doing the opposite)

None of the areas of code that you talk about have changed between versions.

[John Lygo]

Overwritten, deleted & replaced, done it all ways and no change. V349 works fine but V355 does not. Very strange. I shall continue with V349 for the time being Tim. Maybe when you have some more feedback something will come to light.

[tim arnot]

After I broke my dev laptop and had to replace it  ::), the compiler somehow linked back into the SP2 version of SimConnect. I've uploaded a new build (357) that links to the legacy version as well as fixing a few other little things. But unless you have a particular reason for using SP1, I'd really recommend you update to SP2. Increasingly, more and more addons are requiring it.

[John Lygo]

I understand what you are saying Tim, but each & every time I install FSX SP2, FSX crashes. Can't for the life of me understand why, but it does. Consequently I will not be installing SP2.
BTW, I suppose that it is a bit late to install SP2 now, with all the bits I've got installed, as I believe that a clean install of SP2 is required. If it ain't too late, I can install SP2 & if FSX crashes I can just as easily uninstall SP2??! What say you?
Using build 357 is fine, although after a few minutes the yellow aircraft in Plan-G is replaced by a Google Maps place icon as per the attachment. It still tracks the aircaft position - just looks weird.

[robcap]

Hi Tim,

nice, and promising product you have here. I'm using version 3.0.357, no previous installs.
I had no problem building the database, and I see all nav data and airports in the map view.
I can also build a plan, by selecting a start airport, start position, and add waypoints. I can save and load the plan.
But, unfortunately, it cannot connect to the sim (FSX)
I know simconect is working, since Active Sky Advanced has contact with the sim.
I just gave it another try, and it just doesn't work. The connect button is blue, and turns orange when the mouse goes over it
I cannot see my plane or traffic in the map view.
Attached my log file. Unfortunately, my .net 3.5 SP1 has the dutch laguage pack installed. I hope you can work with it anyway.

Looking forward to your reply,

Best, Rob

[tim arnot]

The log is saying it can't find SimConnect. You're not using an English language version of Windows, but how about FSX? Also, what revision is it at? (RTM,SP1 SP2/Acceleration?)

Can you please search out SimConnect.dll, and report back what version(s) are present on your PC. (Open Explorer, and type Simconnect.dll in the search box. You may need to enable Show hidden files and folders in options). Once Explorer has listed the results, right click on the file and select Properties->Details. Note down the File Version. There may be several versions of Simconnect in your machine, please report all of them.

[robcap]

Hi Tim,

I run Windows XP SP3 (Dutch)
I have FSX Acceleration running (English)
I find 2 simconnects:
C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect_67c7c14424d61b5b_10.0.60905.0_x-ww_429211e9. properties give me version 10.0.60905.0
C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect_67c7c14424d61b5b_10.0.61259.0_x-ww_fb842f5a. properties give me version 10.0.61637.0

Then I have a few in my SDK folders, but my guess is they are not in use.

I also recently downloaded and used EZ Walk, a freeware camara tool for FSX. This also uses simconnect. It works. I also gave my firewall all acces to Plan-G.

I hope this leads to getting Plan-G running.

Best, Rob

[tim arnot]

The file it is complaining about is 60905, which is one of those you listed. Which means it's not a simple problem of trying to load a different version of SimConnect to the one you have.

One suggestion I can make is that you try a slightly older build (355): http://www.tasoftware.co.uk/plan-g/files/PlanG_Beta0.zip

This one actually references the SP2/Acceleration version of SimConnect (it's the other one in your list). But it might get you going while I do some research into why yours doesn't connect.

If you unzip it into a separate folder, you can then copy across the Plan-G.mdb and GlobalAirspaceX.dat files from 357, which will save you rebuilding the database.

[tim arnot]

I've just had a thought: Do you have EZ Walk running when you try to connect Plan-G? If so, try connecting without having run EZ Walk, and see if that works...

[jschall]

I have the same problem as robcap.

FSX SP2 on Win XP SP3.

I have many simconnect.dll files in different folders, including 3 folders under /WINDOWS/winSxS/. All are the correct vintage, 10.0.60905.0.

If I renamed all but one, would Plan-G be able to find it? Or could Plan-G be tweaked to look for a particular folder?

My log file reads, in part:
====================
3:52:24 PM Window1 constructor
3:52:29 PM Starting Plan-G, build 0.3.0.357
3:52:29 PM FSX is installed
3:52:29 PM FSX database is built
3:52:29 PM Attempting to initialise SimConnect
3:52:29 PM SimConnect initialised
3:52:29 PM Selected data set is FSX
3:52:36 PM Starting map
3:52:48 PM Connect button clicked
3:52:48 PM Testing mFSConnect.IsConnected
3:52:48 PM RibbonButton_Click_ConnectFS exceptionSystem.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect, Version=10.0.60905.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.
File name: 'Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect, Version=10.0.60905.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35'
   at Plan_G.FSConnect.get_IsConnected()
   at Plan_G.Window1.RibbonButton_Click_ConnectFS(Object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)

WRN: Assembly binding logging is turned OFF.
To enable assembly bind failure logging, set the registry value [HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Fusion!EnableLog] (DWORD) to 1.
Note: There is some performance penalty associated with assembly bind failure logging.
To turn this feature off, remove the registry value [HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Fusion!EnableLog].
==========================

Or maybe it's a problem with the public key name of the folder? The three folders  under /WINDOWS/winSxS containing simconnect.dll are:
x86_Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect_67c7c14424d61b5b_10.0.60905.0_x-ww_429211e9
x86_Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect_67c7c14424d61b5b_10.0.61242.0_x-ww_35e8ee9a
x86_Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect_67c7c14424d61b5b_10.0.61259.0_x-ww_fb842f5a


I surely hope to be able to get Plan-G working with SimConnect!

- Jeff Schallenberg
Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec

[tim arnot]

Jeff, I'll also suggest you try the 355 build I linked to two posts up. Let me know if it works.

Did either of you have to reinstall FSX for any reason?

[robcap]

Hi Tim,

The older built seems to connect to FSX. I don't get the plane icon on the map though, or plane data to show (AIS, bank, pitch altitude)
Is there a setting I'm missing?
It seems I'm not the only one with the issue.
Maybe I must delete the SP1 simconnect?
I will see what you come up with! Looking forward to get this running!

No reinstall here. I do know I had trouble to get ASA working, I might have used 2 installs (SP1 and SP2) of simconnect from the SDK.

Cheers, Rob