PMSystems, Flight Deck Technology & FS2004

[RalphW]

Hi

Anyone using FDT boards and PMSystems with FS2004. I have everything wired and "nearly" working. It is quite frustrating. I need some help with:-

In what order should I fire everything up - it seems to make a difference

Sometimes I need to restart everything 2/3 times before all is connected. (Using FS2004 on one PC with PMSystems/FDT on another PC via WideFS)

Sometimes I start everything and FS2004 goes into a loop with what sounds like trim wheel movement from my speakers, (go figure!) I need to exit FS2004.

Thanks in advance

[Bob Reed]

Hi Ralph. Check to see you are not triggering keyboard assignments in FS. Go to your joysticks and see if your boards are listed in FS. If so be sure to delete all the key commands that have been assigned to it.

[RalphW]

Thanks Bob. Good idea but nothing amiss. I think I'll give up on PMSystems and just use FDT boards with "native" FS2004. Shame really because I would have liked to have had the ability of all overhead switches working.

[ralmav]

Hi Ralph,

i know these probs very well as i had a few of them ago ...:(
Now it is working without problems ,sometimes i a have a sudden engine fail with the left engine..:o ..i think it has something to do with PMSystems but i didn't figured out the problem till now ??
I found out that the sequence in which the PC's and programs are started is very important.

This is my setup:

PC1:FS2004 ,Wideserver,PMSounds,PM MCP,FDS G1 driver,IVAP FS2004 Client
PC2:Internet connection,PM EICAS,WideFS,IVAP Network and User Client
PC3:PMSystems,WideFS,Simboard Universal Controler Software (1.0r beta) with one Master,one Maxi In,one 128 Out and one 16D Board for the overhead
PC4:PM CDU and Remote CDU,with one FlyEngravity hardware CDU connected,
WideFS,PMSounds,Simboard Universal Controler Software (1.0r beta) with one Master,one Maxi In,one 64 Out and four 16D Boards for the MIP and Pedestal
PC5:PM Captain PFD,WideFS
PC6:PM F/O PFD,WideFS
PC7:WideFS,FS2Phidgets for the Throttle

On every PC WinXp pro is installed.
When i "cold" start the PC's every program starts with the "run" command in WideFS.So i have a link to WideFS in the Autostart menue of WinXp.
All i have to do is to switch the PC's to On..thats it.All programs are loaded automatically (except for PC1 see below).
I configured the Simboard Universal Controler Software in that way that the program is loaded on WinXp startup and also the project is loaded but NOT RUN!

An here is my sequence:

1.start PC1 when XP has booted start FS2004 (PM MCP,and PMSounds are started by itself when FS is started via the "run" command in the FSServer ini)
Wait till FS2004 has loaded completely (flight is selected,you're on the field) then
2.start PC2
3.start PC3
4.start PC4
5.start PC7
6.start PC5
7.start PC6
8.When all programs are loaded i go to PC4 and RUN the Simboard Universal Controler Software then
9. i go to PC3 and RUN the Simboard Universal Controler Software.

I see on FS2004 ..widefs 6 connected...
Then i start the IVAP clients on PC2 and then the IVAP client on PC1,
load the flightplan and fuel ..etc.

I have a little problem with the fuel cut levers even if they're in the Cut position PMSystems shows them in the idle position, i have to move them manualy to the ilde and cut position again ,then they work ..

I always start cold and dark so if your overhead switchs are set correct for cold and dark all displays should look dark.
i connected the BAT switch on the overhead also with the powersupplys of the LED's.Now when i switch BAT to ON all displays and annunciators come alive.

If i start the PC´s in a different sequence it doesn' work !
Again it is very important that FS2004 has loaded completely before the next PC is started.
Sometimes i have strange hang-ups with the Simboard Universal Controler Software then unplug replug the USB connection helps.

hope this helps

Cheers..

Ralf

[Trevor Hale]

Ralf. I have a question for you. When you Batt switches are off, and all displays and radio's go dark, Does your MCP go dark as well. For some reason mine stays alive when all my other pm stuff is powerless.

Any suggestions.

[Bob Reed]

Hi Trevor. This is a GoFlight issue it is probably not programed in to the go flight module.

[ralmav]

Trevor,
Yes the MCP also goes dark if i switch BAT to off.Sometimes i have the problem that it doesn't come alive, so i have to switch 2 to 4 times BAT off and on till it comes alive...strange...i use FDS G1 board with latest drivers. The last 10 Sim-Sessions i didn't had this problem.I suppose it has something to do with the USB power ,cause sometimes i also have stange hang-ups with other USB components ,although i use powered hubs on every connection.

[RalphW]

Thanks guys. I have made progress and can now start engines using overhead hardware, FDT Boards and PMSystems.

The amount of knowledge in these Forums never fails to amaze me.

I'll post pictures as soon as.......

[RalphW]

Hi trevor,

My MCP also does not go dark when Batt switches off but If I toggle the Batt switch on/off then it does go dark. It's low on my "bug" list !

[Peter Dowson]

An here is my sequence:

1.start PC1 when XP has booted start FS2004 (PM MCP,and PMSounds are started by itself when FS is started via the "run" command in the FSServer ini)
Wait till FS2004 has loaded completely (flight is selected,you're on the field) then
2.start PC2
3.start PC3
4.start PC4
5.start PC7
6.start PC5
7.start PC6
8.When all programs are loaded i go to PC4 and RUN the Simboard Universal Controler Software then
9. i go to PC3 and RUN the Simboard Universal Controler Software.


You know you could use "RunReady" in the WideClient INI files for each of those, so that although WideClient is up and waiting, none of the applications run until FS is ready.

For the two you need to run later still, in a specific sequence, you can use DelayReady to delay their startup.

You could also have them close automatically when FS is closed -- they will restart when FS is reloaded, in the same way.

Then all you need to do is power up all the PCs (from one power switch if necessary -- I do so -- and everything will work automatically.

Regards

Pete

[brianwilliamson]

I also have the same start-up problem. Pete, thank you so much, that is brilliant and something I had not even thought to look at !! There is always an answer somewhere, thank goodness.
Cheers..................Brian W.

[ralmav]

Pete,
thank you very much too! :D
This help me so much and as Brian said :"that is something I had not even thought to look at"!
Again we all can see how fantastic your programming work is ,without your WideFS and FSUIPC my whole sim wouldn´t be possible !!!
Best Regards
Ralf

[farrokh747]

Hi Peter - is there a way to set MSFS to launch directly ino a default flight? ie without the 'select a flight' menu, etc - I use RunReady on all PC's for the PM suite, but still have to manually select the first/startup flight -

I'm sure this must be someting simple that I obviously missed....

cheers,

Farrokh.

[pdpo]

Hi ,

I'm also Peter but not Dowson....

anyway what I wish to say is the following. Some time ago I had my sim setup
in such a way that when FS2004 was started I always started with the plane
at the place where I left of the previous time (no more menu at startup, immediately in the situation) The way how to get there. Well, in the settings you need to switch off 'show opening screen at startup' and you need to modify
the fs2004.cfg file and put in the startup situation 'previous flight' or something like that. I'll check tonight and update (mind the capital letters). The exact name of the situation you can find back when you try to save a flight, and its called something like Previous flight.
Then it started immediately there but I had one big drawback. When fs is then running I cannot add any scenery and I dont get anymore to the menu where I could add scenery!

Greetz Peter

[Bob Reed]

choosing the "End Flight" should take you back to the menu.

[farrokh747]

hi - thanks -

ok, so here's what i found out -

In the [STARTUP] section of the fs9.cfg file, change the value of the foll entry to 0

SHOW_OPENING_SCREEN=0

this will take you directlty to your saved default flight on launch

also, i discovered that the startup msfs 2004/ DC3 image is loaded from a bitmap file called <dlgsplash.bmp> that is in the folder named "Uires" in the main fs9 folder - I've modified this file using Photoshop and it works fine - (please keep a backup of your original!!) - remember that the pixel dimentions, color mode, and other image properties have to be absolutely the same, or you can expect major problems - attempt at your own risk!

some interesting tips here:

http://www.digital-flight.com/MSFS9_tips.htm

ciao,

FC

[farrokh747]

sorry - left out the filename:

dlgsplash.bmp

FC

[Trevor Hale]

Hi trevor,

My MCP also does not go dark when Batt switches off but If I toggle the Batt switch on/off then it does go dark. It's low on my "bug" list !

My Go-flight MCP Pro doesn't seem to go dark when the batts are off. Maybe when my CP Flight unit arrives this will sort my issue.

Best regards,

Trev