P3Dv4 questions

[Steve Waite]

Thanks!

Cold and dark page set unpaused that way.

[Steve Waite]

So now the Ideal Flight Simulator Startup Behaviour covers starting the aircraft with the Load Default Flight method, this will take longest as it loads up two flights, next is Terrain Startup loads the environment fully then the aircraft is loaded, next is Simulator Reset which sets up the SimConnect client during the flight loading before aircraft loading, finally None means that the sim simply starts up with the flight.

However with no special behaviour during flight loading when we reload saved flights the AP will not be restored and other equipment settings won't match the flight file. The three special methods are all different ways to start the aircraft fully with P3D straight to the cockpit.

We need that to be able to load saved flights or do advances. With some complex aircraft we cannot reload without CTD so the Terrain Startup method works around this particular problem.

[Steve Waite]

After crashing the sim a lot with the 737 the PanelState became corrupted and the aircraft started to behave in a peculiar manner, turning upside down after a few seconds un-paused when the systems countdown starts.

To return the aircraft to normal behaviour simply delete the Ideal_Flight*.* PanelState files found in the folder:

..\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4\PMDG\PMDG 737 NGX\PanelState\

[Steve Waite]

Regarding further restarts with the PMDG 737 in P3D v4

The PMDG 737 and 777 work great with the Terrain Startup method, in P3D v2, 3 and 4.

However, in P3D v4.0 at the moment the result of further restarts, like when we advance a flight to approach or final with the IF In-Sim Menu, only the 777 seems fully reliable. The 737 landing gear, with multiple restarts in P3D v4, unfortunately might fall through the ground, there may be other effects. We have to wait to see how things go with P3D 4.1, and further updates to the 737 but unfortunately it's not something that can be worked around by the way the sim is controlled by IFPro.


Regarding loading saved flights in P3D v4

Also with P3D v4.0 we find in several circumstances ATC is not fully restored with reloading a saved flight, although the Agent situation is preserved so requesting clearance continues as normal. P3D v3 and v4 also do not save with the flight the full ATC communication trail as FSX does. We have to wait to see how P3D develops.

[Steve Waite]

SimConnect matters

At the moment all versions of Ideal Flight utilise the x86 SimConnect interface to the P3D server.

The number of connections to the server is what counts toward taking resources. The number of different SimConnect modules installed has no effect if we have 10 or 100. There are 4 versions that P3D uses and are found in the \redist folder, ESP, RTM, FSX-SP1 and FSX-XPACK. Each is installed from a .msi file that sets up the instructions for the WinSxS system

These SimConnect modules reside in the WinSxS folder, a system that is Deprectated in Windows 10, the side-by-side system, so that any application can attach to them without knowing where the module is located and so that only one copy of each is required.

That means at some stage in the future there will be no SimConnect modules to find, the application will carry the SimConnect interface with it.

All versions of Ideal Flight work either way, and can install their own module.

At present they all continue to require the WinSxS version be present. Why? Since 99% of SimConnect apps require it too, and Ideal Flight is very often the first addon installed on a new system, it made sense to leave be so that the user becomes aware all the simconnect versions should be installed until further notice or many addons might fail until they also provide their own interface module.

P3D stopped installing ESP SimConnect .msi as a default installation routine but make the \redist folder available until the WinSxS system dies. That could be a long time.

[Steve Waite]

I'm going to wait for v4.1 final then hopefully finish the current updates for release on the main download page and the Flight1 wrappers by next week or so. Then the process will continue as Ideal Flight will be kept current...

[Steve Waite]

I am investigating a possible delay when starting the sim. IFPro In-Flight page rotating text banner has not yet arrived and a title message "not responding" is shown, eventually the banner appears 'In Progress' and the sim starts normally but after an extra 20-40 second delay before starting. Is anyone seeing this? (P3D v3 or v4).