First impression, G940 problem and few questions.

[Sawydz]

Hi All,

 

After two weeks of testing AivlaSoft EFD DEMO I'd like to share my experience gained so far, first of all let me say that I believe it's the software that may become absolutely "must have" for all FSX fans, soon after few improvements. I really love it, but I've encountered one big problem:

 

- G940 Logitech profiler, PMDG J41 and EFB issue: there's some kind of problem between those three apps, I use EFB in config with two monitors on one computer and FSX running in windowed mode. PMDG aircraft allows to add some special key bindings to control it's additional features, Logitech profiler allows to assign those bindings to keys located on throttle or joystick and everything works flawlessly till EFB comes in

way. I've noticed that whenever EFB makes map switch (automatic or via key shortcut) those key bindings are somehow overridden/blocked. I can't use them anymore both by keyboard or by throttle keys, to be able to use them once again I have to click any other app window and then switch back to FSX, this one behavior can be easily reproduced, but also sometimes those key bindings are overridden without any noticeable activity from EFB. It happens only with EFB running!

 

And few smaller problems:

 

- Entering routes: maybe I've missed something but when creating the route manually isn't there any way to enter route using airways? Also it would be cool, if while entering all fixes manually I wouldn't have to click the last entered fix to enter next one. When entering five fixes it's not a problem, when entering 50 then it is...

- Taxiways: when I set assigned taxiways to runway and change view from Ground to any other and than back to Ground, entered taxiways are gone.

- Alternate airports: I think that while creating route, EFB should show distance to alternate airport from destination instead of departure one. This one is important for fuel planning.

- What about scenery addons? OK, I don't have any, but I do updates (as far as I can) to my FSX with current data using "Airport Design Editor" and data from nDAC, but EFB shows outdated information that corresponds to stock FSX, e.g. EDDF RWY 25R ILS freq 109.50 instead of 111.55. Can I fix it somehow manually and if it's possible, will this fix be permanent or will I have to enter it with every AIRAC update etc?

 

Uff, thats all at this point, sorry for my English (it's far way better than may German). I'm very new to FSX, therefor I ask for forgiveness if my questions/problems seems "noob" or stupid. I'm still learning where FSX and other addon applications limits are.

 

Best regards.

[GG_Flyer]

Grzegorz,

 

First, your English and your questinons are all perfectly understandable - there is nothing for you to be "sorry" for!!

 

G940 / PMDG - This would be one for Urs to take. He's flown the 744 for a while and I'm just getting the hang of the J41 myself - certainly not enough to change key bindings.

 

The only question I can think to ask is do you have another key controller that this happens with as well, or does it only happen with your G940 system? (I don't have the Logitech system that you're using - I have a scatterbrained setup of controllers consisting of a CH yoke and rudder, a few GoFlight modules, a VRInsight MPanel, and a Saitek switch panel.)

 

Routes / airways - See this topic please to begin with. Using the Route Setup - Modify dialog to enter (or edit or delete) dozens of fixes can be a quite lengthy process. This is why for long or complex flights we would recommend using the "route string" or "route description" method.

 

If my answer doesn't help you much, then please respond with an example of a route that you would like to fly and I will try to answer better.

 

Vanishing taxiway route - I've seen this happen but it doesn't always happen and I've not been able to reproduce it. So let's call this a new bug for the bug list.

 

Alternate airport distance - This reads to me as a reasonable suggestion - at least as an optional way to display data - but I'll leave this for the boss to decide. {g}

 

Scenery addons / changes - Detecting such changes is not automatic, but is easy to do. Have you performed an "FSX Scenery Data Update" from your DataProvider - Data menu? Doing so should update airport layout and nav/com frequencies.

 

If doing so does not produce the desired effect for you, then again I would have to ask for additional details.

 

With regards,

[Sawydz]

Thank You Sir, this answers all my questions! Now playing with EFB will by even more fun.

 

Regarding G940: Unfortunately I don't have any other key controller now, so I can't test it more, but before I bought G940 I was using old Saitek ST50 and everything worked well, I had the same bindings in J41 config file as I have now, the only change is that I was using them from keyboard and now I have binded them to keys in Logitech Profiler.

 

Regards,

[aivlasoft]

Hi Grzegorz,

 

I'm really puzzled with the situation you described. Also when having a look into the program code I don't get the clue how this can happen.

 

Does it also happen if you switch the chart manually?

Does it also happen if you run another aircraft?

Did you ensure that NO shortcut is assigned twice across the several products?

[Sawydz]

Hi Urs,

 

I wanted to make fast response but then I changed my mind and decided to make some more testing before I reply to You, so today I did three two hours flights and I managed to find the "trigger" of this problem. Here are results of my observations:

 

Does it also happen if you switch the chart manually?

 

First Flight without EFB: nothing happened, everything worked like it supposed to.

 

Second flight with EFB: J41 key assigned to G940 buttons became blocked on ground while taxing, exactly while chatting with FSX's built in ATC. After takeoff everything worked as it supposed to till some moment in flight when I realized that keys are blocked again, there was no auto chart switch etc as I was "Enroute" for quite some time already and I'm pretty sure that everything worked alright after last chart switch, but once again I was chatting with FSX's ATC.

 

Third flight with EFB: this one was aimed to find the trigger and I found it: G940/J41 buttons become blocked when I do something with EFB, then I click the airplane button that enables moving map, then I go back to J41 and change charts with key shortcut, after chart switch the buttons are blocked but standard FSX keys assigned to remaining G940 buttons are not affected. It doesn't explain what triggers this issue when I don't switch charts manually, but at least we've got something.

 

I tried to remake situation when chart auto switch would trigger this issue, but I wasn't able to do it, so it looks like my first tough about it was wrong, and "second flight" suggests that maybe the guilty one is FSX's popup menu? EFB is using the same menu to switch charts, isn't it?

Also I said (wrote) that when keys become blocked I can't use those combinations from keyboard and I was wrong again, I have changed bindings in J41 config file and simply forgot about it! (oh how lame, I know...)

So the conclusion is: it happens mostly after manual chart switch and only sometimes there's something other that triggers it, at least now I know how to avoid it most the time.

 

Does it also happen if you run another aircraft?

 

It affects only key bindings that are in J41 config file and are assigned to buttons in Logitech Profiler.

 

Did you ensure that NO shortcut is assigned twice across the several products?

 

Yes, I have double checked this, and triple checked and... Those bindings are present only in J41 config file and Logitech Profiler.

 

With regards,

[GG_Flyer]

Does it also happen if you run another aircraft?

 

It affects only key bindings that are in J41 config file and are assigned to buttons in Logitech Profiler.

Hello Grzegorz,

 

Thank you for your excellent and thorough testing sir.

 

Please forgive this question if I have misunderstood you: Do you have any other aircraft which you have Logitech Profiler assignments for?

 

Also, would it be possible for you to post (either here in the thread or in a PM) the segment of your J41 config file with the key bindings?

 

With regards,

[Sawydz]

Hi,

 

No, I don't have any other aircraft with assignments in Logitech Profiler. But when I saw this happen for the first time, I tough it was Profiler problem so I tested it with default FSX aircrafts and some basic bindings and everything worked alright. If You want it, I can test it more.

 

And here is my J41 config:

 

[RefreshRates]

EADI.0 =18

EHSI.0 =18

EADI.1 =18

EHSI.1 =18

 

[Engines]

AllowFires =1

[Panels]

Gray=1

 

 

[input]

AP_SBY=

AP_VSI= "ctrl+shift+z"

AP_IAS= "ctrl+shift+x"

AP_ALTSEL= "ctrl+shift+c"

CRS1_Dec=

CRS1_Inc=

CRS1_Sync=

CRS2_Dec=

CRS2_Inc=

CRS2_Sync=

AltBug_Dec=

AltBug_Inc=

HDG_Inc=

HDG_Dec=

HDG_Sync=

EFIS1_FullMap=

EFIS1_TCAS=

EFIS1_GspdTtg=

EFIS1_ET=

EFIS1_VL=

EFIS1_LNAV=

EFIS2_FullMap=

EFIS2_TCAS=

EFIS2_GspdTtg=

EFIS2_ET=

EFIS2_VL=

EFIS2_LNAV=

SpoilerArm=

 

Those keys can be assigned only via this file. The most important is AP_IAS which allows to set proper speed for climb, that's why I have to press it right after takeoff.

 

EDIT:

 

Flight four: I've tested it with shortcuts disabled in DataProvider, keys were blocked right after takeoff, but once again after FSX's ATC message popup. It happened only once during whole 2hrs flight.

[GG_Flyer]

Hi Grzegorz,

 

It's funny, I had thought to ask you about disabling the "Use shortcuts" option, but I then thought against asking that.

 

I have the JS41 and I may have an ancient Logitech joystick somewhere in storage. Perhaps within a few days I could try your keybindings both w/o the joystick and - if I can find my Logitech - perhaps with it.

 

Regards,