SimpleCam not working with FSX(box)

[dougfir]

I installed SimpleCam in a Windows 10 64bit pc running FSX (box not Steam).

 

Started FSX and the SimpleCam icon appears in the taskbar.

Start a flight with the default C172 aircraft.

None of the arrow keys shown in the instructions do anything to move the camera view. With NumLock On tried to save the current view by pressing Ctrl + numpad 1. No message from SimpleCam indicating a save.

 

Closed FSX normally but SimpleCam remains in the taskbar. Ended that task with the Task Manager.

 

Another thing: when I right click on the SimpleCam icon when it's running in the task bar there is about a 30 second delay before getting a menu that has 3 choices: About, Enter License, Exit. If I click "Enter License" there is another 30 second delay before getting the license window.  Something very wrong here.

 

If this is a simconnect issue, which version does SimpleCam use and how do I install it.

FSX SP1 and SP2 install 2 versions.

 

Any suggestions before I uninstall SimpleCam?

 

Thanks

 

John

[aivlasoft]

Hi John,

 

None of the arrow keys shown in the instructions do anything to move the camera view. With NumLock On tried to save the current view by pressing Ctrl + numpad 1. No message from SimpleCam indicating a save.

Closed FSX normally but SimpleCam remains in the taskbar. Ended that task with the Task Manager.

This seems to me that "SimConnect" is not installed properly.

 

 

Another thing: when I right click on the SimpleCam icon when it's running in the task bar there is about a 30 second delay before getting a menu that has 3 choices: About, Enter License, Exit. If I click "Enter License" there is another 30 second delay before getting the license window.  Something very wrong here.

Another very strange behavior that I cannot reproduce here.

 

 

If this is a simconnect issue, which version does SimpleCam use and how do I install it.

FSX SP1 and SP2 install 2 versions.

EFB requires the version which comes with SP2.

Try to 'google' for "SimConnect FSX SP2".

 

 

Any suggestions before I uninstall SimpleCam?

Have you ever tried it on a clean Windows, after a fresh installation?

[dougfir]

Thanks Urs,
 
This is a new PC and thus a clean install of both Windows and FSX.
 
I have the standard 3 simconnect.dlls that result from installing FSXBox + SP1 + SP2 and they are all in the respective Windows\WinSxs directories.
 
If indeed ""SimConnect" is not installed properly" how do you "install it properly"?
 
The only thing you can do is uninstall/reinstall SP2 which I have done.
 
How does a user troubleshoot/debug simconnect issues?
 
Is SimpleCam looking at a specific port or URL address for simconnect?
 
Does SimpleCam have a debug parameter that would allow writing any errors to a file for inspection?

 

How would you debug this situation if it were on your PC?

 

Surely after the 3rd or 4th reinstall of SP2 you would be trying something else.
 

I'm ready to try anything.

 John
 

[dougfir]

More information on this problem:

 

I ran SimConnect Diagnostic Output and when starting FSX with SimpleCam this is what I get:

 

0.00000 SimConnect version 10.0.61259.0

0.00219 Server: Scope=local, Protocol=Pipe, Name=\\.\pipe\Microsoft Flight Simulator\SimConnect, MaxClients=64

0.00371 Server: Scope=local, Protocol=IPv6, Address=::1, Port=57610, MaxClients=64

0.00461 Server: Scope=local, Protocol=IPv4, Address=127.0.0.1, Port=57611, MaxClients=64

9.55622 Exe Launched:  Path="G:\FSX\Utils\SimpleCam\AivlaSoft.SimpleCam.exe"  CommandLine=""  Version="1.0.11.0"

 

And that's it, end of output.

No further connections, errors, nothing.

There was no further communication between SimpleCam and Simconnect as far as I can see.

 

And none of the arrow keys moved anything unless I just don't get how it's supposed to operate.

 

 

Thanks

John

[aivlasoft]

Hi John,

 

indeed that's all weird ...

 

I did not know that it is a clean install, and what you describe looks all good. I have never had any troubles with SimConnect on my computers, so I must admit that I don't know what I were doing ...

 

I think that we must search for the cause of this problem elsewhere:

- Did you run the SimpleCam configuration tool, which is removing the predefined assignments of FSX for all the keys that are used from SimpleCam

- Do you use a keyboard layout, other than English (Windows language settings)

It looks like the arrow keys are not recognized from SimpleCam (and other keys too)

 

What really makes me puzzled are these two things:  "Closed FSX normally but SimpleCam remains in the taskbar" and "... there is about a 30 second delay before getting a menu".

When FSX has closed and SimpleCam does not get any information about the close, then I must assume that the information has not reached SimpleCam.

Any delay when opening the popup menu is not caused by SimpleCam and must be caused from the underlying operating system ... but why? I have never heard about such a delay.

 

To be honest, I have no idea what's going on on your computer, I'm just guessing ...

 

How can I start this Diagnostic output? I could try it on my computer and than we can compare the output. Maybe this could bring some new finding.

[dougfir]

Hello,

 

SimConnect Diagnostic Output

 

goto <your fsx drive> :\FSX\SDK\SDK\Core Utilities Kit\SimConnect SDK\

then open the config folder and follow the readme info

 

Basically you place the SimConnect.ini file in the "My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files" directory.

 

My file reads

 

 [simConnect]

level=verbose

console=1

;RedirectStdOutToConsole=1

OutputDebugString=1

file=c:\simconnect.log

;file_next_index=0

;file_max_index=9

 

Then as you start FSX a command window will open and many lines will scroll by depending on how many and what type of addons you use with fsx.

 

At any point you can select/copy or scroll the text in the window but when you exit fsx that data will be saved in the file you specified.

 

 Here's a youtube video demonstration:

 

 

 We'll figure this out.

 My keyboard layout is standard.

 I'm going to redo your setup instructions.

 

 Just to be clear, when all is setup and SimpleCam has started, FSX running, and you are in the cockpit - do you have to initiate SimpleCam with a certain key or should the arrow keys just start moving your view?

 

 

 John

[aivlasoft]

Hi John,

 

thanks a lot for this information. I have installed the SDK and ran FSX with activated diagnostic logfile. The first few lines are identical with yours, but then a bunch of lines follow (> 4000 lines). As far as I can see are all these lines just a listing of all the events and data definitions which can be subscribed by an add-on using SimConnect. I copy/paste the first few lines below, I don't know whether this output will give us an idea on what is missing/wrong/different on your system.:

0.00000 SimConnect version 10.0.61259.0

0.00780 Server: Scope=local, Protocol=Pipe, Name=\\.\pipe\Microsoft Flight Simulator\SimConnect, MaxClients=64
0.01119 Server: Scope=local, Protocol=IPv6, Address=::1, Port=49409, MaxClients=64
0.01258 Server: Scope=local, Protocol=IPv4, Address=127.0.0.1, Port=49410, MaxClients=64

0.40323 Exe Launched:  Path="C:\Program Files (x86)\AivlaSoft\SimpleCam\AivlaSoft.SimpleCam.exe"  CommandLine=""  Version="1.0.11.0"
0.57569 Panels data export found and set to 20B319D8
1.48877 DLL Loaded:  Path="Modules\FSUIPC4.dll"  Version="4.9.3.9"
> 2.63421 [ 0, 1]Open: Version=0x00000004  Name="FSUIPC4"
> 2.63449 [ 0, 2]AddToDataDefinition:DefineID=-558899537, DatumName="IS USER SIM", UnitsName="Bool", DatumType=1, fEpsilon=0.000000, DatumID=0
> 2.69614 [ 0, 3]SubscribeToSystemEvent:EventID=5, SystemEventName="SimStart"
> 2.69635 [ 0, 4]SubscribeToSystemEvent:EventID=6, SystemEventName="SimStop"
> 2.69647 [ 0, 5]SubscribeToSystemEvent:EventID=7, SystemEventName="Sim"
< 2.69659 [0] Event: 7
> 2.69664 [ 0, 6]SubscribeToSystemEvent:EventID=2, SystemEventName="Frame"
> 2.69676 [ 0, 7]SubscribeToSystemEvent:EventID=27, SystemEventName="PauseFrame"
> 2.69687 [ 0, 8]SubscribeToSystemEvent:EventID=3, SystemEventName="1sec"

 

Just to be clear, when all is setup and SimpleCam has started, FSX running, and you are in the cockpit - do you have to initiate SimpleCam with a certain key or should the arrow keys just start moving your view?

You don't have to hit any key or start anything else. As soon as the icon appears in the system tray, SimpleCam is ready and waiting for any keyboard input.

 

 

Just as an idea: What about removing SimpleCam.exe from the "exe.xml" file and try to start it manually. Maybe the result is different?