Jump to content

Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) Integration


aivlasoft

Recommended Posts

2020-09-21

Status of MSFS integration

 

In the meantime we have achieved a good understanding of the data structures of the new Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS).
The Database-Builder is already capable of building the EFBv2 database and also the connection to the running simulator is already working.

However, we must clearly point out that in the currently available version 0.5.1.0 of the SDK, some of the necessary functions are not yet available and also larger parts of the SDK documentation are still pending.

For these reasons we have no other choice than to wait for the next version of the SDK. We hope that the remaining and for EFBv2 necessary functions will be available then.

Thank you very much for understanding and being patient.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • aivlasoft changed the title to Microsoft Flight Simulator (MFS) Integration
  • 2 weeks later...

2020-10-05, Last updated 2020-10-31

Pre-release

 

Dear Users,
We offer a pre-release of EFB2 build #120, which includes compatibility to Microsoft Flight Simulator MSFS v1.10.7.0 This said, we need to give some thorough information on this release, as there are a few important things to observe.

 

 

 

Please read this information carefully and to the end before you start the installation.

 

 

As long as you run this pre-release it is mandatory to always update to the latest version as soon as a new version is available.  Support is only given for this latest version.

 

 

  1. If you are not using the new Microsoft Flight Simulator MSFS, then you may neglect this information and also this pre-release.
     
  2. If MSFS will be updated to a higher version than currently v1.10.7.0, things described herein may and most probably will change. We always try to keep the information herein up-to-date.
     
  3. Most important, this pre-release is no automatic update to your present build! This is also NO complete installation it's just an update to an existing installation.
     
  4. We will publish links for both Server and Client updates at the bottom of this thread, which will simply install over the existing installation. Please do not try to backup and reuse any files from your present installation. The settings of your current installation will be preserved.
     
  5. In case you are not happy with this update #120, there is NO automatic fallback to the previous build #119. To go back to build #119 you will have to completely uninstall EFBv2 #120, then download the complete installer #119 from our website and reinstall build #119.
     
  6. Whenever an update/hotfix to this new build #120 is available, we will publish it in this forum and you will have to download it from the given links again and then manually run the update. The build number #120 will not change, only the compilation date/time.
     
  7. To connect with MSFS, it is mandatory to install and run the new FSUIPC7. Please note that FSUIPC7 is in Beta stage and is distributed with a time limited free license at this time. We do however have no information as to how FSUIPC7 will be marketed when finally released. Installation of FSUIPC7 must be done according to the instructions given by the developers of it. It can be downloaded from:
    https://fsuipc.simflight.com/beta/FSUIPC7.zip

    If you are interested in the discussion about FSUIPC7, here is the link to the respective support forum from the developers:
    https://forum.simflight.com/topic/90193-fsuipc7-beta-for-msfs/
     
  8. A previous installation of lower versions of FSUIPC (most probably FSUIPC6) MUST NOT BE REMOVED, as the earlier versions are still needed for EFB2's P3D and FSX functionality. All those FSUIPC variants are designed to work side-by-side without interferencing each other.

 

Known issues of EFBv2 #120:
There are a few functions that are not or not yet available for MSFS. The main reason being is the still rather incomplete SDK which still consists of too many empty items to allow to fully benefit from all possibilities in MSFS. The following functions are not (yet) available in build #120 or may work a bit differently to what is described in the current manuals:

  • Status of the simulator (paused/running) is not always reliably detectable while the simulator is starting up. Best practice to circumvent this will be to start EFB Server only when the simulator is already running.
  • COM-Frequency tuning is not available yet. Will be implemented at a later stage.
  • Ground layouts are available in the EFB Database for each airport. However we cannot display tarmac layouts (Aprons), as due to the nature of the present MSFS Ground Polygon compilation this would enlarge the database by almost 100%. This would slow the database building process as well as the data transfer with the Client(s) to unbearable delays.
  • Detecting of addon-airports is not always possible, therefore the 'circle around the asterisk' on the world map is not 100% reliable.
  • Most of the Add-On airports purchased via Marketplace Online Store feature user-specific encrypted files instead of the usually 'open' BGLs. Encrypted files make it impossible to read the required ground layout information and therefore EFB cannot depict the ground chart of such an Add-On airport. If the data files are encrypted, only the default Ground Chart will be available.
  • AI Traffic is visible, but the definitions are not yet clear. We display what FSUIPC7 is supplying but there is no specific information available in the SDK. It can however still be activated/deactivated by the usual soft keys and/or option buttons.
  • Weather cannot be read from the Simulator. To bypass this please select "Real Weather" as the weather provider. This can be done in the Client settings (tab 'Global').
  • Flight plan handling is similar to the well known default GPS Flight Plans in FSX/P3D. A flight plan can still be created externally by PFPX, SimBrief or similar. A flight plan can also be created using the EFBv2 functionality.  Once an EFBv2 flight plan has been created  DO NOT LOAD THIS FLIGHT PLAN FROM THE MSFS START SCREEN! The Flight Plan is created within EFB2 and then automatically transferred to the default GPS of the MSFS aircraft. Editing of the Flight Plan and adding SIDs, STARs and APPROACHES is possible in the usual way.  it must however be noted that the Flight Plan Display in the default NAV Displays of the MSFS aircraft is rather incomplete. At present no custom waypoints are displayed, as well as no procedures. However the ROUTING AS DISPLAYED IN THE EFB2 CLIENT WILL PROPERLY BE FOLLOWED IN GPS/NAV MODE.
  • Manuals are not updated at this stage of development. We encourage users to report differences to the current manual content. We will open a separate forum thread for this Pre-release, where all comments/suggestions/bugs have to be reported.


 

Download Links

Download links intentionally removed.   New links see latest post.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A new update is available. Timestamp of the installers is 2020-10-11 17:02

 

  • This update now allows to create the database for the Steam-version and the boxed version.
  • This update does not fix the problem with the too long paths. We are investigating whether there is a fix for this at all.
  • This update does also not yet support reading the Navigraph navdata updates for MSFS.

 

Download links intentionally removed.   New links see latest post.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A new update is available.

 

Timestamp of the binaries is 2020-10-15 11:28

Client, Server and DbBuilder will add the following information line into the logfile: "This is pre-release version 2020-10-15 / 4".

 

  • This update fixes the issue with the Installation path for the Steam Edition.
  • This update fixes the issue with the too long path names.  Although the error is still raised from the .NET-Framework, it will now be caught so the process of creating the database can continue (without processing these folders with the too long names).
  • This update does also not yet support reading the Navigraph navdata updates for MSFS.

 

Download links intentionally removed.   New links see latest post.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A new update is available.

 

Timestamp of the binaries is 2020-10-21 16:48

Client, Server and DbBuilder will add the following information line into the logfile: "This is pre-release version 2020-10-21 / 5".

 

  • This update now supports the Navigraph navdata updates for MSFS.
  • This update fixes some minor glitches.

 

Download links intentionally removed.   New links see latest post.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A new update is available.

 

Timestamp of the binaries is 2020-10-22 15:27

Client, Server and DbBuilder will add the following information line into the logfile: "This is pre-release version 2020-10-22 / 6".

 

  • This update now supports the Navigraph navdata updates for MSFS.
  • This update fixes some minor glitches.

 

Download links intentionally removed.   New links see latest post.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

A new update is available.

 

Timestamp of the binaries is 2020-10-30 11:02

Client, Server and DbBuilder will add the following information line into the logfile: "This is pre-release version 2020-10-31 / 7".

 

  • This update now supports the new Navigraph navdata format (MSFS beta), available from Cycle 2011, rev. 7.
  • This update fixes some minor glitches.
  • It has been tested with the latest available MSFS version 1.10.7.0.
  • Additionally to the MSFS integration we added the new functionality to tune navaids and ILS at the following places:
    - right mouse click on every navaid on the world and ground chart (VOR, DME, NDB)
    - right mouse click on the landing system frequency on the procedure panel
    - right mouse click on the DME frequency (if available) on the procedure panel

 

Download links intentionally removed.   New links see latest post.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • aivlasoft changed the title to Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) Integration

A new update is available.

 

Timestamp of the binaries is 2020-11-04 10:48

Client, Server and DbBuilder will add the following information line into the logfile: "This is pre-release version 2020-11-04 / 8".

 

  • This update fixes a bug which under certain circumstances prevented the Client from a proper startup.
  • It has been tested with the latest available MSFS version 1.10.8.0.
  • Additionally to the MSFS integration we added a new functionality which allows to scroll the ATC-ribbon (Online VATSIM/IVAO)
    using the mouse-wheel at any time (Auto-Scroll will be suspended temporarily)

 

As mentioned in the first post, pt 6, you will have to run these two updates manually after downloading. These updates will replace the binaries on your system so they will have the timestamp mentioned above. The version number 2.1.120 will not change.

 

Download links intentionally removed due to official release of v2.2.121.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...