0002565: Detect locked simconnect and shut down

[Rainer Jurczyk]

With v 2.1.4 the feature 0002565: Detect locked simconnect and shut down was added.

Sry, from my point of view that was not a godd idea and I would highly appreciate to remove that feature or to provide a possibility to deactivate it in the settings.

Reason: vPilot now shuts down even when the user goes into the settings menu or the menu of an Addon, e.g. FSUIPC, while the sim did not loose its functionality. It may happen, I approach an airport (perhaps the alternate) and have to realize I forgot to activate the scenery in the library. When there is no one around and the controller allows me to do I can activate the scenery from the library and nothing worse happens than standing still in the air for a minute or two. Now vPilot crashes, I have to leave my cockpit, restart, reconnect, refile my flightplan. Or it may happen I get an issue with an axes or button [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ignment in FSUIPC. With the new feature a cannot fix that while staying online.

It would be a great help to fix that problem - THX in advance!

[Norman Blackburn]

Hi Rainer,

 

You do not have to refile a plan if you are only offline for a few minutes (it is a lot longer btw)

 

The introduction of the feature is to prevent a crashed simconnect allowing vPilot to stay online.

[Rainer Jurczyk]

Hi Norman,

THX for instant reply.

O.k., no new flightplan at only short interruption, that is correct, but it stays difficult for me and others with similar setup: I have to leave my homecockpit to get access to the PC where vPilot was running, meaning to lose control over aircraft until being back. I understand vPilot shutting down when simconnect is crashed. But isn´t it possible to leave vPilot running as before if one only opens the FSX/P3D settings menu or the FSUIPC menu? To change/repair one of those settings often lasts only some seconds a, no need to be pushed offline for that. To acknoledge the vPilot popup window, leaving cockpit, reopen vPilot, going back on place and reconnecting lasts much longer, position offset is much greater and so in my opinion in this case it is a big disadvantage for the controllers as well as other pilots.

EDIT: I would never cause my aircraft to hold position in the air by opening one of the mentioned menus without prior communication with the controller or when other aircrafts are in my vicinity. But I think no need to force that by the client.

If it is technically impossible to seperate if simconnect is crashed or only one of the menus opened, it woul be sufficient to provide reasonable time, e.g. 2 minutes, until v Pilot closes. Alternatively it would be sufficient, if vPilot only disconnects without shuting down the program itself.

[Norman Blackburn]

My understanding is it only does this after 30 seconds and may even be a little longer. Is it really taking you that long to do these quick menu changes? 2 minutes would IMO be too long.

[Rainer Jurczyk]

Try it on your own regardless if FSX or P3D: Start Sim with e.g. MAP EDDFv2 inactive, FTX Global, VFR Germany, UTX Europe or something similar active. Max. CPU @4,5 GHz, RAM DDR3 2133.

Open Scenery Config Editor, check MAP EDDFv2 active, save, open FSX/P3D Settings -

start chronometer

click World>Scenery Library>ok

... ... ...

absolutely no chance with 30s. Even 2 min will be too short sometimes.

Ok, so no 25R in EDDF or logging out before flight completed. No controller will be amused...

[Ross Carlson]

I'm already working on a change where it will disconnect instead of shut down. I will probably also increase the timeout to something longer ... 1 or 2 minutes should be good.

[Ernesto Alvarez 818262]

Rainer i would also recommend having your scenery ready before hand. if it is taking you that long, thats going to possibly cause issues with traffic and/or ATC. if it hasnt yet, its going to at some point, especially if you happen to be flying during very busy times like events. 30 seconds to 2 minutes stuck in the same position is a lot. plan ahead to avoid issues down the road, controllers will be less amused with having to deal with a conflict rather then a lost target

[Rainer Jurczyk]

@ Ross: THX a lot, even disconnect instead of shutdown alone would solve the prob, a little bit more time makes it more comfortable.

@ Ernesto: no need to discuss about, but nobody's perfect, and, as said above, I fully agree not to pause the aircraft' s motion without controller's permission AND (not or!) when TFC is in vicinity.

[Ross Carlson]

2.1.6 is available now. It waits 2 minutes rather than 30 seconds before determining the sim is locked up, and it will only disconnect, not shutdown.

[Rainer Jurczyk]

Once again: THX for coop! IMHO that's a perfect solution.