FSMap problms

[x-man 0]

Hello everyone!

This is my first post on this forum.

About two weeks ago I have downloaded FSMap Demo version. I have found number of problem with it. Even most of them are not critical, few of them are important to me:

1. Loading and changing maps in FSMap seems bit shaky. For first two weeks World map practically have never loaded at all. Other maps: West, Boston Airport Taxiways Map, and Massachusetts Terminal VFR (which I installed), also were usually loading unreliably and with trouble (if they did at all). I spent lots of time trying to figure reasons of it and find some unorthodox ways to make it work and after lots of tries, I noticed that pressing "reset zoom" and "tracking mode" button in FSMAp sometimes fix map loading problem – even without guarantee for success. To explain: problem was particularly painful while using FSMap in FSX multiplayer mode (where using FSMap is really helpful and needed). If map is not loaded and screen remains white, zoom in FSMap is grayed and cannot be changed at all (its usually fixed statically at 10 or 15 Mn). This disallows monitoring of close traffic (as around airports, especially to see plane speeds – since Gauge labels doesn't show it), as well observe traffic which is beyond 10/15 Mn radius (as when trying to find online friends in session which wondered too far). After about 2 weeks of use, not sure does it have any significance or not, but appears after I used FSMap over German sector of Demo map, FSMap "decided" to fix itself on its own. Even all appears to work fine now, still my first experience with it, worries me a bit are problems gone for good, or will it "decide" to break itself again for no apparent reason, just as it "decided" to fix itself.

2. In Map Gauge, turning off and on labels in options doesn't produce any change. Labels visible in gauge always show only attitude difference of planes, ignoring setting selection.

3. In Map Gauge turning TCAS audio doesn't produce any result. Voice alert can be heard no matter how settings are set (voice cannot be muted). To explain again, this is particularly annoying if using microphone in FSX multiplayer, especially since number of "TCAS alert" and "Clear of conflict" alerts are totally bogus. At occasions there is whole cannonade of nonsense impossible to silence alert chatter, making using microphone really hard.

4. In FSX multiplayer mode helicopters are never shown in neither FSMap nor Gauge, while at the same time at different occasions there are number of ghost planes which are not in game session yet are shown by gauge and/or map.

5. In Gauge, with Smart Zoom unchecked, map have tendency to switch range on its own to 20 Mn range, after hard or abrupt turns. If map is used in dogfight or after some sharp evasive maneuver (calculated to say avoid collision), Gauge makes monitoring traffic impossible exactly in most critical moment.

6. In FSMap while using it online, FIR boundaries and Controller Zones sometimes are shown, sometimes are not, while sometimes some are shown while other not.

7. Starting Gauge in FSX multiplayer sometimes kicks me off session. Problem appears to be plane/server related only. To explain: for instance I am able to use FSMap in HippyHappy Germany Online Session - on FSX default Boeing 737 for instance. I am able to use Boeing 767 (Level D) in HippyHappy – or any other session for that matter. For live of me I cannot use however Boeing 767 WITH Gauge in HippyHappy, while I can use same combo anywhere else. In this particular session problem appears to persist only for 767 + Gauge (….of combination I tried).

I am using FSX SP2 Acceleration Deluxe, Windows XP Pro SP3 32-bit, Quad CPU @ 2.6 GHz, 4 Gig RAM @ 900Mhz, NiVidia GeForce Go 7950 GTX 2x512Mb, Direct X 9. In most cases I set both FSMap and Guage Views on 2nd monitor. I did not assign FSMap its own core or observed any performance decreases due to FSMap use on my system.

Wondering any comments to found problems?

Thanks for great program!

X-man

[x-man 0]

Little update since yesterday. As of today World and West maps stopped loading again. Track up and Track 360 options in FSMap are grayed (not working). Zoom is fixed at 10 Mn and impossible to change.

[Shaun Fletcher 571]

Hello X-man,

I'll alert Thomas of your plight.

[Thomas Molitor 24]

Hi,

1. Are you sure that you custom maps are calibrated correctly? The symptoms you describe would be caused by incorrect calibration.

2. The labels option currently only disabled waypoint captions. Doesn't make sense to disable captions for TCAS entries.

3. This works fine here. I have retested it here. I here no sounds when TCAS audio is turned off.

4.+5. Will check these points.

6. Which options have you turned here?

7. Not reproducable here. I never got kicked out of a session when using FSMap and flying a lot using multiplayer mode.

Regards

Thomas

[x-man 0]

1.

Are you sure that you custom maps are calibrated correctly? The symptoms you describe would be caused by incorrect calibration.

Well that was actually the very first of my thought when I first observed problem. Here are my calibrations of:

WEST:

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?054b8139b5.jpg

Parameters of calibration point 1 (not visible on picture) are as follow:

1 - 0 - 0 - N90 00 - W135 00

WORLD:

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?9bb6fc8faf.jpg

Parameters of calibration point 1 (not visible on picture) are as follow:

1 - 0 - 0 - N90 00 - W180 00

Both maps have two calibration points visible on map, green at very upper left corner of map and red at the very bottom right corner of map. While it only occasionally happens that Germany Demo or either of installed by me Boston maps don't load (which if it happens usually can be fixed by pressing reset zoom and tracking buttons, sometimes by restarting), West and World maps (beside short period when they decided to work) are not working at all and are impossible to fix:

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?bfd3e835bb.jpg

Map is blank. Note that Track Up 360 and Track Up Arc options are grayed. Map is fixed statically at 10Nm range and pressing any of zoom buttons doesn't produce any result.

At the same time both maps usually show correctly in Gauge.

From my personal experience I finding that running both Gauge and FSMap Views side by side same time is desired way of using tool, simply because Gauge lacks what FSMap have (airplane tags displaying user name, aircraft time, speed and altitude), while Gauge has what FSMap doesn't (airports schemes).

Using both FSMap and Gauge same time additionally allows to set both instrument to different tracking method (for instance North in FSMap and Track in Gauge) which gives better situational awareness.

I also finding that using Gauge + FSMap (from plane), is excellent way of doing online ATC - much better than FSX's ATC Tower Controller - given of course both Gauge and FSMap views works. When both view works its possible to see same time all airport ground traffic in Gauge, while having full sector radar information displayed from FSMAP – in much more convenient desirable way. FSX ATC Tower neither allows mouse to control radar screen (zoom change, dragging map with manual tracking), nor draws for instance planes icon (better way of displaying planes headings than dot trail).

Whatever someone's desired ways of using product, it seems to me, that functioning of West and World maps is absolutely crucial if tool it is to be used. When maps don't show, entire tool functionality is limited to very narrow range. After all how many maps anyone could have installed?

2.

The labels option currently only disabled waypoint captions. Doesn't make sense to disable captions for TCAS entries.

My misunderstanding

3.

This works fine here. I have retested it here. I here no sounds when TCAS audio is turned off.

On my end it never worked for as long as I using FSMap. Sounds alerts appear to be produced by both FSMap and Gauge – while it seems only Gauge suppose to make them. At different occasions some of planes present in session (not limited to helicopters only) are not displayed by only Gauge while plane shows in FSMap view (or otherwise), while sometimes plane is not shown by either tool – yet it can be seen visually. At occasion there is entire cannonade of alerts even there are no planes at all in close vicinity – usually during hard maneuvers.

6.

Which options have you turned here?

In Gauge Smart zoom is usually only option which I have unchecked (dark) in menu. The other option which I had either checked or unchecked is sometimes TCAS Audio. In FSMap I have all options checked in both Online Traffic Options and AI Traffic options.

7.

Not reproducable here. I never got kicked out of a session when using FSMap and flying a lot using muliplayer mode.

Well I'm getting kicked all the time from all sorts of sessions (which is not necessarily connected to use of FSMap). I finding that particularly using European sessions day time (of my time - Im in USA EST time) is really unreliable.

Even I'm not programmer myself, my uneducated guess is that problem might be possibly server caused and related to some conflict of fighting over data output resources. Some multiplayer sessions have for instance maps placed on their dedicated web sites which shows location of all users in session, ATC robots etc etc.

Could it be that server asks FSX to provide geographical position data from same hook which is already occupied by FSMap? I go really long way with my imagination here, so please forgive if it all sounds nothing short of ridiculous. Just trying to make sense of things in way my lack of knowledge allows me.

[Thomas Molitor 24]

1. Have you turned on the option "Use alternate Map drawing Method"? This would explain why the track modes are disabled. Turn it off and you will be able to switch the track mode. Additionally you can try to run FSMap in debug mode by using the command line option "/DBG". This will produce a debug log under "Documents\FSMap\1.0\FSMap.log". Please send me this file after you have made a flight where maps did not display. I currently guess that you might out of memory, because you are using the gauge and FSMap at the same time. But the log will show.

3. Are you sure you have also set the audio in the FSMap application to muted (via Options->Sound Volume)? The problem with missing traffic does only happen in a multiplayer traffic? Does it happen in the gauge and FSMap (I haven't fully understood that from your description)? Can you say which type of aircraft are missing (maybe they are filtered by the TCAS mode?)?

6. I need a bit information on this issue as I currently understand what the exact problem is.

7. I really don't think that this has something to do with FSMap. It only reads values from FSX and does not write anything back. I guess it's just a session timeout which kicks you out.

Regards

Thomas

[x-man 0]

1. I have turned off Alternative Map Drawing Method in option and bit to my surprise both World and West Maps are loading correctly again. I think I have already tried turning off and on this option long ago without much of success, so at this point I'm not sure is this solving everything and somehow I did something wrong back when I was trying this myself, or is it some sort of temporary fix similar to one I experienced few days ago. Since maps are loading now, running debug probably has no sense. If you still want the log please state so and I try to make it. Otherwise I guess I just try running program for few more days. If problem returns I report back.

3. Well no, I did not have sound muted in FSMap, I unchecked it only in Guage and I think that solves problem – my bad.

Missing traffic as far as I can tell happens online only - rather rarely. Missing helos happens more often. When problem occurs, sometimes I have aircrafts which do show in Gauge while they do not show in FSMap, sometimes I have aircrafts which show in FSMap but not in Gauge and sometimes they don't show in either tool, while plane tag is visible visually from distance from say FSX spot view. I never used any other mode of TCAS besides Unrestricted – so that's probably not a culprit. I also always use all options checked in in AI traffic and Online traffic in FSMap.

I don't know what types of planes do not show (besides helicopters) – really didn't tried to observe it. Just as I writing this reply I was trying to fly few sessions just so I can add any details, but of course maliciousness of dead objects is such that when needed problems don't occur while when not needed they occur all the time LOL. I was not able to find any session with helos or reproduce problem. I will try to observe it from now on, note aircraft types and write back soon I collect enough info. Since it doesn't happen that often collecting some meaningful data probably will require some time.

Bit out of subject off this point, anyway I also mentioned before, that sometimes there are also ghost planes which show on FSMap while they are not visible in the online session. My personal guess is, since planes labels are usually very well defined (stating plane type, registration, destination etc), that planes are not that much not existing, as FSMap displays mistakenly info for planes which flies in different session over same geographical area. In my opinion this particular problem (ghost planes) is not that big of a deal anyway just thought will mention it taking occasion.

5. My personal guess is that problem might be related to Guage faulty mechanism of changing zoom when plane (or helo) landing or taking off. It appears designed zoom change in Gauge should appear when planes meets defined criteria and Gauge either thinks that plane is landing (change to 0.63Nm) or taking off (change to 20 Nm). It seems that sometimes when some sharp maneuvers are made, mechanism is getting bit confused and changes to 20Nm when there is no need for it. I just discovered that zoom change criteria can be tuned in Gauge options – so at this point all of this is relatively new to me. I will try to play with those settings and see can I make anything better on my own.

6. In general I often observe that major controlled airports (say Vienna) don’t show neither green nor yellow circle. Restarting FSmap sometimes shows all back while sometimes it might show only green or yellow circle. Restarting again sometimes produce yet different result. Also sometimes there are yellow circles showing username of controller – while user is not present in session at all. Guessing problem may be related again to displaying data of same geographical area for wrong session. If any other info is needed please state which.

Great thanks for reply Thomas!

[Thomas Molitor 24]

3. I think I found the problem for missing helicopters, which I actually forgot to retrieve from FSX. The rest is up to SimConnect, if it gives me an aircraft I will show it. So maybe ghosts are a problem of SimConnect.

5. Still investigating. Have to make some helicopters flights to see what happens.

6. Which online traffic are you using: VATSIM or IVAO? And don't forget this will not show the multiplayer ATC.

Regards

Thomas

[James A 39]

3. I think I found the problem for missing helicopters, which I actually forgot to retrieve from FSX. The rest is up to SimConnect, if it gives me an aircraft I will show it. So maybe ghosts are a problem of SimConnect.

5. Still investigating. Have to make some helicopters flights to see what happens.

6. Which online traffic are you using: VATSIM or IVAO? And don't forget this will not show the multiplayer ATC.

Regards

Thomas

3 and 5 never took much notice of so can't confirm this issue.

6. Will also depend (if I read the post right) on who is actually conected at the time, Tower, Approach or Controller. I see the correct display whenever they are on and when they log off.

[x-man 0]

Hello again.

Just would like to report that after few days of try, my World and West map are still showing, hence I'm cautiously optimistic problem was probably caused by my part by incorrect settings of "Alternative draw map method" – and not any program bug.

3. After few days of flying (which is perhaps not that long) I couldn't really narrow missing planes problem to any particular type of planes besides helicopters and it seems that your comments in point 3 of previous post in regard to SimConnect is what I really suspected on my own from long. Indeed missing controllers and planes do look like connection issues rather than any local problems.

I manage to make picture which show discrepancies between what Gauge and Maps shows:

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?473af16fd2.jpg

Picture was made in HippyHappy Germany multiplayer session. Since it shows lots of planes (this particular session almost always does) it was difficult to determine every case of plane shown by Gauge or FSMap. Upon landing my impression was Gauge reading were reflecting reality (or at least were closer to it) while FSMap reading were not correct. Problems like this happen rather occasionally than commonly and in most cases Gauge and FSMap readings do match each other just perfectly. I experienced also some problem with Germany Demo map which refused to load itself and World map was loaded instead, still have to say, personally I consider both mentioned glitches as not critical. Not loading maps was what really worried me.

6. In regard to this question, judging by look of online traffic icon in FSMap I think I use IVAO. I'm not particularly sure what IVAO is? I know VATISM is separate network but what about IVAO and your comments in regard to multiplayer ATC? Is there third method of connection? Is IVAO interchangeable name of Spy network? In any case that exactly what I use. I use Spy network in FSX, occasionally connecting directly if direct IP is available and connection seems better – still have to say I finding this very rarely to be the truth. By observing connections with packet sniffer I finding that often direct connections and Spy network connections are really the same thing. Spy usually connects host and client over peer to peer where Spy network server seems to plays role of "initialization rendezvous server" designed to allow two parties communicates through their NAT routing. In both direct connection and Spy connection it seems main stream of session communication goes over peer to peer. Also in both cases there is some minor chatting between Spy server and client usually at the beginning of the session – which as mention already I guessing is necessary simply to establish connection through NAT. Since comparing session statistic seems not to show any traffic speed or volume differences (or any differences for that matter), connection IPs are the same, my personal felling is difference between two comes down to most likely just few packets of initial communication and despise popular believe and claims of superiority of direct connection – they both seems to be simply the very same thing. I sidetracked bit of topic with all this direct/ Spy connection comments LOL, still just wanted to take occasion to share my observations.

In any case would like to express I'm really happy both with FSMap (or any Aerosoft product for that matter), really glad to see responsive and concerned people and will be more than glad to proceed with purchase.

Thanks for great program Thomas!

Regards

X-man

[Thomas Molitor 24]

Hi,

5. I think I found your problem. Actually it is not a bug, but a feature of FSMap, I totally forgot, that controls the zoom even when SmartZoom is off.

Try to set the option "Transition Speed (kts)" to zero and the zoom will not be changed on sharp turns.

About the missing controller. I think you mix up the online networks VATSIM and IVAO with the FSX multiplayer mode. If you display an online network it won't show you the FSX multiplayer traffic or controller.

Regards

Thomas

[Danair 2]

Hi Thomas, FSMap

I downloaded the demo version with high hopes and I'm sure this is a fine addon/utility, but the problem is - it's just too complex for me to understand how to use. I'm fairly IT savvy but not to this level, wow.

Is it really this complex or have I lost the plot (Ooops Pun)

Thank you

[Thomas Molitor 24]

FSMap is not that complex. Open FSMap, connect with FS and follow your flight on the maps. Map calibration is a bit more complex, but once you get used to it, it is actually quite easy to add new maps. Feel free to post any questions you have and I will try my best to answer them quickly.

Regards

Thomas

[x-man 0]

Thanks for reply Thomas!

Actually for sometime I was still using Demo version, even I had purchased full version already. I thought that FSMap is smaller and upon downloading I found out I simply have no enough disk space to install it. For reasons which are not important, complicated and difficult to explain I was not able to install it till few days ago – while I really wanted to write once I see what full version is all about.

So far no problems beside what mentioned already. Setting "transition speed" to zero works OK. It killed entirely smartness of switching to ground zoom when landing – still I think I prefer changing it back and forth manually when I switching between airlines and helos/fighters than having it trip on me while in traffic situation (LOL).

By the way wondering – any winds about any future update which would add helos to display traffic?

[Thomas Molitor 24]

I am working on it. Shouldn't take too long.

Thomas