Fs Commander - Weather Issue

[KLM57 0]

I have recently downloaded FS Commander 8.5 from the Aerosoft-website and I am excited about this addon.

There is only one problem I have. When I try to download "real" weather, FSC comes with the error-message: "invalid URL for weather file". I have looked this up on the website, where the data is supposed to come from, and there the URL does really not exist.

Does anybody know the correct URL so that I can change it? I couldn't find one.

Many thanks, mikfun

[James A 39]

I have recently downloaded FS Commander 8.5 from the Aerosoft-website and I am excited about this addon.

There is only one problem I have. When I try to download "real" weather, FSC comes with the error-message: "invalid URL for weather file". I have looked this up on the website, where the data is supposed to come from, and there the URL does really not exist.

Does anybody know the correct URL so that I can change it? I couldn't find one.

Many thanks, mikfun

Hi Mikfun,

In FSC and the menu bar click on Window, Options, Downloads and delete what URL is listed. Copy and past the following.

ftp://tgftp.nws.noaa.gov/data/observations/metar/cycles/

Hope this helps.

[KLM57 0]

Thank you James,

I could try the link you provided only now. It works perfectly!

Many thanks, mikfun

[phantomflyer 4]

Sorry but it's not working for me. I keep getting "invalid weather file, download it again!". This happens over and over and is very frustrating.

[phantomflyer 4]

PLEASE, somebody help me here...

I really need help here gentlemen... I have set ftp://tgftp.nws.noaa...s/metar/cycles/ as the download for fsc-metar but I keep getting "Error Dwonloading File! Please try again" (see screenshot). Sometimes I have to try 100 times (not kidding here!) to get my metar. This is extremely frustrating to say the least. I then use Active sky's "fetch weather" feature so I know what runway to use for departure and arrival. Most of the time this is incorrect until I actually load a flight plan using AS.

So, when I wind up getting to the airport I must do the flight plan all over again to change SID/STAR to match the ACTUAL weather I SHOULD be getting in FSC. When it does finally download (as I said earlier, some 100 tries in a row - only ONCE I got my Weather after 30 tries - I count them all) the CORRECT weather in FSC.

What am I supposed to do? I checked firewall settings, internet security settings and allowed the link above to be accessed and even totally disable these features to see if they are the problem but they aren't. There HAS to be a better way to fetch weather on FSC (version 8.6) than this. Is there another place where I can get the weather other than an anonymous ftp logon per above? Hi-Fi, SquawkBox, and even FSX and FS9 all get my weather with zero problems... why not FSC????

Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Bill Alexander

Quick Edit: Possily I need to change internet options in regard to FTP logon???? I can't understand what to change though as there is insuffient information in these options. Maybe I need an IT "expert" here! (using IE8) and WIndows 7 x64. And, finally, possibly I need to clear any older weather files from earlier downloads - where is this information stored? If I simply check "show weather" it shows weather that I had the last time I successfully rerieved it.

[James A 39]

Hi Bill,

I have the same link as you and I don't have the issue you have. Is FSC running on the same pc as FS or networked? Have you tried within FS to download the weather, this should then be picked up by FSC. I tend to use either of the following for weather, VATSIM, ASE or REX2. Any of these methods should get you sorted.

On a side note, have you tried the FSC website/fora?

HTH.

[phantomflyer 4]

I'm running on same PC as FS (not networked). As I said, I can get FS weather but I want to plan BEFORE I start FS because I do not want to use FSC while I'm flying - just as a planning tool so I can export the plans to my PMDG, Leveld, and FS programs. So, using FSC within FS is out of the question - it's not the way I do things. I just want to get my weather so I can plan and export, then go fly. I just tried to get my weather 356 times and finally got my metar in FSC on the 356th try! This is ridiculous and I feel like asking for a refund. It's just about useless to me as it is. The link is not the problem - I can go the it in IExplorer, but cannot get my metar through FSC and I am running it as administrator.

Where is the FSC website? I thought this was the forum!

Hi Bill,

I have the same link as you and I don't have the issue you have. Is FSC running on the same pc as FS or networked? Have you tried within FS to download the weather, this should then be picked up by FSC. I tend to use either of the following for weather, VATSIM, ASE or REX2. Any of these methods should get you sorted.

On a side note, have you tried the FSC website/fora?

HTH.

[James A 39]

Unfortunately I very much doubt it being an FSC issue, sorry. What are you using for a Firewall? I have 3 in use and have no issues, The Router, Windows 7 and AVG, they all get through so I'm assuming that the issue may well be your end. What modem, operating system etcetera are you using?

[phantomflyer 4]

As i already said, I'm using Windows 7 x64, turning off firewalls and internet security makes absolutely no difference. My modem is an ADSL supplied to me by my ISP - I have no problem surfing the net, getting FS weather inside FS9 and FSX, getting weather through Active Sky (HiFi) and connecting to VATSIM, posting here (or anywhere else for that matter) . I put in the link supplied, and ever since FSC says "downloading weather, please wait" after some ten seconds, I then get the error in my above screenshot. It HAS to be an FSC issue. I'm going to uninstall it and forget about it. I'm at wits end here. All my internet diagnostics find zero errors.

Unfortunately I very much doubt it being an FSC issue, sorry. What are you using for a Firewall? I have 3 in use and have no issues, The Router, Windows 7 and AVG, they all get through so I'm assuming that the issue may well be your end. What modem, operating system etcetera are you using?

[mopperle 4162]

It HAS to be an FSC issue. ...

Definitely not! I just downloaded it with no problems at all, see below:

Something might corrupt your download. What kind of Antivirus software are you using? What is the installation path of FSC?

[James A 39]

Two things to try. 1 - You have Active sky so run that and see if the weather is transferred/picked up by FSC. 2 - Find a link other than the FSC link for weather, delete the url in FSC, insert the one you find and try that.

You can also try within your firewall to manually ener the url for the weather as a trusted site. May well be your firewall is not playing ball?

As previously asked, have you tried the FSC web site to see what help they can give you as I'm running out of ideas for you.

[phantomflyer 4]

Thanks for the ideas.

1)How do I get Active sky to transfer (or get its info picked up by) to FSC?

2)Where is the FSC web site? I cannot find it.

3) Firewalls make zero difference on or off and I have entered the URL above as trusted

4) How (and where) do I find a link that works?

Here I sit yet again trying for over well an hour to get weather and finally got it after 322 tries which took nearly 2 hours of time. Now I'm too tired to fly and it's 10:30PM here in Western Australia. I wanted to be up and away by 8:30PM, but.....

I bought FSC from aerosoft, so I assume this is the support section. Even if someone told me where the FSC website is (Aerosoft's product, isn;'t it?), I'd be greatful. I am nearling the end of my teather with this problem.

EDIT: I just tried someting different and downloaded VATSIM data, then downloaded weather and it worked first time. I can't understand how this could make a dufference, but it did. So, for now, I will continue to do things this way. RUnning Active Sky at the same time (fetching weather) caused a crfash to desktop, so that isn't something I'kl try again. They say Windows 7 is the best - I don't believe it for a second. In my book, XP was the smoothest O/S I ever had and always allowed everything asiociated with FS to work flawlessly.

Anyway, I still would like to know where the dedicated FSC site is.

Two things to try. 1 - You have Active sky so run that and see if the weather is transferred/picked up by FSC. 2 - Find a link other than the FSC link for weather, delete the url in FSC, insert the one you find and try that.

You can also try within your firewall to manually ener the url for the weather as a trusted site. May well be your firewall is not playing ball?

As previously asked, have you tried the FSC web site to see what help they can give you as I'm running out of ideas for you.

[James A 39]

Thanks for the ideas.

1)How do I get Active sky to transfer (or get its info picked up by) to FSC?

Start FSX, Start FSC then start AS and once loaded you will see the weather arrow in FSC. To get weather for your destination in AS click on WX Config and enter the ICAO code, simple.

2)Where is the FSC web site? I cannot find it.

Try http://www.fscommander.com/ and forum http://forum.simflight.com/forum/75-fs-commander-support-forum/

HTH

[phantomflyer 4]

OK, many thanks for that. The problem has started all over again only in FSC - all other ways of getting weather work - AS(the HiFi server), FS9 and FSX built in, Squawkbox, VATSIM.....it's only an FSC problem, so off to their site I go as this is really driving me insane.

Start FSX, Start FSC then start AS and once loaded you will see the weather arrow in FSC. To get weather for your destination in AS click on WX Config and enter the ICAO code, simple.

Try http://www.fscommander.com/ and forum http://forum.simflig...-support-forum/

HTH

[phantomflyer 4]

Maybe this is it??? Installation path is C:\program files (x86)\ aerosoft\fsc <<<<<<<perhaps this needs to be installed somewhere else??? I went to the FSC forums and have to wait for my post to be approved as it was my first. I really would rather someone help me here. If I need to re-install, please tell me the proper path. Thanks.

Definitely not! I just downloaded it with no problems at all, see below:

Something might corrupt your download. What kind of Antivirus software are you using? What is the installation path of FSC?

[mopperle 4162]

Maybe this is it??? Installation path is C:\program files (x86)\ aerosoft\fsc <<<<<<<perhaps this needs to be installed somewhere else??? I went to the FSC forums and have to wait for my post to be approved as it was my first. I really would rather someone help me here. If I need to re-install, please tell me the proper path. Thanks.

Yes, this could be the problem! It is also mentioned in a pinned post in the FSC forum, see here.

As the post says, best is to install FSC (and FSX) anywhere else then the default directory given by W7 and Vista. Install it into a folder like C:\FSC.

[James A 39]

Yes, this could be the problem!

You beat me to it... Also make sure you run the installation as Administrator, right click the install exe file. After it's installed right click the shortcut on your desktop, select properties and then compatibility, then check the box for "run this programme as an administrator".

[phantomflyer 4]

You beat me to it... Also make sure you run the installation as Administrator, right click the install exe file. After it's installed right click the shortcut on your desktop, select properties and then compatibility, then check the box for "run this programme as an administrator".

I uninstalled, then re-installed to D:\FSC as administrator, then ran the database manager, then checked "run as administrator" and even took ownership of it under the security tab, put in the correct URL in the :"Windows, Options/Downloads" tab, but the problem still exists! I cannot get my weather! I'm still getting the message "error in weather file!please download again!" - and tried some 50 times to get the weather, then disabled my Kasperky internet security and windows firewall, and tried again some 100 times but all to no avail(same message as I posted in screenshot)..... I don't know what else to do here....truly at the end of my teather....

[wingnut 60]

Hello;

I had a similar problem awhile ago,it turned out to be a setting in my security software,(parental controls) was blocking the weather tool from reading from the internet.Here is a link to a post that talks about this issue,also in there is a new link for the weather download.

http://www.forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?showtopic=31513

Mark

[James A 39]

On a side note to Mark's post "do you have UAC on or off" if on turn it off! Also, can you download Natrack or Pacot files? Find those under the Tracks tab?

[phantomflyer 4]

On a side note to Mark's post "do you have UAC on or off" if on turn it off! Also, can you download Natrack or Pacot files? Find those under the Tracks tab?

Thanks all for putting up with my extremely frustrating situation. User accounts have been off from day one of this PC and I'm the only user (it's only 3monts old and I built it myself - been building PC's for 15years now, so I've been through every O/S microsoft ever had except NT and ME). No problem getting Natracks or Pacots, or anything else that's downloadable within FSC. The only issue I have is this weather error. I'm going to take my PC to my daughter's house and use her ADSL (different provider and modem) just to rule out my connection/ISP. If that works, then I will be having a nice talk to my ISP to find out why this is happening. It's the only other reason I can think of after all I've been through. I'll let you know the result as soon as I try that "last resort" action.

Cheers,

Bill

[phantomflyer 4]

Ok - my weather downloads perfectly every single time using my duaghter's broadband connection (different ISP), so I came home and placed a phone call to my ISP's support line. They asked for the ftp address I couldn't seem to get and they said "they are blocking us, so you need to write to them and ask why" !!!!! I said, "But it doesn't happen using another ISP, so it's your issue, but they insisted it was the ftp://tgftp.nws.noaa...s/metar/cycles/ site that was at fault!!!! I then went to the site itself and looked at the current cycles (looks like it's updated frequently) and thought, I wonder if I could copy and paste the latest cycle information into FSC, but where is that file placed???? Funny thing happened as well - I started up FSC and clicked to download weather while I was still connected to the NOAA site in IExplorer and the weather was instantly downloaded within FSC! Why would that matter???

So, I am about to call my ISP and ask for a supivisor as it is NOT NOAA's fault my ISP gets rejected. It's a problem the people I pay for my broadband has to fix - if not, goodbye to them! I also tried to find an alternate site to download weather for FSC, but cannot find one. Anybody know an alternate URL? If not, I will dump my ISP and get connected with the same provider my daughter uses as I am no longer under contract with my current provider. What a ridiculous set of circumstances. Many thanks for the assistance gentlemen.

Bill

PROBLEM FIXED EDIT!!!!! Guess what? I went to the NOAA site and got the latest cycle in text, using this : http://weather.noaa..../cycles/07Z.TXT (fully intending I'd copy and paste the latest Txt cycle to wherever it goes in FSC), and had a brainstorm, I got rid of the last part, thus,: http://weather.noaa....s/metar/cycles/ <<< then copied and pasted that into FSC Window/Options/Downloads and it works perfectly every time! So, there IS another way to get FSC weather without using an anonymous FTP logon that "certain" ISP's block/are blocked from. As you can see from the attached screen, the weather at EGLL (picked randomly) is current and is using the URL that works for my ISP's rejection of FTP sites. If I refresh the weather later, FSC shows the new time/data. So this is a win for anyone else who is unfortunate enough to have an ISP that is rejecting/rejected from accessing FTP sites.

[Shaun Fletcher 570]

Hello Bill,

Glad your sorted, more than one way to skin a cat, not that I'd want to.

My kitties given me evils now.

[James A 39]

Ok - my weather downloads perfectly every single time using my duaghter's broadband connection (different ISP)

Glad you eventually sorted it as I only had a couple more ideas left to give you

[phantomflyer 4]

Glad you eventually sorted it as I only had a couple more ideas left to give you

Many thanks James and Shaun, and all else for all the feedback. . Much appreciated