• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

P3D v4 HeadTracker FaceTrackNoIR & P3DV4

Christian Bahr

Resource contributor
Messages
951
Country
germany
Hello!

Has anyone here from the Forum an idea why the Headtracker FaceTrackNoIR V200 with the new Prepar3DV4 no longer functions? It is probably because both programs communicate via Simconnect. This new Simconnect version is 64-bit, right?

The installation of the outdated Simconnect version from the folder "Prepar3D v3\redist\Interface\FSX-SP2-XPACK" unfortunately did not work.

With Prepar3DV3 I had no problems in connection with FreeTrackNoIR V200.

Regards,
Christian
 
Messages
1,243
Country
canada
This is only speculation on my part, but the redist for FacetrackNoIR uses SP2 not SP2-XPAK. So there is a slight version difference. If the developer of the program in question has used a manifest that specifically uses a certain version then if it is not there then the program does not work. I am looking into both hidmacros and facetrack.

The facetrack download has a redist for another version of Simconnect. Have not tried yet, but will try in the future.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/facetracknoir/files/?source=navbar

Also the dev for facetrack says his program is not 64 bit (yet) - so he may still make a version for P3D v4
 
Messages
13
Country
france
Bonjour Ron,

On the P3D SimConnect subforum, the developper said that FacetrackNoIR was built with 10.0.60905.0. which is the RTM version.
http://www.prepar3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6310&t=124776

HID Macros is built with fsx-SP1 simconnect sdk.

From different tests I made the SimConnect_Open function is working in P3D V3 but in P3D V4 only the FSX-SP2 is OK.

It seems that a 32 bits application when external to P3D V4 doesn't need to be converted to 64 bits, it is only mandatory if your plugin is a dll integrated into P3D V4 (Like FSUIPC5)

Found in the P3D V4 SDK section
To enable the maximum possible level of backwards compatibility, the SimConnect server in Prepar3D v4 is compatible with 32-bit SimConnect executables of previous versions of Prepar3D, FSX, and ESP. To develop a SimConnect add-on that works with FSX, ESP, and all versions of Prepar3D you would use the SimConnect SDK that was included with FSX.

Have a look here. http://www.prepar3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6310&t=125245
The problem is I can't have any answer from LM, to confirm or infirm the behavior of the SimConnect_Open function in the different version of P3D.

If you have time, I would be interested if you could build this little program in SP1 and SP2, and tell me if it is working with P3D V3 and V4.

As you said changing over to lazarus from turbo delphi is not a simple job. But is it necessary ? It seems that it should work as indicated in the P3D SDK.

Thanks in advance.
Cheers
Claude
 
Messages
1,243
Country
canada
Claude,

I have seen most of the discussions on P3D v4 and legacy simconnect. I have my own LivingWorld program and some users say my version for P3D v3.x works in v4. I am also in the process of re-compiling my program for v4(64-bit), but I would like to understand what the specifics are for legacy simconnect programs to work or not. All the discussions on what makes P3D v4 unstable is all speculation.

For legacy stuff (FSX Simconnect) to work you may need a specific version of msvcr80.dll also on your computer.

Still experimenting.
 
Messages
13
Country
france
Ron,
What version of simConnect do you use in your LivingWorld program ?
Regards
Claude

A stupid question ! What is a LivingWorld program ? English is not my native language. I am french ! nobody is perfect. :)
 
Messages
1,243
Country
canada
Claude,

My livingworld program allows the user to setup AI to follow a path, similar to an Aircraft AI to follow a flight plan. You can set-up trucks, elephants, zebras, orca or your own gmax/blender developed MDL SimObjects. It is just a simple console program that I developed to learn simconnect, turns out some people wanted to use it. Guys at FSX VRS forum had used to for AI to bomb and attack. I think I even include a gmax model of the Loch Ness Monster. :)

I have a separate versions for FSX(accel) - P3D v2 and V3 - working on V4

upload_2017-6-16_10-56-24.png
 
Messages
13
Country
france
Ron,

Nice program....I understand now why it is called living world.
I downloaded it and had a look into the dependencies. In fact you use the 10.0.60905.0 SimConnect, which is the RTM one. I think it is this one you called FSX version. The connection is OK in P3D V3 but not in P3D V4.
Where can I download the P3D version ?
Cheers
Claude
 

Christian Bahr

Resource contributor
Messages
951
Country
germany
Hi Christian,

I think your problem is the same than mine.
See http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/hidmacros-rebuild-or-new-build.440319/

Cheers
Claude
Hello Claude.

The topic in the P3D forum I follow with great interest and have been in contact with the developer for several days. Unfortunately, it seems that LM can only help with the next Fix / Patch. The developer of FreeTrackNoIr (Wim) will probably not make a new simconnect adjustment. Until something is done here you have to wait :)

Thank you very much for your hint!

Regards
Christian
 
Messages
1,243
Country
canada
There is a P3D v3 version that works for me and a few others.

LW link <- Here

I really think if developers recompile their programs etc with P3D ver 3 SDK it should work in P3D v4 mine did, but maybe there are parts of the SDK that don't work. LM have admitted to an issue with managed code.

I looked at hidmacros, trying to use lazarus. There are a few objects missing from lazarus that hidmacros used from delphi. ToolBar and Action objects. Have to get around that, plus redo the great work done for the simconnectRT.pas. So this will not be easy.
 
Last edited:
Messages
13
Country
france
Thank you for the link....
yes I am sure too that a recompilation with P3D SDK should work in V4. Even a simple recompilation with FSX SP2 SDK should work. I did it in a simple test 32 bits exec, that I compiled with RTM SP1 and SP2. I works for all in P3D V3 but only the one compiled with SP2 works in V4.
For HIDMacros, I downloaded the Delphi RAD Studio, it seems to me easier to use than Lazarus. I thought the only thing to do was to change SimConnect SP1 to SP2, but it is not so easier.
Even just rebuild the code using SP1 give me errors related to XPlane.... I have to investigate more...
Cheers
Claude
 
Messages
1,243
Country
canada
Check the simconnect.manifest file. We need to change that to Prepar3d and possibly remove the msvc80Debug.dll reference. As you are not suppose to distribute that.

something like:

Code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
  <trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3">
    <security>
      <requestedPrivileges>
        <requestedExecutionLevel level="asInvoker" uiAccess="false"></requestedExecutionLevel>
      </requestedPrivileges>
    </security>
  </trustInfo>
  <dependency>
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity type="win32" name="Microsoft.VC110.CRT" version="11.0.51106.1" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b">
        <file name="msvcr110.dll" />
        <file name="msvcp110.dll" />
        <file name="msvcm110.dll" />
      </assemblyIdentity>
    </dependentAssembly>
  </dependency>
  <dependency optional= "yes">
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity type="win32" name="LockheedMartin.Prepar3D.SimConnect"
       version="10.0.XXXX.0" processorArchitecture="x86"
       publicKeyToken="?????????????????">
      </assemblyIdentity>
    </dependentAssembly>
  </dependency>

</assembly>


Delphi RAD - Yikes!!

edit:

i also found this in the SDK docs:

Development Software
Visual Studio 2015 can be used to develop SimConnect client applications. For more information on Visual Studio including how to download Visual Studio 2015, visit their website here.

Caution: If an add-on is developed using Visual Studio 2005 SP1, it will run on the development computer, but it will only run on other computers if either one of the following redist packages is installed, or the project is compiled with the _USE_RTM_VERSION compiler switch.

For 32-bit operating systems:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?familyid=A7B7A05E-6DE6-4D3A-A423-37BF0912DB84&displaylang=en
For 64-bit operating systems:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...9E-43C8-4655-81BF-9350143D5867&displaylang=en
 
Last edited:

Christian Bahr

Resource contributor
Messages
951
Country
germany
Hi Christian,
I think your problem is the same than mine.
See http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/hidmacros-rebuild-or-new-build.440319/

Hi all!

The problem is solved.

It has succeeded, FaceTrackNoIR works again. Finally! After more than two weeks, due to an unsupported SimConnect version of P3DV4, the developer has finally solved the problem to the full satisfaction. Wim gave me today a newly compiled version of his FTNoIR_Protocol_SCSP2 version. And immediately FT went back, as if nothing had happened. This is absolutely top. I am very happy that I can use my flight simulator again as I could do it years ago - I can move freely in the cockpit again.

Regards
Christian
 
Messages
6
Country
netherlands
Hi Christian,

Normally I used to use Opentrack with P3Dv3 and worked OK, But in P3Dv4 it won't. Think I have the same problem as well.
Do you think your solution will also work with Opentrack or should i use FaceTrackNoIR instead.
Can you provide me the compiled version you got from Wim?

gr.
Jos
 

Christian Bahr

Resource contributor
Messages
951
Country
germany
Hi Christian,
Do you think your solution will also work with Opentrack or should i use FaceTrackNoIR instead.
Can you provide me the compiled version you got from Wim?

Hello Jos.

This would probably take me Wim - for understandable reasons, I can not give you the new DLL file, of course, sorry. This must be waited until Wim has made the new FT version and uploaded it again. But i can ask him.

Whether the DLL also works with OpenTrack I can not say, since I have already set a long time ago on FT. My recommendation would be to change to FaceTrackNoIR. The HeadTracker supports many protocols: FaceTracker, PointTracker, Oculus, TOBI, Hatire Arduino to name just a few.

I do not want to do without FT - the tool is simply said very cool!

Christian
 
Top