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XMLTOOLS for FSX and P3D updates

T

taguilo

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Guys,

XMLTools v2.01 for FSX and XMLTools3D for P3D v3.x are now availables in the Resources pages.

Auto/manual installation supported.

History:

XMLEVENTS V1.1: Bug correction for negative values improperly returned
SIMVARS V1.1: Added Pause and Sound status detection.

Both also include a pdf example on how to call the classes from a C++ gauge.

Have fun!

Tom
 
Heretic

Heretic

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On one hand: Yay, thanks!

On the other hand: So many manuals to update with up-to-date links. Urgh!


- Edit:

Is the P3D v3 version backward compatible?
 
Last edited:
T

taguilo

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Heretic said:
Is the P3D v3 version backward compatible?
Click to expand...

I believe it is. SIMVARS is the only class that depends on Simconnect, which compiles with a version dependent lib, so the other ones must work fine (and SIMVARS probably too).

Tom
 
Heretic

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I've tried to use the new "pause" status variable in a project, but both (C:SIMVARS:Pause State,Enum) 1 != and (C:SIMVARS:Pause State,Enum) 0 == do not work.
Same for (C:SIMVARS:Current View Mode,Enum) and (C:SIMVARS:Sound State,Enum).
XMLTools otherwise works perfectly.

This is the same malady that has befallen Doug Dawson's sound gauge.

I'm suspecting FSX:Steam as the culprit, although I do have all available SimConnect versions installed.
 
T

taguilo

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All three work fine for me.
Could you check you XMLTools.dll version in FSX:STEAM folder? It should say v2.01 version in DLL file properties.

Tom
 
Heretic

Heretic

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I use an external folder for my FSX Modules and adapt my dll.xml accordingly.
The version number is correct.


And testing the variables with another model, they do seem to work for alright. Don't know what went wrong before. Weird.
 
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Heretic

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Would it be possible to implement a "value hold" function into XMLTools (actually just SIMVARS)?

Consider the following scenario:
I'm using SIMVARS to overwrite, e.g. (A:GENERAL ENG EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURE:1, celsius). Said simulation variable is driving a 3D modeled EGT needle. The code for overwriting the simvar is called from a 2D gauge, running at 18 Hz. The VC model is refreshed at 30 Hz. After every 2D update cycle, the simvar will be updated via XMLTools from the 2D gauge. Between these update cycles, the simvar will be updated by FSX flight dynamics engine. The result is a twitching needle and the effect becomes uglier, the larger the difference between the value of (C:SIMVARS:GENERAL ENG EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURE:1, celsius) and (A:GENERAL ENG EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURE:1, celsius) is.

Since I assume that XMLTools is refresh at the same rate as all the other simulator modules, would it therefor be possible to bridge the gap between 2D panel update cycles with the last known value for a variable updated by SIMVARS? This could maybe be done by comparing the retrieved value of the second last 2D refresh cycle with the one from the last 2D refresh cycle and only updating them if the values differ.
To declare that a variable modified via SIMVARS will take precedence, there could be maybe something akin to the "key capture on" vatriable for XMLKEYS.
 
Fdd_fr

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Hello Tom,

I use XMLTools since 3 years without any problem.

But I just installed on my laptop Windows 7 32b (previously XP), FSX SP2.

Curiously, XMLTools 2.0 or 2.01 doesn't work.

I did the correct declaration in dll.xml :

<Launch.Addon>
<Name>XMLTools</Name>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad>
<Path>XMLTools.dll</Path>
<DllStartName>module_init</DllStartName>
<DllStopName>module_deinit</DllStopName>
</Launch.Addon>

When I launched FSX, XMLTools is correctly detected (I have got the 2 message box about trusted software). FSX has added the XMLTools declaration in the FSX.cfg TRUSTED section (ending by "=1"

I use only XMLVars code in my gauges and nothing work. (panel works on my home computer).

- I updated VCRedist x86 by lastest version 2017
- I set Windows security at the lowest level
- I run FSX in administrator mode
- I patched UIAutomationcore.dll

I don't understand. If someone has an idea......

Thank you very much
 
Fdd_fr

Fdd_fr

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Hello Tom,

Sorry for the delayed feedback.

I had only VCRedistribuables 2017 installed and I thought that it will be adequates.

I have installed VCRedistribuable 2010 and now all works fine :)

Note : Before installing VCRedist 2010, I tried your installer and it crashed.

It seems that Installer cannot work if ther is a post 2010 version of VCredist installed on the computer.

Thanks

Francois
 
Kekelekou

Kekelekou

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Heretic said:
After every 2D update cycle, the simvar will be updated via XMLTools from the 2D gauge. Between these update cycles, the simvar will be updated by FSX flight dynamics engine. The result is a twitching needle
Click to expand...

Oh boy, I am planning for my BN2 damage mod to use XMLTools in order to hijack the RPM calculations and force a sluggish engine response to throttle inputs on a cold engine.
So I am going to check if I experience the same issue. And if so, second Björn's request. :)
 
Heretic

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Not sure if it'll work for pistion engines as well, but I recently found out that restricting fuel flow to the engine avoids twitching RPM, EGT, etc...needles while making the engine do what I want.

Having a poissibility to only influence a specific variable, however, would be nice.
 
T

taguilo

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Heretic said:
Would it be possible to implement a "value hold" function into XMLTools (actually just SIMVARS)
Click to expand...

Bjöern,
I understand what you mean. Actually to solve that issue I do not read the AVar but instead write my custom value to the CVar and an LVar, and that one is used in the Moldelfef (where CVars are not supported); for 2D panels reading the CVar directly works fine.

Anyway, I need to take a look to other problems in XMLTools (x64 version as well) so hope to have time to do that soon, and I will check this issue to see if it can be improved.

Tom
 
Heretic

Heretic

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taguilo said:
I understand what you mean. Actually to solve that issue I do not read the AVar but instead write my custom value to the CVar and an LVar, and that one is used in the Moldelfef (where CVars are not supported); for 2D panels reading the CVar directly works fine.

Anyway, I need to take a look to other problems in XMLTools (x64 version as well) so hope to have time to do that soon, and I will check this issue to see if it can be improved.
Click to expand...

Yeah, custom L: vars are the ideal solution, but not an option at all if you don't have access to the source file.

One other issue with XMLTools is that the pause and view mode detection stops working after several aircraft reloads.
 
Kekelekou

Kekelekou

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My idea was to control engine RPM, but it seems that the only RPM that can be accessed through XMLTools are the propeller's ones.
Tom, any chance that engine RPM will be added to the C:SIMVARS? Not requesting anything, just asking so that I don't waste time working on something that just can not work (since some A:vars can't be controlled externally).

So I might have to go down the fuel flow route anyway. Thank you Heretic for suggesting that.
 
Heretic

Heretic

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Manifold pressure and brake power are settable via SimConnect Not sure if they'll have the desireable effect though.
 
ddawson

ddawson

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Heretic said:
Manifold pressure and brake power are settable via SimConnect Not sure if they'll have the desireable effect though.
Click to expand...
They are both continually updated by the sim; they will operate in the same way as you described in post #8.

Doug
 
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