Problem Resolving (FSX)

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FS-Developer is intended primarily for development related matters.

However, given the number of queries regarding basic issues,
here's a selection of hints & tips for resolving those issues & configuring FSX & related later versions.

Startup Issues

FSX will not start

Issue - FSX BSOD

Launching FSX causes the operating system to crash, (BSOD).

Possible cause, you'd installed a differently named video driver, and FSX was not aware you'd done so.

Solution -

  • Rename your fsx.CFG to fsx_BSOD.CFG
  • Launch FSX.
  • FSX will build a new clean default fsx.CFG, containing the appropriate driver name.

Issue - FSX Locked Up

FSX locked up & had to be terminated by the user.
2 possible scenarios.

Scenario 1)

A dialog box was generated, but displayed behind the FSX window.

FSX subsequently launches ok.

Your slider settings were way too high,
and FSX continued attempting to draw the viewport, after the dialog initially displayed.

Solution - Reduce your sliders

Scenario 2)

Corrupted Logbook, (do not edit any entry, other than the latest).

Subsequently FSX refuses to start, only loading to the initial title screen.

Solution - Corrupted Logbook
Look for the file - Logbook.BIN in -

Filename OS Location Editor Download
Logbook.BIN XP C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\ FSX Log Book Editor Lamont Clarke's Software Page (1Mb)
Logbook.BIN Vista C:\Users\%username%\Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\ FSX Log Book Editor Lamont Clarke's Software Page (1Mb)

Rename Logbook.BIN to - Logbook_DATE.BIN

Now fire up FSX.
Does FSX now load properly ?

If so, you had a corrupted logbook.

There are a number of Logbook Editors available.
Example - http://lc0277.gratisim.fr/software.html

FSX will have created a new - Logbook.BIN
Rename it to - Logbook_Empty.BIN

Copy - Logbook_DATE.BIN
Rename the copy as - Logbook.BIN

Open the logbook in the editor.
Delete the last entry.
Save the file & close the editor.

Fire up FSX.
Hopefully that should work,
and you'll have all, but your very last flight, logged.

Back up your logbook & granted rewards files regularly.


Caveat -
If your logbook contains any single-flight with more than 100 landings,
then do not attempt to use Lamont Clarke's editor,
as it may cause irrecoverable corruption.
Use one of the alternative repair tools instead, (suggest deleting landings to < 100).

Keys do not work as expected

Keys do not work as expected after installing FSX, a service pack, or Acceleration.
See - Key Mapping (FSXA)

Tools Menu does not display

The Tools menu does not display after installing FSX, a service pack, or Acceleration.
See - SDK Installation (FSX)

Missions

Missions - Missions List - No missions found (FSX/A)

In the FSX GUI menu, clicking the Missions menu item,
displays a (no missions found) message, and empty missions list, (or possibly only lists a single mission).
See - Missions - Missions List - No missions found (FSX/A)

Missions - Go To Briefing - CTD (FSX/A)

On selecting a mission, then clicking Go To Briefing
FSX, or FSXA, will CTD with an MFC80.dll error.
See - Missions - Go To Briefing - CTD (FSX/A)

FSX Topic Title

Issue

Placeholder text - outline problem.

Solution

Placeholder text - outline solution.

Configuration Issues

Various configuration related issues.

Assessing Performance in FSX(A)

Issue

When flying, the simulator stutters, intermittently pauses, or apparently locks up, then issues a hung application error.
Scenery/terrain/objects or menu/atc text display as blurried, (ATC window text may be missing entirely).

Solution

Sliders are set too high for your PC's currently available resources.
Use the simulator's built-in TextInfo data, (SHIFT+Z), to check FPS performance.

Check your FPS variance - It'll give a definitive indicator of your slider configuration suitability.
Reduce your slider settings, until your FPS variance to less than 1%.

To display the FPS variance data
replace the [TextInfo.#] sections in your fsx.CFG with the following settings - 

[TextInfo.1]
Latitude=1,1
Longitude=1,2
Altitude=1,3
HeadingTrue=1,4
TrueAirspeed=1,5
WindDirectionAndSpeed=1,6



[TextInfo.2]
FrameRate=1,1
LockedFrameRate=1,2
AverageFrameRate=1,3
GForce=1,4
FuelPercentage=1,5



[TextInfo.3]
Latitude=1,1
Longitude=1,2
Altitude=1,3
HeadingTrue=1,4
TrueAirspeed=1,5
WindDirectionAndSpeed=1,6
FrameRate=2,1
AverageFrameRate=2,2
//LockedFrameRate=2,2
GForce=2,3
FuelPercentage=2,4



[SlewTextInfo.1]
Latitude=1,1
Longitude=1,2
Altitude=1,3
HeadingTrue=1,4
TrueAirspeed=1,5



[SlewTextInfo.2]
FrameRate=1,1
LockedFrameRate=1,2
AverageFrameRate=1,3



[SlewTextInfo.3]
Latitude=1,1
Longitude=1,2
Altitude=1,3
HeadingTrue=1,4
TrueAirspeed=1,5
FrameRate=2,1
//LockedFrameRate=2,2
AverageFrameRate=2,2

Reduce your slider settings, until your FPS variance to less than 1%.

Coordinates - Displaying required format

Issue

Obtaining higher accuracy coordinates from TextInfo, (SHIFT+Z).

Solution

Edit your fsx.CFG file.

In the section titled [Main]
append your required format.

Decimal Degrees

// Decimal Degrees
LatLonFormat=Degrees
FractionalLatLonDigits=6

FSX Traffic does not display

Issue

Placeholder text - outline problem.

Solution

Placeholder text - outline solution.
Remove any FS9 traffic bgls.

Windscreen Glass

Windscreen glass is missing or opaque.
The texture format is of an incorrect type, (primarily affects pre-FSX aircraft).
See - Texture Formats (Overview)

Debugging - Missing Library Objects

Missing objects will impact on FSX performance, resulting in reduced FPS.
See - Texture - Missing (FSX)

Debugging - Missing Textures

Missing textures for aircraft / scenery will impact on FSX performance.
Possibly resulting in -

  • Objects rendered as transparent.
  • Objects rendered as disassociated components.
  • Screen artifacting
  • Reduced FPS.

See - Texture - Missing (FSX)

Debugging - Missions

Issue

Placeholder text - outline problem.

Solution

Placeholder text - outline solution.

Aircraft thumbnail missing

Addon aircraft do not display a thumbnail image in the Aircraft selection menu.
You need to install a thumbnail.jpg image into the aircraft's texture folder(s).
See - Lamont Clarke's [Autothumbnail]

Displaying airport names

Identifying and locating airports.

See - Key Mapping (FSX)

Pilot Records

Pilot Records contains 3 sections -

  • Rewards - Listing and details for all your earned rewards, (mission and sandbox).
  • Log Book - Your flight's aircraft type/hours/landings/etc., (its also the source data for your earned sandbox rewards).
  • Photographs - Folder containing your in-game screenshots taken using the 'V' key, (in .bmp format)


Reinstalling FSX or FSXA

Before reinstalling
first backup both your Log Book & Granted Rewards.

Relevant file locations are OS dependent.


Log Book

Filename OS Location
Logbook.BIN XP C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\
Logbook.BIN Vista C:\Users\%username%\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\
Logbook.BIN W7 C:\Users\%username%\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\


Granted Rewards

Filename OS Location
GrantedRewards.BIN XP C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX\
GrantedRewards.BIN Vista C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX\
GrantedRewards.BIN W7 C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX\


Rewards are not displayed

Placeholder text - outline problem.

Solution

Filename OS Location Editor Download
GrantedRewards.BIN XP C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX\ EDITORNAME Download Page (SizeMb)
GrantedRewards.BIN Vista C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX\ EDITORNAME Download Page (SizeMb)
GrantedRewards.BIN W7 C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX\ EDITORNAME Download Page (SizeMb)


Log Book displays as empty

Log book file is missing from expected path, or has become corrupted.

Solution

Filename OS Location Editor Download
Logbook.BIN XP C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\ FSX Log Book Editor Lamont Clarke's Software Page (1Mb)
Logbook.BIN Vista C:\Users\%username%\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\ FSX Log Book Editor Lamont Clarke's Software Page (1Mb)
Logbook.BIN W7 C:\Users\%username%\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\ FSX Log Book Editor Lamont Clarke's Software Page (1Mb)


Log Book stops recording flights

Log book stops recording flights.

Solution
In FSX, you should not edit any entry, other than the last entry.

Instead use one of the following tools to edit or delete the last entry.

Filename OS Location Editor Download
Logbook.BIN XP C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\ FSX Log Book Editor Lamont Clarke's Software Page (1Mb)
Logbook.BIN Vista C:\Users\%username%\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\ FSX Log Book Editor Lamont Clarke's Software Page (1Mb)
Logbook.BIN W7 C:\Users\%username%\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\ FSX Log Book Editor Lamont Clarke's Software Page (1Mb)


Photographs

Placeholder text

Solution

Filename OS Location Editor Download
Filename XP * * * * * EDITORNAME Download Page (SizeMb)
Filename Vista * * * * * EDITORNAME Download Page (SizeMb)
Filename W7 * * * * * EDITORNAME Download Page (SizeMb)

FSX Topic Title

Issue

Placeholder text - outline problem.

Solution

Placeholder text - outline solution.

General Tips

Learning Center

You can acccess the Learning Center at any time using your internet browser, without launching FSX.
See - Learning Center (FSX)

Keyboard Commands - Printing

You can print off the key commands from the Learning Center.
See - Using the Kneeboard - Printing the Kneeboard Files - View the complete list of key commands. The learning center list will only give you the default (or standardized) commands. Since the commands are configurable, you can print a list by printing the contents of the file containing the customized commands. The file is an XML file located in the user's hidden subfolder named "Controls". Within that folder will be a file named standard.xml. This file contains the necessary information concerning your latest changes, even if you have reconfigured the commands. For example, in Windows 7, the file is usually located in: C:\Users\(Your User Name Here)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX\Controls

For Acceleration Specific commands
See - Sitemap - Key Concepts - What's Changed - Key Command Changes

GPWS

Annoyed by the don't sink or terrain callouts ?
See - Key Mapping (FSX) GPWS

SDK - Searching

See - SDK Searching

Related

Flight Simulator X Solution Center MS site for hardware, software, and FS useage issues.

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