Frequently asked questions
Newest entries
1. 737NG fuel gauge settings are not right
2. I am getting "Directinput not initialised", I am getting "ActiveX component can't create object"
3. When I choose a borderless panel, I cannot get to my FsClient main window.
4. Why cannot I configure the panel or the gauges?
5. I hear a wheel rumble sound after starting FsXpand.
6. I get an 'overflow' message when I start FsClient 5.3.
1. What is the
difference between
your product and Schiratti Project
Magenta?
2. Does Flyware
design
instruments for glass cockpits?
3. Expired?
4. Do I need
WideFS to run
FsXPand/FsClient?
5. System
requirements
6. Registration limits
7. Standard game ports
8. Copilot stick
Version 5.2.2
1. Network delays
2. Division by zero at startup
3. FSUIPC problems
4. Needles
crazy?
5. No Directinput
1. No connection?
2. Panel gone
3. Panel frozen - revised...
4. FSUIPC problems
5. Hydraulic
pressure readout fails
6. Needles
crazy?
7. No Directinput
8. Stuck on runway
1. Wrong values in
flap
indicators
2. EICAS Fuel gauges bad
3. Gear problem
4. Can put the gear down, but it
won't come up ever again.
5. Mouse does not work
6. VOR setting
incorrect
Newest entries
1. My problem is that my 737NG fuel gauge settings are not right
The 737Ng has a center tank capacity of 28800 and a L/R capacity of 8600.
Let's say that you dbl-click the center fuel gauge, click Advanced, and set the scale max to 29000. For left and right, 9000. For the program, it does not matter whether you have gallons, lb, or KG. The fuel content comes from FsXPand as a percentage.
Now both sector and numeral will report slightly wrong. If 100% scale = 29000, while it should be 28800, the gauge will report 50% fuel (14400) as 14500.
The correct setting in scale max should be 28800. However, this will make FsClient omit the highest tic in the scale. This is a bit ugly. If you cannot live with a missing upper tic:
Set the mac value to 29000 and set the scalar to correct the difference. In that case the scalar should be set to 28800/29000, making the gauge report 50% fuel as 14500 * 28800 / 29000 = 14400.
Scalars on L and R should be 8600/9000.
2. I am getting "Directinput not initialised", I am getting "ActiveX component can't create object"
Something went wrong during installation, or you may have removed system files by accident while uninstalling a previous version.
In that case, it may be needed to do the following:
Click Start, Run, type (one by one):
regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\DAO\dao360.dll"
regsvr32 scrrun.dll
regsvr32 mswinsck.ocx
regsvr32 comctl32.ocx
regsvr32 dx8vb.dll
You might not need to run all commands.
3. When I choose a borderless panel, I cannot get to my FsClient main window.
Using the lkey combination Alt-Tab, you can cycle through all active applications and choose which one to show.
4. Why cannot I configure the panel or the gauges?
You cannot do this while connected to FsXpand. Please press Stop Clients on FsXpand. Exit FsXpand, and restart FsClient.
5. I hear a wheel rumble sound after starting FsXpand.
The reason for this error is yet unknown. Please press pause twice.
If your FS screen is in full mode, there should be no such problem. The search continues.
6. I get an 'overflow' message when I start FsClient 5.3.
This is a bug. Reading the new panel files only goes well when you have in your regional settings the decimal separator set to "." (period) and the thousand separator to "," (comma). We will fix this asap, but for now at least there is a workaround.
General
1. What is the difference between your product and Schiratti Project Magenta?
The FsXPand gauges are non-FS gauges just like Project Magenta.
But - While Magenta displays panels on screens, we display the separate gauges. That is, you can create your own custom panel, with an orifice in the right place for each gauge, and flat panels behind them. We like to enable our customers to create just the panel they like, the way they want it, and not something designed in detail for just one or 2 types of a/c.
In the near future, FsXPand wil have full FMS functionality available and become a real alternative for Project Magenta.
2. Does Flyware design instruments for glass cockpits?
FsXpand can show glass panels: Primary Flight Display, Navigational Display (737NG) and EICAS (737,747,F100/70).
In the near future, FsXPand wil have full FMS functionality available.
3. Expired?
My program tells me very soon that it has expired. Do I have an outdated version?
If you are an unregistered user, your time to use the program will be limited to 15 minutes per session. After that, you have to restart FSXpand and reconnect to your FsClient.
Not being registered, you still can make full use of all the configuration options of the panels.
4. WideFS
Do I need WideFS to run FsXPand/FsClient?
FsXPand/FsClient does not require WideFS.
It is possible however to run FsXpand on another than the FS PC, using WideFS to give FsXPand access to FSUIPC. This can be useful if your FS PC is not up to the task of running extra software besides FS. You can move the extra workload to another PC in your network.
5. System requirements
Please tell me, what system do I need to run FsXPand/FsClient?
Hardware Requirements
- 1 PC with Flight Simulator, requirements depending on your FS version.
- 1 or more additional PC's (at least IGhz, 512 MB), including network adapters (10 MegaBit will do, even a coax network with no switch/hub at all works fine)
- TCP/IP local network connection
- Minimal resolution: 800 x 600 (check FAQ for details), preferably 16 bit colours or higher
- Recommended resolution: 1280 x 960 or higher
Software requirements:
Windows 95(b),98,2000,XP,2003
Flight Simulator (Fs98, Fs2000, Fs2002, Fs2004 or FSX), DirectX 8.0 or later, and Fsuipc.dll.
For Fs2004 and FSX, you will need a licensed Fsuipc. For earlier FS versions, you may already have a DLL on your system.
6. Registration limits
Does the registration put any limit on how many PC's I can connect to
FsXPand?
No, you can connect as many PC's you like to FsXPand.
7. Standard game ports
Can I
use a standard game port with
FsXPand? As lots of programs only allow USB devices.
8. Copilot stick
Can I control my FS with an extra (copilot) yoke via the network using your program?
Yes, but you have to make sure that your network is fast and that you set your stick poll speed fast enough, to 20 ms or so.
Version 5.2.2
(the latest entries will be shown here for a short time)
1. Network delays
I have followed all
suggestions available, but it still takes seconds to get FS data to my
FsClient. What is wrong?
We
found that when combining fast and slow machines, the slow ones may
have trouble to keep up with the network speed while they have to do
lots of work to get the panel updated. With a 3000 MHz and a 300 MHz,
the gap is just too great. 3000 with 800 should be OK.
If the above is not the case, you may very well have a network hardware issue! Lots of people
use 2 or more PC's hooked up by means of a router connecting to the
internet. A true router has only one 2 sockets, one for outside and one
for inside the network. Today routers have a built-in hub to allow the
connection of more than one PC. This saves the purchase of a hub or
switch. It is much better though to connect a switch to the router and
link the PC's to it. More in the following forum thread: http://cockpitsolutions.com/flyware/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=72&PN=1
FsXPand 5.2 was tested with 3 PC's, 1 x FsXPand, 3 x FsClient (one on the FsXPand PC), with the following specs: Sempron 3100/1GHz - P633/384 - P800/384. The delay of an FS command to FsClient is about 0.1 second with this test.
2. Division by zero on startup
On starting FsXpand, it says "Division by zero on startup?" and stops.
5.2 reads more data from FS than 5.1, i.e. typical aircraft data. The problem is that when the aircraft is not yet loaded in FS, some data are not available. Please wait until FS is ready, then start FsXpand. The next patch will solve the problem.
3. FSUIPC problems
I have problems with FSUIPC,
although I have a licensed one, your program reports otherwise.
WIth FSUIPC you can have a license associated with a specific program
you purchased, or have a general license for FSUIPC. In that case
you can use all software you want that needs FSUIPC.
FsXPand has no integrated FSUIPC license, because users still would
need a general license if they wanted to use some other program
requiring FSUIPC.
So, you do need a general
FSUIPC license to get FsXPand running (and all other programs that do
not have an integrated FSUIPC license).
You can always test if FsXPand to your liking using FS2002 or before,
and a free version of FSUIPC,
say 2.96. For your convenience, there is one available for download.
4. Needles crazy???
When I connect FsXPand, the needles are moving in
strange ways. What is going on?
You should not have any problems if you do the following:
1. Keep regional settings of all the PC's running FsXpand or FsClient THE SAME
2. If you change settings, preferably change the ENTIRE locale, not only one value.
This applies not only to FsXpand, but to Windows in general.
The most important entries are Decimal symbol, Digit grouping symbol, Negative sign symbol, Negative number format and List Separator.
(Although it is not recommended, when you change your decimal separator to "." and your group separator to ",", FsXpand should not have a problem.)
If you get errors nevertheless, please let us know.
5. No Directinput
Whenever I try to use a joystick, my program says
"Directinput not initialized". What should I do?
Version 5.1 - Getting started - While running
1. No connection?
It seems
FsXPand is unable
to connect to FsClient. What is the problem?
Download the latest patch (5.1.2) to simplify network scanning. Follow the instrucions in the included text file. That being done, start FsXPand. Take a look at the connection box.
Lowest IP address/Highest IP address: With this
patch, FsXPand can
find the network IP address of the machine where it is
installed automatically. Configured by hand, machines are typically
numbered 192.168.0.0, 192.168.0.1, and so on. FsXPand will find the 3
first octets and start
searching the network
with the 4th octet set to 1 (Lowest
IP address).
On startup, the Highest IP address
ends with 6. FsXPand will scan the network range from xxx.yyy.zzz.1 to
xxx.yyy.zzz.6. If your highest IP addres is above 6, FsXPand will not
find its
own IP address. Raise the number 6 in that case.
If the FsXPand PC has xxx.yyy.zzz.150, make the 4th octet of Lowest IP address 150 and press Network menu, Rescan. Now FsXpand will find the address.
If your FsClient PC has xxx.yyy.zzz.151, make the 4th octet of Highest IP address 151. Rescan. FsXPand will find both machines.
To be completely safe, set the highest 4th octet to 255. This dumb scan will take minutes, but FsXPand will find all machines belonging to network xxx.yyy.zzz, and limit the range for the future.
But it is much faster to set your lowest and highest addresses by hand.
FsXPand with IP 192.168.0.150 and FsClient somewhere
with 192.168.0.151, within the defined range
Include FS PC: Although FsXpand may find its own IP address, it will not show up in the number of hosts found unless you have checked the include FS PC box, telling FsXPand that the FS PC has also an FsClient installed and needs to be taken into account.
This PC has more that 1 network card: If you have more than 1 network card in the FsXPand PC, check the box. You have to specify which IP address to use manually.
Need to know your IP address?
On Windows 2000 or XP, start, run, cmd. In the appearing black box, type 'ipconfig'. Now you will see your IP addresses displayed. Write them down. Do this with the IP addresses of your FsClient PC's as well.
In Windows 98 , start, run, type 'winipcfg'.
You will see a selection box with ppp and ethernet adapters. You need the IP of your ethernet adapter.
2. Panel gone
When
configuring, I suddenly
lost the panel and it never came back.
Some users
had to report about losing the panel in FsClient. The problem is with
writing the panel location somewhere on the moon and not on your
desktop on exit. We were unable to found its origin.
This patch
will check for
validity of the read panel position any time it loads. Unzip
the file and replace your FsClient.exe file (rename
your old one just to be sure).
On occasions, you
might find your panel and main window relocated at left upper of your
screen. This may occur after FsClient found this error (rarely, we
hope!) and did reset your panel/window top and left position.
For your additional information, here's the layout of your FsClient.cfg:
1 =registered FsXpand detected
"classjet" =cockpit
"panel3" =panel
1 =panel on
1 =amount of sticks
0 =stick on
9000 =port
"192.168.0.1" =IP
200 =ms stick poll
-1 =smooth flight instrument responses, not to be set
from the interface
-1 =smooth engine instruments, not to be set from the
interface
15345 =panel width
11100 =panel height
30 =top panel
15 =left panel
1980 =top main window
5625 =left main window
800 =CPU MHz
0 =lock controls
0 =allow remote panel switching
3. Panel frozen - revised...
After connecting to FS, a connection is reported, but my panel is not active at all.
Flight instruments are frozen, engine gauges are moving in some cases. We found a bug that may be responsible for the problem. You can download a patch to correct this problem. Unzip the file and replace your FsXPand.exe file (rename your old one just to be sure).
4. FSUIPC problems
I have problems with FSUIPC,
although I have a licensed one, your program reports otherwise.
WIth FSUIPC you can have a license associated with a specific program
you purchased, or have a general license for FSUIPC. In that case
you can use all software you want that needs FSUIPC.
FsXPand has no integrated FSUIPC license, because users still would
need a general license if they wanted to use some other program
requiring FSUIPC.
So, you do need a general
FSUIPC license to get FsXPand running (and all other programs that do
not have an integrated FSUIPC license).
You can always test if FsXPand to your liking using FS2002 or before,
and a free version of FSUIPC,
say 2.96. For your convenience, there is one available for download.
5. Hydraulic
pressure readout fails
The hydraulic pressure gauge
in my 737NG panel shows no value.
This gauge
is not completely configured. Please right click gauge, Advanced, check the box Show sector, press OK.
Now you will see the grey sector being displayed.
6. Needles crazy???
When I connect FsXPand, the needles are moving in
strange ways. What is going on?
You should not have any problems if you do the following:
1. Keep regional settings of all the PC's running FsXpand or FsClient THE SAME
2. If you change settings, preferably change the ENTIRE locale, not only one value.
This applies not only to FsXpand, but to Windows in general.
If you get errors nevertheless, please let us know.
(Although it is not recommended, when you change your decimal separator to "." and your group separator to ",", FsXpand should not have a problem.)
7. No Directinput
Whenever I try to use a joystick, my program says
"Directinput not initialized". What should I do?
Stuck on runway
When starting FsXPand, I am unable to taxi away.
What is happening?
2. While running
Wrong values in flap
indicators
My flap indicator shows strange
values, and the rotary indicator does not display anything but maximum
deflection. What can I do?
EICAS Fuel gauges bad
After resizing the panel, the
tics in my fuel gauges are gone, and there are no digits anymore.
Gear problem
Can put the gear down, but it
won't come up ever again.
Mouse does not work
I have tried to set the nav1 frequency by clicking the knob on the gauge. But nothing happens. Is there something wrong?
The FsXpand/FsClient panel that you create for yourself is different from what we are used to in FS. Because the program was designed to use the panels in a cockpit situation, there would be no real reason to control the aircraft by clicking on these panels. If you want to set the barometric pressure for the altimeter, it should be done by using a control (analog or button). Setting a frequency can be done by an analog control, so why click on a gauge, you would never do it on a real airplane.
Consequently, there are no other mouseclicks implemented than those needed to customize the panel.
If anyone still wants the option, we can build it in of course.
VOR setting incorrect
When setting the OBS using an analog channel, the steps are too great. I want to set my OBS every degree or so, not 8 at a time. Why is this?
When using analog channels on USB, you may find the resolution too low. This will happen when your joystick-USB converter is not at least equipped with 8-bit resolution. FsXPand will increment the values with 2 at least when using a standard gameport to facilitate both 8-bit resolution (0-255)and standard gameport operation.
The resolution is, to place your sensitive controls on a standard gameport on one of the non-FS PC's in teh network. This concerns not only OBS settings (0-360). AP IAS, AP heading are other examples.
Standard gameports tend to jitter around a certain value. The drift is such that a resolution of 1 degree is not always guaranteed. The damp option is needed to get a stable value here.