JoinFS and FSD-server

[DCA1161]

Hi, Peter,
I have raised this subject before. It’s about the difficulty we more and more have using FSCopilot and FSinn to connect to our private FSD-server (DC3-Airways). I was hoping that one day, if JoinFS would have the possibility to add an ID and password to connect to our sever with JoinFS instead of FSInn. I raised the subject on our forum and I got the following response:

“It is not at all possible to connect a JoinFS "server" to a physical FSD server (or for that reason, a VATSIM, IVAO, DAFSIM, X-FlightServer, PilotEdge server). It is not possible now and it will never be possible.
JoinFS works with simconnect, which is part of FSX/P3D. Instead of using JoinFS, one can just as well use the normal internal multiplayer function of FSX/P3D, exactly the same thing, just in another flavor.”

What are your thoughts about this? Is what I am hoping for something I can beter forget?
Roy

[Peter]

Hi Roy,

There's nothing to stop you using JoinFS at the same time as VATSIM or IVAO. If you see duplicate aircraft from both networks, you can use the ignore option in JoinFS to hide the VATSIM copy of the aircraft.

I hope that's a suitable answer for you.
Peter

[DCA1161]

No, that's not what I meant. I want to use JoinFS to connect to our server, instead of using FSInn.
Roy.

[ATC Roo]

JoinFS cannot directly connect to an FSD server.

If you are having Issues using FSINN then there are a number of ways that Vpilot can be used with a private FSD server.

I disagree with the comment from your other forum that JoinFS is another flavour of the default FSX/P3D multiplayer.

The person that made that comment obviuosly hasn't tried JOINFS for very long, if at all.

[DCA1161]

Thanks for your reply.

"JoinFS cannot directly connect to an FSD server."
I know, but I was hoping for the future.

"If you are having Issues using FSINN then there are a number of ways that Vpilot can be used with a private FSD server."
That's interesting, thought it could only be used for Vatsim. Where can I find some instructions?
Roy

[ATC Roo]

This post should have everything you need to use Vpilot with a private FSD server.

The program mentioned can also be used with the VRC radar client.

Things to consider by using Vpilot over FSINN..
Voice won't work as in FSINN as it requires to connect to a Vatsim VVL voice server.
If anybody can provide me with the VVL.dll to connect to a default roger wilco server I'd be gratefull.
Vpilot doesn't gain the weather from the FSD server.
Only the version of Vpilot listed in the post and earlier will work as later versions have the local proxy option removed.
Ross of Metacraft has said that he would look to release a Vpilot version for personal FSD servers once his Vpilot V2 was complete.

The FSD pilot clients have a 5 second delay (something to do with Vatsim Bandwidth restrictions) resulting in issues for formation flights, which is one reason JoinFS is the better method for cross platform multiplayer.

[DCA1161]

This looks great,Roo, thank you.
Roy.

[Aeroworx]

...... I disagree with the comment from your other forum that JoinFS is another flavour of the default FSX/P3D multiplayer.

The person that made that comment obviuosly hasn't tried JOINFS for very long, if at all.

I made that comment and in the context of that specific thread, I still stand by my point. I'm not at all new to JoinFS and have been watching the progress for a long time, also did a lot of testing with FSX/P3D, mainly trying to help the people stuck with FSD servers at their VA.

Let me also make a point clear, I am very impressed with JoinFS and it has a great future. However, at the moment it is locked to FSX/P3D (Simconnect), thus excludes all the other flight simulators and I think it will stay that for some time to come.

Now, as you may have guessed already, I am a user of "one of the other" flight simulators. Was a big user of MSFS until I saw the light and moved over to X-Plane just after the release of FSX.

Peter, all the best with this endeavour and I hope we will find a way to successfully include X-Plane 11.

ATC Roo, thanks for pointing us to that specific version of V-Pilot ...

[ATC Roo]

one can just as well use the normal internal multiplayer function of FSX/P3D, exactly the same thing, just in another flavor.”

I've not read the whole thread quoted so maybe it was taken out of context?
I do disagree with the above quote though, as there are many benefits of using JoinFS over the default multiplayer.

As for your FSD setup...
Vpilot is the easiest way to connect to an FSD server although I miss certain features like the real world weather and not being able to use the inbuilt client comms.

If you need any help let me know.
The program mentioned in the link above was developed by the Bristol Flight Sim Group, to give them a mention and credit for it.

And who knows maybe JOINFS will be able to communicate via FSUIPC in the future, which would add Xplane and Flight Gear to the list.

[Peter]

And who knows maybe JOINFS will be able to communicate via FSUIPC in the future, which would add Xplane and Flight Gear to the list.

That would be nice. The main sticking point with FSUIPC is, as far as I'm aware, you can't inject new aircraft into the simulator. Without that, there's no way to get the network aircraft showing.

Peter

[ATC Roo]

And who knows maybe JOINFS will be able to communicate via FSUIPC in the future, which would add Xplane and Flight Gear to the list.

That would be nice. The main sticking point with FSUIPC is, as far as I'm aware, you can't inject new aircraft into the simulator. Without that, there's no way to get the network aircraft showing.

Peter

I know nothing about FSUIPC Peter having only ever slightly played about with Simconnect,
but...

I think Squawkbox used it before the newer Vatsim clients came out.
Not sure how it did it but If I ever come across any useful info I'll let you know.

[Grumpy]

...The main sticking point with FSUIPC is, as far as I'm aware, you can't inject new aircraft into the simulator....
Peter

Greetings, O Peter...

I think that would depend on WHERE you put your needle , for the injection of aircraft.

I could be, and probably am, barking up the wrong tree here, but there are several parts to FSUIPC, one, the ini file, is read only once, on kickoff of FSX. Others, like the controls interface, are read on entry, modify a control ruling, like allocate a button or switch, and its "live" instantly.
very LINUX like.

Also, look at the PlanG system, you can use simconnect OR FSUIPC to send data to and from PlanG to FSX. thus keeping track of our groups aircraft, giving me all the data you need. Aircraft type, call sign, course speed alt etc etc. Food for thought?

B

[DCA1161]

I have learned that it’s possible to connect a particular vPilot version via proxy-server to a private FSD-server. Would it be possible to connect JoinFS via proxy-server to a private FSD-server? It would need to be able to add an ID and a password. I you then also make a connection to JoinFS on the normal way (IP-adress or Hub), then you would have the benefit of both. But you only need one program (and a proxy-server of course). It would really be useful for our airline.
Roy

[Aeroworx]

X-Plane has two built-in possibilities to access flight simulator values: datarefs from a plugin or UDP datagrams on an IP interface.

I think the preferred way would be the plugin, which is like a dll running in the context of X-Plane.

Datarefs are like "offsets", just a lot easier to get to them, most of X-Plane can be read with a normal text-editor.

The list of datarefs are endless, one can get an idea here:

X-Plane datarefs

[Peter]

Also, look at the PlanG system, you can use simconnect OR FSUIPC to send data to and from PlanG to FSX. thus keeping track of our groups aircraft, giving me all the data you need. Aircraft type, call sign, course speed alt etc etc. Food for thought?

I use PlanG and I think I use the FSUIPC connection method. But as far as I'm aware, PlanG doesn't create any aircraft in the simulator, it just shows what's already in there.

Peter

[Peter]

X-Plane has two built-in possibilities to access flight simulator values: datarefs from a plugin or UDP datagrams on an IP interface.

I think the preferred way would be the plugin, which is like a dll running in the context of X-Plane.

Datarefs are like "offsets", just a lot easier to get to them, most of X-Plane can be read with a normal text-editor.

The list of datarefs are endless, one can get an idea here:

X-Plane datarefs

That does look promising, however I've looked at some of those docs before and it seems quite difficult to follow. It does look as though it would be possible to get JoinFS working with X-Plane, but there seems to be very little information on how you would actually go about it.

[Aeroworx]

In a few weeks I will be finishing off a big project I'm working on now and I will see if I can be of any help.

My only experience on offsets, etc was when we worked on the Aeroworx KingAir B200 project many years ago. That was very confusing to me and Henning was left to do all the work, only to become an expert in the years to come.

However, working with X-Plane and datarefs are much easier.

[ATC Roo]

I think one of the best places to look would be Pete Dowsons website.

http://forum.simflight.com/forum/30-fsu ... n-modules/

If we can't find the info there maybe we could send him a message.

From various threads I've read over the years he seems very helpful.

Before JOINFS was created I was looking at various part written FSD pilot clients on github to try and create something that eliminated the 5 second delay.

Maybe there's something FSUIPC related there too?

[Aeroworx]

And who knows maybe JOINFS will be able to communicate via FSUIPC in the future, which would add Xplane and Flight Gear to the list.

You surely do not need FSUIPC to connect to JoinFS to X-Plane/FlightGear? Do you need FSUIPC in the FSX/P3D/SimConnect chain?

JoinFS should be able to connect to X-Plane via a proper plugin. In layman's terms, this plugin will receive the string from JoinFS, convert it to the X-Plane format and feeds it into X-Plane. The reverse is then true from X-Plane to JoinFS.

Maybe I'm missing the point here, I have not yet really played around with simconnect... only read a few articles on it.

[Aeroworx]

Ok, answered my own question, FSUIPC not needed to connect X-Plane.

Installed a JoinFS servers as:

http://pmem.uk/joinfs/forum/viewtopic.p ... =175#p1275

Connected X-Plane via a plugin, sent and received some data. Not what we want...