Hi Peter,
We've been having some JoinFS issues at our org' that literally started only a day or two ago. Aircraft that previously showed up in network play now refuse to appear, others are showing thousands of miles away despite being less than one mile distant, some players can see others and some can't. In addition, when selecting a player to change models, the selection / share cockpit functions grey out, and the list of aircraft shuffles about with the previously selected aircraft vanishing from the list.
I've attached a log from tonight's flight. The MODsim FA/18E aircraft was always visible until a few nights ago but now refuses to load or appear on server, although the pilot and the selected type is in the aircraft list and showing normally. I also could not see another player despite them having been visible only the night before.
I can deduce from all pilots' reports that we're all on the network but that only some of us can see each other. This appears to be random, and no amount of stopping and re-starting JoinFS or leaving and re-joining the session sorted the issue.
We'll upgrade to v1.0.16 as of tomorrow morning and see what happens but currently we have no idea why the software would suddenly start playing up having been so perfect up to now.
Hope the log helps,
Dean
Aircraft failing to show on network.
Re: Aircraft failing to show on network.
Hi Dean,
do you mean that you have been using the same version for a while and then it suddenly started having problems?
To me it sounds very likely that someone has joined the session with 1.0.16. Although versions so far have been fairly compatible in the past, 1.0.16 definitely had some major changes that will cause havok if joining any sessions with 1.0.15.
In the next version I'm changing the code so that only versions with the same network data version will be able to connect together. This should eliminate this potential problem from happening at all. The problem is that you could have 10 people with 1.0.15 and all it takes is just need one person to accept the update when they run JoinFS and join with 1.0.16 and the whole session will suffer major problems.
I would suggest going to 1.0.16 and making sure everyone uses that version.
Hope that solves it. Otherwise it does sound very odd.
Peter
do you mean that you have been using the same version for a while and then it suddenly started having problems?
To me it sounds very likely that someone has joined the session with 1.0.16. Although versions so far have been fairly compatible in the past, 1.0.16 definitely had some major changes that will cause havok if joining any sessions with 1.0.15.
In the next version I'm changing the code so that only versions with the same network data version will be able to connect together. This should eliminate this potential problem from happening at all. The problem is that you could have 10 people with 1.0.15 and all it takes is just need one person to accept the update when they run JoinFS and join with 1.0.16 and the whole session will suffer major problems.
I would suggest going to 1.0.16 and making sure everyone uses that version.
Hope that solves it. Otherwise it does sound very odd.
Peter
Re: Aircraft failing to show on network.
Hi Peter,
I'm fairly certain that nobody was using a later version as we post on our forums the current version used, but I do concede that it's possible that somebody hit the "Upgrade" button by force of habit.
Interestingly, I upgraded to v1.0.16 the same night and logged back in, even though the server was on v1.0.14 just to see what would happen. I could see everybody, including aircraft that previously had remained stubbornly invisible.
I think that this is just a minor hiccup on the road to perfection, and that your fix of newer versions not being compatible at all with older ones will hopefully prevent anything similar from happening again. We've upgraded to v1.0.16 now, so I'll report back later in the week if things seem to have settled down.
Cheers,
I'm fairly certain that nobody was using a later version as we post on our forums the current version used, but I do concede that it's possible that somebody hit the "Upgrade" button by force of habit.
Interestingly, I upgraded to v1.0.16 the same night and logged back in, even though the server was on v1.0.14 just to see what would happen. I could see everybody, including aircraft that previously had remained stubbornly invisible.
I think that this is just a minor hiccup on the road to perfection, and that your fix of newer versions not being compatible at all with older ones will hopefully prevent anything similar from happening again. We've upgraded to v1.0.16 now, so I'll report back later in the week if things seem to have settled down.
Cheers,
Re: Aircraft failing to show on network.
Peter, I've solved the problem we were having with visibility of aircraft!
I was having the same problem with v1.0.16. The reason was that when I download an aircraft for FSX, I don't leave all the various models and textures open. Instead, I use "//" against all the .cfg entries I don't want. I do this to keep my aircraft list to a manageable size.
JoinFS does not allow me to select the one aircraft version I do have as a substitute for whatever somebody else is flying, and it's that which makes it throw a wobbly and keeps other aircraft invisible. When we landed tonight after seven of us flew Vixens, I quickly revived all the missing .cfg entries in that aircraft and re-started FSX / re-joined the session and ta-da! Everyone was visible!
Can this be fixed, perhaps? I'm assuming it's the aircraft "title" which governs how aircraft can be both seen and selected via JoinFS. I wouldn't call it a bug as such, but is there anyway to adjust JoinFS to allow me to pick just the one entry I do have for an aircraft model, even if other people are flying a different version / livery that JoinFS cannot "see"?
Hope that this makes sense,
All best,
Dean
I was having the same problem with v1.0.16. The reason was that when I download an aircraft for FSX, I don't leave all the various models and textures open. Instead, I use "//" against all the .cfg entries I don't want. I do this to keep my aircraft list to a manageable size.
JoinFS does not allow me to select the one aircraft version I do have as a substitute for whatever somebody else is flying, and it's that which makes it throw a wobbly and keeps other aircraft invisible. When we landed tonight after seven of us flew Vixens, I quickly revived all the missing .cfg entries in that aircraft and re-started FSX / re-joined the session and ta-da! Everyone was visible!
Can this be fixed, perhaps? I'm assuming it's the aircraft "title" which governs how aircraft can be both seen and selected via JoinFS. I wouldn't call it a bug as such, but is there anyway to adjust JoinFS to allow me to pick just the one entry I do have for an aircraft model, even if other people are flying a different version / livery that JoinFS cannot "see"?
Hope that this makes sense,
All best,
Dean
Re: Aircraft failing to show on network.
Hi Dean,
glad you solved it. I was scratching my head a bit over this one. I'm still not exactly sure what you mean though. Yes, JoinFS searches for aircraft.cfg and sim.cfg files. It scans the files for "title=" and allows those to be selected as models. So, which lines are you prefixing with '//'? Are you saying that JoinFS sees them but FSX doesn't load them?
Peter
glad you solved it. I was scratching my head a bit over this one. I'm still not exactly sure what you mean though. Yes, JoinFS searches for aircraft.cfg and sim.cfg files. It scans the files for "title=" and allows those to be selected as models. So, which lines are you prefixing with '//'? Are you saying that JoinFS sees them but FSX doesn't load them?
Peter
Re: Aircraft failing to show on network.
Hi Peter,
Here's a hypothetical example: everyone at our organisation downloads a free ware Sea Venom. Everybody else installs the aircraft as standard, by I alter the second .cfg entry as per the bold below;
[fltsim.0]
title=Sea Venom FAW 21 paint1
sim=Sea Venom FAW 21
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=1
kb_checklists=DeHavilland_Sea_VenomFAW21_check
kb_reference=DeHavilland_Sea_VenomFAW21_ref
ui_manufacturer=DeHavilland
ui_type= sea venom
ui_variation=802 squadron FAA
atc_id=
atc_airline= Royal Navy
atc_flight_number=WW188
atc_model=Sea Venom
atc_type=Navy
description=
//[fltsim.1]
title=Sea Venom FAW 21 paint2
sim=Sea Venom FAW 21
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=2
kb_checklists=DeHavilland_Sea_VenomFAW21_check
kb_reference=DeHavilland_Sea_VenomFAW21_ref
ui_manufacturer=DeHavilland
ui_type= sea venom
ui_variation=809 squadron FAA
atc_id=WW222
atc_airline= Royal Navy
atc_flight_number=WW222
atc_model=Sea Venom
atc_type=Navy
description=
What seems to happen is that if another player joins the session in the Sea Venom that I've disabled in FSX, they are invisible to me and JoinFS will not allow me to alter or select that player. It can see them well enough as they're in the session and their aircraft title is listed. When I select the player and then drag the mouse toward the "Change model" button the button greys out and the player momentarily disappear from the network list.
I will have to check further to see if a) JoinFS "sees" the disabled aircraft types, and b) If this applies to all aircraft types.
I should add that this still doesn't explain why previously visible aircraft in sessions, such as those pilots flying the VRS Superbug which I do not own, are now invisible to me and cannot now be substituted for the freeware F-18E I do have as the "Change model" button greys out when I select the relevant pilot. It seems as though perhaps a recent change has affected the way JoinFS sees the title lines.
Cheers,
Dean
P.S. I've looked at the logs and their may be some helpful information in the "previouslog", which I've attached along with models list etc. I noticed that some models are duplicated, meaning there's more than one possible substitution - could that be the issue?
Here's a hypothetical example: everyone at our organisation downloads a free ware Sea Venom. Everybody else installs the aircraft as standard, by I alter the second .cfg entry as per the bold below;
[fltsim.0]
title=Sea Venom FAW 21 paint1
sim=Sea Venom FAW 21
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=1
kb_checklists=DeHavilland_Sea_VenomFAW21_check
kb_reference=DeHavilland_Sea_VenomFAW21_ref
ui_manufacturer=DeHavilland
ui_type= sea venom
ui_variation=802 squadron FAA
atc_id=
atc_airline= Royal Navy
atc_flight_number=WW188
atc_model=Sea Venom
atc_type=Navy
description=
//[fltsim.1]
title=Sea Venom FAW 21 paint2
sim=Sea Venom FAW 21
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=2
kb_checklists=DeHavilland_Sea_VenomFAW21_check
kb_reference=DeHavilland_Sea_VenomFAW21_ref
ui_manufacturer=DeHavilland
ui_type= sea venom
ui_variation=809 squadron FAA
atc_id=WW222
atc_airline= Royal Navy
atc_flight_number=WW222
atc_model=Sea Venom
atc_type=Navy
description=
What seems to happen is that if another player joins the session in the Sea Venom that I've disabled in FSX, they are invisible to me and JoinFS will not allow me to alter or select that player. It can see them well enough as they're in the session and their aircraft title is listed. When I select the player and then drag the mouse toward the "Change model" button the button greys out and the player momentarily disappear from the network list.
I will have to check further to see if a) JoinFS "sees" the disabled aircraft types, and b) If this applies to all aircraft types.
I should add that this still doesn't explain why previously visible aircraft in sessions, such as those pilots flying the VRS Superbug which I do not own, are now invisible to me and cannot now be substituted for the freeware F-18E I do have as the "Change model" button greys out when I select the relevant pilot. It seems as though perhaps a recent change has affected the way JoinFS sees the title lines.
Cheers,
Dean
P.S. I've looked at the logs and their may be some helpful information in the "previouslog", which I've attached along with models list etc. I noticed that some models are duplicated, meaning there's more than one possible substitution - could that be the issue?
Re: Aircraft failing to show on network.
Hi Peter,
I've checked the model list for my JoinFS and can confirm that it "sees" all the aircraft that I have made invisible to FSX using the "//" in the .cfg entries as described above. I now think that this is what's causing the issue. JoinFS can see all of my models but FSX cannot, creating a disparity of some sort. I will use a different method, backing up the original .cfg files and then creating new ones with only a single entry before re-scanning the model list. I think that this might overcome the problem as the JoinFS model list will then match my FSX list.
Cheers,
Dean
I've checked the model list for my JoinFS and can confirm that it "sees" all the aircraft that I have made invisible to FSX using the "//" in the .cfg entries as described above. I now think that this is what's causing the issue. JoinFS can see all of my models but FSX cannot, creating a disparity of some sort. I will use a different method, backing up the original .cfg files and then creating new ones with only a single entry before re-scanning the model list. I think that this might overcome the problem as the JoinFS model list will then match my FSX list.
Cheers,
Dean
Re: Aircraft failing to show on network.
Hi Dean,
With the current versions, if you comment out "ui_variation=" line as well, then JoinFS will not see those aircraft and everything should match up.
Peter
With the current versions, if you comment out "ui_variation=" line as well, then JoinFS will not see those aircraft and everything should match up.
Peter
Re: Aircraft failing to show on network.
Hi Peter,
An update on the various visibility issues we've been having.
For a week our Tornado GR4s have not been visible to me. Tonight, I was able to get them working again by adding the ui_type= line to their .cfg entry. That's all it took to remedy the situation.
However, when one of our Alphasim Typhoons disappeared that wasn't the case - it was the same aircraft I was flying. He remained invisible to me until the user switched off JoinFS, reset his flight in FSX, and then restarted JoinFS. He then reappeared as if by magic. It's very difficult to say if it was something on his system that caused him to disappear, or something on mine. Our F-18E Super Hornets refuse to show up for me at all, despite being always visible in v1.0.14. All I can say for sure is that there appears to be an instability somewhere in the program, in that it can easily "lose" sight of other members on the network.
Hope this helps further de-bugging,
Dean
An update on the various visibility issues we've been having.
For a week our Tornado GR4s have not been visible to me. Tonight, I was able to get them working again by adding the ui_type= line to their .cfg entry. That's all it took to remedy the situation.
However, when one of our Alphasim Typhoons disappeared that wasn't the case - it was the same aircraft I was flying. He remained invisible to me until the user switched off JoinFS, reset his flight in FSX, and then restarted JoinFS. He then reappeared as if by magic. It's very difficult to say if it was something on his system that caused him to disappear, or something on mine. Our F-18E Super Hornets refuse to show up for me at all, despite being always visible in v1.0.14. All I can say for sure is that there appears to be an instability somewhere in the program, in that it can easily "lose" sight of other members on the network.
Hope this helps further de-bugging,
Dean