SIMCOM X Voice application

[ATC Roo]

Thanks Tony,

Believe it or not what you describe above is what I've told it to do, at the moment.

The FSX tick box will uncheck on app start.
This was my TEMPORARY fix for the slow text appearing in the window, Simconnect was blocking the UI when it couldn't connect to the SIM.
I'm working on it at the moment.
Until then I'm afraid you will have to reselect it once the SIM and SIMCOM X are running.

Regarding not connecting under SIMCOM X mode.
Were you both on the same LAN with the same external ip?

It sounds like the connection info obtained from the list was being removed.

[kc10b747fe]

Roo,

Thanks for the reply and info. As for connecting, in all tests we are on separate LAN with different external IP addresses. He's at his house and I at mine. Again the according to Port Forward, both computers UDP port 9988 indicate open.

Hope the info helps.

Tony J

[ATC Roo]

Version 0.1.2.3 is now the current.

Simcom X Firewall Help.
What does Simcom X do?

If you would like to test this, I would encourage you to visit 122.800 in Simcom X mode.
I know there are lots of people testing and none of you know where the others are.
122.800 is a basic UNICOM freq setup for people to try Simcom X.

Also please let me know if you use this with Xplane/FS9 over XPUIPC/FSUIPC.

I'm a busy man for the next few weeks (nope, sorry, I'm not him. ) so there may not be an update for a while.
If there are no problems then there may not be an update for a long time.

Things I've Fixed /Added this time...
The app remembering your FSX/FSUIPC tickbox setting is back, but at a price
If Simcom X does not connect to a Sim within 60 seconds the FSX/P3D box will untick itself.

This is to try and stop the slow text people were experiencing.
The slow text occured when Simcom X had the FSX/P3D tickbox ticked but was unable to connect to FSX/P3D (usually because the sim wasn't running).
If it did connect, then all was fine and the text sped up again.

The wait 60seconds message should have been improved and is now less likely to appear.
The green status light should also now be more robust.
If it's green you're hosting.
If the status light is not green and you are not connected in group mode and see nobody else in your channel, you'll need to retune.
Else if you're not showing as green but you see other people in the client window, you're connected to somebody who is hosting.

Added an extra tickbox called Show Messages to the config window.
What this does is displays a message in the top left of your sim when you've successfully changed frequencies.
The idea was if you ran Simcom X in the back ground, you wouldn't know which channel you had tuned too.
A few seconds after you switch when using the AutoSwitch feature, a message will be displayed.
If youre not using the autoswitch feature but are still connected to the sim it will also display.

What I've started to add..
Voice Distance to consider Altitude.
For those of us who are Radio Operators, I'm talking about line of sight.
The higher you are, the further you get.
At the moment the voice distance is based on Miles from each station.
If you are 70Miles away, at ground level you are just readable.
With the altitude implemented...
If you are 70miles away, at 1000ft you'll be heard better, 2000ft better again etc etc.

As always keep letting me know where it fails to impress....

[ATC Roo]

Roo,

Thanks for the reply and info. As for connecting, in all tests we are on separate LAN with different external IP addresses. He's at his house and I at mine. Again the according to Port Forward, both computers UDP port 9988 indicate open.

Hope the info helps.

Tony J

If you've both connected to each other Tony, then both of you have forwarded the port correctly and need do nothing else.

The issue you faced should now be fixed.

[kc10b747fe]

Roo,

If I get a chance I''ll give the new version a shot tomorrow and I'll report back when I can.


Tony J

[ATC Roo]

Well that's me for a few days...
V1.0.0.1

Added Upnp to this version.
So if port forwarding is me talking gibberish to you, tick the Upnp box on the config screen and SIMCOM X will do it for you.
The forward will be removed when you close SIMCOM X.

If you have forwarded udp port 9988 in your router, just leave to box unticked.

Optimised the status light.
Red = Nobody can connect to you.
Orange = People can connect to you if you've opened UDP port 9988 and allowed SIMCOM X through your firewalls.
Green = Upnp port has been opened successfully and people can connect to you if (As above) you have allowed SIMCOM X through your firewalls.

Optimised the voice distance.
Tidied up a few lines of code, specifically around the channel switching.
Added a few more meaningfully messages when something goes wrong.
Should have stopped the slow text once and for all (keep an eye on it).


Speaking with Tony today and TexasAl yesterday we found a few issues.

So what I'm looking for is the below...

Can you host a group server and your friend join it?
If yes your port forwarding or Upnp setting is correct.

If nobody can join a server you are hosting, you're blocking the connection to SIMCOM X somehow.

Check that the Upnp tick box is checked in SIMCOM X.
Check that the Upnp tick box is checked in your router.
Follow the instructions on this page.
Try and get your friend to connect to a server you are hosting again.

If you can host a group server successfully, then there is nothing more you need to do to configure SIMCOM X.

So select Simcom X mode and tune to 122.800.
Have your friend do the same.
Can you see each other?
Can you talk to each other?
Can you select the FSX/P3D/FSUIPC tick boxes when your SIM is running?
Auto switch and message boxes?
Do you switch frequencies and see messages in your SIM when you do?
If you do switch frequencies does your friend switch too and you end up on the same freq seeing each other?
It might be best to wait a few seconds after your friend has switched before you do.
If you both switch at the same time it doesn't give time for one of you to host.

If all the above is good how about the distance tick box.
If you are both connected to a SIM on the same freq do the NM miles increase next to your name as you fly away from each other?
If so do you get quieter the further away you get?

If the static sound is ticked do you hear a quiet, well... static sound when somebody transmits?

The elves are calling, so I'm off for a few days.
But let me know what I need to look at when I get back.

[ATC Roo]

Roo,
SCX Mode - We first confirmed via Port Forward Utilities that both computers indicated that UDP port 9988 was open on both computers. We then deleted simcom_x server in the windows firewall and started the app to make sure it was picked up by the firewall. We then selected both public and private to make sure we both had the same entries.

We then went to the config page selected FSX, Auto Com, SimCom X and On Freq Change, saved and powered on. As indicated above FSX and Auto Com had deselected. All other selections remained checked. When trying to connect, when one computer tried selecting Auto Com, power dropped on the app (indicated by red OFF), and wait 60 secs showed in the text box. After 60 sec nothing occurred and the app remained in the off state. My status light showed orange and PWR OFF, The other computer showed PWR green, Status light green and "selecting, could not get data" in the text box.

Tony J

Found it Tony!

Next time you get a chance the latest version will work in SCX mode!

If you tune to a freq, your friend will also join you if you both have SCX mode selected!

And for TexasAl.....

I've moved the sounds so they come out of your headset.
Let me know.

[TexxasAl]

ROO,

Sounds route properly.

Thank you for my Christmas Present.

Looking forward to continued testing.

regards

TeXXasAl

[ATC Roo]

Version 1.1.1.0 now available.

Mostly background fixes for things I've spotted whilst people have been testing the app, so you won't notice much difference.

Things I have fixed this time include..
Muting a client should now work again.
Issues connecting to a frequency somebody else is hosting, including extra redundancy checks.
If you have the ATC tick box selected you will now show on the main JoinFS map as an ATC with the frequency you are using.
This is an attempt to get traffic for controllers and everybody knowing where that controller is.
To do the above I have had to make a major(ish) change, so this new version (1.1.1.0) will not work correctly with any earlier versions.

As always let me know of the issues.

I'm now going to concentrate on the Controller VCCS that I have planned.

[ATC Roo]

No news is good news???

I know there are small issues as I've been watching how people are using SIMCOM X and fixing the issues when I see them.

But I can't fix things I don't know about.

So the app at the moment is either flawless (which I doubt) or people are having an issue using it and deciding it's of no use to them.

Let my know how easy you find it to use please.

[ATC Roo]

The Traffic light system is back, which should help people.

Green = All is good! It has been verified that people can connect to you successfully.
Red = Verified that nobody can connect to a frequency that you are the host of.
Orange = Waiting for verification or Unverified (This is nothing to worry about if it's not red).

The basics of how it works.
Anybody on the simcom network (they don't need to be on the same frequency) will periodically check if a frequency host has been verified.
Verified in this instance means that somebody has already connected to them.

If nobody has verified the frequency host, then somebody will try.
If verification is unsuccessful, the status light for the client hosting the frequency will turn red to let them know.

How do you fix a red light?
Enable the Upnp tickbox on the Simcom X config screen.
If that doesn't work, check that Upnp is also enabled in your router.
If it is...
Have you allowed the Simcom X server through your firewalls?
https://dotdash.space/scx/firewall.html

Those that have UDP port 9988 forwarded correctly, are not using Upnp and still get a red light will also need to check their firewalls.
Upnp can still be enabled with port 9988 open, useful to check connection issues.
But if you have a green status light in Simcom X you don't need both port 9988 forwarded and the Upnp tickbox ticked in Simcom X.
Upnp and manual port forwarding do the same thing in this instance.

[kc10b747fe]

Hey Roo,

Prior to ver 1122, the app was working flawlessly for me. However on ver 1122 and 1130, I am no longer able to power the app on in group host mode. My flying partner however was still able to connect to my ip address. If I went to SCX mode I could power on and see him and communicate. The same issue occurred when he hosted I could connect to his ip address but all indications indicated red. All other modes worked normally. I uninstalled the app and reloaded ver 1114, and everything worked correctly. Other than this issue the app has been fantastic.

Tony

Screenshot 2019-01-30.jpg (43.98 KiB) Viewed 8732 times

[ATC Roo]

Hey Roo,

Prior to ver 1122, the app was working flawlessly for me. However on ver 1122 and 1130, I am no longer able to power the app on in group host mode. My flying partner however was still able to connect to my ip address. If I went to SCX mode I could power on and see him and communicate. The same issue occurred when he hosted I could connect to his ip address but all indications indicated red. All other modes worked normally. I uninstalled the app and reloaded ver 1114, and everything worked correctly. Other than this issue the app has been fantastic.

Tony

Screenshot 2019-01-30.jpg

Found it!
Fixed it!
Give it a whirl and let me know.
Version 1.1.3.1

[kc10b747fe]

Roo,

All systems check out with no issues.

Thanks, app is a great addition.

Tony

[TexxasAl]

I have noticed that the SimComX application, upon starting, always positions itself in the Upper Left Hand Corner of the primary display monitor.

Would it be possible, at some future time, to have the application "remember" where it was located on the display when it was shut down? This would be like the JoinFS application, which not only remembers where it was when last shut down, but also restores all "view" windows to their previous location and configuration.

Thanks for a really wonderful product.

regards

Al.

[ATC Roo]

I'll pop it on the list of tweaks Al.

Although I'm not touching to app for a while whilst I work on other things.

[AlphaTech]

Hello

Trying to make this work but getting a Error Updating List message. Is this a known problem or have I missed something?

No connection at all.

Paul

[ATC Roo]

I was wondering when somebody would flag this up.

I am working on it at the moment.
All will work with the app except SCX mode.

Group mode will still work as will the Scx Unicom 122.800.


The issue..
SIMCOM X stores a list of known users.
I stored this list on a server for all to read.
As mentioned in another post, I broke the hosting server with the JoinFS Map.

So the kind people at my hosting company decided I needed a server with a bit more grunt.
So they moved me to one.

The new server seems to have issues with SIMCOM X and I'm talking to the company at the moment trying to resolve them.

I'm also writing some redundancy into SIMCOM X in case something similar happens in future.

Give me a day or 2 and if I've not found a solution with the hosting company, the redundancy code should be complete.

I'm hoping both should be complete shortly.

[AlphaTech]

Many thanks for replying and thanks for working on a solution.

I will try group mode.

Also, I operate a full size A320 sim and we have no less than 4 working PTT buttons. I know that FSUIPC can be setup to have key presses for them all, but it causes major stutters in P3d and so I was wondering if you would have any logic available for multiple PTT buttons?

Very best,
Paul

[ATC Roo]

Many thanks for replying and thanks for working on a solution.

I will try group mode.

Also, I operate a full size A320 sim and we have no less than 4 working PTT buttons. I know that FSUIPC can be setup to have key presses for them all, but it causes major stutters in P3d and so I was wondering if you would have any logic available for multiple PTT buttons?

Very best,
Paul

Its probably better and easier all round if you used a program such as https://www.autosofted.com/auto_keyboard_presser/

On a different note...
The simcom X issue maybe a cache issue after the recent move.
I'm using it now and can see a few others online.
This might resolve itself for some people, but I am still working on redundancy at the moment.