Dash 7 'RWY INFO' tool

[hrogenes]

Downloaded and implemented the impressive Dash7v1 package by Milton Shupe et al.
Its panel contains (upper left) a button labelled 'RWY INFO'. If opened successfully, an entry form is displayed, allowing both to find Navaid frequencies and to set autopilot values. Both are most welcome (the latter especially since the autopilot controls on the Dash 7 panel seem a little difficult to locate and use).
But unfortunately the tool seems have problems. Often FS2002 locks up when using the 'RWY INFO' button, sometimes it can be 'revitalized' by Esc, ALt+Enter or some other commands. Sometimes reboot is necessary.

Anyone who has more information about this tool - and a solution or workaround to the problems ?

Regards, Harald.

[Hatrick67]

Harald, You are not alone with this problem. I have been using this Rwy Info gauge for months and on many of my panels. I also have it on the Dash-7. Sometimes the Info box opens right up without freezing FS2k2. Other times I have to Alt+Tab to desktop and then back to FS to use the Info box. This is the same on any panel. I have never been able to figure why it works sometimes and then not others. It is a great utility for punching in Airport to get Rwy ILS settings after ATC assigns runway. It sets Nav 1 and sets course of runway. Hope someone has solved this annoying problem. Maybe it's just a case of not enough ram. I have Windows XP SP1, 1.7 Gig , 256 ram. Paul

[rcbarend]

Hi,

From the RWY INFO author's (Ernie Alston) homepage:
""
Note: The Runway Info Gauge will work with FS2002. However some may have problems using it in full screen mode. Its a DirectX 8 issue, I don't have time to deal with right now !!
""

At: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/alstoer1/rwygauge.htm

No known solution yet.

Rob

[tailboom]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-22-02 AT 08:03AM (EDT)[p]"I don't have time to deal with right now" !!
me neither,...ever

Never click on it, and asap GET RID of it...

Developers PLEASE stop including it!!!

Just another reason to say thank you FSNav 4.51....

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d09e5c45448c942.gif

[rcbarend]

** SIGH **

Wow, really a great contribution ... :-(
Always glad to see such a positive response to a very simple question of a fellow-simmer ...


Rob

[tailboom]

from fs'dom a gizmo that is known to crash fs is somewhat questionable contributing wouldn't you say?

If you had the time, that is..

Disclaimer!! Could I do better? Of course not. There are no gizmos out there designed by me. None that do or don't crash fs!
But if I had designed a gizmo that crashed fs I would have done my best to scoop 'em up, and get 'em out of fs'dom.

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d09e5c45448c942.gif

[eko]

First thing I did as soon as I got the Dash 7 was open up the panel.cfg file and comment out the Runway Info gauge.

Instantaly crashes FS2002 on my system. (And many others.)

Just go into the panel.cfg file and place ";" in front of the line which has the Runway Info gauge, this will comment it out
and you will not crash again with this panel.



http://osx.beyondunreal.com/eko/grommitsig.jpg

[ErnieAlston]

>Wow, really a great contribution ...
>Always glad to see such a positive response to a very simple >question of a fellow-simmer ...

Hmmm,
what simple question are you talking about ?

That was not a response to a question, but a copy/paste from the disclaimer on the web site.

Here I am being maligned for knowingly releasing a product that crashes FS ??

The gauge was designed to be used with FS2000, not with FS2002, and it works perfectly there it was written long before FS2002 was released. But obviously people have been trying to use it with FS2002, and thus the reason for the loud and clear disclaimer on the web site.

Its an issue with DirectX8 on FS2002 which was not an issue with FS2000.

What happens is when FS2002 is in full screen mode, the rwygauge window opens behind the FS window instead of in front of it (it does not do this in FS2000). Not in all cases, but in some cases, probably something to with with what particular video driver you are using. So with that child window still open, you don't realize its still open and thus don't close it properly resulting in a possible program crash of the parent app (FS).

I investigated the problem and found out that with DirectX8 full screen popup windows need to be handled differently. I Saw how much work it was to fix, and unfortunately did not find the time to fix it.

But since many people reported to me that did not have this problem at all, full screen or otherwise I decided to put a disclaimer on the web site for FS2002. It does work, but in some cases in full screen mode it does not. But in windowed mode it works fine, no problems, so therefore it made sense to continue to make the gauge available for FS2002 users as long as they are made aware of the possible full screen mode problem before downloading it.

Of course I have no control over other panel developers. Heck I'm lucky if they even give me credit for the gauge much less if they include my disclaimer in their docs. The gauge is free for them to include if they wish.

I have other projects I'm currently working on, I simply do not have time to keep up with all of my previous projects developed for previous Flight-sim versions. One of these days when or rather if I have the time to put in the necessary effort I certainly would like to get that problem fixed. But right now time does not permit this.

Now you know the whole story, and perhaps now you can make fairer judgment of my character.

Have a nice day.

Regards.

Ernie Alston.
Runway Info Gauge author.

[Simon Evans]

Cheers Ernie...

Now you see what we have to put up with in this forum sometimes - even when you give the correct advice other people blame you whether they follow that advice or not...

Tailboom was bang on, the gauge does not work properly in FS2002. It's known and reported by the gauge author. Clear as a bell in fact, Ernie.

Why then do we have a single post from muppets who wonder why they have a problem with the gauge in FS2002..?

Perhaps because thay haven't read the manual...?


Simon Evans

[rcbarend]

Hi Ernie,

Please check your Email for my message.

And to some of the other posters:
IMHO "Rwy Info" is a terriffic gauge, which I (and many others) use with great satifaction.

And if it gives problems on your PC configuration with FS2K2: just don't use it. But don't attack the author for it.

Rob

[Hatrick67]

Let me add a slightly different angle to this issue. As I said earlier I use this gauge. I had read the authors cautionary note months ago when I first downloaded the gauge. I use full screen mode with FS2k2 and the gauge actually does pop up over my FS screen sometimes with no problem. Other times I have to Alt+Tab to the desktop and then go right back to FS and the Rnwy window is there. In my case this gauge has never locked up my computer nor crashed FS. This is nearly the same as hitting the "Map" view, which also pauses FS, to get runway and vor info to approaching airport. I have had and used FSnav in the past and of course it is preferred however for now I find the cost prohibitive. So, for a freeware gauge, in my case RnwyInfo is an asset.
I also don't see the problem with someone asking for a possible fix even if the manual indicates there is a bug. One of the great things about this forum is that sometimes somewhere out there someone has come up with a fix or go-around to a problem. Many times Simon is a person that people seek out for just such know-how. I hope the author of the gauge does find the time to fix this bug. It is obvious that he monitors this site and any feedback may give him a clue as to where the problem lies. Cheerio

[hrogenes]

Ernie,

Thank you for the clarification. Please note that I didn't blame you or your work. As RWYINFO was included in the Dash-7 package without further documentation about its origin, I was neither aware of you as the author nor the identified problem with FS2002 in full-screen mode with DX8.
I'm surprised, though, that the people behind the Dash-7 didn't include the known issue as an item in their documentation (either in the Readme or their webpages). This doesn't match with the perceived overall quality of their product.
May I join other voices in this message thread and suggest that you consider raising the value of your previous work by making it cooperate with FS2002 and DX8. In case you decide to do so, I happily volunteer as a beta tester.

Regards, Harald.