Joystick freezing and attempt to call a nil value issue in FSX SE

Here lately I will be flying and the joystick will freeze. Some time while in flight I can re calibrate or just unplug the stick for a few seconds and the replug and it will work again. But today before I could do that the plan crashed. When I exited the sim I got the error "attempt to call a nil value." This error has happened before. I was flying the A2A Cherokee. This has also happened with the Just Flight Cessna 152. Has this happened to anyone else before, and whats the fix?

Just a guess...is the USB port where the joystick is plugged in going into hibernate mode and losing power?

That is a good question and I don't know the answer. I don't know how to find that out either. I do know that in the USB port right next to it I have an external hard drive that is continuously plugged in that I never have any problems with it not working. My joystick is plugged in to the front USB ports on my computer.

Do you have any other optional USB posts on the back of the computer to try. Your front USB port may be more prone to damage or wear. I keep my joystick plugged into a rear port.

I will give it a try.

Well this morning while flying my joystick quit again. I figured out it has to be a bug with fsx because no matter what I did it wouldn't work. I put the autopilot on then went to controls and tried to recalibrate it but it wasn't in the list. Only my mouse was. Next with the sim still flying I when to game controller in windows and the joystick was there. I ended up just having to land with the mouse and shut down. Any thoughts?

Windows 8.1 ?

 

Wim

Yes. Sorry I ment to include that.

You need to interdict Windows being able to disconnect the USB ports for power management (I could try to explain with pics myself, but it wouldn't be very helpful as my Windows is dutch).

 

Google "fsx windows 8.1 joystick" in stead, and you'll find what I mean.

 

I also use FSUIPC for all my controllers. Didn't have a joystick kick-out since.

 

Wim

Hi! Like I mentioned in Post#2 http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-fix-annoying-windows-usb-problem.htm

Thanks for helping on this "language" problem.

But I'm afraid that's only part of the solution. In Device Manager one needs to uncheck an option for every single USB port as well.

 

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy176/buffalo2602/joystick_zpslztfa3kf.jpg

 

Again, the option has to be unchecked, NOT as shown in the pic.

 

Wim

there is also a keyboard assignment for "disable controller". A key is assigned by default. Don't know off the top off my head which key. But if you press it it disables your joystick.

 

Check what is assigned to it and make sure you aren't accidentally pressing that key.

 

(Maybe just delete the key asssignment.)

^^^

88's solution seems the most likely to me. The USB should only get powered down in a sleep or power savings mode which should not happen while the FSX application window is active.

 

The other possibility is the controller driver may need to be updated. It's important not to move your controller from one USB port to another. Often, these controller drivers are dedicated to the port (USB socket) the controller was plugged into when the driver was installed.

 

MZ's suggestion to use a rear rather than front socket where there is less possibility the plug will get disturbed is very important. USBs can look like they are plugged in securely yet not connect well.

 

-Pv-

Thanks for all the help fellas. I will let you know if your recommendation worked.

I just want to give everyone an update. I have tried what you all recommended except for downloading the FSUIP software. Just making it to where the USB ports don't go to sleep doesn't fix it. But I believe most of you all knew that. I also found that if you turn off the ability for the monitor 2 go to sleep it seems to fix it. I just completed a four hour flight where I just set it on autopilot and walked away and came back a couple of hours later and the joystick was still working.I don't know for certain that it is fixed but it is doing 100 times better than before. Before I would fly a few minutes and it would freeze.

Get a Desktop for FSX. Laptops are always set to save power at every opportunity during any idling moment.

 

Cheers,

This is a desktop.

Idea for some systemmatic testing:

 

next time when it happens,

pause flight (or fly autopilot),

press >alt

click: options--settings--controls

go to joystick calibration,

do the calibration and look if you see the indication in the calibration menu when you move the joystick left and right etc,

 

If you see movement, the usb is not the issue,

 

store the calibration and return to fsx by clicking OK.

 

unpause the flight and see if you have controll,

(make sure of course the autopilot is off, or you won't have controll. duh.)

 

check in two ways.

1 can you bank, turn, roll the plane etc?

2 do you see the steering column in the VC move?

 

(If you can see the steering column move, but no controll over the aircraft, the autopilot is on or something similar. But the joystick is working.)

 

If you don't see the steering column move... well that would be weird. If it moves in calibration, but no movement of the steering column I have no idea what could cause that.

 

 

Well actually... i do have one idea. (same as my previous post:

pause again,

press >alt

click: options--settings--controls -->keyboard assignments.

look for assignment: "Joystick on/off"

mine is set to >contrK

Check what key that is assigned to.

 

Go back into FSX, unpause, and press the key for: "Joystick on/off".

1 Test if you have controll.

2 Test if steering column moves.

 

----------------

Then for a final test,

pause again,

press >alt

click: options--settings--controls -->keyboard assignments.

 

Assign a key to the "Aircraft Reload" function. (mine is >ContrShiftF11

 

Go back into FSX, and press your "Aircraft Reload" key.

Test again.

 

-------------

After that you will know if it was the usb (no movement in calibration menu) or if it was something of fsx. (joy-off, autopilot-on, plane not responding but steering column moves, etcetera.)

 

science be praised!

il88pp.

Good ideas 88. One note I will through out is that when it does freeze I have gone to the controls in the settings and the Joystick is not there. With fsx still running I go to game controller in windows and the joystick is there, and I can calibrate but when I go back to fsx it is till not there. Also to let everyone know turning off the setting allowing the monitor to turn off after a certain amount of time didn't work after all. It froze on me late last night.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-gaming/win81-joystick-disconnects-in-fsx/55137cc8-f1d1-4ede-b7ed-a7bb41036f2f?pa

 

Seems to be a Major Issue with someone using Win 8.1 and FSX.

Do you mean the "calibration" -tab is missing?

 

So it is there at the start of a flight but goes missing halfway through?

 

And, what joystick do you have?

Did you install a driver for it?

 

This is a desktop.

 

Then, I have something like this:

 

 

USB 2.0 where my Yoke and Pedals are connected. Power comes from the wall not the PC. Mine also have a dedicated USB line to my PC, not shown in the attached picture. Mine has 10 USB Ports.

 

Cheers,

I wanted to give another update and discovery. A couple of nights ago the joystick failed after a 2 hr flight down the coast in CA. When it happened I put my mouse on the tool bar across the bottom and left clicked on the fsx icon. Then clicked on Flight Simulator X. When I did that it refreshed the sim and my control was back. I then processed to land and complete the flight.

 

On another note I wonder if Windows 10 will have a fix for the issue with controls kicking out?

88 the tab will still be there but the option for the joystick is gone in the drop down. The drop down will just give you the option for the mouse. Yes the up to date drivers are installed. My joystick is the Thrustmaster 16000.