Opening doors sticking - shift e works, but after that 1 or tw opens doors also.

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I just noticed an issue.

 

Win7-64b home premium

FSX-Sccel.

Issue appears with multiple default planes.

 

When I open the door with it works ok.

then 2 opens second door. ok as well.

 

Bu ti noticed. If I open the door ()

the command sort of "sticks"

because after the door has opened, it seems as if is still active.

If I just press after the door has opened.

the door closes again. (including the 'door closing'message in red)

and then

opens the cargo door.

 

This stays like that, until I press an unrelated button. For example: shift 2

(or if I popup the radio panel with the joystick for example.)

 

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I tried refreshing to a default controls.xml and fsx.cfg. Didn't fix it.

I tried without the joystick attached. No difference.

I tried selecting different language and keyboard in Windows. I may not have the right one. But trying others didn't fix it.

 

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I thought it may be an addon gauge interfering.

I tried the beech baron, the 737 and 747. My most default versions.

I also restored the default 737-800 panel.cfg file, and tried that plane. Again no difference.

I even tried using a different keyboard and mouse. wired instead of wireless.

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Is this door behaviour normal perhaps? I never saw it before, but that may be because after opening a door you normally use another key. So fsx may have been like this all along.

 

If it is not normal, does anyone know what causes it and how to fix?

 

il.

Lets see if I can decipher your coded message........Shift+E opens door. Shift+E again will not close the door? Does that about cover it?

No.

Shift e opens door.

 

After that, just pressing closes it again

then pressing opens cargo door.

then pressing 1 opens main door again.

etc

etc

 

 

without ever pressing shift e again.

 

(pressing shift e still works as usual too.)

 

just 1 or 2 alone open and close the doors.

 

this keeps going until some other key is pressed. Like for example pressing shift+2 and popping up the 2D radio.

No.

Shift e opens door.

 

After that, just pressing closes it again

then pressing opens cargo door.

then pressing 1 opens main door again.

etc

etc

 

 

without ever pressing shift e again.

 

(pressing shift e still works as usual too.)

 

just 1 or 2 alone open and close the doors.

 

this keeps going until some other key is pressed. Like for example pressing shift+2 and popping up the 2D radio.

 

OK. time for Zippy to fire up the Sim and check it out! Don't go away! Film at 11!

 

UPDATE after trying this out! It works as you describe. It must be normal. Using my default 737 I did shift+e to open main door, shift+e+2 to open cargo doors, and shift+e+3 to open the catering doors. Then just by pressing 1,2 or 3 it will close/open the doors without any shift+e.

 

Learning something new every day!;)

This is normal and serves as a great way to test for runaway gauges as they will prevent this from happening.

 

Wanna have fun, do this with the B747 in spot view and "play along" with your favorite music, Bolero works nicely.

 

peace,

the Bean

I have had to deal with a runaway gauge before.

With a runaway gauge, shift+e still works.

but shift+e .. then 2

does not.

 

That i knew. And that's not what was happening here.

 

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But I never noticed that in the default situation after:

shift+e ... then1

 

that just pressing 1 again would close the door again.

 

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For opening doors I ormally used:

shift+e

then

shift+e then 2

and then

shift+e then 3

 

Never knew that the following would have worked too:

shift+e

2

3

 

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Weird, seems like I would have noticed that sooner!

 

Thanks for the info.

I'll go undo the changes to the fsx.cfg and controls.xml files.:)

This is normal and serves as a great way to test for runaway gauges as they will prevent this from happening.

 

Wanna have fun, do this with the B747 in spot view and "play along" with your favorite music, Bolero works nicely.

 

peace,

the Bean

 

OK, now it becomes clear what Bean does all day long besides answering questions here!;)

Thank you also MrZippy for checking.:)

The behavior you describe, is by design... Although probably/maybe not intentional ...LoL

And, I admit, probably unexpected.

 

If you're interrested in the details:

 

In the far past of MSFS, Microsoft invented the so-called Multi-keystroke commands, to overcome the problem of "not enough keys for all command variations".

 

A few examples:

 

- The Increase/Decrease Selection commands (+ and - keys)

By default, these keys apply to the Zoom function.

However, if you select another function, like ComRadioSelect ©, the Increase/Decrease Selection keys don't apply to Zoom anymore, but to Increase/Decrease COM1 frequency value.

 

- The Select_* commands (1,2,3,4 keys).

These are also context-dependant commands.

Example:

If you type the SelectEngine command (E), followed by a 1,2,3 or 4 (or combinations), subsequent generic commands, like F2/F3 to increase/decrease throttle, will only apply to the selected engine(s).

However, if FS detects another command (event) before you type Select_* commands, the relation with the SelectEngine function is lost..

Even a simple command like ChangeView, or a hatswitch event; or an event from an addon gauge that (bad design) repeats events unnecessarily like every 55 msec.

 

- There are two (but maybe more) very peculiar variations of the above: TogglePushback and ToggleExit. Because these Toggle functions not only select a function, but also Toggle them On/Off.

The most complex one being the ToggleExit function, because it contains a timeout-on-subsequent-selection.

Whereas a TogglePushback commands has an immediate effect (on/off), a ToggleExit command has not.

Meaning: if you give a ToggleExit command (Shift-E), there's a lag of appr. 0.9 sec before FS reacts on it. Given you the oppertunity to select the Exit with a subsequent Select-1,-2,-3 or -4 command. If you don't give a subsequent command, or if another command/event is detected within this time (breaking the relation between ToggleExit and the subsequent Select-*), FS assumes you intended to select Exit-1.

And another peculiar side-effect is (very specific for ToggleExit), that the ToggleExit function remains active as long as no other event then Select-* is detected.

Which explains exactly what is observed in the original post: any Select-* command (1,2,3,4, whatever is applicable to that aircraft) given after a ToggleExit command and the initial 0.9 sec delay, will toggle the specified Exit# open/closed immediately, untill another event breaks the relation between ToggleExit and a subsequent Select-* event.

 

This is just how it's implement in FSX (and some earlier FS versions).

 

For addon-designers, like me, this FS ToggleExit function is kind of a night-mare.

Just because of the initial "lag" time between the ToggleExit and subsequent Exit selection.

Especiallly if you want to "correct" illegal opening of an Exit. (like "block" a user command to open an Exit in mid-air).

 

And if any addon designer reads this and is not aware of it yet

A coding like (in XML: 2 (>K:TOGGLE_AIRCRAFT_EXIT) ) will immediately toggle Exit2 without delay, and without subsequent user Select-* commands affecting other Exit* changes.

 

Cheers, Rob

Thanks rcbarend.

I created a small number of gauges. Some of those were runaways. For example I recently made a fuel dump gauge.

fuel dump=on -----> then switch effect on. 1 (k:smoke on)

fuel dump=off -----> then switch effect off. 1 (k:smoke off)

 

Unfortunately this keeps switching the effect on all the time when the fuel dump is on. (or off when fuel dump is off).

Switching it on all the time. (55ms ?) prevented using combinations like:

shift+e ....then 3

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I was aware of the way to set COM freq. but never use it. Not all options on radio panel have commands. (I think there was no keyboard shortcut for "Com1-swap".)

I created a "Com swap gauge" to put on the panel. Still had issues with setting the right com freq, so kept ding that with the mouse. But the com-swap-gauge is still usefull, set the tower freq on the standby, while approach freq is on active. THen click the panel gauge to swap.

 

Anyway, I don't use the -/= keys to set the COMs. Too confusing.:D

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I do use e+1 and e+2 a lot. to select left or right engine.

Selecting just one engine really helps when making tight turns at narrow taxiways.

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And another peculiar side-effect is (very specific for ToggleExit), that the ToggleExit function remains active as long as no other event then Select-* is detected.

Which explains exactly what is observed in the original post: any Select-* command (1,2,3,4, whatever is applicable to that aircraft) given after a ToggleExit command and the initial 0.9 sec delay, will toggle the specified Exit# open/closed immediately, untill another event breaks the relation between ToggleExit and a subsequent Select-* event.

 

Thanks for that. That's exactly what I saw. And indeed, very surprising.

 

Because I knew about runaway gauges (a bit) I thought this was something similar. Like a gauge that kept firing "shift+e" by mistake... or maybe something that made the last "complex command" stick.

 

Good to know this is not something that I messed up with one of my gauges, but that is default behaviour.:D

Thanks!

Thanks for all the added info also.

il.

Thinking about it more. What happens with the "door open" command, happens with the "Com 1 standby set" command as well.

After "Com 1 standby set" you can keep using = or - multiple times.

Then you have to use an unreelated key to switch "com 1 standby set" to disengage it again.

If you forget, trying to zoom out you will change your freq.

 

I did a little test, and changing view with the hat switch is not enough to disengage "select com 1". Neither is changing views with "F11" -- "F9"

Other keys do de-select the Com selection. Popping up the ATC window did it, so did pressing "Backspace".

 

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While at it I decided to test the doors again.

I noticed one thing you said was not correct. You said changing views with the hat switch would De-select "shift+e"

That didn't happen. I pressed shift+e

door opened

1

door closed

2

cargo door opened.

Then used the hat switch to pan around

1

door opened again

etc.

 

Swiching to vc and back to outside (F9--F11) did do the trick.

after that no more doors opening when just pressing 1 or two.

(Backspace did the trick also)

Not all options on radio panel have commands. (I think there was no keyboard shortcut for "Com1-swap".)

 

If memory serves, "X" will swap the active\standby frequencies. You have to select COM1 or COM2 first.

 

Pretty sure it is covered in the Learning Center.

 

peace,

the Bean