Two Problems

[EHM-2383 Ian]

I am looking for some help on two matters.

Firstly I have just bought a new PC which has a wide flatscreen. I am very disappointed by the fact that the main aircraft panels looks ridiculous in this.; all elongated horizontally. When I try the 4:3 configuration it looks fine but views outside the aircraft are affected. They are all squashed up! Can anyone help with a solution to this.

Also I have a problem with PMDG B737 aircraft. When I press the overhead view in the 2-D panel, the main panel vanishes. I had a tool which sets up the correct pathway for the installation of these aircraft and sorts this. However I have lost this when changing computers and can't remember where I got it originally . Can anyone tell me where I might acquire this again?

Thanks.

Ian

[EHM-1465 Dominic]

Hi Ian,

I think the Flight1 registry repair tool is what you're after in the second question? If so, you can find it HERE.

not sure about the solution to your first question - I got a widescreen monitor when I updated my PC and I know I had similar issues at first but I think I solved them by working out a specific resolution to match screen dimensions and then using that for both PC display settings and Flightsim display settings. But I'm no techie so you might well get a better answer from someone else

[EHM-2383 Ian]

Thanks Dominic. That's the file I am looking for.
Are you able to use the full widescreen with FS or do you have to use the 4:3 configuration that leaves a black border on the left and right? I can get FS into a 4:3 configuration by using the correct resolution but it would be great to be able to use full screen. Thinking about it, though,  I can't visualise any way of getting the cockpit to "fit" the full screen as it seems too broad.

Regards,
Ian

[EHM-1838 Andrew]

Hello There
This widesceen monitor thing bothers me as well. I use a Philips 17inch monitor and although small by most peoples standards I am reluctant to change it because it is not widescreen and everything displays neatly in fulscreen mode and I certainly don't have to run FS with a black border, I would not like that at all.
Nobody seems to manufacture square monitors anymore and its rather annoying. I expect there available somewhere on line, but I like to go to a shop lay my money down and return with my goods.
Andy

[EHM-2383 Ian]

Hi
I wish I had never changed my PC!!! I bought a high spec PC with 23in monitor thinking it would give me a brilliant flying experience. Not turning out to be the case! I think it was Dominic who said if it ain't broke, don't fix it. How true.

I now have another problem. I have installed FS9 and my PMDG B737 aircraft. However, while the basic aircraft are showing up OK on the aircraft selection panel, add-on liveries are not showing. I am using Windows7- 64-bit home premium edition. Has anyone experienced this and has a solution?

Ian

[EHM-2381 Ted]

You guys are starting to put me off my planned purchase next month of a 24" widescreen panel. I was going to use that for the primary FSX display and run my second 19" panel off the same card to have FS Commander and other inflight stuff viewable on the desktop through windowed mode.

[EHM-0654 Murray]

@Ted in FSX it tends to be much less of a problem as you'll usually start in VCockpit mode, and the widescreen doesn't cause stretching.

@Ian: this advice comes from another forum, but makes a great deal of sense if you're running 2D panels on a wide screen:-

With your wide monitor, simply drag the right edge of the 2D panel leftward until the gauges are round again. This will leave a blank area of desktop which you fill in with popups. in the attached (experimental/demo) pic (PMDG 747) I have added in the lower EICAS, EICAS Sw panel and Misc Sw Panel. Or you could fill with FMC or Throttle popups.
Either way the panel looks better and is more functional.
Alex Reid

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

Widescreen is the way to go. I use widescreen and love it, the aspect ratio has a better feel about it for me.

I mostly fly in VC where available though, and x-plane zooms the 2d panel in rather than stretching it out of proportion if it's a 4:3 designed panel rather than a newer widescreen designed panel.

[EHM-1465 Dominic]

Are you able to use the full widescreen with FS or do you have to use the 4:3 configuration that leaves a black border on the left and right? I can get FS into a 4:3 configuration by using the correct resolution but it would be great to be able to use full screen. Thinking about it, though,  I can't visualise any way of getting the cockpit to "fit" the full screen as it seems too broad.

Regards,
Ian

I've just checked my FS9 settings to be clear, I use it in full screen and I have the display resolution set at 1600x1024 which matches the relative dimensions of the screen. The 2D panel comes up fine with no missing bits or black areas and the gauges are round - see screenshot. I just can't remember what I did to achieve this other than check the monitor size and ensure the display resolution matched the relative height vs width.

Details

As to PMDG 737 liveries, I think you have to install them all one by one, they don't come automatically installed when you install the aircraft itself.

[EHM-2383 Ian]

Hi Dominic, I have installed two liveries - one Euroharmony - one by one after installing the aircraft itself but they are not showing up on the selection panel of FS9. I have also noticed something else strange. While the wingtip models are showing up for selection for the B737-700, they are not showing in the B737-800!!!

I will try the resolution you suggest and see how it goes. Hopefully I can find a way of geting the liveries recognised, though,  as I can't wait to get flying Euroharmony again.

Ian

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

have you installed the program under the program files folder on vista or win 7?

I recommend installing elsewhere, like c:\flightsims\

[EHM-2383 Ian]

Yes I have Alexander.

My hard drive seems to be named OS(C) so would I simply create a pathway os(c):\flightsims or would I have to put in os(c):\flightsims\FS9? Sorry I'm no good on computers and need things spelled out in nursery language.

Thanks.

Ian

[EHM-2383 Ian]

PS Alexander.
Would I also put FS9 in the flightsims folder?

[EHM-0654 Murray]

Yes Ian, rather than OS(C):\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Whatever, you should change it to OS(C):\FlightSims\Whatever.

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

Yes and Yes.

I would uninstall both programs to avoid registry problems before reinstalling.

Click Start->My computer and double click on the C drive. Click on 'new folder' (or right click and select new folder) and call it Flightsim (name doesn't matter).

Install FS9 and FSX to folders inside this flightsim folder. eg C:\Flightsim\FS2004 and C:\Flightsim\FSX

The reason to do this is as a security feature, both vista and windows 7 control access to the program files path, but it can cause problems with installing addons into FS9 and FSX if they are in that folder as you need elevated privileges for every install.

Once installed and patched up to date, I also right click on both the FS9 and FSX .exes and under compatibility disable desktop composition.

[EHM-2383 Ian]

Sorry, one final question before I get started. Should I re-install FS9 or is sufficient to simply transfer it to the newly named folder?

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

I would reinstall because I think the location of the sim is stored in the registry. If you can find where, and change the registry entries then you could probably just move the folder.

Reinstalling is easier if your not IT confident or wanting to google it.

You have to weigh that against reinstalling all your add-ons, your call.

[EHM-2383 Ian]

Thanks Alexander. I'll re-install as I'm starting from scratch with no add-ons in as yet.

[EHM-2383 Ian]

Just to say thanks a million lads. PMDG now installed and all liveries are showing. I would never have managed this without all your help.  I can now relax and start the long job of installing all my other add-ons. Cross fingers that that will go without too many hitches as I wouldn't want to stretch your patience any further with more SOS calls!!!

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

Another satisfied customer  

Glad you got it all sorted and can get back to enjoying simming.

If you run into the scenery bug with FSX on win 7:

Bug:

There appears to be a bug with adding scenery to the FSX Scenery Library when running under Windows7 RC 64. The normal procedure of using the ADD button and then navigating to the desired scenery location results in a "Scenery Not Found" message.

Workaround:

Instead of clicking on the scenery folder and clicking add, now you need to click on the scenery folder, click add, then right click anywhere in the white area of the folder.

[EHM-2383 Ian]

Thanks Alexander. Am sticking with FS9 for the moment as it is familiar. Intend to start on FSX later on when I get fully to grips with new PC.

[EHM-2383 Ian]

Success didn't last very long, did it?
With my previous computer I used World of AI for AI aircraft and quite liked this for ease of installing and uninstalling. However I had no sucess in installing aircraft tonight. It said they had been installed but were not. I note that the installer needs a Microsoft download .NET Framework 2.0 but when I tried to install this I got the message that it was not compatible with a 64 bit system! Stuck again!

Any advice on this or an alternative eg. Project PAI packages?

If these are not going to be possible maybe I have to go for the  payware option?

Ian

[EHM-2383 Ian]

PS Any views - positive or negative - on Ultimate Traffic - for FS9?

[EHM-1465 Dominic]

Hi Ian,

As a non-techie I'm guessing that Microsoft .NET framework 2 has been updated, I think it's on version 3.something now. As such if you get the latest 64 bit compatible version for your system, I think this should do what the World of AI Installer needs it to do from the earlier version. I'd like to think so anyway  Then try and reinstall.

The other thing to check is that the WOAI installer might well be installing everything where FS would normally be (unless you pointed it to new FS location during install) so check Microsoft Games/Flight Simulator 9 location for all the necessary files and transplant them into your new FS location as I'm guessing from ealrier threads this is different?

I use WOAI myself so I can't offer opinion on any payware version, always found freeware to be great

[EHM-1242 Stef]

Hi Ian,

Running a Samsung 24" widescreen here (albeit on fsx nowadays, but shouldn't make a difference). 2D panels are made for certain resolutions only (say 1280x1024, which is 4:3 format). If you display this on a (in my case) 1920x1080 resolution monitor (16:9 format) ofcours this will cause stretching in full-screen. Luckily lot's of clever people have over the past years created modified panel bitmaps (and panel.cfg's) for the most common panel/aircraft packages for them to be able to be correctly displayed in 2D cockpit. Avsim.com, Flightsim.com and also the panel/aircraft-developers and their respective forums (read: other users) are your friends in this! 

Regarding your dotNet framework: let Windows update run and it will normally include the latest dotNet version updates for your system (check though!). By the way, if i am not mistaken, Win7 (any version) already comes with MS dotNet framework pre-installed. Considering that latest version is 3.5 something-and-a-bunch-of-updates which is already in Win7, dotNet version 2 is not required for you to be installed. It's all there already. Am running Vista 64 bit (ultimate) myself and have no problems whatsoever with dotNet, therefore doubt if your problem is specifically 64bit related, but rather that your errormessage is the M$-way of telling you you already have a higher version installed and therefore don't need to install this one.

When pointed at the correct location of FS during install (basically what Dominic also mentioned already) WoAI  packages always worked fine on my FS9 system. Don't know, perhaps running the Flight1 utility may help again here? And also (just making sure here) make sure to select the correct FS-version in the WoAI installer because the folder structures in FS9 and FSX are rather diffent when it comes to installs within the FS-folder (should your FS9 folder now happen to have a sub-folder 'SimObjects' then this might very well have been the problem...)

On FS9 used to use WoAI to complement and/or update my Ultimate Traffic installed. (Payware) UT schedules were rarely renewed and therefore the (newer) WoAI packages were over-time and where applicable replacing the respective UT schedules in my system, however UT was kept to fill the gap for the airlines for which WoAI was not offering any packages. Bit of a puzzle at times but always worked nice for me for filling my virtual skies.

Presently on FSX am now using Ultimate Traffic 2 (FSX only!) because it's the only package which offers scheduled flights modelled after real world flightschedules (the other alternatives, well, don't), plus since UT2 is injecting their traffic through FSX own SimConnect the AI traffic can also be controlled route-wise, and so about 2/3rd of the UT2 AI traffic follows (albeit default FSX) jet airways! Really cool to watch and looks much more life-like!

Hope the above helps you out, at least a little bit.

Cheers,
Stef