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OpusFSI Flight
Simulator Interface for |
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OpusFSI Flight
Simulator Interface for |
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FAQ
We have listed some frequently asked questions and replies about your experience with OpusFSI and OpusFSX.
If you have any queries that you can't find an answer to on our FAQ or forums then we will be very pleased to hear from you. Please email us at opusfsi@opussoftware.co.uk including your name and order number.
Can I use other software packages with Opus?
Installation
Can't download OpusFSI (signature is invalid or corrupt)
I can't start my Flight1 downloaded application (it never runs), so I can't purchase the software
My payment was not accepted by PayPal
My virus scanner gives me a warning for the Flight1 downloaded application
'The cabinet file is corrupt' error message
System.TypeInitialisationException error
SlimDX error
When I install the licensed software
it runs in demonstration mode
Simulator's Installation Folder, Unable to access the installation folder...
Spy error messages
Opus stops working
FSX freezes or my aircraft will
not move
The master battery and parking brake indications aren't correct
Overspeed and Underspeed Warnings
Reinstalling Opus on a new or reformatted PC
Weather
Saving Dynamic Weather
and loading historic Weather Themes
I can't get the dynamic weather to work
Unable to view Live Weather or "Unable To Update Dynamic Weather " spy message
I can't load or extract GRIB data
FSX can't load weather theme error message
FSX crashes when I load a saved flight
Weather keeps changing erratically
Too much haze or bad visibility in P3D
I see horizontal 'bands' of haze with clear areas between
I get a consistent static cloud layer that forms above the aircraft (cloud of doom)
I tried importing METAR data from a user specified import file but it didn't work.
Error message "access denied" when trying to display reports on the client LWE Control PC
Error message " The network name cannot be found" when trying to display reports on the client LWE Control PC
Why can't I run the Live Weather Engine on a client PC?
Ensuring AI traffic uses the correct runway
TrackIR doesn't work or DHM is jerky
The camera dialog only lists "All aircraft types" or DHM doesn't work
The camera dialog doesn't list all my aircraft
My aircraft disappeared from the FSX/P3D list
Missing aircraft textures - skeleton view
I've lost the F12 top down view
My key/button assignments to change views don't work
Camera transitions are not smooth and stutter
What views can I see on the server and client computers ?
Can I create an Instrument Panel view ?
Can I use Live Camera with another weather engine?
I don't have any turbulence with Live Camera
"Unable to transfer camera configuration data across to
system <client_name>" message
"Unable to transfer camera configuration data across to system <client_name>" message
My client system lags behind the server
CPFlight MCP737/EFIS737 PRO/EL (Device Driver No.1)
Unable to Open COMn serial port !
CPFlight MCP controls have stopped working with PMDG 737 NGX
Can I use other software packages with Opus?
We strongly recommend the use of 3rd party packages such as FEX
for their sky and cloud textures, or HDEv2
(freeware) for clouds with the sky
upgraded by Danny Glover. You will really see the benefit of using the Opus Live Weather Engine with these textures loaded. We do not include or load any sky and cloud textures, we just create and load the most detailed and realistic weather. However, if you rely on the default sky and cloud textures within FSX/P3D then no matter how detailed the weather is it will not look very impressive.
Disable the weather engine in 3rd party packages to prevent conflict with the Opus weather engine, e.g. run the AS16 tool to disable their weather engine and unload their DLL prior to running Opus otherwise it will conflict with Opus weather.
Before disabling 3rd party camera packages their configuration utility must be run to restore all camera views to FSX default, e.g. the EZdok "Restore" function, otherwise 3rd party camera definitions are not removed from the aircraft config files and can cause problems.
If your aircraft doesn't include sounds then we would also recommend the use of packages such as Accu-Feel for the sound effects but with the Accu-Feel global turbulence, chop, gusts, and clear air turbulence aircraft movement options disabled since they conflict with Opus.
TrackIR interfaces with Opus but you must follow the set up instructions in the OpusFSI_v6 Getting Started guide. Automatic Head Movement will be automatically disabled.
ButtKicker and ButtKicker compatible devices can be used with Opus.
Installation
Follow the link from our home web page or display our downloads page and click on the appropriate OpusFSI v6 (for 64-bit P3D v4.5+) or OpusFSI v5 hyperlink within the Purchase or Reinstall column. Select the option to Save to your PC.
Download the Opus Flight1 Purchase exe onto your main 'flying' server (sim) system to purchase the product.
When you run the purchase file a Flight1 form with 3 buttons will be displayed. If you already have a Flight1 account click button 1 to log in (this is optional and if you get any Flight1 login error messages don't use it). Click on buttons 2 and 3 to fill in your purchase details and then the Purchase button will appear, click on this button to complete purchase.
After purchase, the Opus msi installation file will be unwrapped into c:\Opus Software along with your license key and you will receive an email confirmation of your order. Run the msi to install Opus and follow the instructions in our OpusFSI_v6_Getting Started (or OpusFSI_v5_Getting Started) guide.
Can't download OpusFSI (signature is invalid or corrupt)
If you get a warning the signature is invalid then right click on the msi and select Run Anyway.
If you see the following screen then click on the More info button to run the software. Next select Run Anyway.
Using Windows Explorer navigate to the location of the downloaded file and run the software. If you have a problem running the software then right click on the file and click “Unblock" or follow one of the other methods in Can't run the msi in Windows.
Internet Explorer seems to be the most reliable browser for downloads.Try downloading on a different computer if possible. If you are downloading the purchase file on another computer, make sure it runs, and then move it to your flight sim computer using the Flight1 licence transfer tool.
If you are having problems downloading then make
sure your anti-virus software is disabled, anti-virus software may also
delete our software after it has been downloaded or installed unless you make
the Opus exe programs trusted applications.
I can't start my Flight1 downloaded application (it never runs), so I can't purchase the software
You need to make sure Data Execution Protection (DEP) allows the EXE to run. You can check your DEP settings by selecting Control Panel, System and Security, System, System Protection, Advanced tab, Performance Settings, Data Execution Prevention tab. Select "Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only" option, or try to add the EXE you downloaded to the exception list.
Also, ensure that you have full Administrator access to the computer and you may need to disable any virus scanner or spyware program that is running.
If you still have problems refer to the Flight1 website troubleshooting.
If all else fails then download it on another computer, make sure it runs, and then move it to your flight sim computer using the Flight1 licence transfer tool.
Contact Flight1 for further assistance.
My virus scanner gives me a warning for the Flight1 downloaded application
Unfortunately, one of the most common issues when people can't get software to run is interference from a Virus or Spyware scanner. Although they do good things, in many cases they can interrupt programs you may want to run. If you get an error message that does not appear to be from the downloaded EXE, you need to make sure your virus or spyware scanner is disabled prior to running the msi. If you are concerned about this, you can scan the file prior to running it, and then after your purchase, if you are prompted to automatically run the setup application, select No, then manually scan the setup application. This is usually extracted right after your purchase is made.
False-Positive reports with software is common.
'The cabinet file is corrupt' error message
If you see the error message,
The cabinet file '_xxx' required for this installation is corrupt and cannot be used. This could indicate a network error, an error reading from the CD-ROM, or a problem with this package
then it is most probably a corrupted msi file so just download it again. If you are using Chrome then try another browser. Disable any anti-virus software.
'There is a problem with the windows installer package. A DLL required for this install to complete could not be run... ' error message
The installer doesn't have permissions to access the folder C:\Users\<name>\AppData\Local\Temp. Go to Properties > Security on the folder and give Everyone the Full control permission.
If you are having problems uninstalling Opus due to a misssing msi or registry corruption then use the following Microsoft utility, https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/17588/fix-problems-that-block-programs-from-being-installed-or-removed
Can't run the msi in Windows
To run a msi that doesn’t have a valid Digital signature follow one of the
methods mentioned below.
Method 1:
1. Right click on the file or program that you are not able to access.
2. Go to properties and click “Unblock”.
3. Try to run the application again.
Method 2:
1. Click on start button.
2. Type “Internet Explorer” in the “Start Search Box” and select it from the menu.
3. Click on “Tools” in the menu bar and select “Internet Options”.
4. Click on “Advanced tab” and locate “Allow software to run or install even if the signature is invalid” under the “Security” category and check the box.
5. Click Apply and then Ok.
6. Close the Internet Explorer and restart Internet Explorer.
Method 3:
1. Turn UAC OFF. Just type UAC into the start menu or Control Panel
search box. Drag the slider to the bottom, never notify.
2. Run the Command Prompt in Admin Mode (not the same as you being an Admin user).
3. Type: bcdedit /set testsigning off
4. Reboot. Windows will power up in a test mode and will allow you to run any msi file.
5. Install the msi file. After installing the software ...
6. Run the Command Prompt in Admin Mode (not the same as you being an Admin user).
7. Type: bcdedit /set testsigning on
8. Reboot
After rebooting you should still be able to run msi files but may need to answer 'More Info' and 'Yes' to a Windows 10 user query.
System.TypeInitialisationException error
For OpusFSI v6 you need .NET v4.7.2.
For OpusFSI v5 you need .NET v2 for FSX (and P3Dv3.3 or earlier) and .NET v4 for P3Dv3.4 onwards, and SimConnect to be installed for OpusFSI and its SimConnect links to work.
You can check what versions of .NET you have installed in Control Panel by selecting Settings, System, Apps and features, then search for .NET and a list of installed versions will be displayed. For older operating systems you can check what versions of .NET you have installed by checking your c:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework or Framework64 folders. You should see a v2.0.xxxxx folder in addition to the v4.0.xxxxx folder.
In the case of SimConnect, first make sure you have installed FSX or P3D along with its SP2 or installed the FSX Acceleration version, SimConnect is installed automatically with it.
If you have mislaid or corrupted your SimConnect then you can try re-installing it for FSX (or P3Dv3.3 or earlier) using the Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect.msi file within your OpusFSI_v5 folder.
For P3D we supply SimConnect_v3.4 dll. Copy and rename (to OpusFSI_v5 folder) if that is needed, otherwise the FSI startup program will copy and rename the v3.4 dll automatically when no LM dll exists.
Alternatively use the FSISERVER.EXE program argument P3D2 (or P3D30, P3D31, P3D32, P3D33) for OpusFSI_v5.
The FSISERVER program arguments P3D (or P3D4, P3D3,
P3D34 onwards)
select the .NETv4 variant of SimConnect and SlimDX for OpusFSI_v5.
For OpusFSI_v5 do not run P3DSERVER.EXE or FSXSERVER.EXE directly, instead run the FSISERVER.EXE program with the correct argument for your sim type.
If you still have problems you must ensure the SERVER program ...
Is starting in the correct c:\OpusFSI_vx folder.
Has permissions to copy and rename the relevant SlimDX DLL file.
Is able to copy the current SlimDX DLL, it's not locked or write protected.
Is not blocked by AV or Win Defender software.
Otherwise its attempt to copy and rename the SlimDX file will fail. You may also need to install the SlimDX dotNet 2 or 4 runtime using our supplied msi file in the OpusFSI_vx folder.
Opus won't run or aborts
If Opus won't run or immediately aborts then make sure it is installed in the OpusFSI_v6 (or v5) folder in the root directory and not a sub-folder of the drive. Otherwise reboot your PC, this problem may be due to a windows update which needs a reboot of your PC.
If you have set up the security and sharing permissions, have run as Administrator, and the software still won't run on Windows10 then run the Microsoft
vcredist_x64.exe VC redistribution package located in the
OpusFSI_v6 folder (vcredist_x86.exe for OpusFSI_v5). For new Windows10 (re)builds
you may need to download and install the older 2013 C++ Redistribution packs
(vcredist_x64.exe and vcredist_x86.exe) from the ‘Other Downloads’ section
of our Downloads webpage http://www.opussoftware.co.uk/opusfsi/downloads.htm.
If this doesn't work then for OpusFSI_v5 (using FSX) reinstall SimConnect and then reboot your PC.
When I install the licensed software
it runs in demonstration mode
You must install the Flight1 purchase file on your C drive. You can move the msi to another location but must leave the
OpusFSX and/or OpusFSI licence and key files on drive
C in the C:\Opus Software folder.
Opus can only be installed on one drive in one folder. Uninstall any old
versions of Opus using Control Panel, Uninstall a Program. Do not delete
your OpusFSI_v6, OpusFSI (or OpusFSX) folder though since your configuration
(DAT and CMD) and camera (CAM, LIM and CDF) files are stored there, assuming
you want to keep them.
For OpusFSI check your OpusFSI\FSISERVER.log for errors.
If your Name and Order Number are blank in the Spy window then your licence file cannot be accessed due to either file permission problems or a corrupt licence file.
If you try and edit the licence file it will become corrupt, you should not open the licence file. If this has happened download and reinstall either,
the Purchase OpusFSI_v6 file if you purchased the full OpusFSI_v6 version or,
the Purchase OpusFSI_v5 file if you purchased the full OpusFSI_v5 version or,
the Upgrade OpusFSI_v4 to OpusFSI_v5 file if you purchased the OpusFSI_v4 to OpusFSI_v5 upgrade or,
the Upgrade OpusFSX to OpusFSI file if you purchased the OpusFSI_v3 to OpusFSI_v4 upgrade or,
the OpusFSI_v4 Reinstall file if you purchased OpusFSI_v4.
the OpusFSX Reinstall file if you purchased OpusFSX.
Refer to Reinstalling Opus on a new or reformatted PC.
Your
system will require a
valid OpusFSI licence, internet access and the computer clock
must have the correct time.
Simulator's Installation Folder, Unable to access the installation folder...
Opus tries to copy the OpusWeather.WT weather file into the
FSX\Weather\themes (or Prepar3D\Weather\themes) folder and will display this
error message if it cannot do this.
If you see the above error message then it is essential that you check
your installation folder is specified correctly in the Configuration dialog.
Try reconfiguring the sim location again.
Also check your sharing and permissions, it is important to set
permissions as well as sharing as described in the OpusFSI_v6
Getting
Started guide.
Spy error messages
FSX Failed to establish link 1 with FSX
Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component.
This usually does not indicate a serious error, it usually means the sim is not running and hence, the software cannot connect to
SimConnect. If you are running FSX it could mean you do not have SimConnect installed, or SimConnect is not functioning correctly.
You must have FSX/P3D installed on the main 'flying' server and each client computer system. You should also install the same scenery and aircraft addon packages. The aircraft addon packages need only be installed however if you want to use external 'aircraft' views on the client system. If this happens to be one particular client PC or laptop then install the aircraft addon just on that machine.
Failed to establish link with FSUIPC
Error code 8
Error code 8 means you have the wrong Flight Simulator system for FSUIPC. Have you selected the correct simulator (FSX or P3D) in the Opus configuration dialog and located its installation folder. If you have not then Opus will be trying to connect to the wrong sim type!
Make sure you only have one copy of Opus installed in Windows Control Panel using the Uninstall Programs option (not some Cleaner type package).
All the FS... EXE and DLL files in the OpusFSI_v6 folder should have the same
date, if they don't then uninstall Opus and reinstall.
The software looks for the licence and key files on drive C in your c:\Opus Software folder.
Don't install Opus in the Opus Software, sim, or Program Files folders, and don't install in more than one folder on your PC.
FSX freezes or my aircraft will not move
The problem is caused by running both the Opus SERVER and CLIENT programs on the same PC. If you have a standalone system you must only run the FSXSERVER or P3DSERVER program, do not run the client program that will freeze your sim (it is only intended to be run on networked client machines).
Before disabling 3rd party camera packages their configuration utility must be run and the "Restore" function selected to restore all camera views to FSX default, otherwise 3rd party camera definitions are not removed from the aircraft config files and can cause problems.
The master battery and parking brake indications aren't correct
You need to install FSUIPC on the Opus client PCs. You can
download a free copy from http://www.fsuipc.com.
FSUIPC is used for the following functions;
setting the sim clock, master battery and parking brake, and pausing the sim.
Overspeed and Underspeed Warnings
If you are flying with the sim rate speeded up, especially above x6 then it is possible to get overspeeds or underspeeds. Even at
x6 speed, your auto pilot or the sim may oscillate the air speed repeatedly causing repeated overspeeds. You should disable the FSX
'stress causes damage' option.
Download and run either,
the Purchase OpusFSI_v6 file if you purchased the full OpusFSI_v6 version or,
the Purchase OpusFSI_v5 file if you purchased the full OpusFSI_v5 version or,
the Upgrade OpusFSI_v4 to OpusFSI_v5 file if you purchased the OpusFSI_v4 to OpusFSI_v5 upgrade or,
the Upgrade OpusFSX to OpusFSI file if you purchased the OpusFSI_v3 to OpusFSI_v4 upgrade or,
the OpusFSI_v4 Reinstall file if you purchased OpusFSI_v4.
the OpusFSX Reinstall file if you purchased OpusFSX.
Reinstall
using your Flight1 account, you will need your email and account password. You can
request
your account password from Flight1 if you have forgotten it.
If you don't have a Flight1 account then you can create
one.
You may install the software onto any drive provided its folder
name is OpusFSI_v6 with the exception that you must not install OpusFSI in the Opus
Software, FSX, Prepar3D or Program Files folders, and don't install in more
than one folder on your PC.
Weather
Saving Dynamic Weather and loading historic Weather Themes
I can't get the dynamic weather to work
Ensure you have identified the correct sim type (for the sim you are currently running) and installation folder in the Configuration dialog and have sharing enabled, and set sharing and security permissions as per the Getting Started guide.
If you don't have Opus options within the add-on menu then it hasn't been installed correctly. Follow the OpusFSI_v6 Getting Started Guide very carefully. Do not install Opus in a sub-folder of Opus Software, FSX, Prepar3D or Program Files since it causes permission problems.
Run your sim before running Opus.
If you open the spy window and force a weather update via the sim addon menu (or click on Update Weather in the Weather dialog) then you should see the weather being generated. Also if you open the weather report window via the sim add-on menu it will show the last time of update.
Unable to view Live Weather or "Unable To Update Dynamic Weather "
spy message
This error most likely results from a failure to copy the generated weather OpusWeather.WTB file. The software needs to copy this from <opus_folder>\Themes\OpusWeather.WTB to <sim_folder>\Weather\Themes\OpusWeather.WTB
So, you have either,
not specified the sim option and identified your sim installation folder correctly within the
Opus Configuration dialog,
or,
your system does not have sharing enabled, or security and permissions set to allow
Opus to write to the sim installation folder.
You can check the first by confirming there is a Weather\themes sub-folder.
You can check the second using the Command Prompt, navigating to
<opus_install_folder>\Themes and trying to manually copy the file.
Perhaps you have installed the sim in the Program Files folder and there is no sharing or access rights to this folder. Refer to our
OpusFSI_v6 Getting Started Guide for details on how to set up sharing and security permissions.
I can't load or extract GRIB data
Select Enable GRIB Forecast Data in the Weather Download Options dialog.
Check your Opus FSDECODER.log file for errors.
If you use a proxy server or have configured Internet Explorer to use a proxy server (IE settings, Internet options, Connections tab) then it may not allow you to download files in which case you will not get GRIB data
If your GRIB data is not decoding then it may be caused by a setting in the Windows operating system English culture setting. Opus automatically selects and uses a generic English (GB) culture to ensure correct floating point number conversion. We have had problems where people have edited the English culture setting and changed the Windows Number format decimal separator from a dot to a comma. Don't edit any of the English (GB) culture settings and ensure the dot character is assigned as the decimal separator in the Windows Number format, not the comma.
If you can't extract or decode GRIB data then delete everything except the degrib.exe program from your Opus GRIB folder. If this doesn't work delete the GRIB folder and reinstall Opus since the degrib.exe program may be corrupted.
Ensure you don't have more than one copy of Opus installed via Control Panel. If you do then uninstall all versions and reinstall the latest version.
Don't install Opus in the Opus Software, FSX/P3D or Program Files folders.
Never run antivirus software when using the sim, all AV software will adversely effect the
sim performance and will even stop or delete our software.
FSX/P3D can't load weather theme error message
It could be that you are loading a saved flight which is refering to a non-existant static theme. Click OK to that
sim error message, update the weather once more, then resave your flight.
FSX/P3D crashes when I load a saved flight
Load the flight without running Opus, save the flight, then run Opus.
Weather keeps changing erratically
Ensure you don't have any other software packages injecting the weather and disable the FSUIPC weather options (registered version). In FSX Free Flight, Weather, set your FSX Current Weather to any weather theme, just don't enable the real world weather options. Check that no other weather engines are running. If flying online don't inject weather from FSInn etc.
Too much haze or bad visibility in P3D
If you have a pea soup fog around your aircraft when flying with P3D then you most likely have Volumetric Fog enabled in P3D and do NOT have the option enabled within the Opus Weather Preferences dialog.
I see horizontal 'bands' of haze with clear areas between
This is a known issue with 3rd party weather engines, just use 3rd
party weather engines for the textures and use Opus for the weather updates.
Make sure you have
disabled your 3rd party weather engines and in addition disabled/removed
all their visibility, haze and fog effects.
A way to remove it with AS2012 is:
1: Start AS2012
2: Start FSX, load a flight
3: Once you are at airport of choice, open AS WX Options / Visibility
4: Make sure the following options are ticked;
a: fog layer generator
b: Untick 'Use stratus for fog'
c: Tick 'Enable Visibility Graduation and Smoothing' and set to 9000ft
The sliders should be set from top to bottom 0,65,65
Save and Apply.
Do this in the Status page also.
5: Shut down AS and FSX
Now repeat steps 1-3.
This time you will do the reverse,
a: Untick fog layer generator
b: Untick 'Use stratus for fog'
c: Untick 'Enable Visibility Graduation and Smoothing'
Save and Apply as above.
I get a consistent static cloud layer that forms above the
aircraft (cloud of doom)
This is not an Opus problem, we have just provided a solution to a problem that occasionally occurs on some systems due to a corrupt or faulty cirrus overcast bitmap mask file in the FSX/P3D Texture folder. If your system has a faulty bitmap file it will be quite obvious, there will be a thick cloud hovering above you wherever you fly.
If your system suffers from this problem then please follow the instructions below for the cure.
Make sure you have
disabled your 3rd party weather engines and in addition disabled/removed
all their visibility, haze and fog effects. You must replace the cirrus_overcast03.bmp file within your flight simulator's Texture folder
as follows,
1. Navigate to your simulator's texture folder, either <FSX>\Texture or <Prepar3D>\Texture
2. Rename your cirrus_overcast03.bmp file to cirrus_overcast03_foggy.bmp.
3. Truncate our cirrus_overcast03_Opus.bmp filename to cirrus_overcast03.bmp.
4. Restart your FSX or P3D simulator.
I tried importing METAR data from a user specified import file but it didn't work.
METARs are specific to a location unless you use the GLOB ICAO code which is global. If you use a METAR for a specific station and try to import it when you are outside the
1280km x 1280km area of the weather
region then the Live Weather Engine will not accept the report since the met station is not within your
area. The met station must also coincide with one used within the sim so that
Opus, which has a list of all valid sim met stations, can identify its lat/long coordinates, and hence its location relative to your aircraft's current location.
If you only have one METAR then change the ICAO code to GLOB and import that.
Low Overcast Effects come into force whenever the overcast cloud cover is less than about 6000 feet AGL. You must be IN the Low Overcast Effect to see it. Overcast by definition means 90% or more cloud coverage. Don't expect to see solid blanket type overcast when looking vertically downward ... you WILL see transparent holes just like you do in real life until you get IN an Opus Low Overcast Effect (an overcast below 6000 feet).
The possibility of wind shifts cannot entirely be ruled out, this is due to bugs in the FSX/P3D code, that's why you should always disable the 'Aircraft stress causes damage' FSX option.
We recommend the Opus defaults for weather update frequency and distance. If you have long periods between weather updates or refreshes then eventually, in not too long a time, the sim will drift away from its targets and start to do its own thing. Eventually when you do come to update the weather you will generate large wind shifts.
If you are flying with the sim rate speeded up, especially above x2 then it is possible to get wind shifts. Certain aircraft sims are more susceptible to wind shifts.
If the sim is struggling to cope due to the number of add-on packages, detailed scenery, high defintion high resolution cloud textures (we recommend non HD low resolution textures) etc then wind shifts are more likely.
If your system has wind shifts enable the Sim Friendly options (Weather Download).
PMDG 737 NGX Problems
Problems
with "S" turns, auto pilot disconnects, wind shear alerts at cruise
altitude and severe wind shifts may be cured by putting in an assumed temp in
the NGX
FMC Perf page, which you can get from your GRIB report
(OpusWeatherReport.txt or Upper Atmosphere weather report window), for
cruising altitude, ensure you don't omit the minus sign if appropriate.
If the surface winds are not correct check that you don't have the Relocate Weather, Import METAR Data from File, Global METAR Conditions or World Weather Themes enabled by mistake.
Set all weather defaults before flight, specify your Destination and Max Cruise Altitude.
Ensure the GRIB data is downloaded by monitoring the download in the OpusFSI Weather Reports, Lower or Upper weather reports or the Spy window.
Consult the various weather information, the Lower and Upper weather reports,
the OpusWeatherReport (GRIB) report text file, your OpusFlightPlan.txt report file, the weather maps etc.
My temperatures are too high
Make sure you put in an assumed temp where possible for your aircraft sim (e.g. in the NGX
FMC Perf page), which you can get from your GRIB report (OpusWeatherReport.txt or Upper Atmosphere weather report window), for cruising altitude, ensure you don't omit the minus sign if appropriate.
Ambient temperature = SAT (Static Air Temp) = OAT (Outside Air Temp)
SAT = Static Air Temp ... i.e. what the air temp would be if it were static (or when your airspeed is zero).
TAT = Total Air Temp ... the effective air temp taking into account your airspeed.
The TAT is a calculated value, it is calculated within the sim or the aircraft sim and is always warmer than the SAT due to compressional heating of the air molecules. The air has to be slowed down to be measured and hence gets heated. Hence the TAT is dependent on your airspeed (actually the square of your airspeed as a Mach number) and also on the ratio of specific heats of the ambient air (i.e. how dry or moist the air is - which effects air density - which determines the number of air molecules being heated).
At the typical airliner cruise speeds (0.75+ Mach) a TAT of 20 to 28 degrees warmer than SAT is perfectly normal.
If you are not using Live Camera then enable
General DHM in the Server's Configuration dialog.
For turbulence on the aircraft itself select both the Bump Aircraft (not for P3D) and Turbulence Effects options (Turbulent Motion and/or Turbulent Bump) within DHM. Enable
sim turbulence (which is set via the FSX menu option - Options, Settings, Display. Select the Weather tab, there is an option for turbulence and thermal effects on the aircraft).
If you can't see the DHM effect on your aircraft then set the
"\OpusFSI\FSXSERVER.EXE" (or P3DSERVER.EXE) file properties (compatibility tab) to "Run as Administrator". This can be done by right clicking on the program in Windows Explorer or right clicking on the desktop shortcut.
To see wing flex enable sim turbulence, also the 'Advanced Animations' option in the FSX menu option - Options, Settings, Display - Graphics tab.
We have introduced our new Cloud Smoothing software in Beta 3.38. This software preserves all localised cloud coverage during weather updates and hence prevents all major cloud popping during the weather updates
Firstly you should note that,
• FSX is responsible for positioning all clouds on the screen, the weather engine cannot do this, it can only specify the cloud coverage and associated parameters such as cloud type, cloud base, depth
etc.
• FSX will reposition all clouds each time the weather is injected, nothing can stop this.
• FSX selects all cloud bitmap textures and renders them on the screen, the weather engine specifies the cloud coverage, type, and other parameters, but it is FSX that does the rest.
• FSX will, for good reasons, extend patterns of cloud coverage, including areas of clear sky, across cell boundaries, each weather cell being 10 x 10 miles in size.
If FSX strictly adhered to the cellular pattern then the weather would look completely phoney and unreal. So it 'bleeds' the weather across the cell boundaries, extending or retreating areas of cloud coverage as it see fit.
This last effect is what most people refer to when they talk about cloud popping, really as a result of not knowing how FSX depicts the weather and wrongly assuming the weather engine is causing it or can stop it.
If you don't have Cloud Smoothing enabled and after a weather update you see the cloud around you disappear then take a look behind you, its odds on that FSX had previously decided to extend this cloud cover all around you and after the weather update it gives more precedence to the new weather and cloud cover that is either in front or around you. It is also possible to notice cloud that is around you retreating away into the distance some miles in front of you. Again this is just FSX extending or retreating the cloud boundaries as it sees fit in an attempt to eliminate the cellular structure and prevent a mosaic effect in the sky.
If you actually monitor the Opus Lower Cloud Cover weather map you will see that the map and the cloud coverage is very stable, it obviously will change to reflect the reported cloud coverage in the METAR reports, so if they change the map will change but in a very predictable way. However you may notice that during weather updates or refreshes FSX has decided to reposition the cloud boundaries, extending some and retracting others, so that the cloud coverage around you changes drastically. Nothing much can be done about this as no engine has control over the FSX code.
You can try setting the 'Cloud Smoothing' Opus weather option, this guarantees to preserve the cloud cover surrounding your aircraft whenever it can. This can help minimise cloud popping although nothing can stop it altogether bar rewriting the FSX code.
Error message "access denied" when trying to display reports on the client LWE Control PC
You must set the sharing, sharing permissions, and security permissions on your server for the
Opus installation drive and folder so that the client will be able to access the files in your
Opus Themes folder on your server. See the OpusFSI_v6 Getting Started Guide for Networked PCs
for
details.
In the client configuration dialog when specifying the network identity (name or IP address) of your main sim server machine if you are using Computer Names in the configuration then try using IP addresses and vice versa.
Error message " The network name cannot be found" when trying to display reports on the client LWE Control PC
All drives should be shared using their same letter code (drive share name of C or D etc) otherwise the remote software will not be able to build its correct file specifications.
Why can't I run the Live Weather Engine on a client PC?
The LWE does not affect the performance of the simulator at all so does not need to be offloaded onto a client. If it were offloaded it would actually be far less efficient and may even impact on the simulators performance since all data would not only have to be communicated via the LAN but it would also make it more difficult to supervise the real world intelligent turbulence in real time. Hence, the clients can be used to control and monitor weather related data but the LWE itself runs on the main server system.
Ensuring AI traffic uses the correct runway
To ensure your AI traffic uses the correct runway you can do one
of two things,
1. Check the current wind and specify that wind manually within the sim before
loading the flight. It doesn't matter about any other weather parameters since
Opus will update it, but it will allow you to stipulate what the wind is going
to be (matching the RW) BEFORE the flight is loaded.
2. Simply select RW Weather in the FSX Weather settings, update the sim weather
and ensure at least the correct wind has been injected. This requires that your
point of departure is a met station and has a valid METAR in the now almost
defunct Jeppesen database. Again this will set the wind BEFORE the flight is
even loaded.
Now you can take your time, process your flight plan, specify your intended
destination and cruise altitude and finally instruct Opus to generate and load
the weather. The Opus LWE will automatically put the sim back into custom
weather mode.
I think you will find using this simple procedure will always ensure your AI
traffic start out using the correct runway.
Live Camera
Link: TrackIR Settings
TrackIR doesn't work or DHM is jerky
You must follow the TrackIR setup instructions in the OpusFSI_v6 Getting Started Guide.
Try enabling the Run TrackIR High Priority option in the Server
Configuration dialog.
TrackIR can become very jerky if 'precision' is disabled, its default key assignment is F7 so it's possible to inadvertently change it's setting if you use F7 to increase flaps.
At present you can use either Live Camera Control (using a game controller, or the arrow keys on the LCC dialog, or assigned shortcut keys), the standard hat switch, FSX Mouse Look or TrackIR.
FSX uses the hat switch as standard for panning views around, this panning is fully compatible with our camera control and effects. If you have disabled your controllers in the sim and are using FSUIPC then you can enable mouse wheel button panning and that also re-enables the hat switch on the joystick.
FSX Mouse Look conflicts with TrackIR so you need to disable TrackIR (F9) prior to using Mouse Look. To use Mouse Look try the following methods;
• press the space bar whilst holding down the left mouse button
• hold down the middle wheel button whilst moving the mouse around
• press shift-O then move whilst holding down the left mouse button, press shift-O again to exit mouse look
• program the wheel button to shift-O in your mouse driver.
The camera dialog only lists "All aircraft types" or DHM doesn't work
Right click on the your Opus SERVER desktop shortcut icon FSXSERVER.EXE (or P3DSERVER.EXE) and select Properties, select the Compatibility tab, tick the checkbox to "Run as Administrator". Also set this option for FSXCLIENT.EXE (or P3DCLIENT.EXE) on your optional client PCs.
The camera dialog doesn't list all my aircraft
Ensure your aircraft.cfg file is not corrupted and the file attribute is not 'read only'.
My aircraft disappeared from the FSX/P3D list
When you open/edit an aircraft.cfg file in Notepad, select File - Save As ...
You will see the Encoding type in the bottom right-hand corner of the dialog. This should be set to
ANSI.
Missing aircraft textures - skeleton view
Basically the skeleton aircraft results from positioning the eye point for an external view but with a cockpit (VC) view selected on the display. We cannot actually determine what view is displayed, the software is forced to just select 2D then count in steps from there.
In OpusFSI v4 (and OpusFSX v3.49.3 onwards) you can specify the number of Simulator View Modes (Configuration dialog) on your system which should overcome this problem (but also refer to the information below regarding SP2 and 3rd party camera packages). For example if you have the Tower view disabled, the Simulator View Modes setting can be used to reduce the available view modes and allow the correct selection of your external aircraft cameras.
For OpusFSX versions prior to v3.49.3 for correct operation your views should cycle (S key) between,
VC - Spot - Tower - Aircraft - External
Opus sets each of these view types as CycleHidden=No. You should
ensure you have not hidden any of these views by setting their CycleHidden field to
Yes in the aircraft.cfg or cameras.cfg files.
Ensure the aircraft.cfg and cameras.cfg files are not write protected.
Missing aircraft textures can also be caused by a corrupt FSX Service Pack 2 or Acceleration Expansion Pack.
Before disabling 3rd party camera packages their configuration utility must be run and the "Restore" function selected to restore all camera views to FSX default, otherwise 3rd party camera definitions are not removed from the aircraft config files and can cause problems.
I've lost the F12 top down view
This problem is corrected in OpusFSX Beta Version 3.18.1 onwards.
N.B If you are using TrackIR then by default it re-assigns the F12 key to its center view function, other 3rd party packages may reassign keys too.
My key/button assignments to change views don't work
All button and registered key events are displayed within the Spy window when the button or key is pressed. Keyboard events do not appear in Spy whilst editing cameras, only after they have been saved and edit mode is exited. If they are not displayed then the joystick or button is invalid, either not registered within
the sim, already assigned elsewhere (i.e. FSX, 3rd party add-on etc), or just an illegal entry.
A joystick must be enabled in the sim for it to be recognised and its button press events to be forwarded on to
Opus.
The numeric pad keys 0 to 9 can be used but they must be assigned with the Num Lock ON (for recognition), and used with the Num Lock OFF within FSX/P3D. This is a quirk of the simulator and not the
Opus software.
Make sure you are assigning the key/button assignments in the correct camera dialog box. Button assignments go in the top box and key assignments in the bottom box in the camera dialog.
When you create camera views you can assign them either to a particular aircraft, or group of aircraft, or "all aircraft", if the views are assigned to specific aircraft then one of those aircraft must be loaded in FSX/P3D.
Your sim main window must have focus before using the key.
Camera
transitions are not smooth and stutter
If you have set large transition times (for a slower
transition) then your sim will have to process many more eye point
adjustments. If your sim does not have enough time to handle these it will
ignore many of them and you could end up with less than smooth motion. If so
then you must set much lower transition times. Also check TrackIR and other
eye point adjusting software, none of which will be compatible unless it is
interfaced to Opus. Switching Vertical Sync (Nvidia Inspector) to 1/2
refresh may fix the problem, if V.Sync is off or on it can cause stutter.
What views can I see on the server and client computers ?
You can display any interior (cockpit), exterior (scenic), or external (aircraft) views on the
main 'flying' server system. You can only display exterior (scenic), or external (aircraft) views on the secondary client systems. You cannot control the aircraft by displaying panels such as CDUs or GPS on the client systems - these are non flying slaves.
On networked systems, the main 'flying' server PC operates the same as it would on a standalone, single PC,
system, providing the same assortment of interior (cockpit), exterior (scenic), and external (aircraft) views; and hence, provides the means to monitor and control the aircraft and its systems. In addition, the Live View and Live Camera networked links with the secondary client systems (PCs or Laptops) allows a variety of exterior (scenic) and external (aircraft) client system views to be created and controlled. If desired, a number of exterior views can be used on a
networked multi-screened system to create a panoramic vista. All views are created and controlled centrally from the server system.
On networked systems, the Live View connections automatically synchronize the aircraft's current position, attitude, flaps, gear and lighting configuration,
and simulator's date/time, along with either your chosen weather theme or the full
METAR weather for the surrounding area.
Opus supports Windowed Views
on the server and all client systems. These additional views are ideal for
multi-screened PCs as well as single large screen displays. All windowed views
can be positioned and sized
automatically.
Can I create an Instrument Panel view ?
Yes, but the controls only work on the main 'flying' server machine.
First create a windowed view associated with the aircraft type on your main
'flying' server.
Select virtual or 2d cockpit view.
Tick the Windowed
View checkbox.
Adjust the viewpoint (x,y,z,pitch and yaw) to
centre the view on the required instrument panel. You can adjust the z axis to
move the eyepoint in as close as you want.
Save the camera views and reload
the aircraft type to force FSX to reload the aircraft.cfg file.
Your new windowed view should be on display, you can now position your window. Click on the Save Views button to save the position and size of your window.
Can I use Live Camera with another weather engine?
You can but of course the DHM and Bump Aircraft turbulence effects are not going to be as good as when you use the Opus LWE, which we believe is by far the best, since it is the LWE that supervises all intelligent and RW turbulence effects, both the DHM and the Bump Aircraft turbulence. Its only the LWE that can possibly provide such real time supervision because its the LWE that knows the exact meteorological conditions surrounding your aircraft. Hence, for maximum realism in the simulator, which is what Opus is all about, it's is by far best to couple both the Opus Live Weather Engine with the Live Camera views and their associated real world DHM and Bump Aircraft.
I
don't have any turbulence
with Live Camera
When using Live Camera our DHM effects are associated
with camera views so you must configure a camera view with DHM effects and set
it as either the default view, assign it with a keyboard key or joystick
button, or configure it as a windowed view. When you then subsequently display
the camera view in flight (by default or by pressing the assigned key/button)
you will see the DHM effects.
For turbulence on the aircraft itself select both the Bump
Aircraft and Turbulence Effects options (Turbulent Motion and/or Turbulent
Bump) within DHM. Enable sim turbulence (which is set via the FSX menu
option - Options, Settings, Display. Select the Weather tab, there is an
option for turbulence and thermal effects on the aircraft).
If you can't see the DHM effect on your aircraft then set the
"\OpusFSI_v6\FSXSERVER.EXE" (or P3DSERVER.EXE) file properties
(compatibility tab) to "Run as Administrator". This can be done by
right clicking on the program in Windows Explorer or right clicking on the
desktop shortcut.
Networked Systems
Please refer to the latest OpusFSI_v6 Getting Started for Networked PCs guide, the pdf is available from our Home and Downloads pages. This guide provides detailed instructions and guidelines to assist you in setting up your network for the default IPC (Inter Process Communication) links.
If you have problems on the network and are using Computer Names in the configuration then try using IP addresses and vice versa.
Can I use a Wifi network ?
Yes you can, however you should note that a direct WiFi link is only going to give you 54Mbps and a redirected link will operate at about 16 to 24Mbps. This may be faster than an ancient 1990s 10base-T network running at 10Mbps but nowadays everyone uses either 100Base-TX (100 Mbps) or a 1000Base-T gigabit LAN running at 1000Mbps (1Gbps). The modern cabled LANs are going to operate up to 64 times faster than the WiFi link!
However, if you must use a WiFi link (no LAN ports or Cat5 cable) then just make sure all the computer systems have the same workgroup set (Control Panel - System and Security - System - Change Settings - Change...) and configure the main server's computer name into the FSXCLIENT programs. You will find the link works perfectly well with perhaps a few tiny jitters when taking off
or flying fast and low (depends how good or busy your WiFi link is).
Have you configured the correct number of clients in the server?
Can you still see the server's OpusFSI drive and folder in Windows Explorer on your client? Check a windows update hasn't re-enabled 'password protected sharing' on the PCs.
Is an Anti Virus program active or Win Defender active on the client? Stop Anti Virus software and disable Win Defender since these will cause problems and even possibly stop or delete the software.
Are you identifying the server using its IP Address or Computer Name? Try both methods.
Does the client IP Address have the same group numbers as the server, as per the
OpusFSI_v6 Getting Started Guide?
"Unable to transfer camera configuration data across to system <client_name>" message
You must set up your drive sharing, security, permissions etc. as described in the OpusFSI_v6 Getting Started Guide guide so that the server and client systems can access each other BOTH ways. You will find your configured camera definition files for your client systems stored in the Opus installation folder on your server system, they are named <CLIENTNAME>.CAM
My client system lags behind the server
The lag indicates the clients cannot keep up with the updates. The programs have 32K buffers for both receive and transmit over each IPC link, hence the possible back log.
There are two solutions. The best is to reduce the
rate of updates sent from the server by adjusting the configurable scan rate
(i.e. increase the value) in the server Configure dialog's Live View Scan Rate
(ms). The second solution is to occasionally pause using the 'P' key on the
server, let everything catch up and then unpause, let things settle and the
lag will then be gone. You can also use the pause key to measure the lag or
amount of buffering at the client end. If the system is configured and tuned
correctly there should never be any lag and both server and client should
pause together almost instantly. If your system is set up correctly it should
be able to cope with the throughput.
We have a Live View test facility to help you tune your system.
Start up all the client FSX systems and the server FSX so that they are all up and running. Then start the SERVER program, let it settle, then each of the CLIENT programs. Once they connect their FSXs will normally reload to the new location, they will also resync after receiving their first weather update (necessary to ensure correct cloud sync). Once all the client systems are settled then you can force another weather update just before takeoff to make sure all is well and then you are ready to go. Please refer to the recommended start up procedures in the Getting Started guides.
It is very important to set up your client systems as per the Getting Started guides to optimise your client systems, this can have a dramatic impact on the performance. It also helps if you are displaying scenic views to select one of the simple FSX stock aircraft (e.g. the C172 or B737), some people even use a dummy aircraft that has zero overheads. You may also try adjusting the target frames rates, either Unlimited or on slower systems you could even set 20 to 30. It's all about giving FSX more time to process the stream of position updates.
If you are using P3D then you must enable the PDK Interface to provide a more efficient Live View interface. Refer to the
OpusPDK_Setup.txt file to set up the Prepar3D OpusPDK interface. The PDK is not applicable and automatically
disabled for P3Dv4.
Try turning OFF Live Traffic and restarting the FSI SERVER.
Also, if you are using Static Weather Themes and have paused the system for any length of time (>1min), then it would be best to select Weather on the
SERVER and click OK, this re-synchs everything including the cloud formations. The tell tale sign that one system
has been paused too long is that you will get different cloud formations on the server and client system. Anytime this happens just re-sync via the Weather option in the
SERVER program. If you don't pause this should never happen.
We also recommend not running anti-virus software since this can have a serious performance effect on the clients and even stop or delete the software.
CPFlight MCP737/EFIS737 PRO/EL (Device Driver No.1)
TOGA button
The TOGA button has been added to the CPFlight
MCP737/EFIS PRO/EL panel driver on auxiliary input K121.
A/T Arm switch
The A/T Arm switch on the CPFlight MCP737 is automatically disengaged 2 to 3 seconds after landing.
Unable to Open COMn serial port !
Have you configured the wrong serial port number or forgot to connect power to the
panel?
CPFlight MCP controls have stopped working with PMDG 737 NGX
There is a problem with PMDG's FSXPMDG.EXE software when you open an FSX dialog. If you have paused the sim then you must unpause it before any MCP changes will be effective.
Also if you stop Opus and restart it, then after the panel is initialised you must make a change on the sim's MCP to kick the PMDG connection back into life.
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