WidePSX 2.5.9 : FSX, P3D and MSFS Compatible Scenery Generator Bridge

[JP59]

Hello,

WidePSX latest version (2.5.9) can be downloaded here : https://www.dropbox.com/s/mx1ast94u9hbh11/WidePSX_2.5.9.zip?dl=1

WidePSX is a freeware 5 in 1 add-ons ("modules") application :

- Flexible application (user can choose to run or not run every single "module"). Every module except the Scenery generator bridge can be run standalone with PSX only (AloftWx module needs at least an ActiveSky flight plan file to be loaded).

- Java native cross platform application (Windows, MacOs,...).

- Scenery generator bridge to connect PSX with FSX, P3D or MSFS "2020" as Scenery Generator, with position and altitude offsets handling (user can configure 3 handling policy options depending of end usage). Below is a screenshot of the module using FSX/P3D as Scenery Generator (the Tab layout will change depending which Scenery Generator you are using (FSX/P3D or MSFS).



- Ground services simulation for both pre-flight and post-flight phases, including conversations and automatic ground crew actions.

- FSX/P3D/MSFS traffic injection in PSX TCAS system, and VATSIM client update (VATSIM COM frequencies and transponder can be synchronized with PSX).



- Aloft weather simulation, dynamic or static modes, FMC winds uplink, CAT areas simulation.



- Harware printer output (ACARS paper sheets).

Best regards,
Jean-philippe

[evaamo]

Looks good, JP. Best of luck with your new project!

cheers
-E

[Gary Oliver]

So a payware version of PSX.NET then?

[Frans Spruit]

My thoughts Gary.

[JP59]

So a payware version of PSX.NET then?

Hello Gary,

You are free to like or not my application, and from what I've read you even didn't try it. But please, respect my work, days and many nights, spent to develop a new application, from zero, with my own creativity. Your post means my application is a duplicate of PSX.NET. Do you have any idea about what software development is ? If you want to speak about PSX.NET, WidePSX is different with PSX.NET in many aspects (programing language, portability, integration, offsets, ground conversations,...). You are free to prefer PSX.NET, it is a very good application, but please don't say false things here.

If you don't want to respect my work, please respect at least the huge work done by the two kind Beta testers who gave their time and energy, endlessly, to test and re-test, send reports, advises, during the testing phase of the application.

Regards,
Jean-philippe

[jcomm]

Hi,

Congratulations for your add-on Jean!

I would like to ask a question regarding wind / temp / turb injection through WidePSX.

- Does it work without having to use FSX or P3D + Active Sky or some alternative weather injector for those sims ?

[JP59]

Hello José,

Thank you. AloftWx module can work in two modes, dynamic (with FSX/P3D connected) or static (without FSX/P3D connected). In static mode, WidePSX only needs an ActiveSky flight plan file, which can be built once, and loaded in WidePSX. ActiveSky even don't need to be connected with FSX/P3D to build this file, it is built when loading a flight plan in the ActiveSky interface. After this file has been created, you can close ActiveSky.

You can download a free trial version of WidePSX here : www.widesimulation.com/products to make some testing, and have a look at included user manual to have more details. Do not hesitate to ask me if you have any further question.

Best regards,
Jean-philippe

[jcomm]

Thx for the prompt reply Jean.

and for the additonal screens posted on the first message of the thread !

Looking really nice !

Being able to use it without any external visuals generators is practically a requirement for me - I can't adapt to those, either XP or MSFS based, and can only use PSX standalone, so, being able to get AS16 creating my "flight plan" just for AloftWx to work with it it's good news :-)

[Captain_Crow]

Hi,
just purchased, but from where can I get the download please? Oder 273..

Best
Steffen

[brian747]

I had an email acknowledgement, which contained the download link.     

Cheers,

Brian

[JP59]

Hello Stefen,

Thank you. Your order is confirmed at my side. You should have received a confirmation email, with a link to download the product. Check your spam box. However, if you don't get the email, let me know at info@widesimulation.com and I will send you a new download link.

Best regards,
Jean-philippe

[Captain_Crow]

Received, Thank you very much.  Just a delay in receiving the mail.
But: As always on my system I have a message unable to establish connection on the SimConnect bridge.

I am very sure that I a did everything ba the book...

Help?

Best
Steffen

[Captain_Crow]

Sorry to be boring, but yes, I still get the message unable to establish at the simconnect part.. grrr...
It seems that PSX is stopping to work, aha...
Guys, I just want to buy a software that runs for a user without any computer stuff knowledge without fiddeling in files and so. sorry. don´t take it offense but... you know.

:-)
Steffen

[JP59]

Steffen,

Let me help you to check if everything is well configured.

- Did you setup your SimConnect.xml on your P3D computer according with manual ?
- Did you enter the same IP and Port values in WidePSX as the ones declared in your xml ?
- Is "enable SimConnect bridge" checkbox checked in WidePSX Network tab ?
- Why do you say "as always on my system" ? Did you already have issues regarding SimConnect ?
- Did you close P3D before to modify the xml, and did you restart it after ?

Are you comfortable with xml edition etc... ? If not, send me your SimConnect.xml file at info@widesimulation.com and I will edit and resend the file to you.

Best regards,
Jean-philippe

[Captain_Crow]

Hi,

after a period of testing and fiddeling around with WidePSX I can state: It runs and has all the single programs I used before included. I needed a bit, no a lot, of help by Jeanne-Phillippe and he was very kind and patient with an Email support. And at the end, some minor question still exists on my side. I have to thank Jeanne-Phillippe for his kind help 24/7. You will have to do more, promise ! :-)
To the program itself: I have to test some more . Normal life decreases the time for testing but step by step... I will report.

I purchased the program without exactly knowing how it will perfom, just to support a developer who invests his time and knowledge to bring up a good software to expand my PSX experiences.

Best
Steffen

[JP59]

Hello,

Thanks for the kind words Steffen.

Version 1.0.2 is up. I found a very minor bug, which can happen only in specific situations, but I prefer to fix and upload immediately. Trial users should re-download a new package at http://www.widesimulation.com/products, registered users received a private email with a specific download link.

Best regards,
Jean-philippe

[JP59]

Hello,

Some people may ask : what's new with WidePSX regarding other add-ons ? Below are some examples which will answer this legitimate question.

The biggest improvement to me is the position offsets handling part of Scenery Generator bridge. As you know PSX and FSX/P3D worlds are very different, and even good commercial add-ons can have wrong runway positioning regarding PSX positioning. It can lead to issues at landing, but also at takeoff. WidePSX takes this two scenarios into account. The concept of offsets was introduced by VisualPSX. From this great idea I wrote my own improved (I think) algorithm (I say this with all the respect due to Garry Richards huge work).

Every examples presented below are deeply detailed in WidePSX user manual if you want more informations. You can also make your own tests if you have some misplaced sceneries, with trial version of WidePSX.

First case, landing at an airport with an important position offset (EAS or ImagineSim ZSPD) ILS runway 35R.

Without position offset handling :



With WidePSX :



Second case : landing at an airport with a DTRH runway (Aerosoft Mega Airport LFPG) ILS 26R :

WidePSX also takes into account the presence of a DTHR at the landing runway. It adapts position offset depending of the DTHR distance.

Without position offset handling, the aircraft is landing far before the TDZ, and even before the threshold :



With WidePSX, you land AT the TDZ :



Third case : loading a PSX "stock" SITU at an important offset airport (FSX/P3D RJOF default scenery / Basic Departure Hofu-Tokyo PSX SITU) :

All add-ons will place the aircraft at the wrong position at SITU loading, but WidePSX allows you to replace the aircraft immediately at the correct positon by a simple click on a button :



Now we press the button "Move FSX/P3D to PSX position (ground)". The FSX/P3D aircraft is immediately jumping at the right position, PSX ND didn't move because it was already at the right position (the offset is only applied at the FSX/P3D side) :





Fourth case : loading a PSX SITU saved at the parking of an airport with a big position offset (RJOF in the below example), taxiing with FSX/P3D visual reference to the departure runway. This is what happens on PSX ND, while we are visually aligned with the runway in FSX/P3D :



The PSX ND is misaligned. If we takeoff like this, at LNAV engagement we will expect an unrealistic turn to replace aircraft on the LNAV track. WidePSX brings a solution. This can be done by two ways, user selectable. User can press button "Align FSX/P3D position offset for DEP RWY" when close to the departure runway (holding point for example) or, if the checkbox "Allow this to be done automatically for FMC DEP RWY" is selected, this alignement will be done automatically at the gate, typically before pushing back, when FMC DEP RWY is activated, and beacon switch moved from OFF to one of the two ON positions (BOTH or LWR).

Of course during this alignement, FSX/P3D aircraft doesn't move at all, you will not notice anything. Below picture shows the PSX ND after this alignement is completed. PSX is moved to the FSX/P3D position, and a reverse offset is immediately applied to FSX/P3D in order to counterbalance, and avoid visual aircraft jump.



Now we are nicely aligned for departure in both FSX/P3D and PSX. The FSX/P3D offset will be automatically removed when climbing through 1500ft AGL.


Another new feature is the ground services module voice conversations. In addition with automatic ground crew actions for both pre-flight and post-flight phases (EXT PWR, Doors, Refueling, Boarding) it will generate random delays for boarding, cargo loading and refueling, and  "live" conversations between the ground engineer or cabin crew and the flight deck. You will be called via the interphone, and you will listen a true voice speaking to you. You will have to answer for the process to continue. I can't provide "audio-shots" here, but the trial version will show the module in action for people wanting to know more.

The AloftWx module is inherited from PSXAloft and PSXTools, my previous freeware projects. It has basically the same features, with a more comprehensive CAT table and some extra interface "cosmetic" features.

The application is natively cross-platform, as you can see from the below screenshot it runs fine on Mac with a specific Look & Feel :



Finally, the following modules can be run "standalone" (with PSX of course, but without the need to be connected with FSX/P3D) :

- AloftWx in static mode (Only requires an activeflightplanwx.txt file generated by ActiveSky, which doesn't require ActiveSky to be connected with FSX/P3D to be built). Once the file is build by loading a flight plan in the ActiveSky interface, the file is imported in WidePSX and ActiveSky can be shut down.

- Ground services

- Hardware printer output

Best regards,
Jean-philippe

[junkun459]

Hi Jean

thank you for your wonderful add-ons. Great work.
I used some module, and I have a question and request

1)Question; Printer
    I could succeed in printing reports on my printer. Great.  I could also succeeded in printing on 80mm width thermal printer.  I'm happy because I'm sure I can install it in my pedestal box.
    But document is printed twice, which means same 2 pages are printed out when I push CDU's print key once.
I tested on 2 PCs and 2 printers, but the result was same.

2)Request; ground service
   I could run ground service from Cold and Dark cockpit.  good feeling.  But it will takes about 45 minutes before departure.  Moreover,  I received refueling delay message from interphone!  It might be realistic, but I have no time to take 45minutes every flight.  I'm happy if I can chose starting point (ex. after boarding, before pushback etc.).
Or it may be an idea that If I set Scheduled OUT time to near future (ex 10 minutes later), the simulation starts from the point 10 minutes before OUT.
Also I want a priority option not to delay :-)

best regards

Jun

[JP59]

Hello Jun,

Thanks for your feedback.

Printer :

Twice sheet issue solved in 1.0.3, update release is scheduled next week.

Ground service module :

It has been written as "default" in the most realistic way, which is about 45 minutes from a complete cold and dark situation to the pushback ready status, including refueling, boarding time,...

However, in the next update I will allow user to force pre-flight status via 3 radio-buttons on the GndService tab. It will be :

- Cold & Dark / EXT PWR / APU PWR (actual starting status)
- Refueling + boarding completed (doors closed, ready to request HYD press clearance)
- Ready for pushback request

My next week TODO list :

- Scenery generator module : Allow user to set his own aircraft height elevation reference in order to allow using either Posky, Ifly or FSX default 744 as flight model.
- Ground service module : Pre-flight phase status "forcing" options (detailed above).
- TCAS Radios XPNRD module : Trigger vPilot PTT when PSX PTT is pressed and VHF-L or VHR-R is selected on corresponding ACP.

Best regards,
Jean-philippe

[junkun459]

Hi Jean

Thank you very much for your rapid update!

Jun