Black rectangle instead of the fcdu

[capflysim]

Hi, I have the issue where fscaptain isn't somehow connected to fsx. The FCDU will load as a black rectangle (with no buttons/dots), and the .exe file won't work as well, giving me the side by side error. I have copied the error from event viewer and will attach it at the end of this post. I have also tried running the installers and the game itself with admin rights. FSCaptain isn't added to the list of my add-ons as well. 
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks a lot

The error:

Activation context generation failed for "C:\Drive D\Games\Flight sim x\FSCaptain\bin\FSCCAI.exe". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.FlightSimulator.SimConnect,processorArchitecture="x86",publicKeyToken="67c7c14424d61b5b",type="win32",version="10.0.61259.0" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis.

[peter]

Hello Capflysim,
welcome to the FSCaptain forum. This sounds like something went wrong during installation; for instance, your Windows system may be missing some program libraries that FSCaptain needs. That should normally not be the case, but it can happen on rare occasions. If you installed FSCaptain recently, uninstall it (there is an uninstaller in the FSCaptain directory) and reinstall the program. If you want to save your career and settings, make first a backup copy of the directories Data, Config, Aircraft, and Airlines. I will alert Travis about your issues.

Best regards,
Peter

[capflysim]

Thanks for your reply. I noticed that I have installed the 32 bit installer, since that was the only choice for fsx, but my computer is running on a 64 bit windows. can that be the case?
And as I said I haven't been able to start any fscaptain flights so I don't need to worry about loosing progress

Thanks again and I'll be looking forward to an update on my situation from you or Travis or any of the admins.

Regards
CapFlySim

[Travis]

Hi CapFlySim,

Thanks for your reply. I noticed that I have installed the 32 bit installer, since that was the only choice for fsx, but my computer is running on a 64 bit windows. can that be the case?

You have the correct installer.  It's intended for the 32-bit SimConnect which FSX and P3D2 & P3D3 use.  It's nothing to do with the x86/x64 of Windows.

--------

The side by side error you reported usually is because that version of SimConnect (32) isn't installed.  There are different versions related to different "versions" of FSX.

This is not a huge problem.  Anyone can have several versions of SimConnect (32) installed, so I would like to direct you to this download of an MSI installer of the version of SimConnect (32) which we use:

www.fscaptain.net/downloads/SimConnect_61259.msi

You may get a "Security Risk" from our download site, but I've just checked that the file we have is the one we uploaded in 2015, so I feel comfortable in telling you to download and install it.

Now I would normally stop here in my "suggestions," but because I've seen several issues this week in email that all point to a possibility of a bad FSCaptain installation, I'm going to list a new "reply template" below.

Please take a moment and review its basic assumptions and then try installing the SimConnect version noted above.  It's possible you may have to reinstall FSCaptain again after installing this SimConnect, but just take one step at a time.

If you have any questions before doing anything I've suggested, please ask them here or in an email to me!!

Best regards,

--Travis

I've been working in email with some New Captains with different but equally difficult problems, and I'd like to note a few basic assumptions that we at ACME have for our simulator environments.

1.  Don't install the simulator into "\Program Files\" or "\Program Files (x86)\".  These locations seem to draw extra security scrutiny which can hobble add-ons.  It's possible to move FSX and possibly FS9 into a different area, but it's simply comforting to start clean from the beginning.

2.  Install the simulator using a Windows User account which has Administrator privileges... and doubly check that it's being installed "as Administrator".  It seems difficult to install anything without Administrator privileges, but I have communicated with Captains who seem to have done so, and not every thing worked.

3.  This applies to all add-ons as well.  Many add-ons use an installer which forces the "as Administrator" position, but the FSCaptain installer doesn't.  (It is fairly old....)

4.  Always run your simulator "as Administrator" even if you are running your simulator using a Windows User account which has Administrator privileges.  This was critical back in the days of Windows Vista and Windows 7, so I continue to ensure this happens even after moving to Win 10 and 11.

5.  This applies to all add-ons as well.  The FSCaptain installer will make Desktop Shortcuts and Start Menu entries for the Administrator and the FCDU.exe (if included), but none of them will have the "Run as Administrator" flags checked.  That's up to each Captain to adjust.

[capflysim]

Thanks a lot. I will try this and get back to you with the results.

[capflysim]

It worked!!!
I was able to run the FCDU and do a full flight! Very much appreciated.

However, the add on tab isn't showing up on my screen, will this impact any of the features?

[peter]

Hello Capflysim,

great that you got it working. I am not sure what you mean with "add on tab". If you mean an icon in the taskbar, that is probably normal. Only the FCDU.exe would create such an icon. The in-game gauge version of the FCDU does not, and neither does the Administrator.

Cheers,
Peter

[capflysim]

Hi Peter, what I mean is in the top left corner of the screen when you're in FSX; next to options like "world" and "options".

[peter]

Ah, that one. Sorry, it's been ages since I last used FSX, but I now remember the addon menu. The entire scroll-down menu is missing? That is strange, but maybe that happens if no addons are installed that would use that menu.

Regarding FSCaptain, the menu may be needed to start the gauge version of the FCDU, and to start the Administrator in-game. However, if you are OK with starting both of them as external programs, you don't lose any functionality. I always did that, I run my simulators as a maximized window instead of full screen, so that I can have access to the Windows tool bar.
Did you use the FCDU.exe when you got FSCaptain working?

Peter

[capflysim]

No I have installed it through the installer, so basically I can just press shift + a number to bring it up. As for the administrator, I only use it to commit to a flight, and then I close it and go to fsx. Am I missing out on anything?

[Travis]

Cap,

Please ZIP the contents of your FSCaptain\Data\Logs folder and email that to me.

I can then try to work out what's going on with your installation.

Best regards,

[capflysim]

Hey Travis
Does the personal messages part have an attachment function? I can't seem to fin it. Also I had an issue with weather not showing up as well. I think you requested zip file from the fcdu logs, is it the same thing?
Thanks!

[peter]

Feb 23, 2023 19:44:18 GMT -5 capflysim said:

Does the personal messages part have an attachment function? I can't seem to fin it. 

I cannot find an attachment function either. However, you could upload the file to your Google Drive (or similar services) and include the link in the PM.

Cheers,
Peter

[capflysim]

Thanks, I have emailed the log files

[Travis]

I have your logs and will respond with a PM in a few hours after I've considered them.

Best,