Pull down menu lists corrupted

[Geoffb]

For some time now, I have noticed an issue in a W7 FSX machine where the pull down lists for some of the FSX supporting software do not pull down fully enabling me to get to any item on the list, other than the top item. The problem does not appear to be with FSX itself, as I can go into its settings and use all lists and commands with no issue at any time.

It is some of the supporting programs When FSX is running, such as: EZCA, where the list often refuse to scroll down and they leave artifacts on the screen box area when they do scroll. Aerosoft Airbus x Fuel Planner scroll boxes do not pull down, and recently, the great little program called, Where Are My Aircraft, which also uses scrolled lists, do not scroll down.

In my FSX-SE system on a W10 machine, everything works great.

Now, the strange thing is, When FSX is not running, all these programs lists scroll correctly. BUT...when FSX is almost completed loading, and after loading the scrolling ability stops in these programs. Some thing must be dodgy with my FSX.

Tonight, I was about to remove FSX and rebuild, but then realised, I have a lot of added programs, so, trying to work out the cause may save me many hours(days) of stripping and rebuilding...and the problem still be there. Or use the repair disk for FSX, but that usually causes issues with simconnect and .Net that need to be updated.

Talking with a developer, he wondered if it was a 3+++ issue as these supporting programs probably use it.

If anyone as any suggestions, I will gladly try anything.

 

[=rk=]

Is there a reason that you keep one machine on W7?
Also I would be very concerned about the Where Are My Aircraft application:
"With WAMA your parked aircraft stay now where you have left them - as static AI traffic. So you can see your fleet all over the world/country/homebase, whereever and on whichever place you have parked them. (Also very useful for impressive screenshots showing all your addon planes together...)"
http://secure.simmarket.com/lorby-si-where-are-my-aircraft-wama_fsx-p3d.phtml

This could become extremely burdensome for FSX, which is probably why the author made this statement on his own website:
"You can exchange the parked aircraft models for different ones, for example leight-weight AI models"
http://lorby-si.weebly.com/products.html

I would purge that list or disable the software and try the simulator.

 

[Geoffb]

Hi Rick,
I have been into flight sim since the beginning. I have learnt that flight sim is demanding on machines. So, I have always had a machine for flight sim and one for general office work. Over the years, W7 seems to have been the least problem so I have retained that OS. I use the old PMDG MD11 and 747, which are happy on W7. The MD11 is not happy on W10, so, for the time being, I will retain W7 and FSX. In the future, I will rebuild my rig, as now 7 years old(my Intel 2600k oc to 4.4) and still works quite well. If and when P3D get their 64 bit system working, I will think about the rebuild then and probably go for a dual boot machine W7/FSX on one drive and W10/P3D on another...Anyway,that is another story...

The problem I describe as been with me for several months before WAMA and I have simply avoided fixing it. I learnt to use the Aerosoft fuel planner before I started FSX. EZCA views are well established, I did not need to change anything so, use of the pull downs not used very often.
However, when I now started using WAMA, it uses pull downs a lot, So, it made me think about the problem again and try and resolve it.

I am only in my early stages of WAMA, but I have already replaced all my "parked" fleet with low VAS repaints and have no OOM issues.

 

[=rk=]

Well, overall, it seems like you are tailoring your system specifications to match legacy software and I wouldn't even begin to guess which driver states are more relevant, what versions of the .Net framework would be appropriate, as one might infer from the 3++ (C++) reference...To me it seems like kind of a rabbit hole of establishing the proper software state and that it would be much more straightforward to bring everything in the OS up to current standards and then use, modify, or discard any software addons that did not conform.
You will likely need to follow a procedure similar to this. In your case, you will want to save the "exe.xml" and "dll.xml" documents in your C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX directory and sequentially isolate addons, the procedure should identify the culprit. I'd start with WAMA.

 

[Geoffb]

Hi Rick, As I said earlier, my problem has been there several months before WAMA, so this is NOT the cause. WAMA just happens to be coded the same way some of the other FSX supporting programs are, so that when FSX fully launches, it some how kills off the script underneath these programs. The link to the eightforums looks just what may help the search. Thanks for this. Another area I am looking at is the Aero function.

My clue is the scroll menus work until FSX almost loaded. In the final stages, the corruption occurs. It is like I need to see what the fsx.exe is calling or stopping.
When I find the problem, (how is that for being positive)I will post here.

 

[Geoffb]

Ok, I did some better testing just now....

When I start FSX, and arrive at the splash screen, all is OK, pull down lists all work. It is only when I go beyond this point I get into strife.

BUT...if I select the 'End Flight' menu item, so that the End,Continue,View menu box appears, all pull down lists work again. At this stage, all aircraft and scenery are still loaded, just 'suspended' by my action? until I decide to return to the splash screen OR continue flying...This is a "switch on/off" when I select or deselect 'End Flight' that takes me to the place where everything works again. Some thing is attached to this action causing my problems..

 

[Geoffb]

OK, Fixed it.....It was an Aero issue. From a lot of help in another forum, he showed me by first turning off and then turning on the Desktop Windows Manager dwm.exe, which then restarts the Aero after FSX load has started, the pull down lists work correctly.

It was just a case of setting up a .bat file within the FSX.exe load area, with the instructions to start fsx.exe and stop uxsms and start uxsms, the Desktop Window Manager session Manager commands) then placing a shortcut on the screen linking to the .bat file.

 

[pfabian]

aha! I knew I knew this... but couldn't remember how I fixed it. I had it on Windows 7, so it makes sense it was Aero related. IIRC I made W7 disable Aero for the duration of FSX session completely.

 

[Geoffb]

The important part was the timing of the services window manager. When you checked services while FSX was running, services said it was running. Well, this maybe so, but it was the timing of the services 'uxsms' load while FSX was loading that was all important. By starting FSX, then stopping and starting uxsms, by using the "net stop uxsms, net start uxsms", Aero was activated and the pull down lists was all well again.

 

[Dutcheeseblend]

This is interesting, since I do recognise part of the problem. My pull-down menus (of any software other than FSX) don't pull down completely, but only when FSX is the underlying window. So, if I minimise FSX, everything works correctly. Is this comparable to your problem?

 

[Tejal Bernardo]

if I remember well I think the aero feature had to be deactived for fsx in Windows Vista. it has been a long time.
By the way the aero feature is deactivated by default in w8 and w10?

 

[Geoffb]

This is interesting, since I do recognise part of the problem. My pull-down menus (of any software other than FSX) don't pull down completely, but only when FSX is the underlying window. So, if I minimise FSX, everything works correctly. Is this comparable to your problem?

This was exactly my problem. It sort of crept up on me, one day I noted my EZCA pull downs were a bit dodgy. The Aerosoft Airbus fuel planner's pull down lists refused to lower. I then found it was when FSX was active.

Since then and after I had some great help from another forum, I was given a detailed fix. I found it was pretty common issue and found some links..
http://forum.simflight.com/topic/73942-enable-aero-using-fsuipc/ This fix can be applied via Pete Dowsons FSUIPC..or if you want to apply outside FSUIPC...

Aero must be ENABLED before starting FSX
Aero can affect vSync in full screen so put this into your FSX.cfg: graphics section First

[GRAPHICS]
ForceFullScreenVsync=1

Now, to restart the Aero system with FSX

create a batch file by
opening a new Windows notepad file
and add the text below
replacing (your fsx install folder path) with the actual path to your install - Example. c:/program files (x86)/Microsoft games/Microsoft/Fsx

@echo off
start (your FSX install folder path) \FSX.exe
net stop uxsms
net start uxsms

Save it to your FSX install folder as FSX Aero.bat
use file type -- All files (*.*)

Create a shortcut to this file on your desktop
By right mouse click then choose send to desktop (shortcut)

Right mouse click on the new desktop shortcut
and
Select RUN dropdown list-- alter to - minimised -
Select advanced - click the box -run as administrator - ok
Select icon - ok - browse to your FSX.exe file
Click on open
Click on ok
Click on apply
Click on ok

To open FSX click on the new shortcut - the aero manager will be re-started
drop down lists and other apps should appear as they would under Windows normally
VSync in full screen should not have any screen tearing -
Windowed mode is unaffected by aero ON