Author Topic: Navdata API AFCAD error  (Read 1503 times)

MSVF

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Navdata API AFCAD error
« on: October 23, 2022, 02:17:39 pm »
Hi,

I wanted to try the Navdata API option since I mainly buy via the MS Marketplace. I get the "Could not find valid AFCAD data at this position, services are not available" error. Conditions are:

Simwings EDDM or EDDH
Any Gate
Fenix A320
With and without custom eddm/eddh ini
Restarted couatl several times
Restarted MSFS several times
Updates GSX Pro several tiimes
De- and reactived Navdata API options

See error log attached, let me know if you need more information's.

Best

MSVF

steveuk86

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Re: Navdata API AFCAD error
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2022, 12:32:16 am »
i had this and found out when i installed msfs on my d drive for some reason microsoft installs 2 empty folders on c drive official and community folder once i delted them 2 empty folders the problem fixed its self,

airlinetycoon

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Re: Navdata API AFCAD error
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2022, 08:06:57 am »
i had this and found out when i installed msfs on my d drive for some reason microsoft installs 2 empty folders on c drive official and community folder once i delted them 2 empty folders the problem fixed its self,

I have noticed the same problem with FSDT's CLT. It only works when the Navdata API is disabled. If enabled, then AFCAD-error.

virtuali

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Re: Navdata API AFCAD error
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2022, 10:59:48 am »
See error log attached, let me know if you need more information's.

The only thing unusual in your log, is that your packages folder is located here:

G:\WpSystem\S-1-5-21-1189416948-1545690038-2298426560-1001

Instead of here:

\Users\YOURNAME\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages\Community\fnx-aircraft-320\SimObjects\Airplanes\fnx320

That seems to suggest some kind of problem, like having changed your user account after the installation, but it shouldn't affect GSX when using the Navdata API, quite the opposite in fact, if this WAS in fact a problem, it should affect GSX only when NOT using the Navdata API, because in that case GSX would require access to the Community folder and scan scenery files, something isn't doing when using the Navdata API.

The only relevant thing the log shows, is that GSX couldn't detect you entered in any airport. When using the Navdata API, GSX ask the simulator what's the airport closes to your location, but in this case, it couldn't find any. When using the Navdata API, we are in the hands of Simconnect providing with the correct data which means, if Simconnect doesn't respond or respond with null/invalid data, there's not much we can do about it.

Instead, when not using the Navdata, GSX detects the airport you are located in using its own code, looking at the airport cache it created be scanning your sceneries. But of course, in this case, since you are using a Marketplace airport, it would have found the default airport instead. Still better than nothing, but parking positions would likely be wrong.

MSVF

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Re: Navdata API AFCAD error
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2022, 12:59:43 pm »
I have not changed my user account or re-allocated the MSFS installation paths since the very first installation in August 2020. But I will try to change the installation path via https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/how-to-change-the-installation-path-of-installed-packages-inc-community-folder/471682 and will let you know.

In terms of API output, can I activate any further logging to see what the API returns? Can the communication via API be influenced by wrong firewall settings etc.?
« Last Edit: October 24, 2022, 01:04:20 pm by virtuali »

virtuali

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Re: Navdata API AFCAD error
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2022, 01:11:38 pm »
In terms of API output, can I activate any further logging to see what the API returns? Can the communication via API be influenced by wrong firewall settings etc.?

Simconnect communication can be affected by the firewall, but only if it's configured to use TCP/IP using the Simconnect.XML file, but this is not default, it's only used when a Simconnect app runs on a separate PC.

Antivirus can affect standard Simconnect communication and other add-ons using it can as well, if the number of requests is too high, sometimes it just stops responding to clients so, the first thing to try, is to disable every add-on that use it, other than GSX.

And, Simconnect is not perfect, surely has bugs and this API is new, meaning it might have issues we couldn't possibly know about. Some things about its use are not even documented, we found them by accident, and it's surely not finished, since it's still lacking any information about Jetways positions, which is fundamental for GSX to work correctly, we are using some workarounds to get around this problem, but it's really cumbersome and unreliable and forces us to needlessly create more traffic than necessary.


MSVF

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Re: Navdata API AFCAD error
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2022, 01:32:30 pm »
Update:

Thanks for the tipp about the community folder length. I moved my community folder and because of that had to reinstall GSX Pro. It looks like this solved my problem. Also according to the log (see log2 attached), GSX Pro recognized that I'm at EDDM. Speaking of the log, what does the info "Airport customization file GSX.airports.eddm_aerosoft not valid for MSFS" mean?