v1.30
MSFS Launch Helper
FS - Addons HomeAbout
MSFS Launch Helper is a launcher program for MS Flightsimulator 2020 & 2024, that can start any programs along with MSFS and handle SimConnect configurations for using hardware or software that uses SimConnect like Mobiflight over a LAN.
So You can run Mobiflight on a separate PC and free a little Your Sim-PC.
(If You want to use Mobiflight on another PC, You will need in addition another little program "Dummy Flightsimulator", which let Mobiflight think, Flightsimulator is running on the same PC. You will get this little program as well from fs-addons.de.)
Read the included ReadMe.txt for latest informations and help.
(If You want to use Mobiflight on another PC, You will need in addition another little program "Dummy Flightsimulator", which let Mobiflight think, Flightsimulator is running on the same PC. You will get this little program as well from fs-addons.de.)
Read the included ReadMe.txt for latest informations and help.
Features
- Easy and quick setup
- Generates/changes SimConnect.cfg and SimConnect.xml for SimConnect remote connections/li>
- Provides network test-tools for testing the SimConnect LAN connections
- Can Launch MSFS 2020/2024 together with up to 10 userdefinable Addons
- Provides different tools like
- Open/close firewall ports for SimConnect with one click
- Open package path in Explorer with one click
- Open Community folder with one click
- ... more to come!
Video tutorials
Installation and use
INSTALLATION
- Unzip MSFSLaunchHelper.exe into a folder of Your choice where You have write-permission (not "C:\Program Files"), better is for example "C:\FS-Tools\MSFS Launch Helper".
- Run MSFSLaunchHelper.exe once.
- it will make a "settings.ini" file and shows a messagebox and end,
- You should open "settings.ini" with a text editor to customize it for Your needs as follows:
CUSTOMIZING SETTINGS.INI
Not all sections might be important for You, if You are not planning to user SimConnect over LAN.
You can ignore the the Subnet, SimConnectPort and the SimConnectTemplatePath value.
As well as SimConnectPath2020 and ...2024- These sould point to the folder where SimConnect.xml is found (normally the LocalCache folder).
LocalCachePath2020 and ...2024 should be the LocalCache folders of MSFS 2020 and 2024.
Community2020 and Community2024 can be changed into another location, if You changed it in Your system.
If You are using the Steam version , You would might need to correct these paths.
The same with the Start2024 and Start2020 values: These are used to start MSFS Flightsimulator and need to be changed for the Steam version.
The rest of the settings file can be left unchanged, since the program takes care of it.
After settings.ini is edited, You can start the programm.
There are 5 Tabs in a tab-control which will be explained one after another:
"Launches"
defines up to 10 launchabel Programms that can be started along with MSFS or just manually by clicking the large LAUNCH! button.
- Choose a launcher
- Write the full path of Your program iuncluding the name of the .exe at the end into the "Program" field
- Some programs require a working directory, so type in the full path to the program, if required
- Arguments can be given to the launched program, if required
And You can choose different window states of the program: Normal, Maximized, Minimized an Hidden.
Click the Save button.
For using this Launcher in a preset, that will launch other Launchers too, You can set it to "Active", choose a MSFS version (2020 or 2024) and click the "Save ACTIVE State to:" button which will save these parameters to a set which is choosen in the combox beside the button.
"Sets"
Here are the 6 presets definded.
You can give a name for the set an turn the checkboxes of the Launchers On or Off to define, if they would be started in the set or not.
MSFS 2020 or 2024 defines whichg MSFS version will be started, if the set is used for a combined start together with MSFS (with the button "Start MSFS + Launchers").
With "Save Set" the set will be saved into settings.ini.
"SimConnect.cfg"
This (and the "SimConnect.xml" - tab) are used for let addon-programs like Mobiflight use SimConnect on a different network computer.
Mobiflight can run the on a different PC and free resources of Your Sim-PC. Hardware devices will also be connected to this remote PC. On the Sim-PC a proper SimConnect.xml is required and on the remote-PC SimConnect.cfg is required in Your documents folder. In general, it defines, to which IP address and on which port the remote PC will communicate with the Sim-PC. The two PCs should be in the same subnet, so the first three octets of the IP address are identical.
The subnet was detected at the first start of MSFS Launch Helper and the value is stored in settings.ini in the first [Common] parameter.
If You changed Your network for some reason, You first should change this value in the settings file (and in the beginning of the IP-addresses in SimConnectTemplate.cfg in Your Documents folder, which also was generated at 1st start of MSFS Launch Helper).
Port: You can choose the Port for the SimConnect connection. On both configuration, the remote-PC and the Sim-PC the port must be the same.
There are 4 numeric fields and 4 buttonms for CFG Generation.
They are used to define 4 different preset IP-addresses for the use of 4 different Sim-PC (which I use).
To generate a SimConnect.cfg in the Documents folder (of Your remote-PC):
- run MSFS Launch Helper on Your remote PC
- type the last number of the IP address of the Sim-PC into a number field
- click the "Generate CFG" button beside the number field You changed
In the preview pane You will see the contents of the SimConnect.cfg, which was generated in Your Documents folder (it used just for viewing, not for editing). At the same time the number is stored in one the 4 preset IP values in settings.ini. The next time You start MSFS Launch Helper, Your number(s) will show up in the "SimConnect.cfg" tab.
If You only want to change the preset number in the settings file, activate the checkbox "Change IP-Template values by just changing the number" and change the desired number in the number field. It will automatically be stored in the settings file.
You can delete the SimConnect.cfg from Your documents at any time with the button "Delete SimConnect.cfg". You can use this to use Mobiflight again locally on the remote PC. To use networked simming, just click a "Generate CFG" button.
"SimConnect.xml"
As already mentioned a specially configured SimConnect.xml needs to be in the LocalCache Folder of the Sim-PC. For networked SimConnect a section with the Scope "global" must exist - and only one of this kind!
MSFS Launch Helper can Do this job by just one click.
If You have both simulatores installed, MSFS 20320 and 2024 You will have two SimConnect.xml files in different paths.
At the 1st start of MSFS Launch Helper the paths are tried to be detected. They appear in the field "Path to SimConnect.xml".
If they are not correct (when You are using the Steam - Version), You need to type in the correct path manually in the field or choose it with the "..." button. By typing the path manually the value is stored automatically into settings.in and the program tries to read a SimConnect.xml at the actual path. If there is no SimConnect.xml detected, "FILE NOT FOUND!" is shown in the small editor panel. If a SimConnect.xml is founmd, the content is shown in the panel.
To add the required global section:
- run MSFS Launch Helper on the Sim-PC
- choose the sim (2020 or 2024) on the "SimConnect.xml" tab
- type in the port number into the Port field (is has to be the same as the port of the SimConnect.cfg of the remote PC. 4506 is recommended, 500 might be in use for local connections, almost any number in the range 49152 – 65535 will work fine.)
- click the button "Add global block"
The program tries to prevent the generation of two "global" sections and checks, if the desired port ia already included in the xml file. - click the button "Save SimConnect.xml"(This also saves the content of the editor panel into SimConnect.xml after making manual changes - but without any aditional check!)
After this You are almost ready to test the SimConnect connection.
When using Mobiflight on a remote PC, You need another small tool:
Mobiflight is picky and refuses to work without detecting a running flightsimulator.exe on the same machine. It will freeze, when the SimConnect.cfg is correctly configured for a network connection. Since we do not want to install Flightsimulator on the remote PC and run it all the time (which anyway would not be possible with a single license), we just need a little fake-programm running on the remote PC that also is named "flightsimulator". Mobiflight will think, this is the sim and will startup without a problem. For this purpose I made
Dummy Flightsimulator.exe, a very small tray-program that in addition is capable to start and stop Mobiflight.
You can get this program also from fs-addons.de and flightsim.to.
For a SimConnect connection test there are some analyze tools in the next tab:
"Tools"
Here are some handsome shortcuts to some files and dirctories and some tools to analyze the SimConnect LAN capabiliy.
MSFS Launch Helper needs to run
- On the Sim-PC for a netstat check:
Start flightsimulator on the Sim-PC and start a flight. When on runway or when in air, click the "netstat Test" button.
It will show You, if flightsimulator is listening to the port which is filled in the port field of this tab.
When the answer contains "LISTENING", SimConnect.xml is configured correctly and the Sim is waiting for SimConnect connections of the defined port.
You could start Your SimConnect client program on the other PC.
The connection might fail, because the firewall blocks the connection. Netstat only shows the status of processes, but does not know, if it is blocked by a firewall.
You can test this by disabling the firewall completely just for a quick test or use the "Open Firewall" button.
"Open Firewall"
will create 4 firewall rules for the Port that is filled in the port number field. Incoming and outgoing traffic in this port for all three environmants (local, public, domain) for both TCP and UDP. For this operation elevated user rights are required.
When You click on the button "Open Firewall", the program will ask to close and restart with administrator privileges (being a member of the "Administrators", which most users are, group is not enough). If You click "Yes", the program will close and restart and a UAC prompt appears asking to allow system changes.
Now You need to enter the "Tools" tab and click the "Open Firewall" button again. After some seconds, a success message should appear.
After this, elevated rights are not longer required and You could restart MSFS Launch Helper normally.
To remove the firewall rules, click the "Close Firewall" buitton. It also requires elevated rights and asks for a restart with administrator privileges.
You could now use the "Net Connection Test" on the remote PC to see, if the firewall will let You connect to the Sim-PC and if there is a software running, that is waiting for connections on the specific port. An active flight should be up and running.
When You click the button, powershell window will tell You in a few seconds, if a connection is possible.
If everything is set on both computers like described, it should work now. If not, You will need exernal help. Sorry in this case.
The other tools of the "Tools" tab are:
"Open Package Path"
"Open Community Folder"
"Open Settings.ini"
The first two are dependend of the choosen sim (MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024) and open an Explorer window at the specific path.
"Open Settings.ini" opens the settings.in of this program in notepad.
Main page - the big LAUNCH buttons
There are four big buttons.
Three for Launching MSFS with or without the additional launchs or just the launchs and the "LAUNCH!" - button with the aircraft - logo.
The "LAUNCH!" - button just launches the actual Launcher shown above in the "Launches" tab, no matter if it is on "Active" or not, and independend of the "2020"/"2024" radio buttons.
"Start MSFS" starts Microsoft Flightsimulator of the version that is choosen by the "2020"/"2024" radio buttons.
It is started without any additional launchers and independly of the "SET x:..." choice above it.
"Start Launchers" starts all active Launchers of the set which is choosen in the combobox "SET x:..." above the three buttons.
And finally "Start MSFS + Launchers" starts Flightsimulator and the active Launchers of the active Set "SET x:...".
Did I cover everything?
This is the first beta release, so it is possible that some smaller bugs are still existing or I forgot to mention something in this manual.
I am a flightsim enthusiast since decades and make these tools at first for myself. So far I am pleased ;)
Best regards and happy simmming!
- Unzip MSFSLaunchHelper.exe into a folder of Your choice where You have write-permission (not "C:\Program Files"), better is for example "C:\FS-Tools\MSFS Launch Helper".
- Run MSFSLaunchHelper.exe once.
- it will make a "settings.ini" file and shows a messagebox and end,
- You should open "settings.ini" with a text editor to customize it for Your needs as follows:
CUSTOMIZING SETTINGS.INI
Not all sections might be important for You, if You are not planning to user SimConnect over LAN.
You can ignore the the Subnet, SimConnectPort and the SimConnectTemplatePath value.
As well as SimConnectPath2020 and ...2024- These sould point to the folder where SimConnect.xml is found (normally the LocalCache folder).
LocalCachePath2020 and ...2024 should be the LocalCache folders of MSFS 2020 and 2024.
Community2020 and Community2024 can be changed into another location, if You changed it in Your system.
If You are using the Steam version , You would might need to correct these paths.
The same with the Start2024 and Start2020 values: These are used to start MSFS Flightsimulator and need to be changed for the Steam version.
The rest of the settings file can be left unchanged, since the program takes care of it.
After settings.ini is edited, You can start the programm.
There are 5 Tabs in a tab-control which will be explained one after another:
"Launches"
defines up to 10 launchabel Programms that can be started along with MSFS or just manually by clicking the large LAUNCH! button.
- Choose a launcher
- Write the full path of Your program iuncluding the name of the .exe at the end into the "Program" field
- Some programs require a working directory, so type in the full path to the program, if required
- Arguments can be given to the launched program, if required
And You can choose different window states of the program: Normal, Maximized, Minimized an Hidden.
Click the Save button.
For using this Launcher in a preset, that will launch other Launchers too, You can set it to "Active", choose a MSFS version (2020 or 2024) and click the "Save ACTIVE State to:" button which will save these parameters to a set which is choosen in the combox beside the button.
"Sets"
Here are the 6 presets definded.
You can give a name for the set an turn the checkboxes of the Launchers On or Off to define, if they would be started in the set or not.
MSFS 2020 or 2024 defines whichg MSFS version will be started, if the set is used for a combined start together with MSFS (with the button "Start MSFS + Launchers").
With "Save Set" the set will be saved into settings.ini.
"SimConnect.cfg"
This (and the "SimConnect.xml" - tab) are used for let addon-programs like Mobiflight use SimConnect on a different network computer.
Mobiflight can run the on a different PC and free resources of Your Sim-PC. Hardware devices will also be connected to this remote PC. On the Sim-PC a proper SimConnect.xml is required and on the remote-PC SimConnect.cfg is required in Your documents folder. In general, it defines, to which IP address and on which port the remote PC will communicate with the Sim-PC. The two PCs should be in the same subnet, so the first three octets of the IP address are identical.
The subnet was detected at the first start of MSFS Launch Helper and the value is stored in settings.ini in the first [Common] parameter.
If You changed Your network for some reason, You first should change this value in the settings file (and in the beginning of the IP-addresses in SimConnectTemplate.cfg in Your Documents folder, which also was generated at 1st start of MSFS Launch Helper).
Port: You can choose the Port for the SimConnect connection. On both configuration, the remote-PC and the Sim-PC the port must be the same.
There are 4 numeric fields and 4 buttonms for CFG Generation.
They are used to define 4 different preset IP-addresses for the use of 4 different Sim-PC (which I use).
To generate a SimConnect.cfg in the Documents folder (of Your remote-PC):
- run MSFS Launch Helper on Your remote PC
- type the last number of the IP address of the Sim-PC into a number field
- click the "Generate CFG" button beside the number field You changed
In the preview pane You will see the contents of the SimConnect.cfg, which was generated in Your Documents folder (it used just for viewing, not for editing). At the same time the number is stored in one the 4 preset IP values in settings.ini. The next time You start MSFS Launch Helper, Your number(s) will show up in the "SimConnect.cfg" tab.
If You only want to change the preset number in the settings file, activate the checkbox "Change IP-Template values by just changing the number" and change the desired number in the number field. It will automatically be stored in the settings file.
You can delete the SimConnect.cfg from Your documents at any time with the button "Delete SimConnect.cfg". You can use this to use Mobiflight again locally on the remote PC. To use networked simming, just click a "Generate CFG" button.
"SimConnect.xml"
As already mentioned a specially configured SimConnect.xml needs to be in the LocalCache Folder of the Sim-PC. For networked SimConnect a section with the Scope "global" must exist - and only one of this kind!
MSFS Launch Helper can Do this job by just one click.
If You have both simulatores installed, MSFS 20320 and 2024 You will have two SimConnect.xml files in different paths.
At the 1st start of MSFS Launch Helper the paths are tried to be detected. They appear in the field "Path to SimConnect.xml".
If they are not correct (when You are using the Steam - Version), You need to type in the correct path manually in the field or choose it with the "..." button. By typing the path manually the value is stored automatically into settings.in and the program tries to read a SimConnect.xml at the actual path. If there is no SimConnect.xml detected, "FILE NOT FOUND!" is shown in the small editor panel. If a SimConnect.xml is founmd, the content is shown in the panel.
To add the required global section:
- run MSFS Launch Helper on the Sim-PC
- choose the sim (2020 or 2024) on the "SimConnect.xml" tab
- type in the port number into the Port field (is has to be the same as the port of the SimConnect.cfg of the remote PC. 4506 is recommended, 500 might be in use for local connections, almost any number in the range 49152 – 65535 will work fine.)
- click the button "Add global block"
The program tries to prevent the generation of two "global" sections and checks, if the desired port ia already included in the xml file. - click the button "Save SimConnect.xml"(This also saves the content of the editor panel into SimConnect.xml after making manual changes - but without any aditional check!)
After this You are almost ready to test the SimConnect connection.
When using Mobiflight on a remote PC, You need another small tool:
Mobiflight is picky and refuses to work without detecting a running flightsimulator.exe on the same machine. It will freeze, when the SimConnect.cfg is correctly configured for a network connection. Since we do not want to install Flightsimulator on the remote PC and run it all the time (which anyway would not be possible with a single license), we just need a little fake-programm running on the remote PC that also is named "flightsimulator". Mobiflight will think, this is the sim and will startup without a problem. For this purpose I made
Dummy Flightsimulator.exe, a very small tray-program that in addition is capable to start and stop Mobiflight.You can get this program also from fs-addons.de and flightsim.to.
For a SimConnect connection test there are some analyze tools in the next tab:
"Tools"
Here are some handsome shortcuts to some files and dirctories and some tools to analyze the SimConnect LAN capabiliy.
MSFS Launch Helper needs to run
- On the Sim-PC for a netstat check:
Start flightsimulator on the Sim-PC and start a flight. When on runway or when in air, click the "netstat Test" button.
It will show You, if flightsimulator is listening to the port which is filled in the port field of this tab.
When the answer contains "LISTENING", SimConnect.xml is configured correctly and the Sim is waiting for SimConnect connections of the defined port.
You could start Your SimConnect client program on the other PC.
The connection might fail, because the firewall blocks the connection. Netstat only shows the status of processes, but does not know, if it is blocked by a firewall.
You can test this by disabling the firewall completely just for a quick test or use the "Open Firewall" button.
"Open Firewall"
will create 4 firewall rules for the Port that is filled in the port number field. Incoming and outgoing traffic in this port for all three environmants (local, public, domain) for both TCP and UDP. For this operation elevated user rights are required.
When You click on the button "Open Firewall", the program will ask to close and restart with administrator privileges (being a member of the "Administrators", which most users are, group is not enough). If You click "Yes", the program will close and restart and a UAC prompt appears asking to allow system changes.
Now You need to enter the "Tools" tab and click the "Open Firewall" button again. After some seconds, a success message should appear.
After this, elevated rights are not longer required and You could restart MSFS Launch Helper normally.
To remove the firewall rules, click the "Close Firewall" buitton. It also requires elevated rights and asks for a restart with administrator privileges.
You could now use the "Net Connection Test" on the remote PC to see, if the firewall will let You connect to the Sim-PC and if there is a software running, that is waiting for connections on the specific port. An active flight should be up and running.
When You click the button, powershell window will tell You in a few seconds, if a connection is possible.
If everything is set on both computers like described, it should work now. If not, You will need exernal help. Sorry in this case.
The other tools of the "Tools" tab are:
"Open Package Path"
"Open Community Folder"
"Open Settings.ini"
The first two are dependend of the choosen sim (MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024) and open an Explorer window at the specific path.
"Open Settings.ini" opens the settings.in of this program in notepad.
Main page - the big LAUNCH buttons
There are four big buttons.
Three for Launching MSFS with or without the additional launchs or just the launchs and the "LAUNCH!" - button with the aircraft - logo.
The "LAUNCH!" - button just launches the actual Launcher shown above in the "Launches" tab, no matter if it is on "Active" or not, and independend of the "2020"/"2024" radio buttons.
"Start MSFS" starts Microsoft Flightsimulator of the version that is choosen by the "2020"/"2024" radio buttons.
It is started without any additional launchers and independly of the "SET x:..." choice above it.
"Start Launchers" starts all active Launchers of the set which is choosen in the combobox "SET x:..." above the three buttons.
And finally "Start MSFS + Launchers" starts Flightsimulator and the active Launchers of the active Set "SET x:...".
Did I cover everything?
This is the first beta release, so it is possible that some smaller bugs are still existing or I forgot to mention something in this manual.
I am a flightsim enthusiast since decades and make these tools at first for myself. So far I am pleased ;)
Best regards and happy simmming!
Contact
Just write a comment, report a bug, get help or suggest a feature.
Please donate!
If you like my software I would be very happy, if you donate something by buying me a coffee:
Or You buy me a beer via PayPal (while ko-fi.com does not take any fees, PayPal will keep almost 30 cent of a dollar...)
You can do so by sending something from $1 or more as you wish via PayPal by pressing the "donate"-button :)
Or You buy me a beer via PayPal (while ko-fi.com does not take any fees, PayPal will keep almost 30 cent of a dollar...)
You can do so by sending something from $1 or more as you wish via PayPal by pressing the "donate"-button :)