The video card asked for permission to upgrade it's software and X-Plane's flight window's mouse disappeared!

Question

Please don't say I need to re-download everything.

Pushing the mouse forward/up reveals the top-line menu items but they don't respond to Alt/Ctrl + any keyboard strokes.  The Logitech mouse buttons still work.  The keyboard arrow keys don't move the panel/front scenery view.  Moving the mouse USB port shows and actuates flight panel button scroll movement if you can manage to wander over the buttongiven the limitation of the invisible mouse position.

Bring your A-Game Obi-Wan...you're my only hope!

Comments

Turns out you can move the mouse forward/up and just click anywhere when youj see the top menu items and it opens the windows.  By sliding the mouse left & right you can change the menu items and by moving up & down you can get to the different menu items.  

You still can't get the keyboard to participate.  

This dysfunction is still isolated to X-Plane's software.

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And the mouse pointer is not visible anywhere in the X-Plane software.

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Version 10.45 used within Windows 10

Answer 1

Hi PeytonPlace,

First of all, you very rarely ever need to reinstall X-Plane, so please don't ever try that first. :)  

If you want to simulate a new install, usually you can move, rename, or delete your entire preferences folder. Running the installer and picking "update" will also check for missing or corrupted files.

Have you tried restarting your computer since the GPU update? You never know what that simple thing can fix.

I use X-Plane windowed mostly, and sometimes clicking out of the X-Plane window and then back in will make the mouse responsive again for me (on Mac).

Comments

"J.R." - Are these the "preference" files of which you speak?  If I just:

• Grab all those files with "preference files" (Save/Analytics/Keys/Calibration & Binary), and cut-paste move them out of the directory I found them in, X-Plane will make new ones after rehabilitating any corruptions?  
• I rebooted & clicked in and out of the X-Plane window & no joy for me on regaining the mouse functionality.
• I've not worked on it since your last comment so now when I clicked into X-Plane to wake it up & try, your servers sent an invitation to update the version to 10.5 & that dialogue won't leave the screen to allow any "next process" programming until you choose one of the two boxes, ("Update Now" or Update Later"), which is impossible without the mouse functionality.
• I would like to keep a copy of 10.45 while I test drive the 10.50 update version.  Am I on the right track to do so?

Thank you for your gracious participation...mcf

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Yes, since 10.50 is now final, you'll want to have a copy of 10.45 saved somewhere as a backup. Otherwise you'll be stuck at 10.50 (or newer, as they come out) from the time you update.

In the main X-Plane folder is the Output folder. The preferences folder is in there. To simulate a new install, move, delete or rename the ENTIRE folder. There are a lot of files in there, and any combination of them could be the problem.

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As you declared, I found the "Output" file....Its 77MB digital "girth" is seriously consequential.  

Forgive my lack of digital sophistication, I just want to be crystal clear.  If I just rename it and could even leave the renamed "Output" file within the directory where it now resides, X-Plane will automatically recreate an operational new one for the 10.45 version that I presently have?...Is that accurate?

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Please do not rename the Output folder. It is used for additional things (situation and replay files save there for example). Renaming that folder might cause X-Plane to quit working.

The only files X-Plane will recreate at launch are the ones in the preferences folder. Only rename or delete the preferences folder, or the individual files within it.

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Alright....At length, I finally get it!

Under the "Output" directory are 7 files totaling only 670k...And, one of those is named "preferences".  

I will rename that one file, reboot the computer & upon it reawakening, select the X-Plane software icon.

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Success!...Thank you!.....Can I copy the "situation" files I've previously saved from the renamed "Preferences" file into the new one?

QUESTIONS SUCCESS GENERATED:

• The "Logbook" file under the "Output" directory is empty.
  • As soon as I can adequately software acclimate, I will buy a commercial version of X-Plane.
    • When I do, under the "logbook" module, can I create multiple separate logbooks that would track/save flight details for multiple different "pilots"?
      • My goal is, like any logbook, is to show  the flight details (min of the total time flown) that would accurately apply for each different pilot who engaged the software.
      • I've repetitively tried saving logbook entries within X-Plane but nothing ever sticks.  
        • Thank you for any operationally clarity here.

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X-Plane uses a digital logbook that automatically tracks all flights that last longer than three minutes. You cannot save it manually, as far as I know.

To see your logbook, open the File menu and click Logbook. You can load a different one by clicking the Choose Pilot Logbook button and navigating to your logbook, or you can create a new logbook using the New Pilot Logbook button. X-Plane logs:

• Dates of flights
• Tail numbers of aircraft
• Aircraft types
• Airports of departure and arrival
• Number of landings
• Duration of flights
• Time spent flying cross-country, in IFR conditions, and at night
• Total time of all flights

 

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The work always teaches you how to do something!

After renaming & having X-Plane wake up with the mouse, I reset all the button settings & the like.  When I chose the largest setting for the monitor, the mouse disappeared again.

Being immediately proximate to cause & effect, I yanked around until I could stumble upon opening the monitor dialogue box there to set it to the next size lower & welcomed the mouse back.  

It appears I jerked you around solving a problem that I wasn't really afflicted with!  Cie la Vie!

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RE the logbook....Do I have to land in order to complete a flight logbook entry under Pilot number #1?  Thus far, I've always just shot approaches gaining IFR familiarity.  Can I switch to Pilot #2 at any time?

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No, the only requirement for the flight to be entered in the log book is that the same aircraft be used for 3 minutes or more.