Help File: CH Client, CH Server Download, Install and Troubleshooting
ATC Add-on Software for FS

Please refer to this file before installing CH Client, or if CH Client does not appear to be working properly.

NOTE: This page contains tips gathered by users of CH Client. CH Client is a freeware program written by Claude Hanssens. TradeIP.com has made the software available for download, but cannot answer questions about it or otherwise provide support for it, and offers this help file as a courtesy only. If you have a problem with CH Client that you cannot resolve after reading this page, or have a question that the CH document file does not answer, the email address of the program's author can be found in the CH document file. If you are unsure of what this software is, or how to use it, you can read a user review / FAQ.


Downloading CH Client:

To use CH Client to fly in FS with someone else doing ATC, these are the only two downloads required:


Downloading CH Server:

To use CH Server to provide air traffic control to users of MS FS and CH Client (not necessary to run or even own FS), there are two downloads required:

The two downloads above include the ICAO data file used by CH Server, which unzips to about a 4 meg MS Access 7 file. If, and only if, the controller wishes to edit the data and doesn't have Microsoft Access 7 or above, a program called CH Data Manager will provide an interface with which to modify the data. But MS-Access 7 works better...

The documentation file is called:


Before Installing CH Client:

  • Close down all your programs and reboot your computer

    This should apply to any software installation. If you use Windows Explorer to run the install program, close it down as well before going further.

  • Make sure that Visual Basic 5 (VB5) files are installed on your computer. You will need VB6 files also, but CH will install these. It's the VB5 files you need to check for:

    c:\windows\system\MSVBVM50.DLL

    If the file MSVBVM50.DLL is not already in your Windows System directory, then you will need to     install it first.


Installing CH Client

  • Unzip chclient.zip into an empty temporary folder on your computer.

  • Run the file setup.exe to start the install program that will install CH Client.

  • Do the same thing for FS6IPC.zip and click install.exe to install it. This program will install to the directory where FS is installed on your PC, to a folder called Modules.


Installing CH Server

  • CH Server comes in two zip files. Unzip these to an empty directory and run setup.exe.

The installations should both be quick and painless. If it's not, or if the program doesn't run, see below...

Running CH Client

CH Client doesn't do anything by itself. To use CH Client you need to be running FS, be connected to the Internet, and have the IP address of someone who is running an air traffic control session using CH Server (which you do not need to install to get ATC services). Here are the steps:

  • Shut down all programs and reboot your computer (maximizes system resources)
  • Log onto the Internet and find the IP address of an active CH Server session
  • Run FS and move your aircraft to the desired airport or area
  • Run CH Client
  • Connect CH Client to FS. You will get the message: "Connected to FS! Are you happy?"
  • Connect CH Client to the IP address of the active CH session. You will get the message:
    "Connecting to Server! Now sending information!
    (Cancel first your Internet connection request!)"

If the session is no longer online or the wrong IP is entered, you will get a message, "Cannot Send information to server!" This is normal and means CH Client is working, but you have entered an invalid IP address. If you get no error message, then just make sure your FS aircraft is in the proper sector, where the controller can see it. The controller is notified by the CH Server program every time a CH Client user successfully connects, but may only have a 70-mile wide radar display set, so it's important your aircraft be where the controller can see it. Contact the session host via whatever voice comm program is in use and ask if they have you on radar.


Problems With CH Client?

If you've decided that CH Client is not working properly, then un-install it:

  • From the taskbar, click Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add / Remove Software > CH Client > Remove
  • If asked, confirm removing all files.
  • Reboot your PC


Installing Visual Basic 5 files

CH Client installs a DLL named FSclass.dll. This is an Active-X DLL that requires Visual Basic 5 (VB 5) run-time files to be already on your computer. You may have Visual Basic 6 (VB 6) run-time files on your computer - in fact, CH Client installs these. But if you do not also have Visual Basic 5 run-time files, then installing CH Client will generate an error message similar to this one:

  • Error registering the file FSclass.dll

    Following this error, if you try to run CH Client, you may get the following error message (s):

  • Cannot create Active-X component

  • Failed to create Active X object

To see if you have the required Visual Basic 5 files on your system, check your Windows System directory for the following file:

c:\windows\system\MSVBVM50.DLL

If you don't have that DLL on your computer, go to the Microsoft site and install the
Visual Basic 5 runtime files:

If that link doesn't work, do a search at the Microsoft site for the file:

Msvbvm50.exe

To install Visual Basic 5 run-time files, move Msvbvm50.exe to an empty temporary directory and click on it to install it.

Once you have installed the VB 5 run-time files, then you can install CH Client. If you already installed CH Client and got the error messages, then make sure you properly un-install it first before installing again.


If that Didn't Work...

If CH Client still does not run properly, don't give up yet. Uninstall CH Client as above before trying anything else.


Reinstalling FSCLASS.DLL

If you still get an error message when you try to run CH Client, it may be because a required DLL called FSClass.dll did not automatically become registered on your system during installation. This file is included in CH Client:

  • - FSc252.zip
    - 621,348k
    - FSCLASS Version 2.5.2.

This Active-X dll was created by Cor Dikland and contains methods and properties permitting programmers to develop adventures using VB5 along with FS6IPC.DLL.

NOTE: The version of FSCLASS.DLL that comes with CH Client is version 2.5.0. The current version now available is 2.5.2, which contains some minor updates from the original.

  1. Download the file FSc252.zip (FSClass.dll v2.5.2)
  2. Unzip the file to a temporary folder and run setup.exe. It will register FS98Class.dll and install VB run-time files to the windows\system folder
  3. Delete all files from the separate folder (but not the VB5 run-time)
  4. install CH Client again


Nothing Worked?

The only thing I can suggest is, uninstall CH Client and try installing it again. I heard from one user who was experienced with CH Server and in running air traffic control sessions but just couldn't get CH Client to run on his system. He finally got it to run again on the sixth install, and still doesn't know what made it work for him.

As with other freeware / shareware, and as with popular software from large, multinational software giants, conflicts may arise with your video drivers, soundcard, ActiveX, DirectX, DirectSound, etc etc etc. Keep checking around for a solution. You'll eventually find it, we (myself and those who have helped with this information) just wish these types of problems didn't exist, and will continue to look out for a solution.

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