Tobii Eye Tracker 5 stops working when changing windows

Bug Reporting Hub Hardware & Peripherals
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:wave: Thank you using the Bug section, using templates provided will greatly help the team reproducing the issue and ease the process of fixing it.

Are you using Developer Mode or made changes in it?

No

Brief description of the issue:

Changing to a different window or especially minimizing the simulator window causes Tobii to disconnect from the sim and be removed from the controls menu. Have followed every step in Settings & Setup guide for the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 - Community Support / New Pilot Guides - Microsoft Flight Simulator Forums and Making Tobii eye tracker work with SU9 - Community Support / Hardware and Peripherals - Microsoft Flight Simulator Forums. Uninstalled Tobii using Revo uninstaller, cleaning the registry and lingering files. Made sure FaceTrackNoIR and OpenTrack were uninstalled with the same method. Cleaned the Tobii installation using their uninstall programs (listed in the first thread linked). Reinstalled Tobii using the official Tobii offline installer to the latest version.

Provide Screenshot(s)/video(s) of the issue encountered:

Wouldn’t help to diagnose

Detailed steps to reproduce the issue encountered:

Start the simulator. Verify Tobii is listed in the controls menu. Start a flight in any aircraft at any airport. Verify head tracking works. Switch windows or minimize in and out of the simulator (the latter is the more effective method). Head tracking will stop responding. Enter pause menu and go to controls menu. Tobii is no longer listed.

PC specs and/or peripheral set up if relevant:

Build Version # when you first started experiencing this issue:

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Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?

Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:

If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:

2

Hello @halalpilot,

I am unable to re-create this issue. I launched MSFS with my Tobii Eye Tracker 5 enabled and confirmed head/eye tracking was functioning properly. I then alt-tabbed to my web browser (where I’m typing this message) then back to MSFS. The Tobii Eye Tracker continued to work. I then minimized all applications (Windows+D) then went back to MSFS. The Eye Tracker was still working normally.

Thanks,
MSFS Team

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3

I’m probably the only person in the world that this is happening to. :man_shrugging:

4

Do you have multiple monitors? If so try using only one monitor.
Is MSFS running in full screen mode?

5

I have only one monitor. The sim is running in windowed mode (maximized) because I alt-tab between windows for charts, ACARS, and other stuff while flying. I did a flight today and it worked, but if I physically minimize the window, Tobii stops. I can swap in and out via the taskbar, so everything has to be loaded first or searched through the Start menu. I can live with it, I guess.

6

Maybe try try minimizing MSFS then maximizing it and then hold right alt and press enter. That should fullscreen any windows app.

7

:wave: Thank you using the Bug section, using templates provided will greatly help the team reproducing the issue and ease the process of fixing it.

Are you using Developer Mode or made changes in it?

Yes

Brief description of the issue:

Tobii 5 eye tracker works, except when you go from fullscreen to windowed. It stops working all together; no longer shows in peripherals.

I am able to repro this by making the sim go in Windowed mode, then minimizing the window and re-maximizing the window, then Tobii stops reacting/goes away in controller settings.

Provide Screenshot(s)/video(s) of the issue encountered:

Can’t provide screenshot, but have repro’d this several times.

Detailed steps to reproduce the issue encountered:

Ensure Tobii is working, go from fullscreen to windowed mode in settings, get back into sim – Tobii no longer responsive.

PC specs and/or peripheral set up if relevant:

i9-12900k, Windows 11, 3080 Ti

:loudspeaker: For anyone who wants to contribute on this issue, Click on the button below to use this template:

Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?

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If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:

8

No problem here when switching full/windowed. But Tobii tracking can act weird at times, where it just doesn’t work (happend in SU9 and maybe before also)

1 Like
9

No one else w/ Tobii having intermittent issues – the sim won’t even recognize I have it some times, so I have to restart the sim and then it works fine.

10

Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?

Yes, same issue - Tobii Eye Tracker 5 stops working after minimising/maximising in window mode and disappears from the control options

Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:

If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:

1 Like
11

Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?

I do occasionally have this myself

Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:

Weird thing is, if I power down the Tobii and turn it back on, the sim doesn’t pick up on it like it will do other peripherals.

If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:

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12

Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?

yes

Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:

If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:

1 Like
13

I can confirm that I’m able to replicate this issue @SeedyL3205

I found this post because I was looking for some info about it. Here’s how I can replicate it: I launch the sim with Tobii enabled (confirmed it by going to the Settings >> Control Options. Then using Windows + SHIFT + Arrow Left/Right move the MSFS window to another monitor. Tobii stops working. Even after moving it back to the first monitor, Tobii will not work anymore. Even when I go to Settings >> Control Options, I cannot see Tobii in the list of hardware anymore.

You might ask why I switch the MSFS window to another monitor in the first place… good question :slight_smile: That’s the only way that I can force Gsync to work properly between an Nvidia graphics card and a Gsync capable monitor (by switching the MSFS window to another monitor and back) so I don’t get screen tearing issue over on my capture card connected to another PC.

Regards,
Capt. Arash

14

Hi @CaptArash,

Which build are you using, SU9 or SU10 beta?

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Hi @SeedyL3205

I’m using the latest stable version: 1.26.5.0 SU9

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Can also confirm this on the latest stable build of SU9. Just had it happen to me. Unplugging the Tobii and then plugging it back in, doesnt get recognized by MSFS either after it happens. I think in my case minimizing MSFS, and changing to a different window caused it. Tobii no longer present in controller options. In my case just the one monitor and Tobii was working fine until I paused it and changed to another window.

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17

Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?

Yes

Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:

On occasion, going from windowed to full screen or vice versa stops Tobii from working. Only restart of the game restores it.

If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:

1 Like
18

Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?

Yes

Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:

I change windows then on return,Eye tracker is no longer working or visible in control options.
If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:

19

I noticed that it’s not a 100% fail all the time. I have been using SpaceDesk to use an old laptop as a second screen and even with clicking and dragging and tapping on that other screen, Tobii will stay active for a little while, but at some point it will stop responding and no longer be in the controls menu. However for me it a higher fail rate when minimizing the screen (if I forget to load a program I need before the simulator, for example). In both cases, Tobii eventually stops working.

1 Like
20

Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?

Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:

If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:

I have exactly the same issue.