Grphics Snapshot - please explain

[Guest jhambly]

Can someone enlighten me to the use of the graphics snapshot feature? I have ASA and also X Graphics. I have been installing various texture themes prior to starting FSX. I've been uncertain as to how the weather adjusted textures work, and how they integrate with ASA. Can someone explain their correct use and benefit -- both for the weather adjusted textures in X Graphics, and the snapshot feature in ASA. I have read the manual, but still not real clear on this.

[trisager 2]

I'm using XGraphics with ASA. It's a two-step process:1) Select "Extended integration" from the "Graphics" screen. Let ASA generate some random snapshots - I did 20 sets of "All Types". This results in 20 sets of XGraphics weather-influenced textures that are stored on your harddisk, ready to be copied to FSX. You can see the snapshots to the left on the "Graphics" screen once the generation process is complete.This only needs to be done once. The more snapshots you create, the more variation you will get.2) When you want to fly, load the flightplan into the "Briefing" screen, or enter departure/destination/altitude/speed info. You will be prompted if you want to install a snapshot - if you answer "yes", ASA will select one of the generated snapshots that is appropriate given departure and arrival weather and copy it to FSX. Now start FSX and fly.In ASX with XGraphics these two steps is just a single step, but the principle is the same - select textures from XGraphics, copy to FSX, fly.Tom

[Guest jhambly]

Thanks Tom,I assume then that selectionof textures is based on weather conditions. I fly using flightplan (as above) but also with weather locked to FS time. This means that FSX must be open, at least to startup screen, for ASA to download and apply the correct weather. If not, you just get current weather. How then , can I get it to apply the weather influenced texures relating to the time period I am flying if FSX must be closed before textures applied? Do I open FS, then close it once Wx downloaded, apply textures, then reopen FSX?

[Farlis 2,287]

In ASX with XGraphics these two steps is just a single step, but the principle is the same - select textures from XGraphics, copy to FSX, fly.Tom

I guess the principle is the same with ASV6.5 for FS9. However I realized a significant disadvantage with this new snapshot technique. With ASV6.5 the program had a pool of textures to chose from depending on the weather. The data is stored in one single place and the program picked the textures all by itself.With ASA you take snapshots from that ASG pool and using up additional diskspace with each snapshot. Something I'm not happy about at all. I'd rather be able to use ASA with ASG in the same fashion that ASV6.5 used it. That would save me several Gigs of Diskspace.Karsten

[trisager 2]

How then , can I get it to apply the weather influenced texures relating to the time period I am flying if FSX must be closed before textures applied? Do I open FS, then close it once Wx downloaded, apply textures, then reopen FSX?

Hm, I always fly in real time, so I haven't tried this, but I'd guess you could first download historical weather for the period you are interested in, then apply the wx-influenced textures. Maybe HIFI support can confirm or otherwise?@Farlis: I did like the ASX approach better too, but not so much of a problem as I have plenty of HD space.Tom

[Guest awsparx]

hi allI use asa and xgraphics in the same way as above usually using real world weather and am also curious how it works?.how does the program know which texture set is appropiate for current conditions is there some sort of code hidden in the textures that it reads ?...also has anyone else using this ever seen ASA use anything but the universal texture set ??.i was expecting the program to pick ones id saved to the relevant area ie stormy when stormy etc. but as of yet its always chose universal which makes me think should i have just put all the sets in the universal catergory ??. Mike...

[JSkorna 137]

Hi All,I will try and address everything in one post, but if I forget something or you have more questions, please post again!1. The Snapshot system was developed because we knew that X Graphics is not the only texture program that people like to use. So this system treats everyone's texture program the same way; you save texture sets in Snapshots. With XG you can auto generate sets without loading them into FSX.2. For historical weather users, download and load the first hour's METAR and ASA will chose the textures based on that. Yes, over a long fligh conditions can change, but once FS is started we can't change the textures anyway.3. B316 was weighted too much towards the universal texture category. The Beta SP1 should adjust this balance if you would like to try it out. Please do not move all/most of the sets into the universal category.Thanks,

[Guest jhambly]

Yep, i think this works. I started ASA, then FSX with my proposed flight as default, stayed on select flight screen. ASA then downloaded appropriate Wx for that FS flight time/date. I then closed FSX, did the briefing route/snapshot thing (it chose snow snapshot, BTW, not universal). Reloaded FSX, hopefully with the said textures applied. I'm using the beta 355 version

[JSkorna 137]

Hi,Yes, this will work, but you can also just enter the departure and destination airports, flight level, and speed into ASA and process. Then you don't need to start FSX twice.Thanks!