Hello All,I am trying to understand how TP work in terms of what is being stored on the HD and why depending on its (TileProxy.ini) and FSX configuration. This is what I believe it happens, please let me know what you think:1) TP will ask to the Service Provider images between min_level and max_level and create .jpg tiles accordingly, unless:- the Service is unable to provide good enough images for Level X, then no corresponding tiles will be created (*)- max_level is higher than (max_lod+2): in this case tiles will be created up to (max_lod+2)2) FSX will display images according to the Scenery Resolution parameter. I assume that a value of 1m equals to LOD15, therefore it is pointless to use an higher resolution (TP can't provide those tiles) or lower (TP has created tiles that won't be used) compared to TP settings.If that is correct, then simplifies the life to people like me that would like to have always the best imagery possible, because it means two things:- flying over the same area with another service provider that has better imagery, will make TP to build additional tiles (in another cache) according to the new levels available- I can pretty much leave max_level at 19, max_lod at 17 in TileProxy.ini, then set Texture Resolution to 30cm in FSX and forget about everything else (except for switching Service Provider when needed) as TP will create tiles in the HD only if the related images are available: if not, no space will be wasted.Notes:(*) I am pretty sure of this as I have made lately several flights over Spain, where the coverage is poor. Looking at the cache with the "Manage Service Cache" application I couldn't find any tile at level 17,16,15 and 14 (yep, coverage is that poor) even if TP had a max_level of 17.Comments are welcome!Anubis

Hi Anubis, let me see if I can answer: ( Loyd, feel free to correct me if needed!!) , but this is my understanding of these points:You are wrong in point 1. Tileproxy will make level (for example) 17 tiles, if that is what you have asked it to do in the .ini file. However, they will be made from lower resolution imagery if that is all there is. This is why its best really to check what imagery there is before you fly an area and set your .ini file accordingly. If you have your .ini set for level 19, and there is only level 16 or 17 imagery, then you will be wasting huge amounts of space and making files that are much harder for FSX to process, for no reason. ( bear in mind each time you increase the level, the tiles generated increase in size by 4 times. Point 2 is correct.In your comments after point 2, again, you are wrong. Tile Proxy once it has made tiles for an area at whatever resolution you have told it to, will not remake them at a higher res unless you change the setting in the .ini file, in which case, it will delete what you have already and then start over at the higher setting. Like yourself, i am a fan of the high resolutiion. However, I have discovered that there is very little high res imagery available anywhere, the best you are likely to get is 1m per pixel. ( which looks pretty damn good anyway from anything over 1500 ft AGL) So really, it makes sense to have level 17 as your upper limit and save doubling up on your hard drive space... The high res tiles are only displayed immediately under your plane, so from the cockpit you cant see them anyway, what you are looking at is probably only level 15 or less. ( unless you go outside view on zoom in on the scenery, you wont even see the highest res tiles.Cheers, Mark

...Tileproxy will make level (for example) 17 tiles, if that is what you have asked it to do in the .ini file. However, they will be made from lower resolution imagery if that is all there is. ...

Mark,I used to think in that way as well, but I verified it and it is not correct. Look below...Picture#1: over Spain (Service#1, min_level=11, max_level=17). Cache of service#1 showing all levels:Picture#2: over Spain (Service#1, min_level=11, max_level=17). Cache of service#1 showing only level 17 tiles. As you can see, tiles have been created only in the places where the imagery from Service#1 was good enough -Gibraltar for example-:Picture #3: over Corse (Service#1, min_level=11, max_level=17). Cache of service#1 showing all levels:Picture#4: over Spain (Service#1, min_level=11, max_level=17). Cache of service#1 showing only level 17 tiles. As you can see, tiles at level 17 have always been created since the imagery from Service#1 was always goodThe settings have not been changed, but when flying over Corse TP using Service#1 has always created tiles at level 17, whereas flying over Spain TP using Service#1 has created tiles at level 17 only in the areas where it was possible to build them.If you do not believe what you see, you can try on your pc: use Service#1, min_level=11, max_level=17. Fly over Spain and over Corse and then look at the cache.Anubis

Hi Anubis, you are confusing what is in the cache files and what you see on screen. The cache browser only shows you what images have downloaded, NOT what resolution scenery tiles you have made. Those are in your TileProxy/PhotoRealworld folder. Cheers, Mark

Anubis,I well know exactly what you are looking at. You are not yet grasping the subtle, but very real, distinctions in terminology. Looking at tile caches will tell you only the minimum level of scenery that you might have made with it; nothing about actual resolution that you did make.Mark is using the word "TILES" to refer to SCENERY TILES that you cannot view with cache view tool. They are very different than IMAGE TILES. You will download available IMAGERY (jpg - and store in tile caches such as your screenshots illustrated) up to the level defined in the .ini to meet the scenery needs of FSX. To make scenery, TileProxy will take available cache imagery and make SCENERY TILES (bmp - and store in TileProxy Photoreal World subfolders, by region) and direct FSX to use them instead of generic, default scenery tiles.There is no tool with Tileproxy that will show you the SCENERY TILES that have been created, what the coverage is or what the level of detail is. But we can see any individual BMP SCENERY TILE with the Imagetool that comes with the SDK. We can see exactly what is the largest image inside it and what resolution it is. So by checking a variety of bmps, we compare contents with file size so we can recognize what level of detail the scenery is just from the file size.The surprising thing is that Tileproxy DOES make 1.2m SCALE scenery with only 2.4m or less jpg imagery because that is what the .ini tells it to do. You can enlarge ANY image but that does NOT make more detail, it just makes it "bigger". That's all TileProxy is doing. The filesize is 4 times larger, there is an additional layer in the SCENERY tile, but there is NO MORE DETAIL - you can't tell it's higher resolution becaue there is no actual higher resolution imagery revealed.This is why the emphasis on checking available online imagery and adjusting the .ini. You will make SCENERY to the level that the .ini specifies without regard for the limitations of available jpg imagery.This is a 2.4m SCENERY TILE that FSX references but it's made from level a 13 (20m) IMAGE TILE because that's all I let it have access to. Note the file size is standard for 2.4m scenery as is the 8 levels of imagery specified and the 512 x 512 image size. Everything about the tile says it is 2.4m resolution. Only it is not 2.4m quality; it is 20m quality that's what it will look like in the sim.And IF you tell TileProxy to make 1.2 meter scenery but there isn't any 1.2 meter imagery, you still MAKE the SCENERY TILES but they will only have the resolution of the highest available IMAGE TILE and they will be 1.3M each regardless of the content.Loyd

Hello Mark and Loyd,I was referring to IMAGE tiles, if you re-read the first post, you will see I was talking about jpg images. I do not enough know about the next step (the .bmp images), so thanks for explaining what happens next.In summary, let me see if this is correct:1) IMAGE tiles are downloaded and stored in the service caches according to:1.1) min_level, max_level and max_lod1.2) quality of the imagery available (from the Service in use)1.3) flight speed (if flying too fast, there is no time to d/l all the required .jpg)2) SCENERY tiles are created from the IMAGE tiles and stored in the photorealistic world according to:2.1) min_level, max_level and max_lod2.2) flight speed (if flying too fast, there is no time to create the required .bmp)And that would mean that -providing the computer can cope- IMAGE tiles are created if possible (adequate quality) whereas SCENERY tiles are always created: in that TP uses the Service caches without waste (even if the caches themselves are redundant, after the creation of the bitmaps), but not the Photorealistic World as it may gets filled of 30cm bitmaps made from 20m imagery.What I said about HD space was not correct (or correct only for the caches).Anubis

Anubis,I think you have the understanding now.Simplified overview with CAUTION:I cache by location only and not by service so as NOT to have two copies of the same area. When I change service, TileProxy does not see jpgs as being from different sources but only as having it or not having it.When I fly...FSX needs scenery for the ground. It looks at its scenery indexes to see what it should display.If there is TileProxy scenery available already it will use it.If the scenery is at the needed resolution, TileProxy will not need to do anything, but it will monitor until something new is needed.If I fly into an area where there is not sufficient resolution scenery available for FSX, TileProxy will begin to make it.To make higher resolution scenery, Tileproxy first looks at selected jpg cache. If jpgs available, scenery is made.If jpgs not available in cache, they will be requested from server; if available, jpgs downloaded, saved and scenery made (and saved).If jpgs not available at desired resolution, nothing downloaded but scenery made to defined resolution with next-best jpg imagery on hand.Tomorrow I fly the same area using other service but same image cache. Other service has higher resolution imagery.While I am over the same area, no new scenery will be made (I already have it - even if made from second-best imagery.)When I enter new area, new scenery will be needed. TileProxy will resume downloading jpg and making new scenery with better jpgs.I fly back into first area. No change in scenery; no updates. Scenery on hand is still ("officially") the correct resolution.If you use different cache for different service, then second cache would not have the images that were previously downloaded but you have the SCENERY that was made previously. I cannot tell you for sure what TileProxy will do; you must test this for yourself.Easiest test method example:After flying all around Corse, my TileProxy Photoreal World folder has 250,000 files ( Windows properties of folder). I change services and cache folders, and start a flight there again. When FSX flight loading is complete, if I check World folder properties and find only 61,000 files then Tile Proxy has flushed old scenery and will be rebuilding with new source jpgs. Everything (in current FSX scenery range) would now be rebuilt from scratch but higher level tiles will be used where available.If I still had the 250,000 files that were there previously, then TileProxy's behaviour would be the same as I am used to and it would continue to make scenery as before.The only things I know for sure that triggers TileProxy to remake scenery is to specify different settings in the .ini or to delete the SCENERY at that location.And that is a quick summary of my understanding of TileProxy's functions.Of course, I may learn something new this afternoon...Loyd