Aircraft Light's problem, need help.

[jjeff1955 0]

:rolleyes: I am trying to understand the Aircraft config better to get the lights to work better. Wheel well lights do not work even with the default switches installed in the Cal Classics DC-6 and 7s. When I turn on a beacon or strobe the whole VC panel lights up. Does anyone have a clue of how to fix this? I am very good at repairing and making XML files as I do have an understanding of the commands needed. What I need is a Tutorial about aircraft lights and XML creation

Thanks for any help.

Jon J.

[mebull 27]

Hi Jon,

 

 

 

What I need is a Tutorial about aircraft lights and XML creation

 

I personally don't know of a specific tutorial so I will attempt to point you in the right direction as best I can. Since you mentioned a wheel well light effect I will use that as the example. Since you can work with XML I will assume you already have the necessary FS 2004 SDK files. The ones of interest here are the Panel SDK and the Cabdir SDK. If you do happen to need either, they are available at; http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/downloads.php?do=cat&id=10    

The Panels SDK / doc folder contains the documents which list events and variables etc. I realize you may already have this covered - but just in case.

 

In the aircraft.cfg, . . . . . . .

 

[LIGHTS]        
//Types: 1=beacon, 2=strobe, 3=navigation, 4=cockpit, 5=landing, 6=taxi, 7=recognition, 8=wing, 9=logo

 

and as an example from a POSKY B738 lights section;

 

light.15= 6,  60.000,   0.000, -12.550, Opensky-taxi-refl    ,   // gear bay taxi light rays from taxi lights

 

Where light. 15= 6 - which means light # 15 is 'tied' to the taxi light variable - #6 in the [Lights]  // Types; section. The next three numbers control the location of the effect, followed by the name of the effect.

 

It is possible the the light switch gauges for the DC6 and 7 were written using LVar (variables) that refer to the light switch function instead directly using the token variable. That could present a problem.

 

It is also equally possible that depending what switches are are available in the cockpit, that in the aircraft.cfg lights section may be set up in such a way that your beacon, strobe and VC effects are all listed as the same type - light.nn= 1 for example, when in fact the VC should be 4 so it would come on when the panel switch state is set to 1

 

Yet another possibility is that the lighting is hard coded into the model itself.

 

Before I go any farther, please post which light switches are available on the panel and copy and paste the [LIGHTS] section from the aircraft.cfg related to the aircraft in question. I will take a look at that information so I can see what is going on and then we can continue from there.

 

Best regards,

Mel

[jjeff1955 0]

Thank You Mel for the fast reply. I will get my thumb drive out and grab a few xml files and the aircraft light section  for you in a bit.

The upper panel section has switches for wheel well-ww and a BC switch for the cargo lights and of course beacon, strobe, steady nav, taxi, and landing + extend. it also has left and center and right main dial gauges lights that I repaired  and had to duplicate some gauges as SO, and Fo callouts to get them to work. Cal Classics seemed to have left them out and they were not complete for full functions. Kudos to Cal Classics for their awesome work and quality of their freeware. I have found out the freeware is mostly better quality than pay addons stuff. I have even made many donations to the freeware folks for their work and time involved. I really enjoy this hobby. I think that you are correct it is hard coded into the make model file. 

OK here it is.

 

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[LIGHTS]

//Types: 1=beacon, 2=strobe, 3=navigation, 4=cockpit, 5=landing, 6=taxi, 7=recognition, 8=wing, 9=logo, 10=cabin

light.0 = 3,  -2.2, -58.21, 3.45, fx_navred ,

light.0 = 3,  -2.2, -58.21, 3.45, fx_navred ,

light.1 = 3,  -2.2,  58.21, 3.45, fx_navgre ,

light.2 = 3, -67.97,   0.00, 2.30, fx_navwhi ,

light.3 = 1, -60.0,   0.00, 20.1, fx_beacon , 

light.4 = 1, -60.0,   0.00, 20.4, fx_beaconb ,

light.5 = 2, -64.04,   0.00, 2.30, fx_shockwave_strobe_l_nl ,

light.6 = 2, -4.40, 0.00, 8.51, fx_shockwave_strobe_l_wing-nl-DC7 ,

 

// exhaust flame effects

//light.7 = 6,  5.3, -28.75,  -1.0, DC-7_engine1_Flame ,    ; engine 1

 

//light.8 = 6,  8.3, -15.1,  -2.5, DC-7_engine2_Flame ,     ; engine 2

 

 

//light.9 = 7,  8.6, -15.1,  -2.5, DC-7_LP_L2_Flame ,    ; engine 2

//light.10 = 6,  8.3,  10.00,  -2.5, DC-7_HP_R3_Flame ,   ; engine 3

//light.11 = 7,  8.6,  10.00,  -2.5, DC-7_LP_R3_Flame ,   ; engine 3

//light.12 = 6,  5.3, 23.75,  -1.0, DC-7_HP_R4_Flame ,    ; engine 4

//light.13 = 7,  5.6, 23.75,  -1.0, DC-7_LP_R4_Flame ,    ; engine 4

 

//cargo hold lights

//light.14 = 8,   18.5, 2.6, -2.75,  fx_vclight ,  //forward hold

//light.15 = 8,   -22.5, 2.6, -2.75,  fx_vclight ,  //aft hold

 

//extra VC lights

//light.16=4,   32, -2.50, 3.0,  B738_vclight ,

//light.17=4,   32, 2.50, 3.0,  B738_vclight ,

//light.18=4,   31.5,   -2.50, 2.0,  fx_vclight ,

 

 //not using

//light.18=4,   31.5,  2.5, 2.0,  fx_vclight ,

//light.19=4,   32, 2.50, 3.0,  fx_vclight ,

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

XML sample

 

<Gauge Name="LITE WHEEL Switch" Version="1.0">

   <Element>

      <Select>

         <Value>(L:WW_LITE, bool)</Value>

         <Case Value="0">

            <Image Name="SWITCH9_OFF_L.bmp" ImageSizes="24,39"/>

         </Case>

         <Case Value="1">

            <Image Name="SWITCH9_ON_L.bmp" ImageSizes="24,39"/>

         </Case>

      </Select>

   </Element>

   <Mouse>

 

       <Tooltip>WHEEL WELL LIGHT SWITCH</Tooltip>

 

      <Cursor Type="Hand"/>

      <Click>02 (>L:km_xml_sound_id, number) (L:WW_LITE, bool) ! (>L:WW_LITE, bool)</Click>

   </Mouse>

   <copyright>©2005 Ken Mitchell [justmitch@charter.net] www.mitchspanelshop.com</copyright>

</Gauge>

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

Panel Switch section<Gauge Name="LITE FO Switch" Version="1.0">

   <Element>

      <Select>

         <Value>(L:FO_LITE, bool) </Value>

         <Case Value="0">

            <Image Name="LITE_SW_Off.bmp" ImageSizes="59,59"/>

         </Case>

         <Case Value="1">

            <Image Name="LITE_SW_On.bmp" ImageSizes="59,59"/>

         </Case>

      </Select>

   </Element>

   <Mouse>

         <Tooltip>PILOTS PANEL INSTRUMENT LIGHTS SWITCH</Tooltip>

      <Cursor Type="Hand"/>

      <Click> (L:FO_LITE, bool) ! (>L:FO_LITE, bool) 03 (>L:km_xml_sound_id, number)</Click>

   </Mouse>

   <copyright>©2004 Ken Mitchell [justmitch@charter.net] www.mitchspanelshop.com</copyright>

</Gauge>

 

[mebull 27]

Go back to the aircraft.cfg file and comment out the remaining lights 0 - 6 ( I notice a error anyway, there are two light.0 entries, light must be numbered 0 thru nn  in numerical order - no duplicates. ) The first entry  - light.0 is a duplicate of the second and should be deleted.

After you comment those out start up the sim / aircraft and use the key commands "L" and "Ctrl +L" to see what if any lights show up. Any that do are hard coded into the model.

 

In your two XML switch examples: The use of the 'L:xxx' variable, such as (L:FO_LITE, bool) does not refer to or connect use with any 'A variable' which in effect causes them to be dummy switches that only control the bit map to be used and trigger a sound controlled by nn (>L:km_xml_sound_id, number)

 

Neither of the two make a reference to a workable 'switch' that controls any of the A vars for any light operation. I realize that may be intentional or maybe not.

 

Here is a sample of a switch for Nav lights and switch sound:

 

<Gauge Name="NavLights" Version="1.0">
   <Element>
      <Select>
         <Value>(A:Light nav,bool)</Value>
         <Case Value="0">
            <Image Name="EXT L switch_off.bmp" ImageSizes="31,34"/>
         </Case>
         <Case Value="1">
            <Image Name="EXT L switch_on.bmp" ImageSizes="31,34"/>
         </Case>
      </Select>
   </Element>
   <Mouse>
      <Help ID="HELPID_GAUGE_LIGHT_SWITCH_NAV"/>
      <Area>
         <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
         <Click>(>K:TOGGLE_NAV_LIGHTS) 1 (>L:AS738_XML_SOUND_ID,enum)</Click>
      </Area>
   </Mouse>
</Gauge>

 

 

According to the sample aircraft.cfg above you shouldn't have any VC lighting what ever unless it is hard coded.

 

Let me know what you find and we will continue.

 

Regards,

Mel

[jjeff1955 0]

 Good catch! I sometimes work so long on this project, get tired and I miss things.

Funny thing is that error is obvious too. I will check the cal Classics original file and see if it is there also if not then shame on me. I will get back to you with an update. Thanks again for spotting that for me. :rolleyes:

 

I just went to my FS9 computer and fixed that cfg error and I am still having the same problem. When I turn on the beacon or nav lights the cabin and cargo areas also come on. Must be hard coded in their make model files. All of their aircrafts do the same problem. No wheel well lights are showing. The switch is there but no actions. I did check their original cfg config files and they were numbered correctly. My fault. :blink:

 

 I am working on a redo for the cruise flames to save some numbers for other lights. They were using 8 light switches for the flames and I got it down to four numbers by combining the effect files more efficiently and re setting the smoke xml files as well. The config that I put up for you was not finished for the flames. I got those working perfectly.

Thanks again for your help.