Question on <Layer>

[gaab 111]

Hi Oliver,

I have a question concerning  "layer" for scenery type "altitude", where one want to position the scenery (usually  airport_alt.bgl) to override the default simulator altitude (below Scenery\0000).

When I specify "layer=3" I noticed that P4AO (or Prepar3D ?) modifies this layer number (apparently to avoid duplicate layer numbers).
But this lead, when adding new sceneries, to progressively shift the scenery rank and defeat the initial intention of keeping grouped all such special sceneries at the same level.

How can I ensure that layer=3 will remain untouched ?

Am I missing something ?

Thanks - Regards

Gérard

Edited September 22, 2019 by gaab

[Lorby_SI 2,038]

Hello Gérard,

• turn off "Auto Layer" in P4AO
  or
• don't create a new base layer entry every time. I am using only two and I just drop the BGLs in there.

I'm not sure that I understand the issue though. The numerical value of the layers is of no consequence, only the sequential order is. The Layer is only a variable attribute, it cannot be used for other purposes, like grouping - it changes too easily for that, and it doesn't even have to be there.

Best regards 

 

Edited September 22, 2019 by Lorby_SI

[gaab 111]

4 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

Hello Gérard,

• turn off "Auto Layer" in P4AO

 

Thanks - that was my error !

Just to better explain my initial concern (nothing to do with "grouping" - wrong use of the word on my side...)

the <Layer> key word is used by some payware scenery airports to insure proper altitude setting (and only there), in line with LM documentation.

Layer
(Scenery Category Only)     

The layer of the scenery area component starting at one, where higher numbered layers take precendence over lower numbered layers. Add-on sceneries typically do not specify a layer and it is assumed that they should be the topmost layer.     

Default value
An integer representing a layer one higher than the top layer 
Examples

<AddOn.Component>
  ...
  <Layer>1</Layer>
  ...
</AddOn.Component>
(A scenery component whose layer is the base scenery layer)

Thanks for your great help (as usual) 🙂

Gérard

[Lorby_SI 2,038]

Hello Gérard,

that is not the point I was trying to make. It doesn't matter at all if the base layers that are used for altitude correction have Layer number 3,4,5,6 or whatever - as long as they are below everything else. It will not have any effect when you turn AutoLayer off. There is no special secret functionality associated with Layer 3 - it just happens to be the default location. If you leave Autolayer on, then a new base layer add-on.xml entry will get layer 4 - but at the same time all other sceneries are shifted up by 1 too, and layer 4 is again below everything else.

Best regards

 

[gaab 111]

Hello Oliver,

5 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

as long as they are below everything else

It is because I found my "FlyTamp-Kay Tak-World" scenery raised above "003 Base", much too high to set the airport base altitude, that I opened this topic.

I agree that Layer 3 is a convention, but that's the one apparently adopted by airport payware suppliers...

I still wait that ORBX solves all its problems (including with LM) before re-installing everything : I am sloooowly preparing my migration to W10....

Regards - Gérard