7.8.5 issues with lights (FIXED Aug 3)

[HewPilot]

...and for now PSXT by night is unusable.

we dont talk about FSLTL injector but FSLTL models...

So far I have video from previous 7.8 version which have accurate ai lights...

So pb is in PSXT please investigate.

[HewPilot]

This topic approach 2500 views so Im sorry to say the issue become general.

[onlythejker]

2 hours ago, kiek said:

It is not much use talking about the FSLTL traffic injector because it works different from PSXT, it uses the MSFS ai engine. See earlier responses by me.

I am currently first working on exiting new functions provided by RT.  I have no clue what PSXT has to do with that lights issue. 

However, from my working live experience, some problems that pop up often go away without paying attention. I expect that for the lights issue to happen too. 😉  

So please, have patience.

I'm sorry to say, from my working life experience in IT as well, that's not how to approach a critical issue which unfortunately (you know I love PSXT) makes PSXT in the dark hours of the day basically unusable. 😞 

Edited August 2 by onlythejker

[AeroMaster12]

How much effort is it to fork the current code, revert any commits beyond 7.8.3’s release, and publish as a side release so we can pinpoint whether the issue is model vs application related?

Respectfully, you’re telling us we’re jumping to conclusions too quickly, when it sounds like you’re jumping on the assumption that everything “should” be working - known as the classic “it works on my machine” refrain

[HewPilot]

!!!!! Please maximum vote here to revert back 7.8.3 for admin test !!!!!

 

[mmcmah]

3 hours ago, onlythejker said:

a critical issue which unfortunately (you know I love PSXT) makes PSXT in the dark hours of the day basically unusable.

I agree 100% with this statement. I don't feel like I can fly with PSXT at nighttime currently.

[somiller]

4 hours ago, mmcmah said:

I agree 100% with this statement. I don't feel like I can fly with PSXT at nighttime currently.

Then don't, but I think it's time to turn down the temperature a bit on this topic. Nico has given us PSXT for free, and I understand the cost of RT - I am in the middle of a 12 Mo. sub for the pro version for which I freely made the decision to pay (warts and all). Nico has given us untold feature updates and has constantly worked to improve PSXT. Maybe all those complaining about lights should send a contribution to Nico as I have to support his efforts at solving the problem.

This topic has been beaten to death - we know there's a problem, it's well documented, and if it CAN be solved in a PSXT update, I'm confident it will be done.

[AeroMaster12]

Here's a video with DevMode enabled portraying the light path. It is evident that the lights are flickering on and off:

https://streamable.com/e/t9emvz?loop=0

Here is a table of PSXT action definitions. We're really interested in EventIDs corresponding to light, but the most evident is the taxi lights: 213

Spoiler

> 868.02399 [371, 37]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=209, EventName="TOGGLE_BEACON_LIGHTS"

> 868.02405 [371, 38]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=210, EventName="TOGGLE_NAV_LIGHTS"

> 868.02410 [371, 39]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=211, EventName="TOGGLE_CABIN_LIGHTS"

> 868.02415 [371, 40]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=212, EventName="TOGGLE_LOGO_LIGHTS"

> 868.02420 [371, 41]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=213, EventName="TOGGLE_TAXI_LIGHTS"

> 868.02425 [371, 42]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=214, EventName="STROBES_SET"

> 868.02430 [371, 43]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=217, EventName="LANDING_LIGHTS_SET"

> 868.02435 [371, 44]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=218, EventName="GEAR_SET"

> 868.02440 [371, 45]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=219, EventName="ENGINE_AUTO_START"

> 868.02445 [371, 46]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=220, EventName="ENGINE_AUTO_SHUTDOWN"

> 868.02450 [371, 47]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=221, EventName="THROTTLE_SET"

> 868.02455 [371, 48]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=215, EventName="FLAPS_SET"

> 868.02460 [371, 49]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=222, EventName="APU_STARTER"

> 868.02466 [371, 50]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=216, EventName="SPOILERS_SET"

> 868.02471 [371, 51]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=206, EventName="FREEZE_LATITUDE_LONGITUDE_SET"

> 868.02476 [371, 52]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=207, EventName="FREEZE_ALTITUDE_SET"

> 868.02480 [371, 53]MapClientEventToSimEvent:EventID=208, EventName="FREEZE_ATTITUDE_SET"

Let's focus on the first SimObject that's showing this issue. This SimObject definition ID is 17831. This then maps to object ID 17010 

> 937.35803 [371, 17831]SetDataOnSimObject:DefineID=402, ObjectID=17010, Flags=0, ArrayCount=1, cbUnitSize=64, pDataSet=2074456740

Now let's look at just the toggling of landing lights against 17010. Coincidentally, it is happening every 13-14 seconds.

> 927.56020 [371, 12030]TransmitClientEvent:ObjectID=17010, EventID=213, dwData=0, GroupID=301, Flags=0

> 940.27794 [371, 20536]TransmitClientEvent:ObjectID=17010, EventID=213, dwData=0, GroupID=301, Flags=0

> 959.29954 [371, 33186]TransmitClientEvent:ObjectID=17010, EventID=213, dwData=0, GroupID=301, Flags=0

> 975.62953 [371, 45365]TransmitClientEvent:ObjectID=17010, EventID=213, dwData=0, GroupID=301, Flags=0

> 989.64738 [371, 59865]TransmitClientEvent:ObjectID=17010, EventID=213, dwData=0, GroupID=301, Flags=0

> 1003.65647 [371, 74998]TransmitClientEvent:ObjectID=17010, EventID=213, dwData=0, GroupID=301, Flags=0

> 1017.63818 [371, 89710]TransmitClientEvent:ObjectID=17010, EventID=213, dwData=0, GroupID=301, Flags=0

> 1031.65186 [371, 102193]TransmitClientEvent:ObjectID=17010, EventID=213, dwData=0, GroupID=301, Flags=0

> 1045.67289 [371, 113878]TransmitClientEvent:ObjectID=17010, EventID=213, dwData=0, GroupID=301, Flags=0

> 1059.63838 [371, 124836]TransmitClientEvent:ObjectID=17010, EventID=213, dwData=0, GroupID=301, Flags=0

As you can see, PSXT (app 371) has been issuing a TOGGLE_TAXI_LIGHTS for at least 10 times (throughout my log file).

Now, I went ahead and summarized the TransmitClientEvent logs for object 17010 before the object despawned. I got the following total count of actions:

EventID	Count
206	1
207	1
208	1
209	12
210	11
211	10
212	10
213	10
214	1
215	1
216	1
217	1
218	1
219	1
221	1

The light event IDs are being toggled significantly more than the others. I thought in the past we would see one to two toggles per event ID for lighting depending on the aircraft state. Therefore, something (internal or external) is causing PSXT to toggle lights more frequently.

Edited August 3 by AeroMaster12

[kiek]

14 hours ago, somiller said:

This topic has been beaten to death - we know there's a problem, it's well documented, and if it CAN be solved in a PSXT update, I'm confident it will be done.

You are right, it is done, and thanks for your donation. 

I have rolled back internally to 7.7.0 and indeed no flickering over there. When comparing the two sources I found the cause. A SimConnect function (Release control) that I had removed (in 7.8.5) in setting the flaps, because the flaps worked without it too, was the cause. When I put that statement back the taxi light flickering stopped...? A weird side effect in SimConnect!  Like I said, not a PSXT issue but something in the dark corners of SimConnect....

But anyway it is fixed! You can all calm down now. 😉 

The fix will be in the new version 8.0.0 that is released when the new v4 server of RT becomes available. Three people are already testing PSXT 7.9.0 If you want to test PSXT too ( and enjoy the lights 🙂 ), not too many, say another seven, drop me a mail at [email protected], and I'll send you a link. (You can always go back to 7.8.5)

There are very interesting new features provided by Balthasar, here the release notes for the intermediate versions for the testers:

Aug 3, 2024, version 7.9.0

•    Still another build for servers /v4 because of new functionality. RT can give all aircraft that are still parked at an airport in the last 24 hours!

PSXT will start parking with these aircraft and, if the wanted number is not reached, continue with options from the airport file.
However, with the new checkbox PT only, you can force PSXT to use the aircraft from RT only, and not to use options from the airport file. 

This way you may get less aircraft, but all are at the right place for that time of day! For well supported airports (Qf real 50), this is setting is recommended. 

In the PT only mode parking percentage, park soft, park fake and max fit are not used and disabled. However, ILO is still possible. Learning new parking options for the airport file is not active in this mode.

•    Static aircraft are now spawned at a max of 4 per second.

•    Aircraft lights are no longer toggled but set. Therefore there is no need to check aircraft for correct settings of the lights, hence these Log message about aircraft lights that cannot be controlled and aircrafts that had to be respawned are no longer needed.

•    Lights flickering fixed.

 

July 31, 2024, version 7.8.7

•    Still another build for servers /v4 because of new functionality. RT gives the option to read the last n seconds to fill your n seconds buffer in one go. This makes traffic appear n seconds sooner in PSXT (!) ( n = default 30 in PSXT). 
Note that traffic is still n seconds behind real time, but traffic starts immediately, making PSXT more responsive. 
Due to this, the gathering of live traffic callsigns before static parking starts, is no longer needed. Hence static parking starts 14 seconds sooner too.

•    Live aircraft are now spawned and removed max 4 per second instead of max 2 per second. Static aircraft still at max 2 per second.
 

 

EDIT: Contrary to what I wrote above, version 7.8.6 is available , with the lights fix.

And there are sufficient testers, thanks.

 

Edited August 3 by kiek

[gore54]

Thanks Nico

I knew you would find it

Don

[onlythejker]

Amazing work as always! THANK YOU!!!

[seanpaul76]

There was no doubt you would find it. We just had to convince you that there was a problem, LOL. Thanks Nico. I MUCH prefer PSXT/RealTraffic injection over FSLTL anyway. Donation coming your way. Keep up the good work!

Sidenote, there seems to be a problem with AIG models as i'm still not getting lights (not a PSXT) problem. All of my FSLTL MODELS, have lights. If you are still having issues after the next update, its most likely a model issue. 

Thanks again!

[kiek]

Hi guys,

I have sufficient testers. 

All the others: version 7.8.6 is available, with the lights fix.

Note that it is as before 7.8.5, not perfect, but al least no constant flickering.

Nico

[HewPilot]

Wouaw Amazing work around Thanks a lot for fixing this as we fly by night ! 

Perfect ! 

Hewpilot

[mmcmah]

6 hours ago, seanpaul76 said:

There was no doubt you would find it. We just had to convince you that there was a problem, LOL. Thanks Nico. I MUCH prefer PSXT/RealTraffic injection over FSLTL anyway. Donation coming your way. Keep up the good work!

Sidenote, there seems to be a problem with AIG models as i'm still not getting lights (not a PSXT) problem. All of my FSLTL MODELS, have lights. If you are still having issues after the next update, its most likely a model issue. 

Thanks again!

Apologies for the Discord link, but the AIG Discord has a small utility that one of the end users put together that is apparently still needed to get the lights to function correctly (completely independently of PSXT). I will try this once I download 7.8.6 and get the chance to test.

https://discord.com/channels/533614543650160640/961664461381447731/1265468665029984327