Folks - 

I am new to the msfs 2020 Derekhe Map Enhancement mod and have a question concerning rolling versus manual cache.

 

My question concerns whether the updated Bing (or other) image files from the Map Enhancement mod can be used to create the manual cache in msfs 2020. Since I have a low internet bandwidth, I create a manual cache of tiles, so I am not susceptible to internet speed issues. This limits the amount of image streaming that needs to be done via the Internet.
When I create a manual cache of tiles, I assume that those tiles are created from msfs 2020 stock images. But, is there any way to use the updated Bing images supplied by the map enhancement mod to be used in creating the msfs 2020 manual cache files??

In other words, if I start the map enhancement mod BEFORE starting msfs 2020, will the new updated image files from the mod be used by msfs 2020 when creating the manual cache tiles??? Or, does the manual cache option only allow access to the stock image files from msfs 2020?

Thanks - Pete

Edited January 8, 20251 yr by Ramberga

" if I start the map enhancement mod BEFORE starting msfs 2020, will the new updated image files from the mod be used by msfs 2020 when creating the manual cache tiles??? Or, does the manual cache option only allow access to the stock image files from msfs 2020? "

The new updated image files written to cache to be used by msfs2020 will be from the updated Bing images or the Google images, not from the default images normally used by msfs2020. This is why you should delete the old cache files, before starting to use the mod. That way the all the new cache will all be from the new Bing or the Google maps.

 

As far as I know and have tested, the Manual Cache only saves areas with photogrammetry, while scenarios that just involve ground textures are saved in the Rolling Cache (if it's turned on).

1 hour ago, jmalfatti_BR said:

As far as I know and have tested, the Manual Cache only saves areas with photogrammetry, while scenarios that just involve ground textures are saved in the Rolling Cache (if it's turned on).

Is there a way to determine what is used for the manual cache? Its description within msfs2020 doesn't indicate that it only saves photogrammetry data.

Thanks when you have time to respond. Is there a resource that might explain how this all works, or am I already there?? 🙂

11 hours ago, Fielder said:

" if I start the map enhancement mod BEFORE starting msfs 2020, will the new updated image files from the mod be used by msfs 2020 when creating the manual cache tiles??? Or, does the manual cache option only allow access to the stock image files from msfs 2020? "

The new updated image files written to cache to be used by msfs2020 will be from the updated Bing images or the Google images, not from the default images normally used by msfs2020. This is why you should delete the old cache files, before starting to use the mod. That way the all the new cache will all be from the new Bing or the Google maps.

 

Is this the rolling cache or manual cache you are referring to??  Jmalfatti's comment seems to indicate that the mod maps are NOT used by the manual cache.

 

 

2 hours ago, jmalfatti_BR said:

As far as I know and have tested, the Manual Cache only saves areas with photogrammetry, while scenarios that just involve ground textures are saved in the Rolling Cache (if it's turned on).

P.S. I checked with the "tool tip" for 'manual cache' and it does say "saves photogrammetry data" along with other items.

Maybe I don't understand the purpose of the manual cache. I thought it was to keep from having to stream the online maps and just download them instead to the manual cache - that way, you wouldn't be dependent on internet bandwidth.

Can you help or point me to a resource that explains the whole concept?? I think I am now confused about the purpose of the "manual cache" concept...

 

Pete

From msfs:

"MSFS has implemented a useful manual scenery caching capability that enables users to predownload custom scenery regions to their hard drives. Once these cached areas are stored locally, scenery data will no longer be streamed when flying over these regions. This provides a noticeable performance improvement since MSFS no longer needs to share CPU/GPU resources to stream data while flying over your custom regions. This capability is very flexible and offers nearly infinite solutions for every user."

"First, a comment about Rolling Cache. If you have Rolling Cache enabled, MSFS will cache the data you are flying over and store that scenery content in your rolling cache up to the data limit you have set in “Rolling Cache Limit (GIB)”. This is happening continuously as you fly and employs a first in, first-out logic once the cache is full. This rolling cache functions until such time as you enter a region you have manually cached. When you fly over a manually cached region, MSFS know this and interrupts streaming until you are outside that area. This is where the performance improvement is achieved since the CPU/GPU are no longer processing the streaming data pipeline."

 

OK, so does the manual cache use the data from the Map Enhancement mod or does it use the default msfs2020 stock image files??

That's my question!!

16 hours ago, Fielder said:

" if I start the map enhancement mod BEFORE starting msfs 2020, will the new updated image files from the mod be used by msfs 2020 when creating the manual cache tiles??? Or, does the manual cache option only allow access to the stock image files from msfs 2020? "

The new updated image files written to cache to be used by msfs2020 will be from the updated Bing images or the Google images, not from the default images normally used by msfs2020. This is why you should delete the old cache files, before starting to use the mod. That way the all the new cache will all be from the new Bing or the Google maps.

 

I was talking above about the rolling cache.

45 minutes ago, Fielder said:

 

I was talking above about the rolling cache.

OK, thanks for the reply. Any thoughts on whether the manual cache image files are from the stock msfs 2020 or if the map enhancement mod's images are used in creation of the manual cache??

 

https://github.com/derekhe/msfs2020-map-enhancement/wiki/Manual-EN#83-what-does-this-software-replace

The manual has lots of stuff how to use the enhancement with 2024, especially about cache. But I don't see anything in the manual about manual cache.

1 hour ago, Fielder said:

https://github.com/derekhe/msfs2020-map-enhancement/wiki/Manual-EN#83-what-does-this-software-replace

The manual has lots of stuff how to use the enhancement with 2024, especially about cache. But I don't see anything in the manual about manual cache.

Yeah, I had looked at that previously. Thanks though.

 

I am trying to see if I notice any differences between the manual cache map that pops up when you choose "manual cache", using the default images versus running the map enhancement mod with google images before starting up msfs2020.

I don't see any difference - I thought there would be a noticeable difference with the 2 screenshots side-by-side, but they look identical.

That makes me wonder whether the image files from the mod find their way to the manual cache.

22 hours ago, Ramberga said:

Is there a way to determine what is used for the manual cache? Its description within msfs2020 doesn't indicate that it only saves photogrammetry data.

Thanks when you have time to respond. Is there a resource that might explain how this all works, or am I already there?? 🙂

When you try to save areas without photogrammetry, the resulting file size in the Manual Cache is really small, which means no textures were actually saved.

I'll try to phrase it better since English isn't my native language:

The Manual Cache only saves areas with photogrammetry, including ground textures and buildings/objects, since the tiles include all of that. When you try to save regions outside the photogrammetry coverage, the resulting file size is way too small, which means nothing was actually saved.

The Rolling Cache (when activated) saves actual satellite textures, both from the Map Enhancement and the default ones from the MS servers in the game. If you usually switch between them, it's a good idea to clear the Rolling Cache every time you change providers; otherwise, the scenery can get pretty weird, mixing up tiles.

6 hours ago, jmalfatti_BR said:

I'll try to phrase it better since English isn't my native language:

The Manual Cache only saves areas with photogrammetry, including ground textures and buildings/objects, since the tiles include all of that. When you try to save regions outside the photogrammetry coverage, the resulting file size is way too small, which means nothing was actually saved.

The Rolling Cache (when activated) saves actual satellite textures, both from the Map Enhancement and the default ones from the MS servers in the game. If you usually switch between them, it's a good idea to clear the Rolling Cache every time you change providers; otherwise, the scenery can get pretty weird, mixing up tiles.

What is your native language?? Your English is amazing!

I don't think that the manual cache is only used for areas with photogrammetry, I think it is used for any area, but will include photogrammetry data if it exists for that region.

 

I found this description online in "Microsoft Flight Simulator Support":

Rolling cache

• A file used to automatically store World Data while flying or exploring the World Map. The rolling cache avoids downloading information such as aerials, DEM, TIN, or vector data more than once. It is especially useful when flying over the same zone regularly.

 

Manual cache

• A file used to download and pre-cache World Data from a specific zone for later use. Stores DEM, TIN, and vector data but NOT aerials. It is especially useful for saving up bandwidth and reducing the amount of information being streamed while flying.

 

Question: what is your interpretation of the word "aerials"?? What does that include?? Because if it doesn't include the satellite images (either stock msfs images or the ones from Map Enhancement mod), then it is obvious - the manual cache does not include any image files.

Thoughts?

Edited January 10, 20251 yr by Ramberga

I just found this definition of data types from an ASOBO seminar:

Data types TIN: ● Triangulated Irregular Network ● Issues from photogrammetry

Data types DEM: ● Digital Elevation Map ● Ground height estimate

Data types Aerial images: ● Photos taken from satellites or aircraft

Data types Vector data: ● Points, lines, polygons ● Used to represent: ● Water bodies ● Roads ● Building footprints ● Individual tree

 

So, it appears that "aerials" mean 'Photos taken from satellites or aircraft'. If we can take the prior description of manual cache (which says it does NOT include "aerials"), then that means manual cache does NOT include 'Photos taken from satellites or aircraft'.

Am I interpreting this correctly, in your estimation??