Tower view

[Vulcan 14]

Has anyone managed to figure out if it is possible, using scenery design or AFCAD, to set the Tower view to the height and location of the scenery tower in FS9 like we had in FS2k2?At the moment if you create a video of your approach and then play back in tower view the view is at some arbitary place and not at the tower location.I understand you can edit the tower position in the saved video file but that is a right PITA was of doing things.I have also tried locating the tower using AFCAD2, the tower position stays but the tower view of a flight video is not where the tower is located by AFCAD2.TIA

[wsieffert 0]

Yes, use AFCAD2 to add or modify the tower view. You can add only one tower per AFCAD file.W. Sieffert

[Vulcan 14]

>Yes, use AFCAD2 to add or modify the tower view. You can add>only one tower per AFCAD file.>>W. SieffertThat doesn't seem to work Bill, unless I am doing something wrong.As an example I have Gary Summons' London Airports which includes London City (EGLC). The default tower view, when starting FS and positioning the aircraft there, is across the water from the airport. The scenery position of the tower is on the airport.I used AFCAD2 to create a tower position to correspond to the scenic tower but the default tower view persists.The AFCAD2 file (AF2_EGLC.bgl) is in fs9Addon Sceneryscenery, as suggested in the AFCAD2 docs and Addon Scenery is active at priority 15 in the scenery library, a higher priority (lower number) than London Airports.Any suggestions?TIA

[wsieffert 0]

When you open the AFCAD2 file for the airport, do you see the tower symbol (pink circle with T)? Is it in the correct location? If so, I don't know what the problem is.I don't know if your problem is caused by the third party scenery or not. I only adjusted the tower view at KMCO with an AFCAD update since the default tower was incorrect. KMCO presently has two towers, with the new tower being 437ft AGL and in a different location than depicted visually in FS2004. The visual tower height is also about 150ft too short also. KMCO's other tower is not used.W. Sieffert

[Vulcan 14]

>When you open the AFCAD2 file for the airport, do you see the tower symbol (pink circle with T)? Is it in the correct location?

[rhumbaflappy 113]

"The AFCAD2 file (AF2_EGLC.bgl) is in fs9Addon Sceneryscenery, as suggested in the AFCAD2 docs and Addon Scenery is active at priority 15 in the scenery library, a higher priority (lower number) than London Airports."This is probably where your problem lies.The new BGL should be after your default London Airports. Higher number, LATER priority ( Higher visual position in the scenery Library ).The AFCAD file should exclude the prior, default airfield... if it's placed EARILER, it can't exclude it, but will be overwritten by the default.AFCAD is the best current solution, as it will rebuild the airfield with the new or changed elements, and exist as a stand-alone airport BGL. bglcomp can make the same ( and more ) code, but doesn't have the nice interface. Hopefully, Lee will convert to XML, and allow us to save code, as well as decompile to XML ( and add objects, effects, etc... )Many default airfields appear to have no tower, and generate a default position at runtime.Dick

[Vulcan 14]

>The new BGL should be after your default London Airports. Higher number, LATER priority ( Higher visual position in the scenery Library ).Many default airfields appear to have no tower, and generate a default position at runtime.

[rhumbaflappy 113]

I may have been confused by your reference to a number. It seems I never pay attention to the Scenery Library's Priority number..and here's why:In scenery.cfg, the lower the number, the EARLIER the execution in the data stream. The higher the number, the LATER the execution in the data stream.In the Scenery Library, which is supposed to visually represent the scenery.cfg order, lower CFG numbers would be below higher CFG numbers.This has always been the case. MS has fully confused the issue by assigning relative priority numbers in the Scenery Library ( for no purpose )... in which the priority number is the exact inverse of the scenery.cfg number.*:-* You want any addon scenery to have a LATER execution than the defaults... therefore they need to be Higher in the Scenery Library ( have a smaller priority number ), which means in the scenery.cfg they have a higher number...Meanwhile, the best way to clear confusion is to give us the code... or in the case of AFCAD, zip the BGL and attach it to a post with an included readme.txt. That way we can actually test the BGL on our own machines and stpop worrying about Library order.Dick

[toprob 105]

I think that maybe starting with a saved flight uses the original tower position at the time it was created?This can cause problems if you've changed the default flight to the altered airport.

[rhumbaflappy 113]

Hi toprob.You're exactly right. If you slew away a bit, then use goto airport, then use towerview, you'll get the right tower... then resave the flight, and you're on your way.Dick

[Vulcan 14]

OK.I assume the area number in scenery.cfg is of no importance but the layer number determines the priority, just as in FS2k2.The layer number for addon scenery, which contains the AFCAD2.bgl file is 99.The layer number of London Airports is 91.In answer to the other posters re saved flights, FS starts with the default flight; Cessna at Seattle.Attached is the AFCAD2 file for EGLCThanks for the help guys.

[rhumbaflappy 113]

Hi Vulcan.I used your zipped AFCAD file with the default scenery. It moves the tower as expected, and the video records from your new viewpoint.I don't own the London Airports addon. You could confirm if you can get the towerview to work with the defaults by deactivating the London Airports scenery, and seeing if this then works for you. if it does, then the London Airports is causing the problem.I did discover some things about the towerview.In the same folder, 'aa_AF2_EGLC.bgl' will dominate 'AF2_EGLC.bgl'... so the priority within the same folder is alphanumeric ( 'aa_AF2_EGLC.bgl' will load and 'AF2_EGLC.bgl' will be ignored ).And, as toprob explained, a saved flight, including "previous flight" will maintain the OLD towerview.Also, from the Map menu item, the tower can be dragged to where ever you like, although it's altitude will stay the same. The Map also has a radio check button that can select tower... and that will allow you to change the altitude as well.There is also an XML ( bglcomp ) solution:============================<?xml version="1.0"?>================================This can be saved as 'aa_MyTower_EGLC.txt' and compiled, and it will change the tower view while leaving the rest of the airport data alone. It just changes the towerview. The airport and tower data was derived from the AFCAD file you provided.================================Your best solution may be to use the Map's Tower button, change the location, and save the flight. Then you can load that flight whenever you want and have that towerview, without altering or adding any BGLs. FLT files can be saved as shortcuts to the desktop.. then you can simply double-click the shortcut icon, and FS9 will start at EGLC with your tower setting.FLT files are usually saved in "...My DocumentsFlight Simulator Files".Dick

[Vulcan 14]

Hi Dick,Thanks for checking that but things get stranger and stranger :-)I have just disabled London Airports and indeed the AFCAD2 tower view was correct with the default scenery. I then re-enabled London Airports and the tower view was again correct, not the default tower view - go figure :-hmmm I will try a quick flight into EGLC recording the approach and see if tower view remains where it should be.My main reason for wanting correct tower views is both to watch approach and landings (helps with the training :-)) and to take screen shots.I am aware that saved flights also have a tower view position recoded in them and that the location can be edited in the saved flight file.Dragging the tower in map view does not work for watching a video replay for the above reason and in the past I have not had any joy when I edit the tower location.Hopefully tower view will now stay where it should be, off to do some testing :-) and then see if i can get my other tower views to stick.Many thanks.