LWMViewer2

[Stevo 0]

Hi,Looks like a great program,But here's new one for you.I got the program started after finding 4 dll's that the prog needed, not a problem, found them on the internet. Then it went through its start up procedure fine, took about 20 minutes. Then the program was on, I thought great, clicked open by co-ords, enter my lat and lon, clicked ok and out of no where the computer restarted itself, I thought thats strange, its never done that before (btw, the computer I'm using is my brothers, my comp isnt powerful enough to run the prog) anyway. It restarted and got a 'your computor has recovered from a serious error message'. I though possible a one off so tried it again done the same and again the computer restarted itself. mmm I thought. Next I tried starting FS2004 and going to the Airport I wanted so view, then started LWMViewer2 and instantly, the second I pressed the .exe the computer restarted itself again.I asked my brother and he said the computers never done that before. Its a new computer only a few months oldIts a Fujitsu Siemens Scaleo P3.2Ghz P41gb RamNvidia Geforce 6200 TurbocacheI cant see any reason why the computer should restart using your program, it doesnt do it with any other prog, we've been playing Medal of Honor Pacific Assault and Halflife2 without any problems, quite strange, Its not even a fluck it happens every time.Any help would be great, Im itching to try it outThanksStevo ;-)

[Guest jimkeir]

Hi all,I think the unexpected abort errors are related to the initial database load. I took a look at one of the taxiway sign BGLs and found that it was specifying an ICAO code without also giving the airport name, city etc. I use the name as a primary key, so that failed. I've fixed that and also made the startup considerably faster. Should be no more than a few minutes now, if that. I've also included atl71.dll.I'm not sure what's causing the system crash. My first guess would be something related to the 6200TC. Can you check first if you've got the latest drivers from NVidia? If you have, I'll probably need to put together a modified version for you to try and work out exactly where it's failing.Anyone else using it successfully with a TurboCache and/or 6x00 card?Cheers,Jim

[nudata 10]

I am getting a Can't Create a DirectX Device error when accessing the Model Picker. Occurs on both generic and library items. Otherwise the display works when showing top down and horizontal views of landscape.Radeon 9800SE 2.6ghz 512mbDick Boley @KLBE

[Guest jimkeir]

Hi Dick,How much graphics memory do you have on the 9800SE card? Sounds like it could be running out. I think I can get the reason for a failure from DirectX, I'll look at doing that to try and get a definitive message.Try switching Antialiasing off if it's on, that can take a lot of memory. Can you also try going into the model window without having loaded any scenery, to see if it works then?Cheers,Jim

[Guest wildfire563]

I'm sorry for the stupid question, but, how do you tell if your card supports Shader Model 2? I have a laptop with 64 MB 4200 Go graphics. I'm assuming at this point it doesn't support Shader Model 2 because it doesn't appear to work on my system. Let me qualify that. It loads fine, I get all the menus, the graphics just look like a gray slate. So I think the program is working properly, my graphics card just doesn't support it. But I want to make sure.Thanks,Thomas

[nudata 10]

Jim - thanks for your prompt response. Indeed the problem (or the new word "challenge") was the use of Anti-Aliasing. The Model Picker works ok now.I noticed that if you start LWMViewer and you use a coordinate set that there is in invitation to delete existing files. If I click Yes, a very long time (by PC standards) is spent in disc activity when there are probably no existing files to remove.Dick Boley @KLBE

[GHD 21]

Hi Jim,On first run, it stated it couldn't find a couple of scenery areas. They are missing, but are marked "Active=FALSE" in the Scenery.cfg.Having created a 5,824Kb Models.mdb it failed with an unusual error:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/130456.jpgGeorge

[TonyB 1]

Jim, the new download today creates the database just fine.I have noticed that when I load an area, it won't display anything behind the open dialog boxes. If I close them, it will draw in the entire screen and then I can reopen the boxes. Nvidia 6600GT with current reference drivers from Nvidia's site.Now if I can just figure out how to work this thing. :)Tony=http://www.flightsim-bevs.com]

[Guest jimkeir]

Hi,It should complain if it can't find SM2 support but it seems as though it isn't. There's a website [a href=http://d3dcaps.chris.dragan.name]here[/a] which will tell you all about your card.Select:- 'D3DCAPS9', Next.- Groups, then add 'Shader Caps' to the left-hand list. Next.- 'By Vendor' or 'Selected' then your vendor or card model. Next.- Finish.You're looking for the 'VertexShaderVersion' and 'PixelShaderVersion' to be at least 2.0 .If your card isn't listed you can download a small program which will scan our card and give you a full report. You can also email the report to Chris who will add it to his website.In your case, it doesn't list the 4200 Go but I believe it's the mobile version of the GForce 4200 which doesn't support SM2.0 . Sorry. I did spend quite a long time trying to get it to work in SM1 but didn't manage it, there's just too much stuff happening on the graphics card now.I know this does hit the graphics card harder than you might expect. All I can say is that I have rather less resources available than most 3D-engine developers (i.e. Microsoft, Valve :) ) and that it'll get more efficient over time.Cheers,Jim

[Guest jimkeir]

Hi,OK, one down, sort of. I've added a message box to give a failure reason for the device creation part so if it happens again, you should get a specific reason for it. There's no other changes, so no point in downloading again unless you're getting the device creation errors.I'm not sure what would be causing that activity. Removing already loaded files probably isn't causing too much of a problem, I suspect it's more related to loading the new set.Can you tell me what's in the set you're loading, and how much memory you have in your PC *and* on the graphics card? When you load a file it has to be parsed, converted to internal data structures from the BGL, then loaded onto the card for display. There's even more going on if you load mesh, it all takes rather a lot of memory to to.Cheers,Jim

[nudata 10]

RE: Closing All Existing Files - ActivityIf I do a clean start and Load By Coordinates I am invited to close All Existing Files. If I click YES (not logical since a clean load) A long period of activity begins. I would note that there is a significant impact on the PC. However, Task Manager does not show that activity after the first 20 seconds of the function starting. I am guessing that some "internal" Windows function is being used with params that causes it to run amok. Eventually the area selected by coordinates appears and things proceed normally.Dick Boley @KLBE2.6ghz AMD, Radeon 9800SE 128mb, 512mb ram , Windows XP/SP2

[Guest jimkeir]

Hi,Thanks. I'll check that out, possibly it's loading way too much. There are some files that cover huge areas.As a workaround, try going to the coordinates with nothing loaded and then using the 'List this area' context menu item, then you'll be able to pick files to load individually.Thanks,Jim

[Guest wildfire563]

'sOK on your choice for hardware support. I'd rather see the software work than have you spend countless hours trying to support something hopeless. In fact I've got another computer with the choice of 128 MB 9800 Pro(SE) or FX5200, I just haven't set it up for FS yet. But I should have that going in a week and I'll try it there. My laptop goes everywhere with me, so it's my fav. Anyway, thanks for the info, I checked it out and sent Chris my dump.any idea what VERTEX_SHADER_VERSION FFFE0101 MAX_VERTEX_SHADER_CONST 00000060 PIXEL_SHADER_VERSION FFFF0103 MAX_PIXEL_SHADER_1X_VALUE 3F800000means?Also, any idea on which card I should go with 128 MB 9800 Pro(SE upgraded) or 128 MB FX 5200? On looking at the chart, it appears the FX supports more features than the 9800 does.Thanks,Thomas

[Guest wildfire563]

I think the question is, why is it asking to close existing files if it is a clean load and no files have been loaded to our knowledge up to this point? I assume it's just a generic question, and it doesn't do anything if nothing is loaded, but I would like to make sure that's the case. Are you loading any files on startup? What happens if I tell it not to close the existing files?Thomas

[Guest jimkeir]

Hi,Those values mean you've got the same as the regular GForce 4200 - Pixel shader 1.3 and vertex shader 1.1 .As for what card to go for... well, that's touching on holy war territory :) I've only recently used NVidia stuff so I can't comment on ATI. Actually I bought an X800 last Friday but it blew up on boot and I'm still waiting for a replacement...Cheers,Jim