martinlest2

OK, in case anyone gets the same issue, I seem to have cleared the problem: I located the bgl files that were creating the issue, decompiled them to find the bitmaps they use and then changed the sizes of those bitmaps from 1024x1024 to 512x512. No more lines and shadows, so far anyway. BTW, my terrain data in the fs9.cfg is exactly the same as yours, above - I set the values like that some years ago: we clearly read the same forums! M.

Hi. Thanks, but I tracked down the problem and it is, at least in so far as the issue when on grass textures is concerned, the detail1.bmp file. I backed up my (huge!) FS9/scenery/world/texture folder and then started to overwrite various files there with ones from a clean (default) FS9 installation. As soon as I overwrote the detail1.bmp file with the default, the problem disappeared on grassy terrain (once I reloaded the scenery of course). I did replace the files earlier, as I posted, so I don't know why I didn't have the same result then, but no matter... The only dilemma now is that the version of detail1.bmp which was causing the problem creates superb, sharp grass textures. I hope I can find a suitable replacement. Also, I still have the same 'shadow' issue at certain airports, on the tarmac and taxiways, but replacing generic tarmac/concrete bitmaps/r8 etc. files has not helped there, so I suppose the problem is specific to those airports where the shadow is showing (e.g. the FSDT Chicago O'Hare, as I mentioned above). I'll have to troubleshoot those as I find them...

I have tried replacing, then removing the detail1.bmp file (from FS9/texture and FS9/scenery/world/texture), but no difference (even after restarting FS9). Turned Terrain detail and Water effects to 'None', but that also made no difference. I replaced the FS9/texture folder with the default 'out-of-the-box' one. No change. Moved the SweetFX dll files out of FS9 - same thing. I could try another video, to better show what I mean, but the description is probably enough (?) - a sharp demarcation line across the scenery beyond which the textures are slightly darker. The line moves about as you pan. It actually affects 3rd. party textures too - I can see it now at FSDT's KORD. Not sure what else to try - I have only had this for a few weeks or so, but don't recall what I might have changed at that time. Further troubleshooting suggestions anyone? Thanks.

I'll try the Terrain Detail settings, but frankly they have been just fine for years. I spent ages, many years ago, both on AVSIM and other forums (FS Genesis mostly) on this topic and got things set up in the fs9.cfg file so that textures loaded as sharply as I could hope for. Never had a problem really until this issue. I can't think that another addon would alter this globally. The only exception by the way is snow on mountains, which nearly always takes ages to load and, in the meantime, has lots of 'eye hooks' (sewing metaphor!). Anyone know what I mean (or is aware of a cure?). I will definitely look at the detail1.bmp, because I added a new one fairly recently, so that could well be the cause. It also makes sense because it is really only happening to default ground/grass textures, as I said. Thanks a lot for that heads up.. will post back re. any progress. Martin

and you get 3,270 results. So sorry to introduce a subject that's been 'done to death', must be a real bore for you to see it come up again. Not that I did introduce that subject (you did) - my textures aren't blurred, so why would I want to Google "FS2004 Blurries", when they are perfectly sharp and crisp, not blurred at all (though they may seem so in the low quality video)? But they do have a demarcation line beyond which they are slightly darker, as I explained, and can be seen in the video if not the screenshot. Anything else you recommend I should Google? Ι ran out of ideas after several tries with no relevant results before originally posting here. If you know something within those 3270 results that refers to the problem I outlined, maybe you'd be good enough to be more specific. Thanks.

All confounded by this one, eh? :wink:

Yes Peter., when you said it didn't work for user aircraft, I kind of went along with it, because that was pretty much my experience of trying out the exact same thing. Probably because I had not set things up correctly, because as I also commented, the instructions are in the SDK!. Still, I still think to do this for the all the aircraft and sceneries I have installed is just not feasible, even on a gradual basis. You'd need a lot more patience than I was blessed with! :wink:

Good to know, especially about the 's'! I've started using PF3's dedicated parking facility though, it's so easy to set up. You simply enter the ICAO into the box and a list of all the parking spots immediately appears. You choose one (hopefully there will be an option to enter more at some stage, for different sized aircraft) and that's it. No editing of aircraft.cfg files or any other. You will always be sent to that gate when you land. If you want to make sure that the gate will not be occupied when you get there, you reduce its size to 10 feet in the AFCAD file. That too takes just half a minute from start to finish. Works like a charm. Only thing is, PF3 is payware of course - but very well worth the (not inconsiderable) outlay - it does SO much!The support for the product too couldn't really be improved upon... I have no connection with OnCourse software I hasten to add! :smile:

Very short video of the same here: http://vidmg.photobucket.com/albums/v68/martinlest/Texture.mp4 It came out too bright and the quality of the video is low, but the demarcation can be seen a bit more clearly than in the photo, to the left of the crosshairs - it's more noticeable in the sim though.

I've noticed recently that some (maybe all, but it's so marginal sometimes I am not sure) FS9 ground textures are being divided by a large arc slightly away from my aircraft. Beyond the arc textures are slightly darker than closer to the aircraft - the arc moves around with you as you pan or move the aircraft. I thought it was something to do with SweetFX, but the splitscreen setting is definitely off. If I turn it on, the effect is much more pronounced that what I am seeing in FS9 anyway. In any case, it only seems to happen over FS9 'generic' ground textures, as below. If I slew across to a 3rd. party airport, with its own ground textures, the arc demarcation and colour differences are not there (as far as I can see). Here's a screenshot, though I am not sure how obvious it will be. The colours at 'X' for example are slightly darker and with a little more contrast than at 'O', with, as I say, a visible, mobile line between the two areas. Can you see it from the screenshot? It would be much more obvious if I were to make a video of it... Any idea what this could be down to? It may be slight, but it's noticeable in FS9 and quite irritating. Thanks.

Yes, I did Latin (and Greek) at school... for all the good it did me.

Can't see me buying expensive pedals - I am too tall for one thing: I have tried and find them uncomfortable. I have set a sufficient deadzone in the X52 rotaries, but I still sometimes get this sideways drag as I taxi. I looked today and the X52 control panel showed that all the rotaries were within the set zones, so I don't think that that was the cause. On the other hand, I often find that, when the veer sidewards is severe, then unplugging the X52 and plugging it back in fixes it. It's a very mixed blessing this Saitek joystick!

OK, yes, I have seen that message in FS9.

True. None of the aircraft documentation mentions this point (it's a bit abstruse, after all), as far as I can see, which is in part why I posted the question. It was really a question of the use of the fuel from the tank rather than the filling, but you may be right.

Yes, really nice replies, thanks again! .. that rings a bell! Maybe that was what I read, but it was a long time ago, so I couldn't be sure. Whatever, in FS I am in the habit now of switching on the centre fuel pumps only after take-off. According to the above, I should only be doing it when I've reached cruise altitude, but I guess it makes no odds in FS9!

.. but all that is flight simulation, little Piper Cherokees etc. apart - it's simulating what happens in real aviation with real pilots sitting staring at their slightly different screens. You can always disconnect the autopilot and hand fly the plane of course...

.. didn't that mad Michael chap suggest this for Ryanair??? Gwillmot, our resident specialist in Reductio ad absurdum! :smile: As he says, ya just got to luv him!! Whatever, constant (i.e. every second or two) twitching of the yoke when taxiing is not part of real-world aviation and it would be good to be able to avoid it in the sim. Maybe if I had a really nice rudder pedal, that would work, but I don't...

No, that's great David, many thanks for the reply!

.. which is what I said. I suppose though that one might as well ask how AI traffic keeps to the centre line: by following the taxi links in the AFCAD. Not totally impossible that someone has made it work for user a/c I suppose. The taxi gauge is not for the inept or lazy - sorry, but I wouldn't label myself as either, even if you apparently would! :smile: - it's useful when flying (er, taxiing) a/c that have less than perfect IDEs and insist on either stopping or racing ahead at the meerest tweak of the throttle. Rob's gauge keeps them under control very nicely...

1. Many years ago I am sure I read that although (as we all know!) fuel in centre tanks (when present of course) is used up first, the centre fuel pumps are not activated until after take-off (for fire hazard reasons). I forget the exact reasoning for this, but I have followed this procedure for many years. But now, Googling shows no mention of it. Did I invent this, or is it actually valid??? 2. On approach, do pilots select their own speeds or are these always dictated by ATC? I know ATC can and often do give speed instructions, to get the right separation between traffic, but otherwise, are pilots free to choose their aircrafts' approach & descent speeds themselves according to internal & external conditions? Thanks.

I seem to recall that such a tool exists (not that I can imagine how it would work) but I can't find it now. May be a figment of my imagination, or I dreamt it, but if it does exist and someone knows where I can download it, it would be good to do away with the need for the constant twitching I sometimes have to do on my X52 (which might be in part to blame anyway) to keep a/c on the straight and narrow. (I have ground winds set at zero, so that's not the reason). Thanks.

Title says it all really! Should zorder= also work for fixed windows, if they are included alongside 'normal' panel windows in the configuration? (Doesn't seem to at first attempt., but maybe I just need to double-check my numbering!). Thanks.

Ok, so much the better, but for me, as I say, I can't see me putting in all those hours to change so many airports (I rarely fly to the same one twice these days!).

Dave, I used to think that they worked in user a/c, and AircraftContainerSDKFS2004.doc does say: In practice though I never really found that the codes worked, even with the corresponding gates marked in AFCAD2. Other people had said (in other threads) that it only works (if at all) with AI traffic and my experience kind of bore that out.. But if you have got them to work with your user aircraft, I don't know what to think any more! In any event, I think the parking code route is too laborious to use on anything other than a small number of 'favourite' airports.

Peter, I am obviously over-tired! Thanks, I actually knew that (believe it or not!). Oh dear, oh dear, what was I thinking???.