Hello, Pete.
I've tested those issues with FSX and P3D 2.4 with FSUIPC 4.937 installed on both.
Is this a new bug in P3D's SimConnect? Have you checked the actual SimConnect METAR strings which are being sent to SimConnect, because all the NWI does is make FSUIPC build those strings. I'm pretty certain it's always been okay with FSX and SP2/Acceleration versions of SimConnect.
It looks like FSUIPC generate incorrect metar string for wind layers.
I can set 3 layers of winds by setting metar:
GLOB 151552Z 20000KT&D100NG 20202KT&A200NG 20404KT&A400NG CLR 15/05 Q1013And I get 3 layers of winds.
As I think similar configuration set to NWI generates metar:
szMETAR="GLOB 151041Z 20000KT&D100NG 20202KT&A200NG 20404KT&A200NG 0050&B0&D1 CLR 15/05&A24 Q1013 "And I get only first 2 layers. Count of layers is 2 because in NWI generated metar second and third layers have similar altitude.
In FS2004, for which the NWI was devised, it was only possible to have one visibility layer. Trying to use more never worked. Therefore the original design was for one layer. The additions was done in such a way as to not break existing programs. And yes, the layers all count.
I suspect the Global weather facility in SimConnect only allows one layer still. The global setting is really only used as the initial default for weather stations not yet set up.
Thank you for your explanation about the visibility structures. But I have found strange addition in visibility blocks in metar string. When visibility layers count 0, NWI however adds one thin layer:
0050&B0&D1When visibility layers count is greater than 0, it also adds one thin extra layer.
Check the METAR string being sent. It sounds like some odd changes in the SimConnect weather interface have been introduced. Please just double-check using the string versions -- you can get those by FSUIPC's logging or SimConnect logging.
If P3D have changed these things I suggest you might want to look at sending the METAR strings yourself rather than use the NWI. I'd hoped folks would have moved on by now from that system devised in 2003 to match the binary hacked interface into FS2004.
You can send the strings via FSUIPC if you'd prefer not to use SimConnect directly.
a ) It is really a P3D bug. Even when I set cloud turbulence by metar string, Light turbulence replaces None. On FSX such a setting works properly.
b ) Both FSX and P3D sets precipitation base altitude in 10 times less. I set to NWI 1000 feet (converted to meters of course) and get metar:
szMETAR="GLOB 151055Z 20000KT&D100NG 20202KT&A200NG 20404KT&A200NG 1609&B1&D1499 0050&B1500&D1 5ST020&ST010FNVN010N 15/05&A24 Q1013 "It sets 100 meters not 1000 in both FSX and P3D. So precipitation base altitude in metar is tens of meters, not a hundreds. As a result, difference between altitude in NWI and real setting.
Hmm. Sounds like quite a few of the bugs in FSX's weather facilities have been carried over into P3D and maybe even made worse. Of course FSUIPC has no control over "artefacts" I'm afraid.
Not tested more.
If I understand correctly, you recommend to use METAR for setting weather in FSX and P3D. I don't want to use simconnect directly for saving simplicity in the my application. So, should I use offset 0xB000 for setting metar? Does it matter what a day and time to set in metar after icao code? What a correct sequence for setting the metar for: 1) an arbitrary weather station 2) global (and replace weather on all stations) 3) all station was not set? And how to get a global and station weather?