Weather/FSUIPC question

[Agrajag]

Peter,

Ran into something odd that a weather developer said involved the way you handle things.

I have FS9 set to a default of clear weather. Since I use weather programs, I never see that clear weather except during testing.

If I start FS9 and go into Create a Flight (a screen you don't use if memory serves) and change the departure airport, when I return back to the main Create a Flight menu, the Weather tab doesn't change. It still says "CLEAR".

HOWEVER, if I launch FS9 and also start up any weather product (like ActiveSky, FS Metar, etc.), there's a distinct difference in what happens. Now when I go in and pick a new departure airport, when I return back to the Create a Flight menu, the Weather tab now says, "User Defined". If I go into that tab, there's a whole bunch of weather set up that appears to be accurate.

The odd part is that the weather developers (I'm 3 for 3 so far) tell me that they are not able to set up weather at that point yet so this info isn't coming from them. One said FSUIPC sees the weather program and sets the weather based on previous weather.

This is just a curious element I'd like to understand.

I don't understand why simply having a weather product running (but suposedly not able to set weather at this stage) makes the weather tab change while not having it there keeps the weather "CLEAR".

Further, the weather that does show up there can't just be based on the last flight as I get different weather with every change of departure. I can go to LAX and get one result and then change my mind and go to Heathrow and get something entirely different.

Any idea where this information is coming from and if you have anything to do with this cycle?

[Pete Dowson]

HOWEVER, if I launch FS9 and also start up any weather product (like ActiveSky, FS Metar, etc.), there's a distinct difference in what happens. Now when I go in and pick a new departure airport, when I return back to the Create a Flight menu, the Weather tab now says, "User Defined".

Correct. Any attempt by anything external, whether it be simply clear weather or set dynamics to zero, will make FS revert to "User Defined". I think all the weather programs initialise this in one way or another.

If I go into that tab, there's a whole bunch of weather set up that appears to be accurate.

The odd part is that the weather developers (I'm 3 for 3 so far) tell me that they are not able to set up weather at that point yet so this info isn't coming from them. One said FSUIPC sees the weather program and sets the weather based on previous weather.

No, FSUIPC never sets any weather, other than adding the occasional high level cirrus to clouds being set by a program, if that option is enabled. FSUIPC has absolutely no idea of what the previous weather was nor what "accurate weather" means. It is just a window through to FS's weather system for other programs to use. It is passive, not active.

If that weather is not from the weather program, it is from whatever weather was loaded by FS from your default Flight (or the last flight you loaded). If you want to get rid of pre-recorded weather, delete the .WX files associated with your flights, or do a "clear all weather" and save new flights.

I don't understand why simply having a weather product running (but suposedly not able to set weather at this stage) makes the weather tab change while not having it there keeps the weather "CLEAR".

Because the weather programs are asking FSUIPC to do something to the weather. This makes it "user defined".

If you want to see more about what is going on with Weather through FSUIPC, enable the weather logging and check the Log.

Further, the weather that does show up there can't just be based on the last flight as I get different weather with every change of departure. I can go to LAX and get one result and then change my mind and go to Heathrow and get something entirely different.[\quote]

Of course. The whole point of the .WX files is that they store the complete global weather. All weather in FS2004 is localised. You don't get the same weather everywhere. Check the size of the WX files sometime. You don't think they get that big for simply one-weather-for-everywhere, do you?

Regards

Pete

[Agrajag]

If that weather is not from the weather program, it is from whatever weather was loaded by FS from your default Flight (or the last flight you loaded). If you want to get rid of pre-recorded weather, delete the .WX files associated with your flights, or do a "clear all weather" and save new flights.

Here's the odd part. I went and hid all my flights in the My Documents/Flight Simulator Files folder. In fact, I hid the whole folder. When I do that, FS9 (with weather addon in background) creates a Previous flight.FX and Previous flight.WZ file seemingly from nowhere and then weather data is put into the Weather tab again.

Because the weather programs are asking FSUIPC to do something to the weather. This makes it "user defined".

Gotcha.

Of course. The whole point of the .WX files is that they store the complete global weather. All weather in FS2004 is localised. You don't get the same weather everywhere. Check the size of the WX files sometime. You don't think they get that big for simply one-weather-for-everywhere, do you?

Ah hah! Okay. MUCH appreciated. So the fact that the weather seems accurate is because I'm checking it minutes to hours after a previous flight. If I waited days or more it'd likely be completely screwy.

The reason for all this is my continued desire to have accurate weather on initial load without the need to do that silly AI toggle thing.

I'm wondering now what would happen if the weather products essentially faked FS9 by providing an updated "Previous flight" file that has the current weather.

Thanks. Great info.

[Pete Dowson]

Here's the odd part. I went and hid all my flights in the My Documents/Flight Simulator Files folder. In fact, I hid the whole folder. When I do that, FS9 (with weather addon in background) creates a Previous flight.FX and Previous flight.WZ file seemingly from nowhere and then weather data is put into the Weather tab again.

The "previous flight" thing is created anyway. The default flights are all found in the main FS Flights folders. I don't think it ever invents a set of weather excepting when weather scenarios are selected, then it generates them from a scenario script.

Only user-saved flights are in the My Documents folders, so you only hid those.

I'm wondering now what would happen if the weather products essentially faked FS9 by providing an updated "Previous flight" file that has the current weather.

I think there's a GetWeather program (maybe different name) which essentially downloads the usual Jeppesen weather and stores it. But as far as I can see you may as well use FS to download it in that case.

Regards,

Pete