Questions about weather Offsets

[VOZzer]

All I've ever wanted to do with this project is to get a simple, 0-5 reading of precipitation/turbulence from a cloud layer. I didn't know it was so difficult!

I have read that text file four times, and I still don't understand.

Anyway, IF I can get an application to work with this FSUIPC Acceptance thing (where FSUIPC "fills in" the weather), can I THEN use SIOC to derive the Offset such as CE8D?

You mention ActiveSky. I use REX2, which, whilst it is a texture program at heart, does come with a nice weather engine. Can I use this?

I understand that the program "requests" the data, FSUIPC "requests" it from FSX, then it is replied back. The Offsets are then populated -> At this point can they be used by something like SIOC?

If not I'm tempted just to use the old FS98 Offsets. However, I don't want to because a radar that tells you what weather is like AT your aircraft isn't much use! I need to know what's AHEAD or AROUND me.

If REX2 makes a request for the FSUIPC Weather through a NWI Command, can I then use SIOC to read Offset CE8D and get an output?

[VOZzer]

Hi Pete,

I've decided to use the older Offsets, since we're clearly not understanding each other here.

So, I have a question. What is the difference between "Upper" and "Lower" cloud Turbulences (For Offsets like $0EEA). Logically, I thought it was the highest cloud layer, or something along those lines, but for some reason, when I had 4 cloud layers set, it only ever applied to layer 2, which was BELOW me.

[Pete Dowson]

All I've ever wanted to do with this project is to get a simple, 0-5 reading of precipitation/turbulence from a cloud layer. I didn't know it was so difficult!

It isn't, it is dead easy for a known place -- i.e. at the aircraft. That's the ONLY known place. For everywhere else you need to say WHERE it is you want that information for. Don't you see that? Isn't it blindingly obvious? How does the system (FSUIPC + FSX) "guess" where it is you want the weather for? Obviously you have to tell it!!!

Anyway, IF I can get an application to work with this FSUIPC Acceptance thing (where FSUIPC "fills in" the weather), can I THEN use SIOC to derive the Offset such as CE8D?

How do you get this application to get the weather at the place you want it?

You mention ActiveSky. I use REX2, which, whilst it is a texture program at heart, does come with a nice weather engine. Can I use this?

No. it sets the weather, not reads it. And it uses SimConnect directly, not via FSUIPC.

If not I'm tempted just to use the old FS98 Offsets. However, I don't want to because a radar that tells you what weather is like AT your aircraft isn't much use! I need to know what's AHEAD or AROUND me.

Wow! This is the very first time you've actually said where you want the weather for -- NOT "the nearest weather station" as you proclaimed earlier, but "AHEAD" or "AROUND" your aircraft.

Well, for AHEAD of your aircraft you'd need to compute the Latitude and Longitude of some point ahead, presumably on your course or track. Then ask for the weather there. But "AROUND" you? Where? All around? All points of the compass? For a decent radar you'd need to get it for at least 5 points ahead and to the forward left and right. That's 5 calculations of Lat/Lon and five requests for weather.

There are good weather radar programs available -- SA_Wxr is one i use -- and gauges. All of them read the weather at a number of points, both near and distant, in an arc from the aircraft nose, where the radar is. Can't you see that this is not simply a single reading from some preset offset? Obviously the values have to be deliberately gathered via a series of requests. How else could it possibly be done?

I've decided to use the older Offsets, since we're clearly not understanding each other here.

I understand full well that you seem to have an odd idea of what a single set of offset values can give you. There's no way FSUIPC or FS can read your mind and know where it is you want the weather for. I've told you time and time again that it cannoot be that simple, for reasons which should be blindingly obvious, but you even now still persist that it is I who is not understanding you? Phew! :-(

So, I have a question. What is the difference between "Upper" and "Lower" cloud Turbulences (For Offsets like $0EEA). Logically, I thought it was the highest cloud layer, or something along those lines, but for some reason, when I had 4 cloud layers set, it only ever applied to layer 2, which was BELOW me.

Those lower offsets date from FS98, which supported only 3 wind layers and two cloud layers. The two which are provided for later versions of FS are the lowest two, because it is generally those which are required for ATIS reports and ground information. If you want all the layers at the aircraft you must use the NWI offsets C000-C3FF as I've previously advised you. Those are populated and updated constantly by FSUIPC without you making any requests, and can easily be used the way you first asked.

Pete

[VOZzer]

Those lower offsets date from FS98, which supported only 3 wind layers and two cloud layers. The two which are provided for later versions of FS are the lowest two, because it is generally those which are required for ATIS reports and ground information. If you want all the layers at the aircraft you must use the NWI offsets C000-C3FF as I've previously advised you. Those are populated and updated constantly by FSUIPC without you making any requests, and can easily be used the way you first asked.

Pete

Alot of information there!

So, what you're saying is, lower cloud turbulence = cloud layer 1, and upper = 2?

I will look at these other NWI Offsets, which are DIFFERENT to the ones I've previously mentioned (because they are AT the aircraft)?

[Pete Dowson]

So, what you're saying is, lower cloud turbulence = cloud layer 1, and upper = 2?

Well 0 and 1 really, considering the arrays in the NWI areas are [0] to [15].

I will look at these other NWI Offsets, which are DIFFERENT to the ones I've previously mentioned (because they are AT the aircraft)?

More, they are different because they are automatically populated for you. You don't have to tell FSUIPC to read the data from FS for you. They are the source for the lower (FS98) offset data.

Pete

[VOZzer]

Hi Pete,

Really sorry to ask this, but just confirming what you said above...

If I have two cloud layers, is it 0,1/or 1,2?

[Pete Dowson]

If I have two cloud layers, is it 0,1/or 1,2?

How do you get so confused? If you count from 0 (as C/C++ does) then it is 0 and 1. If you count from 1 (as in Basic) then it is 1, 2. Either way it is the lowest two layers, the first two starting from the ground and ascending.

Pete

[VOZzer]

Hi Pete,

I made a small script just to test the Offsets. I used Offsets C28D (1), C29D (2), C2AD (3), C2BD (4), C2CD (5), totalling 5 precipitation layers. I also used one turbulence offset, C288 (1).

For a whole, the Offsets worked okay. However, there were a few discreipencies.

Firstly, I set 5 cloud layers. Layer 1 had precipitation set to 0, layer 2 set to 1, layer 3 set to 2, and so on. However, layer 5 was set to maximum precipitation, and it showed 0 in the SIOC IOCPServer control (which "logs" all the FSUIPC readings).

The same problem applied to turbulence. I set it to none, it showed zero. Set it to level one, it showed one... I set it to maximum... and It showed zero!

Is there soemthing I'm missing here?

Thanks,

Jack

[Pete Dowson]

Is there soemthing I'm missing here?

I've no idea. sorry. How are you setting the weather "at the aircraft"? You are aware, i assume, that FSX is dynamic? Any weather it sets is "transitioned" into place and is constantly changing even then. The weather at the aircraft will be influenced by at least three of the nearby weather stations -- have you seen what it is doing with those, on the weather map? And even if you put the rate of change slider to full left, it is not stopped. Only "global" weather mode is fully controllable, and you cannot set that in the sim, only via SimConnect programming.

Please use the tools provided to check things. FSUIPC provides full weather logging facilities, and WeatherSet2 will read the weather at the aircraft or anywhere you ask.

I really cannot undertake to check what you are doing. FSUIPC reports what it is told by SimConnect, no more, no less. You can see what that is using the tools provided.

Pete

[nayana3]

How to download the " FSInterragator "...?

[Pete Dowson]

It's included in the FSUIPC SDK package.

 

Pete