Is it possible to determine which set of airport data is actually used by FSX from Makerwys.exe output?

[skydriver]

Hi Pete:

 

Thanks again from all of us for all your great work done with FS over many years!  :rolleyes:

 

My question this time is: Is it possible to determine which set of airport data is actually used by FSX from Makerwys.exe output?

 

I'm looking at output from a PC which runs FSX and there are 3 installed sets of data on it for, as an example, EGFF Cardiff Wales.

 

The first listed in the "Runways.txt" file output by Makerwys.exe is the standard Microsoft FSX version.

"in file: Scenery\0501\scenery\APX47130.bgl"

 

The second is the add-on from UK2000:

"in file: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\UK2000 scenery\UK2000 Cardiff Xtreme\scenery\EGFF_AFX_UK2xGEN.BGL"

 

The third and last is the add-on from Just Flight:

"in file: JustFlight\Traffic360\AirportFacilities\scenery\AFX_EGFF.BGL"

 

 

 

The key point is that on the PC in question it is the 2nd set of data which is actually shown when at that airport.

 

 

 

I can see that the 2nd and 3rd sets of data are preceded in the "Runways.txt" file by log statements showing "Deletions check for Airport EGFF:" 

 

and this appears to be done as part of the process of the new airport definition that is about to be listed in the "Runways.txt" file.

 

So this is done right before the listing of the UK2000 airport and also right before the listing of the Just Flight airport.

 

 

 

I can understand that a previous definition would be deleted before a new one is added - but is it all possible to determine which one the pilot will actually see when at the airport?

 

My point is that on this PC at least it is not "the last one" - not that anyone said it should be!   :neutral:

 

 

I'd love to know what you think and if there is any way to tease this from the information - or indeed from the information in any of the other files output by Makerwys.exe

 

 

Final note - I also looked at runways.csv and in it there is only one listing for the runways at airport (a total of 2 lines for the 2 runways). Interestingly the data it shows is not that for the UK2000 airport which is shown when actually using FSX.

For example one runway is listed as:

EGFF,0120,51.401344,-3.358387,220,121,7712,110.70

 

and this matches, for example, the latitude for the runway in the Microsoft and Just Flight data in the "Runways.txt" file output by Makerwys.exe as shown in 

*** Runway *** EGFF0120 Lat 51.401344 Long -3.358387 Alt 220 Hdg 121 Len 7712 Wid 151 ILS 110.70, Flags: GS DME BC

 

but it is different from the latitude for the runway in the UK2000 data in the "Runways.txt" file output by Makerwys.exe as shown in 

*** Runway *** EGFF0120 Lat 51.401314 Long -3.358579 Alt 220 Hdg 114 Len 7726 Wid 180 ILS 110.70, Flags: GS DME

 

 

And help is much appreciated!

 

Thanks for your time.

 

- Skydriver 

[Pete Dowson]

My question this time is: Is it possible to determine which set of airport data is actually used by FSX from Makerwys.exe output? 

 

Yes. Everything it does is listed in the log file, "runways.txt". The log is produced in the order of processing, layer by layer in the SCENERY.CFG file in the same priority system as FS -- all deletions in a layer before all additions. the specific BGL file name is listed.

 

I'm looking at output from a PC which runs FSX and there are 3 installed sets of data on it for, as an example, EGFF Cardiff Wales.

 

The first listed in the "Runways.txt" file output by Makerwys.exe is the standard Microsoft FSX version.

"in file: Scenery\0501\scenery\APX47130.bgl"

 

The second is the add-on from UK2000:

"in file: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\UK2000 scenery\UK2000 Cardiff Xtreme\scenery\EGFF_AFX_UK2xGEN.BGL"

 

The third and last is the add-on from Just Flight:

"in file: JustFlight\Traffic360\AirportFacilities\scenery\AFX_EGFF.BGL"

 

You shouldn't have the traffic layer ones enabled for add-on airports which come with their own AFD data. The reason traffic packages provide them is for parking specific airlines at the correct gates. but UK20000 AFDs do that better, and of course their position for the gates will not be exactly the same -- the traffic ones will be based on default scenery.

 

You should either go through all the BGLs in the traffic folder and remove or rename those for which you have add-on scenery, or make sure that the traffic layer is processed before the add-on scenery -- i.e. move it.

 

I always rename the ones which shouldn't be active, just changing the .BGL to .BGX will suffice. Don't forget to rebuild the files afterwards.

 

The key point is that on the PC in question it is the 2nd set of data which is actually shown when at that airport.

 

Yes, of course. That one also contains the graphics.

 

The Traffic layer won't provide new graphics!  It will just refer to default gate and runway positions to be used by AI traffic . JustFlight don't know what add-on scenery you use and wouldn't be able to provide all the correct files for all the possible add-ons in any case.

 

I can understand that a previous definition would be deleted before a new one is added - but is it all possible to determine which one the pilot will actually see when at the airport?

 

Always the last one to provide the actual graphics -- buildings, tarmac etc. But the positions of everything would be in the last one to change those. Different layers contain different things. Often terrain mesh and autogen layers are separate too. The layers are always processed in SCENERY.CFG layer order, as shown in Runways.txt too, though MakeRunways does not care about buildings, mesh or autogen, of course.

 

My point is that on this PC at least it is not "the last one" - not that anyone said it should be!    :neutral:

 

But it is! Each type of scenery element is independent. For example the last one to set buildings will have its buildings seen. If it doesn't delete previous layer buildings (flattening i think it is called), then you'll get both lots with the later ones superimposed. . In your case the GRAPHICS will be from the ad-on scenery layer, the second one, but the gate positions and so on will have been messed up for traffic by the later traffic layer.

 

Pete