MSFS Aprons with custom texture misbehaving [SOLVED]

[WildLynxPilot]

I have made a custom material with an arrow resembling the ones used at this airport. I have placed them on the runway extension using square aprons. Made one and duplicated it. I also made the custom threshold marks using the same procedure with another, simple white material. Everything looks fine in Dev Mode:

The small aprons are all in priority level 40 - far above all other aprons in this scenery. The "Force above runway" is also ticked. They do not exclude vegetation. The materials are all good - no problems in the build process and as far as I can see everything is included in the package that I have copied to Community. It looks the same when I exit Dev Mode. But when I restart the simulator and go to the airport it looks like this:

Going back to dev mode and everything is all right again...

I can't get my head around the reason. Does anyone have an idea on what to do about this?

 

[rhumbaflappy]

I'd make a test scenery with nothing in it but the apron and see if that shows first. Then add elements to see what causes the problem.

 

[WildLynxPilot]

Well, many many tests and quite a lot of new grey hair later...

The reason for the problem was this: I had named the material library as "ICAO_materials". The source directory was PackageSources\materials an I had set the output directory to MaterialLibs\materials. All materials showed up nicely in DevMode, but (as seen in the picture above) the aprons with these custom materials had no materials and were shown in a curious way below the runway and other apron textures. I finally found, that the output directory has to be named according to the material library name - so when I changed the output dirctory to MaterialLibs\ICAO_materials everything started working corectly!

This version 1.9.x is VERY picky about folder structures (and curiously behaves different in DevMode and in the sim itself)...

 

[szcsongor]

Maybe I just hijack your topic instead of opening a new one, because my problem strongly relates your issue.
Wanted to include aprons in my scenery, but can't change it's texture from the default grey concrete texture. How do you change it to asphalt type for example? And when I click on the texture name to change, it disappears and then it can't be changed back at all.

 

[WildLynxPilot]

Select the wanted texture type in the Materials, then select your Apron and click on the Surface type in the Apron properties so that it changes to the wanted type. If nothing happens you probably have your apron at a too low priority level. Increase the priority until you see it.

 

[FlyingsCool]

Well, many many tests and quite a lot of new grey hair later...

The reason for the problem was this: I had named the material library as "ICAO_materials". The source directory was PackageSources\materials an I had set the output directory to MaterialLibs\materials. All materials showed up nicely in DevMode, but (as seen in the picture above) the aprons with these custom materials had no materials and were shown in a curious way below the runway and other apron textures. I finally found, that the output directory has to be named according to the material library name - so when I changed the output dirctory to MaterialLibs\ICAO_materials everything started working corectly!

This version 1.9.x is VERY picky about folder structures (and curiously behaves different in DevMode and in the sim itself)...

I believe it behaves differently because in Devmode it's using textures in the cache location, not from any particular directory structure. It DOES NOT use the texture files that you pick to create the material, so no matter what file you choose if, say, you attempt to change the png file and reload the material to edit the material, it'll still use what's in cache unless you choose a different filename for the texture png file that you have selected in the material, if that makes sense.

But, apparently FS is VERY particular about what directories files are kept in when the game is running. When I had my LVW_cfg.xml file in "LivingWorld Config" and everything was properly called out in the layout.json, it didn't start working until I called the directory "LivingWorld_Config" (as called out in the SDK).

 

[szcsongor]

Select the wanted texture type in the Materials, then select your Apron and click on the Surface type in the Apron properties so that it changes to the wanted type. If nothing happens you probably have your apron at a too low priority level. Increase the priority until you see it.

Thank you, it works! I have to familiarize myself with the priorities, I had the same problem with polygons before I did not set their priorities correctly.

 

[Oleh Shevchenko]

Well, many many tests and quite a lot of new grey hair later...

The reason for the problem was this: I had named the material library as "ICAO_materials". The source directory was PackageSources\materials an I had set the output directory to MaterialLibs\materials. All materials showed up nicely in DevMode, but (as seen in the picture above) the aprons with these custom materials had no materials and were shown in a curious way below the runway and other apron textures. I finally found, that the output directory has to be named according to the material library name - so when I changed the output dirctory to MaterialLibs\ICAO_materials everything started working corectly!

This version 1.9.x is VERY picky about folder structures (and curiously behaves different in DevMode and in the sim itself)...

Thank you very much! You saved my nervous system!

 

[Angelus1971]

I believe it behaves differently because in Devmode it's using textures in the cache location, not from any particular directory structure. It DOES NOT use the texture files that you pick to create the material, so no matter what file you choose if, say, you attempt to change the png file and reload the material to edit the material, it'll still use what's in cache unless you choose a different filename for the texture png file that you have selected in the material, if that makes sense.

But, apparently FS is VERY particular about what directories files are kept in when the game is running. When I had my LVW_cfg.xml file in "LivingWorld Config" and everything was properly called out in the layout.json, it didn't start working until I called the directory "LivingWorld_Config" (as called out in the SDK).

Found something quite interesting related to what you said with the cache.

If you delete the texture in the Material Library (using the X beside Abelio and not the delete button (i can never get the delete button to work!) and then shut down the game.

The go to your cache directory

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\$PC$\DATA\<your dir names>\PACKAGESOURCES\MATERIALS\TEXTURES

This directory contains NNZ files - these are the cache names and files that the games uses and it is why if you change your original .png and keep it the same name, you always see what version of the file you used first.

If you delete the NNZ for the texture you want to change (assuming you deleted it in the game as above), you can re-add the updated texture with the same name and it will create a new cache (NNZ file) for you to use.

Wish i had found this out a couple of weeks ago!

 

[fscam]

Hi
@WildLynxPilot @szcsongor
found this topic when I search on web,

i have a new question
when we use apron to override texture on everywhere , which i did some areas and they are working.
but when there is close touch between taxi path and apron area taxi path destroy itself and creates weird shapes
which you can see on the picture
what can be the solution for this problem ?
haven’t find any solution

thank you.

 

[WildLynxPilot]

I never have the "draw surface" or "center line" ticked on taxiways. I always make the surface as aprons and all lines as painted lines. Much more control that way, smoother curves on the lines and nicer result.

 

[WildLynxPilot]

From the picture it seems that your taxiway paths are far too wide, as the holding point line is so long!

 

[fscam]

From the picture it seems that your taxiway paths are far too wide, as the holding point line is so long!

Hi thanks for the answer. It’s not only the line is distorting , taxiway itselfs too. That’s why it looks wider.it’s also making too wide itself. But it works on other areas without issue. When i build apron near then it’s making that weird crazy shapes and lines.

 

[mamu]

I have already seen this behaviour (weird shapes when points of different features (like aprons and painted Lines) are too close, (lets Say 50 cm),
solved by making them a bit far apart
Anyway, as per the wildlinx statement, pretty much everyone use aprons+painted Lines for taxyways, aprons are really much more poweful and customizable
Of course under the apron you should have your taxy network for ai purposes,just Remember to uncheck draw surface and enter correct taxy span size for each segment (between each taxy point)



Inviato dal mio Mi 9 Lite utilizzando Tapatalk

 

[fscam]

I have already seen this behaviour (weird shapes when points of different features (like aprons and painted Lines) are too close, (lets Say 50 cm),
solved by making them a bit far apart
Anyway, as per the wildlinx statement, pretty much everyone use aprons+painted Lines for taxyways, aprons are really much more poweful and customizable
Of course under the apron you should have your taxy network for ai purposes,just Remember to uncheck draw surface and enter correct taxy span size for each segment (between each taxy point)



Inviato dal mio Mi 9 Lite utilizzando Tapatalk

actually when i am out from the developer mode to normal mode it was making that issue. but when i start the game from beginning its fixes itself. so problem solved