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P3D v4 Effects parameters

Messages
133
Country
ca-quebec
How do i add parameters to an effect ?

I want to add the time and date that an effect appears.

ScreenShot032.jpg
 
Messages
7,450
Country
us-illinois
Hello:

To better help you determine which 'EffectParams' are required, a few questions are in order: ;-)

On what Date, and during what Hours Of Day (start to finish) ...do you want the Effect to appear ?

What Effect are you wanting to appear ?

GaryGB
 
Messages
133
Country
ca-quebec
effect = FX_lightning01.fx
Date = 17 november 2018
time = 06hr 41minute
duration = the time for the Lightning to appear ! (1-2 seconde!!!) and when it hits the ground a forest fire will appear a few seconde after the lightning.

this will be only for a test , so i can see how it works ;-)
 
Messages
7,450
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us-illinois
OK, assuming the above time is not UTC / Zulu time at Greenwich England, IIUC, that is instead 06:41 in the Morning at the placement location.

What will be the Geographic coordinates for a 'test' location (since the FS clock reads local time on the globe in a flight session) ?


Do you also want to make a variation based on proximity ...and not on the above stated time ?

If so, how far away from that location in Meters would you want the user aircraft to be when it triggers the Effect *.Fx to be displayed ?

And if so, do you want that proximity based Effect *.Fx to be reset so it can be displayed again whenever it is triggered by the user aircraft distance (within that same flight session) ?

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
Messages
133
Country
ca-quebec
Maybe i explain myself wrong (i'm not English)

It is local time in the morning

All i want to understand is, how to enter the date and time in the section parameters !
What to enter first and how to enter it ; and how do i saperate them, do i use ( ) or " " or / or \ or ; etc...

Thank you in advance for taking time to show me ;)
 

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Messages
7,450
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us-illinois
https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/effects-parameters.445325/post-821823

Maybe I explain(ed) myself wrong (I'm not English)

It is local time in the morning

All I want to understand is, how to enter the date and time in the section parameters !
What to enter first and how to enter it ; and how do I separate them, do I use ( ) or " " or / or \ or ; etc...

Thank you in advance for taking time to show me ;)

Hi again:

The SDK docs for P3Dv4 (which you indicated to be the FS version that you are using in your OP above) explains this:

https://www.prepar3d.com/SDKv4/sdk/modeling/3ds_max/tools/3ds_max_tools_overview.html#The Attach Tool


That info is for manually using an AttachPoint on a 2D model in the *.X-file output by either 3DSMAX or MCX.

That would be a more complex way of attaching an Effect *.Fx file ...to an otherwise 'invisible' 3D model.


I suggest instead, that you review the P3Dv4 BGLComp placement info (press the PgDn keys 3x) at the following URL:

http://www.prepar3d.com/SDKv4/sdk/modeling/special_effects/special_effects_overview.html#Step 1: Create an XML File for the Effect


The intended work-flow shown in your latter post above, which utilizes ADE, has better potential to be successful.

However, the placement Geographic coordinates you show above may be too far away from WADT airport to work.


AFAIK, ADE only works properly to place scenery objects within a certain boundary radius distance from the ARP.

IMHO, it would be best use ADE to create a new "airport" project local to the placement location:

ADE Menu > New Airport

Add > Other Start > Start Type: Helipad ...instead of any visible airport objects, such as RWYs, Aprons etc. at:

Lat: -9.534370936

Lon: 119.738410413

Altitude: 524.8961 Meters / 1722.1 Feet AMSL (ground level on default terrain mesh)

NOTE: Use a fictional Helipad ICAO code in ADE that does not already exist in FS airport pick-list. ;)


For Effect placement:


Parameters: EFFECTPARAMS=YEAR=2018,2018;MOY=11,11;DOM=17,17;HOD=6,6;MOH=41,41

Lat: -9.534370936

Lon: 119.738410413

Altitude: 0 Meters AGL (ground level on default terrain mesh)

Heading: 0.00 Degrees

Image Complexity: VERY_SPARSE

Check "Altitude is AGL" checkbox

Check all check-boxes for:

* No Autogen Suppress

* No Crash Detect

* No Fog

* No Shadow



CAVEAT: Before compiling this project to a BGL:

Configure ADE so that SDK BGLComp placement of Effect *.Fx files is compiled into a BGL separate from a Helipad.

ADE Menu > Settings > Program Options dialog > {Project} tab > 'check': "Separate Airport and Object BGL files" check-box > 'click' [Save] button


Verify this ADE configuration output option when compiling 'airport' project BGLs in ADE for this new Helipad via:

ADE Menu > File > Compile Airport > Compile Options dialog > 'click' "More Options" [>>>] button < 'Compile Options' pop-up dialog opens >

In 'Compile Options' pop-up dialog, 'check': "Compile Separate Airport and Object BGL files" check-box > 'click' [Close] button

[EDITED]

Place the "[ICAO ????]_ADEX_[author initials]_OBJ.bgl" into a scenery sub-folder chain Area layer 'active' in FS Scenery Library GUI

Test this BGL in a FS flight session at the Helipad location launched for 17-11-2018 (international date format) at 6:41:55 A.M. local time


This is the resulting BGLComp XML source code for that BGL:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<!-- Created by Scenery Design Engine (SDE) on 5/8/2019 -->
<FSData
version="9.0"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="bglcomp.xsd">
<SceneryObject
lat="-9.53436657786369"
lon="119.73841175437"
alt="0.0M"
altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
pitch="0"
bank="0"
heading="0"
imageComplexity="VERY_SPARSE">
<NoAutogenSuppression/>
<NoCrash/>
<NoFog/>
<NoShadow/>
<Effect
effectName="fx_lightning01.fx"
effectParams="EFFECTPARAMS=YEAR=2018,2018;MOY=11,11;DOM=17,17;HOD=6,6;MOH=41,41"/>
</SceneryObject>
</FSData>

Let us know how this works for you; we can then 'Add' another Effect *.FX file for the "Forest Fire" display at the same location. :)

[END_EDIT]

GaryGB
 
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Messages
133
Country
ca-quebec
Thank you GaryGB and RK; ;)

I work full time so i do not have all the time for testing, but be certain i will test your explanation . And i can say, it is well explain and i think i understand what you discribe.

I will post my result later. (cannot say when, but it will be done).
 
Messages
133
Country
ca-quebec
here is where i am.

First = I created a .xml file that i compile in the SDK for FSX and it work perfectly in FSX :)

Then = I take the same .xml file and compile it in SDK for P3D4.5 and it does not work good in P3D4 :(

In P3D4.5 the 2 towers and the hotel show good. the forest fire work good at the right time and the 2 fx_explosionfire work good and at the right time.

But the fx_lightning01 does not work well ( sometime it show and other time does not show). :scratchch

It is 3 effects that should show at different place and time between WADW and WADT. Start WADW heading 278 for 16nm (effect=06:35hr) then heading 282 for 16.5 nm (effect=06:41hr) and finaly heading286 for 12.5 nm (effect=06:45hr).

Here is my .XML file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<!-- Created by Scenery Design Engine (SDE) on 2019-05-06 -->
<FSData
version="9.0"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="bglcomp.xsd">
<SceneryObject
lat="-9.60323397070169"
lon="120.035210251808"
alt="1100.0M"
altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
pitch="0"
bank="0"
heading="0"
imageComplexity="NORMAL">
<Effect
effectName="fx_lightning01"
effectParams="MOY=01,12;DOM=01,31;HOD=06,07;MOH=35,35;"/>
</SceneryObject>
<SceneryObject
lat="-9.60323397070169"
lon="120.035210251808"
alt="125.0M"
altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
pitch="0"
bank="0"
heading="0"
imageComplexity="NORMAL">
<Effect
effectName="fx_explosionFire"
effectParams="MOY=01,12;DOM=01,31;HOD=06,07;MOH=35,59;"/>
</SceneryObject>
<SceneryObject
lat="-9.60323397070169"
lon="120.035210251808"
alt="0.0M"
altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
pitch="0"
bank="0"
heading="0"
imageComplexity="NORMAL">
<LibraryObject
name="{4fff678d-9e23-4813-bbe9-6f371c5cc055}"
scale="2.00"
/>
</SceneryObject>
<SceneryObject
lat="-9.53348748385906"
lon="119.741289764643"
alt="2000.0M"
altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
pitch="0"
bank="0"
heading="0"
imageComplexity="NORMAL">
<Effect
effectName="fx_lightning01"
effectParams="MOY=01,12;DOM=01,31;HOD=05,07;MOH=41,44;SOM=0,59;"/>
</SceneryObject>
<SceneryObject
lat="-9.53437093645334"
lon="119.738410413265"
alt="0.0M"
altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
pitch="0"
bank="0"
heading="0"
imageComplexity="NORMAL">
<Effect
effectName="fx_ForestFireHuge"
effectParams="MOY=01,12;DOM=01,31;HOD=05,07;MOH=41,59;SOM=0,59;"/>
</SceneryObject>
<SceneryObject
lat="-9.53348748385906"
lon="119.741289764643"
alt="0.0M"
altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
pitch="0"
bank="0"
heading="0"
imageComplexity="NORMAL">
<Effect
effectName="fx_ForestFireHuge"
effectParams="MOY=01,12;DOM=01,31;HOD=05,07;MOH=41,59;SOM=0,59;"/>
</SceneryObject>
<SceneryObject
lat="-9.53949797898531"
lon="119.773986786604"
alt="700.0M"
altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
pitch="0"
bank="0"
heading="0"
imageComplexity="NORMAL">
<LibraryObject
name="{5137c384-3c55-4346-a368-b0270a08fd11}"
scale="2.00"
/>
</SceneryObject>
<SceneryObject
lat="-9.47715237736702"
lon="119.575898498297"
alt="1100.0M"
altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
pitch="0"
bank="0"
heading="0"
imageComplexity="NORMAL">
<Effect
effectName="fx_lightning01"
effectParams="MOY=01,12;DOM=01,31;HOD=05,07;MOH=45,45;"/>
</SceneryObject>
<SceneryObject
lat="-9.47715237736702"
lon="119.575898498297"
alt="70.0M"
altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
pitch="0"
bank="0"
heading="0"
imageComplexity="NORMAL">
<Effect
effectName="fx_explosionFire"
effectParams="MOY=01,12;DOM=01,31;HOD=05,07;MOH=45,59;"/>
</SceneryObject>
<SceneryObject
lat="-9.477318397"
lon="119.575848685"
alt="0.0M"
altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
pitch="0"
bank="0"
heading="105.6"
imageComplexity="NORMAL">
<LibraryObject
name="{98af3da6-f53e-4c58-94c8-481edf268849}"
scale="1.00"
/>
</SceneryObject>
</FSData>
 
Messages
7,450
Country
us-illinois
https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/effects-parameters.445325/post-822148

Here is where i am.

First = I created a .xml file that i compile in the SDK for FSX and it work perfectly in FSX :)

Then = I take the same .xml file and compile it in SDK for P3D4.5 and it does not work good in P3D4 :(

In P3D4.5 the 2 towers and the hotel show good. the forest fire work good at the right time and the 2 fx_explosionfire work good and at the right time.

But the fx_lightning01 does not work well (sometimes it shows and other times it does not show). :scratchch

It is 3 effects that should show at different place and time between WADW and WADT. Start WADW heading 278 for 16nm (effect=06:35hr) then heading 282 for 16.5 nm (effect=06:41hr) and finaly heading286 for 12.5 nm (effect=06:45hr).

(XML code not included in quote)

Hi again:

Your display anomalies involving fx_lightning01 may be due to either of several factors; here is a few initial possibilities:

[Particle.0]
Type=3

This may require use of a 'controller' Effect *.Fx file to "call" fx_lightning01.Fx ...instead of placing it directly.

http://www.prepar3d.com/SDKv4/sdk/modeling/special_effects/special_effects_overview.html#The Controller File Format

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/in...ing_using_effects_and_GMax#Creating_an_Effect


[ParticleAttributes.0]
Blend Mode=2
Texture=fx_flash.bmp


This may require one or more of the following fixes:

* Use instead this Effect *.Fx file which is Type=19: [FSX install path]\Effects\fx_lightningFire.fx

* DirectX-11 compliant video card

* Enable "Tessellation" in P3Dv4.5

https://developer.nvidia.com/content/transparency-or-translucency-rendering

http://developer.download.nvidia.com/assets/gamedev/files/sdk/11/OpacityMappingSDKWhitePaper.pdf


* NVidia video card driver update to fix SLI Mode issues

http://www.prepar3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=109638

https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/470913-sli-users-only-temporary-solution-to-reduce-artifacts/



* Use of a copied and manually modified fx_lightning01.Fx to change texture Blend Mode ?

* Use of a copied and manually modified fx_flash.bmp to change texture Blend Mode ?

http://www.prepar3d.com/SDKv4/sdk/m...cial_effects_overview.html#ParticleAttributes


PS: I do not have P3Dv4.5 for testing, so I can not verify results in that FS version; perhaps someone else can help with that ? ;)


Hope this helps a bit more. :)

GaryGB
 
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Messages
133
Country
ca-quebec
Well !

Nothing i try work. :banghead:

I try individual .BGL no luck
Install them in private addon scenery; no luck
Install them in scenery \global\scenery; no luck
They appear once every 3 to 4 time i fly to them.

Seems like all the other effect i try (placement and time) work fine in P3D4 except those "/$%? fx_lightning strike (or lightning01- 02-03-04-etc) there must be something wrong with those effects.

Could someone try them to see if it is only me or a BUG in P3D4.5
 
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