FS crashes when I load custom scenery

[417Aviator]

I am currently building an airport from scratch using ADE. However, when I try to load it in FSX, the game crashes when I'm around it. Currently the airport is not that big since I would like it to load without crashing before continuing . I'm not sure what is causing the problem other than I have successfully developed and ran my own content on other computers, Meaning, this is the only computer I've had problems with so I'm assuming it's a hardware problem. In addition, I have provided the ADE file for my airport but it is not the only project I am having problems with.

 

[Pyscen]

Hello,...

There appears to be many orphan parking spots.... and also the runways do not have a start location. According the ADE Fault Finder: Every runway that isn't closed for takeoff must have a start location defined.

Run the Fault Finder...

 

[raymk]

417Aviator -
have taken your file and compiled for my FSXA and put the files into my Addon Scenery (an _ALT has also gone into \Scenery\World). My FSX loads up with no problems.

The orphan spots are not a problem with me but there are still a load of important things that need to be added - Runway Starts and Hold Shorts are essential items.

 

[417Aviator]

I have starts to every runway, hold short positions to all places needed, and connected all gates to taxiways, and it Still crashes. Nothing else shows up in the fault finder as well.

 

[Pyscen]

This is for FSX correct? and are you using the proper SDK for FSX as well? Does FSX still crash if you remove the bgl and the _ALT file, as well?

 

[417Aviator]

This is for FSX but i'm not using the FSX SDK because I have the Steam Edition, so I'm using the Prepar3D SDK instead, which has worked perfectly fine on other computers I've used. I removed the _ALT bgl file, and the game didn't crash, but the only objects appearing are the roadways I created as well as the Airport background.

 

[=rk=]

Ok great. Why would you use a P3D compiler for FSX? To be clear, it has worked. The FSX compiler would work perfectly fine for FSX scenery, if the P3D compiler works, it is a matter of luck. and there is nothing new about FSX:SE that a P3D compiler would address better than a FSX compiler would.

 

[scruffyduck]

The P3D v1.4 compiler is the same as the FSX compiler. It is a free download and the one we recommend for FSX:SE users,

 

[=rk=]

Why would you do that, to add to the confusion? As far as being the same, I see different sizes and creation dates.

I see no indication in the post that the P3D v1.4 compiler is being used. If the P3D compiler is better than the FSX compiler, would it not be a natural extension to use the "best" P3D compiler? Also, please tell me where and how you recommend people to use a P3D v1.4 compiler for FSX scenery, so I can better advise. Since the compilers are the same, why do you recommend they use the P3D v1.4 one?

 

[scruffyduck]

I agree there is no indication which compiler version the OP is using. I just stated which one works for FSX. A user of FSX :SE does not get the SDK. MS never allowed Dovetail to ship it. The FSX compiler is not free and only available if you have FSX Gold or Acceleration editions. So the only way that a FSX :SE user can get the compiler is to buy FSX or use the free P3D v1.4 one. The dates may be different but the compiler is the equivalent of the FSX SP2 one as I recall.

 

[scruffyduck]

Using a later P3D compiler (v2 etc) for FSX:SE would be like using the FSX compiler for FS9. Mostly bgl files are not backward compatible. so if the user is compiling for FSX with a P3Dv2 or later compiler then that would likely cause a CTD.

As to when we started 'recommending' this it goes right back to when FSX:SE was first released without an SDK.

 

[=rk=]

Thanks, Jon. It boils down to more information being required and one really shouldn't hesitate to be as specific as possible.

 

[417Aviator]

Downgrading the P3D SDK from version 4 to 1.4 didn't help... Version 3 worked fine on other computers so the lack of backwards compatibility is probably not the problem.

 

[=rk=]

No, the problem is the lack of information. If you want support, try to be as painstakingly specific as possible. If you want people to keep guessing and frankly, not replying at all, continue as you have been.

Downgrading the P3D SDK from version 4 to 1.4 didn't help... Version 3 worked fine on other computers so the lack of backwards compatibility is probably not the problem.

Which gets back to my original question:

Ok great. Why would you use a P3D [V4] compiler for FSX? To be clear, it has worked. The FSX compiler would work perfectly fine for FSX scenery, if the P3D compiler works, it is a matter of luck. and there is nothing new about FSX:SE that a P3D compiler would address better than a FSX compiler would.

Which itself, leads to the deeper question: why? Was it an experiment? Is it because Jon said 1.4 is good, so 4 must be the better? The practice implies that there are other procedures you went ahead and performed.

 

[Pyscen]

After you have placed P3D SDK v1.4 onto your computer,...

Did you remove v4? If you didn't, ADE could still be pointing to v4 SDK files,... which again could cause problems. Once you have removed v4,... make sure ADE is pointing to the correct SDK (v1.4) files accordingly. Also, since the file above was compiled (without crashing FSX:SE) by raymk and not for you, it would suggest that you still have v4 files being used instead of the correct version.

Jon,...

Has anyone actually compiled using SDK v1.4 and FSXA SDK and compared the 2 for differences?

 

[scruffyduck]

Doug - I don't know - I haven't. But I do recall being told that the compilers are essentially the same.

 

[scruffyduck]

I am aware that we may be getting off the topic here however compilers do seem to be part of the whole. At the risk of muddying things there are two parts to 'the compiler' The first is the compiler itself called bglcomp.exe. This actually takes the source XML and converts it into the binary bgl format. There are limitations and other issues in some compiler versions. The second part is the XML schema called bglcomp.xsd. This defines the format of the source and what is valid. If the source XML does not meet the specification in the schema then it will get thrown out. One issue from the past is errors in the schema which stopped perfectly well formed XML source from even getting to the compiler. The assumption is that the schema and compiler are located together. Mixing the schema from one version with the compiler of another might be a cause of nastiness.

Now I need to explain a way in which things might go wrong for FSX and different compilers. In fact the user may not be actually using the compiler they think they are. I need to check the code since it is a long time since I have looked at this. However while the bglcomp.exe file for most versions in ADE are called from the SDK directly in FSX the compiler is copied from the SDK into the FSX sub folder inside the ADE Main Folder. There is a custom schema file there which allows users of the FSX SP2 SDK to use the transparent runway feature which was never officially available. The reason for this weird setup is that the FSX SDK and compilers were not available for free and we could not legally ship a FSX compiler with ADE. So we copy it from the users SDK instead.

To the best of my recollection we have not had problems with this in the past but there is no doubt that a user may well think they are using one compiler with ADE in FSX mode and actually be using another. We foolishly never took account that users might apply a later P3D compiler to ADE in FSX mode. So the only way to be sure of what compiler is being used is to check the date and time stamp on bglcomp.exe located in the FSX sub folder inside the ADE main folder.

I know that ADE won't copy a bglcomp from the users defined SDK if one is already present in the FSX sub folder but I need to check the code to see what the rules actually are.

Can the OP please check the date, time stamp and size of bglcomp.exe in the FSX sub folder in ADE and tell us what it is - screenshot would be great. This is what mine looks like:

 

[scruffyduck]

I have checked the code and ADE will look for and copy bglcomp.exe each time it starts in FSX mode. I had thought perhaps it would not copy if the file was already present in the FSX sub folder however that is not the case.

ADE will look first in the path set in Settings > Options > Folders tab for the BglCompiler and if that does not contain the compiler then it will look in the registry entry for the SDK for FSX. If it does not find a compiler in either place it will report an error. So the bglcomp.exe in the FSX sub folder should relate to the SDK specified here:

At the time we designed this there was no FSX:SE and P3D was probably only in v1 or v2, but there is nothing to stop the user from pointing ADE for FSX at any SDK they choose.

Please note that it is only bglcomp.exe which gets copied from the SDK. the schema file bglcomp.xsd is not copied. This is in the FSX sub folder and is based on the schema for the FSX SDK SP2.

Thus if the user specifies an SDK to use with ADE in FSX mode that is later than P3D v1.4 then a mismatch of schema and compiler could arise. This mismatch could result in either the compile failing or the compiled bgl file causing a CTD in FSX. This would happen if the compiler used generated content in the bgl file which FSX can't handle.

Thus while using a compiler from P3D v2 or later may well work in some cases it might well depend on what is in the project file so work for some projects and not others.

The bottom line is that FSX:SE users should either use the FSX (paid for) SDK and compilers or those from the P3D v1.4 SDK.

I realise this may not be relevant to the OP issue here but working with the expected compilers and SDK should eliminate some routes for error or unexpected results.

 

[417Aviator]

For anyone who is still attempting to help me with this, I cannot provide information or feedback for the next 10 days because I am traveling.

 

[417Aviator]

The problem was the graphics card. I switched to a different one and the airport loaded without a problem (with the exception of no jetways loading)