Strange MALSR issue

[flightwatch]

Hi All,

I have created a MALSR for an airport that I am redoing. I have no issue making the array and creating the libraries, but somehow, the .bgl is compiling the MALSR all wrong. First off, the airport elevation is 67ft. If I compile the array at 67ft, it displays at around 250ft MSL (I am putting the "F" behind the altitude in the .def file.) I had to set it at 10ft for it to sit in the right spot. But it is not creating all of the approach lights. 3 of the 5 strobes are missing, and the 2 outer light bars are missing. Also, the runway end lights are sitting about 100ft above the runway and will not move regardless of what I set the altitude to in the .def file.

I have included a screenshot and the .def file for you to take a look at.

Thanks

 

[gadgets]

Flightwatch, AFLT elevations are absolute, i.e., referenced to sea level. Therefore, (as noted in the user manual), if the elevation of the terrain off the ends of the runways is not at airport elevation - and that appears to be the case for the last three strobes - then you must adjust the elevation to match the terrain. Raise the strobes a bit and they will appear.

That does not appear to be the case for the outer bars. My guess for the outer bas is that, for whatever reason, they have not been included in the library. I'll check that its not an AFLT issue and get back to you.

Re the elevation of the approach lights, you have set their elevation to 61 M and that's where they are displaying. Try feet.

Don

EDIT: I have just re-compiled the lights for one of my own airports that uses the 5x5 array and they are present. Are you sure you included that array in your library and that you have not modified its INI file?

 

[flightwatch]

Ahh I see the threshold light mistake. I understand the way that AFLT reads elevation at sea level, and I had no issues utilizing the tool at another airport. What I'm not understanding is, if the airport elevation is 67 ft, then I should be able to set the .def elevation at 67ft and all will be well correct? If that is the case, why did I have to set the AFLT elevation to 10 ft?

Thanks for your help.

 

[gadgets]

I didn't notice the 10' spec before. Set your reference elevation to whatever you want. The other elevation specs are relative to it, So, if you set the reference elevation to 67', then all the others (except the strobes) should be 0, not 61 and 63.

Don

 

[flightwatch]

Ah I see now... Thank you!

 

[flightwatch]

Hi Don. I am still having the compile issue. Where some of the strobes are not showing and the 5x5 array. I haven't touched the .ini file, and it is included in the library. At this point, I think i'll redownload AFLT and start over.

 

[gadgets]

Reloading AFLT will accomplish nothing.

Re the strobes, did you increase their elevation in the .def file? They are below ground.

Re the 5x5s, do they show in the Make Library list box? and did you select them?.

Don

 

[flightwatch]

The strobes are above ground, and everything is selected in the make libraries box. The green threshold lights are right on the money now. What I have noticed is that I can compile and certain things will show in the sim. I can then shut down the sim, reopen it, and other things will disappear. This morning, I compiled the .bgl and the 5x5's appeared, but I was missing strobes 2 and 3. I reloaded the sim, and the 5x5's disappeared along with strobe #1. Decompiling the .bgl to XML format shows that there are 37 elements listed...which is correct, but I don't understand then why they are not showing in the sim.

In the sim picture that I just took, you can see that the 5x5's displays, but only 1, 4, and 5 of the strobes did show (which you can't see because my screenshot timing is off.) The elevation there is stock and flat.

 

[gadgets]

I'm a little confused. You only have 4 strobes shown in the library and, in the .def file you've used strobe 4 twice. Have you actually measured the ground elevation at the strobes or are you assuming 5'' is high enough

As for the different displays, something is either in the .bgl file or its not. FSX decides what gets displayed. If things show up, sometimes and not others, this suggests something is inhibiting FSX from displaying whatever it is that's missing. Duplicate guid usages come to mind. Are you sure you don't have an old version of the library file in one of your active scenery folders or in scenery\world\scenery?

Don

 

[flightwatch]

I noticed the 4 strobe issue in the .def file as well, but it is a direct copy of the sample MALSR.def that is provided with the program...so I assumed that was correct I don't mess with anything in the .def file other than location, heading, and elevation. 5' is sufficient for the strobes. I will look and see if there is any duplicates, but I highly doubt there is. I relatively new to the scenery design world, and quite new to your program. I've only used it for one other airport, and it only had PAPI's and end lights. No arrays.

I will go to a stock airport and build a MALSR there to see if it is an issue with my airport or a general issue.

Matt

 

[gadgets]

so I assumed that was correct I don't mess with anything in the .def file

So now you've learned Lesson No. 1 about freeware - "Don't assume anything you download from the Internet is correct" (even when it's from me)

Adding a MALSR to another stock airport is unlikely to prove anything nor is the problem likely to be an issue with your airport per se. My suggestion for diagnosing this issue is as follows:

• Disable or temporarily remove your AFLT library file from your airport's add-on scenery folder. Do you still have any AFLT lights showing. If so, find the other library and delete it.
• Examine the INI files for all the elements in your library to ensure no duplication of Guids within the library. (If there were, the compiler should have "complained", but do it anyway, it will only take a couple of minutes)
• Isolate your airport (i.e.. disable all other entries in your Scenery Library) to see if the problem persists. If it doesn't, then re-enable those entries in an organized manner to determine where is the conflict.
• Disable or temporarily remove your ADE and CVX files from your airport's addon-scenery folder This will superimpose any remaining scenery on the stock airport. Does the problem still exist?
• Re-enable those files and, in an organized manner, disable or temporarily remove all other non-AFLT files from your airport's add-on scenery folder. At some point, the problem should disappear and you will have discovered the problem file.

If you still haven't discovered the file causing the problem, then send me your entire AFLT local Library folder, and the AFLT-related .bgl files from your airports add-on scenery folder.

Don

 

[flightwatch]

Hi Don,

I have finished trying what you suggested.

Removing the AFLT library removed all AFLT lights from the airport
I checked the INI files, but did not find any duplicates
I isolated the airport and all lights displayed correctly. I started adding things back one by one but ran into problems once I started adding the object libraries (rwy12 to be exact.) After that, I could not get the lights to reappear without restarting the sim and taking away almost all libraries again. Then It was back to random lights disappearing again. A strobe here. A 5x5 there...
I disabled the ade and cvx file with no change
This one kind of goes along with the 3rd suggestion because not all the scenery used for this airport is contained in a dedicated folder yet. Some of it is pulled from EZScenery libraries.

I can send you those files if you think it would help

Thanks
Matt

 

[gadgets]

I isolated the airport and all lights displayed correctly.

That demonstrates the problem is interference between scenery.

I started adding things back one by one but ran into problems once I started adding the object libraries (rwy12 to be exact.)

That's when you should have stopped. Because it proves the interference is coming from a Rwy 12 library. Your task now is to determine which particular library is the culprit. Once we know that we can figure out the "why" and do something about it.

So , now remove all the rwy12 libraries and confirm all is well - as I expect it will be. Then add them back one at a time until the problem recurs. That's your culprit! If you are unable to determine what's causing the interference, send that file and your entire AFLT Library folder to me and I'll see if I can advise you how to avoid the problem. My e-mail address is at the end of the user manual.

Don

 

[gadgets]

Since I haven't heard from you for a couple of days and since I have the RWY12 Libraries in my FS9 installation, I decided to do some experimentation. I am (sort of) happy to report that I had a similar experience. But, I stress "similar". My FSX AFLT lights were unaffected; however, another FSX scenery item was "captured" by the RWY12 libraries. I could not force a similar result in FS9 - which makes the situation all the more unusual since my FS9 and FSX test scenery use the same Guids.

I had intentionally moved the RWY12 libraries to the top of my Scenery Library. When I moved it back to just above the stock items in the Scenery Library - which is where it should be - normal operation resumed. This leads me to suspect you have placed your RWY12 libraries too high in your Scenery Library. Indeed, it would seem it is of higher priority than your AFTL library.

While it seems guid duplication is at the root of the problem, because of the different results between FS9 and FSX, it is not quite than simple. Most modern scenery assign guids randomly. However, RWY12 libraries generally use a large block of sequential guids. I suspect (without attempting to prove it mathematically) that the latter approach increases the probability of duplication with randomly-generated guids.

Back to your problem. You should be able to resolve it by either:

• assigning a different Guid to your 5x5 array - and the above-ground strobes that file to appear, or
• ensuring your AFLT library is of higher priority that the Rwy12 libraries.

Hope this helps.

Don

 

[flightwatch]

Hi Don, apologies for not responding earlier. My rwy 12 library is right above my static objects library. I have done some experimenting in other areas, and have not had an issue with AFLT.. Quite honestly, I have become quite frustrated with all of the issues that I have had and am having with that particular airport. I'm afraid that I will have to start over from scratch as the are other corruptions that are taking place now as well. I have moved on to other less involved airports for the time being in an effort to fine tune my skills. I do appreciate your help in trying to resolve this issue.

Matt