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Version 4.2.00 Issues

I'm not using dialog boxes, I'm dragging taxiway and runway lights to a new position. My workflow:

1. Switch to FS, move plane to where I would like the light.
2. Switch to AFLT, drag the light.
3. Switch to FS, move plane to the next light position.
4. Switch to AFLT, now I have to find the plane again since it moved.

If the map display moved with the plane, finding the plane again in #4 would be unnecessary. But it's a minor thing, I just wondered if lock to aircraft was in there already.
 
If the map display moved with the plane, finding the plane again in #4 would be unnecessary
Click to expand...
The time taken to redraw the map while following the aircraft would make it vey slow. What I can do is add a menu item (or perhaps a context menu item) to re-center the display on the aircraft. I have that code available in another app.

But, it sounds like a "move to aircraft" function would be better in this circumstance.

Don
 
I'm not sure a menu item would be any faster than finding the plane manually, so don't bother if no one else needs it. If that menu item had a keystroke equivalent (like C for "center") then that would be faster.

Thanks,
 
I've been thinking more about the VASI situation (the old "sleep on it" trick) and have these thoughts.

1. Add an item to the Options menu: VASI/PAPI Lights, with two choices: Use Default Lights, Use AFLT Lights. Use AFLT Lights would be the default.
2. When loading a BGL (etc.) when Creating a Project, load the VASI/PAPI location in the BGL file onto the airport display. I believe this is done already.
3. When compiling an airport and the option is set to use the default lights, do not place VASI/PAPI lights at the location of the VASI/PAPI, only place the 3D stands. The default light is all that is needed, and this makes it less important to get the AFLT and default lights perfectly aligned. In fact, when moving around the VASI/PAPI stand, the default effect wanders around somewhat, separating from the AFLT light anyway. Just omitting the AFLT light keeps this simpler.
4. When stripping an airport and the option is set to use the default lights, keep any VASI and PAPI lights in the file.

If you have other ideas I'm happy to hear them, of course.

Hope this helps,
 
I'd suggest a third - Both. That gets you the long range of the inverse-mipped effects and the short range performance of the stock lights. Perhaps that should be the norm.

Don
 
Hi,

Yes, that's a fine idea Always better to have more choice.

I tested placing both default and BGL light VASI 21 at the same location. The two lights are a couple of feet apart and change from white to red at a slightly different angle. So if you want to have the "both" option those would need to be fine tuned, but they are quite close already so I assume that wouldn't be a huge problem.

Oddly enough when I open the stripped BGL file in ADE the VASIs are still in the file and display on the airport map. But when I use the stripped BGL file the default VASIs do not display. But if I then compile the stripped BGL file loaded into ADE into a new BGL file, then those default VASIs do appear in FS. A handy workaround for the moment. :)

BTW, I also tested the BGL light option in FSX and it would need the same treatment (the VASIs disappear just as you need them), so this problem does not apply just to FS2004.
 
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Hi,

When I am about to compile the lights and I change the Folder location to copy the BGL files to, the confirmation message has the old folder listed. If I then click the red X to close the box and then try the compile again, the confirmation message now has the new folder location.
 
4.2.04 just posted to http://stuff4fs.com. Highlights are:
  • Duplicate lights should be hard to find (but I suspect you'll succeed)
  • Taxiway edge lights now appear (I had inadvertently declared then to be surface mounts, which suppresses display of the 3D model)
  • The exception when adding a new line caused by placing the cursor over the just-placed is fixed. Doing so now just takes you out of the hot-cursor mode.
  • The display may now be re-centered on the user aircraft from the context menu
  • I can't duplicate the issue of not being able to move the "corners" of apron edge lights. Note that different line types are handled differently. The issue you reported would occur on lines of lights in approach systems where there should be no reason to move intermediate lights except along the line. If you still experience it, please tell me exactly how you created the line.
  • I also can't duplicate the issue of strobes being checked when you attempt to edit the MALSR. I suggest you delete and regenerate your Placements.xml.
I'll see what I can do about VASIs over the next few days. In the mean time, unless you find something critical, I'm going to set AFLT aside for an hour or so and focus on an open AIFP issue.

Don
 
Hi,

Thanks for the update.

1. When I create a new project using the KSAN BGL file I am missing some taxiway lights on one side of this segment, even though the properties box says they are supposed to be there.

aflt_missing_lights_4.jpg
 
Hmmm. They were there a while ago. Looks like my "delete duplicate lights" algorithm is a little too aggressive.
 
2. The green threshold lights are being added to the MALSR approach when they are not in the ADE file:

What is in ADE - End Row is unchecked:

aflt_green_end_row_ade.jpg


But it's added to AFLT:

aflt_green_end_row_aflt.jpg
 
Those threshold lights weren't there before - only runway end lights. Looks like we're not quite "there" yet.

Don
 
3. I only found one duplicate light, impressive.

aflt_dupe_lights_3.jpg


But it's probably better to have a few duplicates vs taxiways that you cannot add lights to via the usual method. :)
 
The errant light is the one before it. It can be fixed.

But it's probably better to have a few duplicates vs taxiways that you cannot add lights to via the usual method
Click to expand...
. I don't see that as a likelihood. I was being a little "tongue in cheek" when I made the comment about my algorithm being too aggressive. This is software. There's a logical explanation for everything. The difficulty sometimes is finding that explanation.

Don
 
I don't know much about coding programs so I think this is pretty amazing already. But anything you can do is welcome.

Dragging nodes in a line of lights is now working as expected, so that problem is solved (somehow). Perhaps creating a new project fixed it.

Turns out the strobes problem with the MALSR approach at KSAN doesn't appear the *first* time you open the Approach dialog box, only the *second and later* times.

1. Start AFLT, load KSAN project.
2. Right click on Runway, choose Add/Edit Approach Lights
3. Strobes will be unchecked, as it should.
4. Close the box with the Place Lights or red X buttons.
5. Right click on Runway, choose Add/Edit Approach Lights
6. Strobes box is now checked.
7. Click Place Lights button, I now have 5 strobes added to the approach.
 
Yes, I can duplicate. Fortunately, it will be easy to fix.

This is one of the side-effects of displaying all stock lighting at startup. I need to review that.

Don
 
Hi,

The recenter to AC works fine, but there is one bad side effect - the huge light size problem has returned. If you use it while you are at a low zoom value, you get large lights when you zoom up to the same zoom level that looked fine before you used the command.

Before using the command:

aflt_recenter_before.jpg


After using the command twice at a low zoom level, then zooming back up:

aflt_recenter_after.jpg


I need to reload the project to get the normal view back.
 
They do work, but I need to access them so many times to get them back to normal size that it's much faster to reload the project.
 
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