AFLT3 Final Beta Release Posted

[arnobg]

Don,

I am referring to the newest development version you posted above, that's what I am using.

To clarify what I am wanting to do:

I made FSX scenery for an airport using ADE. In the previous AFLT version I just made a library of lights with runway edge lights, taxiway edge lights, and runway center lights for example. I then imported this library BGL into the ADE library object manager and hand placed each individual light on my airport scenery and compiled the airport, using GUID's for each light as you mentioned.

I am trying to accomplish this exact same thing for the Prepar3d version of this airport using ADE. I followed your manual for installation and realize p3d uses sim objects and effects and not BGL's. The problem I am seeing is when I try to compile a library for a P3d destination (by checking that box) it isn't compiling a library and gives me a message about needing an XML.

How can I accomplish this task in a similar fashion as I did for my FSX version of the scenery?

 

[gadgets]

Since P3D requires simobjects and not scenery models, the previous method for FSX of having ADE extract the guids from the object library file is no longer adequate. The new procedure is detailed at the top of page 12 in the revised user manual included with the beta software. Unfortunately, there's a step missing.

In addition to the P3D files, generate a FSX object library and save it wherever you like. "Show" that file to ADE as you normally would to allow ADE to capture the guids and compile your airport - including an XML version. Start AFLT and open the Make Array dialog. You'll see a button labelled Extract Lights from XML. It won't be enabled until you specify a destination for the P3D files and check the P3Dv2 box. Click the Extract ... button, point AFLT to the airport XML file and AFLT does the rest.

I have just finished updating the User Manual to insert the missing steps. You can download the revised manual from the Applications/Airfield Lights Toolbox page at http://stuff4fs.com.

Don

 

[arnobg]

Now this make a lot more sense to me and I thought I figured it out but I am still not seeing lights in Prepar3d so I have questions to make sure things are correct and in order on my end. I will just note what I am seeing that isn't matching up or making sense to me.

1. In the installation the section for the .exe file <launch addon> didn't automatically get put in the .exe first time I made a library I had to do it manually, and I am not seeing a tools menu in Prepar3d like I do FSX. I do have the SDK installed.

2. I started from scratch to test this on a new airport. I followed the manual verbatim and even used similar folder locations. I created a single runway edge light element to keep it simple, clicked save, then clicked make library.

3. I assigned Library save folders for my fsx add on scenery, selected that box next to it, clicked "check all" on FS9 models and clicked create library. I then imported this library into ADE and placed a row of lights on the runway for testing. I then compiled the airport to get an XML as instructed in the manual.

4. After this I came back into AFLT and assigned a library save folder for Prepar3d add on scenery, clicked check all on FSX models and clicked create library. I then clicked the array button and clicked extract lights from XML and chose the XML from ADE. The manual says AFLT should do the rest whatever this means.

5. I activate my Prepar3d scenery and go into Prepar3d and see no lights. What am I doing wrong? There's some instructions in the manual that confuse me as far as if you have to click "replace BGL with effect" or if AFLT automatically does this for Prepar3d. The manual says "(Effects are always used for P3Dv2.)" Does this mean automatically or that you actually click that? Also when to click FSX or FS9 models.

 

[gadgets]

1. In the installation the section for the .exe file <launch addon> didn't automatically get put in the .exe first time I made a library I had to do it manually, and I am not seeing a tools menu in Prepar3d like I do FSX. I do have the SDK installed.

This has nothing to do with the SDK. The exe.xml file must be placed in the "C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v2 folder.

I haven't looked at AFLT for several weeks - been very busy with other matters. But when I tried it today, AFLT didn't start - like you. Also, I don't have a Tools menu either. (Perhaps I just assumed there would be a tools menu as appears in FSX with SimConnect clients. anyway, don't worry about that.) I also discovered that sometimes the AFLT SimObjects "driver" will start automatically and sometimes not. A small dialog with three buttons should appear. If it doesn't appear, open your AFLT folder and start AFLT_SimObjects.exe manually. It's up to P3D to start the exe. I'll see if I can figure out why it won't. (During my testing, this dialog was usually already open when I started P3D, so I wouldn't have noticed before.) Click the connect button (this is temporary) and lights should appear.

The manual says ADLT should do the rest whatever this means.

It simply means that AFLT will do whatever is necessary to extract the light positioning information from the XML. You still have to create the library (which it appears already did.)

So, try manually starting AFLT_Simobjects.exe and see if that fixes the problem.

Don

 

[arnobg]

This appears to have worked as far as the models showing up but there is no light/glow associated with the model like in FSX. Any thoughts on this?

Also, does this mean that in order to use scenery with AFLT you have to actually have AFLT installed? For instance one couldn't distribute freeware scenery for Prepar3d with AFLT lighting without the receiving person having AFLT?

 

[gadgets]

but there is no light/glow associated with the model like in FSX. Any thoughts on this?

The first question that comes to mind is "are all the AFLT-specific effects installed in the P3D Effects folder? Is this a custom model or one of mine. If the former, try using a stock model.

does this mean that in order to use scenery with AFLT you have to actually have AFLT installed?

No. The executable AFLT_SimObjects.exe can be placed anywhere that P3D can access. The only requirement is that its location be included in the exe.xml file - which your users would have to edit by hand (since they may already have other Simconnect clients. So, put it wherever you wish.

Of course, you'll also have to distribute the simobjects created by AFLT as well as the AFLT sub-folder XML_P3Dv2. I have to admit that, with the other issues noted below, I really haven't given much thought to subsequent distribution of P3D airport lighting. I can probably package-up everything except exe.xml, of course, in a single folder.
to make distribution simpler.

But, your distribution concerns seem a little premature. As noted several posts up, there is a major P3D deficiency that must be corrected/overcome before AFLT lights will be generally useful. At the moment, it appears that effects attached to simobjects aren't displayed by P3D against a background of runway asphalt. I have sought an answer in several forums (including P3D) but, to date, no one have offered any explanation. I've also discovered since that P3D ignores "instructions" not to display the back side of unidirectional lights. (You can still see approach lights when viewed from the back.)

I had hoped that I would have been advised of workarounds by now. But, no joy. Until these two issues can be addressed, I doubt AFLT lights in P3D will be very satisfactory. (To be clear, these are P3D issues. If P3D won't do something, there's little I can do in AFLT to make it.)

Don

 

[Essex]

Reading between the lines of the above posts, would this new version of AFLT make it possible to replace the non-functional scenery aircraft carriers with functional stationary simobject carriers?
Unfortunately this version doesn't seem compatible with FSX-SE so I haven't been able to test it.
No problem if it can't easily be made FSX compatible.

 

[gadgets]

Essex, this new version generates lights that remain in a fixed position but that are compatible (with the above-noted exceptions) with P3D. So, it doesn't change the situation with carriers.

As for compatibility with FSX-SE, the new version SHOULD output exactly the same models as its predecessor.

Don

 

[Essex]

Sorry, I was specifically interested in using AFLT_SimObjects.exe as a way of placing simobjects as fixed scenery.
Just a long-shot really.

 

[gadgets]

AFLT's lights must be positioned absolutely. They can't be attached to a scenery object or another SimObject. If you can work around that constraint, give it a try. But, once again, the additional capability in intended to offer some P3D compatibility. Nothing has changed for FS9/FSX.

The SImObjects generated by AFLT are FSX models. And, AFLT_SimObjects.exe will work with FSX, of course. (It's a Simconnect client) But I don't see how that helps you. Visually, you'd get the same lights but with twice the FPS hit.

Don

 

[Essex]

Excellent, I'll persevere.
Just to clarify. Ironically, the purpose of this is to not disable the Microsoft lights and other features when placing a carrier as scenery.

 

[gadgets]

Given:

• the lack of significant interest in Version 2's SimObjects approach to airfield lighting,
• the fact that Version 2 only works satisfactorily with some of the available library objects in conjunction with P3Dv2 (and, presumably, also v3) due to the difference between FSX's and P3D's handling of effects, and
• that Version 2 has broken a couple of things in AFLT's basic operation,

I am withdrawing Version 2 (Development Release 2.0.01).

Current users of the version 2 beta are welcome to continue to use it. But, for the near future at least, support will not be available.

I recommend any Version 2 users who have not implemented SimObjects/SimConnect functionality revert to Version 1.1.03, the current AFLT general release. If you have custom objects, use Development Release 1.1.03(a) which contains a fix for a recently discovered issue instead. Just install either of those releases over Version 2.

The nature of the latter issue above is such that, to continue with Version 2, I'd have to support two separate versions. At the moment, it doesn't seem worth the effort.

I hope nobody is too disappointed.

Don

 

[gadgets]

At long last, I've been able to get satisfactory performance from AFLT for P3D - that is, satisfactory in all but one respect - range of effects. You can now do anything with P3D that your could do before with FS9 and FSX - and, in fact, a little more. But, the range of the lights (effects) is very disappointing. I've been unable to get better than about 2km, even with very large lights. Hopefully, LM will fix this (maybe it already has in v3). The supplied effects are the ones I used for testing. You are free to edit them as you wish.

The P3D capability if fully integrated. Indeed, if you already are using AFLT custom lighting at a FS9 or FSX airport, that work is transferrable to P3D simply by recompiling the arrays and light library.

Development Release 2.0.04, which includes the new P3d capability plus a few fixes for FS9/FSX issues I discovered in the earlier release is now available from http://stuff4fs.com. I will continue to work on the range of the lights. Any help appreciated.

Please report any issues, no matter how seemingly insignificant.

Don

 

[Foxi]

In Version 2.004 is an Error. If I want to create a single strobe for FS2004 comes out a FSX model.

 

[gadgets]

Foxi, when a new element is defined, AFLT attempts to create both FS9 and FSX versions of the model to ensure it can be done without error. Since the FS9 file is created before the FSX version, I would expect that folder to hold the FSX version.

When you later create a library for use with FS9, the correct .mdl will be compiled.

Don

 

[gadgets]

Now that Lockheed Martin has addressed some of the shortcomings of effect handling in P3Dv2, I've taken another "crack" at a P3D-compatible version of AFLT.

I have just uploaded AFLT Version 2.0.01, a beta version of P3Dv3-compatible AFLT to http://stuff4fs.com. To download it, navigate to the AFLT page and use the Development release menu item. In addition to all the features of Version 1, this new release - which sports a simplified user interface - generates simobjects on-the-fly which are controlled by SimConnect in P3Dv3. It is also P3Dv2-compatible if you change the effects Type from 25 to 19 - something which I will automate should AFLT achieve wide usage with P3D. The release includes an extensively-revised user manual and associated utilities for the installation of simobjects and conditioning of airport .bgls.

Hundreds of simobjects takes a toll on FPS, but modern computing power should be able to adequate. (Unfortunately, it does not appear possible to control scenery-based effects in P3D. FSX scenery models do not seem to respond to either animation or visibility parameters; simobjects seem the only alternative.) Nonetheless, I will continue to seek a more efficient approach.

Please report any issues in a new post below.

Don

 

[gadgets]

Unfortunately, yesterday's Development Release 2.0.01 prevented use of FSX base-models for generation of 3D scenery models. Development Release 2.1.10, now available from http://stuff4fs.com fixes that.

Don

 

[gadgets]

I have discovered a bug in Version 2.0.02 that may disable P3Dv3. Please do not use it until I fully investigate and repair.

Don

EDIT: False alarm! The problem was due to some other experimentation I was doing. I will, however, be making another development release shortly to correct an issue I discovered during this investigation (i.e.,display of omni lights unpredictable).

Don

 

[gadgets]

I have just posted Development Release 2.0.03 to http://stuff4fs.com. It resolves the newly-discovered issues with its predecessor and significantly reduces the impact on FPS. I'm hopeful further FPS improvements are possible.

Don

 

[Azurafiles]

I have just posted Development Release 2.0.03 to http://stuff4fs.com. It resolves the newly-discovered issues with its predecessor and significantly reduces the impact on FPS. I'm hopeful further FPS improvements are possible.

Don

I am not able to download this version any longer, is it not available?