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P3D v4 Issue with PAPI light glow transforming

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527
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australia
Hi, I have been seeing this issue as a user in P3DV4 for a while. My PAPI lights on all airports, default or 3rd party, chnage from a normal glow to a downward facing torch beam glow when I get within a certain distance. I'm not sure when this started happening, but it has been a while. I use REX Texture Direct, and have installed replacement airport light glows, but this issue remains no matter which glow is installed. Has anyone got any ideas on what is causing this and how it can be fixed?


 

gadgets

Resource contributor
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9,388
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ca-britishcolumbia
I use REX Texture Direct, and have installed replacement airport light glows,

I'm not sure when this started happening, but it has been a while.

I have no idea what REX Texture Direct is or does and, depending on what illumination mode you are using, your "replacement airport light glows" may also be playing a role. Since the issue started without any change in the AFLT data and, presumably, without that data being compiled anew., I'd be inclined first to remove those two addons (and any other addons that might have been added around the time the issue started) to see if the PAPI's return to normal.
 
Messages
527
Country
australia
Thanks Don,

I have used Rex Texture Direct for years, so am fairly confident that is not the cause. The strange thing is I have recently done a full install of P3DV4 and the issue was occurring before and after. I suppose this may indicate a 3rd party addon, but not sure what. The glow is strange like this with all scenery and aircraft disabled, and after deletion of all P3D cfg files. Very strange.

Thanks,
 

gadgets

Resource contributor
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9,388
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ca-britishcolumbia
There is definitely something strange going on. However, the resolution of the video is not sufficient for me to see exactly what.

The red lights do seem rather dim; that's probably due to the issue you described. The other, I suspect more important thing I noticed on the video is that at second 7-8, the PAPI light change position and appears to jump up and to the left. But, in fact, the lights are moving a short distance further down the runway. It's almost as if you were looking at the stock PAPI initially - until you got close and then the AFLT PAPI comes into view.

My PAPI lights on all airports, default or 3rd party, change from a normal glow to a downward facing torch beam glow when I get within a certain distance.
This effect may be the result of seeing both PAPI's at different positions on the runway. Did you remember to purge the stock PAPI from your stock data?
My PAPI lights on all airports, default or 3rd party, chnage from a normal glow to a downward facing torch beam glow when I get within a certain distance.
If it affects all airports, it wouldn't seem to be an AFLT issue. Nonetheless, if you send me your project file for this airport along with the .ad4 file and the airport .bgls, I'll check for anomalies in the AFLT data.
 
Messages
527
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australia
Apologies Don, I seem to have put this in the wrong section. I was actually just after general advice or info if anyone had it. I haven't actually used AFLT to modify anything myself, just the section title seemd to be appropriate to discuss airfield lighting. Not to worry, I wil keep searching for the issue. You are correct BTW, the issue can be seen at second 7-8 when the PAPI lights change from a "normal" glow to more of a downward facing spotlight glow. I will post a pic of the issue closer up, just for interest sake.

Thanks,
 

gadgets

Resource contributor
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9,388
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ca-britishcolumbia
This is a little embarrassing. After landing in the video, PAPI 3D models can be seen as you pass. (There are no models associated with stock PAPIs.) Since you posted in the AFLT forum, I assumed they were AFLT models. Upon closer inspection, I can see they are not. BUT, they are somebody's 3D models. What can also be seen as you pass are the lights from both the stock and 3rd party PAPIs.

SO, it would seem you are either using an errant add-on for that airport or you have 2 different copies of the airport active on your system.
 
Messages
527
Country
australia
Thanks Don,

I don't think it is a specific airport causing the issue as the issue is global, at addon airports and default airports. I took some pics. The PAPI light glow starts normal, but then as I get closer it changes to the odd, angled beam, then when I get really close it changes to a very small sphere.

k7Zb35H.jpg


X92bl6c.jpg


rXFQYrl.jpg


rYn9TRk.jpg
 

gadgets

Resource contributor
Messages
9,388
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ca-britishcolumbia
Sound like a 3rd party add-on - but nothing with which I am familiar.

If you have a recent ORBX add-on for the area, ORBX features have been known to bleed-through. Try disabling ORBX. Otherwise, good luck in finding it
 
Messages
527
Country
australia
Sound like a 3rd party add-on - but nothing with which I am familiar.

If you have a recent ORBX add-on for the area, ORBX features have been known to bleed-through. Try disabling ORBX. Otherwise, good luck in finding it

Hi Don,

Thought I would let you know I found the culprit, and it did turn out to be a 3rd party airport addon. It was caused by a couple of dds texture files in a 3rd party addon (MLD Scenery LRTR, glow.dds and glow_2.dds) which was activated via the xml addon method. I find it strange that a 3rd party airport texture file which is added via xml can affect every single airport in the sim, default and 3rd party.

Cheers,
 
Last edited:
Messages
6
Country
switzerland
Hi Don,

Thought I would let you know I found the culprit, and it did turn out to be a 3rd party airport addon. It was caused by a couple of dds texture files in a 3rd party addon (MLD Scenery LRTR, glow.dds and glow_2.dds) which was activated via the xml addon method. I find it strange that a 3rd party airport texture file which is added via xml can affect every single airport in the sim, default and 3rd party.

Cheers,
Hi, I have the exact same problem and I also did suspect MLD LRTR Scenery. And yes as you confirmed it it is. But I actually couldn’t find a way to correct the issue. I uninstalled LRTR but the problem was still alive. How do you actually resolve the issue ? Do we have to remove glow.dss and glow_2.dds or disable them and how do we proceed ? I am trying to resolve this issue for nearly 4 month. Glad that you find the way to solve it, hope you can help me, thank you Bedran.
 

tgibson

Resource contributor
Messages
11,338
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us-california
Look in your dll.xml file and if you find a reference to those files delete it. Back up your original xml file first.

It's in Users/[user name]/Appdata/Roaming/Lockheed Martin/Prepar3D v4
 
Messages
6
Country
switzerland
Look in your dll.xml file and if you find a reference to those files delete it. Back up your original xml file first.

It's in Users/[user name]/Appdata/Roaming/Lockheed Martin/Prepar3D v4
Do you mean this ?
 

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australia
Do you mean this ?

Hi,

That is the dll.xml file, but the issue is not in there. I see you say above that uninstalling LRTR did not solve your issue. All I did to solve the issue, from memory, was to disable LRTR. I actually still have the folder in the "Prepar3D v4 Add-ons" folder, but I just used Lorby Si P3D addon organizer to disable it, and the issue that was seen with PAPIs at every other airport disappeared.
 
Messages
527
Country
australia
Hi, I have the exact same problem and I also did suspect MLD LRTR Scenery. And yes as you confirmed it it is. But I actually couldn’t find a way to correct the issue. I uninstalled LRTR but the problem was still alive. How do you actually resolve the issue ? Do we have to remove glow.dss and glow_2.dds or disable them and how do we proceed ? I am trying to resolve this issue for nearly 4 month. Glad that you find the way to solve it, hope you can help me, thank you Bedran.

I'm not sure, as it has been a while, but I have that airport active again now. I have just checked, and I actually had the names of the files wrong in the above post. The actual faulty files are Halo.dds and Halo_2.dds. They are found in the "LRTR Timisoara/LRTR - Traian Vuia Airport/Texture" folder.

To solve the issue, just rename them so that the file extension reads .off.

Like this:

Halo.dds.off
Halo_2.dds.off
 
Messages
6
Country
switzerland
I'm not sure, as it has been a while, but I have that airport active again now. I have just checked, and I actually had the names of the files wrong in the above post. The actual faulty files are Halo.dds and Halo_2.dds. They are found in the "LRTR Timisoara/LRTR - Traian Vuia Airport/Texture" folder.

To solve the issue, just rename them so that the file extension reads .off.

Like this:

Halo.dds.off
Halo_2.dds.off
Hi again,

ok so I will try this way thank you.
I also use Lorby Addon Organizer and I actually also disabled it but didn’t work.. I will try with the .dds should work.

thank you again, keep you advised
 
Messages
6
Country
switzerland
I'm not sure, as it has been a while, but I have that airport active again now. I have just checked, and I actually had the names of the files wrong in the above post. The actual faulty files are Halo.dds and Halo_2.dds. They are found in the "LRTR Timisoara/LRTR - Traian Vuia Airport/Texture" folder.

To solve the issue, just rename them so that the file extension reads .off.

Like this:

Halo.dds.off
Halo_2.dds.off
And it worked.. thank you so much for the precious Informations appreciate your help.
 
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