Bridge(/Tunnel) at Quebec & Alpha

[FactionOne]

Hi All,

First of all, let me say, I love EHAM; it's been a favourite sim-destination for a long time, and I've owned most of the renditions made through the years. On getting back into sim flying, I was quite excited to discover that FlyTampa were taking on the challenge, and I'm not disappointed; it's quickly become my favourite add-on airport.

I did notice one slight glitch today though, or at least I think I did.

Approaching the intersection of Quebec & Alpha (on Quebec), there's a bridge/tunnel where a service road passes under the taxiway; and it appeared that there's some sort of overlap/conflict of objects going on.

I took several screenshots, but static images don't really illustrate the 'glitch' so well; the two below may be of some use - there's oddness at both sides of the aircraft, but it's most apparent under the right wing in these pics; there's a dark line (which appears to be the edge of a slab or something) - first outside the yellow taxiway edge marking, and then as the camera is panned, perspective puts it inside of the edge marking. It seems like something underneath the taxiway showing through.

Panning around in this position the overlap/conflict is easier to see (also to the left of the aircraft). Perhaps something to be tweaked?

Thanks again for such a fabulous scenery, and best regards,

Rob.

[emilios[flytampa]]

Thanks
I've seen that with one more user so far, still cannot understand what might be going wrong.

Do you see other areas having such elevation issues, or is this the only place you get it?

normally should look like screenshot below

[FactionOne]

Hi Emilios,

Thanks for your reply.

This is the only thing I've noticed (aside from a strange thing with post-install/VDGS (mentioned in that thread)); certainly the only elevation thing I've seen.

I suppose it might be FTX related? I checked that there was no AEC for EHAM (figuring the Netherlands to be flat enough that it was unlikely); perhaps there's something else which will need a quick search for EHAM in the ORBX folders to find. I'll have a fiddle with my config and come back to you if I find any clues. [I'm expecting to do a rebuild before long, too.]

Thanks again,

Rob.

P.S. If you have any theories about what may cause it, I'm happy to investigate (I'm IT/FS savvy and not afraid of destructive testing - just let me know).

[emilios[flytampa]]

the safegate issue might have had something to do with FT-library installation; ie latest version of the libraries not installed. I m just saying because only the latest version features EHAM safegates.

Anyway, back to bridges, I also think it's FTX related, and for this reason I just wanted to check that both your AMS entries are on the very top of your scenery library?

Schiphol elevation was 'tweaked' to allow the underground bridge modelling, so i dont know how FTX behaves when airport elevation is altered. I believe there is an option to turn AEC off, have you tried that or does it cause too may issues with other add-ons?

[FactionOne]

The safegate thing really is quite strange... I just noticed in the screenshots I posted above that they seem to be missing from the poles on the remote stands behind the buses, yet at D16 (and adjacent) where I went on to park in the same session, they're fine. As for the libraries, the latest should've been there - I'm online during install and have noticed the setup in \AppData\Local\Temp\.

2017-1-16_15-49-34-734.png (1.86 MiB) Viewed 6902 times

At the time of taking the screenshots above, Schiphol wouldn't have been the top layer(s) in my library - into my 'clean' image I installed Vienna first (as the config tool seems to prefer that (I got the P3D running/config not writeable errors when installing Schiphol first)), then Schiphol, then several other airports; but certainly above all the ORBX layers (apart from the ORBXlibs which FTX Central dutifully raises to the top every time it's opened).

I'll have a look around the ORBX folders with my large hammer tomorrow, and if that fails, I'll kill AEC completely and see what difference it makes.

Thanks & regards,

Rob.

[FactionOne]

OK. I found an ABP_EHAM.bgl in the ORBX folders, so renamed it and went to have a look, feeling that may well do the trick.

Alas not, but it does seem that some interaction with FTX is causing my problems. The tunnel was no different, but there was one surprising effect (see below).

I thought I'd look again at the AEC situation. I couldn't see any 'master off' setting, a quick Google suggested that the way to disable AEC is simply to shift all the airports from the enabled list to the disabled. As there's no AEC entry for EHAM, I figured shifting all the other airports to be a bit lo-fi, but got to wondering whether perhaps AEC for a nearby field (Soesterberg or somewhere) might be complicating things at EHAM; entering EH into the search box for AEC revealed that there's no AEC for any field in the Netherlands.

I've had a look at my scenery.cfg to check priorities; the ORBX stuff (excepting libraries) finishes at Layer 151, then (I forgot I'd put these in first) a load of UK2000 airports, then Vienna (163), FT libs (164 (would this be better under Vienna or above AMS?)), AMS LC (165), and AMS (166).

Any suggestions gratefully received! What happened on stand really stumped me...

Regards,

Rob.

EDIT: I'm just having another play with it, and having saved a scenario in the spot to be examined, I thought I might run through the scenery.cfg and temporarily disable any layers which aren't 'stock' or FT AMS; while in there and toward the top, I noticed there's a layer specifically for AEC - I guess that's the 'master off' - I'll start with that (and if it shouldn't improve things, will try remaining ORBX layers, then FSGlobal (FTX))).

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[FactionOne]

Further to previous...

Disabling the AEC layer, then all the ORBX layers, then all the FSG layers (I figured I'd strip out in chunks and then replace until the glitch reappeared) unfortunately had no effect.

In the screenshot below, my Scenery Library had the following layers enabled (in priority order):

FlyTampa Libraries
FlyTampa Amsterdam
FlyTampa Amsterdam Landclass
Edwards AFB [Marked REQ]
Berlin [Marked REQ]
Longleat [Marked REQ]
Istanbul [Marked REQ]
Reno [Marked REQ]
Global, Generic, Vehicles [Marked REQ]
-The numbered base layers-
Default Scenery
Default Terrain

For good measure, I also tried with a lower screen res (my display is 1920x1200 so I thought I'd try 1080 in case there was some non-standard aspect issue), and from the stock King Air. Unfortunately, there's no change.

Regards,

Rob.

EDIT: Just continued on to D16, with the above configuration, I'm back to a single Safedock (although they're still missing from the remote stands near the bridge/buses).

2017-1-17_15-55-55-159.png (2.39 MiB) Viewed 6866 times

[FactionOne]

Eureka!

(Well, ish)

It appears to be something odd going on with the dummy(?)/lower EHAM - ZHAM_Flyatmpa.bgl

If I rename that, the taxiway/service road is flattened (i.e. they're at the same height), but there's a bit of a 'smoking gun' that something's not quite right, because all of a sudden I have Safedock on the remote stands!

I wondered if putting that file into a new layer on its own, below the other AMS layers might help; unfortunately that's where my luck ran out and it returned to previous.

Here's what I had with the file disabled...

Regards,

Rob.

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2017-1-17_16-28-43-31.png (3.51 MiB) Viewed 6863 times

[emilios[flytampa]]

well, ish...that's right
thanks for the testing. Libraries position in library shouldn't matter much; i usually have them placed below all FT entries.

That ZHAM dummy is there to actually 'dig' the ground, so removing it might temporarily bring all ground to level, but you lose all tunnels. I m only thinking if other conflicting AFD files exist, perhaps from traffic add-ons?

From your findings, it appears that somehow the airport remains at its original altitude, dis-regarding our altered elevation. I assume that you have already checked the 'scenery\world\scenery' folder for the presence of our dummy file? (AFX_EHAM_flytampa_dummy.bgl)

about VDGS, please have a go with the ones attached here:

To install, please make sure 'Gate Docking' is set to Safegate Type 1A' in FT-configurator. Extract files and drop into "flytampa\amsterdam\scenery" and replace both

vdgs.zip

(1.71 KiB) Downloaded 182 times

[FactionOne]

Hi Emilios,

Likewise, thanks for your help.

Indeed, AFX_EHAM_flytampa_dummy.bgl is present in \scenery\world\scenery. I've not installed any traffic package; and the only other active file is the ADEX_FLYTAMPA_EHAM_2016_NORTH.bgl (I tried with the file for easterlies this afternoon just in case (I use Pro-ATC/X so runways available in AFD don't matter so much) - no difference).

I'd put everything back as it was, aside from FTX's ABP-EHAM.bgl file which remains disabled (previously leading to the ghost Safedock at my parking stand); but added the VDGS files in the zip you attached. The new files solved the ghost Safedock thing, and changed things at Quebec/Alpha corner, but only further highlighting that there's something funky going on down there(!)..

2017-1-17_22-15-49-64.png (2.05 MiB) Viewed 6814 times

In case it's any use: The rest of the field looks fine; I hadn't noticed any elevation issues at the other bridges/tunnels for canals & highways on the drive from the Polderbaan to stand, and I slewed around the airport for a while earlier, and didn't see anywhere else with elevation not quite right.

Regards,

Rob.

[FactionOne]

This one's starting to get to me, now...

I honestly can't think of much else I can try to solve this. Last night I updated P3D to 3.4.18.19475 just in case (I'd been holding off as I had no problems with 3.4.9.18400, and as compatibility patches for other addons wasn't complete, that's what my base image was based on) - no difference.

Because I've been shifting things around so much, and to try with just P3D, my FS Global & ORBX stuff (because it's time consuming to reinstall all that), but no other airports (aside from Vienna), I restored the image again today.

I disabled the only ORBX file related to EHAM (ABP_EHAM.bgl), and set about installing Vienna & Amsterdam.

Just to throw me a curved-ball, I got the post-install errors with Vienna this time - I noticed in the setup window behind that it was attempting to add to my scenery library (at least); and when I checked, it wasn't there. I added an entry manually, and installed Amsterdam (without errors).

ftinst.png (47.67 KiB) Viewed 6769 times

I am curious, about reference to Prepar3D.cfg - does this post-install add anything to that too, which may consequently be missing?

Schiphol is mostly fine (a single Type 1 Safedock on stands, bridges/tunnels correct) apart from Quebec/Alpha corner, where the elevation issue and lack of Safedock on the cargo stands persists.

Short of a complete ground-up reinstall without FS Global and ORBX stuff going anywhere near it, I can't think of much else I can do - and there doesn't seem a great deal of point doing that when I've tried with all the FSG & ORBX layers disabled, and really I need them to work together anyway. The only other thing I can think of, and I reckon this is just stir-craziness setting in, is trying without Vienna; as mentioned in the other thread, when installed AMS first I had weirdness and missing Safedocks at the stand (just their lower fixtures showing); but didn't notice any elevation peculiarities on the drive from the Polderbaan.

[martin[flytampa]]

I am curious, about reference to Prepar3D.cfg - does this post-install add anything to that too, which may consequently be missing?

No, if you get that error the only thing thats missing is the scenery.cfg entry. Why it might fail I don't know, its being done according to LM's official instructions.

[emilios[flytampa]]

Although de-activating from scenery library might seem that it's actually indeed de-activating FTX add-ons, it's very often that ORBX products poke on stock files, which makes some changes irreversible. I am pretty sure that after re-install, it will look fine. sorry you have to go through it though

[FactionOne]

That did occur to me, and I've been staring at a spare hard drive most of the day trying to pluck up the courage.

Three things so far have prevented it...

i) Daunting nature of the task (although this I can overcome).
ii) Hope for discovery of some up-to-now overlooked tweak/fix to Amsterdam which would prevent it (perhaps wishful thinking).

The last one seems a little trickier to get past, though...

iii) A ground-up [no pun intended] reinstall can't really be expected to improve the situation unless ORBX [and/or FSG] products are omitted from it?

If I install P3D & Amsterdam only, and QA-corner is OK, where do we go from there?

Regards,

Rob.

EDIT: I suppose the only way to find out what's going on is to try AMS on a bare install, and if it's OK, reinstall again, adding FSG before AMS; repeating for ORBX global base, Vector, and finally LC. Swapping drives in 3..2.. [if I'm not back in a week, send help! ]