Still getting some ground texture bleed thru

[virtuali]

Surprisingly the one with NO UT2 created a larger file, so I am not sure what that means.

It might means several things:

a) you did something wrong when recording the log

b) the effect of UT clobbering Simconnect, is showing on the log as well so, you are seeing a smaller file with it, because other addons couldn't get a chance to issue many commands

c) some events are based on frame rate, they happen at every visual frame so, if your fps was lower with UT2, less of thise events will be generated, so the log was smaller for that reason.


In fact, I've tried the same test, running for 90 seconds, and got similar results, the UT2 version of the file is about 20% smaller. However, I've also counted all the events tied to the frame rate and, guess what, they are about 20% less in the UT2 version, because the frame rate was lower so, I guess this case c).

In the log, it's also possible to check the error conditions (EXCEPTIONS), which are all the errors that Simconnect logs, whenever any 3rd party module send a wrong command or a correct command in the wrong situation (like, for example, trying to destroy an object that is no longer there).

In my test, with LVLD.DLL, UT2Services.exe and Bglmanx.dll + Couatl.exe running, I've counted the following exceptions:

- UT2Services.exe generated 185 exceptions in 90 seconds

- LVLD.DLL generated only 1 exception

- Both bglmanx.dll and Couatl.exe, haven't generate ANY exception

If you can zip your log file (the one with everything in) you can send me via email (use the address on the "Contact" web page), I can check yours, and have a look at the errors.

MAYBE, the handling of too many error conditions, might also contribute putting a lot of strain over Simconnect.

[cmpbllsjc]

Ok, I just emailed it to you.

When you said the one with everything in it I wasn't sure if you meant everything as in with UT2 or everything as in the larger file, so I sent both to be safe.

Thanks

[virtuali]

Got your files, the errors are as follows:

module 0 = Couatl = 0 exceptions
module 1 = Addon Manager = 0 exceptions
module 2 = LD767 = 68 exceptions
module 4 = UT2 = 24 exceptions

Since you ran the program for 900 seconds (I ran it for just 90 seconds), it doesn't look like an amount of errors as big as being potentially able to slow down Simconnect. Of course, having errors is not nice, but your log doesn't look worse than mine.

Other than that, I don't see anything strange in your logs, just that you were running at 14.5 fps average with UT2, and 21.8 fps without it, but that's to be expected. Interesting how many thing one can derive from a log file...

I'll try tomorrow having a look with different strategies, like increasing or decreasing command frequency (I need some time to do this) and will send you something to test.

[cmpbllsjc]

Thanks a lot for looking at the data.

Judging by the amount of exceptions with the LDS 767 I wonder if I have something wrong with it and should reinstall it. The LDS is on its oringal install from 2+ years but is up to date with its service packs and patches.

As far as the average FPS seems to show worse on the log than in real time. When flying with out YT2 it seems that the FPS stay around 29 and with UT2 around 20. Either way though the performance feels good and smooth and I have never had any issues with the airport as far as that goes.

BTW, you probably noticed with the log that these were both run with the simconnect.xml file removed from my fsx cfg folder.

Thanks again for all the help and taking more than average time to help me with this issue. I can say that not many developers would do this at all, so thanks very much and I will stay tuned to see what you come up with for the different strategies.

Regards

Sean

POST EDIT

In case I ever need to look at these log in the future how do you spot the exceptions and average FPS? I looked thru the logs and didn't see anywhere that all the info is rolled up.

[cmpbllsjc]

Umberto, in addition to the post above this one, I made a few interesting observations tonight I though I would share with you that may help you in helping me with my situation.

I tried turning down the slider in the UT2 UI in the "In Game Settings" menu where it says Max A/C to spawn. I put it in the lowest setting of 10. Now even keeping the traffic level of 100% airline and 0% GA I still get all the traffic but it just takes longer for it to be injected into FSX, which is ok for me and since it loads less a/c at once its actually smoother that having it set at say 60 or 100 ai to inject.

So I tried a few flights and here's what is happening. If I start at runway 18R and takeoff turn east and make a left handed traffic pattern and land back at 18R everything works as it should, no bleeding or flashing ground textures and no double drawing of buildings, PAPI's work right, plus none of the moving service vehicles are 1/2 way under ground. So this is working good.

Now if I taxi back to runway 18R and take off again and fly the same left handed traffic pattern to land back on 18R I start getting some bleeding/flashing ground textures on the north 1/3 of the airport. When I land the Terminals A and B are double drawn and flickering. However I tried this twice and on the second time when on approach they were flickering but once I got closer to land everything snapped back into place the the terminal were ok. So I think I am on the right path.

It seems like the airport if divided into 3rds, a south section and middle section and a north section. When I am having issues it seems like its usually just one or two of the sections that isn't being redrawn properly.

Anyways, I thougt this info maybe of use since I can make one pattern around the airport and I am ok, but if I land and do it again things sometimes go bad.

Talk to you later and a big thanks for everything you've done to help me so far.

Regards,

Sean

[cmpbllsjc]

One last thing. I know you probably think I never sleep.

Can you confirm this is correct. About an hour ago was the first time I ever fly around the airport at night. Everything was working well and then I noticed when I landed on runway 18R the landing lights weren't showing on the ground, then suddenly they turned on, but when I was taxing over by gate A16 they went off and were only reflecting part of the runway.

Just to be safe I turned off everything in the dll and exe.xml off just to be sure it wasn't something simconnect related like my other problems. Sure enough I had the same issue where some parts of the runway 18R and the taxiway over near that area would only show the landing light in some areas.

I figured this had something to do with the fact that the ground isn't flat in this airport and that this was similar to the reason progressive taxi doesn't work here. Anyway I attached a couple of shots to show what I am talking about. I didn't test on the other side of the airport but I would assume the same would happen over there.

Thanks

[virtuali]

Runways and taxiway lights are tied to the hires ground so, they should appear if the hires ground is appearing. They are NOT standard FSX lights, even the runway lights and PAPIs are custom so, they are under our control.

Have you installed the 1.0.3 update ?

[cmpbllsjc]

Umberto, I wasn't talking about the runway lights or taxiway lights of the airport, those work fine and I have no issue with them.

What I mean is that if you look at the screen shots I attached, the part of the runway and some taxiway dont reflect or show my landing lights of the plane. The runway lights and taxiway lights of the airport work fine, Look at these two shots and you will see that there is like an invisible barrier that is cutting of my landing light on the ground.

Yes, I have 1.3 installed.

[cmpbllsjc]

Here's a better pic of what I am trying to show.

The areas I circle in red is the halo light from my planes landing light. It stops in one area then in the red circle at the top of the screen my landing light is visible again. Like an invisible barrier blocking the light from displaying.

It happend like this on runway 18R also in various areas.

Maybe some type of reflective texture is missing from that area?

[virtuali]

Ok, now I see what you mean.

The good news, is that it's not a problem with your installation, because I can see it as well. The bad news is, we need to look into it, but I'm not sure it could be fixed, it might be a side effect of making the ground in that way, will let you updated...

[cmpbllsjc]

OK, thanks.

Glad to know that it wasn't just me this time.

BTW, there are a lot of areas like that, but the most noticable is on the runways when you are landing and all of the sudden you can't see the ground then suddenly your landing light illuminates the  ground again.
If you need me to document all the areas let me know and I will taxi all over the airport at night and find them.

[cmpbllsjc]

Umberto,

Believe it or not I think I can report some good news for a change 

In all the testing and fiddling around I have been doing in the last week, you will probably have noticed that in all my tests I had been flying circuits around the airport, always staying in the vicinity. If I had all the modules like UT2 connected everything would be fine from take off until I flew the circuit and landed again. Then once I took off, flew another circuit around the airport and landed again things would go haywire if I had UT2 running.

So, tonight I though I would try something different. I enabled all modules including UT2 and started a fresh flight with the LDS767 from an airport about 100 miles away. I set UT2 traffic at 100% with the max injection at 10 a/c per time. When I got to DFW and landed everything was fine, no problems, PAPI's worked, etc.

Then I closed FSX, reloaded another fresh flight from the same airport 100 miles away. This time when I got about 50 miles out I hit the hot key to kill UT2 traffic. Once again I landed and everything was fine, then as I was pulling off the taxiway I hit the UT2 hotkey again to bring traffic back up and everything remain as it should be.

In conclusion I guess the only time I will be having the simconnect problem is if I continue to fly around the airport, land and take off but never get outside of the boundry where the airport actually shuts off so to speak. I seems like for me the only way it will work right with all my modules is when I get a completely fresh load up of the airport.

This I can live with because generally, I will not be flying around the airport like I was when I was testing it. Usually it will be a single takeoff and then landing somewhere else very far away, then maybe a return flight later, in which hopefully the airport will start again from a fresh load and I will be ok with no problems.

Later today, I will try a flight from DFW to an airport at least 100 miles away then once I get there I will fly back to DFW just to make sure it works and I get a fresh reload, and if so I will leave it at that.

In the past I tried using the scenery refresh key when I could get corrupted, but for some reason it doesn't seem to work at this airport.

I guess the only thing left that will make it perfect is if you can get the other issue that we both have with the aircrafts landing lights not showing on the ground in some areas which you said you were working on anyway.

I will let you know how it works out doing a round trip to and from DFW later on today. If it goes ok we can call it case closed and never return to this thread.

Thanks again for all the help and support up to this point. I have really learned a lot about trouble shooting. If I am ever in Milan, Rome, or wherever you live in Italy I owe you a Peroni, Moretti, or what ever your drink of choice is.

[virtuali]

Try the new 1.0.5, it should fix the landing lights issue.

[cmpbllsjc]

Try the new 1.0.5, it should fix the landing lights issue.

OK, I will give it a shot in the next few hours and let you know if it fixed my problem.

[cmpbllsjc]

I finally got a chance to test it out and it fixed the landing light problem, except now there is a bump that extends across the aiport. Its not that big of a bump, but its enough to make a sound when you cross it and enough for the AI to smoke their wheels when the go over it.

However, if you cant fix it, it's not that big of a deal.

BTW, can you tell me exactly how far I need to fly from the airport to have bglmanx.com completely drop it out of scenery, that way when I fly back to it I will know its been completely reset if I have UT2 turned on.

Thanks