Author Topic: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements  (Read 24146 times)

virtuali

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Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« on: March 21, 2023, 04:53:03 pm »
Today Microsoft released Sim Update 12, which has added lots of important improvements to the sim covering many areas. But for FSDT and GSX Pro, the most important feature is the addition of full Jetway informations to the Navdata API, which will offer big benefits to how GSX works.

The changes are many and their impact so profound, we had to make a presentation video to explain in the detail how much this improves GSX:



We would like to thank Microsoft and Asobo for listening to all our suggestions about this new API, which has been added exactly like we asked, and makes GSX working with jetways so much better.

To get the update, just run the FSDT Live Update.

anarkia2004tj

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2023, 06:53:39 pm »
This is amazing news. I have enjoyed your products for many years now, and even though it isn't perfect, GSX has always been a game changer for me. Do you have any insight as to the ability to change the jetway type and customize them per airport like in p3d? Is this a limitation of the sim or are you just not planning on them? I greatly miss that feature

Thanks again for all your dedication!

aseinsha

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2023, 12:42:15 am »
Amazing stuff, keep up the fantastic work!

 <3 FSDREAMTEAM! <3

kuilbop

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2023, 01:25:18 am »
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

mbayenh

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2023, 05:30:39 am »
Nicely done! I am just trying to figure out why I don’t see people anymore (pilots nor passengers)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

HeicoH

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2023, 07:53:10 am »
What is SU12 Navadata API option good for except for locating jetways at Standard Microsoft/Asobo and 3rd party Marketplace bought airports? If there is no other use for it, how can I disabled it?
My GSX test scenario (unless otherwise stated):
Sandbox environment
GSX v 2.9.1 (as of 20 Jan 2023)
Fenix A320, PMDG 737-800, ATR-72
EDDL (JustSim), EDDK (Aerosoft), both not Marketplace
GSX jetways disabled
no AI traffic
no antivirus or firewall software running
all apps started in admin mode

virtuali

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2023, 09:13:51 am »
What is SU12 Navadata API option good for except for locating jetways at Standard Microsoft/Asobo and 3rd party Marketplace bought airports? If there is no other use for it, how can I disabled it?

And why you would want to go back to the legacy "airport cache" method, which would:

- slow down the startup

- have to be regenerated each time you install/remove a scenery

- affected by any possible issues in your Community folder, like file access problems, possibly corrupted files or just not finding the right .BGL ?

- not future-proof, because it relied opening a non-officially documented file format, which can possibly change at any time ( it has already changed several times since MSFS came out ) ?

While in the SU10 version of the Navdata, it might have been useful to disable it if you didn't use Marketplace airports, because by reading the .BGL we had jetways working a bit better, because at least we could read their positions from the .BGL, which we couldn't in SU10, with SU12 we can, and we also get even more data than we ever had ( even from the .BGL ), because the issues with jetways were not just caused by not finding them ( that was just one of the issues ) but also not being able to detect their status reliably and not knowing where the jetway went after it animated, which caused passengers in the air each the jetway didn't go to the Main Exit.

Since SU12 fixes all of that, it doesn't really makes sense to disable it.

The only side effect of using the Navdata, is that if you use a GSX custom profile, you must to be sure it's for the correct scenery you have installed at the time, since we can no longer associate a .BGL with an .INI, only the ICAO code matters, so you need to be sure the profile you use was made for that scenery.

RogePete

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2023, 10:58:09 am »
There may be one scenario where cache setting had it's advantages.
I made a profile for an addon airport. The original bgl file of this airport was kinda crappy. For example they didn't connect any of the stands with a taxiway. So GSX did read them as separated stands and wouldn't work with this airport at all.
I took a workaround by creating a new/modified bgl with all stands connected (to copy it into the profile folder and let the profile AFCAD path point to this new bgl file). This worked.
With the cache setting deactivated now, I presume that GSX will use the (bad) original bgl file of the airport developer again... and will stop working with this airport again.
Or am I wrong?

 

virtuali

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2023, 12:21:06 pm »
With the cache setting deactivated now, I presume that GSX will use the (bad) original bgl file of the airport developer again... and will stop working with this airport again.

Yes, that is correct and, in fact, having a customized .BGL is the only feature we lose when using Navdata.

However, if the scenery AFCAD is really bad, it might be better to simply put your fixed version directly in the scenery package in the Community folder, so its correct data won't be used just be GSX ( through Navdata ), but the whole simulator, including AI, which will also benefit from your fixes.

RogePete

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #9 on: March 22, 2023, 01:44:26 pm »
Yeah, but that would produce copyright issues, I think. So I made a bgl only with the taxiways, stands, etc. to be able to publish it. Putting this in the scenery folder would create an airport without objects.


By the way, I also don't see any pax leaving the plane (stairs) with the new update (a32NX, at Corfu FlyTampa).

« Last Edit: March 22, 2023, 01:46:06 pm by RogePete »

shez

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #10 on: March 22, 2023, 05:29:35 pm »
This great news Ali! Finally we have the old trusty GSX back...
« Last Edit: March 22, 2023, 05:48:43 pm by virtuali »

kingnorris

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #11 on: March 22, 2023, 10:52:05 pm »
With the cache setting deactivated now, I presume that GSX will use the (bad) original bgl file of the airport developer again... and will stop working with this airport again.

Yes, that is correct and, in fact, having a customized .BGL is the only feature we lose when using Navdata.

However, if the scenery AFCAD is really bad, it might be better to simply put your fixed version directly in the scenery package in the Community folder, so its correct data won't be used just be GSX ( through Navdata ), but the whole simulator, including AI, which will also benefit from your fixes.

So you’re saying my FlyTampa KLAS jetways don’t work with the update? Because they don’t. “No jetways available here”.

How/when will this be resolved? Do I need another custom profile?

HeicoH

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #12 on: March 22, 2023, 11:06:01 pm »
I am totally confused now.

With SU12 Navdata option enabled, which .BGL does GSX read and use for its calculation? E.g. EDDL: the Asobo .BGL or my JustSim NON-Marketplace .BGL?
My GSX test scenario (unless otherwise stated):
Sandbox environment
GSX v 2.9.1 (as of 20 Jan 2023)
Fenix A320, PMDG 737-800, ATR-72
EDDL (JustSim), EDDK (Aerosoft), both not Marketplace
GSX jetways disabled
no AI traffic
no antivirus or firewall software running
all apps started in admin mode

virtuali

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #13 on: March 23, 2023, 02:24:03 am »
So you’re saying my FlyTampa KLAS jetways don’t work with the update? Because they don’t. “No jetways available here”.

Not sure how you derived this information about FlyTampa KLAS, when the user was discussing about a specific scenery with a bad AFCAD that required a modified .BGL. I doubt he was referring to KLAS, and Jetways there works perfectly fine, see the attached screenshot.

Have you checked KLAS has been excluded from GSX Jetway replacement, as it should be for every 3rd party scenery ?

kingnorris

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Re: Sim Update 12 and GSX - BIG Improvements
« Reply #14 on: March 23, 2023, 02:40:44 am »
I don’t understand your last question. This is a 3rd party add on I bought. FlyTampa KLAS.

Before the latest update, the jetways didn’t work and I had to find a profile to make them work. Should I remove the profile now?