FSDreamTeam forum

Products Support => Dallas FSX/P3D => Topic started by: phenocom on August 28, 2010, 01:53:39 am

Title: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D **solved**
Post by: phenocom on August 28, 2010, 01:53:39 am
The front of terminal D is blackened and the elevated train tracks are nothing but a black line.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on August 28, 2010, 12:10:42 pm
That's terminal C, and there's nothing wrong with it. The black color is supposed to be the shadow of the train tracks. Your problem is that the whole track is missing.

Check the following:

- You have BOTH the "Addon Manager" AND the "Couatl-powered product" menus under the Addons menu.

- You shouldn't run FSX in "XP compatibility mode" under Vista or Win7
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on August 28, 2010, 06:32:48 pm
I do have both Couati powered products and addon manager in the addons menu of FSX. How do I check to see that FSX is not running in XP compatibility mode.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on August 28, 2010, 09:24:24 pm
Right click on FSX.EXE, select "Properties", select "Compatibility"
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on August 29, 2010, 01:39:41 am
I checked and the box is definitely unchecked. So I am not running FSX in XP Compatibility mode. What else could be causing the disappearance of the train tracks?
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on August 29, 2010, 10:42:19 am
What else could be causing the disappearance of the train tracks?

Nothing, because it should also affect lots of other objects as well, not just the train tracks. Are you sure it's the only thing that's missing ?
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on August 29, 2010, 03:36:45 pm
I have attached a screenshot of KDFW in top down mode. You can see all the buildings that are missing.
Terminal D (inside)
I have set all FSX activity to Zero including all AI from My Traffic 2010. What you see is the scenery only. I have also disabled MegasceneryX Dallas
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on August 29, 2010, 07:39:18 pm
Sorry, but that simply can't happen.

It's either all the buildings missing (if, for example, the Addon Manager or the Couatl program weren't running) or it's all buildings displayed. And, those objects can't even be affected by other sceneries, since they are not .BGL so, another scenery can't exclude them.

The only possible explanation left, is that some files were corrupted on your installation: have you tried uninstalling/reinstalling the scenery ?
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on August 30, 2010, 01:01:08 am
I have tried uninstalling, then restarting my computer, then redownloading the program from the website and installing the program and I still get the same result!!! I have all your other airports and they work fine. I just cant understand why this is happening? Each time I uninstall I answer yes to both questions that come up for couati and add on mgr.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: sjt375 on August 30, 2010, 04:25:28 am
When I first installed the scenery I actually had the exact same problem with some buildings missing and some working fine. I tried everything I could to fix it, but in the end, I had to uninstall and reinstall everything in fsx :(
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: striker_jm on September 09, 2010, 02:53:43 pm
I have the same problem. When I initially downloaded the program, it ran fine. Then I installed FSPassenger and then the addons option in fsx disappeared. I had to un install everything that ran through the addon menu reinstall FSPassenger then install the FSDT products and plus the others that ran through the addon menu (LDS PMDG, etc)
Ever since, the KDFW hasn't been working properly, I have about 4 terminals missing plus other buildings around the field. I have tried pretty much everything already mentioned above, without succes. Whats puzzling me though is that all the other products I have from FSDT/Cloud9 works. (KMCO,KFLL,KJFK,KORD)
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on September 09, 2010, 03:03:11 pm
I have the same problem. When I initially downloaded the program, it ran fine. Then I installed FSPassenger and then the addons option in fsx disappeared.

If the whole addons menu disappeared after installing FSPassengers, it can only mean its installer corrupted your DLL.XML file because, if it's corrupted, FSX would just skip it and not load any modules in the Addons menu.

But, if you install any FSDT scenery afterwards, the installer will check if you XML files are corrupted and, in that case, will offer you a chance to recreate a brand new one from scratch, which of course will only contain our own entries so, you'll have to reinstall all products that needed a module.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: striker_jm on September 09, 2010, 03:36:37 pm
I did. after reinstalling FS Passenger, I then installed KFLL, and KORD became active as well as KDFW but with the missing buildings. Since KJFK wasn't active I figured I would have to install each product, because there might be some files that weren't yet installed. So I did, I installed KJFK, and KDFW. JFK works fine, but the same issue came back with DFW. I tried this multiple times without success
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: laxclipper on September 10, 2010, 03:00:57 am
I just want to know? If that 737 is a model from like Traffic X? The quality looks really bad...

I mean nothing bad, I just couldn't help to notice..

Edgar
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on September 10, 2010, 11:18:07 am
JFK works fine, but the same issue came back with DFW. I tried this multiple times without success

If JFK works, it means all the software works, both the Addon Manager and the Couatl program, otherwise you wouldn't see anything at JFK or any other FSDT scenery. So, the software runs correctly.

Do you see Dallas in the list of FSDT available sceneries ? If not, this would indicate your Addon Manager is working, but is not the current version that "knows" about KDFW. But if this was the case, you wouldn't see ANY KDFW buildings, not just some of them.

Are you using the current KDFW version, the 2.0 which was recently released ?
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: striker_jm on September 11, 2010, 02:54:44 am
The addon manage version is 2.7 which i suspect would be current because I bought KDFW a few days back and it recognizes KDFW.
Ah not sure if ur talking about the update for KDFW itself, but I just saw it at the top of the forum so I'm going to install it and see if the problem is resolved
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: striker_jm on September 11, 2010, 03:28:22 am
Installed the update and problem solved. However another issue came up though it's doesn't really affect flight it seems. There seems to be an elevation issue, where the product meets the default scenery. The cars seem to float on the road that seperates the two, road traffic everywhere else seems fine. I doesn't affect my AI so I am not two worried about it. Just a heads up.

Thanks for the support, it's greatly appreciated.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on September 11, 2010, 09:47:45 pm
I tried to install KDFW again. I followed the proper procedure. I uninstalled the previous version saying yes to both questions for addon mgr and couati. then I restarted FSX and then I downloaded the new version of the scenery from the website. this time I got no scenery at all when I ran FSX.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on September 12, 2010, 11:09:00 am
The usual questions:

- Do you see the "Addon Manager" menu under "Addons" ?

- Do you see the "Couatl powered products" menu under "Addons" ?

If not, the most likely cause it's almost always the antivirus so, you should do this, exactly this, don't skip any step:

- Uninstall the scenery. Reply YES when asked if you want to remove the Addon Manager and the Couatl Engine. Reply YES to both questions.

- REBOOT Windows! (please DO IT)

- TURN OFF your antivirus. Don't just exit from its interface, but turn off the real time protection. Actual wording changes between products, however, it's the option to scan every file that gets open in real time, without user intervention.

- Reinstall the scenery with the Antivirus TURNED OFF. Don't launch FSX yet.

- Configure the antivirus to exclude the following files from scanning:

YourFSXFolder\bglmanx.dll
YourFSXFolder\fsdreamteam\couatl.exe

YourFSXFolder it's usually C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X, if you installed it in the default folder.

- Now you can turn the antivirus back on, and launch FSX.

- Check you are seeing BOTH the "Addon Manager" menu AND the "Couatl powered products" menu under the "Addons" menu.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on September 12, 2010, 06:02:31 pm
I am really confused now.
I started the scenery in FSX in order to check and make sure the couati products and addon mgr were in the addons menu and I noticed that all of the scenery was properly displayed. I then shut down Fsx and added My Traffic 2010 and Super traffic board and no scenery showed up. I then closed FSX and restarted with out any traffic or Super Traffic board and still got no scenerey at all. By the way addons menu has consistently showed both addon mgr and couati products to be active.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on September 12, 2010, 09:33:25 pm
The issue might be you restarted FSX too quickly, so it wasn't closed cleanly. Try after a Windows reboot.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on September 15, 2010, 08:08:18 am
I've tried rebooting Windows several times and then restarting FSX but I still get no scenery only black spaces. All your other sceneries work and my addons menu shows both couati and addon mgr to be active.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on September 15, 2010, 09:50:34 am
All your other sceneries work and my addons menu shows both couati and addon mgr to be active.

Ok, this entirely discounts any possible antivirus problem or anything that is related to the software modules. If they show their menus, it means both working fine.

However, they might not be the most current version (and this *might* be caused by the antivirus, that kept the old version, but refused to install the new one). Does the Addon Manager lists KDFW in the available sceneries ?

Is KDFW installed right now ? Do you see it in the Scenery Library ?
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on September 16, 2010, 02:51:07 am
The addon mgr lists KDFW as an available scenery and has a buy option . KDFW is in my scenery library as activated
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on September 16, 2010, 10:58:04 am
Sorry, but what you are observing simply shouldn't happen.

Check this folder:

%APPDATA%\Virtuali

Do you have a Couatl.err file inside ? If yes, what does it contains ?
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on September 16, 2010, 04:38:21 pm
I can understand what you're saying but it IS happening!  How do I get to this file "%APPDATA%\Virtuali"

Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on September 16, 2010, 04:39:47 pm
Type that, exactly as I've wrote, in any explorer window, or in the blank area in the Windows "Start" button, it should open the folder.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on September 16, 2010, 04:59:35 pm
Thanks. I did that and I came up with Virtuali Folder with only the .ini file
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on September 16, 2010, 05:24:21 pm
Are you running FSX in one of the XP or Vista "compatibility modes" ?
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on September 16, 2010, 05:41:14 pm
I am not running in any compatibility mode(no boxes are checked).
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on September 16, 2010, 06:40:45 pm
Do you see the airport bacgkround at least ?
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on September 16, 2010, 07:46:47 pm
If you mean the taxiways and runways and the taxi way bridges I do see those until the trial period expires.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on September 16, 2010, 08:34:09 pm
Try this:

Open the Notepad and type the following on a new blank file:

logFile=couatl.log

(please note logFile is written beginning with a lower case l and a capital F )


Save the file as couatl.ini in the FSX\fsdreamteam\couatl folder, so it stays at the same level of the couatl.exe

Run FSX, go to KDFW, then quit FSX after the airport has been loaded. Check if you have a couatl.log file in the FSX\fsdreamteam\couatl folder and post its content here.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on September 16, 2010, 09:58:06 pm
I did what you instructed me but after I started FSX and the Airport KDFW came up I checked my addons and Couatl Powered products was not listed anymore and there was no couatl.log file in the couatl folder after I quit FSX.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on September 16, 2010, 11:21:34 pm
I did what you instructed me but after I started FSX and the Airport KDFW came up I checked my addons and Couatl Powered products was not listed anymore and there was no couatl.log file in the couatl folder after I quit FSX.

This means Couatl didn't run this time. However, it's not possible that asking it to do a log, would prevent it to run so, I suspect it didn't run also the previous times, that's why you don't see buildings.

Check the Couatl.exe process is not stuck in the Task manager, this can happen if you relaunch FSX too quickly after a test. If you still see Couatl.exe in the Task manager with FSX closed, kill the process, and try again.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on September 17, 2010, 12:17:07 am
Ok I checked the task manager and found that Couatl.exe was stck in the task mgr. I then killed the process and then restarted FSX and ran the scenery for KDFW however the scenery still was not displayed. I did manage to get a couatl.log file and I am posting its contents:

couatl v1.0 (build 1024)
log started on Thu Sep 16 17:35:19 2010

connecting to SimConnect...
connected to FSX
bglmanx non ready yet, waiting.
connected to bglmanx
Loading addon ZurichX:
Addon ZurichX loaded
Loading addon OHareX:
Addon OHareX loaded
Loading addon JFK:
Addon JFK loaded
Loading addon XPOI:
Addon XPOI not installed or missing one or more files, skipping
Loading addon ParkMe:
Addon ParkMe loaded
Loading addon LSGG:
Addon LSGG loaded
Loading addon KLAS:
Addon KLAS loaded
Loading addon KFLL:
Addon KFLL loaded
Loading addon PHNL:
Addon PHNL loaded
Loading addon KDFW:
Addon KDFW loaded
Loading addon ENBR:
Addon ENBR not installed or missing one or more files, skipping
SharedMemInterface connected
Entering ParkMe area Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
disconnected from SimConnect.

Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on September 17, 2010, 12:47:38 am
As I expected: the log simply shows KDFW has been loaded successfully, and everything is working fine...the problem must be somewhere else.

You can activate the Simconnect diagnostic mode, this way:

Open notepad, and copy the following text:

Code: [Select]
[SimConnect]
level=verbose
console=1
RedirectStdOutToConsole=1
OutputDebugString=1
file=c:\simconnect%03u.log
file_next_index=0
file_max_index=9


Save the file as SIMCONNECT.INI in this folder:

Documents And Settings\YOUR LOGIN NAME\Documents\Microsoft Flight Simulator X Files

At the next FSX launch, you should see a text window with diagnostic message. Go to KDFW, let the sim run for 10-20 seconds, then exit.

You should see a file named simconnect000.log in your C:\ drive. Zip it and send it to me via email. It's obvious your problems is very specific to your system so, there's no need to continue here, we'll sort it out via email.
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: phenocom on September 17, 2010, 08:15:22 am
Umberto
I sent a pm to you for your email address in it I included my email.
Thank You
Dave
Title: Re: Blackened spaces on scenery at terminal D
Post by: virtuali on September 20, 2010, 03:27:45 pm
Problem has been solved, in this specific case, everything was working correctly, just the computer was so slow loading FSX (about 7 minutes) that the trial time elapsed before the loading finished.