Author Topic: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3 **SOLVED**  (Read 16424 times)

virtuali

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 51435
    • VIRTUALI Sagl
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3
« Reply #15 on: October 05, 2018, 12:26:17 pm »
As I've said in many of my replies, what is causing the sim to freeze is likely a video driver or video setting problem, which makes your installation not fully compatible with the Render To Texture feature required by GSX to create jetway numbers.

Try to check the "Disable RTT" option in the Addon Manager, restart the sim, and see if you can edit jetways without freezing the sim.

DVA12924

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 133
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3
« Reply #16 on: October 05, 2018, 12:54:48 pm »
I'll try your method, but I can assure you I am not the only GSX owner with this graphics driver installed, so how is it I am the only impacted user if this in fact a graphics driver issue? Shouldn't it be impacting everyone with GSX and the latest Nvidia graphics driver for a 1080 card? Just trying to understand why you are certain it is a driver issue and not something else. GSX is the only program or add on to P3D or my computer and other games installed that is causing any errors at all.

I recall once before I did disable RTT, closed the sim, restarted the computer, and launched the sim again and still had the same issues. I'll try it again if it will appease you.

virtuali

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 51435
    • VIRTUALI Sagl
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3
« Reply #17 on: October 05, 2018, 01:03:58 pm »
I'll try your method, but I can assure you I am not the only GSX owner with this graphics driver installed, so how is it I am the only impacted user if this in fact a graphics driver issue?

I believe I tried to explain this to you  several times.

The issue might not be the driver *itself* because, as you said yourself, it would affect thousands of users, not just you. The issue might be, instead, some kind of obscure tweak or setting that you might have applied long ago and forgot about it, which is still there in the registry, affecting something.

That's why I told you, to try a custom install with the option to do a clean install, which *might* remove your tweak.

DVA12924

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 133
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3
« Reply #18 on: October 05, 2018, 01:06:44 pm »
And I did that, many times already, as I've stated more than once throughout this thread. Nothing changed. I don't make tweaks or adjustments with graphics settings from Nvidia. I make graphics changes in P3D to match my hardware and visual requirements

DVA12924

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 133
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3
« Reply #19 on: October 05, 2018, 01:30:56 pm »
I have done the following:

Reinstalled latest Nvidia graphics driver using a custom clean install

If you'll notice further in the same post and further in the thread, the same issues with P3D freezing and now 2 times GSX doesn't even show itself active have happened since the graphics drive was installed last, as a custom clean install. No tweaks, no changes, no modifications. Uninstalled, reinstalled driver, restarted computer, and continued with the rest of the flow I mentioned in the same post as the quote above.

So again, I am not sure why you are saying this is a driver issue on my part due to tweaks and or changes when clearly there have been none.

in the same post as the quotes above, just after custom clean install of graphics drive (notice the flow in the original post, no changes were made to ANY grpahics settings, in Nvidia nor in P3D:

https://prnt.sc/l2aylo - in Edit mode with jetway disconnected from the ground makings, additions, and rotated 90 degrees and facing away from aircraft
https://prnt.sc/l2aywl - GSX gate edit screen showing gate Number is still not generating correctly, and jetway /jetway options selected for all gates with /J.
https://prnt.sc/l2az3f - Top title bar of P3D now shows as "Not Responding" immediately after exiting Edit/SLEW mode
https://prnt.sc/l2aza1 - showing P3D not responding, no other programs running with P3D aside from GSX gate editor and GSX Control Panel (Firefox opened to post the thread and see screenshots). Also, notice in the upper right corner of this image that the gate did not change from the GSX default SODE jetway.

It seems the problems are getting worse, not better. We started off with a disappearing jetway that was fixed by waiting for server to update. Then we moved on to jetways not resolving to the aircraft. From there, we got a bit better with the only issue being the black gate numbers, but then that turned into P3D freezing 90% of the time I click "Apply" in the editor.

I feel if this truly was a graphics driver issue, it would be impacting the same thing at a regular, consistent, repeatable event and wouldn't be escalating into much more. The only thins that has been consistent is that P3D will freeze when I click "Apply" ... it hasn't been impacting the same things. I've had now more than 5 issues with GSX since L2 was installed on my computer. I didn't change any graphics settings before, and I din't this time.

A graphics driver issue wouldn't explain why I can restart the sim and GSX shows as "In TRIAL Mode" from the addon manager, which is the only FSDT menu option for any program in the sim. GSX completely looses its own registry path and won't show as active again until after I restart the entire computer. That doesn't seem like a graphics driver issue to me. So forgive me as to me being interested as to why you feel this is a graphics driver issue and trying to understand why you feel that way.

virtuali

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 51435
    • VIRTUALI Sagl
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3
« Reply #20 on: October 05, 2018, 02:09:59 pm »
A graphics driver issue wouldn't explain why I can restart the sim and GSX shows as "In TRIAL Mode" from the addon manager, which is the only FSDT menu option for any program in the sim. GSX completely looses its own registry path and won't show as active again until after I restart the entire computer. That doesn't seem like a graphics driver issue to me. So forgive me as to me being interested as to why you feel this is a graphics driver issue and trying to understand why you feel that way.

I never said a graphic driver issue would cause GSX reverting to Trial. I said:

Quote
what is causing the sim to freeze is likely a video driver or video setting problem

So, I was replying ONLY to THIS issue. It's clear you don't have a "GSX issue". You have MULTIPLE issues in your system. Something which is causing the sim to freeze, and something ELSE, which is causing GSX going back to Trial.

A wrong compatibility mode for the simulator might cause this. Setting a Compatibility mode will force video drivers to go into a lesser performance mode (called WDDM 1.0, as opposed to the more correct and recent WDDM 1.1 and above) AND will re-route ALL registry calls made by all applications, including the Esellerate library, which will in turn force our software to assume GSX is in Trial.

That's something which is compatible with your report. First, check you don't have any Compatibility settings for Prepar3d.exe in the Compatibility tab. NOTHING should be checked there, which is how the simulator runs by default, and how it's supposed to run.

And, it's possible that other addons which runs together with it, might cause the simulator to behave as if a Compatibility setting was enabled for itself. So, be sure you don't have any of such Compatibility settings for any of the addons that run together with the simulator and be sure you are not starting the sim from one of them. As an alternative, DISABLE ALL ADDONS, just to be sure none of them is causing this.

In addition to that, Windows sometimes sets some wrong Compatibility settings in the registry, automatically, without your knowing and with no way to change them other than editing the registry manually. Check BOTH the following keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers

And be sure Prepar3d.exe is NOT listed on the right side of the window. If it is, REMOVE IT!

DVA12924

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 133
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3
« Reply #21 on: October 07, 2018, 08:59:49 am »
The only compatibility option that I changed or set was to "Run as Administrator" which is a very strongly recommended selection for windows 7, from both Microsoft and from Lockheed Martin, despite if the program is installed into the default installation folder, or in my case, installed into a new folder on the desktop. Every program and add-on I have installed on this system is set to run as administrator. I don't play around with compatibility settings like running any program as compatible with an older version of windows. If it is not made for, designed for, and fully functions with P3Dv4 then it does not go on my computer.

Prepar3D.exe is only listed in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers registry, but its data value shows "RUNASADMIN" and there are no other references to Prepar3D.exe in either of the registry locations you mentioned.

At this point, to rule out this being my system, I'm 100% uninstalling P3d and all add ons and then reinstalling P3D using the download links directly from Prepar3D, making sure P3d opens and operates correctly, and then only installing GSX/GSX L2 and will again test. This will 100% rule out any conflicts, improper system setup, or bad RegKeys on my end.

As I have stated, graphics driver has been uninstalled and reinstalled as a custom clean install, more than once; P3D had been opened and tested with only GSX running (but other addons still installed but not running); I have tried the "repair" function of the P3D installer; I have made sure P3D is fully updated to v4.3; I have tested with the aircraft I usually fly and with P3D default aircraft; I have tested at a large airport and a small airport; I have made sure Windows Update is fully updated; I have made sure all hardware and software on my system is 100% updated; I have tried all the suggestions you have mentioned in the thread; I have tried at a default unmodified airport and at airports which I have an AFCAD for; and no matter what test I perform or what function I do, I always end with the same failing result of P3D becoming unresponsive the exact time I click "Apply" in the Gate Editor (If I am able to click "Apply" at all, not all the gates or all the options I selected are performed/applied, like some jetways wont change from default or some will change to new jetway selected but will not have ground markings or will still have the logo board on the jetway. And If I try to edit again, 100% of the time at that point when I click "Apply" P3D will become unresponsive).

The only other test I can think to do is start from scratch testing only P3D running with GSXL2 alone. GSXL2 is the only program/feature/addon that is not 100% working on my system and this computer was professionally built and used ONLY for P3D usage and scenery building/editing and aircraft modeling/texturing. I'm reluctant to blame my system set up only due to the fact that P3D and all other addons worked 100% perfectly, including GSX L1, up until the point I installed GSX L2 and that is when these problems started. If I uninstall GSX/L2 from my computer and run P3D as I did before L2 was installed, I can fly for hours upon hours without even so much as a minor stutter from P3D. And that test was done while the other testing was on going in the past few days when I hadn't changed anything else other than removing GSX installation from the computer. So yes, I am very reluctant to point blame at my system when no less than 11 other addons all running along side of P3D have and continue to function perfectly without GSXL2 installed.

I'll need a few hours to uninstall P3D and all the addons 100% and then reinstall P3D and GSX/L2 but I'll report my findings when I'm done with it.

DVA12924

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 133
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3
« Reply #22 on: October 09, 2018, 05:36:33 am »
(Umberto please read the ENTIRE message so we are both on the same page)
Testing is not done, yet. but I have managed to get most of it done. Please note, not only was antivirus not activated at the time of the steps below, but I even uninstalled it and disabled Windows Defender so there would be no chance of any antivirus interference. Antivirus is at this point still not reinstalled, so all testing done without antivirus.

Steps take so far in the order taken:

1. P3D and ALL addons uninstalled via Windows Control Panel
2. C drive checked manually in ALL folders and sub-folders for for remains of ANY P3D addon and deleted, including the RegEdit utility
3. Restarted Computer
4. Disk Cleanup performed
5. Disk Defragment checked - found 1% fragmented
6. Defragmented C drive
7. Computer restarted
8. ALL graphics drivers uninstalled and any remains deleted from system (graphics auto reverted to version 398.?? which came installed with graphics card out of the box)
9. Current version of Nvidia graphics driver downloaded directly from Nvidia and installed using custom clean install (absolutely not 1 single setting/feature/modification made to default settings with fresh install)
10. Computer restarted
11. P3Dv4.3 downloaded directly from Lockheed Martin and installed running installer as administrator and installing to a new P3Dv43 folder created on desktop
12. P3Dv4.3 SDK downloaded from Lockheed Martin and installed to a sub-folder created in the P3Dv43 folder created on step 11
13. Computer restarted
14. P3Dv4.3 launched directly from install folder, registered and tested - PASSED (absolutely not 1 single setting or option changed from P3D default with clean install)
15. GSX/L2 downloaded directly from FSDT and installed into a GSXL2 folder created inside the P3Dv43 folder created in step 11
16. Ran FSDT Live Update
17. Computer Restarted
18. Verified default jetways disabled in GSX Control Panel
19. Disk defragment checked - 1% fragmented, defragmented C drive
20. Computer restarted
21. P3D launched directly from installed location with GSX installed and running (please note, at this time there are no other addons reinstalled yet, not even FSUIPC, NOTHING only P3D and GSX/L2)
22. GSX functions tested: GSX rebuild database upon P3D open at default airport - PASS; Addon Manager showing in Add On menu in P3D - PASS; GSX Menu showing with default Crtl+F12 keypress - PASS; Follow-me car requested and arrives, follow to gate where verified P3D default gates were replaced by GSX SODE gates and ground service vehicles/marshal appear and are active - PASS (dedpite having deleted any trace of GSX I could find anywhere on the computer, Addon Manager showed GSX and GSXL2 as activated the 1st time I ran P3D with GSX reinstalled)
23. After engine shutdown, opened GSX menu and selected Customize this parking. Changed jetway type and textures only and applied - PASS
24. Selected Customize Parking from parking editor menu and observed for proper functions - PARTIAL PASS
25. Selected all 3 gates at default airport and edited jetway texture and additional options and applied - PARTIAL PASS
26. Reset airport to default in parking editor and observed proper changes - PARTIAL PASS

Notice steps 24, 25, and 26 are only PARTIAL passes. Here is what I found (keep in mind what I'm about to say was reported before with different settings and did eventually lead to the major issue of P3D becoming unresponsive when clicking "apply")

In step 24, when entering into SLEW mode to customize parking position and item locations, the jetway was rotated 90 degrees with head pointing opposite direction while jetway additional features such as logo, AC Unit, and Power unit remained in  correct position - https://prnt.sc/l3temb and also noticed that the gate number was now a black box again - https://prnt.sc/l3tf7s but otherwise all commands were correct with texture color and model type change

In step 25, when all 3 gates were modified at once, noticed that all 3 gates now have black box for gate number however, texture color and model changes were correct - https://prnt.sc/l3tfyn https://prnt.sc/l3tg4r

In step 26, after resetting airport to default in parking editor, noticed that all 3 gates now had Logos that went thru instead of along the jetway and still all 3 gates had black boxes for gate numbers - https://prnt.sc/l3tgzk

As evidence that ONLY GSX has been reinstalled, here is my add on menu from P3D - https://prnt.sc/l3tgca

What I also noticed, is that for each of these partial pass tests, P3D was auto-pausing due to the parking editor window opening. Once the sim was unpaused in P3D, ALL features corrected themselves (jetway returned to normal position from step 24, Logo corrected position from step 26, all gate numbers showed correctly in all 3 steps). Here is the ONLY change that was different between this testing and the testing performed prior to a full uninstall and reinstall: I had the "Pause on task" switch turned OFF prior to uninstall in P3D.. I retested again with the "Pause on task" switch OFF and all changes were made to all 3 steps above without issue.

I still need to go back and reinstall the addons I had before, and also want to test steps 24, 25, and 26 again at ZBAA (both default and modified AFCAD) before I reinstall addons. At this point, it would seem the issues (perhaps all of them) I was having were caused by a conflict with P3Dv4.3 and GSXL2 perhaps having something to do with the sim not being paused when edits were made (just a guess from the testing and results thus far)? Umberto, anyway this could have been the issue? Especially at large airports when making a massive amount of changes to each parking position? Perhaps while customizing both GSX positions and parking positions in AFCAD at the same time (of course unable to compile changes in AFCAD while sim is running in that region) so a lot of going back and forth between screens?

So far that is the only explanation I can think of given that the testing in a fresh install of only P3D and GSXL2 showed very similar errors while the sim was automatically placing itself in pause while edits are made (in pause with edits being made, errors show. Unpause sim and errors correct themselves). I'm thinking that someway created a conflict between the old install of GSX and P3D which lead to P3D becoming unresponsive. Umberto, please feel free to correct me or offer your insight. Id like to know what exactly caused the errors I had so I can prevent them from happening again. I have not at all enjoyed not being able to use my simulator for the past 3 weeks, and I did not enjoy having to uninstall everything and reinstall. How exactly are we supposed to be making edits using the parking editor? Sim paused and then unpause after GSX had time to make changes and verify all changes made? Is it OK to have the "Pause on task" switch OFF when making changes with parking editor? What's the correct method? It looks to me like either P3D or GSX thought the old install of P3D was in pause which would lead to me seeing the same errors already reported but the sim not being in pause and when that conflicting information was recieved by the P3D program (thought it should be in pause but wasn't) then that could have created the reason the sim went unresponsive. I know you get on late (my time) so I'll keep testing until all addons are reinstalled one by one and retested after each reinstall but I am eager to hear your thoughts about this.

virtuali

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 51435
    • VIRTUALI Sagl
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3
« Reply #23 on: October 09, 2018, 08:52:48 am »
I read the whole message but, basically, the main thing you said is:

- Everything works correctly if the "Pause on Task switch" option is disabled.

I'll look into it but, there's just nothing we can do about it, if the simulator doesn't call our software when it's paused, maybe it's something new in the PDK (which is a new SDK not many developers use).

DVA12924

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 133
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3 **SOLVED**
« Reply #24 on: October 09, 2018, 09:02:10 am »
Well, for one, I haven't finished testing, so marking this as solved is premature in my opinion. Secondly, the issues that I posted in the screenshots on the last post were the exact same issues I was getting just prior to P3D becoming unresponsive (black gate numbers, jetway models disconnecting from jetway addons when in edit mode), as they were reported just days prior, so it IS still possible once I have reinstalled everything, the same issue could arise again. If you recall, both of those issues were reported and while attempting to troubleshoot them is when the issue of P3d becoming unresponsive when clicking apply came up. Please allow me time to complete testing before marking the issue as solved. There are still MANY addons to be reinstalled and tested and any one of them could have created the conflict. I'll have most if not all the addons reinstalled in the next few hours but will then need to do some editing within some of those addons to get the sim back to where it was prior to the uninstall.

It is factual that this this exact moment with absolutely nothing installed except P3D and GSXL2, the default airport and the default P3D planes are not causing the sim to become unresponsive at this time, but there there is still much work to be done and any number of variables could arise again causing the same issue. It's your forum and do as you wish, but until I have all addons reinstalled and tested, I don't see the problem as solved.

virtuali

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 51435
    • VIRTUALI Sagl
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3 **SOLVED**
« Reply #25 on: October 09, 2018, 09:10:10 am »
There are still MANY addons to be reinstalled and tested and any one of them could have created the conflict.

Of course some other addon was likely the cause. I was quite sure of this.

Quote
It is factual that this this exact moment with absolutely nothing installed except P3D and GSXL2, the default airport and the default P3D planes are not causing the sim to become unresponsive at this

That's precisely my point.

Quote
but there there is still much work to be done and any number of variables could arise again causing the same issue. It's your forum and do as you wish, but until I have all addons reinstalled and tested

When you'll find the conflicting addon, you should report it to its developer, perhaps with a quick update here too.

DVA12924

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 133
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3 **SOLVED**
« Reply #26 on: October 09, 2018, 09:33:51 am »
It was most likely NOT another addon, since I previously stated that by uninstalling ONLY GSXL2 the sim and all other addons ran 100% perfectly fine without so much as even a stutter. Even GSX L1 ran great. I had not 1 single problem or error with any addons since buying P3D and add-ons as they came out before installing GSXL2. So the chances of another addon failing at the exact time I installed your addon is about 0%.

There may some conflicts between your addon and their addon, but they will most likely not make changes to their product if it was not the faulting product, as yours was. You wouldn't care if I came to you and said that GSX works perfectly, however when ran at the same time as, lets say, Ultimate Traffic Live, it causes the sim to crash. That's not your issue because its not your faulting program. Their products ran great with no issues. It was your product that has now cost me over a years works of updates needing to be replaced and over 3 weeks of frustrating troubleshooting leading nowhere that resulted in me having to completely uninstall and remove all traces of P3D and all addons just so I could say that at its very basic (no weather, no traffic, no addons, no textures, no enhancements what-so-ever that 98% of the flight sim world installs), very basic, your product is working, at this time.

Is the problem resolved? No. I haven't finished testing it.
Have we found the issue so others can fix without all the stress I've been thru if they run into the same problem? No

All you've done is the same as you have since the beginning: Find 1 sentence that looks like what you want and just focus on that while blaming everyone else and their products for causing errors that did not exist before your product was installed. This issue is not solved until I am done testing and confirm it is. If this is how you work with your BETA team, no wonder L2 has had so many issues. They would tell you they have 1 thing working and you'd release the entire project to the public and take their money for it. There are GSX L2 issues listed all over flight sim forums, for a product that has only been out less than a month! AFTER I have finished testing, I will confirm if this issues is solved or not. The I.T. team I have been working with trying to get your product to work has a few ideas at what may/might have been the issue, but we will not know until testing is done.

Clearly there is still some underlying issues with GSXL2 which surfaced just prior to crashing my sim. Just look at the screenshots! That's not normal! That's not a functioning bug free program!

No one wants to spend $69USD if it means that they will have to uninstall all their other addons just to get yours to work correctly. I'd rather just not have L2 if that is the case.

I'll update once testing is done with the findings.

virtuali

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 51435
    • VIRTUALI Sagl
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3 **SOLVED**
« Reply #27 on: October 09, 2018, 09:49:24 am »
There may some conflicts between your addon and their addon, but they will most likely not make changes to their product if it was not the faulting product, as yours was.

AFTER we'll find if there are conflict, you might start to speculate which one is the "faulting" product. You are making a judgement before getting all the facts. Right now, the only fact you have, is that GSX works fine with a clean installation.

Quote
It was your product that has now cost me over a years works of updates needing to be replaced and over 3 weeks of frustrating troubleshooting leading nowhere that resulted in me having to completely uninstall and remove all traces of P3D and all addons just so I could say that at its very basic (no weather, no traffic, no addons, no textures, no enhancements what-so-ever that 98% of the flight sim world installs), very basic, your product is working, at this time.

Every other developer will probably tell exactly the same: until you try a clean reinstall, you cannot possibly prove who's the faulting product.

Quote
Is the problem resolved? No. I haven't finished testing it. Have we found the issue so others can fix without all the stress I've been thru if they run into the same problem? No

You are making my point, again. You might have not found the faulting product yet, you only found that GSX now works fine on a clean install.

Quote
If this is how you work with your BETA team, no wonder L2 has had so many issues. They would tell you they have 1 thing working and you'd release the entire project to the public and take their money for it. There are GSX L2 issues listed all over flight sim forums, for a product that has only been out less than a month!

You could say the same for just every other product released recently. If you "read the forums", you might assume NO FLIGHT SIM PRODUCT basically works when it's released. That's not true, of course, but on support forum, you'll ONLY find post of users asking for SUPPORT, that's why they are called "support forums".

Quote
Clearly there is still some underlying issues with GSXL2 which surfaced just prior to crashing my sim. Just look at the screenshots! That's not normal! That's not a functioning bug free program!

All your screenshots were made when you had problems. You now say that, with "Pause on Task switch" disable, it works normally. Is this still true ?

Quote
No one wants to spend $69USD if it means that they will have to uninstall all their other addons just to get yours to work correctly. I'd rather just not have L2 if that is the case.

You can probably say the same of the yet-unknown-addon who's causing the conflict.

Don't worry, if you IDENTITY the conflict, we WILL have a look at it and, eventually, work with the developer.

The issue is, lots of times when users report a "sure" conflict, we usually contact the developers, exchange a free copy of our addons (we developers DO NOT use all the stuff you users use, we wouldn't have any time to do, you know, *development* if we also had to install other's guys stuff), and we almost invariably find ourselves not able to replicate the issue.

It recently happened with Ezdok Camera, Active Sky VRS Tac pack, and A2A accu-feel. In ALL cases, duly following users reports of conflicts between these and our software, we sent GSX to them, they sent their product to us, and NEITHER us or them were able to find ANY problems.

That's just to clarify what we do. We'll do it in your case too, don't worry.
« Last Edit: October 09, 2018, 09:51:03 am by virtuali »

DVA12924

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 133
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3 **SOLVED**
« Reply #28 on: October 09, 2018, 10:38:01 am »
Not ignoring the above, taking it into consideration as testing continues, however, I am about to test on a modified AFCAD file (enhancement for FSX default airport downloaded from AVSIM, modified and updated by myself to work with P3Dv4), but a thought crossed my mind and only you know the answer:

ADE1.75 (probably previous versions also) complies into a .bgl file which GSX reads for gate and item placement per the editor. However, ADE also has the ability to make the same .bgl with an xml copy (stored wherever user would like). Since P3Dv4 is heavy with xml usage, does GSX L2 look at all for AFCAD modifications in xml format? I haven't been saving any xml files with the bgl files for airport AFCAD modifications to save space.

Simply put: does GSX L2 want the AFCAD in bgl, xml, or both?

DVA12924

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 133
Re: GSX Level 2 editor freezing p3dv4.3 ** NOT SOLVED** (see last post)
« Reply #29 on: October 09, 2018, 10:56:02 am »
took modified AFCAD and saved the BGL file to P3Dv4. NO OTHER ADDONS YET REINSTALLED, so this is still only P3Dv4.3 and GSX ONLY along with the AFCAD file (attached). No settings have been changed except turning off the "pause on task" (which I will reactivate and try testing the same AFCAD again. I will also try placing the modified AFCAD directly into the main P3D install folder instead of the external folder Lockheed Martin stated must be done prior to 4.3 update).

when 1st loaded, noticed the gate I was at had a black gate number, but others around showed fine - https://prnt.sc/l3wphj

launched gate editor window using Ctrl+F12 and selected all parking with /J and changed gate model type, texture color, added ground markings, removed logo, and left show gate number checked as it is by default and applied changes. After a few moments all visible gates in any view had been changed to the new settings applied, with the exception of still a black gate number at the spot I was parked in. Selected that spot and clicked to customize jetway and P3Dv4.3 became unresponsive immediately upon clicking apply - https://prnt.sc/l3wrf4 (top left corner shows "(not responding)"

The AFCAD file is the only addition I have made to P3Dv4.3 since previous testing, so we could say it is the AFCAD, but if so, why before the uninstall of P3D did all the other 186 modified AFCAD files not have the same issue of causing P3D to become unresponsive prior to this one? I haven't done anything different with the AFCAD than I do with any others.

The original FSX AFCAD by Ray Smith can be found on AVSIM searching file: fsx_zbaa_rs.zip

Changes I make to update AFCAD:
1. Ensure all building and object models will show by opening the AFCAD in ModelConverterX and exporting the models as a P3Dv4 .bgl file and placing that file into P3D main install folder ... Scenery/Global/Scenery
2. Add bgl file from step 1 into ADE1.75 Library Object Manager
3. Open original AFCAD file
4. Select all aprons and change "Draw Surface" and "Draw Detail" to Yes (required by P3Dv4 for the surface type to show in the sim)
5. Open the list of Taxi Links
6. Select all (this will  select all Taxiways, Parkings, Paths, Runways, vehicle roads, closed taxiways)
7. click Edit
8. change "Draw Surface" and "Draw Detail" to Yes (required by P3Dv4 for the surface type to show in the sim)
9. Draw Polygon around airport following the boundary fence to flatten the entire airport to 1 elevation (the reported elevation of the airport), exclude AutoGen (no trees on the runway or taxiway etc)
10. Compile and save

i'm not making any changes that would cause the AFCAD to have any issues. And all 186 AFCADs worked perfectly without GSX, and also worked with GSX L1.

Further testing:
Removed AFCAD from the standard AFCAD addon folder I created and made a new ZBAA folder with scenery and texture folder. Deleted old scenery from P3D and add the new one. Closed P3D and reopened (ensure both P3D and GSX read new scenery) - used the EXACT same AFCAD that I was using when freeze happened but just in a different location and folder structure. Used default plane and moved to the same gate I was at above (233 in the attached AFCAD) at ZBAA. This time, gate 233 gate number was working, but the one to my left which was working before is now not working. So we at least still have the issue of random gates getting black gate numbers. I opened parking editor and it is referencing the new and correct scenery folder and AFCAD. Made some jetway texture and model changes and applied, but no sim freeze this time. Waited a few moments for changes to apply. Turned back on "Pause on task" switch and reopened parking editor and made some addition changes in texture colors and models and applied, again no freeze but also not all gate numbers showing. Waited a few minutes for all gates to update the applied settings. So at this point with only P3Dv4.3 installed, GSX/GSXL2 installed, and 1 AFCAD scenery installed I am still have ALL the issues I reported before - jetway modeling issues, black gate numbers, and P3D becoming unresponsive when clicking Apply from the GSX editor (may be random with having to create a new scenery folder for every AFCAD file because with all AFCAD files in 1 addon folder, GSX would cause P3D to become unresponsive 100% of the time, but seem to act SLIGHTLY better with each AFCAD having its own scenery folder and added by itself into P3D addons).

So I'm wondering whom should I be contacting about a faulty product now? Lockheed Martin whos simulator platform has worked fine for years? Scruffy Duck who designed the AFCAD Editor (ADE) when FSX was new and keeps it updated including for P3Dv4 and has had no issues? Ray Smith who added parking and a few pieces of static eye-candy vehicles to the FSX default airport and uploaded it to AVSIM almost 1 year ago and whom I've been in contact with and he has reported no issues on FSX or P3Dv4.3 with the AFCAD on his system, nor anyone contacting him reporting issues with it from their systems? Or you, Umberto, whos product at this point at best has random jetway issues including but not limited to: black gate numbers at random stops and will change to different spots if you change the scenery location AFCAD (but you blame the use "moving too fast", modeling issues when sim is paused (but you blame the user "didn't allow all the files to download from the server), people have been reporting jetways on roofs of buildings (not an Issue I have) (but you blame the user for having a faulty AFCAD despite there are a handful of these reports), Editor causing sim to randomly become unresponsive and forced to shut down (but you blame the other addons which aren't even installed at this point, antivirus which isnt even installed at this point, system problems despite that removing GSX results in 0 issues outside of having GSXL2 installed), other issues located here in this forum AND on AVSIM forum, P3D forum, FlightSim Forum (at least 4 forums with issues relating to your product). You have so far blamed everyone but never accepted the facts that there is SOMETHING that is not right with this program. So who should I be contacting? Seems to me this is 300% a GSXL2 issue and blame cannot, at this point, be placed anywhere else. I have a group of developers and I.T.Professionals who agree with me! This is a 100% clean install of P3dv4.3, no antivirus software even installed on my computer right now to conflict with files, Clean GSX install, no addons running or installed, no settings changed, every trace of P3D and ALL the addons and folders were deleted from the system including ANY mention of any of the programs in the RegEdit. There's no one else to blame here. This is a GSX issue plain and simple. You can see the screenshots, and I've given step by step every single action performed since before I uninstalled anything up to this point. Can you please just accept the facts and find a solution? I can't program your software myself, that's something you will have to do.

You have not ever told me once that you have presented ANY of the many issues I've had with L2 to the team to be investigated and see if there is a bug somewhere. Instead, you point the blame at everyone else and cause us to do your work for WEEKS until you finally decide, "yeah, he did a clean install and is still having the exact same issues. Maybe this really is a GSX issue and we should do something about it." I'm beyond frustrated and annoyed with L2 at this point. I have not been able to do 1 single flight with it since installed. I can uninstall it and fly for years to come without any more issues, but then I would have wasted my money and you don't do refunds as you stated in a message despite the fact that a search on the forums shows results where refunds had been given in the past. I have been sold a faulty product advertised as working despite evidence that it is NOT working, the developer refuses to resolve the issues, and refuses to offer a refund ...
« Last Edit: October 09, 2018, 01:57:17 pm by virtuali »