AI-traffic in FSX

[basys]

Hi Folks

It will be fairly easy to switch between a zipped folder of either Retro or Modern without the need to make any changes in the AI_Airplane folder...

Dan -
Sorry mean't to follow up to your post earlier.

You could save yourself some work there.

FSX will read a traffic.bgl from any active addon scenery folder.
(Ithink FS9 may do likewise).

So for example -
Move all your classic_traffic.bgl files into YourAddonPath\AI_Classic\Scenery
Move all your contemporary _traffic.bgl files into YourAddonPath\AI_Contemporary \Scenery

You could go further, and split them into decade bands
or even years & seasons.

Add those paths to your scenery.cfg
using the standard scenery configuration UI.

Then activate/deactivate as the mood takes you.

I don't know how TrafficToolbox handles it, but Traffic Map works ok.

At a guess, though not tried it,
you could probably move the FSX default traffic into a similar folder.

HTH
ATB
Paul

[DaveB]

Hi Paul,

Yes.. FS9 does read a traffic.bgl from any active folder ;-) I spent an evening on MSN with Dan last night (Wed) and I'd already reorganised my CalClassic/default traffic in the manner you describe. The main problem comes when you have a lot of scenery installed.. many of which have their own traffic files. It's not easy to find which bgl is actually in charge :o It's kept me off the streets for a few days anyway

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[DanKH]

Agreed Dave. I find it more easy have separate AI-folders and all the traffic files in the same scenery\world\scenery folder.

I have now backed up all my modern traffic bgl's along with the respective airplane folder, and the same with a equivalent AI_CalClassic folder.

I'm slowly but surely building up an AI_Retro folder with belonging traffic files.

All build up from RetroAi plans and various textures from the "net". I'm solely concentrating on the 70ies.

Regarding activating /deactivating scenery....

Yes FS9/FSX read from any active scenery folders. But it still read it in a predefined order....to have traffic read quick place the traffic.bgls in the scenery\world\scenery folder. both in FS9 and FSX. It will only confuse and won't be very efficient to have traffic files all over the place, and certainly not in AddOn scenery folders (although it could be done)

In FSX when ever you activate or deactivate FS re configures. That is not so in FS9, so you have to deactivate and then restart FS9, you don't have to do that in FSX.....that is good.
In FSX you can configure several folders that FSX should walk through, instead of as in FS9 "them all" thus sparing valuable seconds/minutes. That is also good as you can have separate airplane folders instead of mixing them all up in a single folder. In FSX you also have the "fallback" opportunity that you don't have in FS9, so a lot of sound-files, basic textures etc. etc can be stored at one place and FSX can be configured to use the fall back method to find them as necessary. Instead of wandering through all folders, you are now able to select just a few folders to search from before giving up. All in order to speed things up.

FSX is a lot more configurable, and very pleasing to work with in the view of a developers eye. I'm not trying to convince anybody of one thing or another. I'm just using the possibilities there is, And here FSX has a lot of advantages over FS9. That is just a fact.

[TSR2]

Very true Dan. I've been playing again with AIFPC, but still the files it compiles cause FSX to crash so I have gone back to TDBB... its a pain in the arse, but at least it works.

[DanKH]

My arse is luckily not in pain.... All my bgl's goes right through the stomach without hurting anywhere, and ends up in the default traffic folder. not a single problem what so ever.

Btw. which version of AIFPC do you use?

I think the latest is versioned 1.2007.6.18

at least that's the one I use, without any trouble.

[DaveB]

Tom Gibson's suggestion that the CalClassic goes in Addon (for FS9) is how mine is organised though those that lurk elsewhere are becoming a pain. Garry Summons puts traffic files in each of his areas so this means an extra 8 to deal with and they don't look particularly well put together. I've started at the low end (Part 1.. Channel Islands) and this evening have found aircraft listed in the aircraft component do not have corresponding flights in the flightplan component which is making changing things muchos confusing.. hit and miss at best.

There is still much I don't understand and RTFM has never been a strong point of mine so I'm muddling on. Had a Dove departing EGJB pretending to be a taildragger but that's the worst that's happened so far Saw the same aircraft land and taxi in fine earlier in the day too! :roll: When I find the relationship between the CalClassic files and local variations.. I'll be there. FSXI will be out then!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[DanKH]

Well, one thing that all traffic files has in common is that their name all begins with traffic.... that's a good way to start off. Collecting them all at one place, where ever you feel like it, but my suggestions is of course the default place.

Then work them all through.

There are several tools available to sort out misleading and/or overlapping traffic files. Especially for FS9.

But speaking of traffic in general. Remember that Lee Swordy's TTools, is/was indeed a tool for FS2002, and was never really finished. As with AFCAD. But the rules incorporated in TTools, doesn't apply always too good with either FS9 or FSX. But generally speaking it is easy to use, but one should be aware of the pitfalls within it, and thus expect to see the odd happening every once in a while.

[DaveB]

Hi Dan,

Afcad.. yes indeed. I opened it up on the flying pc last night to check the parking designators at Jersey and got a warning 'This version is 45months old. Please check for a newer version' and so I did.. and there isn't one I never actually change anything with it.. just use it as a tool to see what a particular piece of scenery is up to It is an invaluable tool though ;-)

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[nigelb]

That message about AFCAD being x months old pops up every so often - the reminder is built into the program. Actually there is a new enahnced version but it is now payware. Check http://www.cbfsim.org/cbfsim/cbfsBB/vie ... 76#p133876

[DaveB]

Ah yes.. that little tinker! Think I'll mess around for free for the time being but tks for the prod ;-)

ATB

DaveB :tab: