Classic British Flight Sim

Hi Guy's

I've finally got Guernsey, Alderney and the IoM 'whole' but (isn't there always a but..) a visitation to St Mary's today brought up something new.. an FSX crash with visualfx.dll being the failing module. I've tried everything I can think of. I've repaired the IoS.. I've uninstalled the IoS.. I've re-downloaded and installed the IoS and still I get the visualfx.dll error. The islands appear to be fine. I've been able to fly around them all with no error. However.. If I takeoff from the main runway at St Mary's (toward the terminal with the terminal on the left).. I get so far down the runway and fsx crashes.
Is there any sort of program out there that I can find out which bit of scenery is causing the crash? I've raised a ticket at ES but probably won't live long enough to receive a reply.

ATB
DaveB

That's a new one on me Dave
I think I'd probably disable the various ES scenery library entries one at a time until the problem goes away, then work through the offending scenery folder, disabling one BGL at a time.
A complete pain, but with the way ES split their stuff into scenery layers, I can't think of an easier way at the moment.

Hi Dave

Yup.. I've been doing that too. First thing I twigged was the fire engine on Tresco was black (texture-less) though the effect was still there (the annoying blue flashing lights! I had a look in the library and found it to be a bespoke object then checked the textures. I found a lot of textures in there that have both .dds and bmp versions.. with the same name. I renamed the bmp for the fire engine and up she came. It's worth noting that this bloody fire engine has been there from day one. The only thing I can deduce is that either new or old texture versions (dds/bmp) have crept into the ES-3D since it was rebuilt. I've since dragged the old ES-3D library off my XP pc (I've dragged the lot onto my external drive) and changed various ES sceneries (the IoS is currently the version off my XP pc not the rebuilt and re-installed version) and the error has, for now, gone. I say gone.. I've managed a flight without the error!

My advice to ALL ES users is DO NOT rely on repair to fix anything (it certainly didn't fix anything at Alderney, Guernsey or IoS) but IF you're fortunate enough to have a completely working install of all their scenery.. back it up and use that (and I include the definitions too). I dread to think what state the IoM, Alderney, Guernsey and Shawbury are now in.. the last 3 should be ok as they were installed on the XP pc but not the IoM. In all honesty, I don't really use either Alderney, Guernsey or the IoM much and Shawbury only a little more but the IoS is in use regularly so out of all ES sceneries.. that one HAS to be in good order.

EDIT: I spoke too soon
ATB
DaveB

Odd man out, here, DaveB,
I can take off from St Mary's without a flicker of trouble.
Tried taxying along the runway instead; no crash until I collided with the lights at the end of the runway.
Noticed a boom gate operating near the terminal, but no funny looking truck textures.
Target 30fps was reporting 15-18fps on the runway.
Can't duplicate your crash.
I was using the Cessna 310B (V1) for the test.
Which aircraft are you in?
EDIT:
Tried a BN2 unlimited; ran fine at 20 fps.

hmm, I thought FSX loaded dds in preference to bmp if both existed, but maybe that's not the case.
BTW, I killed the blue flashing lights ages ago

I don't blame you Dave Interesting about models loading .dds textures first I'll have to take a look at the bmp I renamed.

Mike..
The only time I've NOT had a problem with ES scenery is when I've only had one area on my system I've found the more you have, the more chances of conflict there are.. many caused by the xml descriptions files (compatibility files as ES call them). The IoS was running just fine as were all the other ES sceneries until I installed the IoM (not withstanding the missing hangar at Alderney which I didn't realise was missing until I saw a screenshot of it over on the ES forums!). Having got the missing textures for the IoM from ES and making sure GenX AND the ES area was layered IAW ES doctrine, I stumbled over the missing hangar thread at ES. Many users have suffered either the missing hangar or more common, a missing terminal there. The fix.. a different xml description file, brought the hangar back (I already had the terminal).
I moved on to Guernsey in case the IoM install had caused any problems there and found double fences at the airport and a lack of greenhouses! I eventually sorted that out (never got a reply from ES support) then moved quickly to the IoS which looked ok at a quick glance (I flew from St Just over the islands checking everything was there and it appeared to be.. I didn't actually start at St Marys). Yesterday.. I started at St Marys and the problems started. It doesn't make a lot of sense does it

ATB
DaveB