How is the Syntax for Height setting of TOC XREF objects?

  • I would like to re address this issue with the simulator. I too find a need for a fix or update to the system that allows height adjustments to the XREF objects provided from IPACS. This is necessary for Tom's issue, and for custom Airport Runways, Aprons that manipulate the Elevation.

    The very same fix need prevails for cultivation.

    Cheers

    Antoine

    Config : i7 6900K - 20MB currently set at 3.20GHz, Cooling Noctua NH-U14S, Motherboard ASUS Rampage V Extreme U3.1, RAM HyperX Savage Black Edition 16GB DDR4 3000 MHz, Graphic Card Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 8GB, Power supply Corsair RM Series 850W, Windows 10 64 bit.

  • Hey, come on, drhotwing1, you not "just" a moderator, but as a member of the development team you should be able to answer this one. No reaction from IPACS to this request pending since July. 🤔

    Regards,

    Thomas

    i7-14700KF @ 5.6 GHz, Geforce RTX 4090, 32MB RAM, 1TB SSD M.2, 1TB SSD M.2, 2TB SSD M.2, 32" Monitor 4K, Pimax Crystal

  • The intend to add an XREF height offset to properly position cars on 3D buildings is something we don't really like. It should be a feature of our engine itself to properly stack 3D objects on other 3D objects but the actual procedure for doing this is very complicated, so that's why we didn't implement it yet.

    Anyway, we have two issues here, one is the correct placement of cars on buildings which would right now indeed require an offset. The other issue of hovering objects seems to be something else.

    Let us check internally if we can 'activate' the XREF height offset quickly without breaking existing scenery. We would upload this update to the beta channel. If we could get a quick feedback, we would appreciate it. We should have this ready within the next 1-2 days.

    Could we also get a 'copy' of the airport with hovering objects? If possible we just need a small sample that shows the issue. Please send details with a download link to mail(at)ipacs.de.

  • Is there actually the possibility for the MAC version to support IPACS via a beta channel?

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • What a great test update to wake up to! I worried before I read this message that an update might cause issues, but..

    I did a quick test in the beta channel and all is good on my side! I looked around the area, tested a few IPAC's airports, ORBX airports, and everything seems to be positioned just fine. :thumbup:

    Progress made! Hopefully we don't find any errors with this. Thanks IPACS! :)

  • Ok, thanks for the quick feedback. It looks like the z-component was indeed not used anywhere else yet. We will move this enhancement to the official channel once we come out with a normal update anyway, maybe within 2-3 weeks.

    Yes, it also lacks to cultivation, where its effect is obviously disabled..

    The fix works beautifully for xref objects.

    Thanks

    Cheers

    Antoine


    Friendly reminder that Xref height adjustments would be greatly appreciated.

    Hi Jake, hi everybody,

    Now we have a fix for xref height adjustment, but not the reason for initially floating object.

    I have currently no access to my PC, but could you please do me a favor with that very scenery where you display floating fuel pump and cars?

    Or anybody else willing to try it with their own floating/burried xref issue?

    Could you please make a test without height correction (0) and without the airport ground and post here a screen?

    In other words, just see how those xref objects would sit on default ground mesh, without airport flattening.

    Reminder:

    To disable a scenery folder just add __ (double underscore) prefix to folder name.

    In case you call these xref objects from the same TSC file as airport ground, just deactivate airport ground by commenting (//) the corresponding object block.

    Thanks in advance

    Cheers

    Antoine

    Config : i7 6900K - 20MB currently set at 3.20GHz, Cooling Noctua NH-U14S, Motherboard ASUS Rampage V Extreme U3.1, RAM HyperX Savage Black Edition 16GB DDR4 3000 MHz, Graphic Card Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 8GB, Power supply Corsair RM Series 850W, Windows 10 64 bit.

  • I can do the test in the next few hours, but Tom and I believe that this might have something to do with AC3D. Regardless it is still nice to adjust heights for other reasons.

    There's a bug in the 3DSMax exporter : when I export as Object or Scenery, the Z placement of my model in 3DSMax is not considered. I have to export as Aircraft as workaround. But a bug in the 3DSMax exporter doesn't necessarily mean the same bug in the AC3D exporter.

    Example of sunk aircraft exported as Objects.

    Exporting them as Aircraft instead fixes this issue, but placing several time the same XREF object using autoheight on an flat airport ground results in fancily floating/sunk aircraft:


    BTW this is not a cinematic of me bouncing my landing ;)

    Cheers

    Antoine


    EURÊKA!

    I had the chance of doing the test tonight, it's obvious now : autoheight is computed based on the underlying mesh below the airport ground instead of airport ground.

    It's a priority issue in scenery loading, despite xrefs belong to the same scenery folder as the said airport.


    Airport ground enabled

    Airport ground disabled

    Airport ground enabled

    Airport ground disabled

    This fairly explains why so many encounter floating/sunk xref objects on airports!

    Z correction is an enabling local workaround for a couple of objects, but it's no solution for scenery making.

    Once again a clear priority setting capability is compulsory for scenery design.

    Cheers

    Antoine


    BTW I have the same issue when xref are called from the airport TSC, meaning that there’s no way I can force autoheight to work properly.


    Anyone here to confirm?

    Is it a systematical wrong priority setting ? or a more or less random issue depending on uncontrolled parameters ?


    Thanks in advance for feedback

    Cheers

    Antoine

    Config : i7 6900K - 20MB currently set at 3.20GHz, Cooling Noctua NH-U14S, Motherboard ASUS Rampage V Extreme U3.1, RAM HyperX Savage Black Edition 16GB DDR4 3000 MHz, Graphic Card Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 8GB, Power supply Corsair RM Series 850W, Windows 10 64 bit.

  • Hello Antoine - a while back I was testing Krsky1's world wide airports in Rob Corn's NZ Coromandel scenery (btw, that is not generally available). Some of them were out of place, so I fixed that, but I found that if I started the Beech76 cold and dark on a parking position, it sat down nicely with the chocks and tiedowns. If I started it on the threshold, ready for t/off it was about 30cm above ground level.
    I like to land/ take-off 'on the photo', where possible.

    Don't know if this is any help, but I suspect there is a clue there that I am missing.

    ATB

    MikeW

  • Once again a clear priority setting capability is compulsory for scenery design.

    Cheers

    Antoine

    Exactly my opinion, fsx had a scenery library order thirteen years ago where sceneries which where listed above others took priority. It's embarrassing that the simulator with arguably the best looking and performing engine on the market fails in basic elements like these.

  • BTW I have the same issue when xref are called from the airport TSC, meaning that there’s no way I can force autoheight to work properly.

    Not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for but I did a few tests and here are some details. Again, I'm happy that we received a workaround fix for the XRef height adjustments.

    I made a test XRef and reset all objects heights to "0". I removed the Runway folder, and all XRef objects were perfectly positioned on ground.

    -We also had elevation problems around airports for the Apollo50 project.

    3D Objects TMB

    (Only with the AC3D airports)

    Placing objects directly into the Airport TSC that contains the RWY usually makes all of my objects flat and level. *Good

    When I create a separate TSC for the same 3d objects they typically are floating or sinking. Which then it is necessary to adjust heights. *Okay

    Even using <[int32][autoheight_override][-1]> seems powerless.. *Bad

  • I made a test XRef and reset all objects heights to "0". I removed the Runway folder, and all XRef objects were perfectly positioned on ground.

    Hi Jake,


    Thank you, this confirms my observation : xref autoheight placed on airport platform is not computed based on the airport mesh but on the underlying scenery.

    This is a bug in AFS2. Z height correction is merely a workaround, not a solution.


    Cheers,

    Antoine

    Config : i7 6900K - 20MB currently set at 3.20GHz, Cooling Noctua NH-U14S, Motherboard ASUS Rampage V Extreme U3.1, RAM HyperX Savage Black Edition 16GB DDR4 3000 MHz, Graphic Card Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 8GB, Power supply Corsair RM Series 850W, Windows 10 64 bit.