User Guide?

[turbo9]

I noticed the "user guide" was mentioned in a couple of the posts I read in the support forum.  I used FTX central and am attempting to install FTX Global and FTX Vector.  I have Win10 and FSX but I have already tweaked over 800 airport afcads and don't want to over-write them.  I have no idea about scenery layers so when it asks me to decide where to put things I am confused.  I randomly chose to put Global just below my add-on scenery to keep my airports on top.  I haven't a clue where to put Vector.  It said below FS9 scenery, but I have FSX SP2.  The Vector configure option is greyed out.  Where can I get a copy of a "user's guide"?  I ran FSX and I can see the stark difference in the scenery but I keep seeing the trees popping and there seems to be a micro-second pause every so often as it adds new scenery.  I have a I7 7700 with 16G of 2660 and I am used to getting FPS of 100-200 range with full ASN weather and UT2, sliders to the right.  I have had to slow it down to 36 fps locked to smooth it out in dense areas.  What is the best way to tweak everything to avoid the micro-stutters and the "tree popping"?  I assume a "user guide" would have suggestions.  Maybe there is a better way to position the scenery in the file(?)  Does a "user's guide" exist?  If so, where can I download a copy?

 

Craig 

[Doug Sawatzky]

Hi Craig, welcome to the forums

 

You have posted in the "General Discussion" non support forum, so I have moved your post to the correct location.

 

The user guides can be found by opening FTXC3 and clicking on the product window, if there is a user guide available for the product, there will be a blue "User Guide" button to click on...You can also find them in the FSX\ORBX\User Documents folder.

 

FTXC3 will install Orbx products in there correct location and Vector entries should never be moved.

 

Please first start with the below basics.

 

Ensure the Orbx Libs are installed and up to date. (is there a blue notification above the settings button in FTXC3?)

Ensure all of your 3rd party addons are at the top of your scenery library and above your FTX entries.

Then in FTX Central 3 Insertion points, move "FTX entries should be inserted below"  just below your last 3rd party addon.

Then move the "openLC entries should be inserted below"  just below your FTX entries. and click "Save".

 

Then run the "Force Migration" option.

Finally Click on the "Clear Temp" button.

Then, if you have Vector installed, there is a Vector control panel access button at the bottom of the FTXC3 settings page. When you open it you can select the amount of road coverage etc, be sure to uncheck the "Frozen Surface (in winter only)"option, and check the Australia Add-Ons under the “Settings” tab, then go to the Airport Elevation Correction (AEC tool) tab and run the auto configuration process and be sure to click on "Appy" when it is done scanning.

 

Below is also a guide on how to use FTXC3.

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Doug

 

[turbo9]

Thanks Doug!  The one problem is that the user guide option is greyed out on FTX Central panel.  Also the "configure Vector" option is greyed out in settings.  I looked under FSX/ORBX and the user documents only contained the version number FTX AA ORBX Libraries Version 180422 22 April 2018.  Also when I click on the FTX Global Range category in the left column it only brings up a picture (icon) of FTX Libraries.  Where is the FTX Vector I purchased?   And how do I install if I every find it?  My scenery entries show FTX Global beneath my addons which you have verified as correct.  I moved the OpenLC up to just below the FTX Global as you suggested and then I ran the re-migration module again.

 

Craig

[Doug Sawatzky]

I think you need to use the FSX Registry Utility found a this link  https://www.tweakfs.com/store/free_tools.php  and use the "Set Path" option and point it to your FSX installation.

 

 

 

[turbo9]

Hi Doug!

 

    A registry errror was not the issue.  Apparently I had misunderstood the concept of FTX Central.  I thought I could install both the Global and Vector products right from there.  But it seems I only installed the ORBX Library files (which I had never previously found any mention of). .  I manually downloaded Global Vector and installed it through FTX Central.  Then I purchased several other products and am currently enduring the slow download speed and installation.  It was then that I discovered that the Global Base Pack showed as "not installed".  So I put that in the queue.  Once I had installed "Gobal Vector" then the "user guide" button became available as well as the Configure option.  However, I still am puzzled as to why I thought I was installing the Global Base pack yesterday but failed to do so.  Unless there was a recent update on that to v1.41.  But when I selected it to "install" it offered me the option to back-up stating that it would overwrite something.  How can it over-write something that was never installed?  Meanwhile I have queued all my purchases into FTX Central module for installation.  By midnight, it should be finished!  LOL!  Let's see if it all sorts out.  Any suggestions or clarifications would be welcomed and appreciated.

 

Craig

[Doug Sawatzky]

3 minutes ago, turbo9 said:

However, I still am puzzled as to why I thought I was installing the Global Base pack yesterday but failed to do so.  Unless there was a recent update on that to v1.41.  But when I selected it to "install" it offered me the option to back-up stating that it would overwrite something.  How can it over-write something that was never installed?

 

Hi Craig

 

Global Base pack is not an addon, it is a texture replacement, it will overwrite the default textures, this is why it gives you the option to backup the default textures.

 

Good to hear everything seems to be going good.

 

Cheers

 

Doug

[turbo9]

Hi Doug!

    Thanks for the instant response!  Question:  Why do you recommend that I "uncheck" frozen surface option in my vector config?  The main reason I have chosen ORBX is to finally find scenery that shows lakes and rivers "frozen" over in winter.  I have kept it checked and after setting the FSX date to Jan 5, I slewed to different northern areas and it seemed like the lakes and rivers now appeared frozen as they should.  In an earlier version of FS, I had implemented a texture change from "water" to "ice" during the winter season and it worked well on inland water but unfortunately it also depicted the oceans as "ice"!  Is that the issue here?  I really didn't check.  I know it did freeze over the great lakes in US but most winters that would happen in reality even though they are massive bodies of water.

 

Craig

[Doug Sawatzky]

The frozen surface option in Vector creates some unwanted black square areas on some water bodies, it also puts trees in some water bodies, so it is a flawed option that we recommend to leave unchecked.

 

 I have never preferred frozen water and we could do search on these forums in that regard, but I believe the full fat regions have there own frozen water options that work good but are also not compatible with the Vector option.

 

Vector was actually not developed by Orbx.

[turbo9]

Thanks again, Doug!

 

    Reason enough to uncheck it!  But I do find it puzzling though that you would prefer unfrozen water in the winter since you are from Alberta!  Kind of unrealistic, don't you think?

 

Craig

[Doug Sawatzky]

Ya, for me, I guess the limitations of the simulator don't allow for realistic frozen water anyway, regardless of 3rd party developers abilities, but I would like to some day see frozen banks with open flowing water in the middle of rivers and lakes and that type of thing...I do appreciate from time to time a small calm frozen over lake up in the mountains to fly in on skis, but mostly prefer the colors of the open water and float planes. 

 

Doug