Your helpful tips.

This Forum is for Support questions only for Ideal Flight. Please post other questions and suggestions in the General Use & Ideas Forum

Moderators: Steve Waite, SysAdmin

Re: Your helpful tips.

Postby Steve Waite » Sat Mar 24, 2018 1:37 am

...When not using IF weather simply enter the departure and arrival wind direction and strength into the weather page before building the flight and the plans will be made with respect to the predicted winds from your addon weather app.
software architect at codelegend.com
equipment: i9-9980Xe 64GB 2xRTX2080ti NVLink 2TB M.2 NVMe,
i9-9900X 64GB RTX2080ti 2TB M.2 NVMe, i7-3960X 32GB GTX680 4TB RAID10,
NAS @7TB RAID10 (16TB)
Steve Waite
 
Posts: 5055
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:02 am

Re: Your helpful tips.

Postby Steve Waite » Sat Mar 24, 2018 1:52 am

Thermal and Ridge Effects:

Ideal Flight turbulence and wake effects come from aircraft engines, propellers, and the movement of aircraft and even busses. Then we get up/down draughts depending on the heat and cool around, we might get certain conditions for thermal lift along beaches where an interface between hotter and cooler air can be found - for any weather engine. And we also get deflected wind calculated from the wind injected by any weather engine.

For example under certain conditions flying into the wind toward a mountain ridge we find ourselves falling if we get too close.

Rather than alter the physics on the plane, and send information changing the aircraft position and so on, the mass of air around the aircraft is altered with the built in functions of the sim. In fact the data is read by P3D all the time, irrespective of IF doing anything, so merely updating some values is cheap and the only time needed to be consumed by the sim.

It is worth experimenting with IF Thermal and Ridge effects.
software architect at codelegend.com
equipment: i9-9980Xe 64GB 2xRTX2080ti NVLink 2TB M.2 NVMe,
i9-9900X 64GB RTX2080ti 2TB M.2 NVMe, i7-3960X 32GB GTX680 4TB RAID10,
NAS @7TB RAID10 (16TB)
Steve Waite
 
Posts: 5055
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:02 am

Re: Your helpful tips.

Postby Steve Waite » Sun Apr 01, 2018 3:48 am

P3D startup behaviour:

We can start from a saved flight file with P3D and it does not apply all the settings from the file, unless the sim is already running. We might see the AP is deselected although the save-game file shows it selected.

But when the sim is already running and we load the same file the AP restores along with everything else.

So there are various ways that the full restore of the flight can be done, first-in.

1. We can load the default flight first then load the real flight - takes time but is reliable if the default flight is OK.

2. We can start the sim and reset so that the flight loads at that point, where the sim is up and running, so that it is quicker. It has not loaded the default flight.

3. We can start the sim with a simple object then load the plane - this is IFPro's Terrain Startup mode, set as default, is the most reliable and quickest way to do it - straight into the cockpit.

4. Finally, we have none - this is precisely the open file with P3D command that we use in the Windows Shell.

Remember that Windows shell is responsible for starting the sim if it is not already running - IFPro does not start the sim.

On the Startup page popup menu choose Startup Behaviour.
software architect at codelegend.com
equipment: i9-9980Xe 64GB 2xRTX2080ti NVLink 2TB M.2 NVMe,
i9-9900X 64GB RTX2080ti 2TB M.2 NVMe, i7-3960X 32GB GTX680 4TB RAID10,
NAS @7TB RAID10 (16TB)
Steve Waite
 
Posts: 5055
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:02 am

Re: Your helpful tips.

Postby Steve Waite » Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:53 am

More on Startup Behaviour in P3D v4:

3. We can start the sim with a simple object then load the plane - this is IFPro's Terrain Startup mode, set as default, is the most reliable and quickest way to do it - straight into the cockpit.

So rather than load a flight file with a true aircraft we are loading a simple object so that the accoutrements of a full 'aircraft' in the flight file are kept to a minimum. Once that is fully loaded the flight is loaded again, this time with the true aircraft. This is a good test for the robustness of the simulator setup and might cause problems for poorly coded addons.

If the simulator goes into a restarting loop, but when we choose None from the startup behaviour the sim starts 'OK', this is showing us there is a problem with an addon or the setup of the simulator is misdirected in some way and needs investigation.

In other words the stock simulator works properly in all Startup Behaviour modes.

We should expect the simulator to work properly with all Startup Behaviour modes or we must suspect an error in the setup. When our simulator works with IFPro in Terrain Startup mode the simulator is said to be working correctly.
software architect at codelegend.com
equipment: i9-9980Xe 64GB 2xRTX2080ti NVLink 2TB M.2 NVMe,
i9-9900X 64GB RTX2080ti 2TB M.2 NVMe, i7-3960X 32GB GTX680 4TB RAID10,
NAS @7TB RAID10 (16TB)
Steve Waite
 
Posts: 5055
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:02 am

Re: Your helpful tips.

Postby Steve Waite » Thu Apr 19, 2018 2:46 pm

Starting other apps:

On the Startup page popup menu choose "Start Other Programs".
Click on "Add Program".

Choose an application exe file with the file picker window.

Choose when the application starts.

In the Parameters box: insert application command line parameters there,
followed by a space and
"IF10AM=160"
replace 160 with the decimal equivalent of the intended Affinity Mask for the application.

We need not delete any items if we do not want to run them, simply uncheck those we don't need.

Here we are starting FSPS FFTF Dynamic with affinity 2560 on a six core +HT:

Image
software architect at codelegend.com
equipment: i9-9980Xe 64GB 2xRTX2080ti NVLink 2TB M.2 NVMe,
i9-9900X 64GB RTX2080ti 2TB M.2 NVMe, i7-3960X 32GB GTX680 4TB RAID10,
NAS @7TB RAID10 (16TB)
Steve Waite
 
Posts: 5055
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:02 am

Re: Your helpful tips.

Postby Steve Waite » Mon Apr 30, 2018 2:04 am

Using Active Sky for P3D v4, much the same for other versions:

I build a flight in IFPro with system time set.

I start AS and then start the flight and simulator with IFPro Fly! button.

I un-pause and check the sim is fully started up.

In the IFPro pulldown I exit IFPro. I can go to the IFPro form and click the leftward green arrow, or use the popup menu to Exit Flight by right-clicking the IFPro form. In any case, P3D is still running the simulation.

I go to the IFPro weather page and make sure to disable IFPro weather. I can still enter the wind information and build a flight for that.

In the simulator I choose the AS departure and destination weather reports and enter the wind directions and speeds shown there into the IFPro weather page and rebuild.

Finally I start the new flight with the Fly! button, even though P3D is in the simulation. This way ensures the most success when I use IDF/computed approach or SID/STAR mission approach types.
software architect at codelegend.com
equipment: i9-9980Xe 64GB 2xRTX2080ti NVLink 2TB M.2 NVMe,
i9-9900X 64GB RTX2080ti 2TB M.2 NVMe, i7-3960X 32GB GTX680 4TB RAID10,
NAS @7TB RAID10 (16TB)
Steve Waite
 
Posts: 5055
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:02 am

Re: Your helpful tips.

Postby Steve Waite » Thu May 03, 2018 3:45 pm

Testing and Graphing - using IF as a test harness:

With >augmented and Pro editions we can get IF to capture data including fps during the run of the sim. Use sparingly for test purposes, there's no need to add-in this feature for serious flying. Special Edition and Pro versions paint a graph of the data, or the data can be imported by a spreadsheet with .csv format.

But let's look at how we might do a performance test that gives us essential feedback results, avoiding results that fool us.Set a two minute pause time in Settings.

Set the frame rate recording and csv recording ON and enable up to five items in the recorder (Records Page) hold shift and click to disable all. Choose frame rate, average fps, fps - delta, quality rating, delta.Q.

Settings in Cold and Dark page: Uncheck both PAUSE-ED options.

Build a flight with weather, and in scenery, no IF traffic (set zero).

Start the flight and save the view looking over the instruments across the airport, with some buildings in view / half view. IF Menu: Save Settings.

Set with no AI or traffic set in the sim. Set up low scenery and general settings with VSync=Off and Unlimited on the slider, set AA low. Save the sim settings and close the flight.

We run the test at least once before making timed runs where we just press Fly! (or hit Return) to start the flight, it ends with the pause, we close the sim and review the graph or other data.

We also run the test at least once before making timed runs after making any changes to the settings, Affinity, scenery density and so on.

When reviewing overall hardware performance we start by using low graphics settings to avoid flat-lining against graphic performance limits. Otherwise we might not see realistic changes in CPU and system performance.

How to interpret the graphs is another matter.
software architect at codelegend.com
equipment: i9-9980Xe 64GB 2xRTX2080ti NVLink 2TB M.2 NVMe,
i9-9900X 64GB RTX2080ti 2TB M.2 NVMe, i7-3960X 32GB GTX680 4TB RAID10,
NAS @7TB RAID10 (16TB)
Steve Waite
 
Posts: 5055
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:02 am

Re: Your helpful tips.

Postby Steve Waite » Thu May 10, 2018 1:58 am

Go to Approach or Final:

Start the flight and at any stage, including before unpausing at the start of the flight, choose the IF: Menu items - Go to Approach or Go to Final.

The aircraft appears on approach as it would be in the plan down-route - time has advanced and fuel has depleted in accordance with the parameters chosen for the flight, the briefing, plan type and aircraft settings.

The engines will be started and gear up if not already.

The Go to Approach and Go to Final menu items operate differently to the more simple Advance time and Advance to TOD menu items. Advance functions require the aircraft be in-flight and at altitudes well above oncoming terrain en-route.

Since we can save the flight at a convenient place as well, Ideal Flight includes weather, plan, setup for any aircraft and repetitive placement en-route in the sim with no randoms to confuse session behaviour.

Ideal Flight is the only complete solution.
software architect at codelegend.com
equipment: i9-9980Xe 64GB 2xRTX2080ti NVLink 2TB M.2 NVMe,
i9-9900X 64GB RTX2080ti 2TB M.2 NVMe, i7-3960X 32GB GTX680 4TB RAID10,
NAS @7TB RAID10 (16TB)
Steve Waite
 
Posts: 5055
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:02 am

Re: Your helpful tips.

Postby Steve Waite » Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:43 pm

Just got a call from a long term IF user with IFPro P3Dv4 - had installad an old FSX program and it left the scenery.cfg corrupt because v4 uses the enhanced character sets.

Of course IFPro reports: "can't read the file" because IPro won't work with a corrupt or less that 100% properly set up system.


The user calls "suddenly IF no longer works" and we repair the scenery.cfg and now IFPro "works" again - in other words IF no longer refuses to continue with the corrupt scenery file.

*Remember* only use proper P3Dv4 software - and IF is your friend - a go/no-go gauge you can rely on.

IFPro will sniff out your problem system.
software architect at codelegend.com
equipment: i9-9980Xe 64GB 2xRTX2080ti NVLink 2TB M.2 NVMe,
i9-9900X 64GB RTX2080ti 2TB M.2 NVMe, i7-3960X 32GB GTX680 4TB RAID10,
NAS @7TB RAID10 (16TB)
Steve Waite
 
Posts: 5055
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:02 am

Re: Your helpful tips.

Postby Steve Waite » Wed Aug 01, 2018 2:13 pm

I have been asked a few times for an option to delay departing and arriving traffic slightly for the start of the flight. Presently the set of injected traffic includes an "early starter" that is already contacting ATC when we start the flight, and one or two may be about to start in just a few minutes. Also early arrivals if any are delayed a few minutes in their schedule. This frees up time in the sim during takeoff and the early stages of the flight where CPU/GPU use can be high.

I added the option to delay the early starters in the next update coming shortly:

Image
software architect at codelegend.com
equipment: i9-9980Xe 64GB 2xRTX2080ti NVLink 2TB M.2 NVMe,
i9-9900X 64GB RTX2080ti 2TB M.2 NVMe, i7-3960X 32GB GTX680 4TB RAID10,
NAS @7TB RAID10 (16TB)
Steve Waite
 
Posts: 5055
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:02 am

PreviousNext

Return to Support

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests