Missing Water Scenery Order Fix

[MTN1794]

Issue: Missing water when I added the Tongass_Fjords_Higher_Priority and the Tongass_Fjords_Lower_Priority files. Initial scenery level I placed them in was below ORBX entries (which were placed below the TFX scenery folders.)
Reference point I used to observe the problem and when it resolved: Hydaburg, AK.
Other addons: ORBX Global Base Pack, Pacific Fjords, SE Alaska.
Solution: The water returned and appeared normally again only when I placed Tongass_Fjords_Higher_Priority and the Tongass_Fjords_Lower_Priority at the bottom of the scenery priorities just above the default scenery and terrain folders.  Perhaps I could have placed them higher up above all the Base (numbered) folders, but I didn't try this.  Pragmatically speaking it works so I'm going to leave the two folders where I left them for now.

Curiosity question: I'm wondering if this was true just for me.  I also was wondering about scenery order because ORBX Vector is no longer a part of P3D v5 but is built in.

[nbrich1]

1. Do you have the 40 Terrain entries for Tongass in the v5 terrain.cfg?

2. Fix insertion point - or scenery layering #, Tongass must be placed in between Orbx OpenLC and Orbx Regions & Airports:

a-If you are using scenery.cfg to set up tongass scenery then set ORBX Lower insertion point >> Orbx openLC Placed below tongass lower.  (and tongass higher sits right the lower in the scenery order.)  (With ORBX Regions and airports above that).

b- If using add-on.xml to set up Tongass- then add a layer line  IE: <Layer>150</Layer> to hard code the lower and higher in the add-on.xml file to the desired layer. That correct desired layer number is the one that forces it to sit right above of the ORBX Open LC pieces. (You specify one layer higher for the tongass entries/ higher over lower - so that tongass is forced to be in that position.).  (This layer # is variable for each user depending on what scenery appears below it in the scenery order.. so yours could be a 150 whereas my ideal layer could be 161, that is If I had 11 more scenery entries below OpenLC). 

(If this is confusing you in any way, then should use the sim scenery lib or scenery.cfg method to add tongass Higher and lower - and set the lower insertion point in orbx central - see (a).


In either event or method, the tongass entries must layer so that they are exactly above ORBX OpenLC entries and they must be below Orbx Regions & Airports.   

[MTN1794]

Before I tested the solution:
I do have the 40 terrain entries added as instructed.  So that checked out.
I see ORBX!OPENLC_NAMERICA1 and ORBX!OPENLC_zBase as well as ORBX!LC_Europe1, so if I understand, I should have Tongass between that group and the ORBX regions and airports - yes?  I'll try that.  When they look dark green all in a bunch with Lorby, I just didn't recognize the look of it.
I do have Tongass higher over the lower, so that checked out.
I didn't use the xml method, but thanks for your 2b - others may need that.

After I inserted both Tongass higher and lower between the LC's listed above and the ORBX regions, the result was...water disappeared again.  Didn't work.  I must be missing something. 

[MTN1794]

I'll also add my ORBX Central insertion points match perfectly what I expected with Tongass above the LC's now too, so there is no conflict going on there.

[nbrich1]

Sounds like you have a layering issue.  And Lorby? Hmmm ok.. That could explain it.  Some people have issues with Lorby add-on organizer - cause it adds their own layer lines - so what you see in Lorby is not necessarily what you see in your sim same with Orbx Central can cause they do the same by forcing layer numbers for pieces added by add-on.xml.
Anyways, to see your actually layering, and to see the summation of both the standard scenery.cfg entries plus any add-on that are setup by add-on.xml then always refer to the output: open your sim and look in your sim scenery library to see how everything is actually layered.   If you're layered correct and your terrain.cfg is correct then you are missing something.

BUT make sure your terrain.cfg was NOT a copy over from P3Dv4x to P3Dv5x cause the two terrain.cfg files are very different from each other. (Although the Tongass entries are the same for both sims, the P3Dv5x core terrain/landclass entries are much different from those in P3Dv5x).

[kaha]

And there is a new version:


addonorganizer_1_54_b03.zip

https://www.lorby-si.com/downloads.html


Karl

[MTN1794]

I'm convinced it's a layering issue too. 
The scenery layers are exactly the same in the P3D v5 list as they are in the Lorby list; so that checks OK.
I'll try a few other things with layering and get back to this.
Thank you Karl and nbrich1 for your great help and time.

[MTN1794]

I put the LC's just above the default scenery file and I put the Tongass Fjords higher and lower just above the LC's and it all worked again as it should.  There is something in the numbered base folders that interfered with the Tongass files being above them.  I cannot explain it, but it works the way I layered them.

[nbrich1]

Weird. Something sounds like it is really messed up perhaps in your bases or ORBX stuff is incorrectly layering (or it's Lorby).but hey whatever - at least you figured out what might work in your own sim. 

The order should look like this: (always work bottom up starting with the default Terrain, scenery then numbered bases etc.).

[Doug]

Check our FAQ page

 https://return.mistymoorings.com/faq/#t ... look under Tongass

Does it look like that? Mine did when I tried moving to V5. If you use the Holger Sandmann fix, it will work fine .. assuming this is the problem.

Doug

[MTN1794]

Hi Doug, I saw that post earlier and already had the 40 entries included in the terrain file.  I'm still not sure what the deal still is, but it works for me.  Perhaps I'll find out more later with more experimentation.

[MTN1794]

Just came across this post that may explain why I'm having layering issues for scenery.  LM has affirmed there is a bug.
https://www.prepar3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6323&t=137522

[nbrich1]

That bug isnt pertaining to terrain issues or layering issues but pertains to airports created (sdk). In other words has nothing to do with any layering issues which means you have to correct your layering issues. So back to the actual layering issue at hand- the tongass higher and lower scenery entries have to be positioned right above the orbs open lc entries and below all the orbx regions and orbx airports.(with higher over lower)

Once this is achieved whether that be in the sim scenery lib or by assinging later line in addon.xml and assuming the terrain.cfg is correct and contains the tongass required entries then all be correctly layered and tongass will display as intended. (If tongass is not exactly set up like this then it's not correctly setup- period). If anyone needs help please don't hesitate to contact via email.