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Cloud Popping: Error in original FX edit code

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NickN View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NickN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Cloud Popping: Error in original FX edit code
    Posted: February-19-2015 at 12:04am
 
 
 
 
Many of you may be aware of the edit made to the SwarmCloud.fx file posted many years ago
 
What you may NOT be aware of is there was a ERROR in that edit as well as the original FSX code that was never fixed by ACES
 
I fixed that error many years ago but recently it came to my attention the original edit with the missing code was still being passed around.
 
 
I have been reading here there are people seeing clouds pop in and out of the scenery which MAY NOT be related to weather updates and ARE related to the original FSX code as well as if you edited SwarmCloud.fx and left out the missing code, you WONT see any change.
 
The effect of that edit fixes the following:
 
a. All clouds disappearing and then reappearing
 
b. Sky flashing or flickering
 
c. A series of the same type of clouds popping out and back into the scene
 
 
There CAN still be cloud changes during weather updates.. this fix has nothing to do with that but what many think is a weather update is actually defective code in the shader file for clouds.
 
 
BE AWARE That this does not effect Prepar3D or FSX Steam as they fixed this code with the first release of their versions of FSX. This ONLY EFFECTS the original FSX Box editions
 
 
To fix this permanently in FSX box (Gold or any other original FSX product edition) do the following:
 
 
1. Go to this folder:

FSX\ShadersHLSL\misc

There you will find a file called SwarmCloud.fx.
 
2. Make a backup copy of this file somewhere.
 
OPTIONAL:   You may download this file, unzip and drop into the overwriting the original, NO edit is required, its already edited
 
 

3. Open the original (or the one you edited in the past) SwarmCloud.fx in notepad and then scroll down a bit from the top. You will see this entry:
 
const bool EffectDeclaration
 
Under that you will see this line:
 
  bool   NewMaterialUsage = true;
 
CHANGE THE TRUE to:   = false; 
 
then just below that add:
 
> = true;
 
 
The entire section should look like this when you are finished: 
 
 
const bool EffectDeclaration
<
    string Name     = "SwarmCloud";
    string Class    = "Basic";
    bool   NewMaterialUsage = false;
> = true;
 
 
 
You CAN simply copy/past the entire section above and overwrite the original
 
 
 
 
4. Save and close the SwarmCloud.fx
 
 
===================================
 
 
FYI INFORMATION:  Originally the edit that was specified left out this code:
 
> = true;
 
That is the reason people were NOT seeing a change after making the edit in the past
 
 
========================================
 
 
 
 
5. Browse to:
 
Windows Vista/7/8
C:\Users\<YOUR USER NAME>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\FSX\Shaders\Misc
 
Windows XP:
C:\documents & settings\<your username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX\Shaders\Misc
 
Inside the MISC folder, delete the file: SwarmCloud.fx_0x0000000000000000_0x0f
 
Note the numbers following the name may not be exactly as I show, simply delete the file named SwarmCloud.fx_<number>
 
 
Once done open the sim..  cloud pops that are NOT related to weather updates should STOP completely
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Stephen, I suggest you make this a sticky here..   it will save you a lot of headaches and I suggest you make the same edit to your FSX box install SwarmCloud.fx file too so you don't go nuts trying to code for something that your weather engine is not and never did cause.
 
Again, this only effects the original FSX box editions and not P3D or Steam.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Opus Software View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Opus Software Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February-19-2015 at 2:37am
Wilco.

Thanks Nick.

Stephen
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VladimirNikitin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VladimirNikitin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February-19-2015 at 12:19pm
Now no more pop ups at all, your fix fixed it completely.
Thank you Nick for recommendation on getting OpusFSI. I had ASN before, but its very stupid to compare. Never could imagine that FSX can be so real.
Windows 7, i7 3770k 4.8, gtx-980 4 GB, 8GB RAM, 2xSSD Vertex 4 128gb.
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777simmer View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 777simmer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February-20-2015 at 2:57pm
Oh boy oh boy......I would not be surprised if that gets rod of my "black flashes" I have come to accept as normal by now.

I tried the popping cloud fix two years ago but it did not help.
Ofcourse I did not add that second "true" line back then.

I will try again as soon as I have time......probably in about 10 days from now.

thx for the heads up.

EDIT: unfortunately, in my case the flashes (all weather simply disapears for a split second causing a flash like effect) do not stop with this fix.
The only way to stop these flashes for me is and allways has been by using the FSX scenery setting for water at Midx2 rather than Lowx2.
Rob
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EdK View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote EdK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May-07-2019 at 3:47am
Hello,I know this is an old topic but I recently tried the swarm cloud fix because I was tired of the flashing clouds I see every time I fly. I followed the instructions per the post but when I set up a flight after the fix I found I had no clouds at all. I currently use REX essentials plus overdrive but only use it for the textures as I did not care for the sudden changes when the weather updated. I would also get a strange flashing effect across the top of the monitor every time the weather engine updated. Anyway I set up the weather using the user defined option in FSX to create different cloud layers as I like to fly with plenty of clouds. I did back everything up prior to doing the fix and changed it back to it's original state but for several flights after switching back the clouds were still a no show. What is strange is that the clouds were only missing when I used the user defined option. Clouds/weather were present if I used one of the weather themes and were also present if I turned on the REX weather engine. Anyway since the time of the original fix attempt, the clouds have returned and so has the flashing but I guess flashing clouds are better than no clouds at all. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I really don't understand what happened. Thanks Ed
Ed
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Opus Software Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July-06-2020 at 10:07am
Are you using OpusFSI weather engine to generate and inject the weather. If not then this post is somewhat misplaced.

Stephen
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