Beacon light only works with Taxi or Landing lights on

[mike0927]

All you guys out there who are smarter than me, I need you. Seriously, the beacon light only works when the taxi or landing light is on. I don't know how to edit the config file for the lights. Its all random numbers to me.

[LIGHTS]
//Types: 1=beacon, 2=strobe, 3=navigation, 4=cockpit
//light.0 =3, 0.0,-17.90, 3.00, fx_a2a_c172_navred
//light.1 =3, 0.0, 17.90, 3.00, fx_a2a_c172_navgre
//light.2 =2, -0.25,-18.00, 3.00, fx_a2a_c172_strobe
//light.3 =2, -0.25, 18.00, 3.00, fx_a2a_c172_strobe_2
//light.4 =1, -16.91, 0.00, 6.30, fx_a2a_c172_beaconh
light.1 =9, 1.3, 0.00, 1.40, fx_a2a_c172_vclight
light.2 =10, 1.3, 0.00, 1.40, fx_a2a_c172_vclight_dim
//light.2 =5, 1.7, -9.00, 2.60, fx_a2a_c172_landing_light_small
//light.3 =6, 1.7, -9.50, 2.60, fx_a2a_c172_landing_light_small

[electrical]
;BusType, MaxAmpLoad, MinVoltage BusTypes:0=MainBus,1=AvionicsBus,2=BatteryBus,3=HotBatteryBus,4-7=Generator/AlternatorBus(1-4)
max_battery_voltage = 28
generator_alternator_voltage = 28
max_generator_alternator_amps = 100
engine_generator_map = 1
electric_always_available = 0
flap_motor = 0, 1 , 0.0
gear_motor = 0, 1 , 0.0
autopilot = 0, 1 , 12.0
avionics_bus = 0, 1 , 12.0
avionics = 1, 1 , 12.0
pitot_heat = 0, 1 , 12.0 //Scalar on heat effectiveness, 0 = not available
additional_system = 0, 1 , 12.0
marker_beacon = 1, 1 , 12.0
gear_warning = 0, 1 , 12.0
fuel_pump = 0, 1 , 0
starter1 = 0, 1 , 0
light_nav = 0, 1 , 12.0
light_beacon = 0, 1 , 12.0
light_landing = 0, 1 , 12.0
light_taxi = 0, 1 , 12.0
light_strobe = 0, 1 , 12.0
light_panel = 0, 1 , 12.0

Just tell me what to change or if I'm in the right ballpark.

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
Do not touch this , this is not the problem , my cfg file is the same as yours.
When i have done the walk around , i have always turned all lights on , so never noticed this problem , i will check mine to see how my lights behave .
regards alan.

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
I have fired up the sim with the C172 in cold/dark , switched on the batt , and turned on each light one at a time , looked outside aircraft to confirm that the correct light was on , then turned it off , did this from left to right in sequence , on/checked/off, all worked as they should .
One thing to check ,are any circuit brakers popped , ie avionics , incase this causes the problem you discribe , is everything ok in the hangar.
What op system / sim are you useing , and are you fully updated .
i use FSX+ ACCELERATION on win 7 op system , have only ever had minor problems with any A2A aircraft , most of them was finger trouble on my part.
regards alan.

[mike0927]

try it at night. It seems to happen at night. I noticed the switch working during the day. The switch works the light when the landing or taxi light is on at night. Switch is inop otherwise.

[Great Ozzie]

All you guys out there who are smarter than me, I need you. Seriously, the beacon light only works when the taxi or landing light is on. I don't know how to edit the config file for the lights. Its all random numbers to me.

Hi Mike,

You shouldn't have to do any editing of any .cfg file.

I just checked my C172. With just the battery on, the rotating beacon functions correctly (at night).

This is in FSX/Acceleration. Is that what you are using?

Also, have you run the updater?

-Rob

[mike0927]

I use FSX Steam Edition. What is this acceleration you speak of? I'm new to sims and jump right in with both feet. Thus, I have stuff I don't know how to use. So, that being said, I checked my beacon light. The light texture is changing like it does during the day time. The pulsing red light bloom that supposed to show at night (I'm assuming using common sense) that you cant see during the day, that doesn't show unless the taxi or landing lamp is on. So, I'm missing the light bloom from my beacon when its on by itself. I hope I'm explaining this right. Also, if you know some accelerators I can get, that would be nice also. I love this plane.

[Great Ozzie]

"Acceleration" for FSX was just an expansion pack that was released a year after the initial release of FSX (back in 2006). Your Steam edition includes that.

As far as "accelerators" go, I know of only one type: faster hardware. The only other (basic) option is to turn down the settings. Both tough choices.

The Beacon I can see both during the day and at night. No need to turn on other lights... I'm not sure what is going on in your case.

You have run the Updater, right?

[alan CXA651]

Hi Mike.
There are several flightsims on the market .
1./P3D (lockheed martin)
2./FSX with either SP1+2 update or Acceleration package (original microsoft , came in standard,silver,or gold editions)
3./FSX SE (steam edition)
FSX SE your version should be the same as FSX+Acceleration
regards alan.

[alan CXA651]

Hi Mike.
Just tried mine in the dark everything works as it should , when you installed the aircraft , it should be done in sequence aircraft/accu-sim/updater.
A2A aircraft are not upto date on the download shop , the updater can be found in the pilots lounge of this forum, once the connie comes out there will be a new updater , that will not only include the connie in its search , but will address any outstanding minor problems with the other aircraft as well.
heres the update link as it stands at the moment.
http://www.a2asimulations.com/downloads ... _09_16.zip
Always have a habit of checking here frequently for update changes ,
regards alan.

[mike0927]

Yes, I've run the updater, no it didn't help. Like I said, I'm just missing the light bloom from the beacon light. Can't see it during the day, but at dusk, dawn, and night, the light bloom only shows when the taxi or landing light is on. The actual light on the plane changes like its on regardless of the time of day, but the light cone from the beacon shouldn't depend on whether the taxi or landing light is on. That has to be a config problem. In what world would the light turn on but the actual light photons emitting from the light don't turn on without one of two other lights being on? That's crazy. I'm sure there is someone out there who can troubleshoot this.

[mike0927]

Ok. So after looking closely at all my lights, I have the following problems. Or maybe not. I new to this but it does seem odd. At night, there are NO light cones the beacon or any nav lights. The only thing that triggers the light blooms is the Taxi and Landing lights. Strobe light causes strobes on the wingtips. Add the nav lights and we have white and all the nav lights strobing along with solid nav lights. So, strobe causes a rave on my plane and taxi/landing light turns on the light blooms on all lights except stobes during dusk, dawn, and night. Stobes seem to have light blooms at all times and zero light blooms during the day. Light blooms or light cones, whatever you want to call them.

[mallcott]

Yes, I've run the updater, no it didn't help. Like I said, I'm just missing the light bloom from the beacon light. Can't see it during the day, but at dusk, dawn, and night, the light bloom only shows when the taxi or landing light is on. The actual light on the plane changes like its on regardless of the time of day, but the light cone from the beacon shouldn't depend on whether the taxi or landing light is on. That has to be a config problem. In what world would the light turn on but the actual light photons emitting from the light don't turn on without one of two other lights being on? That's crazy. I'm sure there is someone out there who can troubleshoot this.

You can troubleshoot this: Check each of the .fx files are present in the Effects folder. These are the files that are referenced in your first post. Now if you can't SEE which ones are .fx files, then you need to change a setting in Windows so you can - not really something for us to advise on but if you really can't find how to make suffixes appear then you probably shouldn't be messing with internal file structures at all.

Once you have ascertained which .fx file is missing report back for further instructions.

[alan CXA651]

Hi Mike.
It is definatly not the cfg file , my cfg file is exactly the same as yours , have you got in your FSX SE settings page advanced animations ticked if not do so, hopefully someone who has FSX SE can enlighten you better , incase its a fault of the sim , another thing to check , do you have DX10 ticked , if so untick this , unless you have the DX10 fixer installed , as this can cause problems.
regards alan.

[mike0927]

You can troubleshoot this: Check each of the .fx files are present in the Effects folder. These are the files that are referenced in your first post. Now if you can't SEE which ones are .fx files, then you need to change a setting in Windows so you can - not really something for us to advise on but if you really can't find how to make suffixes appear then you probably shouldn't be messing with internal file structures at all.

Once you have ascertained which .fx file is missing report back for further instructions.[/quote]

I found the .fx files. Used notepad to view them. How do I know which ones are missing?

[mike0927]

Hi Mike.
It is definatly not the cfg file , my cfg file is exactly the same as yours , have you got in your FSX SE settings page advanced animations ticked if not do so, hopefully someone who has FSX SE can enlighten you better , incase its a fault of the sim , another thing to check , do you have DX10 ticked , if so untick this , unless you have the DX10 fixer installed , as this can cause problems.
regards alan.

THAT DID IT!!! Unchecked DX10 Preview, lens flare, light bloom. just have advanced animations. I think it was the DX10. I just hope my progressive taxi works now. I'm going to try messing with other settings besides DX10 to see if that was it or something else. I think that was it though. Everything is working as it should.