Interesting problem with runway lights and night effects

[mongoose]

I have TOW I installs and TOW II installs, both with Shaders 30 and basically identical files there, as well as the effects xml. In none of the TOW II installs will the runway lights show at night, while they do with the TOW I installs. This also is true for effects such as TIs and flares. I am at a loss to know what the cause is.

[NachtPiloten]

James,

We had this issue when we were originally working with TOW1. There are cases that unwanted legacy files were copied into the install and caused a conflict when the game called for them. I had to search for duplicate files and when I found them, I needed to check if in fact their content was the same. I ran across this recently with the Wellington, it seems that there are a few versions of KMX in the game, one Bob and another ETO etc. I remember that the major issue we had was duplicate effects files, files placed in folders where they were not supposed to be etc. Not sure how you build new installs, but I always start with CFS3 vanilla and build from there step by step. Tedious, but it usually saves me time in the long run. For example, there are so many duplicate texture files in the aircraft shared folder, that really need a clean out. I need to confess I do not fly CFS3 much other than to test a new airplane. If your TOW1 works flawlessly, then I suggest that you may have copied and pasted duplicate files or files that are not correct. If not there just may be ghosts in the machine....

Ted

[mongoose]

I have a look at it. My TOW II is based on TOW I, but I'll recheck on that as well.

[mongoose]

How CFS3 works or rather, what stops a feature working is somewhat of a mystery. Anyway I took TOW I and replaced most of those folders with TOW II folders, such as aircraft airfields facilities global layer Vehicles and so on, and the runway lights worked. I have yet to check TI effects. EDIT since checked and they also seem OK.

I also looked quickly at duplicates using dupeguru-win64.exe. Of course it produced a raft of files, some of which I would not classify as duplicate but am not sure. If the file name is identical, then even if it is kept only in one place, will all other cases where it is called for, find that file? I am thinking
.wav files
lots of dds files, especially in 'weather', but also in aircraft, vehicles, etc.