Clouds

[KellyB]

Is there a way to create a cloud deck which has holes in it here and there?
7/8ths cloud cover would be it, but I'm looking for cloud cover with a hole in it which would allow me to descend vfr.

It works in FSX, and maybe it's too much for FS9.

thanks.

[Motormouse]

Is there a way to create a cloud deck which has holes in it here and there?
7/8ths cloud cover would be it, but I'm looking for cloud cover with a hole in it which would allow me to descend vfr.

It works in FSX, and maybe it's too much for FS9.

thanks.

You need an unlocked fsuipc utility, and it can be done, you set weather in fsuipc.

Alternatively try fsmetar for r/w weather, uses fsuipc with an inbuilt validation key.

Ttfn

Pete

[KellyB]

Thanks, Pete.

I'll give it a go.

[rich12545]

You need an unlocked fsuipc utility, and it can be done, you set weather in fsuipc.

Alternatively try fsmetar for r/w weather, uses fsuipc with an inbuilt validation key.

Ttfn

Pete

I have fsuipc and understand there are some things that can be set like visibility and some other minor stuff but haven't seen how you can set weather. What am I missing?

[Motormouse]

I have fsuipc and understand there are some things that can be set like visibility and some other minor stuff but haven't seen how you can set weather. What am I missing?

Missing, Lots!

Besides the gauges that rely on the FSUIPC interface, its' probably the best value add-on you can get
for Fs; you can tweek weather,joystick,hotkeys, boot up additional fs programs like '3-wire' and screenshot utilities and a whole lot of other stuff, all in the user guide and advanced user guide... but back to weather...

IN your fs9 modules folder, when FSUIPC installs it also adds a little utility called 'WeatherSet2.exe"
this is what it does

from the 'readme'




WEATHERSET2.EXE Version 1.40 14th December 2003
================================================== =An FS2004 weather manipulation program, using
the New Weather interface in FSUIPC (version
3.049b onwards).
Freeware by Peter Dowson.
NOTE that this is primarily devised as a test
program for the FSUIPC New Weather interface.
It is not guaranteed to work in all circumstances,
nor will it necessarily be maintained. It is
quite interesting and even useful, however.

==================================================
TO USE:
==================================================
Ensure FSUIPC.DLL version 3.049b or later is placed
into the modules folder of FS2004.
Run FS2004. When it is up and running, run
WEATHERSET2.EXE.
WEATHERSET2 will stay running if FS2004 is
terminated, and will optionally re-connect to
FSUIPC when FS2004 is restarted. See the
FlightSim menu for AutoConnect, Connect and
Disconnect options.
You can run WEATHERSET2 on a Networked PC, using
WideFS version 5.991 or later to link to
FS2004 and FSUIPC.

==================================================
FACILITES
==================================================
WEATHERSET2 provides the following facilities:

READING weather:
1. Reads all weather data from FS2004 ... by
default the weather at the user aircraft. To
display weather at any Weather Station, press
the Return key in the "Station" section and
enter the ICAO (or GLOB for Global). To read
the weather at any location on Earth, do the
same but enter a valid Latitude and Longitude
instead of an ICAO identifier. To return to the
aircraft weather, do the same but enter
nothing.

When reading weather at an ICAO Wx station, if
there are active AI aircraft with allocated
runways, the arrival and departure runways
allocated to traffic are shown as well.
2. Provides manual or automatic (periodic) refresh
of displayed data, with the automatic refresh
defaulting. (see File menu).
WRITING weather
3. Provides a facility to clear all weather. This
also resets Dynamic Weather to stop changes. It
is a good idea to do this before trying to
apply any other changes as FS2004's morphing,
interpolation and dynamic features will otherwise
give quite unexpected results!

and for a selected Weather Station (or "GLOB"):
4. Allows individual layers in any weather section
be be Deleted (use the Delete key) or Modified
(use the Return key). Select the appropriate
entry first, via the layer numbers and either a
Mouse, or Tab between sections then cursor up
and down. note that Altitudes cannot be modified.
You have to delete and insert (see 9.)
5. New layers can be inserted before a selected
layer by pressing the Insert key and filling in
the details. In order to allow layers to be
added at the end of a list, a dummy entry is
always present at the end.
================================================== ==

Pete Dowson, December 2003
--------------------------



It takes a bit of trial and a lot of error, and no 2 systems are exactly same (different graphics,cloud sets what-have-you); start by opening one of the default wx files and playing with it delete or add layers, save it as a wx file, then
adjust clouds and visibility in FSUIPC 'options' while running it (wx file) in fs.

Adrian Shortall uploaded some extra weather themes (39 to be precise!) based on tweeked wx files, you should be able to find them at usual places.


There's no 'magic button' unfortunately, several developers have produced utilities that will work in similar fashion,
Klaus Prichatz 'Wetter' and 'Random Weather Generator', Markus Brunner's 'FS2K4Metar' for example.

Also the payware 'Active Sky' and 'Real Environment Extreme'; as I said before I use fsmetar
from here ---> http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/fsmetar/ r/w weather, which uses the FSUIPC interface to tweek the clouds and vis accordingly.

hope this helps

ttfn


Pete

[rich12545]

Very interesting. I bought fsuipc years ago and never heard of that weather program. Just looked in the modules folder and it's not there. I'm going to have to visit the forum and investigate. Thanks for the info.