Landing lights - copying to another aircraft

[Lysander77]

Is it possible to transfer (or copy) landing lights from an aircraft that has them, to a similar aircraft that has none? If so, where would one look in the files for the landing light specifics that would need to be copied?

[Ashar]

Landing lights are specified by an effects file...Some developers include textures that affect the way the lights look...If you like a certain aircraft's effect, you should take a peak at the aircraft.cfg and see what effects file is references...You can then use that landing light effect in any other aircraft...

[Lysander77]

Many thanks. I'll give that a try...

[garymbuska]

I think you should know that landing lights while are effects the problem is that they have specific starting points and ending points and will change from aircraft to air craft. In other words I would not use the landing lights from A B747 for a Cessna as the lights are going to emit from a place not on the air craft due to the size difference. So yes it is possible as long as the two aircraft are similar in size and shape but even then the lights might not look correct.

[commoner]

...mmm...most other lights..Nav, Strobe, Beacons etc are easy to move and swap around as they are just .fx files and the various coordinates for placing them are in the aircraft.cfg file of each a/c.........I have a gut feeling that landing lights are NOT .fx files in the same way and are built into the model and are switched on and off by the relevant switch in the panel.

Some software such as Abacus Aircraft Animator would be IMO required to add Landing lights and even then I don't believe the FS9 defaults can be changed...only third party a/c.

...don't take this as "gospel".....some other more enlightened members would maybe like to tell me I am mistaken...........commoner

Read this .... http://www.abacuspub.com/catalog/s380.htm

[Hagar]

...mmm...most other lights..Nav, Strobe, Beacons etc are easy to move and swap around as they are just .fx files and the various coordinates for placing them are in the aircraft.cfg file of each a/c.........I have a gut feeling that landing lights are NOT .fx files in the same way and are built into the model and are switched on and off by the relevant switch in the panel.

Some software such as Abacus Aircraft Animator would be IMO required to add Landing lights and even then I don't believe the FS9 defaults can be changed...only third party a/c.

...don't take this as "gospel".....some other more enlightened members would maybe like to tell me I am mistaken...........commoner

Read this .... http://www.abacuspub.com/catalog/s380.htm

You're mistaken. LOL

I think you're correct about the landing lights being defined in the MDL file. However, Aircraft Animator is obsolete & no use for animating "proper" FS9 or even FS2002 aircraft. It's the early FS2002 aircraft animated with AA that are not fully compatible with FS9.

PS. Sorry but if the landing lights are not defined in the MDL I don't think there's anything you can do about it. I'm now waiting for someone to tell me I'm wrong.

[commoner]

LOL...well apart from the obsolete software I think I was spot on.....didn't I say the lights were in the model?

I have lots of fun changing the other lights around.....but never been able to do the same with landing lights for obvious reasons.............there will be software around I feel sure......or am I wrong again......

[Hagar]

LOL...well apart from the obsolete software I think I was spot on.....didn't I say the lights were in the model?

Indeed. There is also the question of landing light beams being visible from exterior views but not from the cockpit. That is a different matter & I forget if there is a fix for it.

I have lots of fun changing the other lights around.....but never been able to do the same with landing lights for obvious reasons.............there will be software around I feel sure......or am I wrong again......

I've lost touch with all this now & stand to be corrected by someone who knows what they're talking about. Landing lights have to be added to the visual model. I don't think it's possible to do this without the original source file & of course the 3D software used to create it. However, it's possible that someone has designed an XML gauge to add landing lights to models without them.

[commoner]

....interesting subject.....  e.g. the default 737 panel has no taxi-lights switch...But the model itself must have taxi lights built in 'cos if you "borrow" a Taxi lights switch from say the default Beech Baron then add it into the 737 overhead panel it works perfectly........two or three  pages back there is a post where I pointed this out......maybe Lysander should try this just to see if the a/c he is talking about has them built in but not "wired up".......

What plane are we talking about Lysander...we could check it out..........commoner

[garymbuska]

Hagr and Commoner I think you both have valid points here. I am fairly certain that the landing lights are indeed made along with the model . The entries in the aircraft cfg file are needed to help define them. And Commoner the reason why the taxi light works when adding a switch is because it was part of the orignal model the designeer just did not add a switch and more than likely tied them into the landing light switch.
It is alot like the default Cessna there is no switch for the strobe lights as they come on the same time you turn on the nav lights. But you could put a strobe light switch and control them that way as well. The only thing I am not sure of is if the nav light switch will still control them also. 8-)

[NickN]

The beam on the ground is defined by the model and spotlight.bmp in the main texture folder. It can not be moved or used by another aircraft and only the model builder who has original source file can add a taxi and landing beam to the ground.

The element (bulb) glow for TAXI and LANDING lights can be defined by either the model OR the aircraft [LIGHTS] section and the FX file fx_landing.fx and are usually placed in the MDL file instead of the config file, but there are exceptions.

That is why you will not typically see a light type 6 (taxi) or 5 (landing) in the config file although there are a few model builders who will use the FX file fx_navwhi.fx or other custom made white glow to represent lighting that illuminates when taxi and landing lights are turned on.

[commoner]

..Well thanks for that little gem Nick...one of FS9's little mysteries solved...........great to know we can invariably come up with the right answer on SimV.........must make a note of that ...........commoner

[Lysander77]

Thanks to all! Splendid advice and much learned from your comments and directons. The aircraft in question is the Icarusgold Lysander and the landing lights are on the Alpha Lysander. I was able to add a trim gauge from a  Dehaviland Beaver and add that to the Icarusgold Lysander, so I thought perhaps...
Your responses and information are much appreciated, as always.
                                                  Lysander77