Help understanding compile process

A few questions from a user new to AI Traffic management.

I'm using Bristol EGGD as a test airport.

I've generated a large number of IFR and VFR flight plans for EGGD (within "Unspecified carrier, jf_OTHER,all") and have then gone on to compile them in the Traffic Movements section.

Q1.   Should I JUST compile the "User Schedule" or do I have to include (tick) one of/some of/all of the other schedules at the same time?

Q2. Do I have to compile "VFR Traffic" every time I compile the "User Schedule" or only when I regenerate VFR and/or Business Aircraft Traffic in the Traffic Generator?

Q3. Almost ALL flights arriving at EGGD disappear on the runway before taxiing to park - is this related to the fact that almost all GATE parking is occupied?

(Unless I set the Airline traffic density slider at a VERY low percentage virtually all parking spaces are occupied at FSX start-up (mostly by EasyJet). I understand this too-full parking problem is being experienced by a number of T360 users, so hopefully it will be addressed in the upcoming service pack).

Q4. As a test I scheduled an Air Malta 737 flight departing EGGD at 10:00 GMT. No matter what time I start FSX (before 10:00 GMT of course) or how long I wait - there is never an Air Malta 737 parked in preparation for take off. I have recompiled several times and have also repeated this test with other aircraft and airlines with the same result. Am I overlooking something?

Q5. Is there something online that I could read to help better understand the way FSX AI works (operationally and technically)?

All advice and help much appreciated.

Bruce

Thank you for your very helpful and interesting reply freddy.

As things stand unless I set the Airline Traffic slider well below 20% all gates at Bristol are occupied at start-up of FSX (mostly with Easyjet A320s). The obvious downside to this solution is that there is a corresponding reduction in Airline traffic.

As an experiment I'm going to create a set of 10 or more flight plans departing at 15 minute intervals for EasyJet A320s to free up some gates. That should enable flights arriving (again mostly EasyJet A320s) to find suitable places to park. Out of interest the arriving flights are not part of my own AI flight plans.

I'll also do as you suggest and Google for more info on AI disappearance and on AFCAD files.

Thanks again.
Bruce

It is possible the percentage that you are seeing is this ... "at what FSX traffic slider percentage does this airplane appear?". If the AI plane is set with a percentage of "10", then that means it will show in FSX if your FSX traffic slider percentage is 10% or higher. If the AI plane is set with a percentage of "80", then that means it will show in FSX if your FSX traffic slider percentage is 80% or higher. My trick when TESTING is to always set my FSX traffic slider percentage to 100%. This way, I will ALWAYS see my plane, even if the AI program gives it a high percentage value like a 95 or 99 or something. But, after testing, I must remember to set my FSX traffic slider percentage back down to whatever my usual value is (otherwise I risk clogged skies and bad frame rates). If I need to adjust/edit the percentage for the AI plane, then I do so - by MANUALLY editing it in the decompiled file instead of letting the Traffic program RANDOMLY do it - and then I recompile.

For an EXCELLENT place to start on the inner workings of an FSX decompiled AI BGL file, look here: Microsoft ESP Traffic Toolbox. Specifically, the information under the heading "The Traffic Database Builder Utility" is probably what's most relevant here. Traffic X uses the DOS based "TrafficDatabaseBuilder.exe" program, that's mentioned under that heading, to compile the AI .BGL file. (And I'd guess that Traffic 360 works the same way too.) If you read up, understand, and know how it all works, then you can MANUALLY edit the decompiled .BGL files, and then MANUALLY do your own compiles using the "TrafficDatabaseBuilder.exe" program. I use Traffic X to create the files, and then I manually edit them and recompile. I don't have Traffic 360, but I'm willing to bet it would be possible to do the same with Traffic 360.

It's great when things work as you want/expect, and you also learn something along the way. I am glad to have helped.