Taxiway Signs

[Guest kenmc]

Hi Folks I've redone the AFCAD for an airport I'm working on because the MS version is not accurate. As a result the Taxi signs are not in the correct places. I would like to exclude them and do my own. Is it possible to access the MS textures so I could make my own signs.Barring that,is it possible to move the existing signs or are there some textures out there that I could use to make the sings.Regards, Ken

[Opa 6]

To make your own signs check outcreatsign_c.ziphere in the library.You will have to exclude the default signs - several freeware programs can be used to do that.I have not used it but I have been told the payware FSX Faciltator from Flight1 can make such excludes and also create new signs.Hope this is helpful.

[tgibson 11]

Hi,To exclude taxi signs I use ExcBuilder2 - it has a check box just for excluding taxi signs.Hope this helps,--Tom GibsonCal Classic Propliner Page: http://www.calclassic.comFreeflight Design Shop: http://www.freeflightdesign.comDrop by! ___x_x_(")_x_x___

[scott967 62]

I have used SceneGenx for this. I import the default airport including the taxisigns and other airport objects. I then delete any objects I don't want to move (caution: taxisigns are grouped so that several signs are treated as "parts" of a single scenery object, so in general you can't just delete or move only one. The safest method is to exclude all the signs and replace them all, even if you are putting most of them in the same place as in the default).For the objects remaining (i.e., ones you need to move), first create exclusion rectangles around them.I delete all the default runways and taxiways and aprons. I then import my AFCAD data to get the revised positions. Now I can move the taxisigns and other objects in relation to the AFCAD data. This way I can also use a Google Earth background to design around, instead of having to use "in sim" positions.An alternative which requires a bit more knowledge of xml coding is to use Airport Design Editor 1.22. The problem here is that you need the FSX sdk to get xml out of ADE. Once you have the xml, though, it is possible to remove the FSX-unique data and compile the xml with the FS9 bglcompiler.It's really a question of getting familiar with a particular set of tools and then going at it.One caution in FS9: there is a bug in how exclusions are handled in the bglcomp. The bottom line is that it is possible to create exclusions to exclude scenery objects by type, but a single bgl file should only include exclusions of a single type. Thus if you want to exclude some buildings and also some taxisigns, you should create two exclusion files, one for the buildings and one for the taxisigns.scott s..

[Guest LeeWang]

Here's a general overview how I do itBig Overview:1. Exclude all default taxiway signs using excbuilderv22. Extract the default taxiway sign data from the the default bgl file using LWMViewer, and NewBglAnalyze3. Import the default taxiway sign data into CreatSign, so you can now move/delete/add the taxiway signs, using SceneGenX, CreatSign, FS2004, and NotePad.You can not edit/move one taxiway sign on a default airport. To fix airport taxiway signs, you must first make an exclude.bgl file which removes all the default taxiway signs. Use ExcBuilder.exe to create the exclude.Extract the default taxiway sign data from the default bgl file:1. Open LWMViewer.exe and find your airport using "file-open by coords". Enter the Lat and Long of airprot obtained by AFCAD.2. Taxiway signs are usually are found in AP*****.bgl files.3. Copy the AP******.bgl file to a place where you can work with it (ie desktop).4. Open NewBglAnalyze.exe and open the AP*****.bgl file (file-open). Then click Disassemble-disassemble to xml.5. Note: NewBglAnalyze has a bug. BGLAnalyze will decompile taxiway signs wrong, turned around 180 degrees. The error is in the parameter "justification" which comes out "left" when it should be "right" and viceversa.6. After the file has been decomplied to xml format, open using notepad, copy and paste only the taxiway signs info (for your airport) into a new text document. You now have to change all the LEFT's to RIGHTS and RIGHTS to LEFTS and then save.7. Copy an existing Taxwiwaysigns.xml file (Created using CreatSign) in the CreatSign folder and rename it to the airport being modified. Using AFCAD, copy the ICAO name, Lat/Long and elevation info into the new taxiwaysigns.xml file (Using Notepad). Next copy and paste the taxiway signs info from the new text document (Left/Right modified) into the new taxwaysigns.xml. Start Creatsign and click on the folder icon next the the load button. Highlight the taxiwaysigns.xml file and press load. Than click on save. 8. Now create a bgl file to test and see if our default taxiway signs appear, and display normal. Create a bgl file my dragging and dropping the taxiwaysigns.xml onto the bglcomp.exe. Test the newly created BGL file in FS2004 to ensure all default signs show up correctly and in the correct direction. So, at this point,, all we have done, is exclude the default taxiway signs, then extract the taxiway sign data from the default bgl file, and import only the taxiway sign data into "CreatSign", create a new BGL file of the default taxiway signs, and test to see if our default taxiway signs are back...If Good, its now time to edit the taxiwaysigns.xml file to move/delete/add taxiway signs as needed.To locate a taxiway signs quickly use SceneGenx, and FS2004.1. Open SceneGenX (Start-All Programs-SceneGenX)2. Make a copy of the taxiwaysigns.xml file to view/edit using SceneGenx.3. In SeneGenX, click File-Import XML source code file, and pick the taxiwaysigns.xml file by clicking on Browse.4. Click Scan XML file, then check the airport to import, and click on IMPORT XML5. A map will open showing all the taxiway signs in red. Click on the sign to find the lat/long. Note: if you start FS2004, you can display your aircraft in SceneGenx so you can quickly find a taxiway sign to edit. Once you have displayed the lat/long, you can "find" the correct taxiwaysign in the taxiwaysigns.xml file (either using notepad, or Via CreatSign). You can now either delete/move/edit the sign.To Add a Sign, start FS2004 and move the aircraft to the location of the new sign. Then click on "from FS" using CreatSign. This reads in the location of the aircraft (where the new sign will be placed). You then add the proper symbols to create the sign: for example^ (caret on number key 6)

[Guest kenmc]

Thanks guys for all your help. It looks like I'll be busy for awhile.Best regards, Ken