Kai Tak 9Dragons missing tree textures

[hjwalter 25]

Hi all FS9 scenery experts,I've noticed lately that in my most enjoyable Kai Tak (VHHX) 9-Dragons airport scenery there are suddenly some tree textures missing and I hope someone can help me further. See the picture.The missing tree textures are most probably standard textures which should reside in the main FS9 texture folder and I suspect that these have somehow been modified at some time in the past, probably by an installer program. This suspicion comes up strongly because I have firstly re-placed all the airport dedicated texture files from my backup system and secondly by those from the original download, but no joy. I've even replaced the whole main FS9 texture folder from my backups but the problem seems to be quite old and was unknowingly backed up also.I've narrowed the problem down to a file named: "Kowloon-Billboards_OB1.bgl" and have decompiled it to an .xml file. This file evidently places a lot of billboards, fences, etc. and finds all the necessary textures correctly, except some tree textures. However, I cannot relate the 32 position hex library object names to any texture .bmp files in order to be able to search for them.My obvious general question would be: How do you translate such a hex library object name to a specific .bmp file name ?Hope someone can help and I thank you in advance.RegardsHans

[Opa 6]

Hi all FS9 scenery experts,I've noticed lately that in my most enjoyable Kai Tak (VHHX) 9-Dragons airport scenery there are suddenly some tree textures missing and I hope someone can help me further. See the picture.The missing tree textures are most probably standard textures which should reside in the main FS9 texture folder and I suspect that these have somehow been modified at some time in the past, probably by an installer program. This suspicion comes up strongly because I have firstly re-placed all the airport dedicated texture files from my backup system and secondly by those from the original download, but no joy. I've even replaced the whole main FS9 texture folder from my backups but the problem seems to be quite old and was unknowingly backed up also.I've narrowed the problem down to a file named: "Kowloon-Billboards_OB1.bgl" and have decompiled it to an .xml file. This file evidently places a lot of billboards, fences, etc. and finds all the necessary textures correctly, except some tree textures. However, I cannot relate the 32 position hex library object names to any texture .bmp files in order to be able to search for them.My obvious general question would be: How do you translate such a hex library object name to a specific .bmp file name ?Hope someone can help and I thank you in advance.RegardsHans

I cannot help with youir specific question but I would try leaving a PM (Personal message) for Clutch Cargo here and at the Flightsim forums.He stops by now and then and if you leave a message he would be sure to see it when he logs in.

[N60JBravo 27]

My obvious general question would be: How do you translate such a hex library object name to a specific .bmp file name ?RegardsHans

The 32 digit number you are referring to is the Global Unique Identifier (GUID) for the individual objects.The file you have decompiled places objects, but does not contain them. The GUIDs in that file references the objects that are located in another file, commonly called an object library.In the object library is where the texture reference is located.I believe Library Object Manager (LOM) from Scruffyduck might display what textures go with what objects, though will require some setup on your part.If you are interested, it can be found here - http://www.scruffyduckscenery.co.uk/lom_downloads.htmlHope this helps,Joe

[Jim Robinson 122]

It appears something's happened to "MTtrees2.bmp" which should be in the Addon Scenery\9Dragons V2\texture folder. Copy "treesSU.bmp" from your main FS9\texture folder to your 9Dragons V2\texture folder and rename it "MTtrees2.bmp".Jim

[Opa 6]

It appears something's happened to "MTtrees2.bmp" which should be in the Addon Scenery\9Dragons V2\texture folder. Copy "treesSU.bmp" from your main FS9\texture folder to your 9Dragons V2\texture folder and rename it "MTtrees2.bmp".Jim

Ah - you beat me to it Jim...........I did a little digging in a copy of Version 1 which I have stored on my my computer and see that I have MTtrees2.bmp and MTtrees4.bmp in the texture subfolder.Both appear to be exactly the same - I know that in Version 2 some redundant files were removed so perhaps that is why you may be seeing only 1 file.Might be good if the Original Poster would tell us which version of Kai Tak he is using. The bottom line is that it certainly appears the problem is with the MTtrees texture file.EDIT ADDED: If for some reason the method suggested by Jim does not work, just PM me and I will send the two texture files from a fresh install of Ver 2.

[Jim Robinson 122]

...in Version 2 some redundant files were removed so perhaps that is why you may be seeing only 1 file.

I'm not seeing only one file, I also have a MTtrees4.bmp which is used by the .mdls contained in MTtrees4.bgl but that's not the file the OP is having problems with.Jim

[Opa 6]

I'm not seeing only one file, I also have a MTtrees4.bmp which is used by the .mdls contained in MTtrees4.bgl but that's not the file the OP is having problems with.Jim

Right you are Jim (as usual).BTW - I suggested sending the OP the correct file as the treesSU.bmp (default) is 86 KB on my system while the MTtrees2.bmp in the Kai Tak texture folder is 683 KB. A closer inspection of the twp files with Image tool reveals that the formats of the bmps are considerably different (DXT 1 and 3 and the number of Mips).That may not make any difference in the display - I just do not know. Any thoughts?EDIT ADDED: I sure would like to know what utility you used to determine which texture file was being called by the bgl.

[Jim Robinson 122]

A closer inspection of the twp files with Image tool reveals that the formats of the bmps are considerably different (DXT 1 and 3 and the number of Mips).That may not make any difference in the display - I just do not know. Any thoughts?

You must be using some performance enhancing autogen tree textures David. I was checking my MTtrees2.bmp (from V2.1 Kai Tak) against the treesSU.bmp from the installation disks and they're both 1024x1024, DXT1, 9 mip levels, and 683KB. File dates are different however. I "layered" the 2 into a Photoshop image and in doing a "blink comparator test" (toggling the top layer on and off) they appear to be a pixel for pixel match. Out of curiousity what are the pixel dimensions of your treesSU.bmp (256x256?)? The 86 KB file would work as a substitute for MTtrees2.bmp but I think you'd see a considerable decrease in quality.

EDIT ADDED: I sure would like to know what utility you used to determine which texture file was being called by the bgl.

I used Jon Masterson's (ScruffyDuck) "Library Object Viewer". Clean out the "Application\textures" folder before opening MTtrees2.bgl, click on a few of the GUIDs to preview the trees, then close the program and check the textures folder again and you'll find a "mttrees2.dds". Alternately you could decompile MTtrees2.bgl with BglAnalyze9 or BglXml and drag the resulting .mdls into a hex editor (or even Notepad for that matter) and search for the string ".bmp".Jim

[Opa 6]

The pixels are 256 x 256 - I had forgotton that recently I had installed the FScene enhancement by Ruud Faber and the "small" trees file was one of the changes.I shall take a look at LOM as it sounds like a very useful tool - many thanks.

[N60JBravo 27]

Hey Opa (and others),Just to be clear. the utility LOM that I referred to is not the same as LOV that Jim mentions.Both by Scruffyduck, both useful, but different.regards,Joe

[hjwalter 25]

Hi all you technical experts,I'm the one who started this thread.I've been using 9-Dragons v2 ever since it was published and without any problems whatsoever in my FS9. However, my tree problem had unexpectedly appeared without me having messed around with this scenery in any way. Removing the two texture files: MTtrees2 and MTtrees4 did not change anything with respect to the white untextured rectangles. It's for this reason that I assumed that the GUIDs concerned were referring to external (possible corrupted) textures, e.g. in my main FS9 texture folder.I've now gone through the immensly tedious process of disassembling the two .bgl files which were causing the problem to XML files, by saving the originals and then deleting all object placement sections which did not have readable object names like, e.g. "VEH", "BRIDGE", "bagcart", etc. I then copied the object placement groups with the same GUID endings (last four positions), one by one from the saved original XML files, back to the ones from which the deletions had taken place. After each such movement I re-compiled the XML file back to a .bgl file, placed it in the Kai Tak scenery folder and opened a flight to see the results. If the white rectangles were stil there I contnued with the next single or group of XML lines, etc. This went on until all the white rectangles had disappeared. O.K. I now have very few trees left but at least the white rectangles have gone away. I could now continue by (re-)planting my own trees e.g. via the RWY12 program but I have saved the two original Kai Tak scenery .bgl files just in case one of you experts solves the basic problem.My MTtrees2.bmp and MTtrees4.bmp files in the Kai Tak texture folder are both 683 Kb as are the TreesSU, TreesSP, TreesHW, TreesFA and TreesWi .bmp files in my main texture folder. They all seem to be O.K. but I do have two versions of each in my FS9 main texture folder, one with a bright green background (de-activated) and the other with a black, probably transparent, background.Have any of you guys tried to de-activate the two MTtrees .bmp files in the Kai Tak texture folder in order to see what happens ? E.g. if white rectangles appear ?Anyway, thanks for all your reactions. I may even learn from them.RegardsHans

[Opa 6]

Have any of you guys tried to de-activate the two MTtrees .bmp files in the Kai Tak texture folder in order to see what happens ? E.g. if white rectangles appear ?

Yep, just did - the screenshots attached show the results.I am still of the opinion that your bmp files may be corrupt. Have you tried Jim's suggestion for placing a copy of the default treesSU.bmp in your Kai Tak texture folder and renaming it?I also can send a copy of my texture files if you wish.

[hjwalter 25]

In the meantime I've disassembled the Kai Tak scenery file: MTtrees2.bgl and had a look at the .mdls. To my surprise there are 12 mdls in there of which I have deleted the GUIDs from the two Kai Tak scenery folder .bgls, in order to get rid of the white tree rectangles.They are the mdls ending in: a54, a51, a4f, a48, a53, a4a, a50, a55, a52, a56, a4e and a49.Hope this will give you guys some more clues for solving the problem.From this end I'm beginning to suspect an automatic tree enhancement installer program used quite some time ago. On the other hand however, such a program would (or should) only influence default tree textures in the main FS9 texture folder and not in any addon texture folders. Moreover, I've reinstalled the whole Kai Tak airport from the original download at least once and still had the white rectangles, so it's possible I'm barking up the wrong tree on this one.CheersHans

[hjwalter 25]

Yes David, I've tried Jim's suggestion but to no avail. However, when looking at your new screenshots I can only conclude that both my texture files "TreesSU.bmp" and "MTtrees2.bmp" must somehow have been corrupted, especially when you have temporarily deleted your own active "MTtrees2.bmp" file. I would therefore be very greateful if you could send me a copy of your files.Can you somehow get hold of my e-mail address from AVSIM or should I post it separately for you ? I'm not familiar with this procedure.Thanks in advance for all your trouble.Hans

[Opa 6]

Yes David, I've tried Jim's suggestion but to no avail. However, when looking at your new screenshots I can only conclude that both my texture files "TreesSU.bmp" and "MTtrees2.bmp" must somehow have been corrupted, especially when you have temporarily deleted your own active "MTtrees2.bmp" file. I would therefore be very greateful if you could send me a copy of your files.Can you somehow get hold of my e-mail address from AVSIM or should I post it separately for you ? I'm not familiar with this procedure.Thanks in advance for all your trouble.Hans

Just send me an e-mail using your regular e-mail program - I will reply with the files attached.My address is opaflightsimaddict at verizon dot netLook forward to hearing from you.