HOW CAN I DO THIS? Is It Even Possible?

[Guest ditopilot]

Freinds,I want to add/extend road traffic to some other highways like Lake Shore Dr. in front of Chicago's skyline.How can I do it? Anyone knows and willing to help?http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s133/di...53-17-375-1.jpghttp://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s133/di...46-59-671-1.jpghttp://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s133/di...56-32-187-1.jpg

[greggerm 312]

Dang - I forgot how good FSX looks when the water slider is set higher... (But to the original poster's point - no, I don't know.)

[Mace 1,926]

Yes you can do that.Easiest way I know, is to use FS_KML to do it.Do you know how the road traffic is defined in the sim? All that is, are simple invisible lines that tell FSX to put road traffic on the line(s).Using FS_KML you can define those lines precisely.FS_KML is available at fsdeveloper.com, and maybe here but I am not sure.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2310 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 2.5-3-3-8 (1T), WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian case

[Guest ditopilot]

>Yes you can do that.>>Easiest way I know, is to use FS_KML to do it.>>Do you know how the road traffic is defined in the sim? All>that is, are simple invisible lines that tell FSX to put road>traffic on the line(s).>>Using FS_KML you can define those lines precisely.>>FS_KML is available at fsdeveloper.com, and maybe here but I>am not sure.>>>Rhett>>AMD 3700+ (@2310 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS>A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 2.5-3-3-8 (1T), WD>250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian case"Do you know how the road traffic is defined in the sim?"No, I don't. But I will surely explore that possibility and learn as much as I can- Thank you!!!EDIT: I don't seem to find the "FS_KML" on the fsdeveloper.com. Could you please provide me with the direct link to it?Thank you!dito

[Mace 1,926]

>>"Do you know how the road traffic is defined in the sim?">No, I don't. But I will surely explore that possibility and>learn as much as I can- Thank you!!!>Road traffic runs along invisible lines. You can make these invisible lines in your sim.>EDIT: I don't seem to find the "FS_KML" on the>fsdeveloper.com. Could you please provide me with the direct>link to it?>http://www.innovasoftware.com/fsx/fsx_kml_105.zipThere is also useful info for installing and using FS_KML here:http://fsdeveloper.agerrius.nl/wiki/index....loading_FSX_KMLYou will also need GoogleEarth...but you may have that already.-----------------------Here is a long explanation off-the-cuff as to how I would do it. Don't worry about reading it all right now, because parts you won't understand until you get into using FS_KML more. And I probably left things out because I forget things:In your case for Lakeshore Drive, what I would do is load up GoogleEarth, center on downtown Chicago...zoom in until I could see Lakeshore Drive. Then I would use GoogleEarth's "line" feature to draw a line over Lakeshore Drive. Name your line "Lakeshore1" or something you can remember.Your line will appear in GoogleEarth's interface on the screen, and a reference to it will appear on the left-ish side of the GoogleEarth screen, in a tree-like interface. Right click on Lakeshore1 in the tree-interface and you'll see a save or export option.Export your line as a .kml file (by default GoogleEarth will have it as a .kmz file. You don't want that.).The kml file is nothing more than a plain ol text file that you can edit with notepad.Start FS_KML. Load in your .kml file. Select "Open in Notepad" so you can edit the data...because you will probably want to...here's why:Now, that line you drew in GoogleEarth may not match FSX's Lakeshore Drive perfectly. You don't want your road traffic going through Soldier Field. You want it right where FSX's Lakeshore Drive is. So you probably will want to erase all of the latitude and longitude data in your section of your .kml file. You will replace these with lat/long values of your own.So you need to start up FSX, enter slew mode ('Y'), slew to where you want your Lakeshore Drive traffic to start, and note the lat/long coordinates of this point (PRESS SHIFT-Z until you see lat/long). sometimes map view (F12) is best for this kind of locating work.Slew to the vertices of FSX's Lakeshore Drive. Note the lat long values of each point, and enter each one in your .kml file in the section.Once you have done that you apply what is called a "tag" in FS_KML to your line data. You would select "FreewayTraffic". This will tell the program to make road traffic on your line. Compile using FS_KML, copy your .bgl to your /addon scenery folder, and load FSX at KMDW, and head northeast to check out Lakeshore Drive with road traffic...RhettAMD 3700+ (@2310 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 2.5-3-3-8 (1T), WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian case

[Guest ditopilot]

Mace,Thank you so very much for the links and the insightful knowledge as how I should go about doing it. Again, THANKS A LOT!!!dito

[Guest ditopilot]

Hi Mace,I do have GoogleEarth. However I couldn't locate the GoogleEarth's "line" feature you talked about. Could it be available in the Google Earth PLUS only? If so, I might have to upgrade. dito

[Mace 1,926]

>Hi Mace,>>I do have GoogleEarth. However I couldn't locate the>GoogleEarth's "line" feature you talked about. Could it be>available in the Google Earth PLUS only? If so, I might have>to upgrade. >>dito The newer version, which is to the best of my knowledge NOT "plus", has the line and poly features built-in. In the past, you had to get the "plus" version which I am not sure if it was free. But todays regular version of GoogleEarth has the lines and polys in it by default.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2310 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 2.5-3-3-8 (1T), WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian case

[Guest ditopilot]

"The newer version, which is to the best of my knowledge NOT "plus", has the line and poly features built-in. In the past, you had to get the "plus" version which I am not sure if it was free. But todays regular version of GoogleEarth has the lines and polys in it by default."I might have toget the newer version. The one I have, which is free, says "Polygon" only available in "PLUS" version which is at cost on a yearly base subscription.By the way, do you happen to know where the default FSX SDK folder is located (I have the Deluxe version)?dito

[Guest ditopilot]

Hi Rhett,I got I replaced the old version of the GoogleEarth and now ready to work on replacing the GE coordinates with the FSX's, which seems to be a daunting taks to accomplissh. I wish there was a way to copy and paste them.ALSO, Lakeshore Dr. is more than 1 line in each direction. Do I have to draw, say, 3 lines in ech direction in order to assure that the traffic will not just appear in one line and one direction?Thanks for your inputs (and of ANYONE ELSE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND WANTING TO HELP)!!!dito

[Guest ditopilot]

"Slew to the vertices of FSX's Lakeshore Drive. Note the lat>long values of each point, and enter each one in your .kml>file in the section."I had to drive. Slewing made if "fly".. almost impossible to control." You will replace these with lat/long values of your>own.>>So you need to start up FSX, enter slew mode ('Y'), slew to>where you want your Lakeshore Drive traffic to start, and note>the lat/long coordinates of this point (PRESS SHIFT-Z until>you see lat/long). sometimes map view (F12) is best for this>kind of locating work."On the sim the coordinates apear as: N41* 48.25' W87* 34.92' (How to enter "degree after 41, for example?).Yet, the coordinates generated using GE on Notepad are like this:-87.60498772693101,......41.97077519217454,0 Aparently a different format. How can I convert those generated in the sim to be like the ones in the notepad?Thanks,dito

[Mace 1,926]

>>By the way, do you happen to know where the default FSX SDK>folder is located (I have the Deluxe version)?>The installer for the SDK lets you put it wherever you want.Mine is E:SDKI think the default location might be under your FSX install.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2310 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 2.5-3-3-8 (1T), WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian case

[Mace 1,926]

>Hi Rhett,>>I got I replaced the old version of the GoogleEarth and now>ready to work on replacing the GE coordinates with the FSX's,>which seems to be a daunting taks to accomplissh. I wish there>was a way to copy and paste them.>The easiest way, is to have your FSX open, and have your notepad open with your .kml file loaded. Then you can ALT-TAB to switch back and forth between them (best to run your sim in Windowed mode for this).>ALSO, Lakeshore Dr. is more than 1 line in each direction. Do>I have to draw, say, 3 lines in ech direction in order to>assure that the traffic will not just appear in one line and>one direction?>Good question. There are some things about the traffic lines in FS_KML I don't know about, and direction of traffic is one of them.I would think you can control the direction, maybe by reversing the points (an option FS_KML gives you) but I am not sure. Experiment! Let everyone know, too.Personally, I think you can drive whatever way you want on Lakeshore Drive. Once I was visiting Chicago, and my friend was driving, and he got a ticket on Lakeshore Drive, but at least he was driving the right direction. :)RhettAMD 3700+ (@2310 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 2.5-3-3-8 (1T), WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian case

[Mace 1,926]

>>>"Slew to the vertices of FSX's Lakeshore Drive. Note the lat>>long values of each point, and enter each one in your .kml>>file in the section.">>I had to drive. Slewing made if "fly".. almost impossible to>control.>That should not be.Disable your joystick when slewing. (!!)You can use the keypad '5' key to stop *all* slewing movement.Another trick is to run at 1/4 sim speed ('R', then minus (-), minus (-)) and this will allow you very precise movement.>>On the sim the coordinates apear as: N41* 48.25' W87* 34.92'>(How to enter "degree after 41, for example?).>>Yet, the coordinates generated using GE on Notepad are like>this:>>>-87.60498772693101,......41.97077519217454,0 >>Aparently a different format. How can I convert those>generated in the sim to be like the ones in the notepad?>>you can mod FSX's lat/long's in the fsx.cfg file...Jim Vile answered this question for you in the other thread. I think it worked for you???What you'll be doing is slewing to each point in the road; then copy that lat/long val into your section.Be interesting to see if you can get opposite direction traffic working. I have not messed with that much. Since FSX default scenery has opposite direction traffic, I *know* it can be done. I am just not sure if FS_KML can do it.Like I said, maybe reversing points will do it.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2310 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 2.5-3-3-8 (1T), WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian case

[Guest ditopilot]

"That should not be.>>Disable your joystick when slewing. (!!)>>You can use the keypad '5' key to stop *all* slewing>movement.>>Another trick is to run at 1/4 sim speed ('R', then minus (-),>minus (-)) and this will allow you very precise movement."Wow, I will try that!!!"you can mod FSX's lat/long's in the fsx.cfg file...>>Jim Vile answered this question for you in the other thread. >I think it worked for you???"YES, and thanks to you all!"What you'll be doing is slewing to each point in the road;>then copy that lat/long val into your section."Great but, I learned that there is a tool called TCalcX (http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4273) which could capture the coordinates (instead of writing them down one by one). However, after downloading it, I see no Readme to learn where to install it, how to operate it and what to expect. Do you have any idea?"Be interesting to see if you can get opposite direction>traffic working. I have not messed with that much. Since FSX>default scenery has opposite direction traffic, I *know* it>can be done. I am just not sure if FS_KML can do it."SURE, I hope to get to that point. But for now, I am simply just trying to write down all these coordinates from the Lakeshore Dr. path so I can enter them into the FS_KML (Replacing the GE geberated ones)."Like I said, maybe reversing points will do it."At some points yes, but not all along the way (especially where lanes of opposit direction do separate).Rhett, I truly appreciate your great help to me!dito