FSX Planner! Now we can edit FSX airports for FREE!

[Guest KaelO]

Hey guys,FSX Planner is an FSX airport editor in the same line as AFCAD, however with many many more features. You can edit almost every aspect of an FSX airport from taxiways to jetways to runways to navigation data.It also has the unique ability to add scenery objects within the airport .BGL so should you want to add a hanger here, or a static aircraft there, its as easy as a few clicks.Background images are also supported so while designing your favourite airport, you can compare your layout to a satalite image of the real thing. Best of all its FREE!!! Sure beats paying $30USD for an airport editor. From what I understand, its in the late stages of the development process however I've been using it for ages and have never had a problem.Check it out here...http://www.zbluesoftware.com/fsxplanner/Now, getting editing so we can increse the number of FSX Scenerys and airports that are out there.Kael

[Bray 1]

Thanks for the info. I have been wanting an AFCAD replacement and this one worked great...I had to get used to the BGL>XML>BGL process but it wasnt hard at all. It will do the minor work I need to have done like correcting some ILS approaches etc...Bill

[Clutch Cargo 384]

So let me just ask, when you finish designing an airport with any of these new tools what do you call the file when used for FSX? In FS2004 AFCAD or AFCAD2 became the acronym. Are you stilling calling them AFCADs as a generic term or AFX's or AFCADX? Just curious.Clutch"Project 9Dragons"

[Bray 1]

I did one to see how it worked and there isnt a naming convention like AFCAD2 so I gave it the ICAO code XXXX.bgl and dropped it in the addon scenery folder. I guess it would be best to identify it like you suggest like AFX_KMIA_.bgl so as to not confuse it with other 3rd party files. Or maybe even use your intials :-)Bill

[meshman 109]

There was discussions about FSX naming conventions over at the FSdeveloper site. I would say it unofficially was decided that using the ICAQ code, with AFX and then the designer's initials was the best route. For example, I use PHBK_AFX_AAX.bgl, with PHBK being Barking Sands on Kauai, Hawaii, AFX for being a FSX airport facility and AAX being a part of my ever so slowly developing Aloha Adventures X package.Despite the release of AFX by Flight1 and it's prefacing it's file's name with AFX, I will continue to utilize the above naming process, whether I use AFX or another of the airport editors.

[Holger 0]

Hi there,that particular naming convention works OK if all airport facilities files are in the same folder and no other scenery files are in that folder. However, if AF files are distributed as part of other add-ons then it makes more sense to preceed all AF files with an AF_ or AFX_ prefix so that these files remain as one block in the scenery folder. Since having either AFX_ICAO_ or ICAO_AFX_ achieves the same goal(i.e., allowing to spot duplicates easily) I'd suggest using the AF/AFX prefix approach rather the ICAO-first convention.Cheers, Holger

[Mace 1,909]

>Hi there,>>that particular naming convention works OK if all airport>facilities files are in the same folder and no other scenery>files are in that folder. However, if AF files are distributed>as part of other add-ons then it makes more sense to preceed>all AF files with an AF_ or AFX_ prefix so that these files>remain as one block in the scenery folder. Since having either>AFX_ICAO_ or ICAO_AFX_ achieves the same goal(i.e., allowing>to spot duplicates easily) I'd suggest using the AF/AFX prefix>approach rather the ICAO-first convention.>>Cheers, HolgerHello there holgerAs was said, this was discussed over at FSDeveloper. The ICAO_afx_designerinitials.bgl format was the consensus that was agreed upon, after much discussion. I do note that your point was never brought up in the discussion that I can recall.From an airport designer's perspective ICAO_afx_initials.bgl is perfectly logical. However I can see from the larger-area designer/terrain designer's perspective it is not ideal. However, I have made some terrain enhancements to Panama, and I have prefixed the files MPTO_lc_rb.bgl, MPTO_wc_rb.bgl, MPTO_cvx_rb.bgl and so forth. Thus my landclass, waterclass, and shp2vec-type scenery bgl's are still easily identifiable. The ICAO prefix, in the case of the cvx scenery, for example, designates cvx-type scenery that was done in the MPTO region. Naturally, if I do terrain work near MPDA, in western Panama, that scenery file will probably be MPDA_cvx_rb.bgl.Furthermore, I personally feel that all bgl files for a particular scenery project should be stored in their own directory, such as E:SCENERYPanamaScenery. This would eliminate the problem of wondering what xyz file goes with what scenery area.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2585 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2gb Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8 (1T), WD 150 gig 10000rpm Raptor, WD 250gig 7200rpm SATA2, Seagate 120gb 5400 rpm external HD, CoolerMaster Praetorian

[jvile 1]

Rhett, not trying to step on your toes here. Let me add,We did discuss Holgers namimg scheme in some circles that did not get published for whatever reason. There are 2 schools of thought. One says that all enhanced airports are by default placed in the Addon Sceneryscenery folder by ICAO code name first so any duplicates are spotted easily.Holgers school of thought goes back many years before some were even around that can cause problems with airport bgls that are misplaced by the naming scheme and cause problems in the way they are read into FS9/FSX.FS9/FSX has a unique way of reading both XML txt in a certain order and preloaded/loaded bgl's based on the name of the file and what folder it is in.Scenery designers that make the more exoctic Airports (multiple bgl's) that most of us airport power users make are faced with additional problems that many do not know about.@HolgerWe are once again faced with the same delima that you, Reggie and I had with AFCAD in FS9 many years ago. The current consensus that Mace is talking about is to place the airport by ICAO code if it is a single enhanced AFCAD style airport nesting in the Addon Sceneryscenery folder by default. This does not address the preload of enhanced airports that Scenery designers have to use to layer the airport and its contents first with a naming scheme.We have decided in some Utilities that are in the design phase to make it a Save As in the naming of the file to address both type Preload bgl airport files and bgl's that FSX handles automactically at a higher priority. This may not answer your direct thinking but we have continued to try and think through all the design possibilities designers like you and Jon Patch are faced with. Of course there are not many Payware/Freeware FS9 to FSX Scenery designers still in the business that know about the pitfalls of bgl naming schemes.

[Mace 1,909]

Jim I was thinking about the preload issue as I typed that last post, such as when changing a stock airport's elevation. I thought the preload issue to be irrelevant as it relates to the naming discussion...as long as the designer knew about the file order needs as they relate to FS9/FSX scenery loading.This irrelevancy was based on my thinking that the ICAO_afx_initial.bgl scheme was not 100% ironclad fixed. In other words, as a designer you must do what *works* first and foremost.Assuming I changed elevation at MPTO, for example, I might well have:0_MPTO_afx_rb.bgl, and1_MPTO_afx_rb.bglWas the naming scheme supposed to be absolute/fixed/set in stone as ICAO_afx_initials.bgl? If so then that does not have the needed flexibility and is not what I thought was the consensus.I will stick to the ICAO_afx_initials.bgl as often as possible but if I need a certain file to be loaded into FS first I am indeed going to stray. :)RhettAMD 3700+ (@2585 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2gb Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8 (1T), WD 150 gig 10000rpm Raptor, WD 250gig 7200rpm SATA2, Seagate 120gb 5400 rpm external HD, CoolerMaster Praetorian

[jvile 1]

RhettI am not talking about the preload dummy airport header that changes airport ARP elevation. What I am refering to is naming of scenery Airport bgl's can have an effect on what shows and what does not show based on content that is in the file.We some times have to name a bgl placed in certain folders so the file is placed at the top of the folder list. We also call this a preload of the scenery folder which all the scenery files are placed in.

[Alvega 2,124]

I also agree with the AFX_ICAO method. Much easier to find the AFX bgl's between all those other files that may start with the same ICAO code.

[RFields5421 1]

We need to come up with something other than AFX because it may be a trademark now.Even if it is not - we need to have a way to identify the files, yet not assign files which are created by and editable by one specific program to that program.Maybe we will see:AFX-icao.bgl - by Airport Facilitator XADE-icao.bgl - by Airport Design EditorFSXP-icao.bgl - by FSX Planner

[WarpD 824]

>We need to come up with something other than AFX because it>may be a trademark now.>>Even if it is not - we need to have a way to identify the>files, yet not assign files which are created by and editable>by one specific program to that program.>>Maybe we will see:>>AFX-icao.bgl - by Airport Facilitator X>ADE-icao.bgl - by Airport Design Editor>FSXP-icao.bgl - by FSX PlannerIt can't be a trademark... Microsoft has all their .bgl files that contain airports starting with AFX.... so I'm about 1000% certain Airport Facilitator X didn't copyright or trademark it. ;)

[RFields5421 1]

The files which contain about 90% of the airport data are APX files.But trademarks can apply to specific usages of the mark.However, I'm much more concerned that files from the three programs are currently going to handle different data.If I download an airport - I need to know which tool modified the airport - so that I don't lose anything.If I edit AFX airports with FSXP - potential to lose stuff - and vice versa.Each of the developers is going to have to devote some time to making their application non-destructive of the unique features of the other airport editors.FSXP and ADE use/ will use the Microsoft SDK BGLComp to compile the .BLG files. They will probably use the same decompiler.AFX has a decompiler/compiler built in.So far I've confirmed in my testing and at least one other person has confirmed - that the AFX decompiler/ compiler sequence induces the 'drift' issue we see with AFCAD.We have not seen this 'drift' issue with the MS SDK BGLComp - mainly because FSXP and ADE use many more decimal places than AFCAD did.

[tf51d 284]

>It can't be a trademark... Microsoft has all their .bgl files>that contain airports starting with AFX.... so I'm about 1000%>certain Airport Facilitator X didn't copyright or trademark>it. ;)No MS prefixes "APX" for their airports in FSX and "AP" in FS9.