Three questions...

[Guest Alexander_EFG]

Hi guys,First question: What happened to freeflightdesign? All I get is 500 Internal Server error...Second question: I'm trying to export my model from GMAX. All went fine the first time, but the second time I tried to export I got an error. After looking into the error log (which was generated by the old makemdl, the new one somehow doesn't generate one...) I found out that one particular part has Colinear and colocated vertices.I searched this forum and tried several solutions I found (solutions like welding at 0.001 to 0.008) but that didn't help... Any ideas how I could solve this?Third question: During the export I also got some GMAX errors stating that a particular part had scale applied to it (I checked that and it wasn't the case, though I ionly checked the animation tab for this part). The part name is F_Canopy_partname and somehow FS fails to show the applied rotation animation when I invoke the open door event.Can someone explain what this error is and why the animation isn't shown in FS?Thanks in advance!Cheers,

[n4gix 4,947]

>First question: What happened to freeflightdesign? All I get>is 500 Internal Server error...I have no idea. Once day the URL was suddenly gone... :(>Second question: I'm trying to export my model from GMAX. All>went fine the first time, but the second time I tried to>export I got an error. After looking into the error log (which>was generated by the old makemdl, the new one somehow doesn't>generate one...) I found out that one particular part has>Colinear and colocated vertices.>I searched this forum and tried several solutions I found>(solutions like welding at 0.001 to 0.008) but that didn't>help... Any ideas how I could solve this?De-select that part and try to export. If it exports w/o the "problem part," then try exporting only the "problem part." Take a close look at the "problem part" and fiddle with it until it will export. Divide and conquer is the name of this game... :)>Third question: During the export I also got some GMAX errors>stating that a particular part had scale applied to it (I>checked that and it wasn't the case, though I ionly checked>the animation tab for this part). The part name is>F_Canopy_partname and somehow FS fails to show the applied>rotation animation when I invoke the open door event.>Can someone explain what this error is and why the animation>isn't shown in FS?It there is a "scale applied" to any animated part, the animation will not export. Select the "problem part" and use the "Remove Scale" button at the bottom of the Heirarcy tab. You will probably need to "Remove Scale" for every part in that parent-child chain.Again, simply apply the "fix" and export ONLY that "problem part" until there are no errors reported; then, select the entire model to export and it should work just fine.

[Guest Alexander_EFG]

Thanks Bill!This is probably the weirdest solution to a weirder problem. It seems that GMAX or makemdl don't like to export parts which have:1) Hidden vertices2) Hidden polygonsI just checked the part which was giving troubles and unhid all vertices and all the sudden it exported very well... Then I hid a few vertices and got the same errors...I'll keep looking for a solution for the animation issue...

[n4gix 4,947]

>This is probably the weirdest solution to a weirder problem.>It seems that GMAX or makemdl don't like to export parts which>have:>1) Hidden vertices>2) Hidden polygonsNo, "hidden polys/vertices" will cause all kinds of grief!>I'll keep looking for a solution for the animation issue...Keep in mind that the "xyz has a scale applied" type errors can occur, even if you've never applied the Uniform Scale tool to any of the parts. It seems to happen most often when parts are grouped/ungrouped. For that reason, I've decided to quit using the group/ungroup feature, but instead use a "dummy node" as the top level in the heirarchy of related parts.One of the chief reasons for me using the group feature to begin with was to keep all related parts (that are not necessarily "linked!") together in the parts tree. Instead of the group feature, I now use a schema similar to this:interior <= dummy node...pane_int <=dummy node.....ckpt_eybrow.....ckpt_panel.....lever_stick_l_r <= animated group.......yoke.........transmit_button....etc.Using this schema has never generated a "scaling error" so far... If you have grouped parts, you must "ungroup" before trying to reset the scale using the method I outlined previously. Then, once each part has had its "scale" reset, simply re-group and export, or rework it to the schema above to totally eliminate the problem! :)

[Guest Alexander_EFG]

Hi Bill,Thanks! I've ungrouped the parts and it exports without a glitch now! As for the dummy part solution, do you physicly create a part that functions as a dummy? If yes, what did you do to hide the part from displaying in FS?Cheers,

[n4gix 4,947]

>Hi Bill,>>Thanks! I've ungrouped the parts and it exports without a>glitch now! As for the dummy part solution, do you physicly>create a part that functions as a dummy? If yes, what did you>do to hide the part from displaying in FS?I'm sure there are some people who create a "physical part" and then have trouble later on. Which may explain why they don't "like" this method.The proper way is to use the "Helpers" tab and click on "Dummy" to create 'em! :) You only need to create one, then clone and rename it as many times as you like.Zoom in really, really close to the xy origin and then drag a small square "dummy box" in the viewport. Click on the Move tool, then rightclick to bring up the "Move Transform Type-In." Enter 0 for X, Y, Z in the "Absolute World" boxes.Rename the object to whatever you like, and clone/rename as you need to.This "dummy node" is used only as a "Heirarchical Reference" and "Absolute Point of Origin" by MakeMDL when compiling your model. It is this point that will determine the Reference Point used when setting the "contact points" and "static_cg_heights" parameters in the aircraft.cfg file. You no longer have to "guess" where the Origin is... :)When exporting using the "Exterior" and "Interior" group method, many people forget to set an origin/reference point for the "Interior" group, so MakeMDL will have to make a best guess for that point, which is often wrong. This will lead to inconsistent results and aggravation when trying to set up contact points and static_cg_height, as the "target" keeps moving... Because the "Interior" is compiled first, MakeMDL will use that group to set the reference point

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