Is there a tutorial on FSREGEN?

[jkanold 0]

Now that I am done with our first scenery for FS, I am now trying to comprehend FSREGEN.It's totally greek to me.How do I change a GMAX model into an api using FSREGEN, so that it behaves as a Gmax bgl with a little frame rate hit in FSArchitech or any othe 3rd party program?Step by step please? I'm old............http://members.rogers.com/jkanold/jimlogo.gifhttp://members.rogers.com/jkanold/flyurl.gif

[jkanold 0]

I assume you start with a model .asm. Take it from there........ http://members.rogers.com/jkanold/jimlogo.gifhttp://members.rogers.com/jkanold/flyurl.gif

[Guest]

not too hard, but it does take some getting used to.Start with the latest makemdl.exe...so that you get two files, one is myfile.asm and the other is myfile_0.asmstart fsregen, and ignore everything except the stuff at the bottom.click on library tool (this is from memory so I might get a term wrong). It gives you windows to put the path to your .asm file, and a place to set the hexadecimal "call" id. You can also fool with scale here, but I don't. Once you like the settings, click on add file.Now highlight the file in the list, and click on make .api button. If you don't have this button, go back to George's site and download the latest version.Also click on Make library file, or something like that. This will create a new .asm file which will become your library bgl.The results at this point is a new .asm file and a new .api file. Take the new .asm file and compile it using bglc. the button in fsregen to do this is buggy, I do it manually.Save your file before you exit fsregen from the file drop down menu. That way you can load it later and add more objects to the same library.now your .api should work as you would expect. I find the scale must be normally set in my calling program to .5good luck,Bob Bernstein

[jkanold 0]

Bob,OK, I followed most of that. But if I create an API why would I need another bgl? Or any bgl for that matter?I already had one created when Makemdl made the ASMs.Since I have never used an API or Macro, because they are frame rate killers, I still am a little confused.http://members.rogers.com/jkanold/jimlogo.gifhttp://members.rogers.com/jkanold/flyurl.gif

[Guest]

the bgl you have already created is a stand alone from gmax. You can use that if you want. I thought you wanted to learn how to make a macro. Whoever told you that macros are framekillers? That's bogus. The framekilling is done by giving fs2k2 framekilling instructions. A macro is just an organizational concept that allow one to group code in a useful way. by itself, the idea of macro has no better or worse impact on performance then if the code was just written in one big batch. macros enable simple reuse. These macros actually consist of nearly no code at all, just open one once you've done this method. You'll find very little except a calllibobj command. It simply invokes the library object that is coded in bglc. It does provide the opportunity to pass down some variables from Airport.If you want the convenience of gmax macros, and you want to store the macros as section 10 library objects, then the procedure I layed out will give you the gmax bgl (as you pointed out), that you discard.Now you are left with an api, that you'd call from airport or fssc, and a new bgl, which is called a library bgl. This is a great way to organize your work.

[Guest]

I just re-read the thread. Several factors make the process I just spelled out framefriendly...one is that the new bgl you create is a library object, which is read by the sim differently than the standard bgl files. The other is that the instructions in the library bgl are coded in bglc. The .api is scasm and it just calls the library bgl, but it serves as an interface between the bglc code in the library bgl and the scasm code needed by most design programs.make sense?B

[jkanold 0]

>"Whoever told you that macros are framekillers? That's bogus." You stick in a single macro made by any third party program other than Gmax into a scenery and it will bring it to it's knees.It has something to do with the floating point method.Even third party airport layout programs kill framerates cause they don't work with this floating point method. In our next scenery project, EVERYTHING will be done in GMAX.There have been numberous tests on this very forum comparing a GMAX macro to that of any other type. Virtually no frame rate hit with a GMAX macro.I do appreciate your help and will attempt to make my first macro tonight when I get home from work. http://members.rogers.com/jkanold/jimlogo.gifhttp://members.rogers.com/jkanold/flyurl.gif

[arno 1]

In case Bob's help wasn't enough :), if you look at my homepage you'll find a short tutorial there.Arno

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Member Netherlands 2000 Scenery Team[a href=http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen]http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen/banner.jpg[/a]

[Guest]

of course, I was the one who suggested that test in the first place...but we don't want to draw the wrong conclusion. To say that our testing condemned macros is an errant conclusion. Our testing condemned the old fashioned code. macros or not macros in the code structure have nothing to do with it.these macros contain NO code (more or less), but they call the new floating point code from the library object bgl.

[Guest]

<>Well Jim, may I ask why you bothered to ask the intial question then? You can imagine how fun it is to diligently help someone who has NO intention on using that knowledge.Well, burn me once....your fault, twice...my fault.B

[jkanold 0]

Boy oh boy, some people really read into things.I wanted to confirm that Gmax macros were the same as placing GMAX models directly.If they are, I may change my mind and simply use a 3rd party program to draw in the runways and excludes and then place all the GMAX macros. It sure would be easier.Sorry to catch you on fire.http://members.rogers.com/jkanold/jimlogo.gifhttp://members.rogers.com/jkanold/flyurl.gif

[jkanold 0]

Thanks Arno,Found it. Along with Bob's help and your tutorial I can now do some testing.http://members.rogers.com/jkanold/jimlogo.gifhttp://members.rogers.com/jkanold/flyurl.gif

[arno 1]

I think it is better to draw the airport polygons not with GMax, but with an other design program.I did some tests with placing the concrete and asphalt polygons for Schiphol in GMax and the framerate was worse then when I used my old ones (those were made with the old SCASM commands, but not using Airport or so, but with my own converter). For some reason GMax wasn't better in this case.At the moment I am rewriting that converter so it can produce the floating point commands and I hope to get some extra fps from that :D.PS. I hope I didn't throw some extra oil on the fire :D, just sharing my opinion.Arno

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Member Netherlands 2000 Scenery Team[a href=http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen]http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen/banner.jpg[/a]

[Guest]

I'm fine, it just felt like after the first post Jim was starting to make a case against using a macro to place gmax objects...at which point it seemed he was kind of turning on the very concept he asked to be taught...but I'm ok...after Thunder Bay, Jim earned chits with me!interesting your test, I am just about ready to test a small airport made totally in gmax, myself. be interesting to see....only problem is, its a very small airport (Elma), it might be kind on frames no matter how I modelled it.Bob B

[Guest]

Hi Bob up late I see! blame me for Jim's remarks about macros!.It's just that every time we use one our frame rates go into the tank.(if I take the the one macro out of our scenery up go the frame rates) so it's not my models that are the "problem" (the macro involved has custom ramp textures in it that's all) no models at allI get around 18-20 fps with out the above macro and as low as 4 with it!!(on a PII 400mhz). So what we(I) am looking for is a way to uselibrary objects (made by something other than gmax) WITHOUT the aboveimpact on frame rates!! so far I have not found any non gmax objectsthat do. In short it's not meshes that are the problem only "airport"ground textures(tarmacs etc) that are the "problem" and they are donewith the "old" tools Architect in this case. Thanks for your commentson our scenery BTW!. Dan