VTP line questions...

[Guest christian]

Finally, I've done it. I can now export roads from ESRI ArcMap into FS2004. One thing I noticed is that my roads don't connect perfectly in FS2004, i.e. I get dangles, although I corrected all the roads in ArcMap, so they are connected. Anyone else experienced this? Maybe it has to do with the accuracy of VTP lines?Rhumbaflappy, did you come up with BGLC macros for the "sub_wide_points", or what ever we call them? I had a quick search, but couldn't find your macros. If you have written macros already. I don't have to solve the problem how to write 3-byte values myself.On a side note, I'm amazed at the detail I have now. This morning, I packed a backpack with some nice lunch, slapped some sunscreen on, and went climbing a hill in the Cook Islands. Quite an interesting experience, I almost checked for cars before crossing a road. I can recommend that to other scenery builders. Now, I got to go search for a 4wd in the aircraft file section. OK, my nurse just turned up, and I have to take my medication now, and go back to my cell. *:-* Cheers, Christian

[rhumbaflappy 113]

Hi Christian.Jim Keir actually worked out the Byte structure.; --------------------------------------------------------------------------------VTPChildPoint Macro X, Reserved, Y, UseWidth BYTE ( ( X AND 07Fh ) * 2 ) + UseWidth BYTE ( ( X AND 0780h ) / 80h ) + ( Reserved * 10h ) + ( ( Y AND 07h ) * 20h ) BYTE ( ( Y AND 07F8h ) / 08h )EndM; --------------------------------------------------------------------------------He uses this with his LWMViewer decompilation. We can then recompile with the TDFMacros.INC, and it matches the original ( excepting the header bounds... which you may remember my macro set "fakes" ).You probably want to change the naming conventions to match your INC set. The range for the offset value is then plus 1024 and minus 1023 ( I think ).======================Here's a link to the last TDFMacros zipped file, and it includes the BGLC_9 ( derived from the latest MakeMDL ).http://www.flatface.net/~rhumba/Zips/TDFMacros.zip======================The solution I came up with for GIS to BGL was an export of XY values to an ascii file from the GIS program, then a conversion program from Christian Fumey to Ground2K4 code, then compilation from Ground2K4... a little more work, but it comes out good. :) The step of conversion to Ground2K4 actually lets me use that program to edit faults in the data, like crossed poly lines.It's a lot of fun when the actual roads, lakes and streams are in the right places.Dick

[Guest christian]

Hi Dick,Thanks for that. It would have probably taken me a few hours to work the AND business out. Quite a while ago (FS2000 times), I did exactly that. Export GIS data into XY files. Then I used MS WORD!!?! to convert the data, so I could read it into Abacus ASD. Worked well, but was REALLY time consuming (especially the ASD editing). Now I can do all my editing in ArcMap and one click on a button, and presto, dataset is ready (depending on how big the dataset is, this can actually take a long time for large areas, ArcMap is not the fastest program).Had a look at BGLC_9 also. Interesting stuff in there, like MOUSERECT, etc...Thanks again,Christian

[Guest crashaz]

Great news Christian!I am embarking on some FS9 projects so I need to take a look at the new Ground2k.Still using v4 for my CFS2 design. Is there a problem if I have different versions installed in different places?

[Guest christian]

Let's all chant together: :( christian is NOT Christian Fumey!!!christian is NOT Christian Fumey!!!christian is NOT Christian Fumey!!!christian is NOT Christian Fumey!!!christian is NOT Christian Fumey!!!C_Fumey IS Christian Fumey!!!C_Fumey IS Christian Fumey!!!C_Fumey IS Christian Fumey!!!C_Fumey IS Christian Fumey!!!C_Fumey IS Christian Fumey!!!Sorry, couldn't resist. This confusion seems to happening from now and then...Cheers, Christian

[Guest crashaz]

Good point... that is what late night posting will get ya LOL. My apologies.

[LuisFelizTirado 33]

Hello Christian (Stock),Just curious as to what your results look like - sounds interesting. I assume that this is beautiful New Zealand, so perhaps you could be so kind as to put up a screenshot with your road network.Does it totally eliminate all autogen? Of course, it must. Do the roads have the right width and how do they look, eh Christian?Sounds like an interesting technique, but I wonder if it is appropriate for FS. Thanks for satisfying my curiousity.Best regards.Luis(not Christian either)

[rhumbaflappy 113]

Hi Luis.I can't speak for Christian, but I have noted there is some autogen loss in city areas. Here's a detailed view of part of Janesville, Wisconsin:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/66832.jpgThis could be aided in a couple of ways. We could use Custom Photoreal for towns and cities, and then use our own autogen. We could also make VTP and use a CUSTOM landclass number... but just make the autogen ( not the texture itself ). The properly named autogen would need to be in the "Worldtexture" folder ( I think ), but then we can add individually placed autogen on an LOD13 basis. Holger Sandmann has used this technique. The roads in my scenery look alright, and they can be the width I determine. I use widths that reflect the default usages. Streets are 20, smaller roads are 30, major roads are 35 and freeways with divided lanes are 45. I use named textures, as I don't trust the vector autogen and it just drags down the framrates.I think Christian would have the same options for his scenery. The ability to tranlate GIS data to usable BGLs gives a very enjoyable boost to the realism of "low and slow" flying... or get in a drivable vehicle and go to virtual work. :-roll Dick

[Sasa 0]

Looks interesting. :)Is there a link where I can get this data from?Sasa

[Guest christian]

No problem :)

[Guest christian]

Hi Luis,I think Dick answered most of your questions very well.I'm actually making scenery for the Cook Islands, just as a test before I takle the bigger NZ data (which I have started on). Dick's screenshot is nicer than anything I can provide at this point. The roads in the Cooks are mostly dirt tracks.Regarding autogen, it depends. In the scenery.cfg there is a switch which allows you to disable autogen, so I assume (but haven't tested) you can draw streets without getting rid of the autogen. On the other hand you can always delete roads you don't want (ie if the land class texture is urban).

[LuisFelizTirado 33]

Thanks, Dick. It really does look very good. Every road, imagine that!Best regards.Luis

[rhumbaflappy 113]

Hi Luis.The dataset I use is the US TIGER data. It actually does show almost every road, trail, stream, drainage ditch, farm pond...The roads do tend to add too much vector autogen, so I choose not the use the vector autogen. Without that autogen, the framerates are fine.I slowly process one LOD8 cell at a time, and I hope to eventually replace an entire named set ( 924160 ) that is about one LOD5 section. There are problems with correcting crossed lines, and the like, which I can do in Ground2K4.Microsoft is using the old Digital Chart of the World data, and that's why the rivers run uphill. Christian's process is probably close to what MS did, but he's using a very good data source, rather than the old DCW. I just know his scenery will look and work great!Dick