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rhumbaflappy

MDL in SceneGenX

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Guest JanH

I have made some small sceneries with FSSC and used FSDS to make my own macros. To keep up with the new trends I have tried SceneGeneX.It works fine with the different objects from witin SceneGenX (like buildings, windsocks etc), but I have not been able to use tne standard MDL library or MDLs from outside. The SceneGenX and BGLComp seem to work as BGLs are properly generated with generic objects.I see a lot of MDLs when I select MDL objects, and when selected they also show up in the XML file and the compilation works without errors, but they never show up in FS.What have I missed?

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Hi Jan,You need to add your MDL object to the object list in SceneGenX first. But I find this step a bit confusing, it is not really easy to use. Therefore I prefer to make a library of my MDL objects first and then just call the GUID in SceneGenX. That is easy to do.


Arno

If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can't be done.

FSDeveloper.com | Former Microsoft FS MVP | Blog

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Hi Jan,The SGX Create3D Object selection is quite powerful. Two tab, Library Object and MDL Object are used for adding Library Objects. The Library Object tab is used to select known available default library objects available in FS2004 Scenery Library Object files. You should be able to select from the list a library object, compile and have the object appear in your scenery. The following is the XML calling an object:80.759723445532" alt = "0.0" altitudeIsAgl = "TRUE" pitch = "0.0" bank = "0.0" heading = "0.0" imageComplexity = "SPARSE"> The MDL Object tab is more powerful, in that, it allows you to enter two sections in you XML file. The first section tells the compiler to compile MDL file into the resulting BGL file: The section section is the calling of this same object:80.743193557605" alt = "0.0" altitudeIsAgl = "TRUE" pitch = "0.0" bank = "0.0" heading = "0.0" imageComplexity = "SPARSE"> Therefore, SGX provides a way to include an MDL into your scenery files for use as a library object.Why would one want to include an MDL into their scenery file? One reason may be they only have one object to include and don't want to make a separate Library Object file. Another reason may be they want to limit the number of files in their scenery design.Why would one want to make a separate Library Object file. One reason could be they have many library objects for use in their scenery design. Compiling the Library Objects each time in one scenery file makes the overall compile time lengthy and also increases the size of the file. A separate library object file only needs compiled once and is placed in the Project's Scenery folder. The Project's other scenery file only contains the call to the library object file. The resulting Project BGL lets the flight simulator's scenery generator find the called library objects from the library object file.If you are making MDL files with a program other than GMAX FS2004 Exporter, then they probably are not in a format required for using them as FS2004 library objects.W. Sieffert

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Guest JanH

Thank you both for your kind help.But I am afraid that I am still a bit confused. Can you have a little more patience with me?Today some of the standard objects turned up, buildings eg, but not aircraft.When I try one of Arnos trees (ag_tree01) I select library object and write the GUID by hand.That results in the following XML code:00137 - 00146 - 00148 - The code is successfully compiled, and the other objects (generic buildings and standard objects apart from aircrafts) appear where they shuold, but not the tree.The library ag_tree_lib.BGL is placed in ...scenery/generic/scenery.BTW is it necessary to write the GUID. Can it be copied/pasted or something?

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OK, let me check. Could be something with the library, the API's I provided don't seem to work either, but when I tested with the XML code it worked fine here.I will test it and report back.


Arno

If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can't be done.

FSDeveloper.com | Former Microsoft FS MVP | Blog

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I just tested it here and it works fine. I added a new 3D object with the GUID of my tree in SGX. After that it shows fine in the scenery. So maybe something else is going wrong...


Arno

If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can't be done.

FSDeveloper.com | Former Microsoft FS MVP | Blog

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Guest JanH

Thank you again Arno for your effort.To be quite sure, is this the correct procedure for your trees in SGX?1 Create 3D object2 Select Library object3 Write GUID in that window4 OKand the ag_teee_lib.bgl in ..FS9/scenery/generic/scenery

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Guest JanH

Hi again ArnoI finally got your trees into FS!!I made a new library with your Library Maker from your MDL files, and put that library.BGL into Fs.../scenery and called the (now new) GUIDs from SGX. It worked nicely.Perhaps I damaged the original lib during my handling of it or something.Anyway, I am happy to be able to use the trees :-sun1 :-sun1

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I tried using the library file included with the download and it would not show trees. It also has four scenery objects called LAT/LON 40/-40. Don't know what they are and shouldn't be in a library file.W. Sieffert

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Yes, I noticed that as well. Seems my test objects are still included. Let me see if removing them solves it. Could it be that including placement code locks the library objects to a certain area?


Arno

If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can't be done.

FSDeveloper.com | Former Microsoft FS MVP | Blog

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Thanks, that was it indeed. Now the library works OK.I had spotted this mistake a few days ago, but I never thought it was the reason for the lib not to work. It seems if you add placement to a library the objects are locked, like some the default objects of MS.I have uploaded a new corrected version of the library to my site now.


Arno

If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can't be done.

FSDeveloper.com | Former Microsoft FS MVP | Blog

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Hummm! That is interesting information! That could deal a reason NOT to include Model Objects in positional scenery files. Keep them as Library Object files only!!!W. Sieffert

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Yes, I agree with that. Can somebody try to reproduce what I found here, just to be sure that this was the problem?


Arno

If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can't be done.

FSDeveloper.com | Former Microsoft FS MVP | Blog

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