HI,I have made a "private airport" using AFCAD2 by Lee Swordy and most of the objects are where I want them. I've named the airport after my dog:-roll (I know, it's corny). What I want to do is take a jpeg photo of the pooch and place it in my airport. I'm not photo savy so not sure how to convert jpeg to bgl or bmp(Not sure which fs9 could read) or even if it can be done. I guess I would need some object like a sign with the picture on it.I would appreciate any help or suggestions. Thanks.Hope everyone had a good holiday season.:-)Tom

Hello Tom,This sounds like a great project. Every scenery designer should start out by making a private airport or placing his house in Flight Simulator.You will probably have to learn a lot more about scenery design if you want to continue on from AFCAD. What exactly do you want to do with the picture of your dog, just have it framed and hanging on the wall of a hangar, or do you want him romping on the ramp?Here is an example of what you can do; it is my private airstrip just across from my house:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/102564.jpgThe airport layout was made with AFCAD, very easy. The hangar is a personal creation in gMax, very easy to make as well once you understand how gMax works. There are also some objects:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/102565.jpgThe vehicle is a Flight Simulator default object - this version of FS has some very nice objects overall. The girl is just a picture that rotates to the viewpoint, so that it is always facing you.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/102566.jpgThat is Amelia, ex-Miss Universe, my new girlfriend (I wish!). The object itself is a simple vertical plane created in gMax and textured with the picture of Amelia. The texture itself contains a transparency channel, that is, a part of the image is visible (the girl) but everything around her is not. This image (like all scenery textures) is in DXT format. You can convert bitmaps to DXT format using Microsoft ImageTool or Martin Wright's DXTBmp (see the Beginner's Guide that is pinned to the top of this forum for more information.)If you have any specific questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Everyone here is happy to help.Best regards.Luis

Hi,Thanks, Luis, for your response, pictures and words of encouragement. Your airport looks terrific! Mine, I'm afraid, is a bit ragged around the edges. Miss Universe certainly adds to the overall design of your airport!:D I want to have the picture of my dog on a hanger or on a frame that can be outside the flight service station. The frame would be sitting on the ground. Frame is probably the wrong word - more of a small billboard I guess.Looks like I have a lot to learn. I'm not a "fast study" when it comes to computers. I just sort of plod along and learn as much as I can - which, at this point, isn't much. I'm a relative:-newbie when it comes to everything to do with computers and FS2004. I'm retired now so I have the time to work on projects like the airport. Seems like I'm doing less flying and more building.Thanks again. Hope you had a good holiday.Tom:-)

Hello Tom,You may want to take a look at Seev Kahn and Israel Roth's Rwy 12 Object Placer, if you have not already.It is a very easy to use program with which you can add many objects to your scenery. It comes with various types of hangars as well. In addition, there are some human figures like Amelia, but not as nice, of course.You may be able to use those humans to place your dog in the scenery. You might procede in the following manner: - place one of the human figures in your scenery using Rwy 12 at the spot where you wish your dog to appear; - now, you will want to replace the texture that is used for the human by a picture of your dog; - open the picture of your dog in Windows Paint; - modify it so that it looks like a sidewalk billboard. You can paint some kind of frame around the picture of the dog; - make sure that the resulting picture is perfectly square and a multiple of 2, that is, it should be either 256 x 256 pixels, or 512 x 512 pixels, or 1024 x 1024 pixels (that is the maximum); - save the picture as a bitmap (extension .bmp; - convert the picture to DXT format using either Microsoft ImageTool or Martin Wright's DXTBmp, you can find links to these programs in the Beginner's Guide that is pinned to the top of this forum; - when you save this, give it the same name as the texture that is used for the human that you place in the airport; - put the texture in the same folder as that original human, replacing it; - your dog will now show up in place of the belly dancer.There are some negative aspects to this. The billboard will always rotate to you, but this is a small price to pay for such an easy way to get your dog in the scenery. This should turn out to be the best way for a beginner to do this.Best regards.Luis

Hi Luis:> - your dog will now show up in place of the belly dancer....Do me a favor and slowly explain once again, why I would want to "replace" my belly dancer, with my pet dog? The logic seems to have escaped me :-hmmm Tom G, Sr.

HI,Luis, thank you for your excellent tutorial - I really appreciate it.I have used Rwy12 Object Placer by Seev Kahn and Israel Roth quite a bit to place objects at my airport. I used one of the Rwy12 tutorials to change the sign on two of the hangers. I'm basically familiar with both Microsoft's "ImageTool" and Martin Wright's "DXTBmp." I printed out the "Beginner's Guide to Scenery Design" by several members of the AVSIM Scenery Design Forum posted at the top of the forum. Among a lot of other things, It has a listing of several GMAX tutorials. One of which is entitiled: "The Stupid Idiot's Guide To Starting with GMAX" - sounds like something I could use.:-roll Thanks again,Tom:-)

>Hi Luis:>>> - your dog will now show up in place of the belly dancer.>>...Do me a favor and slowly explain once again, why I would>want to "replace" my belly dancer, with my pet dog? The logic>seems to have escaped me :-hmmm >>Tom G, Sr.Hi,Tom G my name is Tom C. I know your post was to Luis but I thought I could help answer your question. I'm retired and at my age (say, over 60) There's not much logic involved - belly dancer's just don't have the same appeal they used to have.:-violin Don't get me wrong - I still admire nice looking ladies. But now it's just wishful thinking.;-)Tom C

Well. all right, Tom (G.), but have you seen the belly dancer in Rwy 12? Truth be told, I prefer my dog, the most beautiful dog in the world!http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/102761.jpgOf course, that is a very partial opinion, but then she loves me dearly, and I her. In fact, I might just do like Tom (C.) and start placing her in my scenery. But, Amelia stays!By the way, Tom, got a picture of your dog?Best regards.Luis

>>>Well. all right, Tom (G.), but have you seen the belly dancer>in Rwy 12? Truth be told, I prefer my dog, the most beautiful>dog in the world!>>http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/102761.jpg>>>>Of course, that is a very partial opinion, but then she loves>me dearly, and I her. In fact, I might just do like Tom (C.)>and start placing her in my scenery. But, Amelia stays!>>By the way, Tom, got a picture of your dog?>>>Best regards.>>Luis>HI,Luis, You have a good looking dog - has a pretty face. I'd like to show you the picture of my pooch that I'm attempting to place in my airport. Unfortunately, I don't know how to do that. I have the jpeg but I guess I'd have to convert the picture to HTML format.:-hmmm Is there a program that does that conversion?Time to go feed the pooch.:-outta Tom

Hi Tom,You can attach images with your post. An JPG image is just fine. When you reply you see a box to add attachments at the bottom.I have attached an image of the dog we had.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/102791.jpg

Hello Tom,When you reply to a post, you will see this at the bottom of the page:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/102790.jpgClick on Click here to choose your attachments. That will bring up this window:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/102792.jpgPlease be sure to select the options that are marked with the red arrows in order to indicate that it is a JPEG image and that you want it to be part of the text.That is all - easy!Best regards.Luis

>Hello Tom,>>When you reply to a post, you will see this at the bottom of>the page:>>http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/102790.jpg>>>>Click on Click here to choose your attachments. That>will bring up this window:>>http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/102792.jpg>>>>Please be sure to select the options that are marked with the>red arrows in order to indicate that it is a JPEG image and>that you want it to be part of the text.>>That is all - easy!>>Best regards.>>Luis>Hi,Luis, thanks for the tutorial on attaching JPG's. The second picture you sent of the dog you had - very sad word "had". It looks like the Lab I used to have. When I lost "Sparky"(the Lab), I was a mess for days. I'm not ashamed to say there were lots of tears shed.Thanks again for the info. I'll try to get a picture sent.TOM C

Hi Tom,That must be my dog, not the one of Luis :). It is indeed a Labrador. It's always sad when they die of course, but he was 14 years old then. That's not too bad for a dog.

>Hi Tom,>>That must be my dog, not the one of Luis :). It is indeed a>Labrador. It's always sad when they die of course, but he was>14 years old then. That's not too bad for a dog.Hi, Sorry, Arno, I should read the post's more closely. To have a dog you love for 14 years is a blessing. My Lab was 10 years when he came down with diabetes. The dog I have now is a Welch Corgi - only 25 pounds and a great lap dog. My wife picked the picture I'm attempting to place in FS2004 with help from Luis.Guess I should stop going on about my dogs before I get kicked off the forum.:-)Take care,Tom

Don't worry about it, Tom. Another Tom (Allensworth, the guy who owns this site) is a cat guy (but then, so am I), but he does not mind if we talk about dogs. He always encourages anything that will create a friendly feeling of community.So, go ahead and show your dog. Then, show your scenery with your dog in it.In fact, let's change this thread to a "Show your dogs and loved ones" theme. Anyone who has a favorite animal should post a picture, what the heck!Sorry for your loss, Arno. That dog has such a gentle look; I am sure that it was very sad.Best regards.Luis