FS2004 object library and finding the right object ?

[rhumbaflappy 113]

Hi all.Unfortunately, the "scenery" folder has no bearing on the placement geo-locking. I checked it, and that doesn't work. :( Geo-locking bounds appear to be individual for each BGL.Dick

[arno 1]

Hi Dick,Thanks for checking, that was already what I thought.So the other interesting point is the code at the start of the BGL. I will try to have a look at that.

[Guest jimkeir]

Hi,Had a quick look at this, and didn't spot anything obvious in the three 'unknown' fields in the BGL header. I don't really have time to experiment right now.If somebody wants to play, my hunch is that it could be defined by the other objects in the file. A 'pure' library containing only models would be world-visible but a scenery file which just happens to contain models - i.e. like the local files - would only allow those objects to be visible nearby.If someone were to create a library with a single object and place two instances of it a few hundred kilometers apart, it should appear in both places. Then, add *one* of those object placement instructions to the XML that's used to create the library and see if the other object disappears.Takers?Cheers,Jim

[arno 1]

Hi Jim,I have already started looking into the BGL code a bit, but have not found anything strange yet. It's a nice exercise in understanding the BGL format as well :).About the experiment you describe. That has already been done. When I released the first version of my tree library, I left one test placement in the library by accident. As a result of this, the trees did not appear. Only when used around my test location. So I don't think we would have to test that further.

[Guest jimkeir]

A-ha! Sounds like the theory fits. I don't suppose you can remember how far out the objects were visible for? :)If we can get that info, I think this might be a suitable candidate for the FAQ thread.Jim

[arno 1]

That's a good question.My test location is at N40 W40, in the middle of the atlantic and everybody using the library reported the problem. So I guess the range is not a few thousand miles :).Once I have some time I will do a test to see if I can find a distance for this. Would indeed be useful to know the limitation.

[arno 1]

Hi Jim (and the rest),I did a test to figure out what the range of the object locking is and from the results of that I think there is no object locking at all. We just found a strange bug.Let me explain what I did. I placed an object at my test location N40 W40 and in that XML file I also included the ModelData command.Then I made a second XML file, where I only called the GUID of the first file. I changed the location of the object in this file. In this test I increased the longitude of the object.When I know loaded FS the object is visible at my test location, but also at all other places of the world. I could even get it to show at the other end of the world. But when I quit FS and restart it at that other side of the world, then no object is there. Even when I return to N40 W40 no object is there.So it seems that the library object only shows if you go to the location in the XML file with the ModelData command first. After that it shows everywhere on the world, but without it nowhere.I have uploaded the files I used. Can anybody give it a try and see if they get the same results?http://www.scenerydesign.org/temp/locking.zipI also tried if this works with the default objects as well, but that is not the case. I could not get the London Millenium Dome to show somewhere in the Pacific. So it seems the default files have something else that indeed locks them. But it seems the use of ModelData commands in the placement XML is not really that locking.