changing default HP* files

[Guest osman]

Hi,I know that there have already been discussions about this problem, but apparently I missed one point, so excuse me for asking again one of the specialists:it was stated, that LWMAreaFill instructions will cause problems in FS9,and that only in the default files they work ok. By what criteria does the scenery machine decide, whether a file is a default file? Is it just the naming convention (everything called HP*.bgl being "default"), or is it the folder the file resides in? Or is there some special instruction format the default files use?I am interested in this question because if you want to change a whole cell from the default HP* (and remove it from that file by BGLPatch or another program) you will have to fill rather large areas with water :-(It would be much easier just to decompile the HP* file, take out the code for one cell, mix it with your code for specific areas and recompile it as a seperate BGL, but then you will have the LWMAreaFill instructions in it. - osman

[rhumbaflappy 113]

Hi osman.The first LWM file used for an area is the one in which the areafill commands will work correctly. This is determined by the order they exist in the Scenery Library, and the area covered by the file.The default HP files just happen to be in the correct placement to make them the first ones loaded.The problem is a bug in the map view or the GPS view, which can actually cause a crash of the simulator if an areafill is used on top of an underlying LWM file.Most programs that make LWMs now use a 256x256 poly, instead of an areafill, to fill the insides of watermask polygons.Dick

[Guest osman]

Hi Dick,if I read your statement correctly, this works on an area basis. So if I remove the code for a complete cell from the default HP* file and make a new file covering only that cell there would be no crash if I use an areafill, since there is no underlying lwm for that cell ? I know that Ground2k4 (and probably other programs) produce 256x256 polys, but what I was looking for was a possibility to make a program that blends the default MS code for that cell with those areas which I changed by correcting the coastlines, and since I agree with those scenery designers who stated that one should never change one of the default files except by cutting out complete cells, I want to put that blended code into a new file. Well, I could just make a test myself, but maybe you have already done the testing.osman

[rhumbaflappy 113]

Hi osman.Yes. If your file is the first LWM read for the cell, it should display fine in the GPS and Mapview, with no crashing of the sim.The reason I have recommended the replacement of the entire LOD5-sized ( approx. ) default files is due to this bug, and the fact that the original flattening of the defaults remain after they are overwritten.MS has promised the next version will be more friendly to 3rd party designers. This is an area they could definitely improve.Dick