Spotlights examples

[Guest Jos]

Hi,Can someone show some examples of spotlights in GMAX casting shadows ?Is it still impossible to configure landingslights in a scenery and let them work only by night ?Greetz. Jos

[arno 1]

Hi Jose,In the Fs2002 gamepack (and if I remember correct that is the one you are using) you can make a spotlight with the LIGHT_LAND material name. If you tweak the source code a little bit you can also get them on at night only. BUT they will not cast shadows. So you will not see an extra shadow of your aircraft caused by this light or so. They just show a lighted spot.

[Guest Jos]

Hi,OK... I will look in the Gamepack. To have the source I need the asm-file ? ... by activating "Safe all files" before making the .bgl-file ? And then, what do I do after the tweaking ?For what concerning the shadow... just asking if there was perhaps found a solution.Greetz. Jos

[arno 1]

Hi Jose,Yes, with the option "Keep files" you can save the ASM files during export. Then you need to tweak the source to add the time of day condition. This tutorial explains how to do that:http://www.scenerydesign.org/forum/showthread.php?t=97In the end you need to compile the ASM files back into a BGL file with BGLC. You might want to take a look at this article as well, it describes the basic steps of source code tweaking:http://www.scenerydesign.org/forum/showthread.php?t=98

[Guest Jos]

Hi Arno,Thanks for the info. I keep in touch... hope I can manage it.Greetz. Jos

[Guest Jos]

Hi,Have some questions:1. The code I have to insert in the .asm-file is:IFIN1 labelname, tod, 2, 4 (tod = time of the day... I mention this because it was Chinese for me).Labername = ?I found someting like: "spottest_Alpha label BGLCODE"... so the code should look like: IFIN1 spottest_Alpha; tod, 2, 4 ?The name of my .bgl-file is "spottest.bgl" .2. I installed the BGL Compiler (for FS2002).. default in C:fssdk... Must I place this program in GMAX... and in which map ("meshes", where the .bgl-files and the .asm-filesare stored) ?When I click on BGLC, a black screen is shown very shortly and disppears. The other item is the BGL Placer.I red that simply drag and drop only the xyz.asm-file into the BGLC-icon is enough (but that was for FS9)...???Greetz. Jos

[Guest Jos]

Hi,I tried a lot of possibilities, but till now nothing seems to happen.Greetz. Jos

[Guest Jos]

Hi,and... reading this: "...you will need to recompile the sources to get a new BGL".Can someone explain me how I recompile the two .asm-files ? Confusing because in another text I read that only one .asm-file must be dragged into the BGCL icon. (BGLC for FS2002)Something is probably not working/configured as required.reetz. Jos

[arno 1]

Hi Jose,>1. The code I have to insert in the .asm-file is:>IFIN1 labelname, tod, 2, 4 (tod = time of the day... I mention>this because it was Chinese for me).>Labername = ?Yes, tod is time of day. I could also have written 028Ch there, but that is even more Chinese :).The labelname is just the label you want to just to. You need to define that label yourself at the end of your light commands (so that they can be skipped). This is shown in the tip as well.Something like this for example:[tt]IFIN1 nolight, tod, 2, 4BGL_LIGHT LIGHT_TAXI, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 20, 0.60, 0.40, 0FFC89B4Bh, 0.000000, 0.000000, 1.000000nolight label word[/tt]Here I used different lights (not the one with beams).>2. I installed the BGL Compiler (for FS2002).. default in>C:fssdk... Must I place this program in GMAX... and in which>map ("meshes", where the .bgl-files and the .asm-filesare>stored) ?BGLC is a compiler, a DOS program. It has no graphical interface. You could either drop your ASM file on it (you will get a BGL file as return). Or if you want a graphical interface you could try my CompileHelper tool (available from my website).>Confusing because in another text I read that only one>.asm-file must be dragged into the BGCL icon. (BGLC for>FS2002)Yes, you only have to recompile the main ASM file (not the one with _0 in the name). This second file is included in the first one, so automatically used when you compile the first one.

[Guest Jos]

Hi Arno,Have found the CompileHelper tool... will test it Saturday.Thanks. Jos

[Guest Jos]

Hi,Have set the BGLC-file to be run in the compatibility modus with FS2000.Then made changes in xyz_0.asm-file and dropped the xyz.asm-file into the BGLC. A file was made xyz BIN... so, what shall I do with it ? Rename it to yxz.bgl or do something else ?Greetz. Jos

[arno 1]

Hi Jose,I don't know what you mean with Fs2000 compatible mode, I have never seen such an option on BGLC. You just need to use the version for Fs2002.If you get a BIN file and not a BGL file I guess something goes wrong while compiling. Are you using CompileHelper (or compiling from the DOS prompt) so that you can see any errors that are produced?

[Guest Jos]

Hi Arno,The BGLC was downloaded from your link (the other file was BGLC_9, which I didn't downloaded).When you open "Properties" (Eigenschappen) of the BGLC program and look in Menu / Compability (Compabiliteit) you can activate "Carry out this program in the compability modus" (Dit programma in deze compabiliteitsmodus uitvoeren).When I drop the xyz.asm file into the BGLC icon, then I get a xyz BIN file instead a xyz.bgl file. (I think it is a MAC-file... ?)Otherwise I cannot use DOS prompt directly because I get an error, saying that BGLC isn't recognized.I tried to use the CompileHelper but nothing happens.Greetz. Jos

[arno 1]

Hi Jose,That compatibility mode is to emulate older versions of Windows. I don't think you have to use it, it works fine here on XP. So just leave that option turned off.Do you get a BGL file when you drop the non-tweak ASM file on BGLC?

[Guest Jos]

Hi Arno,Have turned off the option and it works... but I get still a BIN format file, even when I drop a non-tweaked .asm-file on BGLC.Greetz. Jos