Deleting taxiway signs in FS2004

[Guest littleman_121]

what is a good piece of software for deleting taxiway signs is FS2004. I have tried Excbuilder V2 and i followed all the instructions and i cant get it to delete the signBrandon Van Brunt

[kjb 0]

Sbuilder at ptsim.com will take care it.

[LuisFelizTirado 33]

Hello Brandon,Perhaps you could post the code for your exclude. This would help to determine if there are any problems with it.I have successfully used one of these excludes to remove all taxiway signs at my local airport. And they were not even in one of the AP (XML) files, but in an older-style code.ExcBuilder and SBuilder, by the way, create the same code for these excludes, so you should be able to use whichever you prefer.Best regards.Luis

[gadgets 0]

You cannot delete a single taxiway sign with an exclude rectangle. An exclude can only delete all taxiway signs at a specific airport. To delete a single taxiway sign without modifying the default scenery file, decompile the default scenery file and note the lat/lon of the first taxiway sign at the airport of interest. (You must have the location of the first sign for that airport!) Then, create a new XML file, enter an exclude rectangle over the location of the noted sign, copy all the taxiway signs to the new XML file, make whatever changes/deletions are necessary and recompile. Place the resulting BGL in your Addon Sceneryscenery directory (which, of course, must be active in your scenery library to have any effect). The exclude gets rid of all the default signs and what you see will be controlled by the new BGL.Hope this helps,Don

[jvile 1]

There are 2 different decompilers for FS9 type bgl's that are written in xml code.Each decompiler does not give you all the xml element statements but you must decide on what it is you want to edit and work with.Example is the BGLX180 decompiler leads us to think there are no taxiway signs in a APnnnnnnn.bgl but in most cases they are there.This means if you want to know if the signs are written in current xml or the older SCASM code always use the BGLAnalyze decompiler and not the BGLX180 program.On the other hand if you are wanting to work with the Approach data you must use both decompilers and then combine what each one does not retrive.Each decompiler will also corrupt Region data in certain APnnnnnn.bgl's and cause Airport Headers to lose their identity.Taxiway Signs in xml format code are not like airport scenery. Airport scenery does not nest inside (under) the Airport Header but Taxiway signs do. For this reason it is not recommended that a new compiled xml ----> bgl be put into the Addon Scenery folder (other then a AFCAD) and activated. Any type new bgl that requires a Airport Header must be placed into the Generic Scenery folder which allows MSN to prioritize the file and also read the bgl from the top down internally.This also has its advantages that allow you to delete (exclude) just one taxiway sign if needed and not the trigger sign if written in xml.Some airports have taxiway signs in xml and some airports use the older SCASM code. Some airports (KATL) use both xml and SCASM code which can add to the confusion of why some signs can be excluded and some can't at the same airport. If the signs are in the APnnnnnnnn.bgl (using BGLAnalyze only) then you can exclude just one or many if needed. You can also edit each sign, move each sign, make it bigger or smaller, etc.If you want to just delete a sign or signs because you moved a taxiway then once again the exclusion bgl file must go into the generic scenery folder. This is a very powerful folder that MSN uses for xml scenery design unlike the Addon Scenery folders. To much emphesis continues to be placed on the higher priority addon scenery folders which is ok for certain backward compatibilty scenery but MSN does not load those folders as a overwrite when trying to edit/copy out certain element statements from the APnnnnnnn.bgl.1) End result is always use BGLanalyze if working with Taxiway signs.2) Never try and edit a default APnnnnnnn.bgl and recompile with the BGLCompiler.3) Always copy out what you want to work with in the APnnnnnnnn.bgl and then compile as a new bgl file.4) List all the element statements in a correct order inside the compiled bgl.a. exclusions firstb. New Airport GUIDS or scenery such as default buildingsc. Now comes the Airport Headerd. Any delete element statements so FS9 on startup uses the read/write which is simular to attributes so certain edited data is not read and certain data is read at the generic scenery level.c. Now comes all the airport data including taxiway signs, approach data for AI plane behavior and User Airplane to coincide with the GPS receiver.e. Waypointsf. etc., stc. Another example would be to download my Active ILS KMSP airport default scenery file found here on AVSIM and decompile the KMSP_ILS_jv.bgl file. This clearly shows how FS9 treats all the data written in xml when properly placed in the generic scenery folder. One simple bgl file which excludes and then includes everything seen at the new KMSP.Just keep in mind that each decompiler available is not going to extract all the xml data that I write. To see all data requires the source xml file. hope this is also helpful

[LuisFelizTirado 33]

Great information, Jim, many thanks.The file you mention does not seem to be available in the Avsim library. Perhaps you would consider placing the code here in this thread with annotations for the benefit of all and for future reference.Best regards.Luis

[gadgets 0]

Jim's right; taxiway signs in a separate XML must be enclosed in an XML Airport header. Within that header must also be included an appropriate "DeleteAirport" statement. I'm not at my home computer so I can't be more specific, but I'll update this post as soon as I get back home in a few days. (Reference to the BGLComp SDK should be helpful, though.)I have not experienced any problems from placing the airport signs in the Addon Scenery folder as noted in my earlier post. I chose this method specifically to avoid editing the default file - which can be problematic if you load any addons that also modify default files - and many do. But, if you choose to modify the default BGL as Jim suggests, you can directly edit the taxiway sign(s) of interest - which is somewhat simpler that creating another file.Incidentally, I found that when I used NewBGLAnalyse to decompile the default BGL, the orientation of the taxiway signs were reversed after re-compiling. (Perhaps I don't have the latest version.) BGL-XML seems to be OK.Sorry for the oversight,Don

[jvile 1]

LuisI uploaded KMSP yesterday. It seems to be a little slow getting put into the library. My KATL here on AVSIM like all my uploads are all good examples of how I place everything into one bgl. My uploads are not about scenery but changing the AI Traffic behavior or adding new ILS runways to the database. However, in more recent updates I have been using more FS9 default scenery in my ILS bgl's. All my updated FS9 default airports http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID...&Go=Change+ViewDonI never edit a root file APnnnnnnnn.bgl but only copy out what I need to work with and make a new bgl.You will find some file corruption with each decompiler and repairs must be fixed before compiling even if you are not working directly in the root file. The Addon scenery folder will display a xml that has airport header info but different utilities will try and tell users that these are AFCAD files which they aren't. I also see people complain that when they exclude an area they can't put anything in its place. If the excludes are embedded first then scenery added in the same xml, FS9 will honor this as long as the new bgl is in the generic scenery folder. When some airports like EHAM use a certain amount of SCASM coded taxiway signs I normally place a xml taxiway sign in front of the old one. If you use the decimal LAT/LON format you can precisely place a sign right into the old sign so only the new info on the sign displays.I have had to do this with many of my upload default airports if I only want to change sign info.

[mgh 89]

I've created new taxiway signs at an aerodrome that didn't have any in free-standing XML and BGL files. (I don't like changing the delfault BGL files.) There's no need for a "DeleteAirport" statment in that case.

[jvile 1]

MPHTrueI write a lot of approach data with new taxiway signs embedded in the xml.I have to use the delete element belowhttp://discuss.projectai.com/index.php?topic=46000.0

[wsieffert 0]

Hi Jim,Aren't writing new approaches so much fun!!!I am still waiting for you to land at KORL and visit with me at Air Orlando Flight School!W. Sieffert

[jvile 1]

BillThe learning curve has been steep at times now that I understand what MSN did with xml AI Traffic behavior for curved approaches and proper missed approach turns including the original updates for any new Airport ILS runway. Placement of files has been a challange also in order to get FS9 to give me the end results I am looking for. I look forward to FSX which will give me some time on my hands to get other things accomplished. Don't forget that it was YOU!!!!!! and your original KMCO (new ILS runway) that got me started in all of this almost 2 years ago. I am sure that when FSX does come out you will find something about it that will tweak mine and others interest. The age is taking its toll and physicals/medical are getting harder to maintain. Too many restictions are being added and retirement came just about the right time a few years ago. When the bi-focals went on the guys at dispatch took notice. I knew then my 35 years in the very front seat of the plane was getting shorter in time.Oh well, operating a tractor on this farm doesn't require a type rating (John Deere and Massey might disagree) or maintain a ATP/ALTP. The wife admins the physical just by looking at me in the mornings. Right now I think she has me at a Class VIIII.

[wsieffert 0]

LOL!!!!Don't blame me for your approach Fanaticism!!! LOL!!W. Sieffert