BglComp and ILS question

[cowpatz 243]

I am trying to get ATC to recognise the ILS's I have put in at EGPE (Inverness Scotland). I have downloaded the BGL compiler.The help file is not clear as to how to go about opening the program with the file. How do I go about doing this and which file (and location) do I need to open with it? None of the BGL files I have seen have any name that I can relate to EGPE.This is the first time I have tried this other than a little with AFCAD.Many thanksSteve

[scruffyduck 4]

How did you put the ILS into the scenery? If you are looking for the default airport then they are stored by area in the main FS Scenery Folder. The files begin with APxxxxx.bgl. However there cvan be dozens or even hundreds of airports in one file. To change airport data then AFCAD2 is probably the best way to do it.BGLComp needs an xml file which it will compile into a scenry bgl file. If you want to de-compile a scenery file then you would need New BGLanalysze or BGLXML. These programs take a compiled file and decompile it to xml. They only work for files compiled with bglcomp. Older scenery files need BGLAnalyze of SCDIS and decompile to ASM.

[cowpatz 243]

The airport data has been changed with AFCAD2,Where will I find the approriate EGPE file and how do I open it with BGLXML. Once it is altered how do I put it back and where?ThanksSteve

[arno 1]

Hi Steve,BGLComp can not open BGL files, it can only create them from XML source files.So as Jon suggested you would have to decompile the BGL file you made with AFCAD (probably named AF2_EGPE.BGL) to get the XML sources for it. After that you can edit these sources with a text editor. The document in the BGLComp SDK explains the commands that you can use. Then the final step is to compile this XML file back into a BGL file with BGLComp (just drop the XML file on the compiler to do that, the compiler has no GUI).

[cowpatz 243]

Thanks Arno,I take from what you have said that I need to open up the file AF2_EGPE.BGL (which I have found) and then do the editing in XML and then recompile with BGLComp SDK. Is this the only file that needs modifying? I have looked thru the extensive read me file and it gives the commands to use but is sketchy on the reasons. Is there a better document or a tutorial on how to go about doing this? Also if I have more than one AFCAD file for a given airport which one will FS9 use?Sorry if the questions are basic but this is challenging new stuff for me.ThanksSteve

[BMBANISTER 0]

Didn't Jim Vile do a posting somewhere stating exactly step by step how to both add an ILS and make changes to existing ones due to runway re-numbering so that AI can recognise it. I remember reading it about the time he released his KLAS approach (at least I think I do). for the life of me I can't find it. Does anyone know where I can find it?Brad

[scott967 62]

I think Jim's most detailed helps are in the Project AI AFCAD forum.http://www.projectai.com/discuss/scott s..

[jvile 1]

One of my post is herehttp://www.projectai.com/discuss/index.php?topic=45925.0which answers questions on how to write a xml approach for a new AFCAD ILS.Do Not decompile the actual AFCAD af2_ airport file and add Approach data. The AFCAD compiler will delete anything you write in xml that it does not understand including approach data.There is no tutorial on how to add a new ILS to the database so ATC will recognize it. Keep in mind that the AFCAD af2_ file only adds a ILS to the runway which is for the User Aircraft Panel so you can lock onto the Localizer and Glide Slope.If you are changing a runway number that is one set of XML instructions but if you are adding a new ILS to a airport then an entire approach procedure must be written in XML.I use current Jeppesen Charts which is also what the FS9 default database is written on. Once the approach is written and compiled to a bgl then it must be placed into the SceneryGenericscenery folder so FS9 will prioritize it correctly.One of the reasons for this is because all approach data written so ATC will recognize the new ILS runway in AFCAD is because the approach data must nest inside (under) the airport header. hope this helps

[cowpatz 243]

I have tried to look at various other airports to get a look at how the approach code is entered but when I search for the airport and open it in AFCAD then save it to the add on scenery folder then open with BGLXML it doesnt show the approcah code. I manged to find the scenery folder for KLAX via AFCAD properties and it came out as AP916190 I would have thought that in order to convert this BGL file to XML would be to use BGLXML, or more specifically the XML SHELL GUI. I tried doing this but I keep getting a pop up window saying "input file: not a valid FS2004 facility data BGL". Why is this and how do I open this file to look at the XML code? Thanks for the link Scott I will take a look at it.CheersSteve

[jvile 1]

First we have to understand that a certain portion of all airport scenery is invisable approach data that corresponds to any type instrument approach. This invisible scenery also streches 108NM in all directions of each airport.All of the airport scenery utilities and tutorials written do not understand this or even address it. many utilties are written on how FS2002 worked and not how FS2004 works.There is no approach code in any AFCAD type airport. AFCAD uses the deleteAll=approach as the default in the compiler.The AFCAD only has the ILS/GP/DME xml data which the runway owns. The approach data that you are looking for is in each APnnnnnnnn.bgl and is owned by the airport scenery which is a radius of 108NM from the reference point and extends upward as high as FS9 goes altitude wise.If you add a new ILS with AFCAD only the User Aircraft panel sees it. There is nothing to decompile if you add a new ILS but you must write a new approach for that ILS. See my post above.

[BMBANISTER 0]

Thanks for the info, even though it is way over my head. Actually, I figured out what posting I was thinking about. It turned out to be your read-me file from the PANC explaining how to modify an AFCAD with the new runway numbers and correct Navdata and fix a corrupt file. Understanding that is much more my speed.Finally, let me be added to the long list of simmers publicly thanking you for all your contributions to this hobby/addiction. :-beerchug [p class=dcmessage] BradKELP/KBIF http://home.elp.rr.com/bmbanister/BannerSig_BMBanister.jpgAMD Athlon XP 2600, Asus A7V600, 1GB PC3200, NVidia GeForce 6800, SB Live

[cowpatz 243]

Thanks Jim,The frustrating issue is that I cannot open AP916190 (for example)to view the html content. If I can see how the approach code is written for KLAX then I can get an idea of how to do it for other airfields. Let us say that I took the stock KLAX ILS 25L and wanted to change an alt restriction (let us say the missed approach alt for example). Once I learn how to open AP916190 I open the xml file (with cooktop)I assume that the approach code is there and that it has to be in a certain position within the code. I would look forthe missed approach alt (Look at BGLCoomp SDK text file for the reference)and then simply alter the value. I would then need to use BGLComp to recompile it to a BGL file. Where would this new file go? Are you saying it should go in the scenerygenericscenery folder and that this would take priority over the stock AP916190 file? Or do I just put the approach info in here between the airport headers? I did try to use BGLanalyze but I thought that was only for fs2002 and less? It also converts to a ASM? file and that is as far as I get. I did hear it mentioned in a post to change the file ext to xml but I am not sure if that is correct or even desirable. It should would be great to have a tutorial/manual on this such as Terry Yinglings one on making Stars and Sids for the PMDG 737 and 747. Thanks for your perserverance.CheersSteve

[arno 1]

Did you take a look at the link posted above?http://www.projectai.com/discuss/index.php?topic=45925.0This thread contains some quite nice examples of the XML code that you have to write. I think with those examples, there is no need to decompile a default airport to look at their approaches. All you have to do is to write a new XML file and create a BGL file from that.@Jim: Thanks for reminding me that AFCAD removes any code you add in the XML code, I was not aware of that (I supposed it would not read it, but still leave it there). Making the approach in a seperate file is much easier in that case.

[scott967 62]

It should also be noted that the default AP9 files place 3d scenery objects at the locations of the ILS and other navaid transmitters, which AFCAD won't do either (or move for that matter).scott s..

[cowpatz 243]

Yes I did thanks Arno but as I am a complete newbie to this I would like to decompile a few airfields to have a look at the code to get a feel for it. I would have thought that all the data would be in the one file. Are you saying that I could have a seperate file just for approaches, approach legs and transitions? If so what would the file name need to be and where would it need to go to be prioritsed correctly? Is the approach coding in the default AP9 files? If not where?One last point if you have more than one AFCAD file for a given airport which one will FS9 use?ThanksSteve