AFCAD 2.21 only making invisible changes?

[Sylle 48]

Hi guys,I just installed JUST FLIGHT Traffic2005 2 days ago and I wanted to change the AI taxi routes for some airports I have in the add-on scenery folder.I managed to do this by modifying the (inaccurate) AF2_LGKR.bgl file of Traffic2005 with Lee swordy's AFCAD 2.21 and by saving it afterwards in the scenery folder of my airport. Taxi routes and parking positions are now correctly positioned which is exactly what I wanted to do this time.So far so good! :-)After reading quickly through the AFCAD 2.21 manual and searching on this forum, I do have a small question.This is what I did:- I opened the Traffic2005 AF2_LGKR.bgl file.- I deleted everything except the runway which I repositioned afterwards to match my FS2004 runway in plan view.- I then created a new apron poly surface, repositioned all parking spots, created all taxi nodes & runway taxi nodes for my freeware LGKR scenery.- I saved the modified file as AF2_LGKR.bgl in the addon scenery/LGKR/scenery folder of my LGKR scenery.Now..., none of these changes (fortunately) appear in FS2004 in a visible way. The taxiways I created from scratch are completely invisible as well as their respective taxiway lights; only the AI seems to know what I created.Nothing changed in the original scenery, not a single light or sign.From the sticky post "forum beginners guide":"2. AFCAD 2 by Lee Sword (Flight Simulator 2004) is used for the same purpose although the results are now clearly visible in Flight Simulator. With this software one can recreate complete ground scenery of the airport. While AFCAD1 produced a text file, which was incorporated into Flight Simulator, AFCAD2 produces BGL files, which can be used more easily."What do I have to do differently if next time I would want to make my changes visible in FS2004??? (if eg. I want to add a completely, not yet created, new taxiway)Is there an option I have to select somewhere?What's the trick to choose between visible changes and "non-visual/AI-only" changes???Thanks for reading,Sylvain

[Sylle 48]

I also found this reply on another forum:In third party airports, generally, you won't see a visible change in the airport but in default airports you can make visual changes to the scenery adding new taxiways/runways or removing.Is this true??That would explain a lot!Trying to get a grip on all those things :-)Cheers,Sylvain

[jvile 1]

Yes that is true if the 3rd party designer is using his own textures for taxiways and runways.You can still draw the taxi lines and AI Traffic will follow those lines but FS9 default textures will not show up.When a addon scenery from a 3rd party is being used you still have to use AFCAD to align the AI traffic so it appears to be tracking the center line of the taxiway and runway. You also have to make sure the parking spots align with any jetways that have been added.When I use AFCAD for 3rd party scenery I use the apron link lines for all Taxiways so AFCAD does not try and use a FS9 default texture. No sense in trying to apply a taxiway texture to the ground if a 3rd party scenery already has one.

[Sylle 48]

Thanks for your reply Jim!Is it necessary to display the runway in AFCAD 2.21 or do you just place parking spots and nodes without any apron poly and runway surface when making AI traffic AFCADs for 3rd-party addons?Cheers,S.

[jvile 1]

SYou have to add the actual runway with AFCAD. It must be about the same length as the 3rd party runway. The runway texture that will be invisible is what FS9 targets if you have AI Traffic flying into that airport. You must also add the black link line down the center of the runway which will connect to the taxiway links and the parking spot. Be sure to apply a runway number to the black line and add Start Locations at each end.Make sure you align your runway and the black link lines to the center of the 3rd party runway. I use the top down view in FS9 and then lock my plane to the AFCAD grid so when I slew my plane the cross hairs on the AFCAD grid move.The taxi link lines can be the apron (green) lines instead of the blue line which draws a texture. The 3rd party scenery already has the texture so you don't need one.Be sure you place hold short nodes at the entrance to all runway taxi lines and they are within the correct foot value to the runway texture that shows on the AFCAD grid.

[Sylle 48]

Thanks again for your tips Jim!I'll try this out in the next few days! :-)Regards,Sylvain