Must this be a Science??

[Guest Hagar]

I have a piece of Norwegian scenery which I just can`t upload without using elevation data. Without elevation data, my scenery is worthless.(As you understand I`m talking about Norway off course)...I have tried to use Flattenator Deluxe for days now, but this bugger is only quitting on me every time. Well if fixing elevations is such a blasted science on top of all the other stuff I have to master, then designing scenery is for me approaching a full stop :(I`ll try one last time. The Flattenator manual is very unclear about some steps. First, I am NOT going to flatten any airport, but the manual still describes this as a step. Can I just skip the airports part and go straight to the "Advanced" button?The manual is also very unclear about the coordinates. In which corner in the ground tile should I write up the coordinates?Lower Left or Upper Right? And what about the second coordinates, which obviously should go in the Upper Right with a certain "spacing"?I am totally confused...and getting tired of being a technician instead of a flyer, this is getting just to steep :-bang

[Roger Mazengarb 0]

G'day Andrew,Firstly mate I'm sorry I can't be of any technical assistance. Just replying to you to let you know that you are not Robinson Crusoe when it comes to fathoming out manuals.You would think that Autodesk would know about cad programs wouldn't you? Well I just purchased QuickCad 7 and the manual states to convert a polyline to a closed polygon click 3 points to make the polyline and then select "irregular polygon" from the drop down menu and the first and third points will automatically close to form the closed polygon." Bull#*#* " !!!! What they conveniently forgot to mention is that after clicking the third point you must then "select the entity" before selecting "irregular polygon". Of course any cad user worth his salt would already know this wouln't he :-) I only found out by sheer frustration and perserverence. All manuals expect the user to have some assumed knowledge of the topic. Writing a good instructional manual is harder than writing the program in many cases.Don't let the frustrations get to you. Half the fun of using Fly! is overcoming hurdles and succeeding against the odds.Yes it is a science and a very exacting one at that. Computer programs demand that it be so :-)Cheers,Roger @YSSY

[Guest Hagar]

G`day Rodger,I appreciate your support :)I`m quite mad right now, seeing my scenery going down the drain if I can`t be able to learn how to edit certain elevation vertices on the border to the default scenery. If I don`t, I`ll get jagged lines like in my ENCN scenery. ENCN has a good record of downloads, but, you know, I have my pride, and I don`t want my next scenery to appear the same way. It HAS to have a perfect fit to the horrible default scenery!! (OR: Would the community accept those faults?)...Regarding polylines: All polylines (as long as you work with areas), has to be closed. If not, they won`t appear. Always, the last thing you do when you have drawn in a new polyline is this: Click it, choose "Properties", then choose "close". Off course it depends on which CAD progran you`re using. Took me a lot of time with trial & error just to learn that. (Thanks to Colin :)Well, back to the point, hope I can get some more help om the ""##

[Guest ben_]

AndrewGet away from your computer NOW!Turn it off!Watch a movie, read a book, listen to a CD, listen to the radio.Come back after a good night's sleep.If it can't be fixed , don't bang your head against a wall. We'll be happy with what you've got and with what you've learned maybe you'll have a better background to choose your next project so that you and we can enjoy your efforts :-)Ben

[Guest Hagar]

Ben,I uploaded ENCN with those faults. And I never heard a complaint about those jagged edges. OK...Y`know, this is very important to me:If the community accepts those humble faults on the border to the next Globe Tile (who really cares about jagged edges 25.000 feet up??), I may fix the

[Guest Fly II Pilot]

Andrew:You can certainly skip the airport flattening part. Just click on the advanced button. I'm also having problems with Flattenator, it just crashes 2 out of 3 times.Can you post a picture of what you want to do along with the global tiles that you're trying to modify. I created an Excel spreadsheet that allows you to visualize what you're doing in 2x2 resolution. I may upgrade it to 4x4 or even 8x8, we'll see. The process is rather tedious, but it works for me.Did you download an Excel sheet for Flattenator? It does explain how it works.Take care,Alejandro AmigorenaCheshire, CTFly! II Beta Team MemberAthlon XP 1800ABIT KR7A-RAID768Mb RAMMSI GeForce 3 Ti 500 64MBSB Audigy GamerCH Flight Yoke USBCH Pro Pedals USB

[Guest Hagar]

Alejandro,Why does Flattenator crash that often? Makes our job much harder, doesn`t it? If we could stop it from crashing maybe there`s a chance getting the job done...hope somebody knows why.Here is the pic of the area I`m working on, Globe Tile 3,181 NW. The pink line shows where I have to fix the jagged edges. Also I have to fix Bergen Harbour, and a Navy area just North of the airport.I`ll see if I can find some more documentation on this stuff...

[Guest Hagar]

More info:Now I know why Flattenator crashes. I`m working with the NE Quarter Tile, and according to Nick`s excellent tutorial on .trn files, I notice the Upper Right corner has a Ground Tile value of 63,63.The area I picked for editing is according to the Fly2 Editor 46,50. Everytime I go higher than 31,31 in Flattenator, it crashes. Is it something wrong with the imported elevation data? Or maybe Flattenator does not see it the same way as the default data?One step forward, one step back...

[Guest Fly II Pilot]

Andrew:Send me the TRN files for the area you're working on and explain to me what is it that you're trying to accomplish. Are you just trying to eliminate the tearing?Take care,Alejandro AmigorenaCheshire, CTFly! II Beta Team MemberAthlon XP 1800ABIT KR7A-RAID768Mb RAMMSI GeForce 3 Ti 500 64MBSB Audigy GamerCH Flight Yoke USBCH Pro Pedals USB

[Guest Hagar]

Alejandro,I have sent you a mail, but couldn`t attach the .trn files. Guess I can do that when you reply. If you look at my picture again you see which Quarter Tile I have rendered. I want to fix all the jagged lines (tearing) along the line I have drawn in on the borders, thats the most important issue. And if possible, I would like to fix a certain area (around Ground Tile 46,50), indicated by the square.I`ll make a new test now, to see if it crashes with the default elevation data or not...

[Guest Ken_Salter]

If anyone is interested in the source code for the Flattenator, please let me know. It is written in Visual C++ (v6.0) and uses MFC.[h3]Ken Salter (aka SaltyDog)[/h3]Fly! Forum Moderator[link:members.ud.com/services/teams/team.htm?id=5E79C613-0A60-4A3B-BDC1-F9EE49F2D4FE]Join the AVSIM Online Cancer Fight!!

[Guest]

Hagar,I'm glad you are finding my tutorial to be of some help. I hope to make some time to finish it up "soon".What density did you use to slice your terrain? Flattenator can only be used to edit 2x2 and 4x4 grids. 8x8 will make it crash every time (as far as I know).I wish I was further along in "teaching myself C++" so I could take Ken up on the source code offer. :-(nick

[Guest Hagar]

Nick,Thanks for the tutorial, looking forward to the next part! Alejandro and me have been trying hard to solve the problems today, but...I tried a whole Globe Tile. Flattenator still crashes. In all the sceneries I have imported elevation data, a Ground Tile Z value higher than 31 crashes Flattenator. If I import the default elevation data, there is never a problem. On all the trials I have done today, I have used 500 and 4x4. Doesn`t help one inch. (Usually I use 300 and 4x4).Is the slicer the problem or the way Flattenator sees imported data?Hope somebody could look at the source code...but the problem may already be present from the slicer...I was right, this is really a science, arrrghh!

[Guest Fly II Pilot]

Ken:Although I'm just learning C++, I'd like to take you on the offer. I'll use it as a "graduation" project. Is it Flattenator Deluxe?Thanks,Alejandro AmigorenaCheshire, CTFly! II Beta Team MemberAthlon XP 1800ABIT KR7A-RAID768Mb RAMMSI GeForce 3 Ti 500 64MBSB Audigy GamerCH Flight Yoke USBCH Pro Pedals USB

[lefteris 70]

HEY!Who said the entire source code is yours to give away??? ;-)(You can give it away with my blessing, sir, no problem!) ;-) ;-)