Tagfiles at the ready...

[Guest fu3]

Dear All,I have finally completed the modelmip.tag changes, so they're almost ready to upload ;)For those that don't know what I'm talking about, I have taken the original tagfiles for both regions, added the ntree and FBO upgrades (no floaties - woo-hoo...) and recompiled them. I spent all weekend flying around Seattle and Sanfran, making sure everything's 100% BUT I'd still like to get someone else to test them for me.Any takers? It will require overwriting your existing modelmip.tag files (which you should backup first) and visiting a dozen or so airports in each region, to check that everything's present and solidly anchored to the ground. Please post here if you are interested.Here's the 'readme.txt' file from the package, to explain a few things. Please post any comments you may have, before I upload it all to the Avsim library:Beginning of textfile********************************************************************Tagfile updates - May 2005Hi to all FU3 users! The purpose of these files is to apply the Ntree' and FBO upgrades to the original 'modelmip.tag' files for both regions. There are NO added models in these tagfiles (except for the Sanfran night mips which never existed before this upgrade). I have decided to recommend against the continual re-compilation of tagfiles for a number of reasons:1. It allows model makers to upgrade model mipfiles. FU3 always reads the tagfile last, meaning that mip and bin files in your gen folders are ignored. 2. It allows model makers to easily re-use mipfiles, reducing the file overhead.3. It reduces the chance of duplicate model or mipfile names - a source of frustration to model makers.4. It allows individuals to customise their game scenery by altering mipfiles.5. It reduces the chance of compiling a tagfile with something missing - FU3 dislikes missing mipfiles and will CTD for no apparent reason.6. It makes fault-finding easier because you can easily use 'modelview' to check that the models should be visible in FU3 (and saves using CTDs to see if something's wrong...).I have tested FU3 performance with both compiled tagfiles and 'loose' gen files and found no difference in framerates. From the above, it makes sense to use the (upgraded) original tagfiles, and put everything else in the gen folders. Be sure to download the latest model sets from www.Avsim.com. Consult the guides in the Flight Unlimited III Forum for more information, or search the Flight Unlimited III library for 'model' and sort by date to get the latest versions.Even if you don't wish to play with models or even add scenery packages to FU3, these files will apply the popular 'ntree' and FBO upgrades without requiring you to perform surgery on your FU3 system files. The results are well worth the effort, especially if you have any scenery packages installed. I recommend the 'Seattle' and 'Sanfran' sets by Chris Low. Download the latest versions from Avsim. A little more on the upgrades here:>> Compatible upgrades to FU3 FBOs for both regions.My original FBO upgrade missed something - the Seattle and Sanfran FBOs, whilst looking the same and having the same names, were actually different! The binfiles were different sizes (only by a few bytes...), causing models to 'float' after upgrading. To make matters worse, the Sanfran modelmip upgrade included the Seattle FBO binfiles, confusing the issue even more. Add to that my own modifications and I had 3 different sizes for some FBO binfiles :-(To fix this, I have extracted the original binfiles from the CD tagfiles and redone the mipfiles to suit. This has required simplification of the FBO1, 2 & 6 textures somewhat, so the pumps don't look quite so good. Oh well, we couldn't have everything - at least EVERYONE can have upgraded FBOs for all regions.NOTE:If your Sanfran FBOs 'float' after upgrading, you must have already placed a 'Seattle-version' binfile at some stage. Sorry!>> Ntree upgrade for FU3The purpose of this upgrade is to update the quality of the standard 'ntree1-5' supplied with the game. The standard trees use very small mipmaps which makes them sometimes appear more like 'blobs'! Although I created the 'jtree' and 'stree' hi-res tree sets, much good work had already been done using the standard trees, not to mention the existing LGS-placed trees that dot the landscape. By applying this update, ALL the trees are updated with one file change.--------------------------------------------------------------------Installation: ******* IMPORTANT **********Before installation, backup your 'modelmip.tag' files. These are located in regionsseattlegen and seattlegenlitemaps for the Seattle region, and regionssanfrangen and sanfrangenlitemaps for the Sanfran region). There should be at least 3 files, 4 if you've installed a recompiled sanfranlitemaps folder and tagfile.* You may not have a 'litemaps' folder in your sanfrangen folder. In this case, just ignore.1. Unzip the zipfile to a temporary folder. * The folder 'modelmip upgrades' will be created.* Inside this folder will be 2 other folders; 'seattle' and 'sanfran'.2. To update the Seattle tagfiles, open the 'seattle' folder and copy the contents (1 file, 1 folder) to your regionsseattlegen folder.3. Answer 'Yes' to overwrite files.* Your Seattle tagfiles are now updated.2. To update the Sanfran tagfiles, open the 'sanfran' folder and copy the contents (1 file, 1 folder) to your regionssanfrangen folder.* Answer 'Yes' to overwrite files.* Your Sanfran tagfiles are now updated.Fire up FU3, go to your favourite strip & enjoy!---------------------------------------------------------------------Don't forget to copy any extra models to your gen folders! If you notice a sudden lack of models in FU3 after installing these files, that is normal. You will have to reinstall any extra models that may have been included in your old tagfiles. The necessary files can be found in the Flight Unlimited III library at www.avsim.com. Search for 'model' and sort by date to get the latest sets. BTW The Seattle upgrade also works for Switzerland. Users of the UKS region are advised to enquire about an updated UKS tagfile.End of textfile*********************************************************************That's about it :-waveRegards,

[Christopher Low 5,341]

Jon,Ready, and waiting for delivery :-)Chris Low.

[Guest glidernut]

Jon,Iv got your updated 'ntree1-5' and I think thay make a big improomentevery where, but I would like to change there mips to make them a little lighter in couler, for my own use only.But I carnt get at em, ther in the tag file.Iv read your abuv posting sevaral times nouw, but Im still not soor if your updated 'ntree1-5' will be in the tag or loos in GEN?glidernut.

[Guest fu3]

John/All,The ntrees are in the tagfile, along with the FBO mips. In fact, it's only the mips that are changed - the binfiles are original (for compatibility). If I'd left them out and the user didn't load any other models, they'd have no trees :-(I have done some lighter mips for SanfranUKS which are a lot 'greener' and look better against the scenery palette. I'll post some shots in the next few days as I'm 'all over the shop' this week!If you already have some suitable bitmaps (or GIFs in the correct palette), I can send you instructions on how to load them into the tagfile. It's not THAT hard - especially for an ardent FU3 fiddler like yourself! Boy, am I looking forward to some serious FU3-style relaxation (F_me*) this weekend ;):-wave* Flying, Modelling, Etc. :-roll

[Christopher Low 5,341]

Jon,Could you possibly spend a tiny fraction of your "FU3 relaxation time" this weekend to attempt to send me some of those models that I need ? ;-)Chris Low.

[Guest glidernut]

Jon, Yes please send me instructions on how to load them into the tagfile.Or better still, post the instructions hear so we can all lern a bit.I was hopeing to get the mip,s out of the tagfile and then use RobD,s FixMip.exeto lightern them and or chainge the paletts bifor puting them back in the tagfile.So I want 2 operations explaind, geting them out and puting them in.Too this end Iv prepaird 2 folders, 1 named (GETING OUT) and 1 named (PUTING IN).Iv got: blank .bat files, DOS prompts, TAGSEEK.EXE, TAGWRITE.EXE, TAGVIEW.EXE.Do I need anything els?I did hav a bat file created by agtim that put the windsok mip into tagfile, inorder to corect the windsok,s couler in UK-South and Seattle.I thort Iill save that clever little thing, it will cum in handy.That was tow computers ago, and ges what, allthow Iv still got red windsoks inSeattle and UK-South, Iv lost that clever little bat file that did it.Well its not the bat file I want, its whats writen inside it, thats what I want. Iv looked on avsim, its not there.Dus any one still hav that clever little windsok thing that used a bat file?If I new what was written in that bat file, I could probably work out how to putmips into tagfile.Allthow I would still need to know how to get em out, in the first place.glidernut.

[Guest glidernut]

Jon,Its ok, RobD has sent me all the relavant exequtabls and bat files compleet.Im geting em out, and puting em in, and geting em out, and puting em in,over and over agen, just bicous I can.Thees bat files are fantastik little things.Thanks to RobD and to Jon for offering.Dus anyone els want thees tools? its ded simpl, it realy is.glidernut.

[Guest fu3]

John,I'm glad Rob sent you the stuff - I was reading your post and figuring out how to put it together but you've already done it!One word of caution:I am (actively) trying to discourage everyone from recompiling their tagfiles!Why? Well, it's easy to get in a mess, and some people like to recompile theirs with every known model they can find...... then suffer interminable CTDs :-(Rob has created an application to check withing tagfiles for missing mips but I don't see the point in expanding mipfiles. FU3 doesn't need it (apart from a few minor upgrades) and it's easier to manage files you can SEE than ones you cannot. I actually think that it's better to have it all 'open' however youy must have SOME modelmip.tag file for FLED to work properly!So, fiddle to your heart's content (I know you will ;) ), but I am intending to release a new set of tagfiles that include the ntree and FBO upgrades (both regions, night & day, no floaties...) and NOTHING else. I am also re-releasing ALL my old models, together with another 30-40 that I've done in the past while. This way, if someone wants to put their FU3 'back to spec', they can simply remove all but the tagfile and that's what they'll have! With the thought of more new users coming on line and our bulging model collection already in disarray (heck, I can't even remember what I've done), it was time to do something.By all means, post the tools if you wish - I just don't want people to get carried-away and trash their FU3.:-wave

[Guest R_Driscoll]

Based on what Jon has said, I think the solution should be:For San Fran and Seattle, keep the original LGS modelmip.tag databases, modified by Jon to include the improved textures where relevant. Other models just sit in the directory.For UKS, a new models database now exists and will be released in a few days, once I have permissions from all model builders. This database is massive compared with the original LGS ones, even after trimming out unwanted models (about 57Mb) and I want this to be the standard database for UKS. New models simply get added to the folder directly. In this way UKS will then follow Jon's method from here on.I won't post the database tools, but I would like to post the package checker tool, as I think this would help ALL package developers.To make this solution work, Jon, could you suggest (and get Tom to make) changes to the pinned newbies guides for San Fran and Seattle, so that this becomes possible? I'm not directly involved in either of those regions or I would do it.RobD.