Any performance impact on big BGL files?

[lmoelleb]

I am currently dumping a few models (currently a bit less than 300) into one single BGL file (by generating FS2004 format MDL files and a single XML). The area covered is something like 50x50 km, though the majority of the models are inside a 10x10km area.
Currently the file is 6MB and growing. The area covered might also be growing with a few objects over 100km apart.

Is there any indication that better performance would be gained from splitting it into 4x4km (or whatever) regions, and hence allowing FS to unload the parts not currently needed?

It's easier for me to generate the file as one, but if performance can be gained I guess adding a bit of code to generate multible XML files won't be a big deal - once I have found out how to organize models shared between the areas (stuffing them into their own library file springs to mind).

[arno]

Hi Lars,

If you mean that you are using a lot different XML commands in one file to place your objects, then I don't think this should be a big problem. It makes sense not to put the entire world in one file of course, but using a region of 100x100 km is not so bad (look at how MS has split up the default files).

If you mean that you have made one big MDL file for that entire region then it is not such a good idea .

[lmoelleb]

It is of course separate MDL files. For now I will keep it in one file unless someone knows it is better to split it up as it is slightly easier to generate that way. I just suspect it would be better to allow FS to unmap the file from memory if large parts of it is not needed. Oh well, can be done when we hit 20MB