Freeway traffic, anyone...

[highflight1985]

By George, I've DONE IT!

Okay, so, to finish the steps above off, all you need to do then is build! And by George, it worked!

I then moved my roads over in ADE for the second lane, saved and compiled. Copied new coordinates from work.xml to the .kml (a new I created a new one in GE with a different name). Built, and bingo: 2 lanes of traffic. I tried to take a screenshot but I guess I didn't press hard enough on Print Screen. Anyway, trust me, it worked.

The only question I have now is, Jim, how to stay organized? From your screenshots and instructions, I'm not quite clear how you keep your GE files, the ADE roads, and the resulting .bgls.

1. Are you using a single road in ADE for each compile, or are you adding to your ADE project for each new road?

2. Are you using 1 GE path, or adding to your screen in GE for each road?

3. Are you using saving each new road to its own .kml file, or saving to 1 master .kml file?

4. The resulting compilation: Is it 1 BGL or multiple for each road?

Once I've got this part behind me, I'll create a little how-to video or something that makes it easier for others so they don't have to read a mile long forum post. Thanks!

 

[scott967]

I know you guys are discussing "method 1" if you will. Here is something else to chew on. It is using SBuilderX. SBX can read shp file format, so when ADE creates the "vector" lines, you can simply import those into SBX. Now in SBX you can create 2 copies of those lines, change the type to freeway and you are close. You need to go in and adjust the curves since the freeway traffic on the inside lane is slightly shorter than the outside lane. Then you can compile the whole lot in SBX. On a bigger project I prefer to use SBX because you tend to get farther away from the actual airport. I guess FSX_KML can do the same thing but I find it a bit of a pain.

scott s.
.

 

[highflight1985]

I guess FSX_KML can do the same thing but I find it a bit of a pain.

scott s.
.

Granted, I haven't spent a lot of time figuring out SBX, but I haven't found it as intuitive as ADE, even if FreewayTraffic isn't (yet) working. ADE is setup and works a lot like most scenery design programs I've used in the past, so it's easier for me to use. You could compare it to using Microsoft Office 2000 and then jumping to Microsoft Office 2007: Differences, yes, but still from the same developer so it still has that feel you're used to. Whereas, using SBX for me is like going from Office to something like Lotus Notes...

 

[jvile]

Okay, so, to finish the steps above off, all you need to do then is build! And by George, it worked!

I then moved my roads over in ADE for the second lane, saved and compiled. Copied new coordinates from work.xml to the .kml (a new I created a new one in GE with a different name). Built, and bingo: 2 lanes of traffic. I tried to take a screenshot but I guess I didn't press hard enough on Print Screen. Anyway, trust me, it worked.

The only question I have now is, Jim, how to stay organized? From your screenshots and instructions, I'm not quite clear how you keep your GE files, the ADE roads, and the resulting .bgls.

1. Are you using a single road in ADE for each compile, or are you adding to your ADE project for each new road?

2. Are you using 1 GE path, or adding to your screen in GE for each road?

3. Are you using saving each new road to its own .kml file, or saving to 1 master .kml file?

4. The resulting compilation: Is it 1 BGL or multiple for each road?

Once I've got this part behind me, I'll create a little how-to video or something that makes it easier for others so they don't have to read a mile long forum post. Thanks!

Managing the files is going to have to be decided by the User. In the following picture I made Traffic 22.kml files and nested them all in the Master Traffic.kml. It took that may lines of FreewayTraffic to accomplish getting traffic on all the roads I added with ADE.



My first goal was to layout all the different roads and get them on the ADE grid as per Google Earth. Since I was not just making a single road with traffic but a maze of roads I set out to use a logical order for placing the FreewayTraffic on each road.

You will notice that when you place FreewayTraffic the ADE Work.XML keeps the first set of Lat/Lon's as the 1st one in the list and each Freeway Traffic added to the ADE grid stays in order inside the work.xml. That starts the logical order of working with multiple traffic files.

When I add the FreewayTraffic vector line over my road I know it is not going to be perfect once compiled and I am going to have to tweak the traffic in curves and make sure it is aligned with the proper lanes on the road.

First thing I do is start FSX and ADE and place side by side (resize their screen) on my monitor. The alt + Tab key works well to place the focus on each of FSX or ADE.

Using Slew mode, I can get the red cross in FSX with the airplane slewed up at a high altitude. This allows be to trace my cross on the zoomed in FSX so I stay on the correct side of the road and just start setting vertex points on the ADE road which is the overlayed FreewayTraffic (alt+Tab for changing focus between each program on my monitor when slewing).

For me to manage so many files I already explained I use Traffic.kml as the master that holds all my Traffic 1, 2, 3, etc. and in the end I only have 1 traffic.bgl and not a bgl for each line of traffic.

After I compile the first Traffic1 with FSX_KML I start FSX and look at what needs to be tweaked for that first line of traffic that is running around in FSX. I tweak the FreewayTraffic shape line on the ADE grid as I watch the traffic moving.

Here is where the managing starts.

1. Compile the ADE to get a new tweaked work.xml and copy the tweak lat/lon into the existing traffic1.kml

2. Open GE and use the drop down menu to reload just the traffic1.kml back into GE in the temporary folder.

3. Delete the Traffic1 that is permant in GE and nesting in the Traffic.kml.

4. Save my temp Traffic1.kml to the permeate folder and then drag into my master traffic.xml.

5. Tell GE to save my Traffic.xml back over in my documents folder so FSX_KML can work with it.

The bottom line is I am always working with the Traffic.KML and FSX_KML always deleting / adding Traffic/nn's.xml to my Master back in GE and then giving that file to FSX_KML to compile.

After you do the first Traffic1 and then the second Traffic2 it is logical and consistant in the way I move my Traffic1,2,3.KML's back into GE and then put them into my Traffic.KML master for FSX_KML.

 

[highflight1985]

Wow, Jim. Thanks so much for the help! I really appreciate it. This traffic thing was going to be an integral part of my scenery as on this particular Air Force base, there isn't much else to look at! A couple hangars, 3 or so dozen buildings, and A LOT of sunshades (open-air hangars) for A-10s. Not to mention that the default version of this base has the main portion of this base as one big field of dead grass...

Still, I will be thrilled when ADE can handle all this internally. Until then, the results are worth the efforts.

 

[scott967]

Granted, I haven't spent a lot of time figuring out SBX, but I haven't found it as intuitive as ADE, even if FreewayTraffic isn't (yet) working. ADE is setup and works a lot like most scenery design programs I've used in the past, so it's easier for me to use. You could compare it to using Microsoft Office 2000 and then jumping to Microsoft Office 2007: Differences, yes, but still from the same developer so it still has that feel you're used to. Whereas, using SBX for me is like going from Office to something like Lotus Notes...

I can see what you mean. I find I use the import/export ability of SBX quite a bit. SBX will import shape files so I can use GIS software, and online GIS vector data. For example, you can download USGS DLG (digital line graphics) and get shoreline and transportation data for the US without doing any tracing of photos. SBuilder also allows export/import between FS9 and FSX versions so I can move projects between versions (although due to differences in the way terrain in FS9 and FSX work, that isn't always as big a help as you might want).

scott s.
.

 

[HolgerSandmann]

Hi guys,

I know you guys are discussing "method 1" if you will. Here is something else to chew on. It is using SBuilderX. SBX can read shp file format, so when ADE creates the "vector" lines, you can simply import those into SBX. Now in SBX you can create 2 copies of those lines, change the type to freeway and you are close. You need to go in and adjust the curves since the freeway traffic on the inside lane is slightly shorter than the outside lane. Then you can compile the whole lot in SBX. On a bigger project I prefer to use SBX because you tend to get farther away from the actual airport. I guess FSX_KML can do the same thing but I find it a bit of a pain.

scott s.

Actually, there's an easier way in SBuilder than having to manually adjust duplicate lines:

1. draw your road lines (or import Shapefiles) and save as usual
2. make a copy of your project and save as _traffic
3. in the _traffic project file, change the display width of the road lines; for regular roads (1 lane in each direction) a width of 4 works well
4. convert each line to a poly; doing so will replace the line with a narrow polygon of the width your line was
5. select the poly and choose "make line", then delete the poly
6. now you have two perfectly parallel lines to which you can assign the appropriate freeway traffic type and direction
7. break/clip the ends of the lines and merge with other traffic lines as needed
8. combine the road project with the traffic project for final checking

It's still a manual process but beats having to individually adjust the points in curves. For larger projects I use Manifold GIS and a script that draws poly buffers around all lines at once, transforms those to vectors, and merges adjacent lines. That way I get complete networks of traffic vectors in a matter of minutes.

Cheers, Holger

 

[highflight1985]

The extent of my knowledge of SBuilder is this: How do I create a project?

You just spoke Greek, at least, to me. Especially that part about Manifold GIS...

 

[jvile]

3. in the _traffic project file, change the display width of the road lines; for regular roads (1 lane in each direction) a width of 4 works well

Holger

That is what we need in ADE. A road shape line that has an adjustable width based on amount of lanes.

I had a hard enough time building the road network since Sinapore drives on the other side of the road. I won't say the wrong side because George will have something to say

 

[highflight1985]

Holger,

Just for kicks and giggles, I gave your method a shot. It works except that my traffic lanes are all funny.

What I did was before deleting the poly, I moved it over and created a second line for my other direction of traffic. I set one line to T and the other to F. What I end up getting are lanes the look something like this:


^ | ^
| | |
| V |

 

[scott967]

Hi guys,



Actually, there's an easier way in SBuilder than having to manually adjust duplicate lines:

1. draw your road lines (or import Shapefiles) and save as usual
2. make a copy of your project and save as _traffic
3. in the _traffic project file, change the display width of the road lines; for regular roads (1 lane in each direction) a width of 4 works well
4. convert each line to a poly; doing so will replace the line with a narrow polygon of the width your line was
5. select the poly and choose "make line", then delete the poly
6. now you have two perfectly parallel lines to which you can assign the appropriate freeway traffic type and direction
7. break/clip the ends of the lines and merge with other traffic lines as needed
8. combine the road project with the traffic project for final checking

It's still a manual process but beats having to individually adjust the points in curves. For larger projects I use Manifold GIS and a script that draws poly buffers around all lines at once, transforms those to vectors, and merges adjacent lines. That way I get complete networks of traffic vectors in a matter of minutes.

Cheers, Holger

That's a neat trick. Would have never thought of it myself!

scott s.
.

 

[scott967]

Holger

That is what we need in ADE. A road shape line that has an adjustable width based on amount of lanes.

I had a hard enough time building the road network since Sinapore drives on the other side of the road. I won't say the wrong side because George will have something to say

Holger probably knows more, but while in SBuilder you can assign a width from 0 up, it seems like FSX only uses certain set widths based on road lanes. ISTR in FS9 we could modify the width of the line texture draw but maybe I am mis-remembering.

scott s.
.

 

[HolgerSandmann]

Hi guys,

Just for kicks and giggles, I gave your method a shot. It works except that my traffic lanes are all funny.

What I did was before deleting the poly, I moved it over and created a second line for my other direction of traffic. I set one line to T and the other to F. What I end up getting are lanes the look something like this:

I'm not sure I understand. The whole point of the vetor-to-poly-to-vector method is that you already end up with two parallel lines, one for each side of the road. Because the new line "wraps around" the narrow polygon the parallel sections automatically point in opposite directions. Thus, you only need to assign either T or F to the new line (depending on which country you're working with) and then split and clean up the line at the narrow end of the poly, which gives you two lanes of traffic. If you have a major road or freeway, make the initial line wider (e.g., 6 or 8), then assign 2 lanes or more of traffic.

Holger probably knows more, but while in SBuilder you can assign a width from 0 up, it seems like FSX only uses certain set widths based on road lanes. ISTR in FS9 we could modify the width of the line texture draw but maybe I am mis-remembering.

Indeed, an unfortunate side effect of the move to Shapefile based compilation is that we've lost the ability to directly influence the line width in the sim with our source data; the line width option in SBuilderX has no effect on the texture width displayed in FSX. All vector widths are pre-set in the global terrain.cfg file, which is why the default terrain.cfg offers a number of different surface types and widths of roads etc. One can add custom entries to the terrain.cfg but that means distributing such a project requires a "neutral" autoinstaller and it still means one needs to define a separate vector type for each desired width or other parameter of a vector.

Cheers, Holger

 

[highflight1985]

I'm not sure I understand. The whole point of the vetor-to-poly-to-vector method is that you already end up with two parallel lines, one for each side of the road. Because the new line "wraps around" the narrow polygon the parallel sections automatically point in opposite directions...then split and clean up the line at the narrow end of the poly, which gives you two lanes of traffic.

No, it is I who didn't understand. My understanding when I made that road was that each poly you make is one direction of traffic. So, I thought I had to right click and "Make Line" TWICE to make two lanes of traffic.

Your explaination above makes it much clearer. I now understand that the poly creates two lanes of traffic and 2 "mini" lanes we obviously don't need at the start and end of our roads. If I'm right, you're saying to just cut out that portion at the start and end, and voila, you have 2 lanes of traffic. Left-hand (UK and the like) or Right-hand side (USA and the like) of the road is determined by which T/F assignment you give.

Correct me if I'm wrong...

 

[bobbyjack]

Well, after a year and a half, I felt the need to drag this one out again. Any news on ADE and road traffic. I know it can be done with a combination of programs,but I'm trying robot have to learn a bunch of stuff. Good luck to me.

Bob

 

[scruffyduck]

Sorry Bob not at the moment. We need to completely re-write the terrain handling code

 

[bobbyjack]

Oh, well, if that's all it takes....

Bob

 

[scruffyduck]

Oh, well, if that's all it takes....

Bob

No one, including ACES, the author of the utility I use to compile, or me have found out why it does not work. So I need to go back to basics and write my own utilities.

 

[bobbyjack]

I know I need to get off my lazy can and figure out how everyone else is doing it(as in this thread) but thanks for even thinking about it once and awhile.

Bob