P3D v4 3D Lights using Attachtool

[wideloadwhitford]

Hello

I'm looking to find some resources on how to make a taxilight using the LOD method. I have my taxilight model I just need some help in attaching the light texture with LOD's onto my taxilight model. How would I go about doing this?

Thanks.

This was the 3D lights that I was looking to duplicate and attach to the models.
https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/resources/3-d-lights-for-prepar3dv4.213/

 

[Christian Bahr]

Hi!

It is relatively easy.

Method 1
You add the blue 3-D light to the actual 3-D model as a Library Object! To do this, you create an AttachPoint (for example a small cube) and copy a code into the object properties under User Defined. The code has the GUID that has the blue 3-D light. In this example the GUID of the blue 3-D light {c008e44c-e611-450f-a42e-1da2dea08a58}

It is important that the AttachPoint names in the code and in the AttachPoint (the cube) are identical! (attachpt_light_blue_0).

This code must be copied under User Defined:

FSXML = <?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1" ?> <FSMakeMdlData version="9.0"> <Attachpoint name="attachpt_light_blue_0"> <AttachedObject> <LibraryObject name="{c008e44c-e611-450f-a42e-1da2dea08a58}" scale="1.0"/> </AttachedObject> </Attachpoint> </FSMakeMdlData>

Method 2
Place both objects, the blue 3-D light and the 3-D model of the taxi lamp, with one and the same coordinates (LAT & LON). You set the 3-D light about 40cm higher. Here is the placement code for the blue 3-D light and for the taxi lamp:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<FSData version="9.0" xmlns:xsi='http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance' xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="bglcomp.xsd">

<!-- Airport Taxilight Lamp -->
<SceneryObject lat="51.405998" lon="6.939035" alt="0" pitch="0" bank="0" heading="0" imageComplexity="VERY_SPARSE" altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"><NoAutogenSuppression/><LibraryObject name="028262C54677C34C658776B9A7FF696F" scale="1"/></SceneryObject>

<!-- Airport 3-D Light Blue -->
<SceneryObject lat="51.405998" lon="6.939035" alt="0.33" pitch="0" bank="0" heading="0" imageComplexity="VERY_SPARSE" altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"><NoAutogenSuppression/><NoCrash/><LibraryObject name="c008e44c450fe611a21d2ea4588aa0de" scale="1"/></SceneryObject>

</FSData>

A sample xml file, which is compiled with bglccomp.exe into a BGL file, is attached.

 

[wideloadwhitford]

Very interesting and thank you for the response. I'm going to go for method 1. My question for method 1 would be am I amble to duplicate these models in 3dsmax after I put the user defined info in?

My goal is to place all of my lights in 3dsmax and export them.

 

[Christian Bahr]

Very interesting and thank you for the response. I'm going to go for method 1. My question for method 1 would be am I amble to duplicate these models in 3dsmax after I put the user defined info in?

My goal is to place all of my lights in 3dsmax and export them.

That should actually work. Then you would have to number the AttachPoint, otherwise an error message will appear when exporting due to the duplicate name of the AttachPoints. The AttachPoints should then be named like this:

attachpt_light_blue_0
attachpt_light_blue_1
attachpt_light_blue_2
attachpt_light_blue_3
attachpt_light_blue_4
etc

With many lights, the effort can be high, depending on how many lights the 3dsm scene contains. Please note that the naming must be made both in the code and at the AttachPoint (small cube)!

 

[wideloadwhitford]

That should actually work. Then you would have to number the AttachPoint, otherwise an error message will appear when exporting due to the duplicate name of the AttachPoints. The AttachPoints should then be named like this:

attachpt_light_blue_0
attachpt_light_blue_1
attachpt_light_blue_2
attachpt_light_blue_3
attachpt_light_blue_4
etc

With many lights, the effort can be high, depending on how many lights the 3dsm scene contains. Please note that the naming must be made both in the code and at the AttachPoint (small cube)!

That's a bit much, there's over 1,000 lights at least. I wonder if I can use a third party program such as instant scenery to place the models?

What would you recommend?

 

[tgibson]

I'm not sure if your lights are compatible, but Airfield Lights Toolbox has the capability of using custom models for its airport lighting.

 

[Christian Bahr]

I cannot give a correct recommendation in this case. Just so much: In my projects, or in which I am and have been involved, all 3-D objects were placed individually. So also the taxi lamps, runway lamps etc. Then, after changing the GUIDs, the coordinates of the 3-D model were taken to place the 3-D lights. In FSX I did this with the Object Placement Tool from the FSX SDK. In P3D I only work with the Simdirector to place objects. The Simdirector has an export function with which you can export sxml files. This SXML placement file can then be compiled into a BGL file using BGLcomp.exe.

Edit: Sorry, Tom's and my post overlapped

 

[pinkjr]

Christian,have you tested your lights on P3d v5 yet? I can't seem to make LOD lights work anymore. I wonder if something changed. I have not tried your lights yet though.

Thanks,
David

 

[Christian Bahr]

Hi David.

Yes, the 3-D lights work in the P3Dv5. I just tested it. The lights were tested with the current Hotfix 1:

 

[wideloadwhitford]

I cannot give a correct recommendation in this case. Just so much: In my projects, or in which I am and have been involved, all 3-D objects were placed individually. So also the taxi lamps, runway lamps etc. Then, after changing the GUIDs, the coordinates of the 3-D model were taken to place the 3-D lights. In FSX I did this with the Object Placement Tool from the FSX SDK. In P3D I only work with the Simdirector to place objects. The Simdirector has an export function with which you can export sxml files. This SXML placement file can then be compiled into a BGL file using BGLcomp.exe.

Edit: Sorry, Tom's and my post overlapped

So you would say you use an object placer in the sim to place the 3dmodels?

 

[Christian Bahr]

So you would say you use an object placer in the sim to place the 3dmodels?

Yes, exactly. All objects and 3-D models in my sceneries were placed with the P3D Simdirector.

 

[wideloadwhitford]

Yes, exactly. All objects and 3-D models in my sceneries were placed with the P3D Simdirector.

Interesting. So I will make just one model of my taxilight and will place them using Simdirector.

I will try to do this today and report back to you. Thanks for the help.

 

[wideloadwhitford]

I was able to get Method 1 working beautifully. If I export and place into my scenery it shows up. Amazing thanks!