Attach Point question...

[Rick Tobin]

I've been lurking for a while in this forum taking some info here and there and so far my projects have come out fairly good. Thanks for all the info you guys provide.

Question:

Is there a limit to the number of attach points you can have in one scene?

I've built a scene that I'd like to put street light type area lighting around and so far I've installed one using the fx_landing (attachpt_landing) and it worked. It was very dim and didn't project onto the ground as it does from an A/C but it worked.

The problem is that prior to putting in this light, I already had a rotating beacon and one obstruction light. When I add the attachpt_landing data to the XML file, then open up FS, the rotating beacon has disappeared. The dim street light shows up and the obstruction light is still there.

Here's a partial copy of the XML file showing the only part that gets changed:

<SceneryObject lat="36 38.61" lon="-76 00.85" alt="0" pitch="0" bank="0" heading="0" altitudeIsAgl="TRUE" imageComplexity="NORMAL">
<LibraryObject name="ADD0B4FD491464FA7FA4F196B5A88AB0" scale="1.0" />
<AttachedObject attachpointName="attachpt_beacon" >
<Beacon type="CIVILIAN" baseType="HELIPORT" />
</AttachedObject>
<AttachedObject attachpointName="attachpt_obslight" >
</AttachedObject>
<AttachedObject attachpointName="attachpt_landing">
</AttachedObject>
</SceneryObject>

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Any ideas on the dim landing light would be a plus as well.

Rick

 

[Firestriker]

Rick,

I have had up to 14 attach points in one scene. 10 obs lights, 1 platform and 3 objects from a library attached to animated pivots so far, so your three should not be a problem.

BTW, the fx_landing only produces a point if light, no beam to illuminate the ground.

Lou

 

[Rick Tobin]

Thanks for the info Lou.

This endeavour never ceases to amaze me. Just when you think you've got it figured out it throws another surprise at you.

If I had to get rid of any light object in the scene it would be everyone EXCEPT the rotating beacon. So, I go back in and remove everything but the beacon. When I start FS, this time the beacon is working and even though the attachpt_obslight was removed, the obslight is still there flashing away.

Thanks again...
Rick

 

[rhumbaflappy]

Hi Rick.

You've got me a little confused.

If you attached an object or effect within gmax, you do not need to reference the object or effect again in the XML. That's probably why you had problems, and probably why the OBS light still shows.

The only time you would reference the attachpoint again would be in placing the beacon. There is a way of creating "empty" attachpoints, but I haven't played with that much.

An empty attachpoint should allow you to use XML to attach different objects or effects as decided by the XML... so you could have identical objects that could show different attachments for each placement, as you desired.


EDITED========

I played with "empty" attachpoints. The SDK, and the XML schema, indicate that effects or objects could be assigned to these attachpoints by XML code.

Sadly, the empty attachpoint acts exactly like the beacon attachpoint. The XML compiler ( not the schema as it reports ) doesn't allow an effect or object attached to an empty.... so the ONLY way to use an attachpoint with an object or effect is to define that object or effect within the gmax MDL. XML placement code will automatically use the attached effect or object.

If you want to place effects or objects with XML, these need to be declared as separate Scenery Objects in XML.

I think the bglcomp.exe is in error here, just as it prevents Generic Buildings having altitude. Hacking the hex code might allow it... or replacing BGLComp with a better compiler.

<AttachedObject attachpointName="attachpt_obslight" >
</AttachedObject>
<AttachedObject attachpointName="attachpt_landing">
</AttachedObject>

...is simply skipped by the compiler. In order for an OBS or landing light effect to show, they must be attached already within gmax. So that section XML code is unnecessary, or might even be harmful.

Dick

 

[Rick Tobin]

Thanks a lot Dick for clearing that up, and sorry for the confusion.

I followed the SDK for an empty attach point and apparently assumed that the process was the same for any attach point.

I corrected the xml file to reflect only the data for the empty attach point (the rotating beacon) and removed all other references to any effect or object attach point and now everything is working fine.

Thanks again...

Rick