P3D v4 Can't figure it out...

[Gerald Krutsch]

Hello guys,

I might be to dumb to understand how this SW works, but I'm unable to create anything...

So...I wanted to create a WigWag for my LRTR Scenery to work with P3Dv4. The idea was to create a common Library and to place the Objects with ADE. Unfortunately the tool will not create any .BGL files. What am I doing wrong?

Thank you.

BR,
Gerald

 

[gadgets]

It's hard to know what you've done wrong since you haven't told me what you did - only what you are trying to do. Click on Save Element, then Make Library. You should see your wigwag in the list of elements. Select it, tell AFLT where you want the .bgl to be saved and make the library. That's all there is to it.
Don

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

Don, that's exactly what I did.
I clicked Save Element and a window appeared with "Light INI File saved".
The I clicked Make Library (the WigWag was automaticaly selected), followed by Create / Save Library with the shown Path.
In my Scenery path there are no files created and neither in "Documents\Prepar3D v4 Add-ons".

The only files created are in the "Library Folder" entered at the top of the main panel.

*EDIT*: Made a short video

 

[gadgets]

Gerald, I have no way of knowing why the library files are not created where you've (presumably) told AFLT to put them. But, the .bgl created in the Library Folder is the same file. Just copy it to whatever folder you need it to be in. (As noted in another thread, I'm away from my development system and unable to investigate.)

Don

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

Well Don, the problem is that AFLT won't create ANY .bgl.
It only creates some .MDL files in a folder structure located in the Library Folder (some of those not recognized by MCX).

I noted your away. Just investigate when you have time.

BR Gerald

 

[gadgets]

What is your scenery path? Are you running as administrator? (If your scenery path is anywhere on the C: drive, you'll almost certainly have to be running as administrator.) No one else is reporting such an issue, so I must conclude the problem is "local". I notice you are using version 3.1.02. Have you tried downloading and using the latest development release?

Don

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

Don,

in the first picture you will see that all my paths are not on C Drive but on G. The video shows you also step by step my doing and yes, you will also see that I run the app as admin.

I don't see many users creating lights for P3Dv4. The problem either lies in the steps I'm doing (please see the video!) or in the P3Dv4 settings.

 

[gadgets]

Have you tried development release 3.2.01(d)?

Don

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

Yes! I downloaded and installed it right after you have mentioned it. No change: AFLT does create all the Folders and files in the Library Folder (see below picture) but no .BGL files in any location. I also just check the AFLT.INI file and all the paths were correct.

 

[gadgets]

Since no .bgl files are being created and you haven't indicated and error messages being issued, you must be missing a step somewhere "along the way". Please take a screenshot of the Make Library dialog just prior to clicking the Create/Save Library button. As well, please zip up your entire Library folder nad attach it to your post or e-mail it to me at don at stuff4fs dot com.

Don

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

Attached the picture and the Library ZIP.

I again point you to the video I posted. There you will see step by step all the clicks, messages etc.

 

[gadgets]

I again point you to the video I posted. There you will see step by step all the clicks, messages etc.

I am travelling and restricted to a slow satellite link. I was unable to access your video.

I'll take a look at your files ASAP.

Don

 

[gadgets]

I have analysed your files and, indeed, there is a problem in AFLT. What makes the situation unusual is that when I executed the code with your data, I received an error message. Apparently you did not. The error message quickly pointed me in the right direction and that problem is now fixed. As I reported earlier, I am unable to test with PV4 and therefore, cannot confirm that al is yet well. But the issue preventing the generation of the .bgl is fixed in the attached. (I am unable to update my server at this time, so the revised files are attached.)

Don

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

No joy with the update.
I don't get any error messages. I see some windows opening and closing fast, but none of them stay open with an error.

 

[gadgets]

No joy with the update.

Then, unfortunately, I have no idea what could br causing your problem.

I see some windows opening and closing fast, but none of them stay open with an error

That's the compiler "doing its thing". The error message (which will no longer occur) should have appeared before that point. So, that suggests something in your machine configuration is inhibiting the error messages as well. The advisory message shown in one of the screenshots you provided earlier indicates AFLT recognizes it's compiling for PV4. I assume your G: drive is not a network drive. If it is, then please install AFLT on a non network drive and direct the .bgl file to a local drive. Otherwise, is there anything peculiar about your system.

In the meantime, I'll try to configure my travelling computer as a PV4-only system and see if that leads me anywhere.

Don

 

[gadgets]

Good news. Once I reconfigured my system to emulate a PV4-only installation, I was able to duplicate your issue. The key was that you did not select an airport .xml file from which AFLT could extract the positions for the wigwag simobjects Nonetheless, under those circumstances, AFLT should have generated(and now does) a .bgl containing only the models. (Had it generated that .bgl, you wouldn't have seen anything in Flightsim because no positioning information was available.)

The attached version 3.2.01(f) should fix this. I say "should" because, while I was able to emulate a PV4-only installation, I don't actually have PV4 on this machine. Consequently, I must leave it to you to confirm the result. Please note that, until you give AFLT some positioning info, either via an array definition, your airport editor or otherwise, you won't see your wigwags in Flightsim.

Don

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

The manual said I don't have to provide an XML file. I want to place the objects with ADE (if I manage to create the library).

Will report back ASAP.

 

[gadgets]

The manual said I don't have to provide an XML file. I want to place the objects with ADE (if I manage to create the library).

That's not quite correct. While you don't need to specify the .xml file if simobjects are not to be used, the user manual near the top of page 13 reads:

"If you are compiling for P3D and your library is to include lights the positions of which are specified in an airport (or other) .bgl file of your making, you must first specify the path to the .xml file from which the .bgl was created, i.e., containing the “SceneryObject” code for the custom lighting elements AND the airport definition, from which AFLT will extract the data to locate and control the simobjects."

Objects placed as scenery can be positioned directly from an ADE-generated (or other .bgl) file. However, objects placed as simobjects are controlled by SimConnect and the controlling data must also include positioning information. AFLT scans the airport (or other) .xml in order to glean this positioning information and imbed it in the SimConnect data.

AFLT will generate a .bgl file without reference to any xml. But, such a file will not contain any positioning data and its only use is as input to ADE's (or other airport development system's) object library management system. It turns out that, prior to the development release I made earlier today, AFLT would not generate that "positionless" file. But, the only affect was that you would have to enter the guids into ADE manually, one-by-one.

If you have already specified the wigwag positions via ADE and have "told" ADE which guid to use, then compiling in AFLT with the XML data for the airport is all you need to do.

Don

 

[Gerald Krutsch]

AFLT will generate a .bgl file without reference to any xml. But, such a file will not contain any positioning data and its only use is as input to ADE's (or other airport development system's) object library management system. It turns out that, prior to the development release I made earlier today, AFLT would not generate that "positionless" file. But, the only affect was that you would have to enter the guids into ADE manually, one-by-one.

Don, I meant to say exactly the above because I wanted to place the object from the library using ADE.

Nevertheless SUCCESS! The BGL has been created both in the Library and Scenery folders. I will check if the WigWag works and will experiment further with the Simobjects part.

Thank you.

Gerald