Creating a new Mission Category

[lionheart]

Hello all,


I need to create a new Mission 'Category'.

I have created a new XML Category XML file from the Missions Creation SDK.

File name; Kodiak Missionary Bush Flights.XML

File Code;

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16" ?> 
- <SimBase.Document Type="AceXML" version="1,0" id="FSCategories">
<Descr>AceXML Document</Descr> 
<Filename>Kodiak Missionary Bush Flights.xml</Filename> 

- <SimMissionUI.ScenarioCategory id="{6F781EFC-F019-40ce-95DC-036FA1C91E1E}">
<Descr>Kodiak International Missionary Flight Adventures.</Descr> 
<Title>Kodiak Missionary Bush Flights </Title> 
<PreviewImage>Kodiak_Adventures.bmp</PreviewImage> 
</SimMissionUI.ScenarioCategory>

</SimBase.Document>

On the lines that have a dash symbol in front, I have tried it with 'deleted' Dashes and 'with' Dashes. None work.

The problem is that 'Categories' is converted into a locked 'All Categories' instead of having all versions of categories available. Removing my XML file unlocks the choices, making them available/visible in the selector flyout.

Note, I also have a Bitmap in the correct size for the view bar.

May I ask what I am doing wrong?



Many thanks.


Bill
LHC

 

[ronh]

Bill,

I used your file and tried. Got the same results. I used notepad and just saved. Try save as UNICODE. The file does not "block" if you save as UNICODE.

However, I did not see your new category come up on the list. All the rest showed up. Perhaps you need an actual mission (kodiak), which I did not have.

 

[lionheart]

Thanks Ron,

I'll check that out.

I didnt know it could save as Unicode.


Good to know it showed up! Thanks for the input.


Bill

 

[Horst18519]

Why do you want to create a new category.XML? AfaIk fsx can't handle more than one. So simply edit the existing one and use the syntax you find there:

	<SimMissionUI.ScenarioCategory id="{89A043AF-EB9E-4248-8A3E-D645309542B9}">
		<Descr>Fun and games as you master the basics.</Descr>
		<Title>Tutorial</Title>
		<PreviewImage>banner_tutorials.bmp</PreviewImage>
	</SimMissionUI.ScenarioCategory>

 

[ronh]

The SDK says you may create more files if you like and really should.

Creating New Categories
It is possible to create your own categories. To do this create a new XML file and add the appropriate text and GUID entries to it. The file should be placed in the Microsoft Flight Simulator X/Categories folder. Flight Simulator X will open and read all XML files in this folder (not any sub-folders though), and read in all SimMissionUI.ScenarioCategory entries. Care should be taken to save off the file in Unicode (not ANSI) and to name the new XML file appropriately so that it will not be identical to any other third-party category file (use your company name, a GUID, or some other reliable file naming convention). Do not update the FSCategories.XML file, as this data can be lost when updates to Flight Simulator X are installed.

 

[Horst18519]

I've just learned something new.

Thanks.

 

[BASys]

Hi Folks

Further to Ron's comment -
The SDK's category code sample is invalid XML.

It's missing the unicode byte order mark.

As Ron points out,
saving as unicode will generate the valid XML format.



Bill -
See your post at simouthouse,
I've attached samples there.

I've just learned something new.

Thorsten -
Would that be not to modify the default cats ?



HTH
ATB
Paul

 

[Horst18519]

Paul, as I work for Aerosoft and they decided to modify the default file, I'll stick to that, but if I do more freeware stuff I'll definitely use this method.

 

[lionheart]

Hey Horst,


Yep, new Categories is totally possible and keeps you from having to change a main 'base' categories XML. Great for addons.


Thanks again Paul for the heads up on that. For others, use the Microsoft freeware XML Notepad. Works brilliant.

 

[beatle]

If you are editing/saving XML files from Notepad (or similar), set the encoding to UTF-8 instead of UTF-16 (which is why saving as unicode it then worked).

 

[lionheart]

Thanks Tim,

Will do.



Bill

 

[sruddy]

not getting it until...

I had tried many variations of utf-8 / unicode and all with no luck.

Then I made a folder and stuck a mission in it and low a new category was born...

 

[jeap67]

To create a new category all you need is to create a new xml file and place it inside category's folder. FSX will read all xml files there, and merge them.
Here you have an example of a new category. I've done it for a mission pack, and works perfect. You can copy it.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="AceXML" version="1,0" id="FSCategories">
    <Descr>AceXML Document</Descr>
    <Filename>categoriawsm.xml</Filename>
    <SimMissionUI.ScenarioCategory id="{1DDE8A76-FAA5-11DE-8516-B0E355D89593}">
        <Descr>Fly fast and slow around all Planet</Descr>
        <Title>World Series Magallanes</Title>
        <PreviewImage>banner_wsm.bmp</PreviewImage>
    </SimMissionUI.ScenarioCategory>
    </SimBase.Document>

Type in <Filename>, in <Descr> and in <Title> your desired parameters, and place the .bmp (335x69 pixel in 8 bit) in the same folder.
After that, be sure you choose this GUID in your scenery metadata's apropiated field.That's all !

I see is the same xml you wrote, and when I did it don't worry about Unicode, so maybe I did it well by error, ha,ha, but all I can tell you is that I used notepad as editor.

 

[YugNaej]

I found that you have to change the id="FSCategories" like it is shown at the bottom, in the new file you create for your category.

Works fine for me.

<SimBase.Document Type="AceXML" version="1,0" id="FSCategories">

<SimBase.Document Type="AceXML" version="1,0" id="you category file name here">

Jean-Guy