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First question

E

easelweasel

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unitedkingdom
Hello everyone, thanks for the welcome the other day Arno.
I have been trying to figure out the correct workflow for what I am trying to achieve and was wonderng if someone could offer an insight.
I hope this is in the correct forum, I apologise if it's not.
I started my learning curve with the FS2004 sdk, ie export, you get a mdl file and an xml file. Edit the xml for coordinates etc and then compile.
Now I have moved to the 2002sdk I am finding things a tad confusing. When I want to test the positioning of an object, do I have to export every time from Gmax to change the coordinates? I ask because I have been using Mdlcommander and middleman so I can edit the asm files. And I am left a tad confused. I have noticed there is a Lat. Long reference in one of the asm files but only has a hexdecimal figure, which I don't have a clue how to use.
If I compile as mdl file using bglc_9 can I still use an xml file to position, like I did with the FS2004sdk? If so, where can I locate the ModelData name that the xml code needs?
For instance :

<LibraryObject name="A4D20C634839F80C3C65249A520C86F5" scale="2.0" />
</SceneryObject>
<ModelData name="A4D20C634839F80C3C65249A520C86F5" sourceFile="test.mdl" />

I hope my questions make sense, and are applicable to this forum. And I thank anyone who responds, in advance. Thankyou

Marcus
 
Hi Marcus,

No, you can not place the Fs2002 object with XML code, you can not even compile it indeed a correct MDL object. So that is no option.

In the source code the lat/lon are indeed writen as hexadecimal values, so not very easy to work with. You can either export from GMax every time or make an API macro of your objects using FsRegen. There is an article about this on the site as well.

But for Fs2004 I strongly suggest you to use the Fs2004 gamepack and the new XML code.
 
Thanks for clarifying that for me Arno, I will give FSregen a look. May I ask why, you say use 2004 for 2004? (I know it makes sense) I have no doubt you are wiser, but advice I have had from others is it doesn't matter too much. Plus I could not get middleman and Mdlcommander to work with the 2004sdk and could not produce asm files to edit.
I appreciate your help

Marcus
 
Hi,

If you want to keep the asm files when exporting with the FS2004 SDK, just create a makemdl.cfg file with notepad then enter

Keep=1

Save the CFG file in the same folder as makemdl.exe
When you export the asm file will be saved in the same place as the XML and BGL files

It works for me, i've never yet needed to use MDLcommander

Theres also a thread here
http://www.scenerydesign.org/forum/showthread.php?t=287

Stevo
 
I have installed MDLCommander with the Fs2004 gamepack, that gives you the options screen back during export.

I never saw any purpose for MiddleMan for scenery designers, so I have never used that tool.

About the use of the gamepacks. The Fs2004 gamepack creates scenery in a very different format. Internally the scenery engine has completely changed. For the future it seems best to switch to the Fs2004 gamepack when possible.
 
Thanks for the explaination arno. I assumed this was the case, even when others told me to use the 2002sdk.
I couldn't get mdlcommander to work with the 2004 sdk. I kept getting a message saying an xml file is not in the plugin folder, even though it was there (or something like that). Before I started asking questions here I assumed that it only worked with the 2002sdk. Which was my motivation for downgrading.
Also a freind of mine, says he can work some wonders with x files, should I figure out how to impliment them. I discovered with the 2002 makemodel that you can select the input x file when compiling. Would anyone be able to tell me how I could use x files with the 2004 sdk? I know it's an odd question but I really want to find out what this magic my friend says he can do.
I would just ask him how to do it, if he wasn't the most difficult person in the world to get hold of.

Many thanks

Marcus
 
You need to rename the xml file as well. By default it is called makemdl.parts.xml or so and you need to rename it to mkmdl.parts.xml (just like you renamed makemdl.exe).

Yes, I think you can also work with X files in the Fs2004 MakeMDL. But what would be the advantage of the X file above the ASM source file? Until now I have been able to tweak whatever I can imagine in the ASM file :D.
 
Thanks very much for the info arno, you are a star. :)
I feel quite silly not recognising that I had to rename the file, as a computer technician you get used to noticing these things. Silly me.
I am going to put the information to good use now, I will report as to how I get on.
Regarding to what my friend says he can do with x files, I can only imagine. However I am very tempted to find out.

I'm very grateful

Marcus
 
Hehe, no problem. The only reason I know what went wrong, is because I made the same mistake when I installed it myself :D

And if you have figured out what you can do with the X files, please let us know. I would be interested to see which extra possibilities it could give us.
 
Arno, I have uninstalled/reinstalled gmax using the FS2004sdk again, and now have everything running the way you suggested. Mdlcommander etc.
Only now, I don't have the ability to save the x file when exporting, like I did with the 2002 installation. I have the ability to choose an x file as input, like before. But now there are far less options on the makemodel display.
Any ideas how I can get my hands on this x file using the 2004 sdk?
Without which, I will not be able to report on any improvements my friend might make.
Cheers

Marcus
 
I think saving the x files is a functionallity of MiddleMan, but I never used that, so I can't help you with the setup of that. I have heard that it still works in Fs2004 as well.

I use MDLCommander to get my ASM files as I wrote before, I have never needed an X file for anything.
 
You beat me to it, Arno. After a bit of fiddling, uninstalling, reinstalling. I found that out just a second ago. I apologise for asking questions I have found answers to myself. I have been driving myself mad with this the last few days, and asking was out of desperation. In the end I went for a walk, made a cup of tea, came back and it all made sense.
I really appreciate your help and assitance, and to your input as well steveo. I hope my future questions will be less elementary in the future.
What a great forum :D

Marcus
 
Sorry to keep rumbling on about this topic Arno. But I could use your help one more time. Once I have edited the source code and compile with BGLC_9, I get a bgl file only. If I wanted to make a library object from it or to use XML code to place it, I need a mdl file don't I? How can I edit asm files and produce a mdl file rather than a bgl? Again, sorry to ramble on, but the tutorials I have found only deal with specifics.

Cheers

Marcus
 
Never mind, silly me again. I didn't use the -mdl prefix when compiling. I tried "bglc_9 mdl file.asm" and wondered why it didn't work. Sorry to waste your time.

Cheers

Marcus
 
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