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FSX Gmax Part Code Question

lionheart

lionheart

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10,163
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us-arizona
Hey guys,

I am converting my codes to FSX.

I need to write some parts up that will appear when given a L:var code input, such as wheel chauks, etc.

I also need the original 'engine off' code, which FSX doesnt seem to support anymore.

I was wondering if you could show me the proper way it would be written.

Here is what I have so far.



<PartInfo>
<Name>wheel_chauks_visible</Name>
<Visible>
<Parameter>
<CallbackCode>(L:wheel_chauks_visible, bool)</CallbackCode>
</Parameter>
<Minvalue>1</Minvalue>
</Visible>
</PartInfo>



<Animation name="wheel_chauks_visible" guid="9144A461-9AF6-4e2c-810B-E637334AC616" length="100" type="Sim" typeParam2="wheel_chauks_visible"

typeParam="AutoPlay" />


Does that look 'feasible'?



Many thanks guys,

Bill
LHC
 
lionheart said:
Code: 
    <PartInfo>
      <Name>wheel_chauks_visible</Name>
            <Visible>
               <Parameter>
               <CallbackCode>(L:wheel_chauks_visible, bool)</CallbackCode>
               </Parameter>
           <Minvalue>1</Minvalue>
    </Visible>
    </PartInfo>


<Animation name="wheel_chauks_visible" guid="9144A461-9AF6-4e2c-810B-E637334AC616" length="100" type="Sim" typeParam2="wheel_chauks_visible"

typeParam="AutoPlay" />

Does that look 'feasible'?
Click to expand...

In FSX if all you want is <Visibility> control, you do not need to create an <Animation...guid=..../> entry at all!

Despite what is in the sample modeldef.xml file and the SDK, <Minvalue> and <Maxvalue> do not work!

Here is a prototype for a simple, boolean type <Visibility> script:

Code: 
   <PartInfo>
      <Name>MyTagName</Name>
	    <Visibility>
		<Parameter>
	         <Code>(L:MyCustomVariable,bool)</Code>
		</Parameter>
     	    </Visibility>
   </PartInfo>
 
Many thanks Fr. Bill,

Ive adjusted them to the new code layout, but for some reason, they will not interact with my panel gauge, which selects their visibility per off then on. In FSX, they show as visible, and are not able to be turned off.

Also, and this is odd. I found 'engine0_stopped' and 'engine0_turning' in the parts XML list, but not in the animation manager, nor in the Attach Tool/Visibility selections. I did find my animations/visibilities in the Animation Manger though, probably because I have a GUID on them.

How does one get the Visibility to actually function? (Perhaps my panel gauge originally designed for FS9 needs a diff panel code to manage FSX Gmax parts on the model?)


EDIT: I am posting the codes for the Visibility nodes. By the way, these are blocks with an insivible texture applied, and parts assigned to them in Hierarchy. I am 'hoping' that is still the way things are done in FSX/Gmax.


Code: 
   <PartInfo>
      <Name>air_door_parts_appear</Name>
	    <Visibility>
		<Parameter>
	         <Code>(A:Exit Open,percent) 99 &gt;</Code>
		</Parameter>
     	    </Visibility>
   </PartInfo>



   <PartInfo>
      <Name>wheel_chauks_visible</Name>
	    <Visibility>
		<Parameter>
	         <Code>(L:wheel_chauks_visible, bool)</Code>
		</Parameter>
     	    </Visibility>
   </PartInfo>


   <PartInfo>
      <Name>luggage_visible</Name>
	    <Visibility>
		<Parameter>
	         <Code>(L:luggage_visible, bool)</Code>
		</Parameter>
     	    </Visibility>
   </PartInfo>

   <PartInfo>
      <Name>turbine_plugs_visible</Name>
	    <Visibility>
		<Parameter>
	         <Code>(L:turbine_plugs_visible, bool)</Code>
		</Parameter>
     	    </Visibility>
   </PartInfo>

   <PartInfo>
      <Name>passengers_visible</Name>
	    <Visibility>
		<Parameter>
	         <Code>(L:passengers_visible, bool)</Code>
		</Parameter>
     	    </Visibility>
   </PartInfo>


   <PartInfo>
      <Name>pitot_flags_visible</Name>
	    <Visibility>
		<Parameter>
	         <Code>(L:pitot_flags_visible, bool)</Code>
		</Parameter>
     	    </Visibility>
   </PartInfo>

Bill
 
Last edited:
Bill, you now have my 'enhanced version' of the modeldef.xml file. Note that the same format for the XML <Visibility> scripts does work for me...

Try this method...

1) create a small, 1"x1"x1" cube using Keyboard entry, so the part will automatically be placed at 0,0,0 in GMax.

2) Edit the poly to remove all polys except the one on the bottom. This will effectively make it invisible... ;)

3) Use this simple object for your control nodes, Cloning and Renaming as needed for your project.

4) Use the Attachpoint Tool to add the <Visibility> tag to each node as needed, Linking all objects to be controlled to this node.

I've been doing this for the past year+ and it's never failed... :D
 
Still nothing.

Bill, you say that you add this on as a Visibility. I must have missed something. How do I get the 'visibility' to show up in Attach Tool? The only place it will show up (and thats if it has a GUID) is in the Animation Manager.



Bill
 
Well... I found them, and they are indeed 'visibility' calls used in Attach Tool. They werent there before, but they are sure as heck there now. Thats all I care about. :D

Crazy.

They work fine now Bill. Thanks for your help.


Bill
 
lionheart said:
Still nothing.

Bill, you say that you add this on as a Visibility. I must have missed something. How do I get the 'visibility' to show up in Attach Tool? The only place it will show up (and thats if it has a GUID) is in the Animation Manager.

Bill
Click to expand...

A picture is worth a thousand words... ;)

attachpointtoolvisibilily6.jpg
 
lionheart said:
Well... I found them, and they are indeed 'visibility' calls used in Attach Tool. They werent there before, but they are sure as heck there now. Thats all I care about. :D

Crazy.

They work fine now Bill. Thanks for your help.


Bill
Click to expand...

You may notice something "new" in the Animation Tool's window as well. There's a whole bunch of "AE - xxx" groups now. All of the common animation 'tags' have been pre-set to show up as a "Group"... ;)

It makes finding things so much easier! :D

animationtoolgrouptags0gy5.jpg
 
Last edited:
Very nice! Thanks for the heads up Fr. Bill.

Having them in groups certainly does make it easier.


Bill
 
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