• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
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    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

SAMM Version 2 Available

gadgets

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I am nearing completion of a major upgrade to SAMM that, among other things, will allow it to convert FSX aircraft. I hope to add a few more "goodies" (for both FS8/9 and FSX aircraft), but it will be a few days before I can announce anything further.

For now, I'd really appreciate a couple very-experienced users helping me test this new capability.

For those of you less-experienced who might be tempted to volunteer just to get the new capability, I'd discourage that. While SAMM 2 converts the FSX aircraft I've tried, much of the existing code was changed and a good deal was added. So, there's bound to be some issues as a result. I want to be able to focus on identifying and fixing those issues and adding further capability - not "hand-holding".

So, if you're going to have a little spare time over the next few days and are willing to help out, please let me know by PM or e-mail (don at stuff4fs.com).

Don
 

gadgets

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SAMM Version 2 is now available as the Development Release from http://stuff4fs.com.

The response to my earlier plea for testers was positively underwhelming. As a result, this initial release of Version 2 may have more issues than might otherwise have been the case.

While versions 1 and 2 should co-exist in the same folder, I recommend you install Version 2 separately.

Version 2 supports a number of texture processing features that rely on Martin Wright's graphics processing .dlls - which most of you likely have already installed. If you haven't installed them, you may still run Version 2, but those feaures will not be available. Instructions for obtaining the .dlls are included in the new User Manual.

Speaking of the User Manual, which has been extensively updated, while Version 2 provides all the capability of Version 1 with FSX aircraft (with a couple minor exceptions), several of those features operate differently in Version 2. It is strongly recommended you review at least the first half of the User Manual before running version 2.

When reporting issues with Version 2 (and I would encourage you to do so), please ensure that you reference Version 2.

Have fun,
Don!
 

gadgets

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SAMM Version 2.0.02 is now available as the Development Release from http://stuff4fs.com.

Version 2.0.01 had one significant FSX limitation vis-a-vis it's FS8/9 capabilities. That is, engines on/off could not be controlled individually. That limitation does not exist in 2.0.02. As well, 2.0.02 properly processes visibility flags which, in the earlier version, were always interpreted as on. (That was the basis of the engine issue). And, a couple other minor issues that I noticed since the initial release are fixed.

There's potentially two more major user interface improvements coming, but neither will affect the aircraft conversion "logic" which, as far as I can tell at the moment, is "golden".

Don
 

gadgets

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Oops! Someone just discovered that converted FSX aircraft placed with the SAMM 2.0.02 placement feature will be below ground and, therefore, not visible. (I negated the static height when I intended to negate the static pitch.) A manual altitude and pitch correction is required.

(There's a long but hardly convincing excuse why I didn't catch this prior to release, so I won't even try.)

I'll have a new development release with this fixed later today.

Don
 

gadgets

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I have just posted SAMM Version 2.0.04 as the Development Release at http://stuff4fs.com. In addition to converting FSX aircraft, Version 2.0.04:

  • has an integrated model viewer (thanks to Arno),
  • supports a number of texture processing features utilizing Martin Wright's graphics processing .dlls if installed, and
  • allows custom shadow generation to minimize FPS impact using low LOD versions of the aircraft itself and providing a cut-off LOD beyond which no shadow is generated.

I expect to add a couple more features in Version 2 before development is complete. In the meantime, please feel free to use 2.0.04 and report any difficulties (which should be few and far between).

It would be helpful to me to know just how much "exercise" Version 2 is getting. So, if you are using it, please send me a short note via e-mail at "don at stuff4fs.com".

Don
 

gadgets

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I have just completed development of SAMM Version 2 and have posted SAMM Version 2.0.05 as the Development Release at http://stuff4fs.com.

My intent is to let Version 2 "soak" for a couple of weeks, fix any bugs that get reported and then release it generally as a replacement for Version 1. I hope that some of you have an opportunity to try it out before general release.

In addition to creating static models of FSX aircraft (requires FSX SDK), Version 2.0.05:

  • converts static models of FS9 aircraft for use with FSX and vice versa (requires FSX or FS9 SDK respectively),
  • has an integrated model viewer (thanks to Arno),
  • supports a number of texture processing features utilizing Martin Wright's graphics processing .dlls if installed, and
  • allows custom shadow generation to minimize FPS impact using low LOD versions of the aircraft itself and providing a cut-off LOD beyond which no shadow is generated.
Enjoy, and please report any issues you find, no matter how seemingly minor.

Don
 
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Difficulties inshalizing SAMM

Each time I start up SAMM 2 i get the following message.

Access to the path
'C:\Users\name\AppData\Roaming\SAMM2\SAMM2\1.0.0.0' is denied.

First off there isn't any folder in that location and I have not been able to go any further with the SAMM2

Any ideas as to the problem?

William
 

gadgets

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You do not have the necessary access privileges required by Windows. Windows is preventing SAMM from running. You need to run as administrator.

Please see the Execution section of the manual under INSTALLING, EXECUTING and UNINSTALLING SAMM.

Don
 
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Sorry Don,

I have done exactly what you had said and still get the same message. once SAMM@ is up and running, I get the same message each time i click on the select button.

William

PS also tried it in XP mode same thing
 

gadgets

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I presume you have both SAMM and Flightsim installed on your C:drive. It appears that, for whatever reason, Windows is not allowing SAMM access to your aircraft folders.

If Windows won't let SAMM access something, there's nothing SAMM can do about it.

Try deleting your SAMM folder and re-install on another logical drive to see if that helps.

BTW, I assume you actually right-clicked the SAMM.exe icon and selected "Run as Administrator ...". Just giving yourself administrator privileges is not sufficient.

Don
 
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Excellent Don,

The solution to my issue is the drive. FSX is installed on my gaming drive, and SAMM needed to be installed on the same drive.

Thank You, Sir.
William
 

gadgets

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Thanks for the update, WIlliam.

There is no requirement in SAMM that it be installed on the same drive as FlightSim. (In my own case, SAMM is on my D: drive, FS9 on F: and FSX on E:.)

But, if that's what keeps Windows "happy" on your system ... I'll keep that in mind to assist others who experience a similar problem.

Don
 

gadgets

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Those of you using SAMM 2 would be well-advised to check the development release status at http://stuff4fs.com frequently. Because these are development releases, the automatic update is not in effect.

I just posted 2.0.09 which contains some fixes in the "make library" routines and no longer throws an exception if you attempt to convert a FSX model with a custom shadow for use with FS9.

Don
 
Messages
162
I just downloaded the latest dev version, and every time it starts it says "the type initializer for 'SAMM2.Common' threw an exception."

if i click continue, and try to select an aircraft folder, it says "could not load file or assembly 'interfaces, Version=1.0.0.0, culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.

I installed it as per the readme, placing all the files in the same folder as the 1.1.16 version, and running SAMM2 not SAMM1. it doesn't work. Did i miss something here?
 

gadgets

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Rcnesneg, I've never seen this before and have no idea what's going on excpet that it's internal to Windows,.

Did you try installing to a new folder?

Don
 
Messages
162
well at first i just downloaded and extracted it, then when i tried to run it it did this, so i read the installation and put the files in the folder with the older main release, but it does the same thing. I can post the details for the error if you want. I downloaded the version 2.0.11 from http://stuff4fs.com/newpage.asp?JS=True&Folder=SAMM, and clicked on developmental release.
 

gadgets

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No wonder it didn't work. The archive was missing a bunch of files for a new installation.

(It would have worked if you had previously installed an earlier release of SAMM2)

Please download 2.0.12 for http:stuff4fs.com.

Don
 
Messages
162
woa, i tried re-downloading version 2012, and this time i downloaded it, it had a whole bunch of files, not an exe, a pdf, and a txt. Thanks for the help!

EDIT: Works perfectly! thanks!
 
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23
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canada
I am a little confused, I just d/l the version 2.2.10.0...... is this one the last one? As I see in some messages before version 2012.
Thank you
 
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