• 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:

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SBuilderX and John Hocking

falcon409

falcon409

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us-texas
I went searching for information on using the USGS server to download imagery for use in doing photoreal airports and came across what I thought was going to be the perfect tutorial. This was done by Prof John Hocking who relates the use of SBX to download the needed location imagery, performing the adjustments needed for seasonal and night textures, plus blur masks and water masks. Finally relating how to compile all the necessary layers into the final photo01.bgl file that SBX compiles. Up to that point it wasn't anything I didn't already know and use. . .but then he threw me completely when he started talking about dumping the photo01.bgl file, but using the photo01.inf file, editing that to include the information in the photoreal images text file and then dropping that onto the resample tool to produce. . .yet another. . .bgl file. Why the repetition in compiling. It's doing the same function twice. . .why in the world would you do that? made no sense to me at all. Can someone explain the redundancy?
 
Hi Ed:

To help others assist in answering this question for you, may I inquire as to whether you were referring to this PDF tutorial ? :confused:


OZx Guides 1.0: Making Scenery for Country Airstrips

http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?/topic/74-ozx-guides-10-making-scenery-for-country-airstrips/

Tutorial Download URL: http://aussiex.org/ozxteam/ejh/ejh_Tutorial_1.0.zip



If so, that would be found along with several other great Tutorials in the "OZx Design Guides and Tutorials" section at OZx Forums : :idea:

http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?/forum/51-ozx-design-guides-and-tutorials/



BTW: And if so, the above tutorial would also be one of several mentioned in this topically related thread at FSDeveloper: ;)

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=75338


Hope this helps expedite replies and discussion to answer the question in your OP above ! :)

GaryGB
 
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Yep, that's the one Gary. It turned out not to be what I was hoping for as it doesn't get into how to utilize the USGS image(s) to project a ground texture for FS. It did peak my interest only because, in my mind, he seemed to be repeating a process that had already yielded the photoimage ground texture. I didn't see anything in what he did manually after that that gave any different result.

I know that performing the resample function manually is what almost everyone swears by, and that's fine if you can weave your way through the poorly written SDK, but for me, it's just easier, quicker and simpler to let SBX run the compiler. I certainly wouldn't then turn around and run it again manually for no apparent reason.
 
Hi Ed:

After a cursory review of the PDF Tutorial cited above, IIUC, it seems that the author uses the parameters in "Photo01.Inf" generated for the desired Geographic area by SBuilderX after compilation of the aerial imagery tiles downloaded and used as a 'currently visualized' background map, to replace specific "placeholder" info in a generic template *.INF ...as shown on the last page of that PDF Tutorial. :scratchch


That template *.INF supplied by the author is more complex than the basic "Photo01.Inf" generated by SBuilder, and when the authors template *.INF is edited appropriately, it:

* corrects the applicable file names for source files

* individualizes the pixel mapping for the desired Geographic area

* allows for use of multiple sources and Blend / Water / Light Maps etc.

... all of which are not otherwise implemented in the "basic" type of *.INF provided via SBuilderX by default, after compilation of the aerial imagery tiles downloaded and used as a 'currently visualized' background map.


CAVEAT: Always backup IMMEDIATELY any "Photo01.Inf" generated by SBuilderX after compilation of the aerial imagery tiles downloaded and used as a 'currently visualized' background map, since that file is at risk of eventually being over-written. :redflag:


This is because the same "Photo01.Inf" file name is re-used every time SBuilderX compiles the aerial imagery tiles downloaded and used as a 'currently visualized' background map, and if one has changed the viewed area in any way, the "Photo01.Inf" will also be changed from what it was for any prior background map view.



PS: I'm not sure why the author used FSXGET to view the aircraft location when, AFAIK, in 2008 when the tutorial was authored, similar Google aerial imagery was already available via configuration of parameters for the built-in SBuilderX background map view, and via the Show Aircraft feature. :confused:


Hope this helps interpret the described workflow in the above tutorial. :)

GaryGB
 
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GaryGB said:
Hi Ed:

. . . . . . . .That template *.INF supplied by the author is more complex than the basic "Photo01.Inf" generated by SBuilder, and when the authors template *.INF is edited appropriately, it:

* corrects the applicable file names for source files

* individualizes the pixel mapping for the desired Geographic area

* allows for use of multiple sources and Blend / Water / Light Maps etc.

... all of which are not otherwise implemented in the "basic" type of *.INF provided by SBuilderX after compilation of the aerial imagery tiles downloaded and used as a 'currently visualized' background map.
GaryGB
Click to expand...
I guess this is the part that I found odd, because in fact, SBX does implement these functions in the inf file when you change the "properties" information for the basic background image. By selecting the appropriate seasonal texture files and night map file and also by virtue of the suffix added to certain files (_W for water, _B for blur) the inf file is changed to include those as part of the resampling/compile process.

Not sure what is meant by "individualizes the pixel mapping"?

Thanks for the info Gary!
 
falcon409 said:
Not sure what is meant by "individualizes the pixel mapping"?
Click to expand...

The pixel mapping of the aerial imagery must be individualized for, and copied over to replace, specified parameters and their associated values in the working copy of the authors "generic" template *.INF, so that it matches the data in the "Photo01.Inf" generated by SBuilderX, since there are invalid "placeholder" parameter values in the authors template (as seen on the last page of his PDF tutorial).


Thus, parameters specified by the author related to pixel mapping and their associated values must be implemented (and copied over) to define:

* the actual Geographic "location" of the upper left corner pixel in the aerial imagery to be placed on a corresponding FSX QMID grid vertex within the custom land class tile array


* the correct "size" of the aerial imagery pixels in the X (Longitude) and Y (Latitude) directions in degrees ...for where they are to be placed at a corresponding FSX QMID grid vertex within the custom land class tile array


...in order for it to be displayed correctly at run time within the FSX curved earth 3D world model, as discussed in the FSX/ESP SDK docs at:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc707102.aspx#ulxMap



Hope this helps to clarify what I was referring to by "individualizes the pixel mapping". :)

GaryGB
 
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