FSX SODE Issue Again

[tgycgijoes]

Hoping I could still catch you. I have been working for hours to get this to show up at the Denton Airport. I had to change it from AM_US_Flag because there is one already at KMYR and it will not appear I even tried this (attached) and it still won't appear. Also how can I put the US flag at more than one airport if I can only have one xml with that name and the location?

 

[Bushpilot]

There is a typo in your SODE_AM_US_Texas_FLAG.xml....

Your entry
<Model SimTitle="AM_US_Texas_FLAG">
The corresponding entry in your sim.cfg
title=AM_US_Texas_Flag

These two entries must be absolutely identical!

So the entry in the SODE_AM_US_Texas_FLAG.xml must be
<Model SimTitle="AM_US_Texas_Flag">
Then it should work.

 

[tgycgijoes]

Thank you and have a great vacation.

Richard

 

[tgycgijoes]

No matter how hard I try I cannot get ANY animated flag to be visible at Denton KDTO. I checked the XML and it is validated; the MDLs all work in MDCx but the only way I can get a flag at KDTO is by placing a bgl in ADEx. ????? That is even Dietmar's original not showing

 

[Bushpilot]

First, a question from me.
Do you use Dietmar's flags only as SODE objects or also via BGL as static objects?
Static objects include all other add-ons, no matter if freeware or payware.
The further procedure depends on it.

 

[Bushpilot]

Furthermore, I discovered another typo in your xml.

You have 2x </SODE> at the end of the xml code.
However, it may be present only 1x.

The easiest and fastest way to check an xml is with the Internetexplorer from MS.
The xml must be able to be opened with the Internetexplorer, then the xml is correct in the structure so far.

 

[tgycgijoes]

At the moment I am not using Dietmar's animated flag anywhere. I created a bgl of your mdl to place as a static object at KDTO. I don't like or use internet explorer but online XML Validator. Thank you for checking the code for me and I will correct the code. I was able to put a double flag which you created in MDCx BUT the animation shows ONE flag on the bottom but duplicate American flags on the top. I double checked to see if perhaps I had placed another SODE there at the location at KASH but I did not. I was excited to get it to work there. I replaced the Texas flag with the MIAPOW flag which they have flying at the airport. I checked it in MDCx and it is perfect one of each. Ideas??? I removed it then and just posted an animated U.S. Flag with SODE and it works great. FSX <SHIFT> Z is not accurate enough places in the minutes/decimals so I experimented on the location with SODEPlacer which worked perfectly to accurately locate the New Hampshire State Flag which I created opposite the US Flag there. Appreciate the help.

 

[Bushpilot]

I can't see any duplicate flags on my end.

You might want to use only one SimObjects folder for all flags.

If you use more than one SimObjects folder you have to be careful not to duplicate the line title=xxx (title=AM_US_Texas_Flag) in the sim.cfg.
Here you should then use the associated ICAO code of the airport.
In this example it would be title=KDTO_AM_US_Texas_Flag...
And then don't forget to change the corresponding entries in the xml.


For the exact placement of the aircraft and the reading of the coordinates I can highly recommend the SlewMaster from here (http://stuff4fs.com/newpage.asp?Folder=SlewMaster&Docs=SlewMaster User Manual.pdf).

 

[tgycgijoes]

I can't see any duplicate flags on my end.

View attachment 76845

You might want to use only one SimObjects folder for all flags.

If you use more than one SimObjects folder you have to be careful not to duplicate the line title=xxx (title=AM_US_Texas_Flag) in the sim.cfg.
Here you should then use the associated ICAO code of the airport.
In this example it would be title=KDTO_AM_US_Texas_Flag...
And then don't forget to change the corresponding entries in the xml.


For the exact placement of the aircraft and the reading of the coordinates I can highly recommend the SlewMaster from here (http://stuff4fs.com/newpage.asp?Folder=SlewMaster&Docs=SlewMaster User Manual.pdf).

I have only one sim objects folder in SODE with all the flags and the mowers and snow plows in it. The flag I created for KASH is attached. I will also be putting in a SODE windsock later because the one in FSX from library objects in ADEx at my airport is ALL GRAY and looks terrible. Thank you for the SlewMaster that looks great.

 

[Bushpilot]

I looked at your zip and modified it a bit.
A new object (mdl) should always get a new name and GUID.
Furthermore I adjusted the texture names and changed them accordingly in the mdl.
This way this flag can also be placed in the shared SimObjects folder.
And there should be no more problems with the display.

For a SODE windsock I can recommend this page (https://sites.google.com/site/patdebarrsimus/home/sode).

 

[Bushpilot]

When creating a new flag, the following points are important:
- new texture name (bmp) and adjust it in the object (mdl).
- new object name
- new GUID number
These points can be done fast and uncomplicated with the MCX

 

[tgycgijoes]

thank you for ALL your help. I will have to look at MDCx and help files and see how to create a new GUID because I ONLY know how to do that in GMAX with the FSX Tools and we KNOW what happens there: no animations when its exported as an MDL. I am trying to learn by struggling LOL! I just downloaded Christian Bahr's animated windsock and created xml and a simobject file for it but obviously there is something wrong though it appears fine in ObjectPlacer. I will try the one YOU suggest.

 

[tgycgijoes]

That windsock you suggested is all in French and unintelligible to me BUT I used it as a sample and if I followed it's example correctly, I was able to create one with the information from Christian Bahr who I assume expected me to know HOW to create SODE files. We'll see when I go look for it now. Then I will place the USPOW flag at KASH, thank you for that. Well, so much for that...here is the zip of the windsock. WHAT DID I DO WRONG---PLEASE. I will compare and try and learn.

 

[Bushpilot]

There are some errors present.
I must look at tomorrow in peace.

 

[tgycgijoes]

There are some errors present.
I must look at tomorrow in peace.

OK, no problem. I'm off to evening service at church and through for today, too. Thanks for all your help and patience with me slowly learning.

 

[Bushpilot]

I have looked at your files.
There are several errors present.

One error in the xml...
Here you have to distinguish between wind dependent objects (in this case the windsock) and between static objects which do not change by the wind (in this case the mast from the windsock).

The second error in sim.cfg...
The line model=windsock_still must also match the model name model.windsock_still.

Analogously the other model= lines.

The third error...
The folder model.windsock_medium_speed contained the windsocks_still.mdl with the name windsock_medium_speed.mdl.

The fourth and worst error was contained in the model.windsock_still folder in the model.cfg there.
There were several entries in this model.cfg which did not belong there.


I reordered SODE_Windsocks SimObjects and fixed the errors.
Since there are more red windsocks than red/white windsocks in the states, I added red windsocks.

 

[tgycgijoes]

I have looked at your files.
There are several errors present.

One error in the xml...
Here you have to distinguish between wind dependent objects (in this case the windsock) and between static objects which do not change by the wind (in this case the mast from the windsock).

The second error in sim.cfg...
The line model=windsock_still must also match the model name model.windsock_still.

Analogously the other model= lines.

The third error...
The folder model.windsock_medium_speed contained the windsocks_still.mdl with the name windsock_medium_speed.mdl.

The fourth and worst error was contained in the model.windsock_still folder in the model.cfg there.
There were several entries in this model.cfg which did not belong there.


I reordered SODE_Windsocks SimObjects and fixed the errors.
Since there are more red windsocks than red/white windsocks in the states, I added red windsocks.

Again, thanks...I have downloaded and printed this out and will open up my xml. and see where I made the mistakes so I don't make them again. Gotta stop working on this stuff when I am tired at night to stop making mistakes. I notice that the sim.cfg has both the red and red/white windsocks in it as well as having both kind of models. The xml is only RDWH. Do I remove the red models and red models from the sim before I use it or do they all stay there and will only the RDWH in the xml be referenced and placed by the xml? Trying to learn.




Richard

 

[tgycgijoes]

Again, thanks...I have downloaded and printed this out and will open up my xml. and see where I made the mistakes so I don't make them again. Gotta stop working on this stuff when I am tired at night to stop making mistakes. I notice that the sim.cfg has both the red and red/white windsocks in it as well as having both kind of models. The xml is only RDWH. Do I remove the red white models and red models from the sim before I use it or do they all stay there and will only the RDWH in the xml be referenced and placed by the xml? Trying to learn.




Richard

I separated the red mdls and the rw mdls into two folders added to simobjects and xml and I have a windsock, yay! Now how can we light it? The windsock at KASH is lighted according to AIRNAV.

 

[tgycgijoes]

I tried to illuminate it in Model Converter X with a spotlight effect placed successfully, however it doesn't illuminate the windsock just shines out of it. Now what do you suggest if there IS a way to do it. I also tried creating an red_white_*.LM. dds but that didn't do anything at all.

 

[Bushpilot]

To light the windsock it would work in P3D from v4 with a dynamic light effect.
But here for the windsock, in my opinion, a lightmap (LM) of the texture is the right choice.

Windsock red / white
Day

Night

Windsock red
Day

Night

But for this I had to rebuild the entire folder structure.
So every xml, where a windsock was already installed, must be revised and the model names adapted!

What was your problem with the LM textures?
With Photoshop or Gimp such a job can be done easily.