FSX Tools for taxiline

[xbuddy]

To make a taxiline besides use a line in gmax, do we can make it from existing tools like afcad/ ade9/ else?

I wish there is some tools can help us to build a taxiline so just drag n drag.

The tools what I mean is visible on top layer when we make a ground scenery from fs2002 makemdl.

 

[ScKevin]

I have the same problem. My ground is completely done but the center taxiline creation is awful. I do not get it in the middle of each taxiway part. It is always a bit either to the left or to the right.

After searching on the net for a solution I could not find anything. The only method to make center taxiway lines in gmax/3dsmax is in the wiki. The problem is that the AFCAD/ADE/... is only compiled/creator/.. for a BGL for FS. gmax/3dsmax (or any other application like this) is an own application and it was not done to be compatible for FS, but for the purpose to give architects or any other people the possibility to create good 3d looking environments. So there is no chance (until now) that taxiway lines can be taken from ADE/AFCAD/....

I hope that somebody can unwrap this myth how to create proper center taxiway lines in order that they are in the middle of each taxiway part.

 

[tgibson]

Create them in the textured surface in GMAX?

 

[jtanabodee]

I agree with you, Xbuddy.
If we can import the line from AFCAD to the line in Gmax, it would be good enough to work on customized taxiline.
Using loft method is quite time consuming job, but I cannot figure out what is the better way to do.

 

[jdberg]

It is really time consuming but it is the way it works for me since I develop for FS2004/FSX. First draw the lines in ADE, they don´t need to be too precise, and than use the loft technique with Gmax to put the good looking optical taxiways on top of it.
With MCX and the included ground poly wizard the process is much easier than before using the FS2002 SDK but it is still a hard job.

 

[flyhalf]

Yes a very tedious part of the design process. I would love a faster way.

Straight lofted lines are ok, you can just do one or two and copy them around the airport. Curves are harder because no two curves are the same!




.

 

[jtanabodee]

I agree with you all.
Are there any method to transport the taxi lines from ADE to lines in gmax ? This would be a very good tool if we have that. Since the line will be perfect match to the line in ADE.
Center taxi line is good enough but if we have the edge line together would be excellent. From the line in Gmax we can modify further.

 

[arno]

Hi,

Technically that should be possible. The XML file contains all lat long positions, so it is just a matter of making lines or polygons out of that. If these are saved in a format that gmax can read it should not be too hard to get them into gmax for further editing and improving.

 

[jdberg]

Hi,

Technically that should be possible. The XML file contains all lat long positions, so it is just a matter of making lines or polygons out of that. If these are saved in a format that gmax can read it should not be too hard to get them into gmax for further editing and improving.

Hi Arno,
that would be a great step to reduce work when designing the ground-layout of an airport. With the ADE-ground layout as the basis for the Gmax-Layer it would be much easier to design the different layers. You could probably also extract or calculate the position for the export of MCX I guess?
Jörg

 

[jtanabodee]

Thanks Arno.
I think we really need this tool and it will perfectly match the line in ADE.
I got a right shoulder and arm pain every time I do the line by lofting method.
Draw the lines, do lofting, apply texture, unwrap the mapping to fit the texture since I always use texture with all the type of lines in one sheet.

 

[Andrea80]

If I understand exactly what you are looking for, the solution I've found can't be any simpler and faster!

Take the PDC (Parking Docking Chart) of the airport you are developing (national aip or EAD for European airports), the chart must be *.pdf, pdf are powerful vectorial drawings and can be easily converted into DXF files, google for pdf2dxf.

Gmax/3dsMax can open dxf files, so you will have a precise copy of your airport layout ready to be used for whatever you need

Andrea

 

[jtanabodee]

Hi Andrea,
I was so delighted with your comment. I did try that software yesterday but I was disappointed. Look at my attachment. I converted this from the airport chart in PDF and it came out unusable line. Are there anyway to import converting process?
Regards,
Tic

 

[Andrea80]

I think that the problem you have experienced depends on how the Pdf has been created.

Unfortunately if the chart you have found is published only from one originator your chances to have a good Dxf output are extremely low. If you are able to find another pdf chart for that airport you can try to convert it.

Since now I have converted a lot of pdf drawings and never had that problem, yes sometimes some lines are not perfectly shaped but the touch up in autocad or Gmax require not much time, but never had a line completely broken like your image...

You can try with another software, I use "Aide Pdf to Dxf" converter for example.

But I'm not sure using another converter can solve your problem, I really think that the problem reside in the pdf source file, or in the virtual printer used to create the vector pdf from the original vector drawing.

 

[jtanabodee]

Thanks Andrea for your reply.
So it must be like you said. The source of pdf must be the key. I'll try another one later.
Is the chart that you convert is from Jeppesen? I'll try that.

 

[EdGeneer]

When I create my taxilines, I make the lines all first, then loft afterwards...

What I do, is get the width of each of the taxiways, as they only vary by a couple widths, so I only need to make anywhere from 2 to at most 5 circular spacer templates - (circular so they work without alot of rotating to set snapping points)... I make the templates that have a diameter that is half the width of the taxiway, and then its just a matter of moving and snapping the lines to the vertex edges of the template. once all the straight lines are done, snapped and in the correct place, I then can make the arcs snapping them to the lines.

lofting is then done when all lines and arcs are in place... then delete the circular templates....

seems like alot, but there is no guessing involved, and they are perfectly located in the center of the taxiways...

I hope this was help to what was asked...

 

[jtanabodee]

I only need to make anywhere from 2 to at most 5 circular spacer templates - (circular so they work without alot of rotating to set snapping points)

I'm sorry I don't understand about "circular". What does it mean?
To make the template I usually make a rectangular spline and delete all the segment except the one on the to. What does circular mean?

 

[Aviasim]

Andrea 80 has pointed out a good method.

Though I feel that this is not as accurate as doing it yourself directly over aerial imagery.

The converted files still need a lot of modifying and smoothing.

Probably be good for designers that dont want to spend half the time making sure everything is in the exact correct place.

 

[jtanabodee]

Andrea 80 has pointed out a good method.

Though I feel that this is not as accurate as doing it yourself directly over aerial imagery.

The converted files still need a lot of modifying and smoothing.

Probably be good for designers that dont want to spend half the time making sure everything is in the exact correct place.

I agree with you. Sometime correcting something consume more time than making a new one.

 

[EdGeneer]

I'm sorry I don't understand about "circular". What does it mean?

I hope this helps... PLUS I hope this is what some were asking about making taxiway lines even with taxiways... this is the easiest way I can think of (without making straight sections have 2 more polygons than necessary by making the length segments 2 (not 1) JUST to get a center reference)

Here is My taxiways with the lines and arcs...

First you use the tape to measure the width of the taxiway (if you dont remember offhand. you can also get angles for rotating the template if you dont want to rotate by hand, this works for perfect snapping etc...)

In this case, its 15m, so I want to make a cylinder with a diameter of half the taxiway width, so for this, the radius is 15 / 4 = 3.75; make a cylinder with a height of 0 and a radius of 3.75. also, decrease the height segments to 1

I make it have 36 sides to better line it up, but ultimately, it doesnt matter.. as long as it is an EVEN number of sides...

You can rotate the cylinder by hand to get it close to the angle of the measured taxiway end, or use the tape measurement angle for better precision, rotate the template. Move (with snap 2D enabled... viewing top view helps as well, but perspective is ok as well).., by grabbing one vertex of the cylinder template and snapping it to the corner of the taxiway on the edge... (note, I have taxiedges also, so its snapped in the image to the taxiway corner and NOT the added edge) then you can snap your lines from one template to the other and be sure its EXACTLY in the middle of the taxiway.

Once the lines are made, you can remove, or move (to another area of taxiways to make more snapped lines), and then make the arcs by snapping them to your already correctly placed line edges...

Lofting can be done from the lines and arcs you make, then you can delete the circular templates... then hide the lines and arcs (in case you need to reloft or re-make lofts)

 

[kevintampa5]

this looks good. Im a little lost. I know the basics of GMAX, and want to learn more of its function, where can I find a decent tutorial to sharpen and expand the basic skills?

I worked blender pretty easily, that with sketchup, MCX and Paint.net I have been making some decent c+/b- grade work (school grade, not computer program c)
I have seen tutorials using GMAX and GIMP in conjuction, but I feel i am overextending if I try to learn GIMP at this moment, as I just got Paint.Net down to where I can work confidently.

On a side note, Ive watched tutorials on youtube, but a 240 dpi doesnt sit very well when recording a 1366x768 resolution screen and really cant make much out in them.