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Un-timed objects get timed

Fern

Fern

Messages
537
Country
canada
Hi, All

The following problem is using api macro objects with FSSC and ObPlacer.

I have a marina with a few boats (about 30), that appear from May to October. I used about 5 different macros, and I make them appear and disappear at slightly different days using the 038A code in each of the 5 apis.

So far so good. The boats appear and disappear when they should but... other objects (not all) also disappear, objects from apis that have no 038A code at all. In this case the disappearing objects are trees and light poles, that only show from May to October like the boats!!! The trees have a seasonal texture, but the light poles don't have anything special on them.

I made all the apis myself with EOD, so I know what they are and what they are not (option wise).

Now, I tried to locate a couple of those objects using ObPlacer (not XML), and at least one disappears, too, as if one bgl file created with FSSC was "interfering" with the other bgl file placed by ObPlacer. The objects within 200 metres of each other.

Regardless, there are just way too many objects to be located using ObPlacer, and FSSC would be just so convenient...

Does any one have a suggestion?

Thanks

Fern
 
Hi Fern,

This is not how it should work :). Have you tried to compile the SCA file from the command prompt, to see if any errors occurs? I guess some coding error could have been made somewhere.

Could you maybe post one of the boat APIs to see if the code to check the time is ok (I guess without these boats, the lightpole works ok?).
 
Timed un-timed objects

Hi, Arno

This is, indeed, a bizarre story, isn't it?

Let me add a bit of information. I have a gmax carousel, as you might remember, which appears open and going around at various times. This carousel was placed with OpPlacer XML, after being tweaked with MdlTweaker, so that it would appear open at the proper times.

Then, I created another carousel with EOD, closed, to appear at all other times. I placed this one with ObPlacer (NOT XML)/SCASM.

Then things got funny. I had the "docks" (FSSC) with the timed boats, the gmax carousel open some times, and the closed carousel the other times, IN THREE DIFFERENT AND SEPARATE bgl files, and created by 3 different methods: gmax/xml/ObPlacerXML, FSSC, and SCASM (using ObPlacer non XML). The open carousel worked fine, but the closed carousel (SCASM), in its own bgl, only appeared when the boats where on, in their own FSSC bgl.

I find that totally bizarre. One bgl interfering with another!!!

Then I got rid of the EOD carousel and made another xml carousel (closed), and that problem went away. I forgot all about it, and carried on with the docks bgl (FSSC), placed all the other objects (boat houses, trees and light poles) and POOFF!, they disappear when the boats disappear...

There are about 100 of those fixed objects (trees, lightpoles, four boat houses) which are not timed, and they ALL disappear when the boats are not there. Summer is fine...

Due to what happened to the carousel, I don't think it is the apis themselves, especially considering that I have tried the same apis elsewhere and they work fine. As a matter of fact they even work fine when the boats are there...

The xml carousel is not affected, but there are just way too many objects around the docks to be all xml objects. I'll be placing them forever.

It would be great if there was a way of timing the WHOLE bgl file, eh? I mean, I could make one set of docks for the summer, with the boats, and another for the rest of the time. But I don't know how to do that, and I don't think it is possible. Is it?

Bizarre...

Thanks

Fern
 
Hi Fern,

No, you can not have a condition for an entire BGL file. You can only have it for each Area command in the BGL (which is usually one object).

About the strange problem. I have seen strange things like that before. Usually it is caused by a coding fault (missing Return command or so). The scenery engine can get really confused from that, even if the other scenery is in a different BGL file. So maybe some jumps go wrong after you edited for the timed condition?
 
Bad editing

That may be it! Bad jumps, I mean. Here are three of the boats. Can you see anything wrong with them?

Thanks, Arno!

Fern
 
One boat wrong

Sorry, Arno, one boat is not timed. Here is the correct one.
 
Hi Fern,

I assume you did the condition check the same in all files (I only checked two)? This is the code you use:

Code: 
IfVarRange(  :End  038A  121  304  )

The End label is followed by a Return command, but at the location this check is done no jump has been made yet, so the Return command is not valid. What you want instead is to jump to the EndA (end of the area) right away. The easiest way to do that is by using this synthax:

Code: 
IfVarRange(  :  038A  121  304  )
 
It had to be

Hi, Arno

I haven't tested yet but I am SURE this is what it is. Even I, after reading what you suggested, noticed that I should not have used :End for my
"else" jump.

I will try and I am sure it will work. I will report back to you.

Thanks!

Fern
 
Bingo!

BINGO!

Arno, what would we do if you weren't there? Do you realize the level of your responsibility?

Great stuff, Arno. Right on the nose, as usual. All works.

Thanks!!!

Fern
 
Hi Fern,

Good to hear that solved it :).
 
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