FSX | FSX-SE Scenery Design Forum - How To

I am calling BGLcomp from a dos prompt with the following xml file. I tried it also as a txt file with the same result. <?xml version="1.0"?>ERROR C2003: Falied to process file: excludetest.xmlIf I add the folloing line before the "" lineI get the error at that line.What am I doing wrong? Am I missing a file that tells BGLcomp what it can parse?Larry Costa -- Please help!!!

I am working with my first scenery design for *personal use*, and I intend to use the new xml format, and follow the instructions given by MS in their bglcomp-sdk. I think the times of using SCASM are really fading away.My project is first to delete a whole stock airport (all visuals and all facility data -names, navaids, etc- have to disappear, ground can of course remain), in order to be replaced with a new one which in reality is placed somewhere else.To save myself some experimenting, I would like to ask the knowledgeable users of this forum about the following:1) Which program or utility is best when writing a file that contains xml code to be later compiled by BGLC?…

I'm currently using FSDS 2.24 and am trying to get created objects to always rotate to face viewing aircraft (ie. people, trees etc.). In EOD you need just check a box.Havent seen a FAQ on this one yet. ANYBODY?

Gurus,Wanted to run a question by you. By adding z-bias to the ground material in GMAX one stops the flickering. Question: How does one place one polygon on top of the other without them flickering? What z-bias settings are needed. I looked at the MakeMDL SDK and it states a setting of zbias_##. How does this work (if it does?)? Is it the same as FSDS?ThanksShez

Hi,I have created an approach for ILS runway 10 for TJSJ, but for some reason, it doesn't show up in the ATC window. Anyone knows why?Here's the xml...<?xml version="1.0" ?>

I spent a long time making a very nice rotating airport beacon in FS2002 with Gmax, and it works fine in FS2004. But I am jealous of the improved pencil beam light that the Fs2004 default beacons emit. They are much better looking than my rotation Light_land, the beam was much too wide.I looked at the Scenery SDK and I can see that its possible to place various types of default beacons but how about making just the thin beam so I can attach it to my 2002 beacon?Geoff

My comp died, and I lost a program that I was using that was really simple to add AI traffic. It wasn't TTools, but I can't remember the name, or author. The only thing about it I remember, was that the icon was a symbol that looked like a wrench. Can anyone help me out on this ??Cheers

I just read over at the AFW site that they have a new XML-compatible design program available. It was predicted by someone here that a front end to the BGLComp program would soon be available, and although this is an early version, it gives a taste of what is to follow.http://www.airportforwindows.com/downloads.html- Martin

Hi,I'm wondering if there is any performance issue when comparing these two different methods of inserting 3d-objects into the simulator:1. Direct BGL-exportation from e.g. FSDS2's menu.2. An API of the object is inserted in Airport, from where it is then exported to BGL-format and into the sim.

Howdy all,I'm working on an airport with many custom buildings. My question is: would the frame rate benefit from one large bgl (ie airport or groundmaker) or several one per building bgl's (ie fsds).Thanks in advance, :) Phil

Gday all.Can anyone who is more familiar with XML code please advise me.With taxiways and aprons, the SDK shows that the drawSurface="XXX" and drawDetail="XXX" commands should work with a TRUE or FALSE statement.I cant get this to work allthou the file compiles OK. looking at the XSD file, i can see that the lines of code are there ! Can anyone tell me if there is another area in the XSD file where a line of code is missing or incorrect or if the drawXXXX'"XXX" doesnt work.thks & rgds Jeff

Hello,it seems everybody, who is drawing streets with Ground2k (and other tools) for FS2k4, has sooner or later unwanted autogen in his scenery (lightpoles in the middle of a runway etc.)As Richard Ludowise, Lee and others mentioned, the finally discovered VTPChildPoint structures are used to create square ends for default FS2k4 VTP lines, mainly streets. And having a look with Jim Keirs great LWMViewer tool at these lines shows in my opinion, that these VTPChildPoint-structures not only attached at the beginning or ends of these VTP lines:The default roads mainly consist of some VTPWidePoint and as much VTPChildPoints as possible (1 + 7 or less - this combination repeate…

For those who may not know, Tom Hiscox, who maintains AFW, has made available for download a spin-off of that program called SceneGenX which is capable of handling the *.xml library objects and placing them via a GUI program remeniscent of AFW. It is strictly in Alpha right now and has some wrinkles which need addressing, but you may wish to monitor his site for updates and / or improvements.http://www.airportforwindows.com/downloads.html

I see everywhere people create great macros usin EOD, VOD etc. While these are freeware and usable in AFW, FSSD and the like, they often aren't quite right for the scenery I want to tackle. My question is... is there a way to modify the texture, colour or to tweak the actual visual design without starting from scratch, or is the only approach to write to the macro designer and see the source (ie th .EOD or .VOD file). I have accumulated so many good macro files, that just arent quite right.RegardsBryan

I'm trying to get rid of the horrible bridges in my city's harbour (they go across the water from Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada to Dartmouth , Nova Scotia ... they are too close together and the wrong type ... there's also one in another spot where there is no bridge).I am able to get rid of generic buildings and these 3 factory smoke stacks (which I will replace with better ones) with ExcBuilder but the bridges won't budge. I have used a large enough rectangle to be sure by far that I am getting them. In fact I can see the rectangle of missing generic buildings in fs2004 so it's easy to see the bridges should go too. Is there anything I could be doing wrongIdeally , I'd …

Greetings:I have no knowledge of scenery design, but I have in mind a project I'd like to try. I want to model the astronomical observatory complex atop Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii for MSFS9. I have collected photographs of all the buildings and a map of the complex. I assume that I would have to create models of each of the buildings and then place them accurately on the mountain. The complex also includes a winding access road. This is, of course, complicated by the fact that each building is at a slightly different elevation.I would certainly appreciate any suggestions as to how to get started with this...what software to use and how to learn the principles.D…

Hi all,the suspect of some 'original sin' into Fs9's landing lights is becoming stronger in my mind.I was giving to my project the ground night illumination using Gmax-built landing lights projecting a lightcone on the ground, when I noticed that, at a certain heading and distance, they disappeared.Ok - I thought - let's see what I've done wrong.Then I noticed that also default AI's LLs do behave the same way than the ones I made..........Just try the following, then please let me know if I need a good psychiatrist or not:at dusk, go to any West US default airport (e.g KSFO), in slew mode, go upward a bit (500 feet for KSFO is good), set your hdg at 258

Hey - I have AFCAD 2.21 and I'm looking to upgrade DVT (Phoenix-Deer Valley, Arizona) - It happens to be where I did my Pilot training. I have plenty of accurate information about the airport - just wondering if there's anyone out there who fancies joining in on this project? I started by deleting the ridiculous over-run areas at the end of the main runway, and am now looking to add plenty of t-hangars as well as 2 major flight schools which means plenty of AI traffic + a few other tweaksAnyone interested in helping out? Let me [email protected] is better to get in touch...

I am looking for Nova, Nova Gold and VOD textures. Can anyone either direct or link me?Thanks! [email protected]

Hello to allThis forum seem like a very good place to get info on the new MSScenery Design SDK.I have had no problems with making exclusion and some other simple files for FS9 but I cannot make the deleteFrequency command work.The error I get is as follows:ERROR: 20, 1, Illegal qualified name character.Sure would like to have some comments.<?xml version="1.0"?>Tom Jones

Hi everybody,I encounter some problems with modified AFCAD files not showing up in FS9. Put together with visual scenery in the same folder, they remove the default airport, but the modified runway does not show, and if you try the GOTO airport in FS, you end up at the airport refence point looking north. To move the AFCAD file to the scenery folde in ADDONScneery improves the sitution, but not completely. Is there any rule for this?-osman

Hi all, In my project to add Crawford Reservoir to my home airport's (99V)area I went to Terra Server to get its photo shot and coordinates.I live here and know for sure the reservoir is about 1 1/2 to 2 miles SSE if the airport. The offical and FS location of 99V is N38* 42.25 W107* 38.62. Also the FS terrain has a gulch running through where I will place the reservoir by observation which is slightly W of its real location. Terra Server photo shows the pond at about 38.2155N and 107.7173W. Now that is well W of 99V. I wound up placing the pond over the gulch where it has a dam (per the FS2004 terrain) and it looks somewhat W of its real observed location by just a bit i…

After reading threads related to this topic, I can not find any specific examples on making hardend surfaces for landing. I installed fsregen,mdlcommander and middleman. We I export to bgl in gmax I get .asm,.x and .bgl, I then go into fsregen and open the asm, but I don't see and option for hardend surfaces.Help Please.....Thanks,Bill

I know transparency has been discussed a number of times here but I couldn't find anything on the following issue:What is currently the best solution for glass? The primary factor will be that aircraft (your own and AI) must be visible trough the glass.1. DXT1: not an option since it only has one aplha bit.2. DXT3: Z buffer problem, engine renders the aircraft after the scenery (I suppose) and therefore the planes vanish behind the glass. Sometimes this seems to work when using very small windows (why?)3. Material opacity: works best it seems, but the planes don't "shade" behind the glass... meaning that while other scenery objects "dim or fade" the aircraft stays at it's…

I have all the data (accurate) for land class in Canada. Now i need a tool i could use to create BGLssss using that data . I tried EZ-Landclass , but it's not what i need .A couple of years ago , in FLY , i used another set of programs to create very accurate landscape and very real depiction of the land classes (close to reality given the available bitmaps/tiles at the time). Is there a similar tool for FS9 ? Not looking for a mesh tool...