MDL size 0 byte

[gsnde]

Arno,

with the latest build (2009-01-25 21:56) all MDL files are created with 0 bytes when converting APIs. Any idea? The same APIs worked before.

[Ayrsimming]

Hi Martin & Arno

No such problems with api conversions I have done today with the latest build.

Iain

[gsnde]

Mmmh - what could cause such a problem?

[arno]

Hi Martin,

When you look in the event log, what are the messages that XtoMDL reports on compilation?

[gsnde]

Hi Arno,

that is what it is saying:


00:34 XtoMDL Information OutputFile: ...\Output\BGACTR11.MDL
00:34 XtoMDL Information Output file after modification: ...\Output\BGACTR11.MDL
00:34 XtoMDL Information Creating output MDL file: ...\Output\BGACTR11.MDL
00:34 XtoMDL Information CRASHTREE no granularity specified
00:34 XtoMDL Information CRASHTREE completed in 00:00:00.0312500
00:34 XtoMDL Information Usage: XToMDL.exe /KEEP /NOGUI /BATCH /NOCRASH /BMP2DDS /XMLSAMPLE /XANIM /DICT:DictFileName /OUT:OutfileName Filename.X
00:34 MDLXWriter Information Finished writing of file ...\Output\BGACTR11.MDL


I have reduced the path so that it is better readable. The usage comment makes me wonder... But everything is information, not warning.

[arno]

It seems like XtoMDL is not called correctly (you get the usage information), what was the exact name you tried to export with? Did it maybe contain a space or so? I'll check if that can give trouble.

[gsnde]

To be sure that this is not related to spaces and path issues I move everything to a folder directly above root. But it does not change a thing - all converted files end up with a 0 byte MDL. It has always worked before with the space in the path, anyway.

Attached is one x file if you want to have a look at it.

Any idea what else I might try, Arno?

[arno]

Hi Martin,

Here that X file compiles fine. Did you try to manually compile it with XtoMDL? I am trying to figure out where the problem is.

[gsnde]

Arno,

would that be:

XToMDL.exe /KEEP /NOGUI /BATCH /NOCRASH /BMP2DDS /XMLSAMPLE /XANIM /DICT:<path to the xml file> /OUT:<mdl file name> <x file name>.X

[arno]

Hi Martin,

For a simple object I always use:

XtoMDL.exe myfile.x

It there is an animation I use:

XtoMDL.exe /xanim myfile.x

[gsnde]

I copied above x-file (I start to wonder if there is more to that name) into the SDK folder where XToMDL.exe resides and tried to compile from the command prompt. Result: MDL file created with 0 bytes and the usage message like in your log. Should I reinstall the SDK?

[arno]

Hi Martin,

That is quite weird. Did you change anything to your PC recently that could affect XtoMDL?

As the X file compiles here fine, I think it must be something on your machine and not with the file. But now we have to figure out what is.

The message from XtoMDL does not really tell you much, so it does not provide a clue where things go wrong. Did you check already that the dot is your decimal character (just to be sure)?

[gsnde]

Holy :banghead: - not again ....

Sure thing, it is the comma delimiter. I am positive that I did not change any of my regional settings recently. But maybe one of the last MS Hotfixes did reset the regional settings to their default? I am not even sure if I had defined the point as the delimiter in the first place. I only know that it was working about 10 days ago.

Can you implement something that the regional delimiter is honored, Arno? I know from the ADE developement that this will come back over and over again when you least expect it.

Thanks for bringing me back to work, Arno :)

[gsnde]

Arno,

Although I am back in business after I have changed the decimal delimiter, I still see some MDL files with 0 bytes. In all cases they are accompanied by an XANIM file. In the error log I see "System.Xml.XmlException: Beim Analysieren von 'EntityName' ist ein Fehler aufgetreten" (all 14 cases).

Is there still something mis-configuered at my site? I have attached one of the affected APIs?

[arno]

Hi Martin,

Can you implement something that the regional delimiter is honored, Arno? I know from the ADE developement that this will come back over and over again when you least expect it.

Do you mean Jon added something special to ADE for this? Then I should have a chat with him :).

I looked at it before, but did not find a way to force from a tool that the decimal character is a dot. For the X file I generate I make sure no commas are written, even if you have that as your decimal character. But it is just that XtoMDL refuses to do its work when the dot is not the decimal character.

[arno]

Hi Martin,

Although I am back in business after I have changed the decimal delimiter, I still see some MDL files with 0 bytes. In all cases they are accompanied by an XANIM file. In the error log I see "System.Xml.XmlException: Beim Analysieren von 'EntityName' ist ein Fehler aufgetreten" (all 14 cases).

Is there still something mis-configuered at my site? I have attached one of the affected APIs?

I can export that API object here without trouble and I get a MDL that is bigger than 0 kB. I did notice that the XANIM file did not contain a name for the animation type in some cases. I fixed that bug now, so maybe you can try again with the last build tomorrow?

[gsnde]

Hi Martin,



I can export that API object here without trouble and I get a MDL that is bigger than 0 kB. I did notice that the XANIM file did not contain a name for the animation type in some cases. I fixed that bug now, so maybe you can try again with the last build tomorrow?

Will do (the testing). And yes, have a chat with Jon about our very long decimal-delimiter-relationship, dating back to pre-FSX times :D
The error message about the EntityName exception tells you nothing, then?

[arno]

Will do (the testing). And yes, have a chat with Jon about our very long decimal-delimiter-relationship, dating back to pre-FSX times :D
The error message about the EntityName exception tells you nothing, then?

No, EntityName does not ring a bell for me. I think it must be an internal MSXML error or so.

Those decimal-delimiters are also hunting me since I started making tools for other developers. They always give trouble, because usually you only test on the setting you run yourself and not on both. I will talk with Jon and see if he has some good suggestions.

[gsnde]

I can export that API object here without trouble and I get a MDL that is bigger than 0 kB.

Just to make sure that you have the exact error message from the log file:


20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : System.Xml.XmlException: Beim Analysieren von 'EntityName' ist ein Fehler aufgetreten. Zeile 10200, Position 58.
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Throw(Exception e)
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Throw(String res, String arg)
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseEntityName()
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseAttributeValueSl ow(Int32 curPos, Char quoteChar, NodeData attr)
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseAttributes()
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseElement()
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseElementContent()
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Read()
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei System.Xml.XmlTextReader.Read()
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei Microsoft.FlightSimulator.XmlToMdlLib.MDLProcessor .LoadFile(Stream InputStream, XPartDict PartDictionary)
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei Microsoft.FlightSimulator.XmlToMdlLib.XmlToMdlLib. Process(Guid& ModelGuid, Stream AnimationData)
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei Microsoft.FlightSimulator.XToMDL.XToMDL.ProcessInp uts()
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei Microsoft.FlightSimulator.XToMDL.XToMDL.RealMain(S tring[] args)
20:39 XtoMDL Information (0): error : bei Microsoft.FlightSimulator.XToMDL.XToMDL.Main(Strin g[] args)

[arno]

Hi Martin,

OK. I just put a new build on the server (same address as always). It fixes some bugs in the XANIM file. Maybe that will help you, although it is surprising that I can compile here without trouble. Let me know if it helps.

[arno]

Hi Martin,

Do you still have trouble with the latest build?

[gsnde]

Just completed the last tests, Arno. No, everything is working fine again. Thank you very much!

[arno]

Glad to hear that. So the changes I made must have helped in some way :).

[arno]

Hi Martin,

I have also added a check now on MDL export that gives an error if the decimal character is not the dot. This should help people figure out why things go wrong.

[gsnde]

The next best thing after sliced bread and a built-in automatic decimal delimiter conversion function :D

This will surely help users running into this problem to figure out why, Arno.

[gsnde]

Hi Martin,

I have also added a check now on MDL export that gives an error if the decimal character is not the dot. This should help people figure out why things go wrong.

Works fine, Arno. At first I waited for a msgbox telling me that I have the wrong decimal delimiter, but then I found it in the log file. When do you check the delimiter? Maybe a msgbox before the conversion would do no harm.

[arno]

Hi Martin,

Works fine, Arno. At first I waited for a msgbox telling me that I have the wrong decimal delimiter, but then I found it in the log file. When do you check the delimiter? Maybe a msgbox before the conversion would do no harm.

Personally I don't like message boxes so much, they are quite annoying :).

I now check the setting just before XtoMDL is called to make the MDL file. The rest of the program should work fine with the decimal character set to a comma as well. It is only the compiler by MS that does not like it. So I only check when it will be used.