XtoMDL

[vikingen]

FSX Game Pack downloaded and installed. The system is based on Windows 7 64bit with DirectX 11 based on ASUS P5Q + Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 + (GB DDR2 RAM. Following Arno's recommendations XtoMDL.EXE should be in the folder Gmax\Gamepacks\FS2004\Plugin. No way. Can anybody help to discover where to find it or download? Thanks in advance!

[n4gix]

You seem to be confused... :D

XtoMDL.exe is the compiler for FSX

MakeMDL.exe is the compiler for FS9 (FS2004)

Placing XtoMDL.exe in the Gmax\Gamepacks\FS2004\Plugin folder is useless.

Which FS version exactly are you wanting create content for?

Moreover, the link to the Wiki article (which is the the topic of this thread) is only for Max. It has no relevance at all to GMax users...

[vikingen]

n4gix| Thanks or your reply.
the question is to import and convert models from Google (kmz or dae) into FS2004. I'musing ModelConverterX_110 which appears to work crrecly showing the 3d odel but when I try to export it makes the correct call to Makemdl stoppig as shown in the log after which keeps going complaining about "Bad Normal Lenght" for all elements. Possibly I'm usin the wrong ModelConverter for FS2004?

[arno]

Hi,

The bad normal length sounds like a bug in ModelConverterX where the normal length is not OK. It is not a bug of the compiler (MakeMDL).

Did you use the lastest development release of ModelConverterX? If you can tell me which object you are converting I can try to reproduce the problem.

[vikingen]

Hi Arno!
Thanks for your reply. I've tried to import from Google a Cathedral from Cagliari Sardinia in "kmz" and in "dae". I'm using ModelConvertX 1.1.0.0 which shows correctly the 3D model with all textures, but when I try to export it produces a .x file but stops in the way explained before. It's possible that thw program it's only meant for FSX however I do have both FS systems.
Thanks in advance for your help.

[arno]

Hi,

Let me try to convert that object as well, it might be a bug in the COLLADA reader that "forgets" to set the normals. I'll let you know if I can reproduce it here.

[arno]

Hi,

Using this (http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=296cb232da925ceab14ce939730514cd&prevstart=0) object I indeed see two errors about the normal lengths while exporting. But I think the MDL file is still created correctly. I will try to hunt down where the normal is not set.

[vikingen]

Hi|

thanks for your reèly.
All I can see in the destination folder in an ".x" file of 4.03MB produced but no ".mdl" yet.

[arno]

Hi,

Are you used the same object as I posted the link to?

Which version of ModelConverterX are you using? You might want to try the latest development release.

[vikingen]

Hi again!

As mentioned before I'm using ModelConverterX 1.1.0.o downloade the 6th of jan 2010.
I presume this is the only model converter intended also for FS2004!?
What about a new version?
Tot sins!

[vikingen]

...yes the object is exactly the same...

[tgibson]

I use the latest development release for FS2004 all the time - works great. Download from the thread at the top of this forum.

Hope this helps,

[vikingen]

ModelConverterX_latest_build downloaded.
Now it works and has produced an MDL which looks allright.
I'm a bit uncertain as how to import it in FS2004.
However I'll try to included in an XML and compile it.
We'll see and provide feed-back.
Arrivederci.

[vikingen]

Hi!
Ok I tried to use LibraryCreatorXML 2.0.2.0 to include the newly created MDL into an existing library (Eurw\scenery\OB9EURW0.bgl) but the answer is:
"........mdl is not a valid MDL format"

What next?

[vikingen]

...some more feedback
Cattedrale.dl produced but 2 occasion of:
"17.29 MakeMDL Information Bad normal length"
appears in the "Event log".....

[vikingen]

..and "LibrayCreator" still complain about "..not valid MDL format"
Please help!

[arno]

Hi,

Are you sure you did not export as a aircraft MDL file? If Library Creator XML does not recognise the file it is either 0 bytes long or not a FS2004 scenery or FSX MDL file.

[arno]

Hi,

If you download the development release tomorrow, I think you should be able to export this object without errors. I have fixed some bugs in this area now.

Not sure if that will help with your library issue as well.

[vikingen]

Hi !
Back home find your answer but in the download section the only zip I can find is "ModelConverterX 1.1 (668.6 KB)" dated 13-12-2009 which produces a .exe of 363KB. I also have a v. 1.2.0.0 of 395KB. Your latest development version where can I find it?

[tgibson]

At the top of this forum - the thread named Download ModelConverterX.

Hope this helps,

[vikingen]

Hi!
Ok.....latest mdlconverter 1.2 downloaded and runs correctly. Attached is the resulting .mdl, but when I try to input in LibraryCreatorXML 2.0.2 it complains as not being a "valid MDL"...????

[arno]

Hi,

It seems you exported as a FS2004 aircraft MDL file, you need to export as a scenery MDL files. These are different.