common mistakes

[robystar]

Hi,

Looking at the various questiions raised regarding MCX, I thought it might come in handy to sum up all the mistakes I made using this wonderful tool.
Here goes:

Some of the common mistakes on creating or converting mdl’s with ModelconverterX

- Forgetting to change name and/or Guid after import;
- Not having set the decimals to dot in the country settings;
- Forgetting to convert texture format to BMP or DDS;
- Forgetting to click on set default transparent for transparent textures;
- Forgetting to activate the object library in the FSX settings/scenery library after adding xml and compiling into bgl;
- Trying to convert a non-scenery object or a non true FSX model;
- Not using the latest development release;
- Not having the MCX various path settings (under options) adapted to your FS and SDK file locations;

Well that is all I can think of as far as my own mistakes are concerned.
Please do not laugh, just trying to be helpful and maybe others can add their own to the list.
And please, scroll down to the bottom of this page, because there are more common mistakes to be found there!

[Pyscen]

Hi,

Looking at the various questiions raised regarding MCX, I thought it might come in handy to sum up all the mistakes I made using this wonderful tool.
Here goes:

Some of the common mistakes on creating or converting mdl’s with ModelconverterX

- Forgetting to change name and/or Guid after import;
- Not having set the decimals to dot in the country settings;
- Forgetting to convert texture format to BMP or DDS;
- Forgetting to click on set default transparent for transparent textures;
- Forgetting to activate the object library in the FSX settings/scenery library after adding xml and compiling into bgl;
- Trying to convert a non-scenery object or a non true FSX model;
- Not using the latest development release;
- Not having the MCX various path settings (under options) adapted to your FS and SDK file locations;

Well that is all I can think of as far as my own mistakes are concerned.
Please do not laugh, just trying to be helpful and maybe others can add their own to the list.

Thanks George,... a good List... I think we need to add where each of the mishaps can be corrected. Some, of course you did or is self explained,... but the set default transparent for transparent textures for example.

[robystar]

Tks,

You are right Doug.Will work on it.

George:D

[robystar]

Here they come again. (but they are only mine!)

Some of the common mistakes on creating or converting mdl’s with ModelconverterX

- Forgetting to change name and/or Guid after import
A newly made object does not have a Guid number and an altered object should have a different name and Guid otherwise either the changes don’t show or the original object is gone. So do not forget to go to the object information icon and edit name and Guid or set new Guid.
- Not having set the decimals to dot in the country settings
Go to Country settings and edit the decimal sign to read ‘.’ Instead of ‘,’.
E.g. 135,000 US dollars i.o. 100.000 Euro (at the moment:)).
- Forgetting to convert texture format to BMP or DDS
When importing textures from say GE you end up with a jpg texture format. You have to convert this format into a BMP or DDS format for FS to be able to use it. It is not a matter of simply changing the extension but converting the texture file with a paint program or with DXTBMP. MCX can now do this for you through its mass texture editor.
- Forgetting to click on set default transparent for transparent textures
If you open the material editor to check on your textures and you have a texture that needs some transparency, do not forget to click on the texture in question and click on the ‘Set Default Transparent’ tab at the bottom of the pop up screen.
- Forgetting to activate the object library in the FSX settings/scenery library after adding xml and compiling into bgl
If you make a new bgl out of your mdl and you do not put it in the scenery file of an activated Scenery Object Library, your object will not show up. So you either place it in a previously activated scenery or make sure you activate your new scenery.
- Trying to convert a non-scenery object or a non true FSX model
At present (Feb 2010), MCX cannot read FS8/9 aircraft files (although it can sometimes read FS9 AI craft files). In FSX there is no longer any difference between scenery and true FSX aircraft models so both can be read by MCX.
- Not using the latest development release
In the Tools/Tools Support/ModelConverterX/ Sticky: download ModelConverterX/ thread, I suggest you download the latest development release.
- Not having the MCX various path settings (under options) adapted to your FS and SDK file locations
More info on these settings and the prerequisites for running the program can be found in the ModelConverterX manual in the Wiki section of this site.

That better?

Roby

[Pyscen]

Very! ;)

Maybe When Arno get back make this a sticky?

[arno]

Made it a sticky now.

This might also be good issues to put on the Wiki later on or maybe I should try to mention them better in the manual.

[Pyscen]

Made it a sticky now.

This might also be good issues to put on the Wiki later on or maybe I should try to mention them better in the manual.

Welcome Back! Arno. I hope you feel recharged?

[robystar]

I am afraid I have to add one more common mistake to the bottom of the list:

Some of the common mistakes on creating or converting mdl’s with ModelconverterX

- Forgetting to change name and/or Guid after import
A newly made object does not have a Guid number and an altered object should have a different name and Guid otherwise either the changes don’t show or the original object is gone. So do not forget to go to the object information icon and edit name and Guid or set new Guid.
- Not having set the decimals to dot in the country settings
Go to Country settings and edit the decimal sign to read ‘.’ Instead of ‘,’.
E.g. 135,000 US dollars i.o. 100.000 Euro (at the moment).
- Forgetting to convert texture format to BMP or DDS
When importing textures from say GE you end up with a jpg texture format. You have to convert this format into a BMP or DDS format for FS to be able to use it. It is not a matter of simply changing the extension but converting the texture file with a paint program or with DXTBMP. MCX can now do this for you through its mass texture editor.
- Forgetting to click on set default transparent for transparent textures
If you open the material editor to check on your textures and you have a texture that needs some transparency, do not forget to click on the texture in question and click on the ‘Set Default Transparent’ tab at the bottom of the pop up screen.
- Forgetting to activate the object library in the FSX settings/scenery library after adding xml and compiling into bgl
If you make a new bgl out of your mdl and you do not put it in the scenery file of an activated Scenery Object Library, your object will not show up. So you either place it in a previously activated scenery or make sure you activate your new scenery.
- Trying to convert a non-scenery object or a non true FSX model
At present (Feb 2010), MCX cannot read FS8/9 aircraft files (although it can sometimes read FS9 AI craft files). In FSX there is no longer any difference between scenery and true FSX aircraft models so both can be read by MCX.
- Not using the latest development release
In the Tools/Tools Support/ModelConverterX/ Sticky: download ModelConverterX/ thread, I suggest you download the latest development release.
- Not having the MCX various path settings (under options) adapted to your FS and SDK file locations
More info on these settings and the prerequisites for running the program can be found in the ModelConverterX manual in the Wiki section of this site.
- When using Google Sketchup for modelling, forgetting to size the texture in GSU to the size of the polygon to be textured.
- Not having installed the latest Microsoft.NET framework version 2.0 or later.

[zzip]

Thanks robystar,
its a great help

Peter