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Textures going missed

Messages
729
Country
unitedkingdom
SAMM v2.2.03 - been trying this out for about a week but just not getting things quite right. Some static aircraft get the appropriate textures whilst others do not. I have read and re-read the manual but cannot see what to do differently that would solve my problems.

I have my flyable aircraft stored in standard directories -
F:\0-FSX\SimObjects\Airplanes F:\0-FSX\SimObjects\Downloads F:\0-FSX\SimObjects\TrafficX .
I have created a folder to store my static aircraft bgl files -
F:\0-FSX\Addon Scenery\Static .

I open SAMM and go thru the GUI as follows.
'Static aircraft library' - I enter "F:\0-FSX\Addon Scenery\Static"
'Aircraft' - from FSX
'Select aircraft folder' - "\Simobjects\Airplanes\Cessna_208B"
'Title' - "Cessna Grand Caravan"
'Set' - "FSX Mdl"
'Static Model' - "Cessna Grand Caravan"
The onscreen text says that "This model will use textures from folder "Cessna Grand Caravan".
'Pose options' - none set
'Other static model options' - none set
Click on "Save .Mdl file"
Get message pop-up about textures not being found "Globalenv_AC_Chrome.dds". Click OK.
Get message pop-up saying model file has been created.
Click on 'Show in viewer' - model seems OK here.

I repeated the above for one off aircraft from each of the \Downloads and \TrafficX aircraft folders.
Both look OK when 'Show in viewer' activated. So far so good - I think.

Click on 'Make object Library'.
'Object library name' - "Static1"
'Use models for' - "FSX / P3D"
Select - all listed models
'Library save folders' - "FSX" "F:\0-FSX\Addon Scenery\Static"
'Save Library'

I now have a file "F:0-FSX\Addon Scenery\Static\scenery\static1" plus
"F:\0-FSX\Addon Scenery\Static\texture\ " which contains a folder for each model with, sometimes, another similarly-named folder with ";all" on the end.

If I now use ModelConverterX to inspect the 'static1.bgl' file, the aircraft look OK except for the one taken from the TrafficX folders which appears 'chequered' indicating a lack of texture(s).
The 'Missing textures' report is -
"jfai_tx_c130_usn_usmc blue angels fat albert\jfaic130_t.bmp
textures_samm; all\glass_t.dds
textures_samm; all\prop.dds
Done checking static1.bgl!"
The first entry being the important texture that has gone missing.

In ADE, I use the 'Library Object Manager' to add 'static1.bgl' into the usable library.
I add the new static aircraft to an airfield, Save and Compile and put the new scenery file into the FSX library.

In FSX, I add "F:0-FSX\Addon Scenery\Static" to the 'Scenery Library' and activate it.
Get 4 similar pop-up messages about "Scenery read error ..... non-existent directory
F:\0-FSX\scenery\Global\Texture\ [aircraft model name]"
Click on OK to continue.
Open up on the modified airfield where the aircraft from \Airplanes and \Downloads are OK but the one from \TrafficX is solid black i.e. no texture(s).

If I go back and copy the texture file "jfaic130_t.bmp" from the correct \TrafficX sub-folder and place it into the new model texture folder in "F:\0-FSX\Addon Scenery\Static\texture\ " the aircraft now appears OK in both ModelConverterX and FSX but I don't think I should need to be doing this particularly if, as is likely to happen, I wish to revise the library file 'static1.bgl'. I have found that, in re-saving this file, any texture files that were previously copied manually, get deleted.

Sorry this has got a bit long but I wanted to give as much info on my methods in the hope that someone can guide me to a solution that avoids manual copying of textures. Thanks in advance.
 
Messages
1,749
Country
unitedstates
This may need to have under scores between each name. And may try using a shorter name!

jfai_tx_c130_usn_usmc blue angels fat albert\jfaic130_t.bmp
 
Messages
729
Country
unitedkingdom
This may need to have under scores between each name. And may try using a shorter name!

jfai_tx_c130_usn_usmc blue angels fat albert\jfaic130_t.bmp

Delivery Guy,
Thanks for taking an interest but I tried doing the same procedure but with different aircraft from each of the folders.
Got exactly the same situation even when the 'Missing texture' had a much shorter name with no spaces -

jfai_tx_bni_ba2\jfaibni_t.bmp

As far as I can see, the 3 simobjects folder structures are the same so I am at a loss to know why SAMM is not getting the textures that are required.

Again, by inspecting the MCX Missing Textures log, I can find the missing textures in \SimObjects\...... and copy and paste them into the appropriate \texture folders in my \Addon Scenery\Static\ area. :scratchch ..............mmmmmm
 

gadgets

Resource contributor
Messages
9,388
Country
ca-britishcolumbia
I'm travelling at the moment, and not able to offer a lot of help. Also, since I don't have access to my development system, I am not able to duplicate the procedures you so painstakingly documented.

Not infrequently, aircraft texture folders do not contain all the textures referenced by the aircraft model. - usually because for whatever reason, the texture is no longer required. SAMM has no way of knowing whether a texture is actually used, only that it is referenced in the model. So, if every texture referenced by the model is not present in the aircraft's texture folder, SAMM will report some missing. However, the model may still display properly.

You have also made reference to TrafficX folders. SAMM assumes aircraft folders are in standard format. Perhaps the aircraft giving you difficulty are non-standard in some respect.

Don
 
Messages
729
Country
unitedkingdom
I'm travelling at the moment, and not able to offer a lot of help. Also, since I don't have access to my development system, I am not able to duplicate the procedures you so painstakingly documented.

Not infrequently, aircraft texture folders do not contain all the textures referenced by the aircraft model. - usually because for whatever reason, the texture is no longer required. SAMM has no way of knowing whether a texture is actually used, only that it is referenced in the model. So, if every texture referenced by the model is not present in the aircraft's texture folder, SAMM will report some missing. However, the model may still display properly.

You have also made reference to TrafficX folders. SAMM assumes aircraft folders are in standard format. Perhaps the aircraft giving you difficulty are non-standard in some respect.

Don

Don,
Looking at the latest \TrafficX aircraft that I tried to convert, when I look in the .mdl maker GUI and enter the aircraft details, I click on "Texture Editor" and I get a box which 'lists' the textures which, I assume, it has found mentioned in the original .mdl file. In this case I get these 3 -

0 Used 00969696 In All Dashprop.dds (diffuse)
1 Used In All GlobalEnv_AC_Chrome.dds (reflection)
2 Used FF969696 JFAIBNI_T.DDS (specular)

When the "Make Library" function is used, SAMM finds textures 0 and 1 and puts them in an ";all" texture folder but, even though texture 2 exists in the relevant aircraft texture folder under \TrafficX, it does not get found. This is happening whenever I try and convert any of the TrafficX aircraft (these are AI aircraft). The textures are being found when the new .mdl file is being created as when, having created the new .mdl, I click on "Show in viewer" and the aircraft displays correctly as required. It seems that the "Make Library" stage is not able to 'fetch and transfer the files for some reason.

Let me know when you are willing to look at this at your leisure and if you want me to forward any sample files.

Edit - just looked at the 'missing' file again. The list above shows the texture 2 file as JFAIBNI_T.dds but now I look in the \TrafficX folder the file is JFAIBNI_T.bmp! Now if I go to "Listings and Tools" and click to show 'Textures' the listing there is "JFAIBNI_T.bmp". So I am puzzled as to what is going on here. This difference in file type is the same for of the \TrafficX conversions I have tried so far.
I now notice that the aircraft textures in aircraft from the \Airplanes folders are consistently .dds types, those in my \Downloads and \TrafficX folders are consistently .bmp types.

samm-1.jpg

samm-2.jpg

samm-3.jpg
 

gadgets

Resource contributor
Messages
9,388
Country
ca-britishcolumbia
Ray, is this a problem with the display of the static aircraft or simply a query as to why?

As I said before, I'm travelling and away from my development system. So, I am unable to do much investigation. If it's a display problem, about all I can tell you is I don't recall anyone complaining of a similar issue in the past, so I'd be suspicious of the aircraft. If it's simply a query, then all I can tell you from here is that "That's the way it is".

If it is a display problem and you are still experiencing it in a couple of weeks, please post again and I'll see what I can do about it.

Don
 
Messages
729
Country
unitedkingdom
Ray, is this a problem with the display of the static aircraft or simply a query as to why?

As I said before, I'm travelling and away from my development system. So, I am unable to do much investigation. If it's a display problem, about all I can tell you is I don't recall anyone complaining of a similar issue in the past, so I'd be suspicious of the aircraft. If it's simply a query, then all I can tell you from here is that "That's the way it is".

If it is a display problem and you are still experiencing it in a couple of weeks, please post again and I'll see what I can do about it.

Don

Don, as far as my using SAMM is concerned this is a problem - see attached screen shots.


egyp1.jpg egyp2.jpg

Here I have converted an FSX King Air and a TrafficX C130, placed them using ADE and loaded up FSX. First picture King Air is fine but C130 has no texture. The actual texture that is missing is called JFAIC130_T.bmp which exists in the TrafficX sub-folders so that, when used as an AI aircraft, the aircraft appears fully textured. Now that I have converted it in SAMM (using exactly the same procedure as for the King Air) the texture is not available.
As I have said in my earlier posts, various bits of SAMM report the relevant texture for the C130 to be JFAIC130_T.dds whereas other bits say it is JFAIC130_T.bmp (as we know it should be).
SAMM has put the correct texture (JFAIC130_T.bmp) in the "\Addon Scenery\Static\Models\FSX\JFAI_TX_C130_USAF_1\texture" folder but seems not to have copied it to the "\Addon Scenery\Static\texture\JFAI_TX_C130_USAF_1" folder. After putting a copy in this second folder myself, the aircraft appears as required.
As I see it, SAMM is getting confused between looking for .dds and .bmp files and, as a result, is failing to put the required files in the appropriate places - but I could be wrong.

I am off to Amsterdam now for a few days for a bit of "R and R" so there is no rush for you to look into this and report your thoughts. I can manage by doing some manual copying but am surprised that there should be a need to do so.

Ray
 

gadgets

Resource contributor
Messages
9,388
Country
ca-britishcolumbia
Just had a thought. If an aircraft .mdl file specifies a .bmp texture, SAMM will copy either the .bmp file or the .dds files, whichever exits. Since FSX stock airraft still refer to .bmp textures, I don't think the converse is true, i.e., if the aircraft .mdl file specifies a .dds texture, I suspect only the .dds formatted texture will be copied. You can check this by either editing the TEXT block in the aircraft .mdl file to refer to .bmp textures or alternately, convert the .dds textures to .bmp format.
Don
 
Messages
729
Country
unitedkingdom
Just had a thought. If an aircraft .mdl file specifies a .bmp texture, SAMM will copy either the .bmp file or the .dds files, whichever exits. Since FSX stock airraft still refer to .bmp textures, I don't think the converse is true, i.e., if the aircraft .mdl file specifies a .dds texture, I suspect only the .dds formatted texture will be copied. You can check this by either editing the TEXT block in the aircraft .mdl file to refer to .bmp textures or alternately, convert the .dds textures to .bmp format.
Don

Don, done it bit of 'digging' in the airplane files.
I think all FSX stock aircraft call up .dds textures in their .mdl files (this is easily checked using "AI-Aircraft Editor V.2.1.31" which I regularly use). I have also looked at a few of the .mdl files using Notepad and can confirm this is the case on the ones I have looked at.

Now, if I look at my TrafficX C130 aircraft in similar ways, the textures listed are Glass_T.dds, JFAIC130_L.dds, JFAIC130_T.dds and Prop.dds.
Now when I look in the various texture.xx folders in the JFAI_C130 folder, all but one of these folders contains a texture JFAIC130_T.BMP. Only one folder has JFAIC130_T.DDS.
What I now don't understand is, if the .mdl file calls for a .dds texture, why are all of the varieties of C130 appearing normally in FSX when I call them up using my AIFP3 program for AI aircraft? They also appear as expected in the aforementioned "AI-Aircraft Editor V.2.1.31" Viewer even though the texture listing suggests all called textures are all .dds.
I don't know the difference between .bmp and .dds but it seems the difference is not important (?) - FSX and "AI-Aircraft Editor V.2.1.31" are reading the .bmp file despite a .dds file being called.
However, I suggest that this discrepancy may be the reason why SAMM is not putting the appropriate JFAIC130_T texture in the correct position. I guess I will just have to copy the missing texture files over to the SAMM library folders in order to get them appearing correctly.

Interesting to read your comments if you have any more thoughts.

Ray
 
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