Decompiling a BGL File

[GaryGB]

Thanks for the clarification, Ken; no outstanding issues here.

I was just trying to understand how your latter screenshot ended up showing "Crash Boxes", as I had initially assumed it was generated in MCX by importing the 'same' "KBHM_Terminal.KMZ" in the latter ZIP file attached above.

IIUC, that screenshot showed "Crash Boxes" because it was generated in MCX by re-importing the BGL containing the MDL you had already exported from MCX as a FS9 BGL (...compiled by FS9 SDK MakeMDL, which thereby adds the Geometry for "Crash Boxes").



Again, when you have another prototype model ready, feel free to send me a link either via this thread- or via a PM- from which I can download a copy of the latest version of your 'KBHM terminal B-C' (exported from your installation of Sketchup into a KMZ file or a Sketchup version 8 SKP file).


GaryGB

 

[kmanning]

Hi Gary,
Yes, you're correct. When I imported the KBHM_Terminal.kmz into MCX, it did not show the Crash Boxes. I exported the model into FS9\Addon Scenery\BHM2008\Scenery. When I imported the bgl into MCX, it showed the Crash Boxes.

Ken.

 

[kmanning]

Hi Gary,
I have a question about the Paint Editor in Sketchup. Is it possible to sample, or pick, a particular color in a photo image and save that color to the Paint's Material Editor Libray? Normally when one textures from a photo image, it's normally the entire or a large portion of the photo image. Let's say I wanted to pick just one color out of a photo image, let's say the color of gray using the eye drop or sampling tool, can I do that and save that color to my favorites in the Paint's Material Editor Library so that I can apply that to the model? Doing it this way will make it possible that I choose the correct color. Of course, I would pick out several colors and place them where they go. If so, how do I do that? I have some idea but I'm not sure if I'm doing it correctly. In the Paint's Material Editor Libray in Sketchup and selecting the Edit button, there are 2 buttons, one says "Match color of Object in Model" and the other button says "Match Color on Screen." Which one do I use and what's the difference between the two?

By the way, I was able to set my Google Earth to where I can have a 3D view of the KBHM airport, and I could have used those views as textures for my model. But the problem is that it looks very distorted in some areas and it makes the texture look very bad. I know that if one un-checks in the Options, it makes it look a lot better. But I do that, I no longer have my 3D view. I wanted to use these images for my textures but they just look too bad. So, I thought if I can just pick out the colors I need from the photo images, I can apply the textures that way. I just wish it was possible to remove the distortion without losing my 3D image.

Ken.

 

[GaryGB]

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/decompiling-a-bgl-file.434183/page-7#post-720265

Hi Gary,

I have a question about the Paint Editor in Sketchup. Is it possible to sample, or pick, a particular color in a photo image and save that color to the Paint's Material Editor Library ? Normally when one textures from a photo image, it's normally the entire or a large portion of the photo image.

Let's say I wanted to pick just one color out of a photo image, let's say the color of gray using the eye drop(per) or sampling tool, can I do that and save that color to my favorites in the Paint's Material Editor Library so that I can apply that to the model? Doing it this way will make it possible that I choose the correct color. Of course, I would pick out several colors and place them where they go. If so, how do I do that? I have some idea but I'm not sure if I'm doing it correctly.

In your Sketchup model work-space, somewhere off to the side of the airport Terminal building ex: on a 'apron' area of the 'Google Snapshot' ground:

1.) Create a temporary rectangular face on the 'ground' (to make a 3D 'billboard')

a.) Extrude it to a ex: 1 ft. height (to make it 3D and easier to handle with the Move / Rotate tools)

b.) Select the entire 'billboard' object and make it a 'Group'

d.) Use the Move / Rotate tools to align it vertically-oriented (like a billboard) rather than on the ground.


2.) Click the "Select" 'arrow' mouse cursor into that group and select the front face (but not the edges that define the face) to set the 'focus' (of where one is working within the hierarchy of the entire 3D model) ...at the 'context level' of that face within its 'group' inside Sketchup's work-space"


3.) Sketchup Menu > File > Import... > {set import type to [your texture image file type]}; [Open] dialog appears

a.) Still in Sketchup Menu > File > Import... > [Open] dialog, Browse / Select desired texture file name / path

b.) Still in Sketchup Menu > File > Import... > [Open] dialog, 'tick' "Use As Image"; click [Open] button

c.) Set the Purple dot seen at "Select" 'arrow' mouse cursor onto the lower left corner endpoint of a selected rectangular face; click to 'anchor'

d.) Move the mouse "Select" 'arrow' mouse cursor to the upper right to size the texture onto the selected rectangular face; click to 'finish'

4.) Texture image is now available to be sampled via the "Match Color" features ...as described below.

In the Paint (Bucket) Material Editor Library in Sketchup and selecting the Edit button, there are 2 buttons, one says "Match color of Object in Model" and the other button says "Match Color on Screen." Which one do I use and what's the difference between the two?

"Match color of Object in Model" limits the eye-dropper to selecting a material color from a textured face in a model.

"Match Color on Screen" allows the eye-dropper to select a color from anywhere on screen within the Sketchup work space and even from its toolbars and its Windows application task session 'window frame', ...as well as being able to select a material color (not an entire 'projected material') from a textured face in a model.

By the way, I was able to set my Google Earth to where I can have a 3D view of the KBHM airport, and I could have used those views as textures for my model. But the problem is that it looks very distorted in some areas and it makes the texture look very bad. I know that if one un-checks in the Options, it makes it look a lot better. But I do that, I no longer have my 3D view. I wanted to use these images for my textures but they just look too bad. So, I thought if I can just pick out the colors I need from the photo images, I can apply the textures that way. I just wish it was possible to remove the distortion without losing my 3D image.

Ken.

When you state " I was able to set my Google Earth to where I can have a 3D view of the KBHM airport", I assume you are referring to the 3rd party 3D model displayed within Google Earth (aka "GE"), and not to your own model ?


If so, AFAIK, those models (and their textures) are freely permissible to use for personal and IIUC, non-commercial purposes.

AFAIK, when accepted for inclusion and display in the (discontinued) Google Earth "crowd-sourcing" project (which originally made Sketchup available to the public to encourage submission of such textured 3D models to populate the 3D world view of GE), they were originally intended to be 'freely permissible to use for personal and IIUC, non-commercial purposes under the Sketchup / Google Earth / 3D Warehouse EULA terms.


FYI: Those models (and their textures) accepted for inclusion and display in Google Earth's "legacy" 3D model view mode, are IIRC, always to be found somewhere within 3D Warehouse, as I previously cited here:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/decompiling-a-bgl-file.434183/#post-711935


You can import that 3D Warehouse model "Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport Terminal, Birmingham, Al" into your own Sketchup model by placing that grouped object into your model's work-space (...somewhere off to the side of the airport Terminal building ex: on a 'apron' area of the 'Google Snapshot' ground).

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=464e5bbce31cfe2dc8c59bc53bd5954c

Once imported, its textured faces are then available to be sampled via the "Match Color" features ...as described above.


Alternatively, you may wish to open the 3D Warehouse KBHM model in another "instance" of Sketchup, which can also run in Windows concurrent with your new 'KBHM Terminal B-C' ...opened in yet another 'instance' of Sketchup.

One can then instead use the {Alt}+left-click 'eye-dropper' method of sampling an already "projected" texture material on that model with the Material tool "Paint Bucket" cursor.



PS: As mentioned previously, you may also wish to preview your own Sketchup 3D model in a 'local' (not shared on the internet) session of GE ...via the process described here:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/decompiling-a-bgl-file.434183/page-5#post-718852



Hope this helps with what you are working on at this phase of the learning and development process !

GaryGB

 

[kmanning]

I assume you are referring to the 3rd party 3D model displayed within Google Earth (aka "GE"), and not to your own model.

Yes, I was referring to the 3D model in Google Earth. Actually, what I meant was that I had to put a check in some of the boxes in the Options to make them show up in Google Earth, but they're distorted in some way. I'll post it later and show you what I mean.

You can import that 3D Warehouse model "Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport Terminal, Birmingham, Al" into your own Sketchup model by placing that grouped object into your model's work-space (...somewhere off to the side of the airport Terminal building ex: on a 'apron' area of the 'Google Snapshot' ground).

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=464e5bbce31cfe2dc8c59bc53bd5954c

Yes, I know about this one. But it's not the latest model. This model looks nothing like what the terminal is now. This is an old model.

Click the Arrow cursor into that group and select the lower left corner endpoint of the face to set its 'context' in Sketchup's work-space

I'm still having a problem with some of the instructions. I assume when you say "the Arrow cursor," you're referring to the Select Tool and not the Move Tool that has arrows as well. When you say "click the arrow cursor into that group," what do you mean? You also said, "select the lower left corner endpoint of the face to set its Context. I tried that but I don't see anything happening. I don't see an endpoint and I don't know what you mean by "Context.'

Set Purple dot at Arrow cursor onto the lower left corner endpoint of a selected rectangular face; click to 'anchor'

I don't see an Arrow cursor at the lower left. Just an endpoint. It will anchor but the image will not stay on the billboard face and it keeps moving or snapping to the ground. Sometimes I could get it to extend out onto the face. After I've done this, I would open the Material Editor and when I selected the "Match Color on Screen" button and sampled the color I wanted to create in my Material Favorites, it would paint the top section of my terminal that color, or whatever color I selected. I'm still having a problem trying to save those particular colors to my Material Favorites. What I want to do is to save all of the colors from the original images and save them to my Material Favorites, I guess you call it, and apply them to my model later.

Texture image is now available to be sampled via the "Match Color" features ...as described below.

Okay, I think I got it now. So, the only time I would use the "Match Color of Object in Model" button is when I have a model opened in skethcup and I would use this eye dropper to sample from the model. And I would use the "Match Color on Screen" when I want to sample a color from a photo image. Do I have that correct?

Ken.

 

[GaryGB]

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/decompiling-a-bgl-file.434183/page-7#post-720303

When you state " I was able to set my Google Earth to where I can have a 3D view of the KBHM airport", I assume you are referring to the 3rd party 3D model displayed within Google Earth (aka "GE"), and not to your own model ?

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/decompiling-a-bgl-file.434183/page-7#post-720327

Yes, I was referring to the 3D model in Google Earth. Actually, what I meant was that I had to put a check in some of the boxes in the Options to make them show up in Google Earth, but they're distorted in some way. I'll post it later and show you what I mean.

Perhaps I might clarify this by reiterating- and editing- a "GE-configuration" step I originally mentioned earlier in this thread:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/decompiling-a-bgl-file.434183/page-5#post-718852

[EDITED]

If you wish to preview your model (and/or other legacy format models) in Google Earth (aka "GE") before importing to MCX, simply double-click the model in Windows explorer to open it inside Google Earth.

The detailed workflow for this in GE is via:

Google Earth Menu > Tool > Options... > Google Earth Options dialog > [3D View Tab] > {Terrain section}:

* Set "Elevation Exaggeration" to 1.2

* Check "Use high-quality terrain"

* 'Un-Check' "Use 3D Imagery" (this allows legacy / KMZ Sketchup model display in GE)

...Then click [Apply] and [OK] buttons


Alternatively, to display the newer 'remote scanning software-derived' "3D Imagery" models of objects and trees:

* 'Check' "Use 3D Imagery" (this disables legacy / KMZ Sketchup model display in GE, and substitutes "3D Imagery" models)


FYI: The newer 'remote scanning software-derived' "3D Imagery" models of objects and trees resolve very slowly within GE, and may still display with distortion.

[END_EDIT]


Unfortunately even though one can capture a screenshot of one's 'on-ground' view of 3D Imagery" models ...in GE's 3D mode via:

GE Menu > File > Save > Save Image

...one is likely to find it frustrating to attempt to import such saved images / apply them as materials / remove distortions etc.

It would IMHO likely be a more rewarding experience learning how to find / download / adapt in graphics software and/or Sketchup ...some of the freely available texture images of ex: 'generic' building materials and/or walls from the internet, then apply them to one's model as textures.

You can import that 3D Warehouse model "Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport Terminal, Birmingham, Al" into your own Sketchup model by placing that grouped object into your model's work-space (...somewhere off to the side of the airport Terminal building ex: on a 'apron' area of the 'Google Snapshot' ground).

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=464e5bbce31cfe2dc8c59bc53bd5954c

Yes, I know about this one. But it's not the latest model. This model looks nothing like what the terminal is now. This is an old model.

Indeed; however, as you were describing use of textures from another '3D model' being displayed in GE's 3D mode at KBHM, I suggested that as an option using the "Match Color" feature.

I subsequently came to understand that you were actually attempting to describe the newer 'remote scanning software-derived' "3D Imagery" model of the KBHM terminal ...which is not to be found in the 3D Warehouse.

I'm still having a problem with some of the instructions. I assume when you say "the Arrow cursor," you're referring to the Select Tool and not the Move Tool that has arrows as well.

Correct; I have edited my post above in attempt at greater clarity.

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/decompiling-a-bgl-file.434183/page-7#post-720303

When you say "click the arrow cursor into that group," what do you mean?

You also said, "select the lower left corner endpoint of the face to set its Context. I tried that but I don't see anything happening. I don't see an endpoint and I don't know what you mean by "Context.'

I don't see an Arrow cursor at the lower left. Just an endpoint. It will anchor but the image will not stay on the billboard face and it keeps moving or snapping to the ground. Sometimes I could get it to extend out onto the face.

I have edited my instructions above:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/decompiling-a-bgl-file.434183/page-7#post-720303

"Click the "Select" 'arrow' mouse cursor into that group and select the front face (but not the edges that define the face) to set the 'focus' (of where one is working within the hierarchy of the entire 3D model) ...at the 'context level' of that face within its 'group' inside Sketchup's work-space"

After I've done this, I would open the Material Editor and when I selected the "Match Color on Screen" button and sampled the color I wanted to create in my Material Favorites, it would paint the top section of my terminal that color, or whatever color I selected. I'm still having a problem trying to save those particular colors to my Material Favorites. What I want to do is to save all of the colors from the original images and save them to my Material Favorites, I guess you call it, and apply them to my model later.


Okay, I think I got it now. So, the only time I would use the "Match Color of Object in Model" button is when I have a model opened in sketchup and I would use this eye dropper to sample from the model. And I would use the "Match Color on Screen" when I want to sample a color from a photo image. Do I have that correct?

Ken.

Correct; use "Match Color" to pick a (pixel-sized) color attribute, which is not to be confused with sampling a "projected" material from a face which has already been 'textured' in Sketchup.

Hope this helps a bit more !

GaryGB

 

[kmanning]

Hi Gary and all,
Well, I finally have my new KBHM file ready for FS2004. Here's the photo below:

The parking deck was taken from the old KBHM that one can download from the sketchup Warehouse. The terminal was designed by me and did not come from any other file. I had planned to use photo textures but those found in Google Earth are way too distorted and look very bad, not to mention the photo quality is not all that good. I've tried those suggestions in Google Earth and it only made thingd worse. I did use it to get some measurements, dimensions, and heights of the buildings. By the way, I finally figured out how to save my texture colors when using the eye dropper. When I started working with the round section you see in the middle, this one really gave me a problem. First of all, I had problems getting the faces and the windows to show up correctly. It seem like every time I draw and connect the lines, the faces would not show up. The problem was that the lines kept getting out of place, one maybe being a little longer than the other, or is not making a connection at the other end point. In order to get a face, the lines must perfectly be straight and connect the end points. There were times when it seemed like the lines were going through the face instead of to the connecting end point, due to the curveture. When I started putting in the windows in that round section, it gave me all kinds of issues. Then I begin to noticed something when I was looking at a photo of this middle section. Each window is placed on a flat service, but remember that the next window over is at a different angle. That was where my problem was coming in. I used the Circle Tool to make that section. When I tried to put the windows in, I didn't take into consideration that the end point in my circle must not line-up anywhere within the window, because the end points are where the angle is made. The windows must be on the face, and within a segment. When I drew my circle, there were something like 13 to 15 end points along all those windows. There are eight roses of windows around its curvature so to make this work, I must have eight segments and nine end points, with each window being within a segment and the end points at the windows edges. It worked perfectly. Another issue I came across is that if you take note of the upper roof facing the parking deck, you'll noticed that the middle section droops down. I used the Move Tool to push only that middle section down. When I did this, all kinds of geometry and lines were all over the roof. I watch a video on how to fix this problem and that helped me to resolve that issue. There may be other ways I could have fixed this but for now, I guess I'll just follow the instructions from that video. If you take note of all those windows in other areas, I used only the Line Tool to put all of those windows in. But recently, I've learned about Copy and Arrays, and I guess this could have made my job faster. Of course, I would have to count how many windows to put in and over what distance.

Gary, I think you mentioned that when I finish my project, you would get me to check things and make sure its ready for export to MCX. So, I'll be waiting.

By the way, I tried to upload my Sketchup project but it says that my file is too large. It's 54 mb and I compressed it in WinZip. I assume you'll need that file, so is there another way to send it to you?

Ken.

 

[kmanning]

Hi Gary,
I tried to upload my file as a Sketchup file, even after compressing with WinZip. I think I should have sent it as kmz. Anyway, here's the kmz file of my new KBHM airport terminal. It worked this time.

Ken.

 

[kmanning]

Hi Gary,
I've just tried to export my new KBHM file into FS2004 and it's not showing up. I exported the file following your instructions from previous posts. When I checked out the bgl file in MCX, the model just doesn't look quite right and I get an error or warning message saying "Unknown BGL opcode 14B9 at position 1586A." Even when I imported the kmz file from Sketchup to MCX, the model just didn't look right. Do you get the same thing?

Ken.

 

[kmanning]

Hi Gary,
Here's the problem I'm having after I exported my model from Sketchup to MCX. I used the kmz to export it. As you can see, the C concourse does not display correctly in the area where the windows are at. It's all blue, the same color as the background, and you can see right through it or there's nothing there. When I checked the Top View, in FS2004, most of the terminal was not even there. There was nothing there. I searched for videos to troubleshoot this problem and I can't find any. I thought I would show you a photo of it. I also tried importing it from FS2004 to MCX after exporting the blg file from MCX and I do get an error that says "Unknown BGL opcode 14B9 at position 1586A." Don't worry about the error message that says "Not in Power of 2s." I did go through all of the instructions and I still have the same problem.

Ken.

 

[kmanning]

Hi Gary,
I guess this is the one you'll need. This one is when I imported the bgl file from FS2004 to MCX. But the warning error is a little different. The photo, just before this one, was from Sketcup to MCX.

Ken.

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Ken:

I am now reviewing your recent posts above.


FYI: A page or so back in this lengthy thread, I had briefly mis-interpreted your target output of FS version to be FSX rather than FS9, so I will have to update my explanation of the work-flow in MCX when I get some time.


In the mean time, note that one will convert the textures to BMP, and NOT DDS ...during MCX export for use in for FS9.


Be sure to keep multiple backup copies of your SKP and/or KMZ files for your model, and save them at the end of each work session.


Any repair work required to fix "skewed" walls, roof, etc. may still be able to re-use some copies of the ex: windows by grouping them and using them to populate the wall surface with the "Array" feature ( ...and perhaps a few other 'tricks', if feasible).

Any smaller local areas within the overall 3D model which, upon further detailed close-up inspection, might not prove feasible to "fix", can be re-modeled, and the already-projected textures "sampled" from an original version of the surface being replaced (which is 'grouped' and copied to somewhere within that same 3D model, but set off to the side of the terminal on the apron where you can get at it when you need to).


I will inspect your 3D model KMZ last posted above, and shall offer suggestions for repair and optimization ...over the weekend.


Your Sketchup model is shaping up rather nicely !

GaryGB

 

[kmanning]

Hi Gary,
I just thought about something and I don't know if this has anything to do with my issue. What I have done, since I'm not using the photo textures, is that I have used those photo textures to draw where the windows and everything goes. That is, I selected "Use as Texture," cropped it correctly, and then applied the image to my surface. I would then draw over that photo using the Line Tool. After that, I would erase the photo image and then re-draw to make my face, and then apply the texture colors from the paint. Another thing I did is that I set the Opacity to where you can see inside and outside the terminal building, just like real glass. But I've already tried the no Opacity setting and it makes no difference.

I tried using the Material Editor in MCX and Under Properties, I checked the box that says "Highlight Selected" At the left side there are a list of color textures, I assume I used when making my model. In that list, Color 5E5A62 highlighted the area that did not show the wall surface with the row of windows. The windows show up but the main wall does not. Next to the name of the color, I think it should show the color I used to paint that wall, but it only shows white, or at least, no color is there. Under the Optimize tab, there are colors listed there, and these indicate that I have double Sided textures. But I don't understand how to use that, rather to use the left - red, or the right - green. But 5E5A62 is not listed here. This is just something I thought about now that I'm having this issue. The problem is apparent when I first imported it from Sketchup to MCX, so it's got to be something I did wrong in Sketchup. Yes, I did use bmp as textures. Actually, I used DXTBMP.

Ken.

 

[tgibson]

Perhaps you should a link to this thread in the ModelConveterX forum so Arno can have a look?

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Gary,
I just thought about something and I don't know if this has anything to do with my issue. What I have done, since I'm not using the photo textures, is that I have used those photo textures to draw where the windows and everything goes. That is, I selected "Use as Texture," cropped it correctly, and then applied the image to my surface. I would then draw over that photo using the Line Tool. After that, I would erase the photo image and then re-draw to make my face, and then apply the texture colors from the paint. Another thing I did is that I set the Opacity to where you can see inside and outside the terminal building, just like real glass. But I've already tried the no Opacity setting and it makes no difference.

I tried using the Material Editor in MCX and Under Properties, I checked the box that says "Highlight Selected" At the left side there are a list of color textures, I assume I used when making my model. In that list, Color 5E5A62 highlighted the area that did not show the wall surface with the row of windows. The windows show up but the main wall does not. Next to the name of the color, I think it should show the color I used to paint that wall, but it only shows white, or at least, no color is there. Under the Optimize tab, there are colors listed there, and these indicate that I have double Sided textures. But I don't understand how to use that, rather to use the left - red, or the right - green. But 5E5A62 is not listed here. This is just something I thought about now that I'm having this issue. The problem is apparent when I first imported it from Sketchup to MCX, so it's got to be something I did wrong in Sketchup. Yes, I did use bmp as textures. Actually, I used DXTBMP.

Ken.

It is possible that during 3D modeling you may have inadvertently applied a texture material to a "grouped" sub-object within the overall model (ex: a face or an entire wall etc.).

I do not see more than the Sketchup default "Layer 0" being used in your latest KMZ model file attached immediately above, so I know that you have not inadvertently utilized a "Color By Layer" attribute for part of your model Geometry (that's a good thing to avoid until we know more about this feature from Arno).

http://forums.sketchup.com/t/texture-lost-after-importing-3d-warehouse-components/6051

http://mastersketchup.com/color-by-layer/



I will take a further look into your model to discern what else may have occurred.


FYI: One thing I did notice on an initial brief inspection is that the textures which appear "invisible" in MCX when viewed within Sketchup are fully transparent.


The reason I know that a"fully transparent" texture has been applied to a 3D face (which is still physically intact at that position within the model even when not otherwise visible when Sketchup Menu > View > Hidden Geometry is 'checked'), is that when one simply clicks on the "invisible" face, it "selects" with a Sketchup default blue 'dotted grid' (...to indicate that a face has been 'selected').


So an initial test you could try to fix this would be, to select that texture on that face and "Make Unique Texture"; then set it to be non-transparent by editing its "Opacity" attributes in the Sketchup Materials > Edit dialog ...for (only) that specific "unique texture".


I'll need more time over the weekend to go through this (now-complex) model before I post a more detailed reply.

GaryGB

 

[kmanning]

It is possible that during 3D modeling you may have inadvertently applied a texture material to a "grouped" sub-object within the overall model (ex: a face or an entire wall etc.).

Hi Gary. The only thing I remember as making a Group is the large unit on top of the terminal, just behind the area with the half round glass panels. The only reason I made that a group is because I had so much trouble getting the faces to show up. I think what happened is that when I lowered the roof to give it that small V shape at the center using the Move Tool, it placed a lot of extra geometry around the entire roof, including that unit. So, I just got read of the original started a new one on the ground near by. When I finished it, I just used the Move Tool to place it in the proper place. That's what I should have done in the beginning. I can say one thing. Doing a project like this requires you to think ahead. I should have lowered the roof before putting anything on top.

I do not see more than the Sketchup default "Layer 0" being used in your latest KMZ model file attached immediately above, so I know that you have not inadvertently utilized a "Color By Layer" attribute for part of your model Geometry (that's a good thing to avoid until we know more about this feature from Arno).

I'm not sure what that is anyway. I hear about layers or color by layers, but I don't understand it fully just yet. I do have some idea though.

FYI: One thing I did notice on an initial brief inspection is that the textures which appear "invisible" in MCX when viewed within Sketchup are fully transparent.

I think transparent means to be able to see through something, so do you mean you are able to see through the wall in Sketchup? You're right that the wall is invisible in MCX but in sketchup, the wall is fully visible and it is textured. Everything looks normal in Sketchup until I import the file into MCX. That's where the problem starts. By the way, I've tried selecting another color for that wall surface, just for the heck of it, and exported it as a kmz. When I imported that file into MCX, this time the wall showed up In MCX. But the problem still persists when I imported it as a bgl file from FS2004. So, I don't think the color would have anything to do with this. But I thought I would tell you.

The reason I know that a"fully transparent" texture has been applied to a 3D face (which is still physically intact at that position within the model even when not otherwise visible when Sketchup Menu > View > Hidden Geometry is 'checked'), is that when one simply clicks on the "invisible" face, it "selects" with a Sketchup default blue 'dotted grid' (...to indicate that a face has been 'selected').

That's interesting to know. So, when one clicks on an invisible face and it shows those blue dotted grids, that indicates that a face has been selected. I guess you mean that a face was once there. If so, remember that I mention earlier that I did import photo images, used as texture, onto my face so that I could draw, with the Line Tool, where the windows and everything goes. After I've done this, I erased, or deleted that photo image and re-drew and created my face again, but this time using my own textures from Paint. Did I do that wrong? I thought I would do it that way so that I would not have a face on top of another face, and I did run across this. I could click on a face to erase it and there would be another face underneath that. I thought this would cause problems so I just started erasing the surfaces whenever I use my own textures.

So an initial test you could try to fix this would be, to select that texture on that face and "Make Unique Texture"; then set it to be non-transparent by editing its "Opacity" attributes in the Sketchup Materials > Edit dialog ...for (only) that specific "unique texture".

Okay, I will try that. But one thing I did mentioned earlier is that I did set the Opacity of the windows to where you can see inside and also see outside when positioned from inside the terminal. But I haven't put in the floors just yet. That will come later. But as far as the wall surface itself, I don't understand why it would be transparent when its fully visible in Sketchup. Or maybe I didn't understand what you said.

Gary, Should I make this known to Arno or have you made it know to him? By the way, the latest development I have is 1.4. Is that the latest?

Ken.

 

[Lane Street]

I downloaded your .KMZ file and opened it in SU. I then changed three materials used for windows and made them fully opaque.

Then I exported to a new .KMZ and opened it in MCX.

In Textured render mode I can see the colors...

However, when I switch to Wireframe render mode there is no geometry for the color band that wraps the corner and the dark window frames...

For some reason the geometry is being stripped out.

I think this is an issue for Arno to resolve.

cheers,
Lane

 

[kmanning]

Hi,
I don't know why anyone has not notice this but I opened a new Sketchup file, that is, without the saved KBHM new terminal. I imported the kmz file that I uploaded here and here's what I've found. The very same problem that existed in MCX. See the photo below:

Notice that there are no walls or surfaces on that row of windows. You can see right through it. So, this explains the invisible surfaces in MCX. But I don't understand why there are no walls when they were there in the Sketchup program. When I exported this file from Sketchup, the walls were visible and had texture. But when one opens the kmz file, the surface is gone. I also noticed a quite of bit of extra geometry that was not in the original file.

Ken.

 

[GaryGB]

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/decompiling-a-bgl-file.434183/page-7#post-721406

Hi,
I don't know why anyone has not notice this but I opened a new Sketchup file, that is, without the saved KBHM new terminal. I imported the kmz file that I uploaded here and here's what I've found. The very same problem that existed in MCX. See the photo below:

Notice that there are no walls or surfaces on that row of windows. You can see right through it. So, this explains the invisible surfaces in MCX. But I don't understand why there are no walls when they were there in the Sketchup program. When I exported this file from Sketchup, the walls were visible and had texture. But when one opens the kmz file, the surface is gone. I also noticed a quite of bit of extra geometry that was not in the original file.

Ken.

Hi Ken:

One can not "Open" a KMZ'; one must instead "Import" it ...as I previously explained here:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/decompiling-a-bgl-file.434183/page-6#post-719370

Hi Ken:

Here's some additional info regarding your options to reduce complexity in your model.


Further to the current topic of attempting to "Combine" the "Co-Planar" multiple adjacent sub-faces used via the Move tool to make the windows for the flat 'KBHM Terminal B-C' exterior wall surface.


You may also wish to:

1.) "Export" your own new 'KBHM Terminal B-C' model as a KMZ file

2.) In a blank 'new' Sketchup project

a.) "Import" that KMZ file with the [Options] button dialog box set so that both following check-boxes are checked:

(1) "Validate COLLADA File"

...and:

(2) "Merge Coplanar Faces"


After KMZ import, Sketchup should automatically eliminate any extra faces which it is 'able' to work with, including:

* multiple adjacent sub-faces used to make windows for the 'KBHM Terminal B-C' exterior wall surface

* multiple adjacent sub-faces due to "triangulation" by inter-conversion of exported / imported 3D model content

As I was rather limited on my available time yesterday afternoon, I did not mention that during "Import" to Sketchup version 8 of your "KBHM Backup with Parking Deck.KMZ" file attached above, I received this error message:

After clicking "Yes" to continue, the Import completed with no further error messages.

Upon inspection in Sketchup version 8, your 3D model showed what is also seen in your attached screenie above.

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/decompiling-a-bgl-file.434183/page-7#post-721406


FYI: The model sub-object for the Terminal area shown in the foreground has been "skewed", thus, the North and West walls must be re-drawn precisely along a (temporarily) re-positioned Sketchup world axis (aligned at ex: the bottom long edge of the intact and 'non-skewed' South Terminal section wall using the "Axes" tool).

Even though MCX and FS may sometimes "forgive" co-planar and segmented / non-co-planar faces which are 'contiguous' in their attachments to an otherwise "mostly uni-planar" surface, and may sometimes even allow it to be rendered with a texture in MCX and FS, it is best to NOT attempt to model and export scenery objects with such 'skewed' Geometry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skew_lines


It would be best, IMHO, to abide by the "solid modeling" methods used by most Sketchup 3D modeling tutorials, as I also had recommended above.

Using alternative methods instead of "solid modeling" (based on my own experience having "been there / done that" many times earlier in my ongoing learning process with Sketchup) ...is to risk ending up in "a (3D) world of hurt", after accidentally having "skewed" a model off of the local 3D world axes.

IMHO it would be "in-humane" of me to suggest attempting to model in Sketchup by other methods ...at this stage in the learning process.


So, please... take my advice and either repair or re-model that entire 'West wing' section of the Terminal building via "solid modeling" methods.


Phase-1 of repair process for that entire 'West wing' of the Terminal building:

1.) Set Camera to Parallel mode / Top-down view and zoom to fill work space view with that entire 'West wing' of the Terminal building


2.) Click into the context of the overall "Group" for that entire 'West wing' section of the Terminal building

a.) Using the Pointer (arrow) cursor with the left mouse button, click-hold-drag a rectangular 'selection frame' from bottom left corner to top right corner of that 'West wing' to 'select' it

b.) Right-click and "Group" that entire 'West wing' section of the Terminal building

c.) Sketchup Menu > Edit > "Copy" that Group

d.) Sketchup Menu > Edit > "Paste In Place"

e.) "Move" that copy along the same 3D world axis to place it a few dozen yards to the West (...of the original Group which is to be "repaired")


NOTE: This temporary copy of that 'Group' will be used for "sampling" already-projected textures and retrieving any re-usable portion of smaller sub-objects such as framed 'windows' (which when "Grouped" may be used to more quickly restore your wall using the "Move / Copy / "Array" method).


f.) Click the "outer shell" of the copied Group to 'Select' it, then right-click and choose "Lock" ('Group' Bounding Box now appears Red when 'Selected')


3.) Click into the context of the overall "Group" for that original entire 'West wing' section of the Terminal building

a.) Click into the context of the "sub-Group" for that entire 'West wing' section of the Terminal building

b.) At the SW corner of the 'West wing' section of the Terminal building:

(1) click on a "fully transparent" wall surface area to 'select' it

(2) click on the "Paint Bucket" material tool

(3) in the Material pick-list, note that the texture applied to that 'selected' face is demarcated by a "Bold Black Rectangle"

(a) click [Edit] tab and set {Opacity} slider at 100 % (texture material applied to 'selected' wall surface become "fully Opaque" and visible)


4.) Repeat the process in Step 3.) immediately above ...for each "fully transparent" / "invisble" face in that 'West wing' of the Terminal building


Please let me know when you have completed "Phase-1" as described above.

GaryGB

 

[Lane Street]

Ken,

I imported your .KMZ file into a new SU 2015 file without seeing that error that Gary saw. Maybe he needs to upgrade to a newer version of SU.

If you look at this image...

...you will see the edges circled in red, which suggests those walls are there. If you click on them you will see that they are there and are displayed as a series of blue dots.

If you open the paint bucket tool and use the eyedropper on the Select tab of the Material Editor, then click on those walls to select that material. On the Edit tab of the Material Editor you will see that the color for those walls is set to fully transparent.

If you are concerned about the extra geometry circled in green, those edges suggest that the end wall is not a flat plane as described by the four corners circled in blue.

Honestly, if this is not visually obvious in the sim I would not worry about it.

Even if you rebuild that wall and make it a flat plane those edges, and many, many, many more, are going to be added to the geometry when your object gets triangulated.

In discussions about FS modeling you often hear the term "poly", or polygon. It is important to know that in FS every poly is a triangle. This is very common in the 3D modeling world, not just in FS.

If you make a six-sided cube, you might look at it and think that it has six polys, or faces, when in fact each face has two triangles so the actual poly count for your cube is 12.

Even though you will not see all of the "polys" in the SU display, you can see them when you import your model in MCX and look at the Wireframe render mode.

Not to be critical of your modeling methods, only in an attempt to educate, your method of drawing all of those rectangles and filling them with color is going to result in a huge poly count.

Importing your .KMZ file into SU 2015, the Model Info reports 2985 faces. Applying what we know about the cube to that face count (every face is two polys, or triangles) we might assume that the poly count for your model would be 2985x2=5970

However when importing your model into MCX it reports a poly count of 27,043. So I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about that extra geometry on the end wall, unless it looks bad in the sim.

cheers,
Lane