ADE 1.78 Update Library Object Manager

[Leo2789]

Hello Jon! @scruffyduck

So far enjoying a lot this new version! Really love the detailed footprints of library objects!
Not sure if I just found a bug or if I'm doing something wrong in this new version though, but here goes my issue:

Whenever I update library bgls in the LOM (which I do frequently as I am constantly creating new objects for my project on a daily basis), it always takes 'ages' to do so and it always tells me that no objects from that file were previously in the library, when they were all in fact in the LOM to begin with (apart from the single new object being added) and had already been used in some ad4 projects.
Weirdly it then proceeds to list all these objects that were in the library before with their respective thumbnails and projects that used those objects remain unaffected since the GUIDs didn't change; but I have to rename every single one of them every single time, which is not only annoying but will pose a problem in the future as this specific library currently has 16 objects but is planned to have 150 when completed...
I also have other libraries with many objects that I wanted to update simply for the accurate footprint feature, but I'm reticent to do so now if that means renaming every single object (current # at 1708) again

Hope you can figure out what's going on and help me out!

Cheers!

 

[Leo2789]

are you using the option to rebuild or add new?

Hello Jon!

"Rebuild"? I've yet to find such an option ... What I did was Tools>Library Object Manager, and within the LOM's pop-up Tools>Update File (Ctrl+U). This prompted me to select the relevant bgl, for which it then takes a good amount of time (~10mins) to load, and to tell me that it "found XY objects. 0 in database" when all but 1 new object were already in the db! However, if I try to 'Add File' and select the library it tells me "This library is already in the database. If you wish to update it please use Update Single File."
Since I didn't find an exact 'Update Single File' option, I used the Update File option mentioned earlier. Is this not the correct procedure? All options that appear to me in that Tools Menu are ( Add File / Add Folder / Update File | Exit )

 

[scruffyduck]

Update file is the correct one. It will replace the old data with the new. it will replace everything in the file since it does not know what is changed. There should be no need to rename anything

 

[Leo2789]

Update file is the correct one. It will replace the old data with the new. it will replace everything in the file since it does not know what is changed. There should be no need to rename anything

I see so the fact it states it "found X objects 0 in database" is completely normal? Also I understand it takes a while to load in this case, as the program is scanning each model and creating footprints for it every time I update the library. I was hoping it would be as fast as the previous version I had though, where I selected 'Add File' and then it would simply add the objects not already in the database Is there no way to have it like that in 1.78?
If not, then the only real issue/bug remaining is the fact that after Updating the Library BGL file it does indeed reset all names to LIBRARY01.BGL, LIBRARY02.BGL, etc; which according to you should not happen so what gives?

 

[scruffyduck]

OK, the issue here seems to be that you are primarily adding new objects to an existing library.

ADE 1.76 just adds new objects into the LOM which is more efficient for your usage scenario. However this does not update any changes made to existing objects rather than adding new ones. ADE can't tell for sure whether a model has been modified so generally it reloads the library for all the items. It could be possible to add an option to add new only and not update anything but that takes us back to 1.76

If you are creating objects for a specific project, rather than using them in multiple projects then you could consider adding the models directly to ADE. Smaller libraries will obviously process faster than large ones.

Finally on the issue of naming, I do not see this in tests I have done. However FS9 objects do not have the facility to include a name. FSX and later do. ADE will read a model as it is loaded and check for a name. It will use it if it finds one associated with a model. If not it has to make something up. You seem to be seeing this which leads me to ask whether the objects are compiled for FS9 or for later versions but without a name or whether something else is wrong. If you would zip up some examples of your libraries and email them to me jon AT scruffyduck DOT org then I will look at them here.

 

[Leo2789]

Yes that is exactly what I am doing; as I make a new model in SketchUp I export it to MCX, compile in FS9 MDL format and then add it to the library; after which I used to re-add the library (when I had ADE 1.67) and now do the Update File option with 1.78.
If only adding new objects is be a feature you could implement that would be awesome! But as for now I guess I'll wait until I had at least 5 new models ready before I add them to ADE's db, so as to save time on the whole loading process while using 'Update File'.
Well there's 2 reasons I don't use the models directly, the first being that for some of the libraries, I plan on re-using them for future projects; the other is that I did that in the beginning, but occasionally when I loaded the project to continue working on it all models would be gone (shown as black 'unknown' boxes) when the files where never moved or altered! Maybe that was a bug that happened with the previous version I had and not in this one, but I prefer to use object libraries anyways.

Regarding the naming issue, the only name the models have before adding their library to ADEs LOM are in the form of the sketchup file name (which is replicated when converted do mdl by MCX). What I'm referring to is the renaming I do in ADE's LOM (changing the default Library01.BGL name to a relevant one); while I am now wondering if the fact that 1.78 reads & adds the whole file to the LOM whenever you use the Update option might also reset the names, you said it yourself that that shouldn't happen so I'm quite puzzled about it And it's really the main thing I'd like to fix because while having to wait 10 mins for a library update might be upsetting, it's not the end of the world (I can always get a or something), whereas having to rename every single object every time I Update the file is 1000x that hassle
I've sent the library bgl in question (along with its textures) as a zip to the email you stated.

Hope you can figure out if there's in fact anything to be fixed!

Thank you so much for your help by the way Jon!

 

[scruffyduck]

The library you sent me contains FS9 models. You say yourself you compile them for FS9. These have no facility for storing a friendly name. Unless you are working in FS9 then you should consider recompiling your model files for FSX or later. In that case you should be able to add a friendly name for each model as you compile it. This name then becomes part of the mdl file which ADE will read and use instead of having to create a name based on the library name each time. If you are working with FS9 then I can only suggest going back to version 1.76. I assume you are naming your objects in the LOM?

So to answer your question there is nothing to be fixed with ADE. It is working as it should be. The naming issue is because you are using FS9 mdl files for your models

 

[tgibson]

But Jon, couldn't you preserve the names he has already entered for objects in the updated library with the same GUID?

 

[scruffyduck]

That's possible but I would have to think about the best way to do it without adding more indexes

 

[Leo2789]

The library you sent me contains FS9 models. You say yourself you compile them for FS9. These have no facility for storing a friendly name. Unless you are working in FS9 then you should consider recompiling your model files for FSX or later. In that case you should be able to add a friendly name for each model as you compile it. This name then becomes part of the mdl file which ADE will read and use instead of having to create a name based on the library name each time. If you are working with FS9 then I can only suggest going back to version 1.76. I assume you are naming your objects in the LOM?

So to answer your question there is nothing to be fixed with ADE. It is working as it should be. The naming issue is because you are using FS9 mdl files for your models

Hey Jon

Yes I'm compiling FS9 MDLs because my project is for FS2004 as it's the Sim I use, so I guess no luck there for me
And that is correct, I was referring to renaming the objects in the LOM so as to have them organized and easy to find; so as I understand it, ADE simply resets the names of even the objects it already had in the LOM when using the 'Update File' option? If so that's a bummer
I'm not too keen on reverting to 1.76, not only because apart from this I'm enjoying the 1.78 experience, but also because I already have projects saved that I have made progress on with 1.78 and so I'd like to avoid compatibility issues!

But Jon, couldn't you preserve the names he has already entered for objects in the updated library with the same GUID?

If that is an option it would be awesome! But if it's too much work I totally understand if you decide to not do it Jon!

I guess for now I'll just have to live with things as they are, I'll just recognize the objects form their thumbs since those so far seem to stay when updating the libraries and only rename them once I am sure the library is finished with no more models to be added!

Thanks for your time and patience Jon! @scruffyduck And for your input as well @tgibson !

Cheers

 

[scruffyduck]

I am looking at the best way to preserve user defined friendly names for objects. I think it can be done but I can't say when it will be available.

 

[scruffyduck]

OK - this is done. The LOM will remember user friendly names and keep them on an update. I cannot say when an update containing this will be available

 

[tgibson]

Thanks.

 

[Leo2789]

OK - this is done. The LOM will remember user friendly names and keep them on an update. I cannot say when an update containing this will be available

Thank you very much for looking into this and finding a solution Jon! Will be eagerly waiting for that update!

Cheers!