• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

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    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

MSFS Where to start? Need to modify default airport.

Android

Android

Messages
26
Country
us-newjersey
Hi all,

My first goal is to modify my home airport (N14) and 1) remove some taxiway lighting running up the center of a taxiway, 2) remove trees near one end of the runway, and 3) move the beacon to its correct location.

Obviously I'd like to duplicate the default airport and edit.

I have seen a download of ADE but it appeared to be from 2019, so not sure about either where to get it or how to install/get started editing...

Any help appreciated.
 
G

GaryGB

Messages
7,450
Country
us-illinois
Hello:

First, download / install the latest MSFS SDK Core, Documentation, and Samples ...accessible from MSFS DevMode Menu bar > Help


Install the latest MSFS SDK Core *.MSI file first, and set the folder path where you want it (IIRC, the entire MSFS SDK is ~3 GB)

Then install Documentation and Samples; the installer will find target sub-folders in the Core folder chain, then put these files in place.


If your browser does not open when a SDK download link is clicked from MSFS' DevMode Menu bar > Help,, see this thread:

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/link-to-latest-sdk/316017


Review the (strict) criteria MSFS SDK and the MS-Store data-mining engine require for project naming:

https://docs.flightsimulator.com/ht...utorials/Creating_Or_Replacing_An_Airport.htm


Next, install ADE Alpha-21, followed by HotFix-4 (aka "HF-4"):

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/ade-2020-alpha-21-hotfix-4.454244/post-894969


Then install ADE Alpha-21 HotFix-5 (aka "HF-5")

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/ade-2020-alpha-21-hf5.455259/post-902030


In ADE: Menu > File > Create Project From MSFS BGL (to import the MSFS default airport from its new sub-folder location)

NOTE: This is due to an ADE Alpha build 'Bug'; although N14 is a default "Stock" airport, Asobo moved many airports to a new sub-folder


Follow the SDK naming rules (ADE will also attempt to correct some aspects of project naming for you)

Enter N14 in the ICAO field, then click [Check] button

Fill in the other fields at the top left of the ADE project input form (do not fill in other fields, or check other check-boxes yet):

Click [Go] button, then Browse / Select:

[MSFS-2020_Packages install path]\Official\OneStore\fs-base-genericairports\scenery\0302\APX28170.bgl


Check: 2-Way Edit to use either ADE or MSFS SDK DevMode GUI (...live in a MSFS flight session) to perform edits to this copy of N14

NOTE: Other check-boxes are optional ...depending on whether one may create custom content or list the project via MS-Store etc.


Review all PDF and CHM Help files packaged with ADE downloads; also refer to the ADE Online Help:

Introduction

Help for Airport Design Editor 2020
www.scruffyduck.org.uk www.scruffyduck.org.uk


Use the Search feature on the MSFS SDK Documentation website for additional info:

https://docs.flightsimulator.com/html/Introduction/Introduction.htm


I hope this helps get you started in ADE with a (copy) of the default MSFS N14 for your project. :)

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
Android

Android

Messages
26
Country
us-newjersey
Following up... I'm able to get in & load the default airport (I assume it's not automatically duplicating the default airport.)
Anyway - I haven't figured out the following:

(Airport is N14)

1) How to duplicate & replace the default airport with the duplicate
2) Locate / move the beacon tower
3) Locate / move / remove taxiway lighting
4) I don't understand the parking space markings; I'm looking at these because at my home airport, the aircraft are parked with about a 10 degree rotation. I see in ADE that this appears to be how the arrows are set up at each parking spot.

FWIW when FS 2020 first came out, I was able to create and edit an airport in the middle of nowhere without issues, just for fun. It's mostly duplicating the default I'm struggling with.

thanks!
 
G

GaryGB

Messages
7,450
Country
us-illinois
Hi again:

For MSFS DevMode GUI, the online SDK Docs have a tutorial which gives a good overview of the steps to exclude / replace airports:

Creating Or Replacing An Airport

docs.flightsimulator.com docs.flightsimulator.com


That DevMode tutorial branches and provides links to steps for excluding / replacing or adding new scenery objects to a project.


One may click on the 'Magnifying Glass" icon to open a Search text box (the fewer words entered the better) to query the SDK Docs.

Introduction

docs.flightsimulator.com docs.flightsimulator.com

[EDITED]

AFAIK, ADE decompiles the airport into XML source code, then copies source code to create a replacement version of a source airport.

ADE then excludes default airport objects by creating required "Delete" commands for FS' rendering engine within airport source XML.

The copy of an airport is edited by end users within a Project's PackageSources folder chain.

During a "Build", the MSFS SDK compiler fspackagetool edits other Project folders, and writes out various files, including BGLs.

[END_EDIT]


After doing a "Build" to compile that source XML into the Project sub-folder chain, within that Project sub-folder chain will be the 'Packages' output folder chain which has a [Package name] sub-folder that contains the final 'airport replacement' BGLs.

One must copy the [Package name] sub-folder from the Projects folder chain, and add it to MSFS_Packages\Community sub-folder.

If using ADE, IIRC, after a "Build", it offers to copy [Package name] sub-folder into the MSFS_Packages\Community sub-folder; otherwise one can manually copy [Package name] sub-folder into the MSFS_Packages\Community sub-folder.

To load and view one's [Package name], one must fully re-start the MSFS app.

I hope this helps get you a bit farther along with your learning process. :)


PS:

For more info on how to use ADE work-space GUI:

Review all PDF and CHM Help files packaged with ADE downloads; also refer to the ADE Online Help:

Introduction

Help for Airport Design Editor 2020
www.scruffyduck.org.uk www.scruffyduck.org.uk

Additionally, although there are some changes in ADE Alpha for MSFS 2020, most general work-flow is similar to prior ADE versions.

See: ADE 1.65 PDF Manual with a web browser or Adobe Acrobat Reader DC:

Adobe - Download Adobe Acrobat Reader

Download free Adobe Acrobat Reader software for your Windows, Mac OS and Android devices to view, print, and comment on PDF documents.
get.adobe.com get.adobe.com

ADE 1.65 PDF Manual download:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/8rp6jr7en9xwdls

...from this web page:

https://www.scruffyducksoftware.com/downloads


For more info on how to use MSFS SDK DevMode GUI:

GaryGB said:
Review the (strict) criteria MSFS SDK and the MS-Store data-mining engine require for project naming:

https://docs.flightsimulator.com/ht...utorials/Creating_Or_Replacing_An_Airport.htm


Use the Search feature on the MSFS SDK Documentation website for additional info:

https://docs.flightsimulator.com/html/Introduction/Introduction.htm
Click to expand...

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
pinkjr

pinkjr

Messages
1,145
Country
us-texas
Gary,

Is creating ground polys, taxi lines and adding custom scenery objects for MSFS2020 similar to P3D?

As in load stock airport and start from there......?

Thanks,
David
 
G

GaryGB

Messages
7,450
Country
us-illinois
pinkjr said:
Gary,

Is creating ground polys, taxi lines and adding custom scenery objects for MSFS2020 similar to P3D?

As in load stock airport and start from there......?

Thanks,
David
Click to expand...

Hi David:

Probably the best answer to that loaded question is "Yes... and No". :)

As indicated in the documentation I have linked to in this thread, if we use ADE we have a mostly familiar work-flow via the ADE GUI.

If we use MSFS SDK DevMode GUI, it might be compared to use of Airport Facilitator X (aka "AFX") and Instant Scenery.


But, indeed, for airport development we might do well to load the "stock" / MSFS or FSX / P3D default airport and start from there.

The same principle of Exclude and Replace applies with MSFS scenery development as it does in prior versions of FS.

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
pinkjr

pinkjr

Messages
1,145
Country
us-texas
GaryGB said:
Hi David:

Probably the best answer to that loaded question is "Yes... and No". :)

As indicated in the documentation I have linked to in this thread, if we use ADE we have a mostly familiar work-flow via the ADE GUI.

If we use MSFS SDK DevMode GUI, it might be compared to use of Airport Facilitator X (aka "AFX") and Instant Scenery.


But, indeed, for airport development we might do well to load the "stock" / MSFS or FSX / P3D default airport and start from there.

The same principle of Exclude and Replace applies with MSFS scenery development as it does in prior versions of FS.

GaryGB
Click to expand...

Excellent Gary. I need to purchase MSFS2020 and start developing.

BTW I just released a scenery using only ADE. All detailed ground poly materials + 200 custom objects. Would take 5 minutes to compile (older PC!)

Piece o'cake :)

Thanks,
DavidR
 
niksan29

niksan29

Messages
226
Country
maldives
GaryGB said:
The same principle of Exclude and Replace applies with MSFS scenery development as it does in prior versions of FS.
Click to expand...
By the way, what is the correct way when modifying a third-party airport, should we replace the files (with those modified by us) in the existing scene (as it was in FSX/P3D) or leave it in a new folder and copy it to the community?
And in the second case, I think there may be problems with the correct priority, because in su10 content.xml is now used in exceptional cases...
 
G

GaryGB

Messages
7,450
Country
us-illinois
niksan29 said:
By the way, what is the correct way when modifying a third-party airport, should we replace the files (with those modified by us) in the existing scene (as it was in FSX/P3D) or leave it in a new folder and copy it to the community?
And in the second case, I think there may be problems with the correct priority, because in su10 content.xml is now used in exceptional cases...
Click to expand...
Hello:

Generally speaking, we might more often wish to work with the replacement copy of an airport, and fully exclude the "stock" airport.


But, if some / all of a 3rd party airport is encrypted as *.fsarchive- rather than *.BGL- files, we may not exclude all of a "source" airport.

In that case we may need to edit the intended replacement copy of the airport, and modify XML to NOT "Delete" original AFD objects.


In some cases the replacement airport code may be very limited in size; such a airport BGL is referred to as a "stub" airport.

Note that both an original "stock"- and a replacement- airport are loaded from their respective Official and Community folder chains.



To allow this inquiry the proper discussion it may need, I believe it is best to open a new thread with this question ...in this sub-forum:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/forums/airport-design-editor-for-msfs-2020.160/


Alternatively, you might be able to use Airport2Project to create a Project from the 3rd party airport BGL:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/t...here-is-a-small-app-to-help-you-draft.450344/


In that case, open a new discussion thread in this sub-forum:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/categories/airport-design.29/

GaryGB
 
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