Latest MCX version.

[Butch1]

FYI, I downloaded a V1.8 of MCX for P3D V5.4 and that didn't even open. Fortunately, I reinstalled V1.7 and that worked just fine.

 

[arno]

Do you have . NET 8.0 runtimes installed on your computer? For the latest development release that is a requirement, version 1.7 still used .NET Framework 4.8.

 

[Butch1]

Do you have . NET 8.0 runtimes installed on your computer? For the latest development release that is a requirement, version 1.7 still used .NET Framework 4.8.

It doesn't look like what you mentioned is not installed.

Is this the program you asked about? I D/L but before I install this wanted to make sure
we are on the same page.......

 

[arno]

No, you don't need the SDK. Check the manual that comes with MCX, it contains a link to the page where you can download the runtime files

 

[Butch1]

Latest version of MCX I searched for and found was this (V 1.7)

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Butch:

We are fortunate to have any version of MCX made available by Arno, who is more over-committed than many of us here; thus the occasional typo:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/download-modelconverterx.14215/


"This thread will contain all information about where the download ModelConverterX. There are two versions available, version 1.6 is the stable release, while version 1.7 is the development release.

Stable release

The stable release is intended for users who want a well tested version of the tool.

Download latest stable release: ModelConverterX 1.7

The manual is included in the ZIP file of the tool.

Development release

The development release is updated automatically every night based on the improvements I have made. This means that you will always be able to benefit for the latest features and bug fixes. The downside of this is that this version has not been tested properly yet, so it will be more buggy. If that does not bother you, please feel free to try this version.

Get more information about the latest development release. Here you find the changes and find the download link. You can also download this version directly from the download section.

The latest (aka"Development") version 1.8x of MCX download is here:

https://www.scenerydesign.org/latest-release/modelconverterx_latest_development_release.zip


The latest .NET 8.x (X-64 aka "64-Bit") Runtime download is here:

https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/.../runtime-desktop-8.0.19-windows-x64-installer


Be aware that there 'may' be other optional Windows components that you require in order to run MCX 1.8x (...if they are not already installed).

If this does not get you up and running in MCX version 1.8, please report back here again.

GaryGB

 

[arno]

Latest version of MCX I searched for and found was this (V 1.7)

As Gary explained the latest stable release is 1.7. But the latest development release that contains all recent improvements (and now and then a little bug) is version 1.8.

Both are available through the scenerydesign.org page that you linked to or via the resource section here at fsdeveloper.

 

[Butch1]

Ok, I took the plunge and installed the v 1.8 and it will not open/run, I copied all the 1.8 files over my 1.7 version.
I did download and install the prerequisite programs mentioned in the users manual
I use windows 10

Windows specifications
Edition Windows 10 Home
Version 22H2
Installed on ?8/?8/?2020
OS build 19045.4291

What sayeth you?

BTW, the link in your 1.8 manual for the VIsual ++ is dead.

 

[arno]

You don't need the ASP.net runtime, but the desktop runtime. The link is below:

Download .NET 8.0 Desktop Runtime (v8.0.20) - Windows x64 Installer

dotnet.microsoft.com

Thanks for reporting the broken link, I'll check it.

 

[Butch1]

You don't need the ASP.net runtime, but the desktop runtime. The link is below:

Download .NET 8.0 Desktop Runtime (v8.0.20) - Windows x64 Installer

dotnet.microsoft.com

Thanks for reporting the broken link, I'll check it.

Thanks, it works now.

 

[Butch1]

The manual will not open from opened MCX program I see the manual icon in upper right but when I clicked on it I see message as per attached:

 

[Butch1]

How do I fix this in 1.8?

 

[arno]

The manual will not open from opened MCX program I see the manual icon in upper right but when I clicked on it I see message as per attached:

I'll check, it should run the PDF file as process and then it normally opens with your default PDF application.

 

[arno]

How do I fix this in 1.8?

I think you selected the wrong BGL format from the list. I don't think you want to export as a ground polygon BGL, but as a P3D BGL file.

 

[GaryGB]

The manual will not open from opened MCX program I see the manual icon in upper right but when I clicked on it I see message as per attached:

No I didn't, there is a white icon on upper right corner and when I placed the mouse cursor over it, it said Manual, so I clicked on it and the error 'can not find' came up.

Butch:

AFAIK, MCX 'should' automatically find- and create links to- file / folder paths such as the one seen in the message above.

Note that the path shown shows a double back-slash in front of the file name for the MCX manual; did you type that in manually by any chance ?


UPDATE: I can confirm the error above does occur on my MCX 1.8 install as well (with / without Admin permissions), if I click [ Explore Manual ].

Butch again: (would that be the same as "double trouble" ? )

Work-around while we await a fix by Arno for this minor inconvenience:

With Windows Explorer (aka File Manager, This PC, My Computer etc):

Browse into the MCX install folder on your computer at C:\modelconverterx_1.8

Create a new shortcut directly to the MCX manual at:

C:\modelconverterx_1.8\ModelConverterX.pdf ...(notice I only have used (1) back-slash in the path)

Copy that new shortcut link file into Windows Clipboard with <Ctrl+C> keys

"Paste Shortcut" onto your Windows 10 Desktop or wherever you find it most convenient



Arno: Is this a coding typo ?

AFAIK, at this position in a path string, double back-slash = double trouble.


GaryGB

 

[GaryGB]

How do I fix this in 1.8?

I think you selected the wrong BGL format from the list. I don't think you want to export as a ground polygon BGL, but as a P3D BGL file.

Arno:

Would we normally see "reader" messages at any time except when loading a file (is that possible during a "write" operation in MCX) ?).

Also, does a G-Poly "normally" ever have globalenvtest.dds mapped to it ?

GaryGB

 

[Butch1]

Butch:

AFAIK, MCX 'should' automatically find- and create links to- file / folder paths such as the one seen in the message above.

Note that the path shown shows a double back-slash in front of the file name for the MCX manual; did you type that in manually by any chance ?

GaryGB

No I didn't, there is a white icon on upper right corner and when I placed the mouse cursor over it, it said Manual, so I clicked on it and the error can not fine came up.

 

[Butch1]

How do I fix this in 1.8?

I found the configure dialog with info as to where all my sims are located. It wanted to use the ship2vec.exe from a non installed FSX program so I pointed it to my P3DV5 SDK where this file was located and
that made it happy.
With 1.7 I use to export the bgl to a scenery and it would remember where it came from. The export to scenery in this new 1.8 seems to want to place the file in my P3d scenery or so it seems.

 

[rhumbaflappy]

The pdf is in the same folder as modelconverterx. I also get an error when clicking on the view button.

 

[GaryGB]

I found the configure dialog with info as to where all my sims are located. It wanted to use the ship2vec.exe from a non installed FSX program so I pointed it to my P3DV5 SDK where this file was located and that made it happy.

MCX 'should' still have found your installation path for P3Dv5 SDK, and the installed copy of SDK SHP2VEC.exe; something is weird with your Win-10.

(FYI: I also run MCX 1.8 on Windows-10 Pro, and MCX does everything it should, aside from find the PDF manual via the 'convenience link button').


Or perhaps you ran MCX without first granting Admin privileges via the {Compatibility} tab when making the shortcut to your installation of MCX ?:

C:\modelconverterx_1.8\ModelConverterX.exe

This is potentially baffling, as you have correctly installed MCX somewhere outside the dreaded Windows 'excessively-protected' system folder chain.

With 1.7 I use to export the bgl to a scenery and it would remember where it came from. The export to scenery in this new 1.8 seems to want to place the file in my P3d scenery or so it seems.

One must always manually select the output path for textures and BGLs etc in MCX, when we reach the 'compile' phase of working on a 3D model.

GaryGB