• 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:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    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 ADE 2020 Alpha 20 Released

scruffyduck

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Alpha 20 is released and available from the link at the bottom of this post.

Added
  • Guide line between library object reference point and handle in selected mode
  • LOM Find objects without footprints and objects with missing data
  • Option to set footprints of objects such as light poles to a small size so they don’t cover an extended area. User can select which objects should show a small footprint in the LOM.
Updated
  • Multi edit edge light properties now include ‘Spacing’ and ‘Snap To Vertices’
  • Airport edge lights display specified spacing in Night View
  • Handling of Official library objects to remove specific user location for Official Content from the library name
  • Official library objects are given the default category Official. All others are given the category Community.
Fixed
  • Zero spacing for new edge lights
  • Invalid XML for apron edge lights spacing in feet.
  • CTD in Jetway when setting Night Lighting
  • Library Object handle ‘reverse’ on rotating by handle (issue remains for user models added via the Models List)
  • Position of Library Object handle and reference point [This is a breaking change - see below]
  • CTD caused by rebuilding taxi point list
  • Logging code added to identify a CTD caused by editing a property in the property grid
Breaking Change

There is a breaking change in this release which means you will need to start with a clean installation and reload non base (non Official) libraries into the LOM. The reason is that ADE was not reading the size of the object footprint and the location of the reference point correctly. The current version of the LOM reads the full path of libraries. This means that , for example, the official base file paths may not match the users computer. The only way to fix these issues is to read the models in the library again. This has been done for all ‘official’ base libraries so you will need to re-add your own or third party libraries. This need to be done once.

Installation

This alpha is provided as a full installation. As with other ADE installers this does not make changes to the registry or other config files. Unzip the two files

1627741037383.png


Double click Alpha_20.exe to run the installer

1627741099468.png


Click Next to set the installation folder. Please ensure that this is installed in a new folder and do not over write an existing version..

1627741642193.png


When the installer is complete you can run the ADE executable and set up the new user wizard. When the wizard is done please close ADE and open it again to ensure all the settings are properly stored. Note that you are advised not to accept the default folder for projects but create one outside the ADE folder structure. Handling of this needs improving and is on the list. If you load existing projects into Alpha 20 be sure to make a backup before doing so.

Note that this continues to be an alpha program so there will be functions that don't work or not as you expect. Since this is an alpha support for Alpha 19 and earlier ceases. This means that we won't look at bug reports or error logs for any version other than Alpha 20. Please read the pdf notes. For convenience the notes for the latest alpha are now placed at the top of the document.

Thanks for your continued support of ADE 2020

Installer is available here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/r617twoynq7mmke/ade_2020_alpha_20_installer.zip/file
 

GHD

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you will need to start with a clean installation and reload non base (non Official) libraries into the LOM
LOM gives errors when adding a folder:



Fault finder finds missing starts:



I know these were not mentioned in te release notes :rolleyes:
 

GHD

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HELP

I think I deleted some files :(

I now have an airport with no scenery objects in ADE, but my tower model is displayed in MSFS :rolleyes:



Where does it come from?

Backup attached.
 

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Fault finder finds missing starts:
Hasn't fault finder been doing this all along? I think I've been ignoring it for some time.

The changes to apron lights in alpha 20 now has the spacing adopt your preference for feet or meters. Before, it was meters only with no option to change. Loading an older project with apron lighting requires that you change all apron light spacing if your preference is set to feet.
 

scruffyduck

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George - can you please let me have the library that causes the error.


The list of known issues does include the false missing start errors

1627797066330.png
 

scruffyduck

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Sorry George - that loaded without any errors with this file ModelsMs2020.bgl It has 258 objects in it. I assume that you were trying to load this bgl file?
 

scruffyduck

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OK - just try adding the bgl file itself.
 

GHD

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Hmm again,

can't delete the existing objects

Where is "Update single file" ?
 

scruffyduck

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go to the Tools Menu in the LOM. you can add a file there or update one that is already in the database
 

GHD

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go to the Tools Menu in the LOM. you can add a file there or update one that is already in the database
OK, That seemed to have worked.

Also the SDK still gives a missing business file error.
 
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scruffyduck

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Also the SDK still gives a missing business file error.

Yes I do need to fix since the SDK is expecting an asset group that ADE does not support yet. It's actually just a warning
 
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When I updated the SDK yesterday it removed the "MSFS_SDK" folder and replaced it with "MSFS SDK". Do I need to rename the folder with the underscore or leave it as is? I don't remember what I did before when there were issues with spaces in the folder names. Or, do I need to reinstall the SDK with the underscore?
 

scruffyduck

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When I updated the SDK yesterday it removed the "MSFS_SDK" folder and replaced it with "MSFS SDK". Do I need to rename the folder with the underscore or leave it as is? I don't remember what I did before when there were issues with spaces in the folder names. Or, do I need to reinstall the SDK with the underscore?

If ADE can find the new path then fine
 
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Building a project using alpha 20 results in missing default terminal building parts for an airport that builds without this problem using alpha 19. The same project file was used for both. See pictures below:

alpha19.JPGalpha20.JPG
alpha 19............................................................alpha 20

What caused this?
 
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