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Airport Design Editor Home Field Edition

scruffyduck

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A Progress Update

ADE is being developed as two versions. The Home Field Edition focuses on providing those things of most use to users who want to enhance their local field and/or other smaller airports. It tries to make this process as safe and easy as possible. This means that the program does not allow certain things that don't generally make sense to do or that are more advanced (for example approaches). This does not mean that it is a limited tool. It will do just about everything that AFCAD2 does for FS9 and some extra things as well. During testing it has also been used successfully to work on large and complex airports - some of which are available on AVSIM.

The Home Field Edition has now reached Release Candidate status. This means that it is pretty much complete but requires a few more bits and pieces and some more testing to ensure it is stable. The main remaining task is to complete the manual - that is currently about 50% done. We hope to make a public release in the next few weeks (Version 1.00).

We also have a Pro Edition in the pipeline. This version will include proper access to some variables and properties that the Home Field Edition does not plus extra tools to handle things like approach data. This is still a few months away.
 

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Good approach. Dual maintenance on common elements may be an issue.

Dick near 5G8

True but they are on the same base so only one base should be updated most of the time :)
 
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Actually, I have an idea.

I would be willing to do a "review/how to" article for flightsim.com for those of us wanting to create "baby's first airfield" featuring ADE.

Basically, it would be a first-time user's article.

I have published over there before but it has been a couple of years.

Derrick
 
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I would love a tutorial like that, as long as it assumes nothing :D

Also, how about addding info on modifying existing airports so they match what is actually there? I need to get rid of default buildings and add new ones. At the moment I am using sketchup to model, gmax to texture and Instant Scenery to place them.

Scruffyduck, I have not tried the software yet. I am hoping it can use aerial backdrops to help in placing objects and that the backdrop can actually be seen, unlike some other package ;)
 

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Scruffyduck, I have not tried the software yet. I am hoping it can use aerial backdrops to help in placing objects and that the backdrop can actually be seen, unlike some other package ;)

ADE can use Satellite images, airport diagrams or FSX screenshots as background to work with. You can have unlimited images per airport and switch between different views - for example working with an airport diagram and then a satellite image to get things as you wish.
 
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Hi Scruffyduck,

I just started using your software and am getting nowhere. I set BGLComp to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Addon Scenery\Wollongong X because that is where it is.
Then I set FS Folder to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X.

When I chose Open Stock Airport and Full Scan, I get "No Airport found".

What gives?:confused:
 

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Have you tried closing and opening ADE and try again. I think that the version currently on public release (0.52) needs to be closed to remember the fllight sim directory. That has been fixed for the next public version.

Also ADE does handle backgound images as described in my post above. However that feature is not in 0.52.
Sorry I should have been clearer in my post I was referring to what is in the next release version :eek:
 
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You..., you're good you. :p

It finds all the airports now. Wierd how there are 2 different YWOL files.

There does not seem to be any button for adding buildings.

Maybe I am asking too many questions and should just shut up and wait for the tutorial. :)
 

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No ADE cannot add buildings - that will come at a later time - it won't be in the next public release. Well the next version will have a manual that will hopefully explain most things :)
 
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While Microsoft placed most airports, some are either at an elevation that produces "sunk in holes" or "setting on a plateau". Also some are at the wrong location, or the user wants to move the entire airport to align it with photo scenery. If both these areas could be addressed in a logical manner some of the grief accumulated from the multi-step remedial processes could be reduced. These might be Move Entire Airport and Change Airport Elevation.

Regards,
Dick near 5G9
 

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While Microsoft placed most airports, some are either at an elevation that produces "sunk in holes" or "setting on a plateau". Also some are at the wrong location, or the user wants to move the entire airport to align it with photo scenery. If both these areas could be addressed in a logical manner some of the grief accumulated from the multi-step remedial processes could be reduced. These might be Move Entire Airport and Change Airport Elevation.

Regards,
Dick near 5G9

Hi Dick

As you say both of these can be complex. Changing altitude is less of an issue but moving airports that have approach data and related navaids associated with them can be fraught. It is simple enough to move the visible airport but at the same time destroy it's invisible functioning.

I am expecting that the Pro Edition will offer solutions to both of these issues.
 
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Hello Jon,

first I would like to congratulate for an immense job well done!

second, pleasea allow me to ask for a clarification. During the last 12 months or so I followed your progress by reading the headlines only - I am not yet working with FSX.
You were working also on a project called SDE (it is still shown on your own site). Later I saw only ADE.
Are they two different programmes or is the one a forerunner of the second?
What is their relation?
As I said, I did not dig into the details, but now with your upcoming release I would like to be in a position to give proper advice to my German speaking friends.

Many thanks

Helli
 

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Thanks Helli

They are separate things. SDE (Scenery Design Engine) is a piece of programming that interfaces with Scenery bgl files. It does all the work of decoding them, storing information about them, generating xml code and then compiling. These are the main functions of SDE. You then need a user application to use it. There are several SDE TestApp provides a simple user interface; Bgl2Xml provides a decompiler similar to BglAnalyze and finally ADE. The ADE application uses a version of SDE. ADE itself does all the work of drawing the airport and handles the interface with the user. Underneath is SDE. In practice users would not need to worry about any of this :) They would use SDE TestApp, Bgl2Xml or ADE

Hope that helps
 
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Hello Jon,

thanks for your quick and comprehensive reply.

Now it is clear.
For details I have to use both tools now, I realize it is high time to do so.

all the best to you

Helli
 
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