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Broken model

GHD

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england
Please bear with me, this is quite complicated :D

I have an FS9 aircraft model which I wish to convert to an FSX scenery object.

If I import it directly into MCX, the gear is retracted :(

If I convert it with SAMM2, it seems to display fine in MCX:



If I export as an FSX .mdl, it appears fine during placement with Instant Scenery:



In FSX, whether placed from a library or as a model in ADE, the tailplane, elevators and ailerons have dropped off and the undercarriage legs are invisible :eek:



I have attached the SAMM2 converted model for your perusal :)
 
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Hi,

Modelconverterx has some issues with displaced parts, but these would already show in the preview. I'll try to check your object later on.

Btw, for the gear. You might be able to use the animation editor to extend the gear directly in modelconverterx. And then freeze the anmation at that position for the static model.
 
Btw, for the gear. You might be able to use the animation editor to extend the gear directly in modelconverterx. And then freeze the anmation at that position for the static model.

The wheels display correctly, it is just the legs which are missing.
 
I have another aircraft with a similar problem. It displays fine in MCX and IS, but in FSX:



I have set all textures to "Default Opaque" and run the Mass Texture Editor.

Is there anything else I should check?
 
Hi George,

I can reproduce the problem here indeed. The model of the BAC-1-11 you attached here was that made with SAMM or with ModelConverterX?

When I place that model in FSX I see the displaced parts. However if I do the placement with ModelConverterX the problem is not there. In that case the MDL is also 3 kB smaller.

So it seems a problem with the tool that made the MDL.
 
Hmm,

The model I sent was from SAMM2. I couldn't use the original with MCX since the undercarriage was in the up position.

It is interesting that if it is placed with MCX, the parts aren't displaced, they are if I use it from a library with Instant Scenery or from the .mdl with ADE.

Edit. It is interesting that Instant Scenery uses FS9 format GUIDs for placement. (see the thread on BGL2XML).
 
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Hi,

Since the mdl is smaller, I think some optimizations have been done by modelconverterx. If you would place this new mdl in a library I think ADE would have no problem either.
 
Hi,

About the guid, even the fsx object placement tool shows them in fs2004 format. Like I mentioned in the other thread, at binary level in the bgl or mdl file there is no difference between the fsx and fs2004 format. The difference is only there in the string used in the XML file.
 
Hi,

About the guid, even the fsx object placement tool shows them in fs2004 format. Like I mentioned in the other thread, at binary level in the bgl or mdl file there is no difference between the fsx and fs2004 format. The difference is only there in the string used in the XML file.

I'm working on the Bgl2Xml output which (somehow) checks the format of the bgl and outputs the GUID in that format.
 
When I place that model in FSX I see the displaced parts. However if I do the placement with ModelConverterX the problem is not there. In that case the MDL is also 3 kB smaller.

So it seems a problem with the tool that made the MDL.

I don't understand, what is the difference between placing the same mdl from a library and placing with the mdl embedded in the placement code :confused:
 
Hi,

When you place it with ModelConverterX the MDL object is exported again. So in fact you are using the new MDL object.

Like I said, if you put that new MDL in a library, I am sure it would work with ADE or any other tool as well.
 
I'm afraid that didn't work (I didn't think it would).

I took the zip I sent to you and exported the model to a new folder.

I then used the "Convert and place" wizzard to place the model on the equator and saved it to yet another new folder.

The placement bgl gives exactly the same distorted model:

 
Do you still have your original library BGL active as well? If both objects have the same GUID you never know which one FS will use.
 
Do you still have your original library BGL active as well? If both objects have the same GUID you never know which one FS will use.

Sorry, I did have the original library active :o

It displays correctly on the equator :D

However, If I use ADE to import and place the model, it gets a footprint of 11572m x 5330m which is twice the size of the airport :eek:

Can MCX save the placement xml? If so, I can manually change the lat/long/heading to place it in the correct position.

Following yoour other suggestion, I tried loading the model from the original AI aircraft and then moved the animation slider until the gear was down:



I then exported the model and imported it back into MCX. The rudder became detached and the flaps, stairs and nosewheel disappeared :eek:



So, the SAMM2 converted model combined with MCX placement seems to be the only way I can produce a scenery object :confused:
 
Hi,

There is an option in the options to keep the XML file while exporting.

That scale is funny, the object did not look so big here. It just had a normal size. Let me post the mdl I made here tomorrow (not behind the FS pc now).
 
It's OK Arno. I now have a library which is useable by ADE.

I haven't tried importing the model again into ADE.

What do you think about the problem with the animation slider?
 
Hi,

Did you also freeze the other animations, like rudder?
 
Hi,

Did you also freeze the other animations, like rudder?

No, I don't know how.

When I use the animation slider, all animations seem to be active. In fact the tailplane rotates through 360 degrees.
 
Hi George,

In the animation editor you can select which animation is running. Then you can only move that animation to specific position and freeze it.

Attached is also the MDL I made here from the SAMM MDL. I didn't see any scaling issues with it.
 

Attachments

Thanks Arno.

I still don't understand why the exported model is different from the model re-exported by placement.
 
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