• 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.

Can't use Dick's (rhumbaflappy) GMaps tool anymore

FlyingAxx

FlyingAxx

Messages
611
Country
germany
Hi all,
as it seems Google is blocking now the access to it's images and I can't find out any anther method generating exact backgrounds for ADE. I've tried both, the local script version, and the online-tool.
The result always looks like this:
1538943627498.png

The browser makes no difference, however,, Firefox is my preference.

Any idea would be very much appreciated...
 
Seems like the free Google maps service is now limited like that. The site still provides a "darker" Google image with the script "For Development Purposes Only", I used it like that as ADE background, not ideal but still somewhat usable. I will test also the Rumpamaps.
 
GaryGB said:
Until we see a reply by Luis Sa' and/or Richard Ludowise, I suggest you try Dick's downloadable "RhumbaMaps" ?
Click to expand...

Gary, probably my hint that I've tried it already had been a bit hidden (the 'local script version'). A more interesting fact might be that Lois' version returns a better result but when hitting any button, e.g. to get a higher resolution, causes just the source of the page being displayed (at least I think so - I didn't try to decipher it...).
 
Hi Axel:

Thanks for the polite followup to clarify that you had already tried the RhumbaMaps downloadable application. ;)

Having returned from my travels over the weekend without a "real" computer available, I can now confirm that the RhumbaMaps downloadable application also has the same issues described above for Luis' GMaps.

Hopefully we will have a reply from Dick soon on how to continue using RhumbaMaps with Google Maps.


In the mean time, to make Background Maps, if you have not already done so, I suggest using SBuilderX v3.15.

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/sbuilderx-v315.441705/


NOTE: Tile Servers other than just Google Maps may be selected for Background Imagery use in SBuilderX:


The default view and Zoom level of RhumbaMaps is the SBuilderX equivalent of a using:

Tile Server: Google_api3_Satellite

Zoom Level: 15


This can be manually set higher or lower in resolution. and coverage area can be further selected from:

SBuilderX Menu > File > Add Map > From Background dialog box


Background Imagery tiles 'selected' in the SBuilderX work-space are compiled into:

[SBuilderX install path]\Tools\Work sub-folder

...as a 1-piece *.BMP with an accompanying geo-referencing *.TXT file


Hope this proves to be an even more adaptable option for your scenery work. :)



PS: Some related info for affected Google Maps develoopers (and end-users):

https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/user-guide/


https://forums.envato.com/t/important-changes-to-the-google-maps-platform/173357


https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=U4W7W62_M8T0tAWUhZYI&q=+Google+Maps+"For+Development+Purposes+Only"&btnK=Google+Search&oq=+Google+Maps+"For+Development+Purposes+Only"&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0j0i22i30.1343.13283..13932...0.0..0.136.3439.17j16......0....1j2..gws-wiz.6F9K0nak-qE

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
Thanks Gary, even if I didn't use SBuilderX really often (it's a while ago that I rendered some photo scenery of Pacific islands for my private use). Mainly I'm using it's ability drawing generic buildings (impossible in ADE) and vector scenery (specifically lakes and coast lines) as this appears to be quite comfortable, specifically in complex cases. Actually, yesterday I fired it up, for this reason - of course forgetting to update the Tile Server and failed. Well, today is another day... :cool:
 
Hmm, does it mean I have to get a key from Google now, or did I something wrong?
1539020844009.png

Regarding my opinion about Google's trustworthiness: I've spent about a day in order to get Lineage OS running on an old Samsung S5... :stirthepo You know, I'm one of those guys wearing an Aluminium hat. :laughing:
 
Hi Axel:

We must use:

SBuilderX Menu > File > Add Map > From Background

...not:

SBuilderX Menu > File > Add Map > From Google Maps


IIUC, you want to utilize SBuilderX315 to download imagery tiles for use in creating a Background Image for ex: ADE, and/or creating custom photo-real land class textures in a SDK Resample BGL.


FYI: You are able to see imagery tiles within the SBuilderX work-space after they are downloaded via:

SBuilderX Menu > View > Show Background

...if your map view is already centered on the project area.


I recommend that you identify a point in the center of your current project area, and manually enter it into the SBuilderX.ini file before downloading tiles etc..


BTW: When one manually enters the Geographic coordinates of a project du jour as the default "start location" in the SBuilderX.ini :

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/sbuilderx-background-not-showing-up.440471/#post-775811


...the SBuilderX background image in the work-space, and the web tile server "down-loader" dialogs work more easily.


FYI: Although manually entering the "Go To Position" coordinates and/or using SBuilderX when 'connected' to a live FS flight session (either FS9 or FSX) via FSUIPC can certainly help in many cases, IMHO, it is preferable to also change the Geographic coordinates of that default "start location" in the SBuilderX "initialization" file (aka "SbuilderX.ini"), as that helps SBuilderX to 'manually' zoom / pan / scroll properly when working with displayed scenery content within its work-space when working in a project location area over multiple SBuilderX task sessions.

Otherwise, the Geographic extent to which one is able to successfully 'manually' zoom / pan / scroll is limited when working with displayed scenery content within SBuilderX's work-space, and the requested area one attempts to visualize may not stay in view, as the work-space "background" keeps shifting back to a position closer to the default Geographic coordinates for a "central start location" specified within the SBuilderX.ini file. ;)


To do this, one must edit the pertinent lines in the SBuilderX.ini file to set the center of the Map background at the Geographic center of your own project area rather than the default one in Portugal via: :idea:

SBuilderX Menu > Edit > Edit INI file... < SBuilderX.ini file opens in Windows NotePad >


EXAMPLE:

[Main]
LonIniCenter=-9.136076 <-- Your own project's central Longitude goes here
LatIniCenter= 38.7813203 <-- Your own project's central Latitude goes here
DecimalDegrees=True
MeasuringMeters=True
BGLFolder=C:\MyPrograms\SBuilderX315\Scenery <-- Your own project's compiled BGL 'active' \Scenery folder path goes here
OriginalTerrainCFG=False
NameOfSim=FSX
SimPath=D:\Flight Simulator X <-- Your own FSX install folder path goes here

1.) When configuration of your SBuilderX project is completed via editing "SBuilderX.ini" in Windows NotePad:

a.) In Windows NotePad Menu > File > Save As... > "Save as type" field, set to "All Files (*.*)" (do not click OK yet)

b.) In NotePad Menu > File > Save As... > "Save In" field, browse to [SBuilderX install path] folder; double-click to select it


2.) Back in NotePad Menu > File > Save As... browse dialog, click "OK"

a.) When prompted to over-write SBuilderX.ini, click "YES" to save your edits to that file.


3.) Exit and re-start SBuilderX (...or the above changes will not yet take effect) :alert:


If you require further explanation of the steps to download tiles in SBuilderX, let me know. :)

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
Hi Gary, thanks for your help. I can hardly remember what I did a while ago (I just looked for the old files and I shouldn't wonder too much about that weakness :yikes:).

EDIT: All right Gary, everything worked as proposed. What you have written looks quite comprehensive, at least for me (actually, while dealing again with SBX, I remembered more and more how I did things in the past). Thanks again! :wave:
 
Last edited:
Google might have deprecated the version 2 Google maps. Or it might just be the Google glitch of the day. I know Google is trying to get more money out of their maps program, and they might have discarded the API key I used in the program. I think you used to be able to just use v=2 and it would use the most current version.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top