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FSX Custom rivers (terrain.cfg)

Horst18519

Horst18519

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Still wondering how Holger does it, I'm trying to create new entries in the terrain.cfg to create custom rivers.
I need my rivers to be wider and without the -1 flatten offset. As I don'T want to edit the default entries I'm trying to create a new one.
Did exactly the same as Holger does, but my rivers just don't show. :(

From my terrain.cfg:
// My - River 1
[Texture.423]
Name=My_River_1
Color=FF01A2FF
guid={2118B443-912C-4e99-9B9E-2E8EBA228681}
LegacyId=1024
Textures=MyRivers.bmp,MyRiversSu.bmp
Layout=3_PLUS_1
StripWidthMeters=64
Size=4
FlattenMode=offset
FlattenOffsetMeters=0
FlattenPriority=11000
LandClassRemapType=none
ExcludeAutogen=Yes
RenderToTexture=Yes
RenderPriority=51000
Water=no
Click to expand...

I've created a new unique GUID and changed the fsx kml tags file. FSXKML compiles just fine, but the river isn't there. Texture numbering in the CFG is also fine.
I have triple checked that the BMPs exist in my texture folder, everything is where it's supposed to - just the rivers are missing. Nothing, no flatten, no texture, nothing.

Any ideas? :confused:
 
G

GaryGB

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Hi Thorsten:

I too had attempted something similar by putting a few of the other legacy terrain definitions into FSX-KML's XML Tags file and verified that the entries apparently were correctly added to the [FSX install path]\Terrain.Cfg file. :eek:

My test FSX-KML "build" BGLs using the "new" legacy terrain Tag file types in the edited FSX-KML's XML also did not show the new terrain types in fSX. :confused:

A single terrain object test output using the edited FSX-KML XML Tags file (assigned the sole legacy entry from the original un-edited FSX-KML XML Tags file... I believe it was "Legacy_LandWaterMask_Water_NoFlatten") also no longer worked.


I restored the original un-edited FSX-KML XML Tags file and original [FSX install path]\Terrain.Cfg file, then re-built my single terrain object test output using the sole legacy entry in that original un-edited FSX-KML XML Tags file; this time it worked, and the CVX object showed in FSX.


I tentatively (pending further available time to test this) hypothesized that FSX-KML uses an internal list of some sort which must precisely match the current version of the FSX-KML XML Tags file before a build will work properly; thus far I have been unsuccessful using an edited FSX-KML XML Tags file.

I speculated that it was a "coincidence" that the FSX-KML XML Tags file could be edited (using NotePad etc.) like any other XML file, and that it's structure must be left untouched to work with the present build of FSX-KML (I'm running FSX KML v1.10 beta).


I may certainly be mistaken about this (and may have goofed in editing either the FSX-KML XML Tags file and/or the [FSX install path]\Terrain.Cfg file).


I hope Matthew Styles will offer comment on whether using an edited FSX-KML XML Tags file will work with the current "FSX KML v1.10 beta" version. ;)


I have posted in the FSX-KML Tools forum here at FSDeveloper to request a reply. :alert:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?p=107435#post107435


PS: I am rebuilding my Windows installation right now on my FS Development system (so I can't test this on my own FS files), but I was wondering if you were able to view your FSX-KML output CVX BGLs in TMF Viewer to see if they should otherwise be expected to work in FSX ?


Hope this helps! :)

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
Horst18519

Horst18519

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I have altered the tags file already, with no negative effects. I added some scenery objects or vectored scenery lines and everything works fine. Just the rivers do seem to cause problems.
 
G

GaryGB

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Thanks for the clarification Thorsten ! :)

My tests described above were exclusively Rivers as well; hopefully when Holger returns from his travels, he might be willing to comment here.

It's good to know we can do some (carefully considered) edits of the files in question to test and learn some more about (cautiously) implementing such custom features. ;)


PS: It was interesting reading some early considerations regarding edits of Terrain.Cfg:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6204


GaryGB
 
Last edited:
Horst18519

Horst18519

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Sometimes the answer is just so easy. :eek:

If you hadn't provided the link I wouldn't have spotted my mistake:
...the "DefaultTextureCount" value in the [General] section need to reflect the new total number of entries...
Click to expand...

I simply had to increment the texture count and - voila! - here comes my custom river. :)

Thanks mate, that was good news late at night. :D
 
G

GaryGB

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Horst18519 said:
Sometimes the answer is just so easy. :eek:

If you hadn't provided the link I wouldn't have spotted my mistake:


I simply had to increment the texture count and - voila! - here comes my custom river. :)

Thanks mate, that was good news late at night. :D
Click to expand...

Glad that helped... looks like I "coincidentally" answered my own legacy vector addition question while I was at it, too! :rotfl:


PS: But, I must give credit where credit is due: I got it from "Similar Threads" at the bottom of this page (many thanks due to Holger's Opening Post !) :p


Rollin; Rollin: Rollin' on the River.... :cool:

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
rhumbaflappy

rhumbaflappy

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Hi all.

Altering the terrain.cfg gives great flexibility to the sim.

BUT...

If you distribute your work, the enduser must also alter his terrain.cfg. That opens a Pandora's box full of problems. Your CFG may break someone else's scenery.

When Luis Feliz Tirado and I altered the original terrain.cfg, we took a long time in doing so, published our changes with the beta group, and invited all to join us... we even asked the Aces to include our changes in the release version. We got no response from the Aces and essentially none from the beta group.

Many months after the release of the sim, and the public release of our terrain.cfg, we fielded complaints that we had made life difficult for other developers that wanted to alter the terrain.cfg... now they needed 2 different installations to account the default terrain.cfg, and to account for our new terrain.cfg. Soon, there were more. I think there are about 3 popular scenery packages that alter the terrain.cfg, and they all need to account for the enduser having one of the other terrain.cfg versions, in order to not break the already installed scenery.

The terrain.cfg is a good idea only if it could be a localized file... each scenery folder having it's own file if needed. Failing this, you'd need multiple installations of FSX to assure no incompatibility issues.

Luis and I realised this problem, and we asked the Aces if this could be cured by localizing the cfg, but we were told it was not possible.

Here's the short of it:

Don't mess with the terrain.cfg if you are going to distribute your scenery. You will break someone's already installed scenery, and there will be no end to complaints.

Dick
 
Horst18519

Horst18519

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Good point. Luckily we have a guy here at Aerosoft who does that for me, so I won't have to worry about it. :D
 
mendiola_loyola

mendiola_loyola

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rhumbaflappy said:
Hi all.

Altering the terrain.cfg gives great flexibility to the sim.

BUT...

If you distribute your work, the enduser must also alter his terrain.cfg. That opens a Pandora's box full of problems. Your CFG may break someone else's scenery.

When Luis Feliz Tirado and I altered the original terrain.cfg, we took a long time in doing so, published our changes with the beta group, and invited all to join us... we even asked the Aces to include our changes in the release version. We got no response from the Aces and essentially none from the beta group.

Many months after the release of the sim, and the public release of our terrain.cfg, we fielded complaints that we had made life difficult for other developers that wanted to alter the terrain.cfg... now they needed 2 different installations to account the default terrain.cfg, and to account for our new terrain.cfg. Soon, there were more. I think there are about 3 popular scenery packages that alter the terrain.cfg, and they all need to account for the enduser having one of the other terrain.cfg versions, in order to not break the already installed scenery.

The terrain.cfg is a good idea only if it could be a localized file... each scenery folder having it's own file if needed. Failing this, you'd need multiple installations of FSX to assure no incompatibility issues.

Luis and I realised this problem, and we asked the Aces if this could be cured by localizing the cfg, but we were told it was not possible.

Here's the short of it:

Don't mess with the terrain.cfg if you are going to distribute your scenery. You will break someone's already installed scenery, and there will be no end to complaints.

Dick
Click to expand...

Dear Dick:

Does the modified terrain.cfg work with FSX SP2?

Thanks
Alfredo Mendiola Loyola
Lima, Perú
 
rhumbaflappy

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Hi Alfredo.

Yes, the modified terrain.cfg does work with SP2.

Dick
 
S

scott967

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Dick this is something that really bugs the heck out of me. I hate the limited FSX shorelines and really would like to use the legacy fs9 textures. But as you say, I can't think of any way to ensure that a user has your mod terrain.cfg and if not creating new entries to the default one. Too much of a programming headache to try to automate, and I don't even want to think about trying it in a readme! (Maybe something like the UTX configurator would solve this.)

I really want that black sand beach for some Aleutians stuff I've done.

scott s.
.
 
Horst18519

Horst18519

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There's an easy way to fix this: replace the landclass textures. You need to create new raster landclass, then you can simply put your own LC textures in your texture folder and they will be used for the part of the scenery where you use raster landclass.
 
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