Editing existing projects

[jgarnold]

I am wondering if existing projects can be edited/modified after placing a model.
I created a project did a BUILD, then placed a model and then saved the scenery (to create a 'scenery'/xml file in my 'scenery/placement' folder).
Later I opened the project thinking that my placed model would appear but it didn't however I did get an error stating that the 'placement' BGL file did not exist in the Packages\.\Scenery\ .\'scene' folder. There was a file in the subfolder but an small file with no filetype.
Was I also supposed to also do a BUILD before I exited?
If so can the project then be modified, eg the placement of the model modified.
I could not find any tutorial on youtube and assume that existing projects after a build can be modified?

 

[mamu]

I'm a bit lost on your issue here..

In the Packages folder and It subfolders you are supposed to find only compiled files (.json/.bgl/.DDS/
And some specific file for peculiar asset group like simobjects, effects, living world etc)


The editabile files are located in PackageSources or in Packagedefinitions

This Is how the project editor works:

You load your project.xml, inside the project
Xml you have a line that says where the projectdefinitions xml Is,

Inside the projectdefinition xml there are description and location for every AssetGroup in your project, every AssetGroup should have its own folder inside PackageSources

Therefore, inside PackageSources you Will have several folders, each one containing an .xml describing the content of that AssetGroup.

Those are your main source files


You can't recover sources (.xml,.glTF,
Shp etc) using compiled (.bgl) files. At least with sdk tools


The Build command builds compiled files, It does not touch your source files

Of course, in the case your forget saving your work in the scenery editor, and you skip the save dialog when exiting the scenery Editor you Will likely loose your progress

Hope this helps!















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[GaryGB]

Indeed, as mamu points out, if we work via MSFS-2020 SDK GUI, we must manually maintain all our project source files for later use.

If instead, we work with ADE for MSFS development (wherever feasible), we have the convenience of using this feature:

ADE Menu > Project > Backup

...to semi-automatically write a ZIP archive of all "project" source- and compiled 'package' output- files to a specified location for later use / editing.


If we use a MSFS "Addon Linker" utility, we can access our latest file sets as needed, and still have MSFS load "packages" at run time.

https://flightsim.to/file/1572/msfs-addons-linker

https://www.lorby-si.com/uploads/6/0/8/2/60827113/msfs_addonorganizer_documentation.pdf

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/msfs-addons-linker.454353/post-895789

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/ade-2020-alpha-21-hotfix-4.454244/post-899709

GaryGB

 

[jgarnold]

Thanks Guys

I didn't explain myself properly.

When creating a project and adding BGL and MODELLIB asset groups you can then place the model where you want but if you don't do anything else and just exit the project the next time you open it you still have the asset groups but the placement of the model previously done does not exist and so you have to place it again.

I am wondering once you have placed the model is it possible to save the project up to and including the placement so that later you can open the project and the model previously placed is still there and you can change the placement if required such as move it somewhere else. Is that possible and if so what need to be done after placing the model?

There are heaps of youtube tutorials showing how to CREATE a project but I have yet to find one which shows modifying an existing one.

 

[rhumbaflappy]

Save scenery saves the XML file loaded in the scenery editor. The next time you edit the Project, you can load the relevant scenery xml, and move an object wherever you want... and then Save Scenery again to save the xml to the new position.

 

[jgarnold]

Thanks Dick
That makes sense.

If after opening the scenery xml (and making adjustments) can I then BUILD my project for a 'packages' output at that point (after I change the placement and save scenery)? I am thinking that only the scenery will be opened not the project.

I assume that the scenery xml can contain multiple objects/models and so each object can be adjusted separately?

Also If I want to add another object or add the same model again (I have a bridge which is half the width and so the entire bridge is made up of placeing the 'half' bridge twice and then moving each half together) as well as modify an existing object what is the work flow? Maybe that is asking a bit too much (I haven't got any plans to do this but would like to know)?

 

[jgarnold]

Well I tried that and it doesn't work.
I opened my scenery xml file for the scenery placement and I get an error' cannot be loaded'.

Also now when I open the project (the xml in the top directory) I get an error that the placement bgl cannot be located. When I check in that folder where it is looking there is a file with part of the name of my placement (eg windang-bridge-scene-p the lacement is missing) and the file type is blank. What would have caused that? When I created the project with a BGL asset group for placement and a modellib asset group after I placed my model I did a SAVE SCENERY.

I have attached the project.

 

[GaryGB]

Hi John:

Can we clarify if your project was compiled to a package containing BGL(s), versus only having "saved" changes to a project's source *.XML code ?


IIUC, ADE assumes we have compiled project source stored initially in ADE's proprietary*.APF file, and after compilation to a package, in *.XML file(s).


However, AFAIK, ADE also should also be saving tentative changes only to a project's XML file(s) that have not yet been compiled into a package ...in the :

ADE Menu > Project > Backup

...ZIP archive.

GaryGB

 

[jgarnold]

Can we clarify if your project was compiled to a package containing BGL(s), versus only having "saved" changes to a project's source *.XML code ?

Hi Gary
I cannot remember if I did a BUILD after placing the model and SAVE SCENERY.
What I have noticed, apart from the file which should be a BGL file is that when I attempt to delete the entire folder structure I get an error message that 'some of the files names are too long top go to the recycle bin' which I find strange as looking through the folder structure I cannot see any file name which looks too long EXCEPT that file in the Packages\.\Scenery\...'scene' folder\ which has a filename with only the first 26 characters of what it should be and doesn't have a filetype.

I have now decided to start again and create a new project using shorter 'names'. After I place my model I will then SAVE SCENERY and NOTHING else.

I then will see if I can open the project without error. Should I expect to see my model placed where I placed it before the SAVE SCENERY? I was confused by what Dick suggested which seemed to be that I should open the scenery xml and not the project xml.

Also I did notice that when I recraeted the project after I did the BUILD PACKAGE I did not get a window opened showing build finished information and (was it a) warning and a place to mpuse click 'read and understood'. Maybe the new version of SDK doesn't do that anymore?

 

[rhumbaflappy]

The project you included above works just fine...

 

[jgarnold]

Thanks Dick.
I used my newly created project and placed my bridge then clicked on SAVE SCENERY in the SCENERY window navigated to the .\PackageSources\Scenery\windang-bridge-scenery\windang-bridhe-scene folder , entered a filename and clicked SAVE then exited MSFS. Started MSFS, loaded the project, went to where the bridge should be and there was nothing. Thinking that I must need to load the scenery again I went looking but could not find anywhere to load it.

Please explain how you loaded it - all the steps please.

[added later]
OK I think I may 'have it'. I loaded the project, then BUILT it (in inspector) then I selected the scene in the scenery window and clicked on LOAD THIS ASSET GROUP. Is that the method? I have never donw this before and luckily found something via Google Search which gave me the clue. For me never assume I must know such things. Where is mamu in times like this? I have yet to find a youtube tutorial which mentions/explains modifying an existing project.

[added later still]
This gets even stranger. Just now I started MSFS,, 'moved' to where my bridge should be, loaded my project (nothing more than load project) and the bridge appeared I did not have to BUILD the project OR select the 'scene' and LOAD THIS ASSET GROUP. Or did SDK 'remember that I did it before? I then did a BUILD, selected my model in Objects and placed it next to the existing bridge (remembering that my bridges is made up of two 'halves' of the bridge, then clicked on SAVE scenery and selected the same 'placement' xml file where the original 'half' is, exited and then returned yet only the original half exists. Can't a placement xml contain TWO separate placements? Do I need to create another 'scene'?

Also I noticed the terrain at the end of the bridge looks quite different than what I see and maybe you have placed the bridge at a different location (not at Lake Illawarra in NSW Australia)? For example the ground elevation SLOPES down to the water whereas I see what looks like a low 'wall'/'cliff' between the water and the start of the land and so when I view it the bridge and the land are at the same elevation where they meet. Even the houses look different. Also from a top down view BEFORE I added my bridge, ther water color/texture around the area where the bridge should be is different from the rest of the water. It seems there must be some type of rectangular shaped polygon in that area but from where? MSFS stock scenery?
Refer to the following where I have marked that area with red arrows.

 

[rhumbaflappy]

I am trying to unravel why you are having problems. To save changes you have made, whether adding objects or removing them, use the Save Scenery button at the bottom of the Scenery Editor window. This saves the XML that places your objects. You can then go to the Project Editor window, and use the Clean All button to delete the Packages folder... and use the Build All button to rebuild the Packages folder. Then close the project... and open the project... and your changes are present in the sim ( you may need to reload the scenery via the Inspector window). If the sim ever asks you if you want to save changes, the answer should probably be yes.

 

[jgarnold]

You can then go to the Project Editor window, and use the Clean All button to delete the Packages folder... and use the Build All button to rebuild the Packages folder.

I think that is what is required but I did NOT know that (ie need to click on BUILD ALL). I cannot remember seeing that in any video tutorials I have watched. It may appear that it is logical to do that but not to me as I considered it part of compiling the end product.

Also I have learned by experimenting that to load an existing 'placement' the Scenery Editor window needs to be open and LOAD THIS ASSET GROUP clicked. All I could find out before was
"The next time you edit the Project, you can load the relevant scenery xml". To me that seemed that I needed to open that scenery xml file 'manually'. There was no explanation on how that was achieved. I now have far less hair on my head than I started with

Don't get me wrong I really do appreciate anyone trying to help me and I usually only reach out via fsdeveloper when I either cannot find a suitable youtube tutorial or the tutorial does not contain necessary information or does not explain enough.

 

[mamu]

Every edition of your scenery starts with loading the "placement" via the Inspector
It Is of course not restricted to adding Custom objects but every kind of stuff related to scenery (aprons, airports, polygons etc)

Two examples from my tutorial series

At the very beginning

Minute 33 or so




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[jgarnold]

Thanks mamu,
I had watched the first tutorial before but didn't pick up on it properly. I feel that I now know the steps needed to be able to go back to modify an existing project. Maybe because I always left my project 'in limbo' (as I knew that I had more to add before complete) I did not do a BUILD PACKAGE and as I DID so a SAVE SCENERY I expected that 'scenery' to reappear when I reloaded the project.

While I have your attention (I thought of creating a new thread for this but couldn't find an appropriate area as it is to do with stock MSFS scenery)

I am wondering though if there is a bridge 'hidden' as where the bridge should be looks to have the outline of a polygon and you can see the water texture is different inside that area than outside (see image below). I then wondered if there were more missing bridges along the coast so moved the 'camera' view up and down the coast to where I know there are real bridges and they are ALL there in MSFS (although they don't look much like the real ones - not as good as mine). So why is the Windang (Lake Illawarra) missing I wonder? IMHO it looks like a terraform polygon has been added as there are 'jagged' edges. Did that appear when Asobo release the updated the nearby Shellharbour airport with the last world update? Will they fix it up with future updates? Any ideas? And if it is a terraform polygon 'courtesy' of Asobo is there a method to remove it? I do not have and 3rd party scenery in my Community folder which could be causing this.

 

[jgarnold]

Is it possible to EXCLUDE another polygon of any type (eg if it is in the stock scenery OR a polygon in 3rd party scenery)? I tried exclude all which didn't do anything.

 

[rms59]

I also wish to know the steps to edit/modify an existing project. I've placed a dock next to a lake that works perfectly but now I want to add another right next to it but I also get the "could not be loaded" when I try to do this.

 

[jgarnold]

I can't help you with that but hopefully mamu will read your request and have an idea.

In the meantime at what point do you get the error?
Have you done a BUILD (in the Inspector window) and had no (relevant) errors reported in the console before you attempt to add the second object?
Do you select the BGL asset in your project and then click on LOAD IN EDITOR then select the object in the Object window and then ADD? Sorry if I sound a bit condescending as I don't know how 'new' (or experienced) you are.

 

[rms59]

I can't help you with that but hopefully mamu will read your request and have an idea.

In the meantime at what point do you get the error?
Have you done a BUILD (in the Inspector window) and had no (relevant) errors reported in the console before you attempt to add the second object?
Do you select the BGL asset in your project and then click on LOAD IN EDITOR then select the object in the Object window and then ADD? Sorry if I sound a bit condescending as I don't know how 'new' (or experienced) you are.

I'm very new... I have a seaplane hangar with a dock located on a lake. (I used the 'simplescenery' file structure as seen on the YouTube videos from FlyingTheson) and the project was complete, the 'Save Scenery' was saved to the 'Scene' folder, the 'Build' (in the inspector window) was done which created the .bgl and the package was dropped into the community folder. When I restart FS and fly to the lake my hangar is there as it should be. All is good.
Now I want to edit that project and add another dock next to the first one but don't know the procedure. I try to load in the save file from the Scene folder but it gives me the 'cannot be loaded' error. I just want a step by step instruction if there is a way to do this.

Thanks in advance..
Richard

 

[jgarnold]

I also consider myself to be a 'newbie' but I started creating projects with SDK a few months ago having used Airport Design Editor before.
I assume that you are using SDK as this forum is for SDK.

When you open an existing project you need to open the .xml file which is found in the 'top folder' of where everything was saved. OR if it was created recently using SDK you can use the OPEN RECENT which will list all the projects you have recently saved and you then simply select the one you want.

If you don't have any recent projects listed then use OPEN PROJECT then navigate to the top folder of your project and look for your airport .xml file and select it. In the example below it is yshl-stub.xml

I hope this helps