Folks, I've been chasing the wrong problem. I thought the problem was FS9 issuing the "can't find texture folder" message after you placed the statric models - which will happen if the textures for SAMM-generated models are not handled as set out in the user manual. But, upon careful re-reading of some of the reports, I find it has to do with FS9 error messages issued while using Instant Scenery 2 to place the models.
First of all, this appears to be solely an IS2-with-FS9 problem. There does not appear to be a similar situation when IS2 is used with FSX. The other good news is that, once placed and FS9 is restarted, the SAMM models will display normally - with textures and without FS9 error messages
Basically, (as others have commented) it seems that IS2 does not "know" how to handle the texture folders SAMM creates. It also appears that when a model refers to a texture in a sub-folder (such as SAMM generates), IS2 mistakes that texture as something for the current user aircraft.
It appears that when you place a model with IS2, IS2 makes a copy of the model and textures and places them in a temporary scenery folder that it "tricks" FS into displaying. But, because IS2 "thinks" the textures are related to the user aircraft, it modifies its copy of the model so that its texture list "points" to the user aircraft folder. But, of course, the required textures aren't there, so FS9 objects. Then FS9 displays the models without textures. (Some of you have discovered that if you place the texture subfolders in the FS9\Textures, the model is displayed textured. That's because the FS9\textures folder is FS9's "last-resort" location for textures. If it doen't find a scenery texture where it's declared in the model file, it looks in FS9\Textures.)
Fortunately, FS9 issues the "missing texture folder" messages only once, which gives us the basis of a workaround. That is, once you start IS2 and select the SAMM library, select each model in turn, clear FS9's error mesage and go on to the next. Then you may place the models normally - but they will only be textured during the IS-session if you have placed a copy of their texture subfolder in FS9\Textures. If you don't need to see the textures to differentiate between models for placement, don't worry about them. They will show normally when you later run FS9 without IS. Or, you can clear the error messages as they occur. Just know that once you've done this, you can place the models successfully.
This problem likely is not isolated to SAMM models; it will similarly affect any scenery that uses textures in sub-folders - a perefectly legitimate (if somewhat unusual) method under both FS9 and FSX. Clearly, it is a deficiency in Instant Scenery 2 when used with FS9. Perhaps you should make the developers of IS2 aware and ask them to fix it.
Hope this helps a few of you place SAMM models with IS2.
Don
First of all, this appears to be solely an IS2-with-FS9 problem. There does not appear to be a similar situation when IS2 is used with FSX. The other good news is that, once placed and FS9 is restarted, the SAMM models will display normally - with textures and without FS9 error messages
Basically, (as others have commented) it seems that IS2 does not "know" how to handle the texture folders SAMM creates. It also appears that when a model refers to a texture in a sub-folder (such as SAMM generates), IS2 mistakes that texture as something for the current user aircraft.
It appears that when you place a model with IS2, IS2 makes a copy of the model and textures and places them in a temporary scenery folder that it "tricks" FS into displaying. But, because IS2 "thinks" the textures are related to the user aircraft, it modifies its copy of the model so that its texture list "points" to the user aircraft folder. But, of course, the required textures aren't there, so FS9 objects. Then FS9 displays the models without textures. (Some of you have discovered that if you place the texture subfolders in the FS9\Textures, the model is displayed textured. That's because the FS9\textures folder is FS9's "last-resort" location for textures. If it doen't find a scenery texture where it's declared in the model file, it looks in FS9\Textures.)
Fortunately, FS9 issues the "missing texture folder" messages only once, which gives us the basis of a workaround. That is, once you start IS2 and select the SAMM library, select each model in turn, clear FS9's error mesage and go on to the next. Then you may place the models normally - but they will only be textured during the IS-session if you have placed a copy of their texture subfolder in FS9\Textures. If you don't need to see the textures to differentiate between models for placement, don't worry about them. They will show normally when you later run FS9 without IS. Or, you can clear the error messages as they occur. Just know that once you've done this, you can place the models successfully.
This problem likely is not isolated to SAMM models; it will similarly affect any scenery that uses textures in sub-folders - a perefectly legitimate (if somewhat unusual) method under both FS9 and FSX. Clearly, it is a deficiency in Instant Scenery 2 when used with FS9. Perhaps you should make the developers of IS2 aware and ask them to fix it.
Hope this helps a few of you place SAMM models with IS2.
Don
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