Exclusion rectangles & content.xml in SU10.

[droide]

To avoid conflicts with buildings in the same place, i use Exclusion Rectangles in the SDK.
For example, We Love VFR is placing many automatic buildings, but the sceneries i created have the right building shape, so it has to remove the VFR one and place mine on top.

This solution works if the scenery i created is higher priority than other scenery including the buildings to mask.
This was possible taking care of the order of the scenery call sequence in Content.xml file

SU10 has changed it's system, and there is no more Content.xml file

Does somebody know how to manage this ?

 

[=rk=]

There is a "Scenery Priority" window, but it is not yet functional, as in the window itself does not even resize correctly, much less functionally change scenery package order, but it's presence implies Asobo threw a thought or two at the idea.

 

[droide]

I found some information here : https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/package-reorder-tool-how-to-use-it/545769

This experimental tool seems to work at least for what i could try.

 

[=rk=]

This experimental tool seems to work at least for what i could try.

Thank you for the links. After reading the entire linked thread, as well as a link there, to a thread on the DevSupport forum, it remains my belief that the tool is still in development, is only partially functional and according to this post on the DevSupport forum, Asobo appears to be behind schedule:

Nocturne mamudesign commented · Jul 11 2022 at 2:10 AM
Hello! I have a task to get the VFS order fully documented for the full public SU10 release.

 

[GaryGB]

< Asobo: Please bring back a native FS "Scenery Library" GUI dialog and keep 'Terrain' code out of airport AFD files ! >

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/microsoft-esp/cc526967(v=msdn.10)

https://www.prepar3d.com/SDKv5/sdk/references/configuration_files/scenery_configuration_file.html


Before Lockheed-Martin's dreaded Prepar3D AXOS (Add-on XML On Steroids) initiative, there was:

* priority via Scenery.Cfg physical position within the bottom-to-top stack of Area layers

* priority via file-prefix to utilize alpha-numeric naming for display priority

* priority via file-suffix (to further utilize alpha-numeric naming for display priority); also to describe file functionality type

...thus priority is easily achieved via a Scenery.Cfg not only by Area layer position, but even within a folder path relative to other local BGL files.


PS:

Top of the Area layer stack = top display priority

thus:

* custom scenery loaded later = higher display priority


Bottom of the Area layer stack = lowest display priority

thus:

* default scenery loaded early = lower display priority


Why "re-invent the wheel" ?

Because a 3D model of a wheel can 'look' round using 32 sides with smooth shading ?

Because a 3D model of a wheel using 32 sides requires less bytes than splines or arcs ...for content 'streamed' over the inter-web ?

Because a data-mining and DRM initiative seeks to create names pre-configured for MS-Store compatibility via 'file-hashing' ?


Perhaps this MS document might be a 'heads-up' as to a collision looming at the end of the road for such a MS-Store biased effort:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/p...hell.utility/get-filehash?view=powershell-7.2


IRL, such a 32-sided wheel would not result in a "smooth" ride; but a round wheel would provide a truly "smooth" ride.


The present MSFS method of attempting to assign scenery content display priority ignores the methods already proven to work by FSX.

And it is making for a very bumpy ride by the end user Community.


Also, MSFS' strict file-naming incongruent to IRL where ICAO's are All-Caps, and proper names use Initial Caps ...is a nightmare from hell.


Demographically, most of the FS end user Community is age 55 and older; "we" are not 'coders', nor do "we" wish to be 'coders'.

It is a mistake to assume the largest base of consumers anticipated to fund Asobo's 10-year meal ticket via MS-Store is young "Gamers".

BTW: Thank you, Asobo for delivering 'old favorite' A/C wanted by the enduring, older end user Community for FS' 40th Anniversary.

GaryGB

 

[GaryGB]

For those inclined to better understand the way Asobo currently loads and displays Packages, see:

The Packages Window

docs.flightsimulator.com

"All the packages are listed by load order..."

GaryGB

 

[=rk=]

BTW: Thank you, Asobo for delivering 'old favorite' A/C wanted by the enduring, older end user Community for FS' 40th Anniversary.

No official representative from Asobo has ever made their presence known here and there's no evidence your message or gratitude will reach its intended recipient.

I'm not saying they hate us, I mean it is what it is and we're "married," for all intents and purposes. You might be free, but for me, the idea of abandoning my flight simming marriage over an perfidious development partner, seem extreme, at the least. So to cope, I just describe our relationship as "tough love."