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GeoLock Beta Thread

tgibson

tgibson

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Hi Don,

I've tested it in FS9 and the unlock function seems to work fine. I tested this using the file Orlando.bgl, found in the Scenery/NAME/scenery folder. It is locked by default to the Orlando area. After selecting all the objects in the object list and clicking the Unlocked button, I get a new Orlando_Unlocked.bgl file created.

Using this unlocked BGL file in place of the default file allows me to use Instant Scenery to place an object from this file (in my case the Fantasy DC-3) at both Orlando and New Orleans. It appears in both places when I restart FS and check at both airports (you must test after you have removed IS from FS by restarting FS). When I then replaced the unlocked BGL file with the default one, the plane no longer appears at New Orleans but does appear at Orlando, demonstrating that it is indeed now geo-locked.

NOTE: At least on my machine, I had to restart FS between each airport test. If I went to Orlando first (using the geo-locked BGL) and then simply used GoTo Airport to go to New Orleans, the DC-3 was still visible there. I had to restart FS and then it was not present. And then if I just used GoTo Airport to go to Orlando, it wasn't there either. If FS displays it at one location it will display it everywhere else, even using geo-locked BGL files. Conversely, if FS doesn't display it somewhere far away, it will not display it anywhere else, even within the geo-locked area. You must restart FS to see that.

However, there does seem to be a problem with geo-locking an unlocked file. I started with my Unlocked Orlando BGL file created above, and then geo-locked it using (with DD.dd chosen):

Lat: 27 29
Long: -82 -80

When reloaded into GeoLock it yielded the results seen in the attached image.

geolock_01.jpg


As you can see, I am within the geo-lock coordinates, but there is no fantasy DC-3 there (which would fill up most of the screen). Furthermore, IS reports that this Orlando_Locked.bgl file is not available in this area. I can force IS to display it in the listing so I know it is present and contains all the objects, but it is not available in the Orlando area.

So something must be wrong with the geo-lock coding, I assume? I'm not sure what, though. I did check at -28 and +81 in case it was a minus sign problem, but no luck in any of those combinations.

Hope this helps,
 
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gadgets

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The bigger geolock is not an issue. (You probably missed the explanation at the bottom of Page 2 of the User Manual.

It is more concerning that the DC-3 is not there. The geo-locking appears to be OK. Are you sure that model was selected when you geolocked the file. (Only selected models are included in the file. Maybe I should select all by default.)

Don
 
tgibson

tgibson

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Hi,

I am not worried about the slightly larger lat and lon, I did read that in the manual. I reloaded it to show you what the program reported in the file so you can see I entered the lat and long correctly.

The geo-locked file is the same size as the unlocked and original files and I forced it to be visible in IS and checked that the DC-3 is indeed there, so it contains all the models. I also decompiled the file to prove to myself that the DC-3 had the same GUID as the earlier files.

And IS reports that the entire BGL file is not available in the Orlando area, so I think there is something more fundamental going on?

BTW, if you don't have FS9 I could continue the testing with the FSX version of Orlando.bgl if that would make it easier.
 
jvile

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I am testing FS9 and then will move on to the other sim versions. So far so good. I unlocked all the mdl's in the NewYork bgl.

For testing purposes only I Used ADE and loaded the NewYork_Unlocked.bgl into the LOM.

I went to Ardmore, New Zealand and added the Statue of Liberty using ADE.

ny5.jpg f14.jpg
 
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gadgets

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Thanks, guys.

checked that the DC-3 is indeed there, so it contains all the models. I also decompiled the file to prove to myself that the DC-3 had the same GUID as the earlier files
Click to expand...
Strange. The file is generated by the standard compiler. I just put a couple dummy <Scenery> records in the XML so that the compiler would geo-lock the file.

I've been at this most of the day, so, I'll look at the issue tomorrow.

BTW, I have resolved the viewer problems.

Don
 
jvile

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Further testing shows the Textures do not have to be moved out of the NAME\Texture folder. It appears that once the BGL is unlocked, then regardless of where a model.mdl is placed in the world the texture in the AREA texture bgl's will be used.
 
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gadgets

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It appears that once the BGL is unlocked, then regardless of where a model.mdl is placed in the world the texture in the AREA texture bgl's will be used.
Click to expand...
Jim, the textures in .mdl files typically do not contain any folder reference. So, what you are seeing must be due to FlightSims standard texture location search scheme.

Tom, I'm no longer sure I understand the problem you reported. I loaded FS9 and went to Orlando(stock scenery) and I still didn't see a DC-3. I did note, however, the geo-lock parameters you entered didn't go quite as far north as the original geo-lock parameters (original=29.53125, you entered 29.0, which became 29.00390626 - still about 30 miles south. Could this be contributing to your problem?

Don
 
tgibson

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Hi,

I guess I wasn't clear exactly how I performed my test.

1. I created a placement scenery file that placed the default "Fantasy of Flight" crashed DC-3 from the Orlando.bgl at KORL and at KMSY. That is called test.bgl.

2. With the default Orlando.bgl file active I see the DC-3 at Orlando but not at New Orleans. This is as expected, since the default file is geo-locked.

3. With the unlocked Orlando_Unlocked.bgl file active I see the DC-3 at Orlando and at New Orleans.

4. With the locked Orlando_Locked.bgl file active I don't see the DC-3 at New Orleans OR at Orlando (where it should appear).

If you don't like the placement file I created, I just used the default "Fantasy of Flight" crashed DC-3 instead. The DC-3 in the default scenery is at the airport FA08, at N28 9.42, W81 48.78. This is well inside my N27 to N29 range. When I use the default Orlando.bgl file it is visible next to the main road. When I use the Orlando_Locked.bgl it is absent (which should not be true).

Let me know if you don't understand my testing above, thanks.
 
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gadgets

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Thanks, Tom. I understood what you had done. I was just a little bit suspicious (and hopeful) That your placement might have been outside the smaller geo=locked arear. I(n retrospect, I guess I could have checked that myself, given you said it was the Orlando DC-3 that was missing. I'll attempt to duplicate this morning and get back to you.

Roby, while the guid is the same in all three files, even if Tom left the other files in, it shouldn't matter since the placement was inside the geolocked area. Or di you have something else in mind?

Don
 
robystar

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Well, yes, Don. If a bgl is geolocked together with, I guess, the mdl (identified by the GUID) and another bgl (with the same mdl and the same guid) is not, how does FS know which one is free or locked? Through the xml? But the xml's refer to the same GUID! So which one will it choose? Do I make sense? It does give a possible explanation for the results of Tom's 1., 2., 3. and 4. situations.
 
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gadgets

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Tom, so that I can accurately re-create your situation, would you please send me (either attached to a post or via e-mail at don at stuff4fs dot com) your re-loaded Orlando.bgl and the placement file. My concern is that the default KORL I see is different than in your screenshot.

Don
 
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gadgets

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Roby, if a file is geolocked, FS will only "see" its contents when the user aircraft is within (or perhaps near) the geolocked area. When FS loads an object bearing the same guid as one already loaded, it appears FS replaces the one already loaded with the new one. The situation you seem to be suggesting is that Tom had both the original and the newly geolocked active - or perhaps all three. In this case, since both (all) files contain the same model with the same guid, it "shouldn't" matter.

BUT, something mattered and that's my task for today.

Don
 
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gadgets

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Tom, don't bother sending me the files, Tom. I've duplicated the issue (different airport display and all.)

Don
 
tgibson

tgibson

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Hi,

Glad to hear you have duplicated the issue. I will stand by for any further testing.

I was going to begin playing with the header by creating a locked BGL file with my coordinates (27, 29, -82, -80) using BGLComp and then using a hex editor to compare that file's header to that of your Locked BGL file. I can still do that if needed.

Thanks,
 
tgibson

tgibson

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Roby,

I only had one library BGL file active at one time (Orlando.bgl, Orlando_Unlocked.bgl, or Orlando_Locked.bgl). My placement BGL (test.bgl) was present in every test.
 
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gadgets

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Tom, you were right (and that's what I get for believing in somebody else's code). The geolocking is faulty. It seems you just can't specify the corners of the geolock area - which is what I was doing earlier.

Now I've got to figure out how to fix it. I'll get back to you when I have the fix.

In the meantime, it looks like the unlocking code is "gold" - and that was the primary objective.

Don
 
jvile

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I have no problems with the unlocking code in all my testing of many bgl's in FS9

I am moving on to FSX and then P3D V3.3 but don't expect any issues to occur for the unlocking code. Will also check Steam FSX since I have it.

Tom, you were right (and that's what I get for believing in somebody else's code). The geolocking is faulty. It seems you just can't specify the corners of the geolock area - which is what I was doing earlier.
Click to expand...

Don

It appears FS may have used QMID 9 as the size of the geolock bounding box.
 
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