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P3D v4 Kinda lost

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269
Hey,
AFLT seems like a great piece of software, but I can't get it to work, unfortunatly..

I am working on Haifa airport in northern Israel - LLHA. The default PAPI won't fit my needs as I cant control the spacing of the PAPI lamps, as you can see in this picture:
https://prnt.sc/hze5bo

Now, for my issues. I cant understand the workflow of AFLT. I read the manual and still cant nail it..

This is how my AFLT project looks:
https://prnt.sc/hze62b

Then, I clock on "Create/Save Element" and after that on "Make Library". Next I place the library object in ADE and export the airport to XML. After that I press on "Get Simobject Positions" and when I try to compile I get this error:
http://prntscr.com/hze72d


What should I do? Is my workflow correct?

Thanks :)
 

gadgets

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Re your first screenshot, this is not a problem. The lights you see displayed in ADE are shown in default positions. ADE knows nothing about AFLT light positions.

Your PAPI definition in screenshot 2 looks OK

Presumably, Create/Save Element and Make Library were "uneventful". As for the error message, that exception has nothing to do with your workflow; it reflects an error in AFLT. Since the exception was thrown while AFLT was "dissecting" the ADE-generated XML, it would be helpful if you sent me your ADE file.

Don

EDIT: Please also send the file "LLHA.xml".
 
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gadgets

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I've examined the .xml file you sent and found that each <SceneryObject>item contains a subitem named <Foorprint> which is non standard and which neither your compiler nor mine recognizes - hence the error message.

I have just communicated with Jon Matheson (the developer of ADE) to determine why that item is there. He advises that you must be using an XML file generated by ADE's Tools/Export for X function. That is a special purpose function and the wrong xml file to be submitting to AFLT.

The XML file needed by AFLT is a "by-product" of compiling an airport. It is the same XML file ADE submits to the PV4 compiler. Please check your ADE Settings/Project dialog and ensure one of the options to "Save XML" is checked. Point AFLT to that file.

I will examine the AFLT user manual to ensure this is clear for others.
Don
 
Messages
269
Hey,
Thanks for the help! Now I dont get the former error but I get the following error: "No custom lights found in this file".
I created the lights BGL, positioned it in ADE, exported the BGL + XML files, imported the XML into AFLT.. Am I missing something?
By the way, how can I control the spacing of the PAPI lamps?

Thanks,
Bar.
 

gadgets

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Without having your .ad4 file, the associated .xml file, and your AFLT library folder, I really can't comment with any certainty on why AFLT reports no custom object found.

However, I suspect in this case, the Guid under which your PAPI was saved in the ADE object library is different from the one assigned by AFLT. That's because the guid assigned by AFLT in your earlier screenshot starts is 712cbb ... but there is no such guid in the .xml file you sent earlier. The only way AFLT can determine that an item in the .xml file is a custom object is by matching guids. Please check whether or not your PAPI was saved under the guid assigned by AFLT and, if not, update the Guid in ADE, recompile the airport and try again.

As for PAPI spacing, if you want something different than the default AFLT model provides, you'll have to develop your own custom model.

Don
 
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269
The GUID in ADE is indeed different and can't be changed from within ADE. The only way the change it, is to use the GUID from ADE in AFLT and then apply the change. This way I dont get any errors in the compile but I dont see any lights in P3D even though I installed the AFLT as an add on. I am off my PC until tomorrow. I will try to investigate the issue..
 

gadgets

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The ADE library manager should have used the guid assigned in the AFLT library. (I assume you entered the PAPI into ADE's object library by submitting the library file, not some other way.

even though I installed the AFLT as an add on.
Don't know what you mean. For FS9 or X, the AFLT library file should (but need not) be placed in the same scenery folder as the airport .bgl. But, you haven't mentioned what version of Flightsim you are using. Be aware that if it is Pv3 or 4, you must use the simobjects approach and install the files in "Documents\Prepar3d v4 Add-ons" folder as described in the user manual.

Don
 
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269
The ADE library manager should have used the guid assigned in the AFLT library. (I assume you entered the PAPI into ADE's object library by submitting the library file, not some other way.

Don't know what you mean. For FS9 or X, the AFLT library file should (but need not) be placed in the same scenery folder as the airport .bgl. But, you haven't mentioned what version of Flightsim you are using. Be aware that if it is Pv3 or 4, you must use the simobjects approach and install the files in "Documents\Prepar3d v4 Add-ons" folder as described in the user manual.

Don

Hey,
I indeed added the PAPI library file (bgl file) to ADE by using the library manager.

My bad, forgot to mention my sim version. I am using P3D v4 and I indeed installed AFLT using the addons folder in the documents folder.
 

gadgets

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In order to help you further, I'm going to need the .xml file generated during the ADE compilation process, your entire AFLT Library Folder. i.e., the folder containing, among other things, the sub-folders Bases, INI and AFLT for P3D, and the AFLT for P3D folder from Documents\Prepard3 v4 Addons. Please zip them up and email to don at stuff4fs dot com.

Don
 

gadgets

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The .rar file you uploaded is declared faulty by RAR. In any case, at 20k in size, It can't be all I asked for - which included:
  1. the folder "G:\Documents\New LLHA\AFLT" (I expect it would be at least 1mb in size)
  2. the airport .xml file, and
  3. the "AFLT for P3D" folder from your "Documents\Prepar3d v4 Addons".
And this is an image showing the GUID difference between ADE and AFLT:
Why are you sending me this? We discussed different guids yesterday - which you claim to have fixed. I note however, the guids still don't match. As well, both the ADE guid and the AFLT guid are different from the earlier version. I'm curious. How did you "fix" the earlier guid mismatch situation. Until this issue is resolved, you are very unlikely to see any AFLT-generated objercts in PV4.

Don
 
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269
Hey,
I sent the picture just to show you the issue... I resolved the issue by assign the ADE GUID back AFLT and redo the whole process so AFLT will "know" the correct guid...

As for the files.. I missed the folder from "Documents\Prepar3d v4 Addons" indeed... Here is the correct file:
https://mega.nz/#!PdQHhLrZ!q2I8ZfcvpmHNP2ejB6ZltSH1-pR08xH8UlnZ0y63PRU
Dont let the small size to fool you, its because the RAR compression... After you extract it, it's size is about 3 MB.
 

gadgets

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I am still unable to open the files. Perhaps it's a new .rar format.

Please use the .zip mode.

Don
 

gadgets

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Attached is a photo of your PAPI at LLHA - once I removed a bunch of unnecessary items from Documents\Prepar3D v4 Addons.

Not sure why the entire AFLT folder had been copied into Documents\Prepar3D v4 Addons. But, after setting up that folder properly, your PAPI appeared - not where I expected it based on earlier screenshots from you, but where it is specified to be in the AFLT XML.

I would note that the guid situation still is not resolved. In the files you sent, the GUID from ADE is "{4366bca7-87e4-4b46-999f-a4746b1d6685}" while the Guid known by AFLT is "{a3b79c0d-9fec-4874-8baf-fd1559aec7f5}". This will have nothing to do with the PAPI not appearing in your PV4, but may have something to do with its mis-positioning.

I would suggest you go back to "Square 1" - including removing the PAPI from ADE's object library - and follow the process laid out in the user manually religiously. If it still doesn't work. please send me the same set of files along with a narrative of what you did.

Don

Edit: Here's the screenshot I said I attached earlier.
 

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Hey, Don. Thanks for your help. I am off my PC until Thursday so I will test it only in two days.. I suspect that your PAPI's location differs from mine because my is the actual real world position, which is slightly different than the stock fsx/p3d one.
 

gadgets

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I suspect that your PAPI's location differs from mine because my is the actual real world position, which is slightly different than the stock fsx/p3d one.
?? I was using your files.

If the PAPI isn't in the right place, then please add your .ad4 file to the list.

Don
 
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?? I was using your files.

If the PAPI isn't in the right place, then please add your .ad4 file to the list.

Don

As far as I remember the stock runway position is a bit off the real world position.. My scenery is corrected according to the real world position.
Anyway, I will send you the file on Thursday.

Thanks for your comprehensive support, much appreciated.
 
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