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FS2004 MCX not exporting attached objects and transparencies in FS9

GarbageHaul85

GarbageHaul85

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unitedkingdom
Hi all,

When I try to export a simple AI model from JustFlight's Traffic 2005, it loses the transparency values and the attached objects (lights). This is the case even if they have been manually re-implemented with material edits and attaching new lights, since the materials completely reset. I have also tried exporting different aircraft, completely unmodified through MCX and they all lose their lights, with some having affected transparencies.

These models are directly exported as FS9 MDL files.

I'm running the latest developer version, and through reading the blog posts it seems this shouldn't happen, so I've no idea why. Could it be due to MakeMDL? Before and after photos are attached, all with viewing attached objects selected.

Before:
1727162870551.png
1727163010148.png

After:
1727162893947.png
1727163029268.png


The final Alpha Multiple and Alpha value at render time both get reset when exporting.

All help is greatly appreciated, many thanks.
 
Those settings are probably not used by FS 2004. If you change the drop-down box in the upper right from all to FS 2004, you will see what settings are applicable to the Sim.

Also, have you checked the resulting plane in the Sim itself? It may just be an MCX thing.
 
Hi there,
The rest of the materials are identical to each other, and although those parameters don’t show up under the FS2004 tab I’m 99% certain they’re responsible for the transparency in the original model since they’re the only differing values.

I checked with other Fs9 models, and those values are what control the transparency.
The resulting aircraft appears how it is in MCX, no windows and no attached lights. The attached object list shows nothing, and the object hierarchy doesn’t show the attached objects - it’s as if they’ve just disappeared when exporting.
 
Hi,

For the attached lights, do they use custom effect files? The light_mapping.ini file determines how that is translated to the FS2004 light types.

For the final alpha multiply FS2004 does not have such a setting. It might even be the FSX model uses the alpha for both transparency and reflection. I would have to check which one has preference then in the conversion (thought it was the alpha).
 
I was assuming since it’s just flight traffic 2005 it would be using FS 2004 models.
 
Hi Arno,

Tgibson is correct, they’re native FS9 models which even pre-date FSX, the settings shown are part of the native model, so they must be used at least with some applications.

The lights are just standard lights, they don’t export on any model and I’m not sure why. Could it be an issue with my MakeMDL setup?
 
If FS2004 native MDL .

Those effect is not written as a attachment in the MDL.
It's written in the BGL command like landing lights.
 
If they are FS2004 models the lights indeed come from the MDL code (BGL_LIGHT). On import MCX would map them to effects and on export back to BGL_LIGHT again. The mapping file is in the MCX root.
 
I’m not quite sure how to fix this at all, they’re just standard lights - surely it’s an issue with my MCX setup since it happens with other aircraft too. I could try send the model, but it’s probably breaking ToS.
The lights also disappear when I export the Premier Aircraft Beech 1900D.
 
If you send me the MDL file by private message I can take a look. I'll delete the model after checking the issue.
 
Hi there,
Any updates on this? I've tried hard to get the lights to work, my only idea is just to use an older MCX dev build at this point. My MCX just isn't exporting lights at all, no matter whether its add-on AI, default AI or default flyable, so it could be a bug with MCX?
Many thanks for all the help so far 😁
 
No, I haven't had the time yet to check the model. Have been busy on programming a new feature and want to finish that first.
 
Hi,

I just had a look, but if I import the MDL file, export it as FS2004 aircraft MDL and then import it back into MCX all the lights are still there. So can you provide a bit more information on where you lose them?
 
Hi Arno,
It could well be down to my installation - I downloaded an old version of the dev build from the web archive and it still had the same issue, the lights disappeared once again.
The lights are lost when the aircraft is exported, even if nothing else is done to it. I've sent you my exported file in PMs. If you'd like my MCX and MakeMDL folders as well I'll provide those.
Many thanks
 
Let me compare that one with my MDL file then.
 
During my testing I also found that MCX does not export attached objects (effects) to FS2004 scenery mdls.
 
I'm quite sure effects are exported to FS2004 scenery files. A few months ago I spend a lot of time testing if all orientations are the same in FS2004 and FSX. For aircraft MDL files they are not supported though.
 
Hi Arno,

have a look:
MCX3.jpg

My latest dev.

Now I used BGL2XML to get MDLs

MCX4.jpg


I load a MDL:

MCX5.jpg


MCX6.jpg


I removed effect00 and effect05 ..
.
MCX7.jpg


and exported MDL to Mdl_new.mdl

MCX8.jpg


Then I exited MCX and loaded it again.
Imported Mdl_new.mdl and efects were gone...

MCX9.jpg


MCX10.jpg
 
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