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Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:
- Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
- Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
- Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
- Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
- Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
- Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.
Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.
By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.
FS2004 Missing Apron in Windows 10
- Thread starter John Hubbard
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I will keep a lookout - we are 6 hours ahead of Central time in UK.
Hi John:
I recommend (at least initially) following the suggestion by Tom Gibson here:
https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/aprons-order-problem.435906/post-729781
Please use ADE version 1.79x, as this version adds a few useful functions.
https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/development-version-1-79-7475-available.448076/
In ADE FS9 mode:
ADE Menu > Project > Backup > select target output path for a ZIP of the source and output folders of the current ADE project
...Then:
1.) Click on the boundary of your (currently assigned) Concrete Apron to Select it
2.) Right-click on that boundary
3.) With that boundary selected, in the pop-up context menu, click on Edit Object
4.) In the Properties dialog box for that object, change Concrete to Macadam
5.) Click [OK] to apply that change
6.) Next:
a.) ADE Menu > File > Save Airport
b.) ADE Menu > File > Compile Airport
c.) Copy resulting BGL(s) to target output path of the project Area layer set Active in FS9 Scenery Library GUI
d.) Paste the resulting BGL(s) into the \Scenery sub-folder locally paired with the \Texture sub-folder in that ADE project's Area layer
7.) Delete any earlier versions of (only) the airport project BGL in that \Scenery sub-folder locally paired with a \Texture sub-folder
8.) Re-start FS2004
9.) See if you are willing to make do with the Macadam texture
10.) If Macadam texture and/or its "GroundRoll" attributes of gear animation / sound is unacceptable, more modifications may be used.
Those modifications would involve either:
Deriving a copy of the ADE "Concrete" Apron XML, processed via MCX Menu > Special Tools > "XML Apron to SurfaceType converter"
...or:
Appending / editing the Airport Boundary Polygon from FS9's default PADQ {Land-} ClassMap object via SBuilder for FS9 (...located in: )
[FS2004 install path]\Scenery\Namw\Scenery\AB907110.bgl
The latter would be a multi-step process to output compiled BGLs for a edited version of that AB Polygon, and an Exclude for the default.
I have attached below, a 'worked example' of the first procedure above in an edited copy of your ADE *.AD4 project file.
Open that *.AD4 project file in ADE, and you will see that the Concrete Apron has been edited to use the Macadam attribute.
If you wish, you can compile that *.AD4 project file on your own ADE9 installation, and use the resulting BGL(s) as described above.
I have also attached below, a screenshot of that 'worked example' of the first procedure above in FS9.
Feel free to let me know how you might wish to proceed with alternatives- and/or additional enhancements- for your project.
PS: There is still a lot of fun to be had in FS9.
But have you considered treating yourself to a computer that runs an install of MSFS 2020 Deluxe / Premium after years of hard work?
GaryGB
I recommend (at least initially) following the suggestion by Tom Gibson here:
https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/aprons-order-problem.435906/post-729781
Please use ADE version 1.79x, as this version adds a few useful functions.
https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/development-version-1-79-7475-available.448076/
In ADE FS9 mode:
ADE Menu > Project > Backup > select target output path for a ZIP of the source and output folders of the current ADE project
...Then:
1.) Click on the boundary of your (currently assigned) Concrete Apron to Select it
2.) Right-click on that boundary
3.) With that boundary selected, in the pop-up context menu, click on Edit Object
4.) In the Properties dialog box for that object, change Concrete to Macadam
5.) Click [OK] to apply that change
6.) Next:
a.) ADE Menu > File > Save Airport
b.) ADE Menu > File > Compile Airport
c.) Copy resulting BGL(s) to target output path of the project Area layer set Active in FS9 Scenery Library GUI
d.) Paste the resulting BGL(s) into the \Scenery sub-folder locally paired with the \Texture sub-folder in that ADE project's Area layer
7.) Delete any earlier versions of (only) the airport project BGL in that \Scenery sub-folder locally paired with a \Texture sub-folder
8.) Re-start FS2004
9.) See if you are willing to make do with the Macadam texture
10.) If Macadam texture and/or its "GroundRoll" attributes of gear animation / sound is unacceptable, more modifications may be used.
Those modifications would involve either:
Deriving a copy of the ADE "Concrete" Apron XML, processed via MCX Menu > Special Tools > "XML Apron to SurfaceType converter"
...or:
Appending / editing the Airport Boundary Polygon from FS9's default PADQ {Land-} ClassMap object via SBuilder for FS9 (...located in: )
[FS2004 install path]\Scenery\Namw\Scenery\AB907110.bgl
The latter would be a multi-step process to output compiled BGLs for a edited version of that AB Polygon, and an Exclude for the default.
I have attached below, a 'worked example' of the first procedure above in an edited copy of your ADE *.AD4 project file.
Open that *.AD4 project file in ADE, and you will see that the Concrete Apron has been edited to use the Macadam attribute.
If you wish, you can compile that *.AD4 project file on your own ADE9 installation, and use the resulting BGL(s) as described above.
I have also attached below, a screenshot of that 'worked example' of the first procedure above in FS9.
Feel free to let me know how you might wish to proceed with alternatives- and/or additional enhancements- for your project.
PS: There is still a lot of fun to be had in FS9.
But have you considered treating yourself to a computer that runs an install of MSFS 2020 Deluxe / Premium after years of hard work?
GaryGB
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I'm blown away, GaryGB! Not only by the MSFS 2000 screenshot but also by the trouble you've taken to help get my old FBO running again! I had such a great setup - loads of GA AI planes flitting in and out - a sim within a sim.
I will do my utmost to follow your instructions and will post again with progress. I don't work fast and I get more and more 'honey do's' these days.
I wondered about MSFS 2000 but read so many bad reports about bugs and glitches, that it was just eye candy, that I wrote it off. Plus, I'd need a new PC and screen/screens. Not impossible.
Thanks again!
I will do my utmost to follow your instructions and will post again with progress. I don't work fast and I get more and more 'honey do's' these days.
I wondered about MSFS 2000 but read so many bad reports about bugs and glitches, that it was just eye candy, that I wrote it off. Plus, I'd need a new PC and screen/screens. Not impossible.
Thanks again!
Hi John:
Glad I was able to recall all of what I did to put together that prospective work-flow.
MSFS 2020 does have some issues with development as it reaches for all of what FS included for us with in prior versions, as well as providing an astounding visual scenery rendering engine.
The SDK under the hood is essentially utilizing a relatively similar infrastructure and concepts, now accessed via a live in sim GUI and/or manually edited XML code (which can be generated via a GUI in several FS utilities), and processed via a new compiler.
A number of our old favorite FS utilities may be used to prepare source data in a Project, and to submit to the MSFS compiler.
Scenery creation can be entirely interactive within the sim with nearly real time content updates within a MSFS flight session.
There will be a 40th anniversary free content update on November 11, 2022 that will provide a few more old favorite aircraft.
MSFS 2020 effectively can run on computers that were adequate for FSX and P3D due to recent enhancements.
I get more than 50 - 70 FPS running 1400 x 900 to 1920 x 1080 on a $ 280 USD 32" 4K monitor, with very good visual quality.
Although I built a new computer to improve the run time FPS in MSFS' original more demanding live in-sim Developer Mode (aka "DevMode"), my old FSX computer actually was able to provide an acceptable 30 FPS for flying in highly detailed scenery.
Let me know if I may be of further assistance, and have fun.
GaryGB
Glad I was able to recall all of what I did to put together that prospective work-flow.
MSFS 2020 does have some issues with development as it reaches for all of what FS included for us with in prior versions, as well as providing an astounding visual scenery rendering engine.
The SDK under the hood is essentially utilizing a relatively similar infrastructure and concepts, now accessed via a live in sim GUI and/or manually edited XML code (which can be generated via a GUI in several FS utilities), and processed via a new compiler.
A number of our old favorite FS utilities may be used to prepare source data in a Project, and to submit to the MSFS compiler.
Scenery creation can be entirely interactive within the sim with nearly real time content updates within a MSFS flight session.
There will be a 40th anniversary free content update on November 11, 2022 that will provide a few more old favorite aircraft.
MSFS 2020 effectively can run on computers that were adequate for FSX and P3D due to recent enhancements.
I get more than 50 - 70 FPS running 1400 x 900 to 1920 x 1080 on a $ 280 USD 32" 4K monitor, with very good visual quality.
Although I built a new computer to improve the run time FPS in MSFS' original more demanding live in-sim Developer Mode (aka "DevMode"), my old FSX computer actually was able to provide an acceptable 30 FPS for flying in highly detailed scenery.
Let me know if I may be of further assistance, and have fun.
GaryGB
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