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Official Airport to SDK project: here is a small app to help you (draft)

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233
Country
canada
Did not work at all :-( First there was an error upon search that it did not have access to windows/apps directory. So I ran it as Administrator, then it said it could not find the MSFS and suggested manual search. My MSFS is installed in C:\Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator and it's a Steam version. How do I let your program know where to look for it?
Where are the "manual" files located and how do I know which one to look for for my airport?
 

rhumbaflappy

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If you enter a latitude and longitude, it will give you a suggestion what file and where it exists. Then press Select... and you can find the suggested file. From there, you will get a menu to let you select the ID of the file. Then you can save it to wherever you want. It does work very well.
 
Messages
233
Country
canada
OK, it works for the most part, however taxiway signs are missing! This is one of the most important part that needs to be edited, and it's not there. The rest I was able to bring into my project by copying the whole <airport> section, and I can see and change everything - taxiways, aprons, jetways, runways, starts - it's amazing!!! Thank you so much for this! But there are no taxiways. I think this is the only thing that's left, and it would be perfect!

Please see if you can add taxiway signs or not. It it's possible, this would be a godsend. I was shocked that you have to start your airport from scratch, instead of modifying the default airport to your liking.
 
Messages
7,450
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us-illinois
OK, it works for the most part, however taxiway signs are missing! This is one of the most important part that needs to be edited, and it's not there. The rest I was able to bring into my project by copying the whole <airport> section, and I can see and change everything - taxiways, aprons, jetways, runways, starts - it's amazing!!! Thank you so much for this! But there are no taxiways. I think this is the only thing that's left, and it would be perfect!

Please see if you can add taxiway signs or not. It it's possible, this would be a godsend. I was shocked that you have to start your airport from scratch, instead of modifying the default airport to your liking.

Hello:

IIUC, using a modified version of the example work-flow by rhumbaflappy shown below, one may be able to re-configure the XML so that :

deleteAllTaxiwaySigns="TRUE"

...instead reads:

deleteAllTaxiwaySigns="FALSE"

...thus retaining the original source airport file's Taxiway Sign XML objects in the file output by "ARP2PROJ" ? :scratchch

You can remove -rebuild just the taxiways. Patrick Germain has Airport2Project https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/t...all-app-to-help-you-draft.450344/#post-866065

That will give you a project that has decompiled some of the airport elements. You can then alter the airport's XML file. Find the TaxiwayParking type fuel element and delete that whole element. Then delete all the elements except the taxiway elements.

At the bottom of the file, you will find the delete airport element. Set everything to FALSE except deleteAllTaxiways="TRUE" You now have a file that just rebuilds the taxiways... without the fuel parking... which gets rid of the pumps.

You'll need to add the airport XML to your project. You can figure that out. The Dev Mode Inspector will be needed to correct the airport info.

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
Messages
233
Country
canada
Hello:

IIUC, using a modified version of the example work-flow by rhumbaflappy shown below, one may be able to re-configure the XML so that :

deleteAllTaxiwaySigns="TRUE"

...instead reads:

deleteAllTaxiwaySigns="FALSE"

...thus retaining the original source airport file's Taxiway Sign XML objects in the file output by "ARP2PROJ" ? :scratchch



GaryGB
Obviously that's the first thing I checked :) The problem is that the original XML created by this utility does NOT contain taxiway signs information. Besides, it alreasy has deleteAllTaxiwaySigns="TRUE". But there is nothing to replace them with, this information is not extracted, period. That's the only tedious-to-recreate element that's missing from this utility.
 
Messages
5
Country
greece
the tool works fine all you need to do is convert "," to "." in an editor with the command to replace everything.
 

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Messages
7,450
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us-illinois
the tool works fine all you need to do is convert "," to "." in an editor with the command to replace everything.

Hello:

While I appreciate the good intentions of that suggestion, I must respectfully offer this clarification to the contrary. ;)


It is imperative both before- and during- work with FS / P3D / MSFS, FS SDK and/or any 3rd party utilities, as well as nearly all software developed / used in North America, to set Windows Decimal Separator character to a period ...NOT a comma. :pushpin:


FYI: Most Windows software uses North American English code sets and key scan values, so you must change your Windows Decimal Separator character from a comma to a period (aka "dot").

1.) In Windows Control Panel, click Region and Language applet (Region and Language dialog box opens)


2.) In the Region and Language dialog box, click {Formats} tab


3.) On {Formats} tab > click [Additional Settings] button (Customize Formats dialog box opens)


4.) In Customize Formats dialog box > {Numbers} tab > Decimal Symbol:

a.) Set the Decimal symbol to a period (.) instead of another character such as a comma (,)

b.) Click [OK] button

c.) Back on the Region and Language dialog box {Formats} tab, click [OK] button

d.) Exit Control Panel


5.) Restart Windows


Some links for self-study and self help:

https://www.google.com/search?q=sit...+Period&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari


Hope this helps. :)

GaryGB
 
Messages
5
Country
greece
Hello:

While I appreciate the good intentions of that suggestion, I must respectfully offer this clarification to the contrary. ;)


It is imperative both before- and during- work with FS / P3D / MSFS, FS SDK and/or any 3rd party utilities, as well as nearly all software developed / used in North America, to set Windows Decimal Separator character to a period ...NOT a comma. :pushpin:


FYI: Most Windows software uses North American English code sets and key scan values, so you must change your Windows Decimal Separator character from a comma to a period (aka "dot").

1.) In Windows Control Panel, click Region and Language applet (Region and Language dialog box opens)


2.) In the Region and Language dialog box, click {Formats} tab


3.) On {Formats} tab > click [Additional Settings] button (Customize Formats dialog box opens)


4.) In Customize Formats dialog box > {Numbers} tab > Decimal Symbol:

a.) Set the Decimal symbol to a period (.) instead of another character such as a comma (,)

b.) Click [OK] button

c.) Back on the Region and Language dialog box {Formats} tab, click [OK] button

d.) Exit Control Panel


5.) Restart Windows


Some links for self-study and self help:

https://www.google.com/search?q=sit...+Period&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari


Hope this helps. :)

GaryGB
thanks for the intention I know the clarification but many people have a pc for games and for tasks that need the above setting of the symbols and can not constantly change the settings I have the same problem in the model converter.
if there is a script to change it automatically when you start an application it would be perfect I ask a lot .....:wave:
 
Messages
233
Country
canada
thanks for the intention I know the clarification but many people have a pc for games and for tasks that need the above setting of the symbols and can not constantly change the settings I have the same problem in the model converter.
if there is a script to change it automatically when you start an application it would be perfect I ask a lot .....:wave:
That doesn't help with taxiway signs, does it? It's another issue, correct?
 
Messages
233
Country
canada
I'm biting my nails, it would be so great to have taxiway signs extracted as well. Also, I'm not sure if ILS, radio frequencies etc. are extracted. If not - also a must-have. But this little utility is amazing already, so much time saved! This is what default airport override should have been: not having a blank airport, but having a default copy of the airport. It doesn't make any sense to recreate the whole airport just to fix a single issue.
 

rhumbaflappy

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us-wisconsin
Should Patrick decide not to develop the utility further, the MSFS ADE will have a more complete de-compilation, including the signs, once it is released.
 
Messages
233
Country
canada
Should Patrick decide not to develop the utility further, the MSFS ADE will have a more complete de-compilation, including the signs, once it is released.
Oh Patrick, please please develop it further! At least the taxiway signs! Maybe add the frequencies if they aren't there already (maybe I missed them).
 
Messages
5
Country
greece
ils, radio frequencies,taxisigns are not exported because I think they are in a different *.bgl file.
In everything else you can make changes because I tried it.
 
Messages
233
Country
canada
ils, radio frequencies,taxisigns are not exported because I think they are in a different *.bgl file.
In everything else you can make changes because I tried it.
Maybe that other file can also be parsed and the info extracted? I'd love to hear the author's opinion, he's been silent lately. I hope this can be done...
 

scruffyduck

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unitedkingdom
Taxi sign are in the same bgl file as the airport. Comms and navaids are by and large in another.
 
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