SAMM - how to create FSX static model using aircraft for 2004/FSX

[jgarnold]

Hello
I have downloaded an aircraft which is described as for 2004/FSX.
It has an application to install it and I had NO problem installing it in FSX or flying it.
I want to create a static model of this aircraft for use within Airport Design Editor but SAMM (STATIC AIRCRAFT .mdl MAKER) will only create an FS9 .mdl which I cannot use in ADE.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can either make this aircraft 'look like' a FSX aircraft (so that SAMM will create an FSX .mdl file).

Thanks in advance

 

[Gman]

Its been a while since working with SAMM or ADE, but did you make the static aircraft .mdl a library object (.bgl), and add its scenery and texture files to an active addon scenery folder in FSX before trying to add it to ADE?

Cheers
Gman

 

[jgarnold]

Thanks Gman.

I found the answer maybe something in your reply made me look somewhere else and I found ModelConvertX which will allow import of .mdl files and export them as FSX .mdl file.

I don't know why I didn't find this before posting the question as I did do a 'Google' search looking for a .mdl converter.

Yes I know about libraries but I find when I am using a model which I only want to add to a single airport then using MODEL is faster than adding it to a library.

Thanks again.

John

 

[Gman]

Ooooookay,
But just so were clear, a static aircraft .mdl is simply a step on the way to making a scenery object which is produced by compiling the static model .mdl (or .mdl's) made in SAMM into a (scenery object library) .bgl. The .bgl goes into a scenery folder, and the corresponding textures go into a texture folder. From there you can either place the files from those folders into the "Scenery" and "Texture" folders within the (activated) FSX Addon Scenery folder, or simply name the folder they are in and place it in the FSX Addon Scenery folder, and then activate the new folder in the FSX Scenery Library.
Scenery/yourstaticaircraft.bgl Texture/associated textures for that/those aircraft

It's been a while, but I believe the library creator within SAMM will prompt you for the locations where you want to save the library .bgl's and textures to, whether you are creating a new folder or placing them into one which you have saved to in prior operations, the latter probably becoming the default unless you specify differently. Like the static aircraft .mdl's SAMM creates, pay close attention to where these files are going to be saved!

As far as I can recall, you shouldn't need the static aircraft to be an FSX .mdl to place it as a scenery object, you need it to be a .bgl file like any other scenery object, at which point ADE should be able to work with it.

The SAMM static aircraft .mdl really doesn't have any further purpose after compiling the library .bgl unless you want to add it to another library collection .bgl, although I am not sure of the implications of having more than one active library .bgl which share the same textures. Therefore, after testing you may wish to delete all test placements and the corresponding test folders in favor of a more permanent library collection with the final versions of many of your scenery objects, which will make them available for selection from a single scenery object library list in ADE, Instant Scenery, etc..

By the way, you can compile the library .bgl either in SAMM where you can select several .mdl's or a single .mdl to make into a library .bgl, or you can use Arno's Library Creator XML to do the same thing. Again, pay close attention to where the files are being saved to.

Cheers
Gman

 

[jgarnold]

Thanks again Gman,

I am still extremely 'rusty' on compiling .mdl to .bgl and adding to a library. SAMM won't allow me to do it as it 'sees' the aircraft I am using as an FS9 aircraft even though I have it installed and working in FSX. SAMM will NOT allow me to create a library using this aircraft. That appears to be the big problem.

ANYWAY I WAS able to create an airport and add the static model (.mdl) I created and compile (to an 'airport'.bgl file) and the static aircraft displays correctly.

John

 

[Gman]

Roger alla that,
I'm pretty rusty too, and had no idea ADE could do that, and have no idea why SAMM can't, because all of my (dozens of) FSX static aircraft were made from FS9 aircraft back when we were testing.

All's well that ends well.

Cheers
Gman

 

[jgarnold]

To use a model (.mdl) direct (in ADE) you first have to add it to the MODELS 'library' or whatever it's called - use the LIST drop down menu and then select MODEL.
A window will open and then click on ADD and navigate to where the .MDL file is and select it. Another window will open to verify the file. click on SAVE then click on SAVE again.
Now in the main editing window right click where you want to place the model (.mdl) select ADD then select MODEL. A window will open containing all the models you have previously added/saved. Select the one you want and that's it.
From what I understand all relevent data for the model is compiled into the airport .bgl file (there are no other scenery or texture files).

 

[gadgets]

Without getting into the intervening nitty-gritty, to answer the first question, SAMM will convert the static model of a FS9 aircraft for use with FSX. All you have to do is select that option at the bottom left hand corner of the Main panel after first converting the aircraft for FS9.

Don

 

[jgarnold]

Aha I now see.
HOWEVER the model ('aircraft name'_fsx.mdl) ends up in the folder named FS9.
Very misleading
There is also (created) a 'aircraft name'_x.mdl file - what is that for?

 

[gadgets]

Not clear why you are concerned about what folder the .mdl "lives" in. SAMM includes a library maker that hides all the detail.

Don

 

[jgarnold]

I didn't know that.
Thanks

 

[jgarnold]

Have been happily using the library maker function in SAMM which makes things easier.

I have come across a couple of aircraft which SAMM will not convert. When I select the aircraft then the 'title' (there are more than one textures for each) SAMM
'ticks' the box named FSX MDL (which is usually left greyed out) and displays error message -
'the static model name/version is (still) too long'.

I have tried to 'untick' the box named FSX MDL but can't.

Is there a method to overcome this error? I have tried changing the static model name (which wasn't very long) which made no difference.

 

[gadgets]

Is there a method to overcome this error?

The title being referred to is the title in the textbox labelled "Name" It maxes out at 62 characters.

I have tried to 'untick' the box named FSX MDL but can't.

Not clear what you expect to do. This radio button is simply an indicator telling you the currently-selected aircraft model is in FSX format.

Both these issues are addressed on pages 4-5 of the user manual.

Don
​

 

[jgarnold]

I have read pages 4-5 in fact all the manual.
I understand that the radio button is just an indicator. I mentioned that in case it was relevant to the error I am getting.
The textbox labelled "Name" has a name of only 20 characters long and the version box is blank so far short of the maximum of 62 characters.

I don't understand.

Although the error message is displayed SAMM allows me to continue however -
The Make Model is then greyed out and I can click on MAKE LIBRARY however the next window does NOT display the model of the aircraft I want to add to my library.

Maybe I am missing something in the manual which I must say is not as easy to understand (user friendly) as I would wish and I was once an analyst/programmer who had to occasionally write users guides.

 

[Gman]

The textbox labelled "Name" has a name of only 20 characters long and the version box is blank so far short of the maximum of 62 characters.

I don't understand.

Just a thought as regards the names, and again, I don't currently have SAMM installed and it has been a while, but it seems that what is included in "the textbox labelled 'Name' ", is not the entirety of what SAMM is including in what it see's as the 'Name' " You might be seeing something like "Northrop F-20 Tigershark", while SAMM may be seeing the "Name" as the location you selected the aircraft from, i.e., *Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes\Northrop F-20 Tigershark.
(*or the FS9 equivalent folder structures)

I seem to recall setting my static aircraft project folders up in a manner which eliminated most of the extra folder data, using something more like SimObjects\Airplanes\Northrop F-20 Tigershark, which shortens the "Name" substantially.

As I recall, it was important to pay close attention to where things are being saved. SAMM has it's default locations where it saves things, and in almost every case, I could change those locations. I believe I ended up going with the default folder, which I could leave open on my desktop in order to visually verify the creation of each static .mdl I converted as I went.

When it came to selecting the static aircraft .mdl's I wanted to add to a library, they were all in the same folder. If I had instructed SAMM to place an .mdl in a different folder, I would have to navigate to that folder to select it for inclusion in a library .bgl.

In addition to reading the manual, take a spin through the threads here in the SAMM forum to see if any of the thousands of SAMM users had similar issues. In the end, each of us has to get dialed in, and once we get to that point, it is pretty much just a repetition of small operations, sort of like eating peanuts in the shell, they are all the same-yet all different, some are easier-while some are more difficult, and you may occasionally need to spit one out.

Once you have it all mastered, you can post a tutorial which helps better explain anything you found lacking in the manual.

Sorry I can't be more help, but I know you will get everything sorted-out, pretty much everyone does. Have fun!

Cheers
Gman

 

[jgarnold]

Thanks for the suggestions much appreciated.
Regarding aircraft name lengths. At first I thought that was probably the reason however after shortening the aircraft name to just 6 characters and the texture/model name left at 7 characters the same error occurs.
I then looked at my B737 800 aircraft and was able to select without the error the aircraft (name b737-800) with the model (name b737_800) with texture (name qantas new fmc) and I don't get the error yet a concatenation of the file names is LESS than the aircraft giving the error).

I think I have found Don's (author's) email address and have asked him. Hopefully he can.

Regarding the manual. No time to offer a re-write BUT it would have been good if it had a section containing all the possible error messages and what they mean and how to deal with them - I thought this was standard for manuals.

Regards

John

 

[Gman]

Regarding the manual. No time to offer a re-write BUT it would have been good if it had a section containing all the possible error messages and what they mean and how to deal with them - I thought this was standard for manuals.

Regards

John

Hello John,

I wasn't suggesting that you re-write the manual which has effectively supported the vast majority of users, I was suggesting that you could at some point explain the problems you were having and the methods you eventually used to solve your issues. The fact that there is not a long list of other users reporting the issues which you are seeing could indicate that there is some glitch in your installation, methods, or the aircraft itself.... it happens,... because there are so many variables in the way user's computers are organized, and so many different ways the developers created the multitude of aircraft which SAMM users are trying to convert.

There are some things we can all see, such as the manual and the user interfaces, and other things that each user sees based on their own computer, operating system, the aircraft they are attempting to convert, and their own interpretation of the methods as outlined in the manual.

SAMM is a complex and versatile FREEWARE utility which Don has tweaked and peaked to work with as many aircraft as possible, and I dare say that it does a lot of things that many users are not even aware of. Yet there have always been some aircraft which required adjustments that most users would not be able to make, even though the tools are provided. That is why Don has done his best to cover the basics, with the caviat that some aircraft may not convert properly, with or without user adjustments.

If you have read through the posts in the SAMM forum, you know that there have been countless fixes and program updates based on reported issues, and that in some cases due to the complexity of the program, the fixes needed to be fixed.

Unfortunately, some users with installation or configuration issues never complete the troubleshooting process, which doesn't necessarily mean they didn't sort-out their problems based on suggested fixes.

Don has never been shy about admitting a glitch in the programming when presented the information needed to find it, and hopefully we the users will not be shy about admitting that we have overlooked something which only we can see. I think there was even someone who had an issue which turned out to have been caused by having a period (.) in the title of the aircraft. At any rate, with very few exceptions, most user issues and error messages which have been reported in this forum, have eventually been sorted-out.

Hang in there.

Cheers
Gman

 

[jgarnold]

Thanks Gman,

Firstly I never considered that there was a separate forum here for SAMM (which I have now located after reading your last post - thanks for that).

Yes we should always be very thankful (which I am) with freeware and especially the amount of work put in by the author(s).

Still it would be good if an author documented all the error messages they have inserted into the program and what they mean and a possible solution. Maybe though this error message is generated by Windows and Don had never encountered it.

I have only ever written one program/application and that was in Z80 assembler language (lots of fun) many years ago at first just for myself but then 'released it'.

Looking forward to solving this problem and hope that Don responds. In the meantime I will look through the SAMM forum.

Regards
John

 

[gadgets]

Thanks for the strong support, Gman.

The textbox labelled "Name" has a name of only 20 characters long

John, you certainly have encountered something unusual. Unfortunately, I am on an extended absence from my development system and unable to offer much in the way of assistance at the moment. Since no one else is currently reporting these symptoms, I suspect it's a data dependent situation

I then looked at my B737 800 aircraft and was able to select without the error the aircraft (name b737-800) with the model (name b737_800) with texture (name qantas new fmc) and I don't get the error yet a concatenation of the file names is LESS than the aircraft giving the error).

While I'm not quite sure what you are telling me, the fact that another aircraft seems to work OK would seem to confirm my data-dependent theory. If you e-mail me the entire aircraft folder for the aircraft giving you the difficulty and give me specific guidance as to your naming practice, perhaps I can duplicate it - the first step in diagnosis.

Still it would be good if an author documented all the error messages they have inserted into the program and what they mean and a possible solution

.Easier said than done, John, in a large program such as SAMM. Listing the error messages themselves is rather simple - but not very useful because many of them have multiple causes - generally user or data specific. In the case of SAMM and my other utilities, I've opted for making the text of the error message meaningful and providing further explanatory information in the manual when necessary.

Obviously, you have triggered a unique, unexpected situation which no amount of error message documentation could have foreseen. If it hasn't been sorted out by the time I return home, I'll be happy to investigate further at that time. In the meantime, if you send me the aircraft folder, perhaps I can offer a workaround.

Don

 

[jgarnold]

Thanks Don,

I know EXACTLY what you mean by

you have triggered a unique, unexpected situation

.

When I was an analyst/programmer I had a user phone me to advise of an unusual problem she was experiencing and I could NOT duplicate it so I visited her office and watched what she was doing and she was, for reasons unknown, pressing an extra unneeded key (on the keyboard) which was NOT required (could have been the ESC key or a 'function' key - can't remember) and that was causing the problem. NO ONE else experienced the problem as no one else was pressing that extra key.

Anyway stories aside. How can I get the aircraft folder to you? The aircraft folder zipped containing 2 variants (textures and models) is 151Mb. If I remove one of the variants the size would drop to about 100Mb.

Thanks

John