http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/sbuilder-fs9-problem-creating-mesh.441182/#post-782692
Let me also just say that you are by far, the most helpful, nice & patient person I ever had reply to me on any forum, of any thematic, EVER!

So many thanks for that!
Looking forward for your tutorial!
Leonardo
Hi Leonardo:
Thanks for your kind words !
I assume you can now load into FS2004 SDK TMFViewer, your terrain mesh BGLs output by SBuilder for FS9.
After the above linked FS2004 SDKs are installed:
1.)
Browse to: [FS2004_SDK_install path]\TERRAIN_SDK\Terrain_Tools\
tmfviewer.exe
2.)
Navigate: TMFViewer Menu > File > Open
< 'Open Terrain File' dialog appears >
3.) In '
Open Terrain File' dialog:
Browse / Select / double-click ...your terrain mesh BGLs made via SBuilder for FS9
4.) Move the Mouse cursor over islands and surrounding water areas to see elevation "
Values" in Meters on the bottom status bar
NOTE: The SRTM source data you used is (as the cited tutorial warned) older, lower-resolution elevation data ...with
many voids.
Those elevation data
voids are seen as "NO_DATA" -or- "MISSING_DATA"
Values of
-32767 Meters on the bottom status bar.
5.)
Navigate: TMFViewer Menu > File > Open
< 'Open Terrain File' dialog appears >
a.) In '
Open Terrain File' dialog:
Browse / Select / double-click ...[FS2004_install path]\Scenery\Ocen\scenery\
FL900370.bgl
6.)
Navigate: TMFViewer Menu > File > Open
< 'Open Terrain File' dialog appears >
a.) In '
Open Terrain File' dialog:
Browse / Select / double-click ...[FS2004_install path]\Scenery\Ocen\scenery\
HL900370.bgl
7.)
Navigate: TMFViewer Menu > File > Open
< 'Open Terrain File' dialog appears >
a.) In '
Open Terrain File' dialog:
Browse / Select / double-click ...[FS2004_install path]\Scenery\Ocen\scenery\
HP900370.bgl
NOTE: The 'shape' of the Futuna and Alofi island land masses and shorelines in your 'real world' terrain mesh BGLs made via SBuilder for FS9 from the SRTM source data that you used ...is
not matched by the "hole" in the above super-imposed default FS9 BGLs:
HL900370.bgl = Default VTP shorelines
HP900370.bgl = Default LWM polygons
Although not used for the "Hole" in the vector BGLs, as a point of reference, this BGL is also to be loaded:
FL900370.bgl = Default LWM Airport Flatten polygons
COPIES of the above default FS9 BGLs must be "Appended" to a SBuilder For FS9 project, and the vector poly-lines / polygons edited into alignment with the shoreline edges of your 'real world' Futuna and Alofi islands using an aerial imagery background image.
When the above default BGLs are COPIED, "Appended", Edited, and Compiled into replacement BGLs via SBuilder For FS9, those replacement BGLs will allow the custom terrain mesh BGL to display its entire extent of elevation AMSL through a "Hole" in the vector VTP shorelines and LWM polygons.
FYI: Vector VTP shorelines and LWM polygons function as "Flattens", and also define Land and Water Class texture placement.
I am preparing higher resolution source data for you to utilize in a 'worked example' that will enable you to produce a LOD-10 custom terrain mesh BGL for Futuna and Alofi island via the methods described in the overview above.
Using a GIS application, I have already 'cleaned' and merged the required local 1 Arc Second and 3 Arc Second SRTM HGT elevation data files, then exported a 1-piece BIL file for you to use with a supplied INF file, both of which are ready to be submitted to FS2004 SDK Resample.
FYI: These source files allow FS2004 SDK Resample to successfully output a FS9 terrain mesh BGL that looks rather nice in FS9. (images below show the custom terrain mesh 'popping up' through the 'un-edited' default vector LWM / VTP "hole" in local terrain BGLs).
Prior to providing a BMP background image to be loaded into the SBuilder For FS9 work-space, I intended to test a work-flow that:
* Exports from SBuilder For FS9, a SBuilder "SBX" complete project file of vector data in local FS9 HL*.BGL and HL*.BGL files
* "Imports" to SBuilderX, the SBuilder "SBX" complete project file from SBuilder For FS9
* Edits in SBuilderX, the vector data in local FS9 HL*.BGL and HL*.BGL files ...over a high resolution aerial imagery background image.
* Exports from SBuilderX, a SBuilder "SBX" complete project file of the edited vector data
* "Imports" back into a SBuilder For FS9 project, the vector data Exported by SBuilderX as a SBuilder "SBX" complete project file
* "Imported" 'SBX' vector data is re-configured and compiled to create ...replacement copies for the local FS9 default vector BGLs.
I anticipate posting a status on test results for the above work-flow either later today (Wednesday) or tomorrow (Thursday).
BTW: The above proposed work-flow requires a side-by-side SBuilderX ver. 3.14 {64-Bit} or SBuilderX ver. 3.13 {32-Bit} installation.
If you are eager to get started working with a BMP background image to be loaded within the SBuilder For FS9 work-space,
rather than awaiting my reply on the latter SBuilderX testing I described above, feel free to indicate that preference in a reply to this post, and I'll see if I can provide a BMP background image that works OK in SBuilder For FS9 ...without inducing 'instability' due to resource limitations in a SBuilder 32-Bit task session.
GaryGB