FS2004 Scenery Objects Editor button ?

[TerryW]

I want to remove the huge churches seen in FS2004 - object number 168 in the generic.bgl file -FS9/Scenery/Generic/scenery folder.

I have it via modelconverterX 1.3.0 & have been advised to remoive it I must click on the Scenery Objects Editor button just to the right of the green arrows. The problem is I cannot find this button & the first 5 are, list objects, object info, hierarchy, material editor, mass texture,......
Can someone advise me please?

 

[tgibson]

Update to the Development version, much more powerful and quite stable.

 

[TerryW]

I exported as a fs2004 bgl & on running it through the Development version again to check the church had gone I get a message that the' bglxreader No objects found in file'................

 

[tgibson]

I guess you did something wrong? When you saved it did the Scenery Objects Editor still list all the other objects?

 

[TerryW]

Oh yes. I removed the cathedral & couldn't find a save button so I did as you said - clicked the red X, & used the export button as fs 2004 bgl. The default file was overwritten.

 

[GaryGB]

Hello:

IMHO, modifying default FS BGLs by writing back into the originals is an invitation to trouble, and should never be done.

At best, one may substitute a modified COPY of the original file (...after first making a backup of the original inside a ZIP file).

IIRC, in all versions of FS, scenery library objects packaged in BGLComp library format BGLs and additionally configured as items in Autogen Classes etc., have- and are 'called' by- a GUID rather than their filename / folder path, and 'friendly name', so original object GUIDs may be retained when a modified copy of a library BGL is exported by MCX with its original name (to then be substituted for the original BGL).

But if the goal was to improve performance in FS9 on an older computer, you may find that the resulting internal search by FS for a 3D scenery object, called by its GUID, that is otherwise still 'placed' by either the BGLComp or Autogen methods, might have an even more adverse impact on the run time rendering engine than merely displaying such Church objects randomly and very sparsely placed by the Autogen sub-system (...even though the potential FS9 performance hit may not be as severe as that associated with a 'missing' Land Class texture).

Consider instead using a modified COPY of:

[FS2004 install path]\Autogen]\Default.XML

... edited to remove the 6 -or- 7 "Church" items.

GaryGB

 

[TerryW]

Hello Gary,
Original post: https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?312484-Buildings-file&p=2055472#post2055472

I made a backup copy of the generic file & put it in a ‘original’ folder.
I removed the cathedral 169 with mcx & exported it as an fs9 bgl to a ‘save’ folder. I removed the original file to the ‘original’ folder & then put the saved file into scenery/generic/scenery folder.

To check that the object 169 had gone I ran the file through mcx I got the message about the file being empty. Default scenery seemed OK & the cathedral that was at EGHH had gone. I’m intrigued about the empty file message.

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Terry:

If you are performing the above tasks as a means to learn how to use MCX, I can understand that you would persist in this endeavor.


However, I must again underscore the impact that you would have on FS run time performance by removing a 3D scenery object whose GUID will continue to be placed by other BGLs and *.AGN files that utilize the class of objects randomized by the Autogen sub-system.

Adverse run time performance due to missing scenery objects that are placed by other BGLs and *.AGN files continues to be an issue not only for FS9, but also in FSX and P3D versions of flight simulator, as alluded to by Holger Sandmann in this recent thread:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/exclude-3d-lights.443308/post-803594


While it is possible that you may not see alerts in FS at run time for missing scenery objects that are placed by other *.AGN and/or Autogen *.XML files in the same manner that you would when placed via BGLComp-type XML methods, you would otherwise incur alerts for missing scenery objects that are placed by BGLComp BGLs, by setting the following parameter values in the active copy of FS9.Cfg at ex:

C:\Users\[user account name]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FS9\FS9.CFG

[SCENERY]
MissingLibraryAlert=1


Some related topics on this issue:

https://www.google.com/search?sourc...1j0i22i30k1j0i8i13i30k1j33i10k1.0.lMMGeHAcRc4


I recommend that you instead utilize a modified COPY of the FS9 Default.XML file as described above; if you would like to see some more detailed instructions on how to do that, feel free to inquire further on that topic.


If you wish to learn how to modify an existing scenery library containing custom objects which you personally have made, I believe that some of us may be quite willing to explain that process in greater detail in this- or another- thread.

GaryGB

 

[TerryW]

Hello Gary,

I thought I'd been quite clear in my FlightSim.com topic & again here, that I just want to get rid of those huge cathedral/church objects that appear in the wrong locations & often in too great a number. Tom Gibson was kind enough to explain how this might be done & I'm following his advice.

Short of using exclude bgls for every one, I'd be grateful if there's a better way to remove them if MCX is the wrong thing to use. Using MCX seemed the perfect way. I've used this many time before & was unaware the latest version had the facility to remove objects.

Are you saying these objects cannot be removed?

I've made 30 or so WW2 airfields for my FSGW3 & am au fait with the process of adding & removing objects to suit the situation & I only include scenery objects of my choosing. Huge churches of mausoleum proportions isn't one of them!

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Terry:

I do not have the object in question displayed at EGHH in a default installation of FS2004.

Also, I do not find its FS9 GUID: {999b34c1417209cc934a14a3ffa8a871} in my FS2004 Default.XML file.

This raises questions as to whether your "Default.XML" file was changed by installing FSGW3 or another add-on scenery

[EDITED]

FSGW3 does indeed add that object to the Default.XML file after even the base package installation of GoldenWings.zip.


I suggest that you open in Windows NotePad, a COPY of your FSGW3 Default.XML at:

[FSGW3 install path]\Autogen]\Default.XML

...and search for the above GUID assigned to the object in question.

Then, under this Class category section:

<CLASS>
<NAME>Urban Large</NAME>
<GUID>4aa477356fd84f208885b30644f0b002</GUID>
<WIDTH>100.0</WIDTH>
<DEPTH>60.0</DEPTH>

...remove this entry:

<LIBRARYOBJECT>
<NAME>ag_Building_5</NAME>
<GUID>999b34c1417209cc934a14a3ffa8a871</GUID>
</LIBRARYOBJECT>


I would also recommend that you check as to whether this was added to your active Default.XML file at:

[FS2004 install path]\Autogen]\Default.XML

..if so, remove the same entry listed above.

Be sure to save any edited Default.XML files with a *.XML file extension (...not a *.TXT file extension).

[END_EDIT]


Hope this helps.

GaryGB

 

[TerryW]

I have this object in my 2 FS2004 installations as well as FSGW3. These screenshots are from FS2004.
just south of eghh......turn to the south & 3 more in situ..............

Terry.

 

[TerryW]

Gary...............I followed your above advice & the objects have disappeared. Thank you.
What started me off was seeing 6 in the EGHH area. Exclude files took care of 2 but this is inefficient. I then spotted this odd collection of buildings in a remote UK location which made me wonder how MS could have possibly made this blunder but then realized I wasn't in North America.
It's been interesting & thanks again.

 

[TerryW]

Further to the above, I've checked my newest machine's FS2004 & see there are 6 of those large cathedral type objects near the stock EGHH. They're in quite different locations seen in the machine's screenshots above.
FSGW3 in this machine doesn't have this object showing.

 

[GaryGB]

Hi again:

In one of your other posts elsewhere (flightsim.com -or- Flight1 SimForums ?) you mentioned that you have Instant Scenery on your non-FSGW3 FS2004 computer,

Is that still running OK, and is it Instant Scenery version 2.x or 3.x (aka "IS2" or "IS3") ?

If so, we can use the "Labels" feature for all active scenery library object placment BGLs to confirm whether those objects are placed via BGLComp or as Autogen.

If they are placed as Autogen, we can remove additional such "objectionable" objects ...from the Default.XML file after we determine which ones those are via a visual identification process using the FSX atlas of objects (AFAIK, all FS9 objects were included in the FSX default 3D scenery library object resources), and then converting the objects FSX GUID to a FS9 GUID format:

http://lc0277.gratisim.fr/sceneobjects/

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/resources/guid-processor.99/

GaryGB

 

[TerryW]

I've got IS 3 - latest update.

Terry.

 

[GaryGB]

OK, I'll prepare a mini-tutorial for turning on the IS3 labels feature in a few minutes.

[EDITED]

( The following is an excerpt copied from one of my prior posts in another thread troubleshooting an issue at KMYL )


NOTE: Instant Scenery works in FS2004 (aka "FS9"), as well as in FSX and P3D v1>3.


Instant Scenery version 2 (aka "IS2") or version 3 (aka “IS3") offers a couple of ways to visually identify "objects from all scenery files" in a specified radius near the user aircraft via display of colored text info on-screen at run time for BGLComp-XML-placed objects in a scenery object placement BGL; thus, one does not need to "guess which placement file it is that you need to modify", or to 'decompile' a placement BGL.


NOTE: Whether or not a XML scenery object placement BGL was made by IS2 / IS3 won't matter, as those BGLs made via other methods such as either FS9 / FSX BGLCompiler... can normally also be opened by IS2 / IS3.

So, even if a (non-IS2 / IS3) XML scenery object placement BGL has been decompiled, edited, and and re-compiled via FS9 / FSX SDK BGLComp, it can again be opened by IS2 / IS3, and used to place more objects.


IS2 / IS3 can ID those Objects, Generic Buildings, and Exclusions "placed" near the current aircraft location from ALL scenery files which are 'active' in FS within a number of miles specified for the IS2 / IS3 object labels "scan" radius.


Identify objects in IS2 / IS3 “Move / Delete Objects” mode


In FS9 / FSX free-flight mode using any aircraft at the scenery project airport:

Set FS "camera" view to Top-Down or Virtual Cockpit without instruments displayed at desired Zoom level

1.) Slew aircraft to (minimum of) 50 to 100 feet AGL

2.) Open IS2 / IS3 from FS9 /FSX main menu > Add-ons > Instant Scenery

3.) On the IS2 / IS3 main menu, click on the ‘Folder icon’ (Open Scenery) and "Open" your scenery placement BGL in question

4.) Back in FS9 / FSX, right-click the ground, and click to ‘check’ “Move / Delete Objects”

5.) Again in FS9 / FSX, right-click the ground, and click “Labels”, then click to ‘check’ “All Objects”

6.) Once more in FS9 / FSX, right-click the ground, and click “Labels”, then click to ‘check’ “Library and Model”

7.) Back in FS9 / FSX with IS2 / IS3 still open, move the mouse cursor over objects to select them (mouse-over)


NOTE: When selected by a ‘mouse-over’, scenery objects in the currently “open” IS2 / IS3 or other XML scenery object placement file... will display their bounding box, and their corresponding library and model name will be highlighted on-screen.


Alternatively, another method may be used to scan multiple IS3 or other XML scenery object placement files all at one time... .


Identify objects in IS2 / IS3 “Show Objects From All BGLs” mode

In FS9 / FSX free-flight mode using any aircraft at the scenery project airport:

Set FS "camera" view to Top-Down or Virtual Cockpit without instruments displayed at desired Zoom level

1.) Slew aircraft to (minimum of) 50 to 100 feet AGL

2.) Open IS2 / IS3 from FS9 / FSX main menu > Add-ons > Instant Scenery

3.) In FS9 / FSX, right-click the ground, and click “Labels”, then click to ‘check’ “All Objects”

4.) In FS9 / FSX, right-click the ground, and click “Labels”, then click to ‘check’ “Library and Model”

5.) In FSX, right-click the ground, and click “Extras”, then click to ‘check’ “Show Objects From All BGLs”


NOTE: From the latter context menu, a “Objects From All BGLs” dialog pops up

6.) In the “Objects From All BGLs” dialog, click to ‘check’ “Objects”, “Gen. Buildings”, and “Exclusions”

7.) Still in“Objects From All BGLs” dialog, click in “Radius, NM” to set a Ex: (1) nautical mile radius; click “Scan”


IIUC, after the BGL scan is done, IS2 / IS3 should identify on-screen, "ALL" default FS and 3rd party XML-placed scenery objects 'active' in the FS scenery library... for that geographical area (within a Ex: 1 mile radius of the aircraft) at the scenery project airport.


Alternatively, you could go through the laborious manual testing process required to identify the 3rd party add-on scenery object placement BGL (and NOT the scenery object library BGL ! ) responsible for the erroneous object placed at the airport ...by trial and error.

This can be done by sequentially disabling half of all your installed add-on scenery packages, checking the airport in FS at run time for elimination of the erroneous object placement, then disabling half of your remaining 'active' add-on sceneries, checking the airport in FS at run time for elimination of the erroneous object placement, etc. ...repeating that process until you can narrow down the suspect add-on scenery package containing the placement BGL; you can then find which object placement BGL from that package is responsible for the erroneous object placement at the airport.


However, if the objects in question are not placed via BGLComp, but rather via Autogen methods, we must instead follow the latter procedure described above to remove the objects in question from Default.XML:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/scenery-objects-editor-button.443351/post-803942

[END_EDIT]

Hope this helps identify the "objectionable" scenery object(s) in question !

GaryGB

 

[TerryW]

Thank you.