Hi Bill:
It would be a good idea to
first name a project in SBulderX, and then 'Save' that
*.SBP project file
before proceeding.
SBuilderX will then auto-save the project at intervals specified by
editing a parameter value in the
SBuilderX.ini file.
I suggest setting the interval
no closer than every 5 or more minutes to minimize the number of separate
*.SBP backups written into a folder.
NOTE: Although "
SBX" is often used as an abbreviation for
SBuilderX, it might be best to instead use
ex: "
SBX315", as it would avoid confusion in forum posts when read by newcomers, with
*.SBX SBuilderX Exchange files ...which when 'exported', internally store all 'scenery builder' project data
except the externally stored downloaded imagery tiles (...somewhat like a ADE *.AD4 project file does with 'airport' source data).
[
EDITED]
FYI: When a background map is 'selected' in the work-space for compilation into a custom photo-real imagery BGL, SBuilderX outputs:
A
*.BMP 1-piece file copy of a 'selected' imagery tile mosaic (the "composite
L[?]
X[?]
Y[?]
.BMP" cited above (
Raster)
A
*.TXT Geo-referencing 'world' file (
ASCII Text;
DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE ! )
A
*.INF SDK Resample file (
ASCII Text)
[
END_EDIT]
...into:
[SBuilderX install path]\Tools\Work
These are the
minimum files required for SDK Resample to generate a custom photo-real imagery BGL file.
Use of Blend / Land-Water Masks, Night / Seasonal variants is optional, but when they are intended to be used, each source file for these options
must be listed in a
*.INF.
Its true that SBuilderX 'can' find source files for a particular project source data file set and 'automatically' add them to a
*.INF, however this requires a specific and explicit source file naming protocol to be followed for a tile image 'Map'.
Each source file must be
explicitly named in a
*.INF. and any blend data must be
explicitly defined as to the source channel it will be read from (...as 'data' rather than as an image
per se).
Otherwise, SBuilderX may gather
*.INF info via a 'mix' of files, and fall back to a internal Blend Mask "border" file:
[SBuilderX install path\Tools\Work\blendmask.tif
By default, when a background map is 'selected' in the work-space for compilation into a custom photo-real imagery BGL, SBuilderX outputs a
*.INF with a "
Photo[??]" file name into:
[SBuilderX install path]\Tools\Work
The sequence in which SBuilderX assigns a "
Photo[??]"
*.INF "Map" file name
numeric digits, is based on what other "Maps" may have previously been output into:
[SBuilderX install path]\Tools\Work
...during that
same work session.
NOTE: The "Map" name is distinct from the SBuilderX project
*.SBP file name and the composite
*.BMP file name.
The "
Photo[??]"
*.INF for a "
Map" contains instructions with a list of source files for processing by SDK Resample
ex:
A
*.BMP 1-piece file copy of a 'selected' imagery tile mosaic (the "composite
L[?]
X[?]
Y[?]
.BMP" cited above)
A
*.TXT Geo-referencing 'world' file
A
*_B.TIF Blend Mask (8-Bit 256 gray-scale step
)
A
*_W.TIF Land-Water Mask (8-Bit 256 gray-scale step)
Optional variations:
A
*_LM.BMP "Light Map" aka
'Night' variant
Multiple
*_??.BMP Seasonal variants: (in this context,
*_?? refers to a 2-character abbreviation for FS 'season' images)
*_Sp.BMP = Spring Seasonal variant
*_Su.BMP = Summer Seasonal variant
*_Fa.BMP = Fall Seasonal variant
*_Wi.BMP = Winter Seasonal variant
*_Hw.BMP = Hard Winter Seasonal variant
CAVEAT: If working with source data to be compiled by SDK Resample into custom photo-real imagery land class:
* SDK Resample cannot output BGL files larger than
2 GB in size
* SBuilderX 'may' have a 'working data set' size limit that is
smaller than
2 GB, for source files processed and submitted to SDK Resample
BTW:
A quick reminder as to whereabouts of a couple of previous threads in which we discussed some of these topics:
https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/phoenix-mountains.442981/page-2
https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/mountain-range-disappears-as-i-get-close-to-it.443095/
Also, if I had not mentioned this in our prior communications on these topics, you may enjoy reading this fine tutorial:
Make photo-real ground textures
File Description:
It is very easy to create your very own high-resolution, custom (photo-real) ground textures. This document explains the concepts and techniques and illustrates the use of SBuilderX with which you can quickly and easily download aerial images and make this type of scenery. So, why hesitate? Make Flight Simulator scenery as real as it gets! Very sorry - no support of any kind is offered. Please do not write. For any questions, please post in the Avsim Scenery Design Forum.
Filename: make_photo-real_ground_textures_in_fs_x.zip
License: Freeware
Added: 21st November 2009, 23:20:06
Downloads: 17714
Author: Luis Feliz-Tirado
Size: 2143kb
https://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fsxsd&DLID=140539
For a convenient way to ensure Geo-referencing for a project work file set is maintained, use Ollyau's
GeoTIFF to INF:
https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/resources/geotiff-to-inf.119/
GeoTIFF to INF tests a GeoTIFF file to verify it has a GIS projection required by SDK Resample, and outputs a
*.INF
Geo-referencing for a GeoTIFF source file is listed in parameter values for it in the
*.INF output by
GeoTIFF to INF .
Geo-referencing of a GeoTIFF can be copied / pasted / edited for other source files copied / edited from the original
One can thus keep Geo-referencing for a
each source file in a project work file set inside a
*.INF ...
by each listed file, provided that we do
not change the total number of pixel Columns and/or Rows while editing it.
NOTE: One
can edit copies of
*.BMP 1-piece composites of 'selected' imagery tile mosaic (the
L[?]
X[?]
Y[?]
.BMP").
But, when editing copies of such source imagery files, do
not change the total number of pixel Columns and/or Rows.
That will keep the original Geo-referencing for the images as contained in the
*.TXT 'world' files.
If one wishes to change names of source files in a project work set, the names must
also be changed in the
*.INF file
When all files are ready for compilation, one can drag-and-drop the final
*.INF onto SDK Resample
Hope this helps to clarify requirements- and options- we have working with
SBuilderX and
SDK Resample.
PS: As an experienced FS Developer, you probably know all too well that files seem to multiply and hide from us if we are not looking <
like clothes hangers in the closet do ...but only when the door is closed and the light is off !
>.
A useful and well-written tool that I have used for years to quickly find files on
all my NTFS drives is
"Everything":
https://www.voidtools.com/support/everything/
https://www.voidtools.com/downloads/
One could install that
local search utility, wait for a brief indexing process to complete, then enter this query:
*.INF
A 'lightning fast' result would list all "hits" for that file extension ...on
all NTFS drive on ones computer.
GaryGB