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SDE Build 2604

scruffyduck

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Jim

I am starting a new thread to deal with ordering of objects in the tree. It is not build specific and I have some thoughts - see new post
 
bruin

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Hi Jon,
First of all my compliments for all the work you have done so far. Build 2604 is the first version I downloaded and within 15 minutes I already felt familiair working with it.

Just two issues:

- When clicking on the "new"-button an error occured, saying a file called "New Please Change Me!." could not be found in the folder I placed the SDE in.
Could it be that you didn't include that file in the zipfile.
Can I fix this myself, if so: what file does SDE need (xml or bgl) and what minimum data is required.
(I looked at your site for an earlier build to fetch the wanted file, but I can only download the current version)

- When connected with FSX and clicking the "read"-button, SDE changes the LAT/LON position of the selected object, but it does not change the altitude. Is that meant to be?

Thanks in advance,
Bert
 
scruffyduck

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Hi Bert,

Thanks for the feedback - much appreciated

- When clicking on the "new"-button an error occured, saying a file called "New Please Change Me!." could not be found in the folder I placed the SDE in.
Could it be that you didn't include that file in the zipfile.
Can I fix this myself, if so: what file does SDE need (xml or bgl) and what minimum data is required.
(I looked at your site for an earlier build to fetch the wanted file, but I can only download the current version)
Click to expand...

Yes I have seen that and will fix it for the next build - it should not need any file so I am not sure what has happened. The work around is to load any file, delete all the objects except the root, Add a new object of your own. Click that object and save it out to Xml. On reload it should be a new start for you. Sorry if that is a pain - will fix it for the next build.


- When connected with FSX and clicking the "read"-button, SDE changes the LAT/LON position of the selected object, but it does not change the altitude. Is that meant to be?
Click to expand...

This function depends on the object - some can take an altitude and some not. Can you tell me what object these are - it is entirely possible that the settings are wrong in some object types :eek:
 
Phantoms

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jvile said:
Jon

I see some differences in the pdf (dec 2006) you have and the one I have (Feb 2007) from Jepp. They show the control tower on the North Side of the Ramp same as Google Earth so I am not sure if it is still on the Southside of the Ramp.

Also those Taxiway/Ramps coming off C1 down to A are no where in sight on Google or my pdf (2007). Are they new and if so I need to add them in.
Click to expand...

Jim, as far as I can tell the Tower is in the same spot as my PDF. Here I have the tower circled:
http://home.comcast.net/~phantoms/temp/KSAV_Tower.jpg

The taxiway from C1 to A is part of the old airport and no longer used except for vehicle traffic. Here's a couple pics showing each end of it:
http://home.comcast.net/~phantoms/temp/KSAV_C1_Aend.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~phantoms/temp/KSAV_C1_end.jpg

Here's a pic of the airport showing the still there old unsed runways (the underlying cross):
http://home.comcast.net/~phantoms/temp/KSAV.jpg

The aircraft manufacturer up top is Gulfstream and I have plenty of GulfStream flights between PAI and UGA packages. UGA (Ultimate GA) even provides several aircraft in primer green who do test flights at KSAV. Here's a pic of the Gulfstream area:
http://home.comcast.net/~phantoms/temp/KSAV_GS.jpg
 
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bruin

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This function depends on the object - some can take an altitude and some not. Can you tell me what object these are
Click to expand...

Jon,
I did a search in the FSX compiler SDK and came up with the following objects that have a "altitude"-attribute (I left the objects concerning approaches out of the list).


<sceneryobject
<polylinePoint

<Airport
<tower
<Runway
<ILS
<Glideslope
<Runwaystart
<Start
<Helipad
<Vor
<DME
<NDB
<Marker

But here is something to think over:
I looked at some FSX default-airports and in them the altitude of runway-, start-, tower and other airport-subobjects were the same as the airport-altitude.

Jim (and/or other afcad-veterans),
do you have experiences with different altitudes within one airport?

If not, maybe it's better not to let SDE change altitudes in airport-subobjects by pressing the "read"-button.

Bert
 
jvile

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Jim (and/or other afcad-veterans),
do you have experiences with different altitudes within one airport?
Click to expand...

YES!!!

All the Altitudes that you are listing will be in the list Jon has started. There are many complications if someone changes a Altitude so I am making recommendations has I write up the list for Jon.

@Phantoms

Check your PM's.
 
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scruffyduck

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I am assuming that the altitude of all objects on an airport need to be set to the altitude of the Airport Reference Point (ARP).
 
bruin

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Jon,
That's what I thought after I posted my last post. But looking at Jim's reaction it may be better to wait for his recommendations on the altitude-issue
Bert
 
bruin

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another bug?

Jon,
I opened an earlier made fs9-xml of a fictious airport with a runway which has a "water"-surface. The SDE reads "water" as an option oke.
But when I highlight the surface-attribute and scroll up and down the options, after I select "Unknown" and then try to scroll back up again, "water" is no longer in the option-list. "Shale" is, where it was not when I first scrolled down.

In another of my selfmade fs9-airports, the surface is "Unknown". When I scroll down the option, "water" also doesn't come up as an option.

A third example: a SDE-made extract-xml of a FSX-default-airport (EHRD so you can replicate). Runway 06 has "ASFALT" surface by default. When I scroll down the next option is "Unknown". Now when I scroll up again, I should expect "ASFALT" again. It's not. ASFALT is even completely gone from the option-list.

It looks like after selecting "Unknown" in the surface-optionlist something goes wrong with the index which should keep track on the optionchoices.

Bert
 
Phantoms

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Jim, I may have been wrong about the tower. The banner picture showing on the top of the homepage of Savannah Hilton Head International shows the new taller tower in the background (http://www.savannahairport.com/). This is the airport diagram provided by that site: http://www.savannahairport.com/pdf/savannah_airfield.pdf

I went to KATL with GoogleEarth and noticed that it didn't show the new runway. This got me thinking that the images in GoogleEarth may be a few years old. So I went to KSAV's website. I can not find any info if the tower has moved yet, but it has on the new Chart (Feb 15 - May 15) as you stated, so I assume it is now in operation. Also, hear's a current terminal guide for you: http://www.savannahairport.com/pdf/directoryMaster.pdf.
 
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scruffyduck

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Bert

Thanks for the information on surface. I have taken a look at it but I cannot repeat the problem. Note that the list of surfaces in the drop down box is not in alphabetical order. It is in the order that the surfaces are coded in the BGl Format.
 
Last edited:
jvile

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I am assuming that the altitude of all objects on an airport need to be set to the altitude of the Airport Reference Point (ARP).
Click to expand...

If we talk scenery objects then in most cases those are set at the same altitude as the ARP by default when using the following

alt="0.0000M"
altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"

That clamps the scenery object to the ARP ground elevation.

If I have a 5 level parking garage at a airport that is 1085 ft ARP and only want one level (top level) to show then we have to change the following to

alt="1000.0F"
altitudeIsAgl="FALSE"

which is now MSL (means sea level) and the parking garage is buried by 4 levels exposing only the top level.

Tall antennas can also be adjusted to any height (above ground) using this method.

Scenery objects are visual scenery and the altitudes that Bert listed above are both seen and unseen scenery so further explainations on what each effcts on a startup is forth coming.
 
scruffyduck

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OK but presumably things like runways, starts and so on need to be at the ARP altitude?
 
jvile

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Yes

I was only refering to scenery objects and will explain the other altitudes in the list post.
 
bruin

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Note that the list of surfaces in the drop down box is not in alphabetical order.
Click to expand...
Jon,
Just to be sure: I see no drop down box when I select the runwaysurface.
By pressing the arrow up- or -down key or rotating the mousewheel, I get other surface-options, one at a time.
Is that what you mean, or am I missing something here.

Thanks for the information on surface. I have taken a look at it but I cannot repeat the problem.
Click to expand...
Can you try it on the attached xml? It's a SDE-made xml from the default APX49130.bgl concerning EHRD.

When I open the attached xml in SDE and select Runway 06, the runwaysurface is "ASPHALT".
Now when I select the runwaysurface and go down one position in the "list" by arrow-down key or by mousewheel, I get "UNKNOWN" and I can't get further down the list.
Now when I go back up one position in the list (by arrow-up or by mousewheel) I don't get "ASPHALT", but "TARMAC".
Going further up in the list I don't find "ASFALT" anymore.

Further, with the arrow-up key, I can loop in the runwaysurface-list over and over again. Using the arrow-down key I can't loop, the list stops at "UNKNOWN".

Nevertheless, I'm still enthiousastic about your work :)
Bert
 

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  • EHRD - Rotterdam.xml
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lc0277

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Hi Jon !

First of all, thanks for this new release ! :)

Probably not a big issue, but it seems that some '&' characters are not properly escaped in the XML output. It could confuse some strict parsers that want &amp; instead.
For instance 6CA7 in 0202/16190 has name "J&J Crop Dusters" and is not escaped.
 
scruffyduck

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Bert

I am confused. Let me explain what I am doing and then please can you tell me if I am in the wrong place.

I load your xml and select Runway 06 from the tree by clicking on it

In the Property List in the middle of the screen in the description section is RunwaySurface which is ASPHALT.

I click either on the name or the value and A small down arrow appears next to the value ASPHALT. If I click the down arrow then the list of valid surfaces appears and I can select one. If I click the Value and then use the up and down arrows or mouse wheel the value goes to Unknown but then I get the other values. I do not think any values are missing. The best way to change any value in a property Grid is to click on the down arrow and select the value you want.

Let me know if I am talking about the correct problem :)
 
scruffyduck

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Ah I had missed the problem with '&' in airport names. I will check that out and put in a fix.
 
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