*** SODEPlacer V0.6 ***

[12bPilot]

I am happy to release a graphical SODE SimObject placement tool based on the famous Whisplacer utility. Thanks to the original author for providing the source code as public domain!

The SODEPlacer has been rewritten to handle SimObjects that are used by SODE. The tool loads and saves SODE specific XML files that can directly be used with SODE.
This tool is targeted to scenery developers wishing to add SODE jetways or other SODE SimObjects into their sceneries.

Main Features:

• Scanning of all of your existing SODE SimObject containers, creating a library of SimObjects that can be placed in your project
• Connecting to your simulator and providing live preview of your SimObject placements
• Importing of AFCAD/ADE bgl data to start your SODE jetway placement projects
• Integrated XML editor for non-jetway SimObjects

Requirements:

• Windows PC with at least Java 8 installed.

License:

• I am providing this utility for free, you can use it also for commercial projects, just like SODE itself.
• Please respect the license/copyright of the original authors of SimObjects that you have installed on your PC.

Download and Installation:

• Link: SODE Placer Download
• Unzip to any location you want and double-click the SODEPlacer.jar file

Tutorial:

• I have written a step-by-step tutorial here: https://sode.12bpilot.ch/?document=tutorials/sode-placer-workflow
• For VDGS placement, the tutorial is here: https://sode.12bpilot.ch/?document=tutorials/vdgs-workflow

 

[Jérôme]

Hello Jeffrey,

You're just a king! Thanks a lot, I was waiting for this for a long time!

Best regards,
Jerome

www.aerosim.ch

 

[toprob]

That is brilliant, thanks, I use Whisplacer, so it's second nature here. I spent yesterday 'tweaking' to place a few objects, but discovered this tool a few minutes ago, and I've already created a new file with a more accurate placement.

 

[6maynew]

Thanks Jeffrey, very much looking forward to using this shortly. Was getting tedious using Whisplacer to get the coordinates and converting it back to SODE XML!

 

[EDDT-Sebi]

Very Thanks Jeffrey..!

 

[jtanabodee]

Thanks Jeffrey. I have been waiting for this for a long time. It is very tedious to edit XML. Once I make a single mistake, all the jetways are gone without any warning. I need to search for a long time what I did wrong. This tool will facilitate the work so much.
VGDS is still under construction, isn't it?
It would be nice if you can add the T-bar on the floor to match the VGDS. The distance of each aircraft show on the T-bar will match the information on VGDS.

 

[manschy]

Sorry guys for annoying enquiring, but: Is SodePlacer done for all objects I want to add into a scenery? Maybe simple hangar doors for example? I am just happy got my first animations into my scenery so far, but I don't have any experience with triggering or any SODE xml coding. Anyway, this programme is another milestone for FS developers. Thank you so much for this gift!

 

[billdesio]

Hello,
Jeffrey, first of all thanks very much to make our life easy and integrate jetway in our sceneries, i have a problem when i push connect to sim button it gives me connection refused and doesn't connect my sim to your tool!
What is HOST AND PORT?

Can please help me ?
Thanks.

 

[12bPilot]

Hello,
Jeffrey, first of all thanks very much to make our life easy and integrate jetway in our sceneries, i have a problem when i push connect to sim button it gives me connection refused and doesn't connect my sim to your tool!
What is HOST AND PORT?

Can please help me ?
Thanks.

What's the exact error message you get?
Most of the code is from Whisplacer, so I don't know every single line of code. Just did a search through all the files and there is not a message containing the word "refused"...

 

[billdesio]

Jeffrey thanks for your quick reply,

here is the screen shot if you look above there is written "connection error: connection refused: connect

My p3d is running !

thanks

 

[12bPilot]

Thanks, that helps.

Alright, the error text in within a library where I don't have the source code...that's why my search was not successful.
Unfortunately, the source is not available from the original author, but it is scattered somewhere in the internet ;-)

Found out that the original Whisplacer relies on the FSX RTM SimConnect version. You might need to install this SimConnect version manually, the installer is usually found here:
[P3DFolder]\redist\Interface\FSX-RTM\retail\lib\SimConnect.msi

I have changed now the requirement within SODEPlacer to connect to the FSX SP2 SimConnect, which is the same as SODE itself uses.

I hope this resolves your connection issue.

 

[billdesio]

Thanks again,
Unfortunatelly no success!
Lets' hope to find a solution soon!
Thanks again for your wonderfull tool

 

[manschy]

Not sure if this helps: SODE placer (or former Whisplacer) connects only if you turn back to your flightsim after chose "connecting". So if the sim is in paused mode or in slew mode, it will not connect! After leaving paused mode or slew mode and go back to SODE placer, you will see the red aircraft icon.... Please report back if this helps...

 

[bdf369]

This is great, I'm just starting to use SODE and this placement tool is very helpful.

Until now I didn't realize that Whisplacer works by importing scenery libraries and then exports them as simobjects. This would be a good enhancement to SODE Placer, to take a scenery library and export it to a SODE simobjects subfolder.

Thanks for all the fantastic work on SODE.

 

[captainellahi]

Salam, Hello All


I want To Ask How I Have To Open Sode Placer Program? Like I Download Sode Placer Floder Then Whisplacer Now Where i Have To Open Or At Files To Open Sode Placer Program Need a Big Help


Thank You

 

[nz255]

Hi Jeff, just noticed the xml parser doesn't handle 'R' random values for pre made jetway placements.
Cheers.
Nick

 

[falcon409]

Sorry guys for annoying enquiring, but: Is SodePlacer done for all objects I want to add into a scenery? Maybe simple hangar doors for example? I am just happy got my first animations into my scenery so far, but I don't have any experience with triggering or any SODE xml coding. Anyway, this programme is another milestone for FS developers. Thank you so much for this gift!

I see no one has answered your simple question, unless it was done via messages not seen on this forum. So, I'll ask again, Since the entirety of the manual for this utility is geared to the placement, movement, etc, etc, for parking and jetways (neither of which I am interested in), is there a manual that talks about the simple placement of singular scenery objects (and the workflow), such as windsocks, or other single objects. All of my flying and scenery work is based on small local airports.

 

[GaryGB]

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/sodeplacer-v0-4.442264/post-806164

I see no one has answered your simple question, unless it was done via messages not seen on this forum. So, I'll ask again, Since the entirety of the manual for this utility is geared to the placement, movement, etc, etc, for parking and jetways (neither of which I am interested in), is there a manual that talks about the simple placement of singular scenery objects (and the workflow), such as windsocks, or other single objects. All of my flying and scenery work is based on small local airports.

At SOH FSX Forum:

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforu...516-SODEPlacer?p=1155260&posted=1#post1155260

SODEPlacer

I have a need to learn how this program is used. There is a workflow tutorial by the developer, however it seems the program (SODE) was originally written solely for the placement of Jetways, which are of no interest to me. However it does apparently allow a person to place other single scenery objects, season effects and much more. However the workflow described in the tutorial leaves some holes about "what do I do after this?". It seems to assume, as too many tutorials do, that you know what to do next. All I want to do, at this point is place a windsock. I can do it in Instant Scenery3 in about 3 seconds, but the possibilities for SODE are forcing me to suck it up and take the time to figure this system out.

Anyone who is using the "placer" program that can simplify the steps. . .I would greatly appreciate hearing from you.

Hi Ed:

IMHO, yours is an important question which merits an answer by Jeffrey when he gets the time to reply here.


One might infer that a primary goal for development of SODEPlacer was to reduce some of the complexity involved in the placement of Jet-ways (which IIUC, is a "payware" feature of S.O.D.E. of particular interest to those FS Developers with that specialized area of interest at large airports).

Certainly those of us with an interest in creation of GA small airports without Jet-ways might welcome further expansion of the "freeware" feature set in SODEPlacer to include placement of Windsocks, airport Beacons, and other Effects attached to MDL AttachPoints with a live preview of the Effect or FS environmental-variable-linked (ex: Wind Direction) animation in both FSX and P3D, as IIRC, no other utility (including Instant Scenery) currently does so.

AFAIK, P3D SimDirector also does not place such FS scenery objects with a live preview of the Effect or animation.


I have not personally used WhisPlacer or SODEPlacer yet, nor do I have P3D to test with yet (I'm still waiting for LM to get more outstanding issues "fixed").

But, perhaps a statement by Lamont Clark (aka "lc0277") in online documentation for WhisPlacer might interest you:

http://lc0277.gratisim.fr/whisplacer.html

Using the live preview:

NB: Although you could add windsock, beacons and effects in editor, only library objects can be seen in live preview You must export the contents of the library to SimObjects container. Select the Live Preview->Library maintenance menu item. Select the root of FSX libraries and change the export mode to "Automatic" then apply changes. Restart FS.

Exporting is only needed the first time you run WhisPlacer or when you import libraries. At any time you can check the status of library exports by doing a refresh

When connected, the keyboard shortcut "O" will insert an object at the user position in flight simulator.

If Jeffrey has not yet implemented into his own SODEPlacer, an original WhisPlacer option to do simple BGLComp library object placement (exported / converted) BGL output, and/or to place MDL-based S.O.D.E. SimObjects having AttachPoint Effect (*.Fx) files with a live in-sim preview of both the textured MDL and the attached Effect., perhaps Jeffrey may consider doing so in the future ?


Until such time as Jeffrey does implement into his own SODEPlacer, an original WhisPlacer option to do simple BGLComp library object placement (exported / converted) BGL output, and/or to place MDL-based S.O.D.E. SimObjects having AttachPoint Effect (*.Fx) files with a live in-sim preview of both the textured MDL and the attached Effect, it would be helpful to know whether the original WhisPlacer can be installed and run concurrently along-side SODEPlacer in FSX and P3D.


PS: As you may know, any FSX MDL, whether a static scenery object, aircraft, or other user-controllable or AI object may be utilized as a SimObject, with addition of the required sub-folders and *.Cfg files etc. in the appropriate section of the FS / P3D SimObject sub-folder chains, and with required SimObject search path listings entered in the appropriate section of FSX.Cfg or P3D.Cfg. files.

https://sode.12bpilot.ch/?document=filefolder-setup/4-1-simobjects-fsx-folder/simobject-container

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/microsoft-esp/cc526951(v=msdn.10)


BTW: S.O.D.E. does, however already have some simple non-GUI-based conditional display options for Windsocks:


https://sode.12bpilot.ch/?document=the-xml-definition-file/environmentaldataprobe

https://sode.12bpilot.ch/?document=the-xml-definition-file/conditionalvisibility


https://www.simflight.com/2015/07/28/fsx-scenery-designer-sode-it/

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/flightport-simobjects-windsocks-for-sode.430611/

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/attached-windsock.442532/

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/t...e-windsock-placement-shell.443203/post-803278

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/attached-windsock.442532/post-796378



Christian Bahr's S.O.D.E.-placed, P3Dv4.x compatible Windsocks:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/resources/animated-windsocks.214/



Jacques-Paul Bollard's (aka "Begipé: aka "JP67") S.O.D.E.-placed, P3Dv4.x compatible Windsocks:

https://sites.google.com/site/patdebarrsimus/home/sode


...also available from inside his scenery package at AVSIM:

https://library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=lfqz_for_fsx-p3d_v2.zip&CatID=root&Go=Search

Some additional query-string-related search results:

https://www.google.com/search?biw=9........0....1j2..gws-wiz.......0i71.DxbDQcK0cGE


The option for conditional display by the S.O.D.E. module is a wonderful enhancement for latter versions of FS; many thanks are due to Jeffrey for his brilliant innovation, and his great generosity for making this utility available.

GaryGB

 

[falcon409]

Thanks for all that Gary. . .comprehensive as always and good points made. I have decided to drop any further attempts at working with S.O.D.E. for the time being. The windsock I have is dependent on S.O.D.E. to work correctly, which I assume means that those who download my scenery would also require S.O.D.E. as well. I have people who enjoy my scenery but fly FSX only and some who fly only the earliest versions of P3D before S.O.D.E. became part of the P3D installation. That means they would be required to install the program in order to see the fully animated windsock. If it were me, I'd either say thanks but no thanks to S.O.D.E. or pass on the scenery altogether.

So for now I will also pass on S.O.D.E.

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Ed:

There is indeed some learning involved for the FS Developer when working with S.O.D.E..

For the end user of the scenery, however, having enhanced conditional display of scenery with animations, sounds etc. still involves use of a custom module just as it did in FS2002 and FS9.

You may recall Maurizio Gavioli's Vista Mare Software "ViMa" module used in LAGO FSSE / FSE to create / (dis)-play enhanced scenery animations / sounds made by end users as well as in LAGO GeoRender add-on scenery packages.

That Vista Mare Software "ViMa" module was also used in FSAddon GeoRender and other add-on scenery packages to (dis)-play enhanced scenery animations / sounds.

AFAIK, Oliver Pabst (who did the original Emma Field conditionally-displayed animations / sound controls etc.) has an exclusive license to utilize the current FSX-compatible version of the Vista Mare Software "ViMaCoreX" module (...yes, this conditional display module is still alive and well, and produces the best-looking animated object display I've seen in add-on scenery ex: Windsocks with rotating anemometers, AES airport objects / effects etc. including shadows that move with sun position. ).

Other conditional display modules (coded in Python ?) are used in the FSDreamTeam / Cloud9 products.

But the point is, more sophisticated conditionally-displayed animations / sound controls etc. require a module.

Indeed, the number of security 'nag' prompts one has to deal with can be daunting, when the end user imposes a "conditional loading" of these multiple modules by not allowing them all to run automatically from their configuration in FS / P3D DLL.XML and/or EXE.XML files , although I believe they are coded well enough to not impart a performance hit in either FSX or P3D.


I know what you mean though; it would be nice to have the ability to access FS environmental-variable-linked (ex: Wind Direction) animation in both FSX and P3D MDLs like we had with FS2002 / FS2004 MDLs ...with the assistance of (a new version of) Arno's Conditional Animation Tool (aka "CAT") via ex: a wizard inside MCX.

But ACES apparently thought conditional display only via SimConnect was "the way of the future".

This then compels us to ask the developers of such modules to explain and: "show me all the bluprints" !

PS: For FSX end users of your scenery packages, here is an option that does not require ex: S.O.D.E.:

Subsequent to the 'dissolution' (or was it just re-structuring and re-direction to X-Plane ?) of FlightPort.de, since the FSDeveloper download link is dead for the original FSX / FS9 compatible animated Windsock MDL with mapped textures that required creating one's own library BGL, one can instead substitute the animated windsock already available packaged as a scenery object library BGL inside:

British Columbia PNW Tofino by Mike Mann:

https://library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=tofinobases.zip&CatID=root&Go=Search

[tofinobases install path]\FSX BC PNW Tofino\BCPNWFloatBases\scenery\Windsock.bgl


...for the "animated windsock by 'jdberg' & Arno" (and Jon Patch) I referred to as an example, in this linked tutorial:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/mdl-scenery-object-what-do-i-do.437568/post-747715


GaryGB