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[SOLVED] Blender2FSX Help: How to Manually Link/Find FSX SDK Path? (Using FSX:SE)

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18
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us-washington
I'm trying my hand at FSX aircraft making, and before I tackle a Sonex Onex (my ultimate goal), I'm starting off with a fictional design (named "Greenhorn") that I originally made in SimplePlanes, and then exported it as an .obj file, and imported it into Blender, and removed all the material on the original model. I'm also following KP's YT tutorial on Blender2FSX. But, I can't initialize the toolset because it brings me errors, and that leads me to conclude it's searching for the SDK in the default boxed FSX SDK location. Well, I'm on FSX Steam Edition, and I'm pretty sure I installed the SDK (I think it was from P3D V1.4). I know where the whole SDK main file structure is, but what file or .exe do I click on for the Blender2FSX to link up to & find? I also need to manually find "modeldef.xml", but a little Google searching reveals where it's supposed to be, but it's not there in my SDK folder (it's supposed to be in the Environment Kit folder).
Help1.PNG
 
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tgibson

Resource contributor
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Hi,

That is not the P3D v1.4 SDK, that is the incomplete FSX Steam SDK. Find the P3D files and use those.
 
Messages
18
Country
us-washington
Hi,

That is not the P3D v1.4 SDK, that is the incomplete FSX Steam SDK. Find the P3D files and use those.

Weird. When I started making airports with ADE, I remember I had to install an SDK since FSX:SE didn't have a complete one, that or I installed something SDK-related like a compiler to get ADE to compile my airports correctly, but not an entire SDK exactly. Idk it was about 3-4 years back when I first started tweaking my FSX:SE to make freeware add-ons, so I can't exactly remember what I did, but I know it was SDK-related. I guess I'll download the P3D 1.4 SDK and report again later if I'm still having issues.
 
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Messages
18
Country
us-washington
Alright, the P3D V1.4 SDK is installed (and my ADE still compiles with it; last time I installed the V1.4 SDK, ADE wouldn't compile so I deleted it and replaced it with the old FSX:SE SDK). I was able to link Blender2FSX with the modeldef.xml, but I'm not sure which file I'm supposed to link the SDK path with.

Progress so far:
Help2.PNG

Help3.PNG
 

Pyscen

Resource contributor
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2,993
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us-texas
Hello

You are still looking within the wrong SDK directory...

The directory you are looking for is: ..\Program Files (x86)\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D SDK 1.4.4747.0\Environment Kit\Modeling SDK\bin\modeldef.xml

ADE is pointing to the same directory or should be.
 
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Pyscen

Resource contributor
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Unfortunately... Looking at the scripts for Blender. They are hard-coded for the directories for FSX - not FSX-SE,... I will try to either have them rewritten for FSX-SE or have someone else rewrite them.
I can't guarantee when it will be done though... though another option for you is to export them to something that MCX to read (such as FBX).
 
Messages
18
Country
us-washington
Hello

You are still looking within the wrong SDK directory...

The directory you are looking for is: ..\Program Files (x86)\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D SDK 1.4.4747.0\Environment Kit\Modeling SDK\bin\modeldef.xml

ADE is pointing to the same directory or should be.

Nope, ADE is point to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\FSX\SDK\Environment Kit\BGL Compiler SDK. I'm able to link Blender2FSX to the modeldef.xml file, but I don't know what file I'm supposed to link for the SDK. Like is it an xml or exe file? I'm literally just missing the SDK path. The ModelDef path is properly linked. I'm half way to solving this issue.
 

Pyscen

Resource contributor
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2,993
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us-texas
As I said,... ADE should be pointing to the P3D SDK v1.4

You will not be able to use the Blender2FSXP3D since it is hard-coded with the path of the SDK of FSX and NOT FSX-SE - As mentioned the SDK that comes with FSX-SE (steam) is incomplete and will not function fully or completely.
 
Messages
18
Country
us-washington
P3D V1.4 SDK is installed & replaced the SDK in the FSX:SE SDK folder; ADE recognizes it, Blender2FSX recognizes modeldef.xml by manually linking the path, and it will do the same when I link it the correct file for the SDK path, and it should be working. I just need to know what file to link the Blender2FSX SDK path to so I can initialize the toolset and get the FSX animation keys so I can assign them to the functions of my aircraft. I think there's a reason KP put in an option to manually find a path to the SDK and ModelDef files paths....
 

Pyscen

Resource contributor
Messages
2,993
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us-texas
Hello

As I said before the Blender2FSXP3D script is hard-coded with the path of FSX SDK - and NOT for FSX: SE (which would be for P3D SDK v1.4). No matter how many times you set the path for P3D SDK v1.4 path (the directory where it is located), the script (Blender2FSXP3D) will set the path for FSX SDK only and always. Until it is either added to the script or replaced; it will continue to look for the FSX SDK and not P3D SDK v1.4.

The script you are using was originally written before FSX: SE was sold. The reason that the option to manually find the path was the fact some would rather manually set it (reasons such as the location of the SDK is not in its default location. As of right now, the script was written for P3D SDK v2.5 through v4.3 and FSX SDK Only. Again, it wasn't written for FSX: SE.

The main reason that it also wasn't placed within the script was that - the layout out of the directory paths for the files are not the same as the FSX SDK (compared to the P3D SDK v1.4). Also, again, the reason P3D SDK v1.4 is necessary because the FSX: SE SDK is incomplete. The reason that the ModelDef file can be manually set is that some developers like to have multiple copies of. There isn't just 1 script that needs to be changed either, the Blender2FSXP3D Toolset has many scripts that make up the whole Toolset.

Hopefully, either I or someone else will need to add it or make it a separate script for FSX: SE.
 
Messages
18
Country
us-washington
Can you at least tell me what SDK file the SDK directory is looking for (like xml or exe)? Or does it just look at the entire SDK folder structure, instead of a specific file like modeldef.xml for the ModelDef directory? How difficult is it for you to rewrite the script so it looks into the FSX:SE SDK folder? I don't want it to be too big of a trouble for you or someone else.
 

Pyscen

Resource contributor
Messages
2,993
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us-texas
Hello

The latter, it is wanting the entire SDK folder structure instead of a specific file.

As of right now, I do not know exactly how difficult it will be. As mentioned before it is only the location of the P3D SDK v1.4 that the script has no knowledge of or will not accept. It could be as simple as just changing the directory path. Otherwise, the actual workings of (the scripts) should function the same as FSX.
 
Messages
18
Country
us-washington
Wait, what if I copy the SDK to the location where it's trying to find it in? The traceback errors it's giving me shows it's trying to find the SDK in Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator X SDK. Maybe if I put an SDK in that location, it'll automatically recognize it?

EDIT: Nvm that didn't work. I think the only option is to re-write the Blender2FSX script so it looks into the new SDK location.

EDIT 2: I found where the Blender2FSX script is, and opened it in Notepad++ and looking at the coding. The traceback error is say lines 199 and 207 are responsible for finding the SDK and ModelDef files, and those lines show where it's looking for the SDK. I think you just need to edit these two lines of code.

Line 199 reads: handle=OpenKey(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, 'SOFTWARE\\Wow6432Node\\Microsoft\\Microsoft Games\\Flight Simulator X SDK')

Line 207 reads: handle=OpenKey(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, 'SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Microsoft Games\\Flight Simulator X SDK')
 
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Pyscen

Resource contributor
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2,993
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us-texas
Hello
I'm not sure that would work either because of the folders within P3D SDK v1.4 are not the same as FSX SDK is and I rather not change the folder structure within. That could cause confusion for that are less computer savvy. Besides, it's not a good idea to change things in that manner.

Edit: I thought it wouldn't. :) Send me a PM.
 
Messages
1,243
Country
canada
See if the file I uploaded to the main Blender2FSXP3D thread helps you. I have added P3D SDK v1.4 to the code.

see here

I did not do much testing of the export - just added the registry keys to the code for the system to find v1.4 SDK
 

Pyscen

Resource contributor
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2,993
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us-texas
Thanks Ron!!

So all that he would need to do - is do what he was doing before - with FSX selected?
 
Messages
1,243
Country
canada
You would select the P3D tab and then select version 1.4 from the list of 4 versions. Then initialize toolset. See the screenshot in the main Blender2FSXP3D thread
 
Messages
1,243
Country
canada
Found a bug - hold off for now

Edit:
Fixed bug - please test
 
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Messages
18
Country
us-washington
Thanks ronh for that patch! I don't get anymore errors when I initialize the toolset. Although I still have one last question: How do I get the FSX animations assign tool/list to show? I noticed there is a list of FSX animations to assign your Blender model animations to in KP's tutorial videos, but in my Blender I don't see that list.
 

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