Trouble adding effect

[gww53]

Sorry, I think this was discussed but I've spent two days searching and can't find it. This is my first effort at adding effects.

I'm trying to add an effect to a mdl created/converted from sketchup using the chimney smoke just as in the tutorial. I can easily get the effect (see first picture) but when I export, I loose the effect. It still appears in attached object editor box, and if I click on the effect name, the directory "choice" is unchanged. If I "re-add" the effect, it again appears, but I cannot get the effect to "save". I've tried exporting, not exporting, compiling to bgl, and loaded both mdl and bgl object in FSX just to be sure...but no luck.

I think all of the paths are set correctly. I use FSX, Windows XP on a pretty old machine

I apologize that my problems are virtually always pretty siimple (errr, stupid). Surely appreciate the incredible support, discussion, wisdom of all of you, especially Arno.

Thanks very much, Gary

 

[robystar]

Hi,

What happens when you click on the "show particle effects' button?

 

[gww53]

I'm not at home now, so can't remember the "show particle effects" button, but if I recall, it's the one next to the attachment point paper clip. If so, before export it starts and stops the effect. After export, or close mcx and reopen without export, it does nothing. But the attachment point, description of effect in editor still persists.

Probably should wait to do more replies until tonight. The reason I took all of the tools off my computers in the office was that they would "call out to me" and keep me from getting work done!!! Most work days are already 12 hours (but just had a patient "no show" so I have a few minutes.

Thanks, Gary

 

[robystar]

Hi,

It sure works (so it is not something Arno messed up in the latest dev.release).

Rob

PS (Just out of curiosity) Do you bill him anyway?

 

[gww53]

I hope I didn't suggest it was anything but me!! The one time I posted and it was almost a "bug" in the program (I didn't know that I shouldn't have spaces in my file and path names) which Arno fixed, I almost passed out!

I am getting closer. I can easily add the effect, as long as I direct MCX to load the effect from FSX/effects folder. But on reload after export, the program is looking for the fx file in the folder to which I exported the mdl file, not the FSX/effect folder. "No problem", I thought. I copied the fx_ChimneySmoke file to the mdl's directory, and while it loads now, the effect is distorted terribly. If I reload the effect from the FSX/effect folder, it's perfect. There must be another file associated with fx-C...file, but I've no clue what that is.

I wonder if I have something "mis-set" in the exporter options (I don't think I've ever dared change them, expecting immediate sparks, explosions and death of my computer, home and family.....). I've attached my settings, if anyone can comment. Somehow, my MCX install is not saving the reference to the fx file path (all in the default c:/Programs/MicrosoftGames/etc...)

PS (Just out of curiosity) Do you bill him anyway?

You have no idea what a nerve that hit!

No charge. Almost makes me vomit that some do. Patients usually have a good reason to miss an appointment. This one was in the emergency room. I'd love to have a discussion about a topic like this with the members of this forum....there is about 1000x more intelligence, common sense and remarkable analysis here than in the board rooms of all of the insurance companies, hospital administrations and medical group administrators in the US. I read about 5 of the forums on FS Developer every day for a taste of sanity! If you have access (I could send it) look at the October 13, 2011 New England Journal of Medicine, page 1373. An editorial by two with enough sense to offer advise on this forum!!

I apologize. If the mods feel this was inappropriate, please delete.

Gary

 

[gww53]

It looks like I may have figured this out. The fx_* file must be in the same folder as the textures of the model. MCX apparently will not look elsewhere for them (it will load them from the FSX/Effects folder, but it won't recall them after saving/etc.). I found the texture file for the fx_ChimneySmoke in the texture subdirectory of FSX/effects (MCX was unable to load fx_1"), and as long as the fx_ChimenySmoke file and (in this case) the fx_1 bitmap file are in the same directory as the textures, the effect is saved after compiling.

I guess this makes sense. If the model is to be compiled into a model or library, the effect is much as "texture" and part of the project as the windows/doors/ etc. of the building.

Thanks, and sorry for last night's rant. If you couldn't tell, yesterday was not a good day for me!!

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have as much to be thankful for as I do.

Gary

 

[cattz]

You can set multiple texture paths in MCX. Open 'Options' .From the list select 'texture settings' / TextureLoader/ highlight TextureSearchPath and a box with dots on it will show. Select this and add the path you want.

 

[gww53]

Thanks

The effects/texture folder is actually in the default path (see attached). I tried adding the effects and the effects/texture directory again (redundantly, I suppose...I didn't delete the default paths) but the same result. With export, or reload, the pefectly working effect is gone, and the effect editor is looking in the mdl folder for the effect and texture. I've tried now with multiple effects, and same result. The attachment point remains, of course.

I think I'm beating this to death!! Is this the normal situation..that the effect file and it's texture must be in the folder with the model and its textures? Is anyone able to add textures to their mdls but just "refer" to the FSX effect directory?

Thanks

Gary

 

[arno]

Hi,

ModelConverterX only looks for effects in the effects folder of FS. Depending the settings for your preferred FS version, it will look in the FS2004 or FSX folder. Textures are loaded using the texture search path, which is way the effect textures folders are on it.

 

[robystar]

Gary,

I owe you an apology.
There are always exceptions to the rule.

 

[gww53]

Hi,

ModelConverterX only looks for effects in the effects folder of FS. Depending the settings for your preferred FS version, it will look in the FS2004 or FSX folder. Textures are loaded using the texture search path, which is way the effect textures folders are on it.

I apologize for being dense. Arno, but my concern/problem is that when I export my project with a working effect (imported from the fsx/effects directory), the effect is missing when I re-open the mdl.
Unless I copy the fx_ file and it's accompanying texture into the folder which contains the mdl file and it's textures, I only see the attach point, but the effect is gone.

So...if I create a mdl in MCX with an effect from the FSX directory, is it correct that I have to copy the fx_* file and it's texture to my working folder with the mdl, or am I doing something wrong? It would seem that if the same "chimneysmoke" effect might be used in multiple mdls, it would make sense to just "refer" to the file that is in FSX/effects directory rather than copying the files into each model. But perhaps it could be problem if I make a mdl on my machine, but it is then used on another with a different file structure???

When I open the effect editor tab on the exported (the one now missing the effect) the editor defaults to my working folder with the mdl file and its textures, not the FSX/effects directroy (although that path is listed in the texture path options (see earlier post) and it's where I originally loaded the effect into the mdl.)

Sorry, and I so much appreciate your help.

Rob, no apology even remotely needed. It was my inappropriate rant!

Gary

 

[robystar]

Hi,

Recapitulating what you said:
- You added an effect as an attached object (and positioned it correctly, I suppose);
- you exported the loaded collada file as an mdl.
- You reopen MCX, load the mdl and no effect shows on the mcx screen nor is there any effect entry any longer in the display attached objects window.

Are you using Arno's latest development release (just to make sure)?

The normal situation is to have the effect in the effects folder of FSX and the accompanying texture in the effects\texture folder of FSX.

Cannot think of anything else for the moment.

 

[arno]

Hi Gary,

No, normally it should not be needed to copy the files. They should be picked up correctly from the effects folder.

But please make sure that you have FSX selected as your prefered FS version, if it is set to FS2004 the tool will search in the FS2004 effects folder instead.

Also be sure that the button to display the effects is still pressed, else they are not shown in the preview.

 

[n4gix]

I apologize for being dense. Arno, but my concern/problem is that when I export my project with a working effect (imported from the fsx/effects directory), the effect is missing when I re-open the mdl.

Gary, the term "imported" seems to indicate a fundamental misunderstanding of the actual process.

The .fx file is only referenced by filename in the compiled model via the attachpoint. When used in the sim, the sim itself will "see" that .fx's filename and automatically go to its ..\Effects folder to find and load the file and its bitmaps.

If MCX does not display the .fx file when reloading the model file, then the problem (as Arno states) lies in the way MCX is configured, not your model...

 

[gww53]

Thanks to all.

Bill, I expected that the file would be only be referenced just as you explain..but something is not working as I do it.

Here's what I've done.

1. Create building in skethcup, export as DAE.

2. Import into MCX, process as I have for almost 200 models (GUI assignment, night texture addition, mass texture rename and update).

3.Then I've added the attachment point and chimneysmoke effect from my FSX effects file (really copying Arno's video step by step). At this point the effect is perfect (see picture in first post).

4. I then export the mdl file, but when I open the mdl file the attachment point is still there but no effect. If I open the effect editor, it still lists the effect by name and the attachment point indices are unchanged, but if I search the 3dots to the right of the effects name, it references to the folder in which the mdl was exported.

5. If I copy the fx file from FSX/effects, and the texture file from FSX/effects/textures and place them in the folder with the mdl file, then the effect appears perfectly after export.

Same result if I add the effect before or after exporting to mdl (then re-exporting the mdl)

So my problem is that while I assumed that the file was "referenced", as Bill describes, my misdirection of MCX "insists" on looking in my MDL folder (I have undoubtedly told it to do this, I just don't know how or when I did that!!!!)

Arno, I have only FSX on my system and in the options/FS related settings the preferredFSVersion is FSX. The FSX path is correct (default).

I am using a development release from last week. I've tried several different effects with the same result, and now on two or three different mdl projects all of which work OK in FSX. Will try to download today's update, but it's pretty clear the problem is between my ears, not in the program.

That poor button is going to break, I've clicked it so many times!!

Silly thing...I'm not so sure the effect is important for this little projects I work on, but since I can't get it to work, it's becoming an obsession ("because it's there")!!!!

Thanks again to all. I learn so much from this forum.

Gary

 

[arno]

Hi Gary,

I just reproduced it here, but I did not encounter any problems. The effect still displays after loading the MDL again.

When you go back to the attached object editor it is normal that clicking the dots again bring up a selection dialogue that is not in the effects folders. That's because only the filename and not the path is stored in the MDL file.

 

[gww53]

Thanks to all.

Same results with today's download.

Time to give this a rest, as my work schedule won't let me at this for a couple of weeks anyway.

Maybe in the New Year, it will work. With me and computers, that's not so far fetched!!

Thanks again,
Gary

 

[Aeronaves]

Hi

Hello everybody!.

Well I am having kind of the same trouble just I am in FS2004, I made my models in Sketchup and added the effects, exported and tweaked the object with attached effects in MDL tweaker II(distance view), added them to the BGL library and placed them in the scenery with Library maker, but after all this the effects will not show up at all. I did all the procedures as mentioned in the video, all the paths in MDLconverterX are correct and even set the effects to appear at the times when they are supposed to, but still nothing!. Any kind sould with an idea of what I am doing wrong?. Also, almost the same thing with custom made light poles for apron lightning, the light effect does not show in the scenery.

Thanks

P.S. the effect in question is the red particle fx_navred, since it resembles what I would like to use.

 

[gww53]

I'm smokin'!!

Finally got this working. And of course, Arno was correct (that's a bit redundant, isn't it?) with "ModelConverterX only looks for effects in the effects folder of FS"

Lying awake thinking about this (per my wife, "if you lie awake thinking about Flight Simulator problems, there's something wrong....."), I decided to look at the paths once more.

To my surprise, in C:/Programs/Microsoft Games there were two FSX folders, Flight Simulator X and Microsoft Flight Simulator X as well as the SDK folder. I had somehow, sometime assigned or accepted the first path, which as you can see in the attached picture doesn't have much in it. I don't even know what AITP or JBAI simulations is--will search later.

Not sure how long MCX has been looking here--maybe forever!! Anyway, correctly doing just as Arno said has my effects behaving perfectly. I wonder if I'll find other parts of this or library creator that work better!!!

Thanks to all for your help, insights, etc. and I apologize for again wasting your time. But with your assists I move forward a little at a time. Alas, I seem to forget faster than I can learn.. It must be frustrating to you-all that we idiots are allowed to drive computers!!!

Now I can lie awake at night thinking about how nicely the models work (and she thinks that's a problem....)

Gary

 

[robystar]

If she thinks that is a problem, why don't you tell her Arno moved his server to his bedroom?