• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

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XtoMDL UI

Hughes-MDflyer4

Hughes-MDflyer4

Messages
466
Country
us-california
ui_screenshot.png


XtoMDL UI is an intuitive application for compiling FSX/P3D model files (.mdl) with XtoMDL.exe.

This is the first program that I've released publicly, so feedback (and/or reports of any issues) is appreciated!

Features
  • Modern WPF user interface
  • Persistent user settings (loaded each time the application is opened)
  • All XtoMDL.exe flags available as checkboxes
  • Output written directly into a text box within the UI
  • Optional logging (if enabled, saves a file to the same location as the output MDL)
  • Update system
Note: The output checkbox is optional. If not selected, the model will compile to the same location as the .X file. If checked, you can specify a different location and file name for the .MDL.

Compatibility
Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10

.NET Framework 4.5.1 is required to run this application.


Licensing/Usage
This software may not be decompiled, modified, or sold in any way. The author holds no responsibility for any damage this software may cause to your computer and/or files. By downloading this application, you agree to these terms.

This software may be used to compile models for both non-profit and commercial projects.


DOWNLOAD
 
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Very decent of you Brandon, should smooth the development path for many! :cool:
 
Brandon, that's really useful thanks, seems to work fine in Win 7! Is it possible to add the /CRASHGRANULARITY flag with an entry field for the resolution? The default is normally okay but if I'm compiling an aviation capable ship it's handy to drop it down to 1 meter so there's less chance of having a crash on deck!
 
Glad you guys like it! :)

SkippyBing said:
Brandon, that's really useful thanks, seems to work fine in Win 7! Is it possible to add the /CRASHGRANULARITY flag with an entry field for the resolution? The default is normally okay but if I'm compiling an aviation capable ship it's handy to drop it down to 1 meter so there's less chance of having a crash on deck!
Click to expand...

Good to know that it's working on Windows 7. I never even knew about the /CRASHGRANULARITY flag (neither the SDK or XtoMDL listed it as an available flag). I'll look into adding this. Should be real easy to do. Are there any other hidden flags?
 
Hughes-MDflyer4 said:
I never even knew about the /CRASHGRANULARITY flag (neither the SDK or XtoMDL listed it as an available flag). I'll look into adding this. Should be real easy to do. Are there any other hidden flags?
Click to expand...
Here are all the flags in Sean Isom's 64bit XToMDL.exe GUI:
XtoMDL_GUI.jpg
 
Great work, Brandon. The FSX SDK is certainly lacking UI's for a lot of tools, so this is a great help.
 
Thanks Bill. I'll have to take a look at what the official FSX and P3D XtoMDL supports, as well as if his version lists the flags anywhere.

And thanks, Cory! Command line programs and bat files can be great, but sometimes repetitive tasks (or those that require lots of information to be specified) can definitely be aided by user interfaces!
 
Update 1.0.2.0
  • Added /NOCRASH and /CRASHGRANULARITY flags (as per SkippyBing's suggestion)
  • Relocated the /OUT checkbox to the area next to the output path text box and renamed it to what the label previously was
  • fixed file size calculation for output file
Next time the application is launched, an update dialog should be displayed.

As well, anyone using this, please let me know if the update goes smoothly. I've only tested it on my system.
 
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Brandon,

That seemed to go smoothly enough on my system, tried out the new options and they're working fine as well.

Many thanks.
 
Hughes-MDflyer4 said:
Thanks Bill. I'll have to take a look at what the official FSX and P3D XtoMDL supports, as well as if his version lists the flags anywhere.
Click to expand...
I actually only use(d) Sean's XToMDL.exe for the FSX SDK and P3Dv1 SDK, and even then only using the command line parameters, via SendTo shortcuts. Given that I only export/compile aircraft models, the "agnostic" shortcuts require no changes.

On the other hand, I have use the GUI several times just to see how well it worked. The chief drawback is that no history is maintained, so every path has to be "Browsed" each time it is used. I noticed that is one of the features of your version, so that is a huge headache eliminated... :cool:
 
Update 1.0.2.1
This is just a small update to replace the current settings reading/writing system with a custom system. From now on, future updates should not clear your settings (this is the last update where you will need to configure your settings again).
 
Update 1.0.3.0
The major new feature in this build is the addition of the /WRITETOFILE flag as a checkbox. Currently, the checkbox is enabled regardless of your selected XtoMDL.exe. Unfortunately, due to the fact that Lockheed Martin has not incremented the version number of XtoMDL.exe with each update, I have no reliable way of detecting whether a supported executable is selected. In theory, I could use the SHA1 hash of the file, but I'd prefer to not have to update my tool every time the SDK is updated. Since most people probably don't use the SDK without patch 1.4.6787.0, I might just check if the FSX XtoMDL.exe is selected and disable the checkbox based on that. If anyone has any thoughts on this, feel free to comment.

One thing I noticed while using this flag via a command prompt is that if the XML file from the previous compilation was still there, the model would fail to compile. I've not had this happen since implementing the flag into my tool. Again, if anyone has any comments/experience with this flag, feedback would be appreciated.
  • Added /WRITETOFILE flag for use with the Prepar3D v1.4 (with the patch found here) and v2.x
  • Fixed disabling/re-enabling of certain controls during/after compilation
  • Fixed output .MDL textbox not re-enabling upon compilation completion when using a new Config.xml
  • Optimized settings loading/saving system
 
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n4gix said:
I actually only use(d) Sean's XToMDL.exe for the FSX SDK and P3Dv1 SDK, and even then only using the command line parameters, via SendTo shortcuts. Given that I only export/compile aircraft models, the "agnostic" shortcuts require no changes.

On the other hand, I have use the GUI several times just to see how well it worked. The chief drawback is that no history is maintained, so every path has to be "Browsed" each time it is used. I noticed that is one of the features of your version, so that is a huge headache eliminated... :cool:
Click to expand...

i still using SendTo Shortcut till now. is there any different mdl if using Sean's XToMDL.exe or this Xtomdl UI ???
 
kalong said:
i still using SendTo Shortcut till now. is there any different mdl if using Sean's XToMDL.exe or this Xtomdl UI ???
Click to expand...

I don't believe the output is any different with Sean's (otherwise FSX wouldn't be able to read the models, most likely). His is a custom 64 bit version of XtoMDL.exe itself. My tool is just a user interface that will send commands to the XtoMDL.exe included with the FSX SDK.
 
Thank you Brandon. This could simplify the export process. I write batch files for my exports and have to make copies with little edit changes for each model. I have been testing XtoMDLUI this morning.

I use Max 2015 and both the P3D v1.4 and v2.5 SDKs on Windows 7 Pro 64.

1. Compiling through v2.5 works fine.
2. Compiling through v1.4 crashes XtoMDLUI. Using my batch file to double check for errors on my end the model compiled properly. I checked and rechecked my paths and made several attempts but all ended with a crash at the start of compilation.

I used the download XtoMDLUI v1.0.3.0 at the top of the thread but I don't know if this version has all the updates.

Suggestions:
1. Allow input for compilation of both exterior and interior models in one session.
2. I noticed that you can have multiple copies running but each retain the same paths. It would be nice but not necessary if we could have copies renamed (XtoMDLUI-P3D) and say (XtoMDLUI-FSX) that retain their own independent paths.

You keep up the good work and I'll keep testing. A simplified interface and time saver like this is something I would be willing to pay for and it sure would make it easier for the newbies.
 
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