FXEditor
FXEditor is an editor for Flight Simulator special effect (FX) files. It gives you a live preview of the effect, while you are editing the parameters. This manual describes how to use FXEditor.
Getting FXEditor
Prerequisites
Microsoft .NET Framework version 2.0
Installation
The information on how to get the latest version of FXEditor can be found in this thread on the support forum.
Once you have downloaded the ZIP file containing the program, you need to unzip it to a folder of your choice. Since FXEditor shares a number of DLL files with ModelConverterX, it is suggested that you install them both in the same folder. If you have used a previous version before, you can replace those files with the new version.
User interface
This section describes the user interface of FXEditor and explains how to use the tool. Below is a screenshot of the user interface.
The two main elements in the user interface are the text editor and the 3D preview. You can alter the width of each of these elements by dragging the divider between them as you like. Besides that there is a menu bar to give instructions to the tool. Each of these elements will be described in more detail below.
3D preview
The 3D preview gives a rendering of the currently loaded effect. When a new effect is loaded or when you make changes to the parameters of the effect in the text editor, the preview is automatically updated.
The navigation in the preview is the same as the navigation in the ModelConverterX 3D preview. So that means that with the left mouse button down you can rotate around the effect. And with the right mouse button down you can pan the preview. The mousewheel is used to scroll in or out.
Text editor
The text editor is the area where you can alter the parameters of the effect. The text editor comes with all usual text editor features. For example undo (Ctrl-Z) and redo (Ctrl-Y) are supported.
Menu bar
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Limitations
TODO
Support
If you have any problems while using the program or if you have suggestions and other feedback to improve the tool, please let me know. You can either contact me directly or visit the ModelConverterX subforum at FSDeveloper.com.
Credits
The following persons or organisations deserve credit for helping me while creating this tool:
- Bill Womack for the idea to visualize special effects, which resulted in this tool in the end.
- Colin Fahey for his C# OpenGL wrapper
- The Tango Desktop Project for their icon set
- DigitalRune for their text editor control.
User license
(c) 2011 SceneryDesign.org / Arno Gerretsen
This software program is distributed without charge to other addon developers. Redistribution of the original ZIP file is allowed. You are NOT allowed to sell this software program or ask money for its distribution. Special effects created with this software program can be used in commercial scenery projects if you wish.
The copyright and any intellectual property relating to this program remain the property of the author.
The software distributed in this way may represent work in progress, and bears no warranty, either expressed or implied.
