Simviation Forum - A program that points out coordinates in model

Aug 22^nd, 2010 at 9:42pm

Happyapple96 Offline
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I'm trying to finish up a aircraft by tweaking the Aircraft.cfg, but I'm having trouble finding the Longitudinal, Lateral, Vertical coordinates needed. ex. Lights, Contact Points. Is there a program or tips for this?

Thanks!

« Last Edit: Aug 23^rd, 2010 at 7:39pm by Happyapple96 »

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Reply #1 - Aug 26^th, 2010 at 2:27pm

RaptorF22 Offline
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Well, I don't know of a program that specifically does that; but if you use the FX Editor in the FSX SDK you can move the red thingy to a point on the A/C and copy the coordinates it shows.

Hope this helps.

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Reply #2 - Sep 14^th, 2010 at 12:11am

Dickert Offline
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Hi Happpy

Don’t know of a program for finding these points but there are a few ways of taking a good guess and checking your results.
First just get 3-view screen captures (top, side, front) and work out what actual scale these are. Then go “old school” with a ruler and measure. Load your results into your CFG file. Then go to the Lights section and put a light at these same points. Load the aircraft into the game and turn your light on. If your light is in the same place as the item you are concerned with, you loaded the correct coordinates, if not, adjust the point to your best guess adjustments. When thing line up the way you want, your good, delete the test lights.

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Reply #3 - Sep 14^th, 2010 at 2:20am

alrot Offline
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RaptorF22 wrote on Aug 26^th, 2010 at 2:27pm:

but if you use the FX Editor in the FSX SDK you can move the red thingy to a point on the A/C and copy the coordinates it shows.

Hope this helps.

that would be awesome, But I think I never see such of tool Huh

,I got FSX-Aceleration and Im very interest it ,are you sure that is the name "FX Editor"?

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Reply #4 - Sep 14^th, 2010 at 7:29am

RaptorF22 Offline
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That is what it shows up as under the FSX menus, but it is called the Special Effects SDK, I believe.
Do you have the FSX Accel SDK installed?

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Reply #5 - Sep 14^th, 2010 at 8:53am

alrot Offline
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RaptorF22 wrote on Sep 14^th, 2010 at 7:29am:

That is what it shows up as under the FSX menus, but it is called the Special Effects SDK, I believe.
Do you have the FSX Accel SDK installed?

I think you mean acceleration's SDK, Yes, I do have accel Undecided

,and so far there's nothing in that folder ,Unless I interface the visualfxtool.dll and see what it does in max and gmax Undecided

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Reply #6 - Sep 14^th, 2010 at 10:08pm

RaptorF22 Offline
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What do you mean there is nothing in the folder?
If you mean "Microsoft Games/Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK" is empty, that is a problem.

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Reply #7 - Sep 15^th, 2010 at 3:19am

alrot Offline
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RaptorF22 wrote on Sep 14^th, 2010 at 10:08pm:

What do you mean there is nothing in the folder?
If you mean "Microsoft Games/Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK" is empty, that is a problem.

Sorry You are right not to understand me ,I express it wrong Grin

,I mean the folder Special Effects SDK , which is part of the FSX-SDK _sp2,is not empy but none of the files INSIDE refers to aircraft.cfg ,not the *.xml and none of the visualfxtool.dll

Venezuela

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Reply #8 - Sep 15^th, 2010 at 4:08am

Hagar Offline
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Excuse me butting in. I've never used the FSX SDX but I do have it installed. Alex, from your shot you're missing a file named Creating Special Effects.html. I assume this explains how to use the visualfx tool.

This is copied from the instructions.

Main Dialog
Friendly Name A name can be entered here to help identify the effect. Display Name=friendly name
Show Location If this is checked a cross-hair will appear at the point of the emitter.

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Reply #9 - Sep 15^th, 2010 at 7:13am

RaptorF22 Offline
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Ok, if you have the visualfxtool.dll and DLL.xml you are fine.
Just place the DLL.xml in C:\Users\*username*\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX.
But make sure to back up the DLL.xml file that is already in the FSX folder.
Oh, and by the way, this tool is used in FSX, not gmax; just to clear up any misunderstanding.
So start up FSX and start a free flight and if all worked there should be a new drop-down in the alt-menu named "Tools".
Under that, there should be the option "FX Tool...".

Hope this helps!

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Reply #10 - Sep 15^th, 2010 at 7:31am

RaptorF22 Offline
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And if you get the FX Editor working, use these three sliders and input boxes to move the red thingy around the A/C.

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Reply #11 - Sep 15^th, 2010 at 10:28am

alrot Offline
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FSX still brings me surprises ,I didn't know this,Or I'm definably living under a rock Cheesy

but I have try many many times I did have to add Lines to the *.xml to allow the PMDG 747 work , but I could make it work ,I activate the lines
Code:

    <ManualLoad>true</ManualLoad>  <----from false
    <Path>..\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Environment Kit\Special Effects SDK\visualfxtool.dll</Path>

I does nothing Cry

,I even remove the folder to build a new one (I'm in Xp BTW) and I'm aware this is not in the FSX.CFG Folder ,its in this one

Venezuela

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Reply #12 - Sep 15^th, 2010 at 11:35am

alrot Offline
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i GOT it!!

For reasons I still can't understand Its being open since the first time BUT its doesn't show full screen Has to be windowed

also the I add the traffic tool box, also Object placement tool, I have no idea what they do yet

Boy! what else did I been missing?

Thank you RaptorF22

Venezuela

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Reply #13 - Sep 15^th, 2010 at 2:48pm

RaptorF22 Offline
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Oh yeah, FSX is full of surprises; some good and some bad.
Glad you got it working, the SDK is very useful and fun if you can figure it out.

And no, it will not work in full screen mode because it is a separate program that has to run and is covered up by FSX when it's in full screen.
Read around on this site for info about the various SDK tools and their use.
Also check out the .html, .doc, and .txt files in the SDK, they have a lot of information to sort through.

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Reply #14 - Sep 15^th, 2010 at 6:38pm

alrot Offline
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Thanks you so much F22Raptor,I really wasn't aware of these tools

Venezuela

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