AI Aircraft Editor - planned update

[gsnde]

In a few days I will start another beta test. It will probably take much less time than the last beta phase where the new features were developed based on your feedback. This time they are already implemented.

Changes to the official release:

• • Dual main form to support 1024*786 resolution
  • Fixed the screwed-beyond-believe tab order
  • Option for "Validate-all-below-folder" analysis allows exclusion of non-aircraft folder in report (= folder without aircraft.cfg)
  • Option to apply FS9 model changes to all models reference by the currently loaded aircraft.cfg (great idea Mike)
  • Textures used by model analysis
  • Major code cleanup
  • Few small unreported bugs fixed

I have tested these changes very thoroughly already, but still like the version checked by you before release.

[Dinga69]

Will the Model/Texture analysis be something similar to the Erez Werber standalone program? If it is a natural progression of this neat little tool, will you be adding the option to ignore certain errors - or working from a dayabase of your own installed models? This is certainly turning into a Swiss Army Kinife for AI!!

[gsnde]

Can you please point me to the tool from Erez Werber - I don't know it. Thanks

[Dinga69]

It's tucked away on AIG forums in the general discussion area - http://www.alpha-india.net/forums/index ... ic=12616.0

Neat little tool!!

[gsnde]

Looks good! I will check this out, but since this seems to be a dedicated and elaborated texture tool I doubt that AIAE will be able to implement this funtionality any time soon.

[gsnde]

Beta 2.1.8 - here you go. As already announced these are the changes:

• • Dual main form to support 1024*786 resolution
  • Fixed tab order
  • Option to exclude non-aircraft folder (= folder without aircraft.cfg) in report for "Validate-all-below-folder" analysis
  • Option to apply FS9 model changes to all models referenced by the currently loaded aircraft.cfg
  • Textures used by model analysis
  • Major code cleanup
  • Few small unreported bugs fixed

Wait... There is another, unannounced change. See if you can spot it. I would appreciated your comment on that feature - should I leave it in?

Please check version 2.1.8 here

[Dinga69]

Firstly - thanks for the 1024x768 fix - it really looks fine and everything is clear to see. Not cluttered at all! I like the new 'undocummented' feature too! Personally, I think it is worth leaving in as you can quickly check a paint against a preview. What I would like to see from this feature if at all possible is the ability to read sub-folder textures. However, I read somewhere that using subfolders for AI can cause a performance drop. So, if this can't be achieved, then it's back to sorting a few of these subfolders out.

Cheers, Dinga!!

[Firebird]

Martin,
I found one thing, when you select delect keys to set up which entries in the fltsim entries you wish to delete I get a Run-time error '438': Object doesn't support this property or method.

Is this supposed to be working yet?

[gsnde]

That must be a consequence of the code cleanup
I will fix it this evening, Steve.

[Dinga69]

Another one for you Martin Occaisionally getting a runtime error 384 (A form can't be moved or sized while minimized or maximized) when carrying out a validate operation. Click OK to acknowledge and CTD! Workround for me just now is to carry out a validation with window unmaximized.

[gsnde]

Please check version 2.1.10 here

Changes:
fixed: right-click delete keys Run-time error '438'
fixed: possible runtime error during analyze all for aircraft without effects defined (most likely, Dinga please confirm)
added: real-time updater (you can try it already, though the updater is only a stub. But it shows the whole process inclusive restart of program... hopefully )

The feedback regarding the model viewer is not exactly overwhelming. Is this because the implementation sucks or because I have completely miscalculate how much such a feature is wanted?

[delbydoo]

Martin, I've just managed to get the last beta release installed (2.1. and was finding the same error 384 when exiting from the validation report, but also got that same error when trying to choose options for the display board.

However, regarding your "extra surprisy" feature - totally loved it! Because of the quick load time of this over FS Paint and ACA2005, this tool is now going to be my number one utility. Adding the functions of this plus Aircraft Container Manager, I would like to see this become an essential tool for all traffic/paint/model developers. You're work has been outstanding and the program is getting there by the looks of it. It is a shame that not many others are commenting on the tool overall if they have used it, but unfortunately that is a by-product of doing something for free. But please do not let that dissuade you - just because nobody is saying anything, doesn't mean that people aren't using it. I wholeheartedly think that a lot of people are going to use this.

Keep up the good work sir

[Firebird]

Martin a brief check showed that the delete keys option is now working.

On the aircraft viewer, I haven't fully checked it out but it is most definitely needed and appreciated.
At first I thought that it was a bit too small to be a real good use but I found that resizing its window was a god send. One thing that I would like to see is that once you resize it it remembers the size for next time. A nicety, not a must have.

One issue that I did find with it is the shadows option.
I added it to one of John's test aircraft and at first it looked good until I spun the plane around and saw that the silhouette has a 2d shape bolted on the rear of one side of the aircraft half way up the fuselage. May thoughts here are that if you can't fix that then delete that option, at least for now.

The only other obvious thing with it is that as the viewer is not an exe it means that tools like nvidia inspector can't be used to remove the jaggies from it. Again nice a must have but a nicety.

I will let you know more once I have played around further.

[delbydoo]

Martin, concerning the 384 error issue, the program does not give this error if the "Use internal editor" is unchecked in the Settings menu.
After changing this setting, I opened the program from scratch, maximized the window, ran a validation check and then closed the report - no error reported. Hope that helps.

[btaylo24]

Martin

Such a handy util, thanks for creating and updating it....
Use it all the time....

One thing puzzles me though, when viewing paints does it support having more than one texture per path?
Etc

/Texture.barry
/paint1
/paint2

It does not appear to allow me to view the textures placed in this manner?
This is FSX question, as dont have FS9...

Ta
Barry

[gsnde]

...
One thing that I would like to see is that once you resize it it remembers the size for next time. A nicety, not a must have.
...

Implemented, Steve. You will see it in the next update.

...
One issue that I did find with it is the shadows option.
I added it to one of John's test aircraft and at first it looked good until I spun the plane around and saw that the silhouette has a 2d shape bolted on the rear of one side of the aircraft half way up the fuselage. May thoughts here are that if you can't fix that then delete that option, at least for now.
...

For all of you who either did not recognize the interface or who did not press the 'About' button....

The viewer component is not from me. Arno Gerretsen was so generous to allow me to use his 'Model Converter X' components. We tried to incorporate those in my VB6 code already some years ago, but failed. After the last "Validation" update for AIAE was so nicely received, we decided to try again. This time I wrote a .Net wrapper around his component and this time we got it running (but don't ask how much help from better coders than I am was needed )

The consequence of this is that I can't hide parts of the viewer, neither can I fix anything there that may work incorrectly. But please keep telling me about those things and always provide the examples how and with what aircraft the error can be reproduced. Arno is happy about feedback, and the MCX components are in constant development.

Martin, concerning the 384 error issue, the program does not give this error if the "Use internal editor" is unchecked in the Settings menu.
After changing this setting, I opened the program from scratch, maximized the window, ran a validation check and then closed the report - no error reported. Hope that helps.

Daryl, I can not reproduce this error here. Can you give me a step-by-step description what I must do to trigger it?

...
One thing puzzles me though, when viewing paints does it support having more than one texture per path?
Etc

/Texture.barry
/paint1
/paint2
...

Barry, I am not sure what you are asking me. When you start the Viewer from AIAE, then the currently selected model with the currently selected livery is displayed. Within the Viewer, you have a livery selection box in the upper right corner. That you can use to look at the different liveries that are available for the aircraft.

But I feel that you have meant something different, right?

***********************************************************
Can those of you who model yourself please test the LOD information? Maybe with some basic shapes that leave no doubt about the outcome and with some of your real objects where you now how many polys are there?

[Dinga69]

Hi Martin

Having read the above posts, I tried Daryl's suggestion, but still had the 384 error. Also when opening other windows from within the program (for example - 'confugure data grid columns'), the same error occurs. This only seems to happen with a maximized window at 1024 x768.

Here's what I'm doing - 1.open AI Aircraft Editor 2. Maximize window 3. Open configure data grid columns or validation report options. Cancel or close either option without making any selection changes - Runtime error 384!! I also tried to do a validation of all errors using Daryl's idea, but had same problem as before.

On the subject of the model viewer; I use ModelConverterX to preview models with paints and, as this is an exe file I can associate the same profile in nVidia Inspector as I use for FS9 allowing antialising of the model etc. There doesn't appear to be an exe file for the inbuilt viewer although it is standalone. Any ideas how to achieve this other than changing the global settings for my card?

[btaylo24]

Martin



See how I have more than one texture folder under BLUE1...... The viewer does not seem to pick them up...

Make sense now?

[gsnde]

Martin

See how I have more than one texture folder under BLUE1...... The viewer does not seem to pick them up...

Make sense now?

Aah, yes, that makes sense, Barry

Arno's viewer is currently not processing the aircraft.cfg but just looks for folders, and only one level deep. This is about to change, but I don't know when he implements this. The AIAE viewer component will incorporate all changes and improvements Arno will do.

[gsnde]

Hi Martin

Having read the above posts, I tried Daryl's suggestion, but still had the 384 error. Also when opening other windows from within the program (for example - 'confugure data grid columns'), the same error occurs. This only seems to happen with a maximized window at 1024 x768.

Here's what I'm doing - 1.open AI Aircraft Editor 2. Maximize window 3. Open configure data grid columns or validation report options. Cancel or close either option without making any selection changes - Runtime error 384!! I also tried to do a validation of all errors using Daryl's idea, but had same problem as before.

On the subject of the model viewer; I use ModelConverterX to preview models with paints and, as this is an exe file I can associate the same profile in nVidia Inspector as I use for FS9 allowing antialising of the model etc. There doesn't appear to be an exe file for the inbuilt viewer although it is standalone. Any ideas how to achieve this other than changing the global settings for my card?

Hi Dinga,

Now it makes sense - this must have to do with that infamous resizeable option. For testing purposes: can you please check if you can trigger the error when the resizable option is turned off?

As for the nVidia Inspector... I have an idea that I will test this evening.

Best regards
Martin