Military AI Works

Hey guys,
I use FSDS 3.5 and all of a sudden, I can't compile .xml animations. I get an error message to the effect that the xml trigger is not found which tells me the program cannot read the MakeMDL.parts file. I attached a screen shot showing that the path to this file seems correct. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Check that the file is called MakeMDL.parts.xml and not .parts.txt or .parts

If it is check which folder that .xml file is and then reset up the bglcomp and makemdl folders and see if that makes a difference.

Jake are you trying to compile the model using FSDS?? I've always compiled models straight through MakeMdl, only ever tried using FSDS way back in the very beginning.

I save them as .x file then use MakeMDL to compile it.

This is the way I've always done it. Can you lead me through the other way step by step?

VulcanDriver wrote:I save them as .x file then use MakeMDL to compile it.

OK, i saved it as a.x file and compiled with Make.mdl. Now it says it saves it in the same folder as the .x file but I can't find it. Also, when I compiled it, it only showed the Main Model being compiled. Is that right?
Thanks

Did you make different LODs for the model? If you did you need to save the individual LODs as x files. Then add them into MakeMDL before compile. Did you notice any errors during the compile? This may explain why there wasn't a compiled MDL. Yes the finished model is in the same folder as the x files.

Jake I save each LOD'd version of an AI model as an .x file as you have done. I save them all to the same folder and just name them "LOD_400.x", "LOD_300.x", etc. as you can see in this image:


Then when I select the input file for MakeMdl to compile, I point it to this folder where all the .x files are kept and simply select the highest of the lod models, usually LOD_400. You only have to select the highest model.

Select your output location for the fully compiled model and execute MakeMdl. It should compile all the LODs into a single AI model.

Is that what you are doing?

OK, here's my folder with all of the LOD's exported as .x files and the compiled .mdl file. I assume from here I create a model folder and a containing a new model .cfg file and this JAI_Electra_LOD.mdl file, is that correct?
Two questions, and I apologize in advance if they seem crazy.
1) Do you have to export each LOD separately? I did.
2) What is the advantage of this method over letting FSDS do all of this for you? I know I remember reading this somewhere but I have searched the forums without result.
Thanks so much,

Yes that is correct. Make your model folder and put the .mdl file in there along with a model.cfg file (I just copy another one and open it up to change the relevant line of text needed for the new model). You can also once you have the new folder set up, just point MakeMdl to compile the completed model right to that folder location.

Yes you have to save each model LOD version as an .x file separately from FSDS to a folder location to collect them so that they are all in the same spot for MakeMdl to put them together.

Andrew "Drew" Hall showed me this method. I think it lets you control the process to keep errors for creeping into the compile process. There was a really good reason for doing it this way which escapes me right now, been too many years ago that he showed me how to do this and I can't find his thread that he did on it.

One thing is does do is to allow you to fix a single LOD version of the model and just save that version as an .x file without having to recompile the model each time you make a change to one of its LODs.

Yes, it works!
However, it is still not picking up the .xml animations. How do I point it toward that file?

There should be an XML file called MakeMDL.parts in the same folder as the MakeMDL exe. At compile time the exe will read that xml file.

OK, thanks. Maybe it is. I haven't had time to test anything but nosewheel turning and that may be a mistake in the xml file on my part. I'll report back.

You've got the XML box ticked in the MakeMdl GUID correct?

Also if you have so much as a single character wrong or out of place on the XML file, any XML code below that will not be valid. I try to always have a very basic XML code at the very top of the stack as a check. That way if that works (RBF banners for example) I know the code is being picked up in the compile process.

It may be that your XML code is off by a single character.

Still not compiling with xml animations. I have the box checked when I compile (options).

Here are some screenshots to show what I'm looking at.

I get an error message but when I click OK it goes away and gives me the "MakeMdl box to start compiling. I've checked and double-checked the path and the file name and they look right to me. Anybody got any ideas?

Yep.
It doesn't like the space in the path name. Install the SDK to another folder or drive and point to that one. I bet it works first time.

Sorry, but I don't see a space

Jake which version of Windows are you using??