Need help importing G2Kv4 LWM bgl into sbuilder...

[MaskRider]

A long way back, 2 years, Rhumbaflappy posted a conversion routine by which one could convert a G2Kv4 LWM water bgl into an A16 flatten. Here is what Dick wrote at the time (http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?40073-Water-mask-flattens-possible):

Hi MR.

CFS2 LWMs have no flatten ability.

Sander's cfs2AutoCoast has a menu option to import an SBuilder SBX file and convert it to an Area16n flatten bgl. But, there is a problem in that SBuilder will not accept an import of a CFS2 LWM bgl. :(

The work-around is to compile a copy of your LWM in Ground2k as flight simulator ( not as cfs2 ). Make sure the polys are zero altitude for sea-level. This bgl can be imported to SBuilder, and exported as an SBX file.

That SBX file can then be converted to an A16n flatten bgl by Sander's program.

We found there was no frame-rate difference between A16n flattens and FS2002 LWM water flattens in Fs2002, so I wouldn't worry about frame-rate issues.

Dick


At that time I was making the MR Marianas pack and used this routine successfully, without any hitches so far as I recall.

Well, recently, just for something to do, I started reworking my old Solomons fields to fit in with the new mesh and masks.

A mesh anomaly popped up that requires me using this routine to convert a water mask into an a16 flatten but I'll be danged if I can get Sbuilder to load the bgl so that I can get on with it.

It keeps giving me a "Not valid sbuilder file" message every time I try.

As far as I recall nothing has changed since the last time around.

Any suggestion welcomed!

Thanks,
MR

[UncleTgt]

I have never used Sbuilder so can't help much here, but good to hear you're back at work in CFS 2...

Perhaps Sbuilder will import the source code rather than the bgl direct, ie exported using LWMviewer either as .bgs or .asm?

What about creating a fresh A16N flatten using FSSC (if its a small area) instead?

[MaskRider]

I have never used Sbuilder so can't help much here, but good to hear you're back at work in CFS 2...

Perhaps Sbuilder will import the source code rather than the bgl direct, ie exported using LWMviewer either as .bgs or .asm?

What about creating a fresh A16N flatten using FSSC (if its a small area) instead?

Hiya UncleTgt!

Thanks for the input. You know what? Your suggestion about exporting it thru LWM Viewer seems to ring a bell somewhere. Let me give that a try, Or else, yes, I will make an A16 with FSSC- although I was trying to avoid the bother of setting up a whole new project. ;)

Thanks.
MR

[tobob]

MR,

The way I do this is export the g2k lwm as a FS2002 file(name it different than original), then import into sbuilder. From there export as a SBX and run it through CFS2Autocoast.

You can also import several fs2002 bgl's into sbuilder,export sbx, convert in CFS2Autocoast. Hope this helps with your new project!

tobob

[MaskRider]

MR,

The way I do this is export the g2k lwm as a FS2002 file(name it different than original), then import into sbuilder. From there export as a SBX and run it through CFS2Autocoast.

You can also import several fs2002 bgl's into sbuilder,export sbx, convert in CFS2Autocoast. Hope this helps with your new project!

tobob

Hi tobob,

Thank you for taking the time to advise!

Ok, let me make sure I get what you are saying.

When you say "export the g2k lwm as a FS2002 file" do you mean I should compile the copied/renamed G2K.lwm as a FS2002.bgl- by checking the FS2002 button instead of the cfs2 button in the file parameter window?

And when you say I should import the resulting FS2002.bgl into sbuilder do you mean I should 'open' it in sbuilder or that I should 'import' it into sbuilder ? I ask because when I try to file/open, sbuilder it is looking for an sbp file and is not interested in a bgl file. When I try to file/import sbuilder is looking for an sbx file and will not have anything to do with my FS2002.bgl.

What am I missing? Is there a particular version of sbuilder that I need to be using? Or am I doing something wrong in the G2K end of the process?

I appreciate the assistance,
MR

[MaskRider]

Ok! Got it doped out. Here's the drill:
1. Compile the LWM (water) poly in G2K as an FS2002_LWM.bgl
2. Start a new blank project in SBuilder. (this is where I was bumping up against it)
3. File -> Append -> LWM BGL
4. Browse to and choose the FS2002_LWM.bgl you just compiled with G2K.
5. File -> Export -> SBuilder SBX
6. Save SBX file - Sbuilder defaults to the same folder where the FS2002_LWM.bgl resides.
7. Open CFS2AutoCoast
8. Tools -> Convert SBX to A16N
9. Browse to and choose the FS2002_LWM.sbx file you just exported from Sbuilder.
10. Bob's your uncle!


This is a really great routine for when the area to be flattened is large and when accuracy of the fit with the coast line is important.

Cheers,
MR

[MaskRider]

I have never used Sbuilder so can't help much here,

Yeah, pretty much me either. I had only used sbuilder a couple of times, a couple of years ago, and only for this very limited purpose.

This particular issue arose while remaking Rennell Island. The South shore of this island has several semi-circular "bays" cut into it. The largest of these, Kangava Bay, was showing major elevations that were not supposed to be there- perfect situation for a A16N flat area.

MR

[UncleTgt]

Interesting exchange of information going on here. I may need to give SBuilder & Autocoast a try.:salute:

Does Autocoast allow you to use different coast lines together (eg sandy/ rock/ wetland), or will it draw using a single bitmap type?

I ask because I like to mix/ match different coastline types to better imitate reality...& at the moment that means a helluva lot of drawing by hand.:isadizzy:

[MaskRider]

Interesting exchange of information going on here. I may need to give SBuilder & Autocoast a try.:salute:

Does Autocoast allow you to use different coast lines together (eg sandy/ rock/ wetland), or will it draw using a single bitmap type?

I ask because I like to mix/ match different coastline types to better imitate reality...& at the moment that means a helluva lot of drawing by hand.:isadizzy:

Yes Sbuilder appears to be quite the tool but I think it is meant pretty much just for FlightSim scenery and not for Cfs2. Although there do seem to be work-arounds for that- as with this converting of FS2002_LWM.bgls into A16N flattens.

To tell you the truth I haven't use CFS2AutoCoast to create LWM scenery since way back in its formative stages. One issue I had with it back then- and it very well could just have been me- is that it tended to be over-agressive when smoothing coastlines. This would be quite the issue in case of a very complex coastline with steep mesh abutting right up to it. Knowing more now than I did then about how to use G2K and other tools I think I would make better use of CFS2AutoCoast today. Its very powerful and flexible and can save a helluva a lot of time when it comes to hand-drawing coastlines!

On this current project- reworking the Solomons- I plan to use CFS2AutoCoast as much as a I can. I hand drew the Rennell polys but Rennell is a relatively small and uncomplicated objective. The larger islands in the chain are much more daunting and well suited it would seem to me for bringing CFS2AutoCoast to bear.

WRT whether several different coast texture can be used at the same time- I don't know but it wouldn't surprise me. If not one can always open the CFS2AutoCoast project in G2K and massage as necessary.

Cheers,
MR

[Canion]

Wouuu! That looks more than good. : Aplausos: : Aplausos: : Aplausos:
I wish I could apply it at some time.
Thank you very much for your constant effort. : Ernae:
At the beginning of the question CFS2AutoCoast, which was never understood that file?, Is a ejecutable.exe, or just a 6KB file that acts as a compiler.

[tobob]

Ok! Got it doped out. Here's the drill:
1. Compile the LWM (water) poly in G2K as an FS2002_LWM.bgl
2. Start a new blank project in SBuilder. (this is where I was bumping up against it)
3. File -> Append -> LWM BGL
4. Browse to and choose the FS2002_LWM.bgl you just compiled with G2K.
5. File -> Export -> SBuilder SBX
6. Save SBX file - Sbuilder defaults to the same folder where the FS2002_LWM.bgl resides.
7. Open CFS2AutoCoast
8. Tools -> Convert SBX to A16N
9. Browse to and choose the FS2002_LWM.sbx file you just exported from Sbuilder.
10. Bob's your uncle!


This is a really great routine for when the area to be flattened is large and when accuracy of the fit with the coast line is important.

Cheers,
MR

Yeah you explained that way better then I did. Glad you worked it out! I'm a bit rusty since I haven't done any G2K excavating in a few months.

tobob

[MaskRider]

Wouuu! That looks more than good. : Aplausos: : Aplausos: : Aplausos:
I wish I could apply it at some time.
Thank you very much for your constant effort. : Ernae:
At the beginning of the question CFS2AutoCoast, which was never understood that file?, Is a ejecutable.exe, or just a 6KB file that acts as a compiler.


To tell you truth I am not quite sure just what kind of file csf2autocoast is. As far as I can tell it is a 6KB 'application manifest'- whatever the heck that is! LOL! That is what it is listed as in Windows Explorer. I think it may have something to do with NETFramework. I don't think it is an executable- but perhaps it calls up executables. I just don't know. It doesn't have an .exe extension.

That is as much as I know other than it works.

MR

[Canion]

Thanks for your attention.
Now I do not understand how it works step 7.




Ok! Got it doped out. Here's the drill:
7. Open CFS2AutoCoast

MR

[MaskRider]

You mean when you click on the icon nothing happens?

I am running version 2.0.2760.36871 (copyrighted 2005-2010)

On further investigation i did find a file named cfs2AutoCoast.exe.

However, the shortcut I had been using was not directly calling cfs2AutoCoast.exe. It was calling that application manifest file.

I guess that it in turn was calling the executable.

Anyway, I created a short cut directly to the executable and now AutoCoast opens much faster. It doesn't seem to go thru this little checkout of itself that it was doing before.

Do you have a CFS2AutoCoast.zip that you are working from?

MR

[Canion]

The initial question about CFS2 AutoCoast file, that format was.
I did not know that there was a CFS2AutoCoast.exe.
It is somewhere available.
Thank you very much again

[MaskRider]

It is somewhere available.
Thank you very much again

I have googled on it and have not been able to find it. To the best of my knowledge, Autocoast never was truly finished. Sander de Cocq, the developer, is pretty explicit about not wanting it re-distributed without his permission. In the "About" section of the AutoCoast help menu he writes: "This program is Freeware and may not be sold in any form or shape. Do not distribute this program by any means without prior written permission from the author. "

I have a nice working copy- Version 2.0.2760.36871- that I would be happy to share but I don't want to ruffle any feathers. Also, apparently Sander no longer publicly supports AutoCoast with a dedicated website as he used to.

I would suggest that you send an email to Sander and ask: (A) if he will send you the latest edition or (B) ask if it is OK with him if I share my copy with you.

I will send you his email address in a PM.

Cheers,
MR

[Canion]

The last time I was on the trail of the file, was only five years ago and found a distant forum, where two people commented details. But nothing about the location.
I do not think appropriate interrupt SC with the matter, which have been the reasons, which has decided not to publish, are understandable and my full respect.

Thank you very much. :salute: