Scenery issues, need some expert advice!

[Rami]

Hey guys,

I ran into some similar issues with Athens a while back, but Achim and skylane asked for my help, and I have hit a wall I'm not sure how to get around. :banghead:

I know from experience that when building a cityscape or combining large layouts, the built-in GSL editor is an easier tool to use in this type of situation.

Skylane and Achim asked me to combine his airfield layout at Beirut into the GSL harbor at Beirut I worked on for Ravenna.

The problem that I have is that I can see the GSL using Martin Wright's GSL editor and see that the gob file 1ca194.gob contains 718 objects. When I try to extract the GSL file, however, only about 500 or so objects appear in the layout. I can SEE the other objects in MW's GSL editor, but have no way to extract them, and more importantly, get the layout coordinates.

Is my only alternative to re-construct the remaining objects by placing the layout over the GSL and re-constructing what's missing in the layout, object-by-object? If so, that's going to take a while.

Any advice would be most helpful.

[bearcat241]

Rami,

I encountered this once or twice while working on a couple of mega GSL layouts with well over the count you've stated. The sim apparently has some sort of "hidden" limitation on the number of objects placed in a single gob. I worked it out by loading everything back into the sim's editor and splitting the whole lot down the middle into two separate, non-overlapping layouts, for the creation of two gobs. Using the area selection tool in the editor you can define the boundaries of the two boxes so they are a clean split. They cannot overlap any where or share any objects at the boundaries. For this reason you may have to move some objects at the boundary line to prevent any sharing, creating a very slim "barren" zone between the layouts.

Hope this helps...

[MaskRider]

You know what you might do, Rami.

Send a note to Martin Wright. I remember way back in the olden days when Martins's GSL developer tools had just been released, there was an issue with a limit on the number of objects a GOB could hold- when installing a multi-gob layout or GSL. Martin went into the program and changed something and re-released it so that the upper limit is no longer an issue. Now this may have only applied to installing multi-gob GSL and not extracting them. There might still very well be a limit on extractions. I see the problem you are having and have never had an opportunity to deal with it myself- just never found myself in the situation.

I have encountered the very annoying situation that bearcat241 mentioned about the objects straddling the line between two gobs.

I'll keep thinking on it. But right now, I am not seeing an easy way out other than perhaps describing the problem to Martin and hearing him say: "No problem. Its a quick fix!"

Here is Martin's website link (http://www.mwgfx.co.uk/). There should be an email link there someplace.

Good luck!
MR

[Rami]

Chris,

Thank you. :wavey: I did just that, using the information from this thread, the picture, and the GSL file giving me trouble. I will certainly pass along any response.

[MaskRider]

Rami,

Just out of curiosity, I ran an experiment where I extracted a layout from a gob that contains 1004 objects. When I imported the extracted layout into Mission Builder there were only 500 objects. So, yes, it would appear that there is a 500 object limit on layout extractions.

I also extracted the same 1004-object gob as a single GOB gsl. When I reinserted it into an empty gsl, it contained 1004 objects. It's too bad that the MB GSL Editor does not allow one to do a mass selection (SHIFT-drag from the lower right-hand corner of the layout window) of all the loaded GSL scenery objects present in the selected box- at least I don't think it does. I think you can only select them one at a time. I could be wrong

Hopefully Martin can ride to the rescue.

Don't suppose that the original layouts used to build the original scenery GSLs are still kicking around some place?

;^)

Cheers
Chris

[Rami]

Chris,

No word from Martin yet...and I screwed the pooch on backups, so I'll have to do this the hard way if Martin can't help.

[kdriver]

Rami,

Did you see this regarding emails to Martin?

"Please include the word 'Developer' in the subject line to avoid it getting missed or removed by the spam filter!"

Kevin

[MaskRider]

Chris,

No word from Martin yet...and I screwed the pooch on backups, so I'll have to do this the hard way if Martin can't help.

I'm sure that when Martin becomes aware of your communication he will be in touch. Hopefully, sooner than later.

Keep fingers crossed!

MR

[Rami]

Kevin,

I forwarded the e-mail to Martin with the title "developer." Let's see if this helps.

[Rami]

Hey guys,

Good morning! At long last I received an e-mail from Martin Wright. It turns out that I had an older version of the GSL edit version which limited the amount of objects per gob to 512. (Hence why I could only extract layouts to that point) Some time ago, he updated the program to 4,096 objects per gob. I did not have the update.

So, for those of you who use his developer tools, you may want to sent Martin a message and get the update.

So, I won't have to redo the harbor at Beirut after all! Yippee! :redfire:

[MaskRider]

Alreeet, Rami! Well done! I'm not doing all that much scenery design these days but I definitely will ask Martin for the update. Didn't realize I was so far behind the times. Thanks for the heads-up!

MR

PS: Thanks to Martin, too. ;^)

[Worthless]

So, for those of you who use his developer tools, you may want to sent Martin a message and get the update.



Thanks for the heads up Rami. I did just as you suggested. Martin has generously replied with his updated tool.