To Milton and other MakeMDL gurus

[Sid2008]

Folks, I am trying to learn about how I can colde my own animations in Makemdl. In this regard, I have a babe's understanding, so i am hoping one of you can direct me to a beginner's tutorial somewhere. My goal is to animate opening of various windows, then VC knobs for various radio functions, etc.

Can you guys please help me started on the correct path to learning how to make my own animations in makemdl? I use FSDS 3.5 to do all my design work.
Thank you,
Sid

[Milton Shupe]

Sid,


Here is the simplified overview.

The Programs

Animations are coded in gmax or FSDS, not Makemdl.

"Makemdl" is a compiler provided by Microsoft to convert an "input" to a .bgl or .mdl file for FS.

The outputs of gmax or FSDS (with the required plugins) create that file that is then used as "input" by "Makemdl".

Since Makemdl is used by both gmax and FSDS, it has the same requirements from both tools regarding animation.

General Process Understanding

Animations proceed across a time line or scale in your design program. This time line is expressed in keyframes. The number of Keyframes needed for your animations can be set at 100, 200, or 1000 as you wish.

Gear and doors for example use 0-100 to extend/retract/open/close. However, suspension movement requires keyframes from 100-200 (occurs after extension of gear). An animated pilot may require 1-1000 for a long and varied series of movements.

For the parts to be animated to be recognized by Makemdl, the gmax/FSDS animations require "Named Tags" identified in the Makemdl SDK. For each named part in gmax/FSDS, usually the SDK tells you what pivot the rotation occurs on (x, Y, Z), and how to code the keyframed animation. Frame 0 is typically the home location, frame 50 the mid-point of animation or center location, and frame 100 is the end of the animation.

The animation sequence typically requires at least one "rotation key", and one or more "position keys". The rotation key is typically the home location where the animation will start. The position keys help the sim know what the position and orientation of the part should be in at a given keyframe or point in time.

Once you add the animation rotation key and the position keys at appropriate animation frames (0, 50, 100 as an example), you then activate the animation process, and do the animation by moving the frame slider to the correct key position, then rotate and/or move the part to the desired position. Then, End the animation sequence.

Once you get the Makemdl SDK, look over the list of animated part names. The names must be assigned in gmax/FSDS to the part to be animated.
Then proceed as described above.

Other Animations Not Available in Makemdl List

There are many things one can animate that are not "pre-coded" and pre-named.

You can code your own animations using your own names. To do this, you must tell Makemdl what the part name is and how the animation is to be treated.

You do this by adding your xml code to the existing "makemdl.parts.xml" file in your plugins folder.
WARNING: Keep a working copy before your modifications.

To make it easier for you, you can copy any code set from the long list inside that has characteristics of your needs, and paste it at the top. Make the necessary changes, and and save the makemdl.parts.xml.

Now go code your animation, export and test.

DISCLAIMER: I am not an XML coder or expert, do not do my own animations, but this is generally the process. There are plenty people here that do this.

[Milton Shupe]

I continue to tweak the explanation above for clarity so you might check back.

[Sid2008]

Yes, that seems a very reasonable intro to animations and keyframes. Will you please follow up with how I can use code to modify/create new animations?
Thank you.

[Milton Shupe]

Updated it. That's the best I can do for you.

If you go to FFDS, there is a working library of xml code available.

http://www.aerodynamika.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl

Or, go to FSDeveloper and swim among experienced modelers who do this regularly.

Hope it helps.

[tgibson]

Hi,

The FFDS Working XML Forum:

http://www.aerodynamika.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?board=XML

The FSDeveloper Modeling Forum:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=62

The Flightsim Aircraft Design Forum:

http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/forumdisplay.php?7-Aircraft-Design

The AVSIM Aircraft and Panel Forum:

http://forum.avsim.net/forum/122-msfs-aircraft-and-panel-design-forum/

Hope this helps,

[Sid2008]

Thank you Gents for pointing me in the right direction.
Sid