5 replies to this topic

[pcflyer]

Now that we're well into 2005, the current NAVDATA cycles are being published showing updated (correctly) runway identifiers and ils headings etc... For example, my home airport CYQX Gander International, Newfoundland, Canada used to have a runway 04/22 which was aligned 036/216. I think the magnetic variation was 24W. Since 2005, and I guess because of the changing magnetic variation, which is now 22 W, the runway has now changed in real life to 03/21 which is aligned 033/213. I have confirmed this from the current terminal chart issued in Canada on 17 March 2005, and also because I fly there.

My question is this, can I adjust FS2004 to reflect this change. I updated the AIRAC cycles from NAVDATA for my addons (FSNAV, Level D 767, PMDG 737 FMC) but now they too are out of sync with the FS2004 data. They show the corrected runway info, but FS2004 does not. As you know AFCAD won't make the changes required because it will not let you modify runway / ils ident data (...fom the FS2004 default). I tried to use BGLXML to decompile the scenery file (AP933140.BGL) located in the FS2004/Scenery/NAME folder. By editing the XML code I could change the identifiers, headings, etc...but when I recompiled the file and placed it back in the original folder to test. The sim loaded, but the scenery was all messed up, just runways and water !!! I tried the same type of process using SCENEGENX as well with the same results. There are two other BGL's for CYQX in my addon directory but I don't think they make a difference to the default idents. They are AF2_CYQX.BGL and FIUT_CYQX.BGL which are put there by AFCAD2 and Ultimate Traffic. I'm going mad trying to fix what I thought would be fairly simple, but it is obviously something far more complex than my monkey brain can figure out. I'm not sure what to try next or even what file to modify now. Please help !!!

[IBtheSarge]

pcflyer, on Apr 26 2005, 02:34 PM, said:

My question is this, can I adjust FS2004 to reflect this change. I updated the AIRAC cycles from NAVDATA for my addons (FSNAV, Level D 767, PMDG 737 FMC) but now they too are out of sync with the FS2004 data. They show the corrected runway info, but FS2004 does not. As you know AFCAD won't make the changes required because it will not let you modify runway / ils ident data (...fom the FS2004 default). I tried to use BGLXML to decompile the scenery file (AP933140.BGL) located in the FS2004/Scenery/NAME folder. By editing the XML code I could change the identifiers, headings, etc...but when I recompiled the file and placed it back in the original folder to test. The sim loaded, but the scenery was all messed up, just runways and water !!! I tried the same type of process using SCENEGENX as well with the same results. There are two other BGL's for CYQX in my addon directory but I don't think they make a difference to the default idents. They are AF2_CYQX.BGL and FIUT_CYQX.BGL which are put there by AFCAD2 and Ultimate Traffic. I'm going mad trying to fix what I thought would be fairly simple, but it is obviously something far more complex than my monkey brain can figure out. I'm not sure what to try next or even what file to modify now. Please help !!!

In editing the default AFCAD, with the file AF2_CYQX.BGL also in FS9, you edited the wrong file.

AF2_CYQX.BGL is another version of the airport's AFCAD.  It is replacing the default AFCAD.  When you edited the default (AP933140.BGL) you were editing something is loaded then discarded when FS9 finds AF2_CYQX.

Try this, it should work.

1.  Create a folder somewhere on the same drive that FS9 is installed ... anywhere on the drive, just be sure you can remember where it is ... and name it FS9_Hold.

2.  Move AP933140.BGL into that new folder.

3.  Use AFCAD v2.21 to open AF2_CYQX.BGL and edit away.  Since the default AFCAD is no longer there, FS9 does not read anything in the new AFCAD as being part of the default criteria.

You should be able alter the runways with no problems -- except one:  when the rotation of the runways change, they won't be correctly aligned with the taxiway and parking ramp surfaces.  You will have to adjust those surfaces as well so they mate with the new positions of the runways.  You will also have to adjust the starting points on each end of every runway you change, the hold short nodes (both normal and any ILS hold-short nodes) at each taxiway that connects directly to the runways, and the ILS for each runway will have to be repositioned so the glidepath and glideslope are broadcasting correctly for each runway.

You may also have to create exclude areas to remove any shrubs, trees or buildings that may now intrude into the new runway positions, adjusted taxiways, or adjusted apron surfaces.

Edited by sarge, 26 April 2005 - 11:06 PM.

[pcflyer]

Sarge:

I agree with every comment you made and your advise would have been perfect and much simpler, except that there is one small problem. In fact, I had actually thought of doing just what you suggested but the problem is that the stock AP933140.bgl file, contains additional code for several other key airports, navaids, and approaches in the region of the airport I want to modify. By moving it and just using the modified AFCAD bgl file, the sim will omit all the other airports and data.  I could re-create all of the data using AFCAD I suppose ??? but it would be a piece of work as I think there were four or five airports, with approaches, navaids, etc...

I did get some advise from another forum which seems to make sense, and I think I'll experiment with it some more. See what you think of this solution...

<<<<<Jim Wrote>>>>
"pcflyer

What you want to accomplish can be done. It would take a tutorial to understand every aspect of how MSN reads certain data in the root file as "read only" but I can point you in a direction.

You were almost there when you decompiled the AP933140.BGL file. Copy out just the airport header, runways, start locations, taxiways and all approach data for CYQX Gander International, Newfoundland. If the runway name you want to change does not have any approach data associated with it then don't copy out.

Once this data is in a new txt or XML file close the original AP933140.bgl so it remains a stock file in FS9. All work will now be done in the new XML file for just CYQX.

Find and change all the runway numbers in each area of the new XML file.

After the airport header add the deleteAll statements that coincide with what you copied into the new XML file.

<DeleteAirport
deleteAllApproaches = "TRUE"
deleteAllRunways = "TRUE"
deleteAllStarts = "TRUE"
deleteAllTaxiways = "TRUE"/>

If you did not copy any approach data then delete that line from above. You are telling FS9 not to read the root data in certain areas but to read your new XML data when you change it.

Once you have all the runway info changed in your new XML then compile it with BGLComp and give it a name of your choice. Place your new bgl into the Scenery\Gerneric\scenery folder. This will now tell FS9 to read some of the data in the root APnnnnnn.bgl but also read your bgl at a higher priority which is now layered between the APnnnnnn.bgl and the AFCAD.bgl. Change the AFCAD to coorespond to your XML file.

This is a very short explanation but will get you started in the right direction.

Jim"

[IBtheSarge]

pcflyer, on Apr 27 2005, 06:14 PM, said:

stock AP933140.bgl file, contains additional code for several other key airports, navaids, and approaches in the region of the airport I want to modify. By moving it and just using the modified AFCAD bgl file, the sim will omit all the other airports and data.  I could re-create all of the data using AFCAD I suppose ??? but it would be a piece of work as I think there were four or five airports, with approaches, navaids, etc...

I did get some advise from another forum which seems to make sense, and I think I'll experiment with it some more. See what you think of this solution...

Give me a day or so ... I'll take a closer look.

I'm not too sure the other suggestion will work .... you'll still be modifying the default data that FS is protecting, even if it's in another BGL.  Unless the default AFCAD is removed, I don't think FS is going to do a thing with any changed data in another BGL file.

Oh, you might want to recheck your figures on the runways, too.  Unless they physically picked them up and moved them, something does NOT compute:

Mag var changed by -2 degrees (from 26W to 24W)
Rwy headings changed by -3 degrees (from 36/216 to 33/213)

That's physically impossible    

Edited by sarge, 27 April 2005 - 05:29 PM.

[pcflyer]

I may have written the figures wrong in an earlier post...I have the plates in front of me now and the magnetic variations went from 24 W to 21 West. Therefore the runway idents changed from 36/216 to 33/213.

Regarding the suggestion from "JIM"....I tried it and it worked perfect. I actually have the changes made now and just finished testing it to make sure. The runway idents changed on the ground and with ATC, the ILS localizers and glideslopes are dead on and after some secondary tweaking of the modified bgl file with afcad, I corrected the start positions, taxi paths, signs, etc...  Basically the airport is now correct to the real life charts and current airac cycles. Upon rebuilding the FSNAV database, it too shows the data correctly.

Apparently, the DELETEALL tag in the XML coding was the key step I had missed before.  Until a day or two ago I'd never even seen a decompiled bgl, let along known about xml programming.  With this tag inserted, the sim uses the default APXXX.bgl for the other airports and navaids contained in it, and uses my CYQX.bgl file (...which is stored in Scenery/Generic/Scenery) to produce the CYQX airport data. Jims explained that the deleteall tag is what triggers MSFS to ignore code in the default bgl's as long as it is placed in a scenery folder in the appropriate priority layer. It appears to be correct too, as it works. Once this is done, you can edit the modified bgl with afcad as much as you want.

Anyway, it's way too late and I have to work tomorrow...just wanted to pass this along and thank-you for your help and advise as well. There are probably a number of ways to solve this problem, but this one seems to have worked perfect.

[IBtheSarge]

Quote

I may have written the figures wrong in an earlier post

LOL!!!!  Been there, done that ... and have the world's most perfect excuse when I do it -- I'm over half-a-century old!!!!  

Quote

Regarding the suggestion from "JIM"....I tried it and it worked perfect.

OUTSTANDING!!!!  I'll have to revisit his process ... I've tried it before (with both KPBG and KPSM) and had to remove the default BGL to get any of my changes to take.  Since you've already proof'd the process, I can learn it and eliminate an installation step from my airbase scenaries ("1.  Move the default BGL file from its current directory to a directory that is outside of the FS9 area.")  Good find  

Quote

Apparently, the DELETEALL tag in the XML coding was the key step I had missed before.  Until a day or two ago I'd never even seen a decompiled bgl

You gotsta play around with that more .... it's what got me into writing XML scenery placement.  And there's a TON of other things you can do with it.  The only thing I haven't been able to find is something that will decompile an MDL file -- now THAT would be sooooooooooooooo nice.  

You ARE going to publish the redesign when you're finished, right?  (hint)