KLAX and ADE

[Dimon]

It seems like i'm having fundamental problem with KLAX. Every time I delete parking position from ADE file, all the jetways of the airport (except for TBIT) dissapear from the scenely. I did some research I found out that almost 90% of the scenery's jetways created via ADE. As such, this prohibits users from ADE modifications, which is the serious showstopper for us, AI fanatics.

Is there any other way to edit ADE parking positions without touching jetways?

[virtuali]

That's not a problem of KLAX AFCAD, which is created as a 100% legal FSX AFCAD according to the FSX SDK.

KLAX Jetways are not created by ADE, since when KLAX was made, ADE didn't allowed to create a custom jetway. And, it's the AFCAD (which can be made with any means, including writing XML directly) that creates jetways so, you should say "90% of the scenery jetways are custom with their own GUID", with is how any proper FSX scenery is supposed to be made, unless it has either static/fake jetways or it uses FSX default models.

This means, you are in fact reporting a problem editing with ADE a scenery with custom jetways, that lose the connection between the jetway and the associated parking somehow, not a problem with KLAX AFCAD.

Previous versions of ADE didn't had the ability to create a custom jetway but, I don't think this should affect its ability to simply move/edit a a parking spot with a custom jetway that already exists in the scenery, unless there was some kind of bug. I believe more recent versions added the ability to create custom jetways with their own GUID, so I expect it should be now fully able to deal with anything related to jetways and their associated parking spots.

[Dimon]

I don't want to create/delete/modify jetways. I just want to A) deleted one parking spot and B) create another parking spot by simply ADE function "add/delete". Everytime I'm doing this, all the jetways dissapear. Is there any workaround for this problem? I mean deleting a parking spot without deleting jetways Yes, I have the latest version of ADE installed.

I know that AES can potentially solve this problem, but since your're moving away from supporting AES with CYVR, I forsee a long list of issues for us, AFCAD creators.

[Dimon]

This means, you are in fact reporting a problem editing with ADE a scenery with custom jetways, that lose the connection between the jetway and the associated parking somehow, not a problem with KLAX AFCAD.

Really? So why I don't have this problem with UK2000, FT, Simwings and GAP?

[virtuali]

Really? So why I don't have this problem with UK2000, FT, Simwings and GAP?

Really...FT, Simwings and GAP notoriously don't feature custom animated jetways.

What scenery, exactly, from UK2000 that features custom animated jetways you successfully edited and saved back with ADE without problems ?

[virtuali]

I don't want to create/delete/modify jetways

I never implied you had.

I just want to A) deleted one parking spot and B) create another parking spot by simply ADE function "add/delete". Everytime I'm doing this, all the jetways dissapear.

As I've said:

Previous versions of ADE didn't had the ability to create a custom jetway but, I don't think this should affect its ability to simply move/edit a a parking spot with a custom jetway that already exists in the scenery,

So, this doesn't have anything to do with the need to edit the jetway itself but, since in the AFCAD a jetway is associated to a parking spot, MAYBE the previous ADE inability of editing the jetways guids and the fact it has been added only very recently, has something to do with this.

Is there any workaround for this problem? I mean deleting a parking spot without deleting jetways Yes, I have the latest version of ADE installed.

I know that AES can potentially solve this problem, but since your're moving away from supporting AES with CYVR, I forsee a long list of issues for us, AFCAD creators.

This should be a support question for ADE, doesn't have anything to do with KLAX specifically.

[Dimon]

Thanks,'

I'll do some research and report back later this week. Very strange indeed, only FSDT products affected by this ADE issue.

[virtuali]

I'll do some research and report back later this week. Very strange indeed, only FSDT products affected by this ADE issue.

How many other sceneries are out there featuring custom animated jetways ?

The only thing to check is UK2000, but all the others you mentioned couldn't be affected by this problem, because they don't have any jetways in the AFCAD to begin with so, there was nothing that could disappear after editing it.

[virtuali]

In any case, I've just tried opening the KLAX AFCAD ( KLAX_AP.BGL ) as supplied with the scenery with the most current version of ADE ( 1.51.4645 Beta ), moved a parking spot a bit and compile it overwriting the original KLAX_AP.BGL and sure enough, all jetways are still there so, this confirms the following:

- KLAX AFCAD never had a problem in the first place.

- Whatever problem ADE might have had in the past, it's surely fixed in the very latest version

OR

- You compiled back your modified AFCAD using the ADE suggested name, which is different than the original name and, by doing this, you just created a duplicated AFCAD, that would result in lots of issues and disappearing objects.

You must save it back with the same name as originally supplied by FDST OR rename the FSDT AFCAD with a .BAK extension to exclude it.

Note that, renaming the AFCAD and using a different name for your version, will remove any GSX special customization, including the one we made that comes with GSX so, KLAX will behave like any other generic airport, instead of being fully customized as it's supposed to be.

Naming your AFCAD as the FSDT one will allow you to keep our GSX customizations but of course, if you made major edits (like moving parking locations or adding/removing nodes and taxiways) you might want to check GSX there and eventually fix problems with GSX scenery customization page. And, don't forget that, if you name your AFCAD as the FSDT one, whenever you reinstall the scenery or GSX, the FSDT AFCAD will be downloaded and your modified file will be saved as a backup (with current time/date .BAK) so you will not lose it, but you'll probably have to switching it back to your version after a reinstall.

[Dimon]

How many other sceneries are out there featuring custom animated jetways ?

The only thing to check is UK2000, but all the others you mentioned couldn't be affected by this problem, because they don't have any jetways in the AFCAD to begin with so, there was nothing that could disappear after editing it.

Exactly. So choosing to create jetways with ADE, FSDT did create serious inconvenience for those who want to play hard with ADE. Quite a significant step back comparing with FS2004, since I have to put 3 times more efforts for KLAX AFCAD in FSX than it could have been required to put for FS2004.

[Dimon]

In any case, I've just tried opening the KLAX AFCAD ( KLAX_AP.BGL ) as supplied with the scenery with the most current version of ADE ( 1.51.4645 Beta ), moved a parking spot a bit and compile it overwriting the original KLAX_AP.BGL and sure enough, all jetways are still there so, this confirms the following:

- KLAX AFCAD never had a problem in the first place.

- Whatever problem ADE might have had in the past, it's surely fixed in the very latest version

OR

- You compiled back your modified AFCAD using the ADE suggested name, which is different than the original name and, by doing this, you just created a duplicated AFCAD, that would result in lots of issues and disappearing objects.

You must save it back with the same name as originally supplied by FDST OR rename the FSDT AFCAD with a .BAK extension to exclude it.

Note that, renaming the AFCAD and using a different name for your version, will remove any GSX special customization, including the one we made that comes with GSX so, KLAX will behave like any other generic airport, instead of being fully customized as it's supposed to be.

Naming your AFCAD as the FSDT one will allow you to keep our GSX customizations but of course, if you made major edits (like moving parking locations or adding/removing nodes and taxiways) you might want to check GSX there and eventually fix problems with GSX scenery customization page. And, don't forget that, if you name your AFCAD as the FSDT one, whenever you reinstall the scenery or GSX, the FSDT AFCAD will be downloaded and your modified file will be saved as a backup (with current time/date .BAK) so you will not lose it, but you'll probably have to switching it back to your version after a reinstall.

Thanks, I will try this trick.

But still, you're suggesting "moving" the spot, not "deleting"!

Also, thanks for the trick about overwriting and AFCAD names. I though it does not have any connection wit my issue.

[virtuali]

Exactly. So choosing to create jetways with ADE, FSDT did create serious inconvenience for those who want to play hard with ADE.

You got it backwards: if anything, it's ADE that is (WAS, because IT WORKS with the current version) creating a "serious inconvenience".

Quite a significant step back comparing with FS2004, since I have to put 3 times more efforts for KLAX AFCAD in FSX than it could have been required to put for FS2004.  

Are you suggesting we shouldn't include proper custom animated FSX jetways in FSX, just because there's ONE editing program that can't handle them ? Note that, as I've said already, this works correctly in the latest (Beta) version so, again, what this has anything to do with FSDT ?

But still, you're suggesting "moving" the spot, not "deleting"!

Doesn't make any difference. And yes, I've tried a 2nd time now, removing a parking spot entirely (and its associated jetway, of course, you wouldn't want to left an orhpaned jetway) and IT WORKS, using the current Beta version. Don't know of any other previous version, but it works now.

So, I repeat and confirm it again:

- There wasn't any problem with FSDT KLAX to begin with

- Current version of ADE allows to MOVE and REMOVE a parking spot without losing jetways.

[Dimon]

1. Downloaded and installed lastest ADE beta

2. Opened KLAX ADE file

3. Deleted parking spot #106

4. Clicked on "Compile Airport" and selected the ADE file with the same name. ADE said "Failed to generate jetways' binary"

5. Reloaded FSX and went to KLAX. All jetways (except for some at TBIT) are gone.

Moving parking spots, changing their names and other properties does not delete the jetways.

It seems like your jetways are created with default FSX codes, therefore it's total pain in the butt when it comes to parking spots deletion



 

[virtuali]

I've made the same and, of course:

2. Opened KLAX ADE file

This is probably the first mistake: if with "KLAX ADE" you mean the ADE save file, which is usually named with an ".AD2" extension, it's likely THIS file can't be used anymore, because it was already compromised by editing with a previous version that HAD a problem editing/removing custom jetways.

You should have started using the "Open from .BGL" command in ADE, from the ORIGINAL (unmodified) KLAX_AP.BGL that comes with KLAX! To get this, run the KLAX installer again, so it will be restored.

3. Deleted parking spot #106

Not sure if you are referring to the ADE #106 Index or the Parking spot #106 number. Shouldn't make any difference but, in any case,  I've removed the Parking #106, which was I believe at Index #63.

OF COURSE, as I've said in my previous message, I ALSO removed the now orphaned jetway for the removed parking. Not sure what happens, but you surely don't want to leave an orphaned jetway, when they are supposed to be associated to a parking.

4. Clicked on "Compile Airport" and selected the ADE file with the same name. ADE said "Failed to generate jetways' binary"

Not sure what you mean here: if with "ADE file with the same name", you mean the .AD2 file, than it's obviously wrong: since you were trying to overwrite over the ADE file itself. I hope you meant the KLAX_AP.BGL, which is not an ADE File, it's the KLAX AFCAD.

In any case, I did the same (overwriting the KLAX_AP.BGL, of course) and ADE compiled without errors.

5. Reloaded FSX and went to KLAX. All jetways (except for some at TBIT) are gone.

Did the same and, of course all jetways at the airport are fine, except the one for the parking I've removed, which is exactly what is supposed to happen.

It seems like your jetways are created with default FSX codes, therefore it's total pain in the butt when it comes to parking spots deletion

It seems you are still doing something wrong, so you are mistakenly assuming KLAX has a problem being edited (with ADE, other editors like AFX never had a problem to begin with, even with older versions), when it clearly hasn't.

I repeat and confirm, again, there are no problem whatsoever editing KLAX parking spots with custom jetways, KLAX never had a problem in the first place, and ADE can handle it without any issues.