Updating AFCAD

[Tom C]

I had nothing to do with the curved approaches, they were done by Jim Vile.

[mozart]

I read all five pages of this discussion, but still cannot figure it out.

So can I use AFX to modify the AFCAD or not? I have no problem adding gates and assigning airlines myself, I just want to make sure it actually works when using AFX.

Also, can I merely copy the file out of the FSDT Honolulu/scenery folder and save the modified version in my own addon scenery folder? Or do I need to leave t in FSDT's scenery folder?

Thank

[virtuali]

We don't know about AFX but, it's sure that using the current version of the free ADE is safe. What shouldn't be used for sure, it's the AFCAD program.

It's best if you save your modified AFCAD using the same name we use, and put it into the PHNL scenery folder.

[mozart]

We don't know about AFX but, it's sure that using the current version of the free ADE is safe. What shouldn't be used for sure, it's the AFCAD program.

It's best if you save your modified AFCAD using the same name we use, and put it into the PHNL scenery folder.

Thanks a lot. I'll give it a try and will post my experience here.

[tdavart]

We don't know about AFX but, it's sure that using the current version of the free ADE is safe. What shouldn't be used for sure, it's the AFCAD program.

It's best if you save your modified AFCAD using the same name we use, and put it into the PHNL scenery folder.

Does this mean that it's up to us to finish the AFCAD (Cargo, GA and Military)?

[virtuali]

Does this mean that it's up to us to finish the AFCAD (Cargo, GA and Military)?

Does this mean that we shouldn't explain how to modify the AFCAD, to users willing to do it ?

We'll obviously update the AFCAD in upcoming updates of the scenery, that doesn't mean we shouldn't assists who wants to do it himself.

[mozart]

I have no problems updating the AFCAD myself, as long as what comes with the package isn't too "basic". I didn't have issues with previous airports, the Honolulu one I found a bit lacking gates on the cargo, GA and military tarmacs. But other than that, things are very well done: taxiways, hold points, starting points, etc. - thumbs up.

BUT: what I like less is that modifiying the AFCAD is made more complex than neeeds to be. If it was, like in the past, a simple AF2 file which can be modified in AFCAD or AFX without any problems, fine. This one however is more complex: I used AFX to modify the AFCAD (as Lee Swordy's AFCAD application wouldn't work). What had to be done is to save this in a separate scenery folder, *not* with other self-edited AFCADs in the Addon Scenery/scenery folder, and of course *not* in the FSDT/Honolulu folder. What is more, after adding gates with AFX, the newly added taxi lines showed up in the FSDT scenery. Not optimal I'd say.

In any case, I hope for an update to be provided by FSDT which has waaaay more gates. Which would leave to me the job to change airline assignments, and nothing more.

So long

mozart

[virtuali]

I used AFX to modify the AFCAD (as Lee Swordy's AFCAD application wouldn't work). What had to be done is to save this in a separate scenery folder, *not* with other self-edited AFCADs in the Addon Scenery/scenery folder, and of course *not* in the FSDT/Honolulu folder.

As I've said already, we don't know how AFX works and its eventual issues.

Using the free ADE, which now supports both FSX and FS9, there are no issues opening our AFCAD, modifying it, then saving back over it with the same name on the same folder.

What is more, after adding gates with AFX, the newly added taxi lines showed up in the FSDT scenery. Not optimal I'd say.

This is not obviously a "problem" of our AFCAD or the scenery. This is valid with editing any AFCAD that made for a scenery that already has custom taxilines: you need to add taxiways without any visible elements, no side lines, no center line, no lights. This is done very easily in every AFCAD editor I know of.

In any case, I hope for an update to be provided by FSDT which has waaaay more gates. Which would leave to me the job to change airline assignments, and nothing more.

We can't obviously have more gates than in real life, or just invent gates when there are none. And, of course, note that sometimes is not really possible to have all gates because, in particularly crammed positions, with two gates very close to each other. In real world, they'll never operate at the same time, but Flight sim is not so smart so, they'll just create traffic hiccups and other problems so, only one parking should normally be choosen in these situations.

I agree the GA and Cargo/Military areas have plenty of room for adding new gates, but not so much the main airline terminals.

[mozart]

But re: "inventing gates": I think noone would ask you to "invent" gates. But I am not sure you'll manage to convince people like me that there are only - what? five? six? gates over at Hickham AFB. The gates at the terminal are complete, the hard stands close to the terminal are about 30% complete, and there is no GA parking. So in the case of HNL this is not a case of inventing gates where there aren't any. What I did in my edit was to put gates where they really do exist. I looked at aerodrome parking charts before doing that.

[virtuali]

As I've said:

I agree the GA and Cargo/Military areas have plenty of room for adding new gates, but not so much the main airline terminals.

[Tom C]

In any case, I hope for an update to be provided by FSDT which has waaaay more gates. Which would leave to me the job to change airline assignments, and nothing more.

I don't understand how FSDT can add more gates to a scenery that is pretty much like the real Airport looks.

I personally don't see the need for them anyway, I have my AI running at 100%, with flightplans for every Airline that operates to PHNL and I have plenty room for them all.
Yes, the GA and Cargo side can be a little cramped at times, but I can and have modified the ADE/AFCAD to suit everything I have installed for the place and again have plenty of room for them all.

[mozart]

In any case, I hope for an update to be provided by FSDT which has waaaay more gates. Which would leave to me the job to change airline assignments, and nothing more.

I don't understand how FSDT can add more gates to a scenery that is pretty much like the real Airport looks.

Maybe there's a misunderstanding here. When you say "gates", you may mean "airbridges" or "jetways". When I (and others here) say "gates", we mean "stands" (=a place where a plane parks and shuts off the engines). That stand may or may not have airbridges/jetways.

In the case of PHNL, FSDT has correctly modelled all the stands with an airbridge. No problem. However, they have left out many "hard stands" (=stands with no air bridge) on the tarmac opposite the interisland terminal, almost all the stands at Hickham AFB, a number of cargo stands, and all GA stands.

Thus, the answer to your question is: they can "add gates" by adding to the AFCAD files parking stands (called "gates" in AFCAD language) at places where they exist in reality.

I personally don't see the need for them anyway, I have my AI running at 100%, with flightplans for every Airline that operates to PHNL and I have plenty room for them all.
Yes, the GA and Cargo side can be a little cramped at times, but I can and have modified the ADE/AFCAD to suit everything I have installed for the place and again have plenty of room for them all.

You obviously have no or only a very unrealistic military AI. Hickham AFB has lots of planes - many more than can fit on the gates provided by the FSDT AFCAD.

As for your pax airlines, I have all of them operating to the real HNL - I agree, they do fit on the FSDT-provided gates. Maybe a couple more hard stands opposite the interisland terminal, but the rest is fine. However I changed the airline assignments, but even that is somewhat of a farce given that HNL gates are common use (still there are repeating patterns).

Cargo - a bit tight indeed

GA - no space

I hope that puts things in perspective

[Tom C]

You obviously have no or only a very unrealistic military AI. Hickham AFB has lots of planes - many more than can fit on the gates provided by the FSDT AFCAD.

Nope, I don't have any MIL Ai installed.
Oops, what's in these shots then http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=2672.0
I checked last night and there was 74 different MIL AI Aircraft in here.

I modified the ADE file for my own use and have something like 85+ parking spots for MIL AI, and they're almost always all full.

[mozart]

You obviously have no or only a very unrealistic military AI. Hickham AFB has lots of planes - many more than can fit on the gates provided by the FSDT AFCAD.

Nope, I don't have any MIL Ai installed.
Oops, what's in these shots then http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=2672.0
I checked last night and there was 74 different MIL AI Aircraft in here.

I modified the ADE file for my own use and have something like 85+ parking spots for MIL AI, and they're almost always all full.

Err.... I don't understand your previous comments then. You said you don't see the need to add additional gates. But now you write that you added gates so as to have 85+ parking spots for MIL AI. So you did see a need to add gates then?

Whatever it is, looks like you got my point.

And your screenshots are wonderful! Bravo

[Tom C]

Err.... I don't understand your previous comments then. You said you don't see the need to add additional gates. But now you write that you added gates so as to have 85+ parking spots for MIL AI. So you did see a need to add gates then?

As you said above, there was a slight misunderstanding.
When I say Gate, I mean contact Gate, ie wither Air Bridge or PAX stairs that are as close to the main terminal as an Air Bridge.

All other forms of parking are Ramp parking spots. That can include Cargo, Military, GA and Airline parking that is linked to the terminal through bus or other means of transfer system, ie not PAX walking distance.

The parking spots you mentioned accross from the Express/Domestic terminal are all Ramp spots therefore by my way of thinking.
The pic below is how I have it now.