Afd ?

[Jean Bomber]

Hi all !

I have a MTO scenery for CFS2 and some airfields completed but no time due to my job ,to upload them safely so I'll wait September for it and also when SOH site will be more stable for upL ,there is no emergency, so i'm making the "finitions" part quietly and I would like to make these airfields usable in radio location, in AFD mode .
I've edited some afd bgl with fssc but I've a CTD if I simply use them directly in the scenery folder .:mix-smi:
My request is: What are the process in fssc or the scasm and airbases text modification needed to use this function in CFS2 ?

thanks

JP

 

[MaskRider]

JP, I am not sure I understand. Do you mean you want to add NDBs to your airfields?

 

[Jean Bomber]

Ndb !

JP, I am not sure I understand. Do you mean you want to add NDBs to your airfields?

It's perhaps, surely that .... ...I though there was a link with the afd.bgl generated with fssc and the NDBs etc,and why the CTD ? ....I've not the knowlendge and don't know the exact definitions of these terms used :isadizzy:....to resume I would like for these airfields use the radio location function to guide the flight by night bad weather smog etc....even if never use them myself ...but i want complete these airfields with all the facilities that could be possible .....
The refueling function could be cool too .....I've certainly many things to learn about all of that and i make some confusions with the terms ....

JP

 

[MaskRider]

I have zero idea why you would be getting a CTD. LOL!

But I can instruct about NDBs: how to install them into scenery and how to use them while in flight.

Using FSSC it is very simple to add NDBs (non directional beacons) to airfields.

I put an NDB right in the middle of the runway on all MR airfields. That way, if I know the heading of the runway and I am tracking the NDB signal then when the NDB signal direction equals the runway heading turning into the NDB signal will line up the aircraft with the runway. Sort of a poor mans' ILS set up. Of course heading right down the NDB beam will bring you directly to the airfield. But you probably will not be lined up with the runway when you get there.

I keep a running list of the NDB frequencies I use and usually try to use the real world ICAO or IATA ID for the airfield if it exists. In the Pacific, many of the old WWII airfields have no present day ID so I just make one up. Traditionally the range of an NDB signal was no more than 30 - 50 miles. I always set mine to 200- sometimes 250. The PTO contains many more empty miles of ocean and jungle than the ETO/MTO.

As for tracking the NDB signal, I know of no way of doing it other than adding a couple of special gauges to the panels of my planes. Which I did long ago.

The basic 4 gauges required are:

1. Radio AP (auto Pilot) gauge: allows you to dial in and hold your altitude and hold your dialed in course.
2. Compass: Dial in your course here.
3. ADF radio gauge (Automatic Direction Finder): this is the gauge you use to dial in the frequency of the NDB signal you want to track.
4. ADF Slaved gauge: this is a compass that is slaved to the direction of the NDB frequency and indicates the course to steer.

The 4 gauges outlined in red are all you need to create a very simple NDB AutoPilto panel window.

I have to go right now but feel, free to follow up with questions.

Chris

 

[MaskRider]

Ooops. WRT Refueling areas. Refueling areas are also easy to add using FSSC.

I always have at least one per airfield usually 2: one for the land based aircraft and another alongside a nearby beach for the FB type aircraft.

I always un-check the "yellow line" around the refueling area option but leave the red pump box option checked.

Put them someplace where they can be easily spotted. I always put a menu entry start point at each refueling area, too.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[Jean Bomber]

Thanks Chris for this instructive reply ,I've discoverd the NDB object in FSSC..
"....free to follow up with questions."

have you a link for download these gauges?
how we must install them for use with a plane ?

"Ooops. WRT Refueling areas. Refueling areas are also easy to add using FSSC.

I always have at least one per airfield usually 2: one for the land based aircraft and another alongside a nearby beach for the FB type aircraft.

I always un-check the "yellow line" around the refueling area option but leave the red pump box option checked."
How do you do it in FSSC ?

sorry

, in some aspects i 'm a complete newbie

JP

 

[MaskRider]

I have a little pack I can send to you. BTW, the compass gauge is just the compass from the stock Corsair. You might already have all of the others, too, and just not aware of it.

The first thing I do whenever I get a new plane that I decide to keep is add a "NavAP" window to the panel. I then put the panel into my "aircraft/aircraft panels" folder and alias to it. Then I can use the same panel for other AC of the same model.

My standard NAVAP window includes all 8 of the gauges shown in the screenie. But you can easily get by with just the 4. The gauge in the upper left is the ACS-GPS gauge. That is a whole other story.

I use Ed Struzynski's FS Panel Studio to edit panels. It is payware but I think there may be a freeware version- cfgedit- still floating around that serves the purpose, too.

Here is the link to the FS Panel Studio web site:

http://www.fspanelstudio.com/

WRT Fuel Areas:
Adding fuel areas in the old version of FSSC that I still use- Version 1.2.15- is much more straight forward than in the newer versions. The latest version I have installed is version 1.5.11. The following steps apply to Version 1.5.11 but should be pretty close for whatever the latest version is.

TO ADD A FUEL AREA: right click anywhere in the FSSC work area -> double click on "Macros" -> choose "Fuel Area" -> click on the "Parameters" tab -> set parameters accordingly. The "pump" will always be on the left one of the area's two sides running parallel to the direction of orientation.

All for now. I think.
Chris

 

[MaskRider]

JP- check you PM in box.

Chris

 

[Jean Bomber]

Thanks Chris

for these indications I will copy these to stud them quietly.
I've not tested yet all of that ...and the next question could seem ... ...so ....:

what are exactly the AFD bgls ? what are the domains they command ?
perhaps my CTD was due to a missing ndb object or a refuel macro ...???or perhaps any other reason ....

JP

 

[MaskRider]

Hiya JP,

As far as I know: airport facilities data (?) or AFD files tell CFS2 what it needs to know about the airport: Runway location, runway heading, start position, ISAO if any, elevation, etc., etc..

Here is what the business section of a typical AFD.sca files looks like:

Container( APT 1 )
APLocation( S02:31:21.6000 E133:26:16.2000 4.57 )
ICAO_ID( "IATA" )

RwyLoc( S02:31:20.9538 E133:26:17.0325 4.57 21.0 -2.900391 4261 200 N 2 3 )



SetupLoc( S02:31:39.9525 E133:26:09.7266 4.57 21.0 1 N 2 )
SetupLoc( S02:31:01.9551 E133:26:24.3384 4.57 201.0 1 N 20 )
EndC

Container( NDB 2 )
Navaid( S02:31:20.9538 E133:26:17.0325 4.57 0 0.2690 NDB HIGHALT 0 WASO )
EndC

NameList( 409 )
NameEntry( REGION 0 "Oceania" )
NameEntry( COUNTRY 0 "Dutch East Indies" )
NameEntry( STATE 0 "Irian Jaya" )
NameEntry( NDB 2 "DEI Babo" )
NameEntry( CITY 0 "Babo" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 1 "DEI Babo" )
EndNL

CFS2 comes with its own AFD.bgl named cfs2afd.bgl. Its located in the Combat Flight Simulator 2\SCENEDB\afdfiles\scenery.

Here is what cfs2afd.bgl's decompiled sca file looks like (abreviated):

; ----------------------------------------
; cfs2afd.bgl disassembled by BGLAnalyze (c) on Fri Aug 07 06:08:15 2009

; ----------------------------------------
Header( 1 N28:12:18.86 S15:31:01.79 W177:19:49.74 E134:13:35.72 )
LatRange( S15:31:01.79 N28:12:18.86 )
; since SCASM does not support multiple latitude ranges
; the range has been set to the minimum/maximum latitude.
; LatRange information in the BGL file is given as comment.
; If you want to use band separation, you must edit
; the source file manually.

; Insert the "Set( FSVers 0x800 )" instruction at the beginning
; of the file, if you want to use the FS2002 instructions
; for the facilities section
mif( [$Version < 285] )
Error( You need at least SCASM version 2.85 to compile this code )
mifend

; ----------------------------------------
; AFD Section
; ----------------------------------------
; ----------------------------------------
; Object # 1, offset: 0000A8, size: 192 bytes
; ----------------------------------------
Container( APT 1 )
APLocation( S15:31:01.73 E167:13:27.55 21 )
ICAO_ID( 0001 )
RwyLoc( S15:31:02.28 E167:13:27.35 21
0 0.00 ; true heading, mag.var.
4248 0 ; length, width
0 0 ) ; rwy type, number and surface
SetupLoc( S15:31:21.16 E167:13:27.35 21
0 1 ; heading, type
N 0 ) ; runway type, number
EndC
; ----------------------------------------
; Object # 2, offset: 000168, size: 192 bytes
; ----------------------------------------
Container( APT 2 )
APLocation( S09:25:52.52 E160:02:52.17 17 )
ICAO_ID( 0002 )
RwyLoc( S09:25:52.59 E160:02:51.49 17
0 67.00 ; true heading, mag.var.
4255 0 ; length, width
0 0 ) ; rwy type, number and surface
SetupLoc( S09:26:00.00 E160:02:33.88 17
67 1 ; heading, type
N 0 ) ; runway type, number
EndC
; ----------------------------------------
; Object # 3, offset: 000228, size: 192 bytes
; ----------------------------------------
Container( APT 3 )
APLocation( S09:22:39.07 E147:13:24.67 26 )
ICAO_ID( 0003 )
RwyLoc( S09:22:38.45 E147:13:24.40 26
0 140.00 ; true heading, mag.var.
4255 0 ; length, width
0 0 ) ; rwy type, number and surface
SetupLoc( S09:22:24.00 E147:13:12.10 26
140 1 ; heading, type
N 0 ) ; runway type, number
EndC
; ----------------------------------------
; Object # 4, offset: 0002E8, size: 192 bytes
; ----------------------------------------
Container( APT 4 )
APLocation( S08:41:04.17 E148:24:53.33 0 )
ICAO_ID( 0004 )
RwyLoc( S08:41:03.54 E148:24:53.08 0
0 142.00 ; true heading, mag.var.
4255 0 ; length, width
0 0 ) ; rwy type, number and surface
SetupLoc( S08:40:48.64 E148:24:41.32 0
142 1 ; heading, type
N 0 ) ; runway type, number
EndC
|
|
|
|
V

; ----------------------------------------
; Object # 48, offset: 0023E8, size: 192 bytes
; ----------------------------------------
Container( APT 48 )
APLocation( N18:06:01.45 E145:45:01.75 0 )
ICAO_ID( 0048 )
RwyLoc( N18:06:01.02 E145:45:01.29 0
0 45.00 ; true heading, mag.var.
4068 0 ; length, width
0 0 ) ; rwy type, number and surface
SetupLoc( N18:05:48.23 E145:44:47.87 0
45 1 ; heading, type
N 0 ) ; runway type, number
EndC
; ----------------------------------------
; Object # 49, offset: 0024A8, size: 192 bytes
; ----------------------------------------
Container( APT 49 )
APLocation( N19:17:03.00 E166:39:05.24 0 )
ICAO_ID( 0049 )
RwyLoc( N19:17:02.61 E166:39:04.70 0
0 35.00 ; true heading, mag.var.
4199 0 ; length, width
0 0 ) ; rwy type, number and surface
SetupLoc( N19:16:47.32 E166:38:53.38 0
35 1 ; heading, type
N 0 ) ; runway type, number
EndC
; ----------------------------------------
; Object # 50, offset: 002568, size: 192 bytes
; ----------------------------------------
Container( APT 50 )
APLocation( N24:17:10.27 E153:58:49.70 0 )
ICAO_ID( 0050 )
RwyLoc( N24:17:09.87 E153:58:50.26 0
0 -70.00 ; true heading, mag.var.
4199 0 ; length, width
0 0 ) ; rwy type, number and surface
SetupLoc( N24:17:03.49 E153:59:09.47 0
290 1 ; heading, type
N 0 ) ; runway type, number
EndC
; ----------------------------------------
; Object # 51, offset: 002628, size: 192 bytes
; ----------------------------------------
Container( APT 51 )
APLocation( N28:12:18.83 W177:19:49.74 0 )
ICAO_ID( 0051 )
RwyLoc( N28:12:18.79 W177:19:49.08 0
0 -105.00 ; true heading, mag.var.
4248 0 ; length, width
0 0 ) ; rwy type, number and surface
SetupLoc( N28:12:23.67 W177:19:28.42 0
255 1 ; heading, type
N 0 ) ; runway type, number
EndC

; Namelists
Namelist( 0409 ) ; language
NameEntry( REGION 0 "South Pacific" )
NameEntry( COUNTRY 0 "1940's" )
NameEntry( STATE 0 "CFS II" )
NameEntry( CITY 0 "ALL" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 1 "Espiritu Santo" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 2 "Henderson" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 3 "Port Moresby" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 4 "Buna" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 5 "Munda" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 6 "Vila" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 7 "Salamaua" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 8 "Tsili Tsili" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 9 "Kahili" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 10 "Lae" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 11 "Kieta" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 12 "Gasmata" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 13 "Torokina" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 14 "Buka - New Britain" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 15 "Cape Gloucester" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 16 "Buka" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 17 "Alexishafen" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 18 "Rapopo" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 19 "Vunakanau" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 20 "Lakunai" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 21 "Malaguna" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 22 "Namatanai" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 23 "Wewak" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 24 "Kavieng" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 25 "Hollandia" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 26 "Ocean Island" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 27 "Nauru" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 28 "Tarawa-Bititu I." )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 29 "Emidj" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 30 "Mille" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 31 "Ponape" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 32 "Peleliu" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 33 "Koror" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 34 "Arakabesan" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 35 "Eten" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 36 "Param" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 37 "Babelthuap" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 38 "Moen" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 39 "Taroa" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 40 "Kwajalein" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 41 "Roi" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 42 "Wotje" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 43 "Yap" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 44 "Engebi" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 45 "Guam" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 46 "Tinian" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 47 "Aslito" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 48 "Pagan" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 49 "Wake" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 50 "Marcus" )
NameEntry( AIRPORT 51 "Midway" )
EndNL
; ----------------------------------------
; end of SCASM source

That is all I can say because it is all I know about them. One thing I might add though is that my scenery doesn't contain any separate afd.bgls. I combine the three (not counting any exclude) bgls generated by FSSC into a single airfield bgl.

Cheers, buddy!
Chris

 

[Jean Bomber]

Thanks Chris

"airport facilities data (?) or AFD" even that explains ....

I 've made a copy of the post and I keep it in a fresh area and I will make the tests later....

I've a find a BGLAnalyze for fs2004 and fsx at http://www.scenery.org/
but does this version work for cfs2 ?

Thanks

JP

 

[rhumbaflappy]

Hi Jean.

You need BGLAnalyze 3.1 ( [FONT=verdana, sans-serif]bglana31.zip ), by [/FONT][FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Winfried Orthmann. You can grab it at the AVSIM Library.

Dick
[/FONT]

 

[Jean Bomber]

Thanks Dick ,I 've downloaded it.

JP

 

[dvslats]

One thing I might add though is that my scenery doesn't contain any separate afd.bgls. I combine the three (not counting any exclude) bgls generated by FSSC into a single airfield bgl.

Excuse me for butting in here but, how do you do that? Is it a scasm edit? Just Curious, sounds like a great way to take care of those multiple files.
Dave

 

[MaskRider]

Hiya Dave,

Yeah, its a scasm edit. The header is the same for all three (not counting exclude) bgls (airfield.bgl, airfield_afd.bgl and airfield_a16n.bgl) files generated by FSSC. So, open up the first .sca file and then cut and paste the guts of the other two into the first one. Then save it and use scasm compiler.bat to recompile it.

Yes it really helps reduce the number of bgls per airfield- particularly as you move into G2K scenery where the number of bgls per airfield can really start to add up.

I have never tried combining source (asm) files from G2k. Could get very tricky if it is possible at all.

 

[dvslats]

Just tried it and works like a charm. Thanks

 

[Jean Bomber]

Just tried it and works like a charm. Thanks

I confirm that ,thanks
I've resolved the ctd :In the properties scenery dialog box i'd checked "Français - 40C" when i've choose us english 409 , I've tested and ......
miraculum everything work fine even the fuel box appear ....
fssc don't like french langage....
The AFD seem work except about the heading that is ,for the same airfield ,opposed depending if your are taking off in free flight(90*) or in the MB(270* the same of the airbase.tx )that's is a issue for the seaplane bases for example you take off in the MB in front of the sea and in free flight in front of the port ....that give some acrobatic take off

I hope that a way exist to solve this....
anyway i'm happy to have made some progress in the subject even if to find the solution I've spent, since almost two weeks,some hours on it

JP

 

[Jean Bomber]

The AFD seem work except about the heading that is ,for the same airfield ,opposed depending if your are taking off in free flight(90*) or in the MB(270* the same of the airbase.tx )that's is a issue for the seaplane bases for example you take off in the MB in front of the sea and in free flight in front of the port ....
JP

I think I've the way to resolve this weird position in Free flight,the solution is in this lines in the sca file ,here for the Gibraltar_SP ,a seaplane base

RwyLoc( N36:08:59.1000 W005:21:30.2999 0.0 90.0 4.8 3280 151 N 18 100 ) center of the runway

SetupLoc( N36:08:59.1000 W005:21:49.5583 0.0 90.0 1 N 18 ) take off position in FF ,heading 90*
SetupLoc( N36:08:59.1000 W005:21:11.0415 0.0 270.0 1 N 36 ) take off position in the MB ,heading 270*
1000 in meter is the size of the runway

I've changed the heading 90 to 270 and that have worked and I think
I will hand edit the position in all the afd sca ,for each airbase ,to make them equal in FF and in the MB before to upload the entire scenery
I think that all will be ready for this week

JP

 

[Jean Bomber]

The foot in the glue.....

Hi all !
The foot in the glue was the sensation I had sometimes....
That was not easy and i've not found any logic explaination of these wheirdies take off positions,sometimes the heading was ok and sometimes not ....but when needed I've found with a hand edit in sca txt the result I search .I'm completing now the "read me" and I think I could upload the scenery for the next sunday .


JP

 

[dvslats]

That was not easy and i've not found any logic explaination of these wheirdies take off positions,sometimes the heading was ok and sometimes not ....but when needed I've found with a hand edit in sca txt the result I search . JP

Hello JP,
JapLance and I were having the same problem. The thread... http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?t=21964&highlight=position ... JapLance also noted that from my picture Make 17 was not required. Reversing both lines including lat and long keeps a single aircraft in the center of the runway...a land based runway.

I look forward to seeing your latest project. From what I have seen in your Album, it should be a Jean Bomber Masterpiece.