[Plib-users] .MDL problems

[Wolfram K. <w_...@rz...>]

This is an answer to an E-Mail several of us got.

=46irst of all Dave, you are right that you shouldn't
send mails with attachments to the list.
The normal thing to do as long as one doesn't know the developers=20
is IMHO to ask on the list and send the asttachment to the people=20
that request it. This week (starting tomorrow) I will be out of=20
town 3 days, but apart from that you can send questions with=20
attachments to me.=20

>I downloaded the Windows binary of PPE (Version 0.0.1=20
>pre-pre-Alpha from ppewinbin.zip) since I wanted to do a=20
>few quick touchups to a Microsoft Flight Simulator MDL file. =20
>I was unable to do the touchups.

Your main problem is that PPE can't save as .MDL, it can=20
only load .MDL. You have to save as, for example .AC or .OBJ
or .FLT and would then need a converter.=20
Thomas Sevaldrud (sp?) has one in the works, see=20
http://home5.swipnet.se/~w-50954/hv/mdl/dxf2mdl.htm
You may E-Mail him to ask.
I can also try to dig out the old forum post, but this=20
will take some time.

Also, there was at least one person on the aircraft=20
development forum at www.flightsim.com, but I don't think=20
there is a mature one.

Now to your questions:

>1. I could not save (see 'no save.bmp' and ppe_output.txt)

Saving as .MDL doesn't work. You can see all supported formats here:

http://plib.sourceforge.net/ssg/non_class.html

>2. Parts of the plane get cutoff while rotating it until I=20
>select 'Make Everything Visible' (see 'before cutoff.bmp'=20
>and 'after cutoff.bmp')

Yes, thats normal. That's what 'Make Everything Visible' is for.
But sometimes you want to either view only a small part (for example=20
front wheel) or want to look into things (for example fuselage).

>3. Is there a keyboard shortcut to switch between 'Move Camera'=20
>and 'Move' mouse modes?  It would be nice for all options to=20
>have keyboard shortcuts.

I think 'c'. I have a three button mouse and therefore almost
never go into camera mode. With the middle mouse button,
you can rotate the camera around the object.

>4. The cursor position indicator does not change.

Strange. Probably you are not in the correct mode.

>5. I could not align the axis between two vertices=20
>(see 'no axis alignment.bmp')

I don't really understand this. But we know there are still=20
lots of modelling functions missing.

>I get approximately 9 fps without texture and 3 fps=20
>with texture while zoomed into the plane in the bitmaps. =20
>Does this seem slow for my computer?

Which model do you edit? How large is the .MDL / how many=20
trias does it have (open structure window, click on highest=20
level node, look into console).

>How do I know PPE is using the right OpenGL driver=20
>(nvopengl.dll not Glu32.dll)? =20

I had this in PPE once, but I think only locally. There=20
is a preogram to test it, its part of the flightgear=20
binaries, maybe someone will send it to you or has a link.

>How do I maximize performance?

With the defualt_binsdings.py from my home page

http://wolfram.kuss.bei.t-online.de

simply press F8.

>7. Is rendering using wireframe with hidden=20
>lines possible?

Yes. There is a widget in the main window.
Sorry, I am out of time!

>8. Should I be using (or compiling) a different version=20
>of PPE that is more stable and/or a different OS (I use=20
>RedHat Linux 7.0 too)?

No.

>9. What other freeware/shareware graphical editors could=20
>I use for Microsoft Flight Simulator MDL files?

None.=20
Commercial, there is FSDS, but I don't know whether it reads .MDL

Bye bye,
Wolfram.