Landclass and how it effects what you see

 FOR MY COMPLETE LIST OF HOW TO INSTALL AND SETUP ULTIMATE TERRAIN PRODUCTS, CLICK HERE:  

 http://www.simforums.com/forums/updatedsetup-utx-includes-all-v20-products_topic46147.html

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This information is for anyone who may be looking for answers as to why something may not look right in FSX like a town or mountains, or even an airport pad. There is always the possibility of an error or something that needs to be fixed, or, it may be something that is not repairable because of the way FSX was designed.

However!

What many do not understand or know how to use properly is a LANDCLASS file.

A landclass is a file which contains detailed information about the landscape. What it is zoned for, where towns are located, what type of ground environment is present such as rock, desert, vegetation, etc. You add a landclass file to the FSX scenery database and enable it for the area you are flying. This file is designed to tell FSX what type of ground you are flying over which in turn calls for textures to represent that area.

Here are some popular questions which may help if you are not familiar with landclass and how it works.

Q: Doesn�t FSX have a landclass file already?

A: Yes, it does.

Q: Do I need a payware landclass?

A: No, you can use the default landclass which requires no setup and is booted by default when another landclass is not enabled or present, however, in doing so you are reducing your ability to see much more than the default landclass may provide. GEX will be limited to what the default landclass Microsoft designed, dictates.

Q: If I buy a payware landclass will it fix FSX so it looks like my town?

A: Unknown. Some landclass products have more details than others. One may display your town very well and another not show that town at all.

Q: Do I need more than one landclass, if so WHY?

A: You do not need more than one however if it is your goal to have the most dynamic experience possible with FSX and GEX it is highly recommended you purchase and install more than one so you have a choice in products if the scenery in the area you are flying does not appeal to you.

Q: I thought GEX fixed all that, you mean it doesn�t?

A: GEX will upgrade your experience far past what the default FSX textures can provide. GEX and any other texture replacement product can only function as well, for your personal pleasure, as the landclass installed. Great efforts were taken in developing the GEX Enhanced textures so the default landclass would provide an excellent show however there will always be places in FSX that the default landclass falls quite short in design and therefore it is recommended you have one or more professional landclass products installed so that GEX can provide you with choices in rendering an area.

Q: I have UTX which is a landclass as I understand it. If I have UTX, I don�t need another landclass product, do I?

A: That is up to you. UTX is an excellent product and it provides one of the most detailed urban landclass projects produced however it is targeted at urban areas and as such properly adding and layering other landclass files to the install will increase your show outside of urban developed areas UTX may not cover as well.

Q: You said �layering� a landclass with UTX. What does that mean and how do I do it correctly?

NOTE:

THIS IS FOR ALL VERSIONS OF UTX.

The urban/vegetation layer sandwich for landclass is universal to all UTX releases

A: After installing your secondary landclass files, enter the scenery library through the FSX control panel, locate the landclass files you use and place them in the library list between the following UTX items:

UT LANDCLASS - Urban

LANDCLASS  X <-------------- Place all landclass products between the UTX Urban and Vegetation layers and enable as needed (only ONE)

LANDCLASS  Y <------------------|

LANDCLASS  Z <------------------|

UT LANDCLASS - Vegetation

Click OK and let the database build.

Q: If I am flying and I don�t like an area, can I change it without stopping my flight?

A: Yes. Should you decide an area does not appeal to you and wish to switch landclass without severely interrupting your flight and requiring a reboot, simply do the following:

Click ALT on the keyboard, then on the top menu, select WORLD - SCENERY LIBRARY then scroll down and check the landclass you wish to use and make sure to UNCHECK the any others you are not using. By un-checking them all you will revert to the FSX default landclass.  You may repeat this process until you find a landclass that delivers an appealing view.

Q: Why do I have to enable and disable them� can�t I just enable them all and have them all work?

A: NO. Only enable one landclass for an area at a time. Enabling them all at the same time will not allow them to work correctly. You can enable multiple landclass products if they are all designed for different areas such as one for North America and one for Europe but do not enable more than one in a single area at a time.

Q: What is the best payware landclass available?

A: There is no such thing as �the best�. Where one falls short another will usually pick up. The different landclass product all have their ups and their downs. There is no such thing as the perfect landclass, that is just a fact. If you wish to be sure you are covered its best to have them all, properly layered in with scenery library with UTX and only one enabled at a time as needed for the area you are in.

Q: Is there really that much of a difference? I though GEX made all that work?

A: As mentioned above, GEX replaces the textures with a much higher quality product. The landclass determines where those textures appear, not GEX. Please refer to these threads which demonstrate how much change can take place by switching from one landclass to another.

GEX can not control what the default FSX landclass or any other landclass product tries to generate and the way Microsoft designed the texture layout it is not possible to get a texture replacement to work perfect in every single area of the world at the same time without rebuilding specific areas from scratch, far outside of what a texture replacement does. Therefore a replacement landclass product is highly suggested so you can get the most out of FSX and GEX Enhanced.

Q: Where can I get the different landclass products?

A:

Flight1 carries SceneryTech here: http://www.flight1.com/products.asp?product=sctechna

FSGenesis USA Landclass can be obtained from the FSGenesis website.

XClass can be obtained at the FSCloud9 website

There may be other products available as well.

Happy Flying and enjoy GEX!

Nick - the SceneryTech landclass includes a

'Improved Slope' file called:
lclookup.bgl

that is supposed to optionally go in the the scenery/base folder to replace the original .

Is that recommended?

When I mentioned UTX above it was not in casual passing... I would not fly without UTX and although I have been remiss in getting UTX Canada because I have been busy.. I am going to remedy that today.

UTX puts in place the foundation for the rest of the sim build… and the add-on landclass files fill in the blanks where one may not cover, another will. Mesh places a much more accurate landscape into the sim, and, GEX skins it.

UTX is a very important addition to the sim experience and UTX Europe is right around the corner.

The sim experience is based on building and layering the right 'foundation' add-ons and then applying others to target specifc areas and locations as needed. Great developers such as Holger Sandman and others take into account such add-ons when they design their products and because of that, building your simulated world becomes that much more realistic.

NickN wrote:   SceneryTech is a good landclass however during install it will prompt to install special glacier texture files. These files will OVERWRITE the new GEX Enhanced glacier files. It is recommended you select to NOT install those files when installing SceneryTech, however that is up to you.

I presently have Scenery Tech installed with the special glacier texture files.  May I assume when I install the new GEX NHanced,  that GEX will then overwrite Scenery Tech's and I need do nothing further as long as I dont reinstall Scenery Tech ?

Thanks for all your work Nick - you always go above and beyond the call of duty to help everyone enjoy their flight sim world .

Hello NickN -

Downloading the NEW GEX now - couple of hours left...........

Need some clarification on the Landclass article -

In my scenery file, FSX, my defaults have many entries, many 000 Base and up - ALL checked, along with UTX (in decending order) - UT Waterclass, Object Repositioning, Ground Polygons, USA Water, Usa Rairoads, USA Roads, UT Landclass - Custom, UT Landclass - Urban - THEN, I put SceneryTechLandclass-NA, then UT Landclass - Vegetation, UT Lighting, UT Exclusings for Default Scenery -

QUESTION - What Needs to be checked for Maximum exposure to the new GEX??

Question - Do you "un-check" all of the UT listings or just the Landclass IF you're using SceneryTech Landclass - Or use both???

Question: When I installed SceneryTech LC, It asked to install: "Improved Slope Landclass" AND "Tweaked Heavy Winter Textures" - I UNCHECKED and did not install - These were a little different than the "glaciers" you talked about.  Did I do "right" here.

I just want to have my installation clean as a pin like you and the other fellows.

Thanks so very much for your hard work on this project and of course to Anthony and the others.

cthiggin

Thanks so much NickN

I understand now.  I'm only using SceneryTech - So I'll ignore touching UTX inside of FSX - have only made the changes to UTX that you recommended.

ALL of the rest of the many listings that were checked were FSX Defaults - AND GEX and UTX override those Unless unchecked in Scenery in FSX.

GOT it and thank you..............

Have made one small helio flight with GEX-Enhanced and there are just NO WORDS that will do justice the difference............from my standpoint, it's not about "flying" but "looking" now.  JUST GREAT.

Thanks also for this quick reply.........I have always believed that one of the "greatest gifts" one can pass on is knowledge.......and What a gift you have given us.  Thank you my friend.

cthiggin

bump! 

EXCELLENT ADDITION..    THANK YOU    

The heck with the cave, you keep it coming..  !  

FalconAF wrote: NickN, Just a suggestion.  I spent several of my 25 years in the Air Force as an Instructor ("teacher") and it occurs to me that "inexperienced users" of GEXen and Multiple Landclass addons might run into a problem setting all this stuff up correctly.  It hasn't been addressed above anywhere yet, so.... The "problem" is making sure the multiple Landclass addons are really being added correctly to FSX in the Scenery Library.  For instance: 1.  FS Genesis Landclass comes as a single .bgl file.  In order to use it as a "multiple landclass" addon, you need to create a folder (usually under the FSX "Addon Scenery" folder) with a subfolder called Scenery for the .bgl file.  So the FSX directory would have, "Addon Scenery\FS Genesis USA Landclass\Scenery", with the .bgl file in the "Scenery" folder.   Then in the Scenery Library, you add it by clicking on the "FS Genesis USA Landclass" folder, then add it. 2.  But this is NOT how it will work with the Scenery Tech landclass if the user selects the "default" installation location when installing the Scenery Tech landclass.  The installation will put the landclass in, "FSX\Scenery Tech\Landclass\NA\Scenery".  The .bgl file is 4 folders down in the sub-directory in this case.  In order to add it to the FSX Scenery Library, the user has to select the folder IMMEDIATELY ABOVE the folder where the .bgl file is located...in this case, the "NA" folder.  They can rename the Scenery Library entry at this point so that what shows up as the "title" in the Scenery Library makes sense ("NA" certainly wouldn't), then they add the scenery and are good to go. I'm just thinking that there may be "new FSX users" who aren't all that familiar with working with the Scenery Library, and they may think they have actually added some landclass addons when they haven't (like if they selected the "Scenery Tech" folder above instead of the "NA" folder, then exited the Scenery Library).  This would prevent them from getting the benefits of the landclass and your outstanding textures (and could contribute to forum posts like, "I don't see any difference in the landclass addons!")    Not trying to re-invent the wheel here.  Just want to possibly help out any "new users" who don't have the experience some of us old timer's have with Flight Simulator. FalconAF

Thank you for this information.  I am unclear about renaming folders:  Is it ok to rename the "NA" folder to whatever I want (I would name it ST USA or something like that)?  Renaming it won't keep something else from recognizing it, right?

-J

NickN wrote:     Renaming the LC folder is not an issue as LONG as you do it BEFORE you enable it in the scenery library...   in other words, delete the LC from the scenery library, rename the folder to what ever you like and then add it back to the library and let it build

What I did is;  add area, select the "NA" folder, then name the area scenery tect usa.  So the folder is unmodified but in the scenery library I see what I called it when I added it?

When you add the area there is a field for naming it.  Thanks Nick.

-Jim

edit:  I'll post a screenshot.

I named it where you see the red oval.

And just to make sure that is all clear, if you already have an entry in the Scenery Library list, you can highlight the entry with your mouse, then click the "Edit" button on the Scenery Library window, and then rename it.  FSX will regenerate the new name in the scenery.cfg file, reload the scenery, etc.  There is no need to delete anything.

You are only renaming the ENTRY name in the Scenery Library list (it is called the "Scenery Area Title")...it doesn't change the folder name where your scenery is located on your hard drive.  Use this to your advantage.  Make the Scenery Library entry name something that will allow you to KNOW exactly what that scenery is, does, etc. 

MJDykas wrote: Ok, my brain is fried now,

Heh - heh!  That can happen.  Let's help you out some. 

MJDykas wrote: I am to install UTX/USA/Canada......check for patches....reboot and let the dust settle

Yes.  Install UTX/USA/Canada.  Apply any patches for it, remembering to run the "Prepare for Updates" part of UTX before doing each patch.  THEN, after the last patch, use the setup portion of UTX to choose which stuff you want to use in it (road types, lights, water, etc).  This loads any scenery and textures relevent to UTX.  THEN reboot computer (not really required, but not a bad idea).

MJDykas wrote: Here is where I get a little confused....  .should I then create FSX\Scenery Tech\Landclass\NA\Scenery ...folders  and then rename the NA folder to something like STNALC and install the scenery tech software to the STNALC folder?    Or do I just let her rip on a normal just run the exe install

This is where you can have much more control over using your scenery in FSX.  And managing files on your computer's hard drive.  Once you understand how the Scenery Library in FSX works, you have numerous options.

1.  Install Scenery Tech North America Landclass to it's "default" location:  This puts it in the FSX directory.  Folder will be "Scenery Tech\Landclass\NA\scenery".  The "scenery" folder has the .bgl landclass file in it.  If this is the ONLY North America landclass addon you added to FSX, then FSX will automatically use it, and you don't need to do anything else.  But this is not the best way to do it.  It "bloats" your FSX directory, and after adding numerous other addons that also make their own installation folders, makes your FSX directory hard to determine what was "original" and what was "added" sometimes.  There's an optional way to do it.

2.  Create a folder on your hard drive OUTSIDE of the main FSX folder.  I call mine "FSX ADDONS".  I created separate directories under that called "FEX", "GEX", "Scenery Tech", etc.  Install the individual products for each one into it's own folder here.  (NOTE:  Some addons will not allow you to do this, as they won't work if they aren't actually installed to the FSX main folder.  But for FEX, GEX, and Scenery Tech, it is OK).  Now, for the Scenery Tech North America addon...after it is installed, DON'T change the folder name(s) it installed to.  Not that it would hurt anything if you did...you just don't NEED to.  Start FSX and go to the Scenery Library.  Click the "ADD" button to add a new "Scenery Area".  Browse to the Scenery Tech "NA" folder...the window will show the subfolder "scenery" below it.  Even though that is where the .bgl file is, you still "select" the "NA" folder (one level above the location of the folder where the .bgl file is).  When you do this, you get the option to enter a name for the "Scenery Area Title" in the box below.  THIS is the name of the Scenery Area that will show up in the Scenery Library list.  Make it anything you want...something that will let you know in the future EXACTLY what it is.  It does NOT change any folder names on your hard drive.  I called mine "Scenery Tech Landclass NA North America".  This let's me know it Landclass for North America (I include the "source folder" reference in my entries for convenience only...the "NA"...but I could always find the source folder in the future by just clicking the "EDIT" button in the Scenery Library and it would take me to the window that shows where it is located on my hard drive).  Once the "Scenery Area Title" is entered into the Scenery Library list, just move it to where you want it in the list to affext it's "priority level" in FSX.  Then click "OK", and FSX will rebuild the scenery.cfg file to reflect the changes.  You are good to go.

Note that if you purchased additional Scenery Tech Landclass products (Europe, Asia, etc), you would install them the same way.  You would end up with a Scenery Tech folder structure on you hard drive like this:

Scenery Tech

     Landclass

          AS (for Asia)

               scenery (.bgl file)

          EU (for Europe)

               scenery (.bgl file)

          NA (your North America)

               scenery (.bgl file)

You would add the AS and EU landclass to your FSX Scenery Library the same way you did for the NA one.

MJDykas wrote: FEX or any other enhancement is not a problem..... Last install the GEX program

Yup.  Remember, to help keep things "organized" for your own reference, you can install these ANYWHERE you want on your hard drive.  For instance, my "FSX ADDON" folder structure looks like this:

FSX ADDONS

     FEX

     GEX

     Scenery Tech

     FS Genesis FSX USA Landclass

          scenery (.bgl file for FSX FS Genesis landclass is placed here)

     (Additional separate folders for EACH additional separate addon I installed, as applicable)

BIG NOTE HERE:  You will NOT be adding the FEX and GEX stuff to your FSX Scenery Library.  They are "textures", not "scenery".  The FSX Scenery Library can do NOTHING with them.  So don't try.  You use the FEX and GEX program interfaces themselves to "install" or "remove" their textures to\from FSX.

MJDykas wrote: I also have the FSGenesis FSX land class......and that would be done by the same technique as the scenery tech install......correct ?   Should it go into something like this  FSX/ ADDON SCENERY/ FSGXLC/SCENERY with the last scenery folder actually having the BGL file in it. That way I can activate it or de activate it at my choice?

Basically, yes.  But you again have several options here.  You could create the folder in the FSX\Addon Scenery folder, then add it to the Scenery Library.  Or, you could create a folder for the FS Genesis Landclass under your (my) "FSX ADDONS" folder just like I did above.  I prefer my way, only because again the addon is "outside" the main FSX folder (keeps it uncluttered), PLUS has an additional advantage that if you ever have to RE-INSTALL FSX, you don't have to re-install all the addon scenery to your hard drive again...it doesn't get removed or deleted during your uninstall of the FSX folder.  Once FSX is re-installed, it is a simple matter to just start FSX, open the Scenery Library, and re-add all the sceneries from the "FSX ADDONS" folder (they never got removed or deleted from your hard drive).  Saves you TONS of time if you ever have to re-install FSX and all the addons you had in it.  And remember...name the "Scenery Area Title" for your Scenery Areas in the Scenery Library to something that makes sense to you for future reference...in this case I called my FS Genesis one "FS Genesis FSX USA Landclass"...which is significantly different than the Scenery Tech "North America" one.  FS Genesis landclass only covers the USA...Scenery Tech NA landclass covers the entire North American continent (includes Canada, etc).  So when you start "disabling or enabling" separate sceneries in the Scenery Library, you know exactly what your results will be.

Just think of it this way...the FSX Scenery Library is a "tool" that you can use to "point" FSX to locations of addon scenery anywhere on your computer.  After you add the scenery to the Scenery Library list, you can then "move it Up or Down" in the list.  This determines the addon's "priority level" when FSX uses it.  FSX doesn't care WHERE it is on your hard drive.  I NEVER add ANYTHING to the default "FSX\Addon Scenery\scenery" folder.  It will become a massive mess after a while.  Plus you can't "prioritize" any scenery in the default "Addon Scenery\scenery" folder, because everything is in that one scenery folder, and the FSX Scenery Library has the one "Addon Scenery" folder already in it's Scenery Library list.  Putting stuff in the Addon Scenery\scenery" folder will eventually cause you heartache, 'cos sooner or later you are going to want to delete something from FSX, and you'll have no idea what files from the "Addon Scenery\scenery" folder to remove and which ones to leave there.  Make separate folders for ALL you addon sceneries if they will allow you to do so.  For instance, many AFCAD readme files say to just dump the .bgl into the "Addon Scenery\scenery" folder.  Don't do it!  Make a SEPARATE folder OUTSIDE FSX...call it something like "FSX AFCAD Files\Scenery"...and put your AFCADs in it (the "Scenery" subfolder).  Then use the FSX Scenery Library to add that folder to the FSX Scenery Library list.  Then you can move it anywhere you want to in the Scenery Library.  And you won't have to manually "re-install" all those separate AFCADs again from their original downloads if you ever have to re-install FSX.    

MJDykas wrote: Thx for listening

No problem.  Hope I helped out in any way (and maybe saved Nick's fingers a little typing time). 

Rick 

OK...reference my "Yes, you can use the FSX Scenery Library to manage Terrain Mesh Addons too..." post above, here is how you can do it.

But first....I want to possibly apologize in advance to the GEX forum if this is an inappropriate post for this thread or this forum.  I am doing it ONLY to possibly help new FSX users get a better understanding of FSX and how it can be "manipulated".  In the long run, a better understanding of FSX in general will contribute to understanding how GEX, FEX, and UTX (all Flight1 products) can be used by the end user.  Education is a wonderfull thing...I'm just trying to contribute to the FS Community with this post.

This post will be rather long, with numerous screencaps.  I hope they help.  And as always, these are only ALTERNATIVE ways to manage FSX and scenery addons.  DISCLAIMER:  USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.  Although nothing here SHOULD mess up your FSX installation, it is always possible to "miss a step" when placing addons in other than their "default" locations, which COULD cause problems in the use of the addon or FSX itself.

------------------------------------------------

I am going to use the FS Genesis FSX Terrain Mesh addon as the example during this "tutorial".  I can NOT guarantee these steps will work with other third-party terrain mesh addons.

1.  UNDERSTANDING TERRAIN MESH IN FSX

FSX divides the world into "segments" (boxes) that are numbered.  The picture below is from the FS Genesis website, showing these "numbered segments" for the North American portion of FSX.  FS Genesis Terrain Mesh (which is "scenery") uses .bgl files ("scenery files") that are named to match these scenery locations (and the numbered segments for the REST of the world not shown in the below picture). 

Your FSX installation has a "Scenery" folder, with subfolders that are numbered with the same numbers appearing for the "segments" shown above (and the rest of the world).  Note FSX divides the world into segements using numbers from "0000" to "1107".  Not ALL numbers between 0000 and 1107 have their own folder under the Scenery folder (don't worry about that for now).  You can see the list of folders by viewing your FSX\Scenery directory and scrolling down the Scenery folder list.  Note also that there are OTHER folders after the numbered ones.  Some are FSX installed folders, and some others might be there for any addons you added to FSX, like the Ultimate Terrain X addons (don't worry about these for now either).  Example picture below: 

When you use the FS Genesis Terrain Mesh Automatic Installer and choose the "default" installation location, it places Terrain Mesh .bgl files in the appropriate numbered FSX\Scenery subfolders for the geographic location of the Terrain Mesh files.  For instance, the picture below shows that it would add numerous .bgl files to the FSX\Scenery\0101 folder for that part of the world.  (NOTE:  The picture below shows the folder structure in MY addon folder where I installed the Terrain Mesh on MY computer.  It is NOT in the default FSX\Scenery folder.  But the "folder structure" is the same in FSX if you choose the "default" FS Genesis installation location).

When you run the installer, the FIRST location it tells you it will install the Terrain Mesh is your FSX\Scenery folder.  But note it ALSO tells you that you can "change" this later during the installation if you want to.

A few windows later, you get this screen where you can actually tell it to install the Terrain Mesh to a different folder...one you created OUTSIDE the main FSX directory.

What you can do is create a different folder, outside the main FSX folder, then point the installer to that folder.  As the picture below shows, I have a "Flight Simulator X Addons" folder for many of my addons.  I created a "FS Genesis FSX Terrain Mesh" sub-folder under it, pointed the installer to it, and it installed all the Terrain Mesh there, using the same folder structure that exists in FSX.  Note that each numbered folder 0000 - 1107 will have it's own "scenery" sub-folder, with the appropriate .bgl files in it for the geographic location.

At this point, you do NOT have the Terrain Mesh installed in FSX yet.  What you DO have though now is the ability to MANAGE it in FSX using the FSX Scenery Library.  Once you add it to the Scenery Library, you can "Enable" or "Disable" it, or "move it UP or DOWN" priority-wise in the Scenery Library and FSX. You could NOT do this if you placed it in the default FSX\Scenery folder structure using the default installation location.

So...you have to add it to the FSX Scenery Library.  BUT...there is a problem yet.  Because the Scenery Library requires that you select the folder IMMEDIATELY ABOVE any "scenery" folder where the scenery .bgl files are located, you would have to make MANY, MANY, separate "adds" to the Scenery Library...one for EACH numbered folder 0000 - 1107.  That would just plain suck!    There's a better way.

Create a "consolidated" folder...ONE folder...with a "scenery" subfolder...and place ALL the .bgl files from ALL the separate scenery sub-folders in the new scenery sub-folder.  The picture below shows how I did it.  I created a new folder called, "RICKS CONSOLIDATED FSG_FSX TERRAIN MESH" folder, with a "scenery" subfolder under it.  Now comes the time-consuming part (but you won't regret doing it later if you ever have to perform a re-install of FSX!  ).  Open up EACH of the numbered folders 0000 - 1107, go to it's "scenery" subfolder, and COPY all the .bgl files there to your new "Consolidated" scenery subfolder.  TAKE CARE in doing this.  You want to make sure you get them ALL into the new scenery sub-folder, or you will end up missing some of the Terrain Mesh in FSX.  A NOTE HERE:  I have all 4 DVD's of the FS Genesis FSX Terrain Mesh, so I ended up with 125 .bgl files in my "consolidated" scenery folder.  YOUR number of files may be less if you don't have all 4 FS Genesis FSX Terrain Mesh addons.  All four consist of:

North America USA East

North America USA West

North America Canada and Mexico

World Terrain Mesh

When you get done, the folder will look like this (depending on what FSG Terrain Mesh products you installed).  NOTE:  The "right pane" has the files sorted by the "Date Modified" column, with the "earliest" date at the top.  If you have ANY files dated PRIOR to 10/15/2006, you can DELETE them.  Per the FS Genesis Forum, earlier files are "beta" and aren't needed anymore.  Check the FS Genesis Forum for a post about "Layering Terrain Mesh Files" if you want more info.    

ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE HERE:  FS Genesis has begun releasing "updates" to some of the scenery .bgl files.  These updates correct the problem with airports being "elevated" because of the way FSX handles terrain mesh (the problem where an airport will have a "cliff" on some sides of it).  You can download these updated .bgl files from the FS Genesis website if you have already purhased the product (they are the "version 2" files of the .bgl's, and are a continuing "work in progress"...only a few are available now, but eventually ALL of them will be updated).  You have to "install" these into FSX.  They REPLACE current FS Genesis files youwill already have.  The "readme" files that come with them ASSUME you installed the FS Genesis .bgl's to the DEFAULT location in FSX, and tell you to place them in the FSX\Scenery 0000 - 1107 scenery sub-folders.  If you have created a "consolidated" scenery sub-folder like above, install them to THAT folder and let them replace them THERE...or you are gonna have a problem with your terrain mesh working right.  It is ALSO a good idea to install them to the ORIGINAL numbered scenery sub-folders from the install of the terrain mesh...the folders you COPIED all the .bgl files from.  This is the ONLY way to make sure that all your .bgl's will agree with each other. (I hope that made sense).

OK...only one more step remaining!    Start FSX, go to the Scenery Library, and ADD the "consolidated" FS Genesis scenery folder to the Library.  There is only ONE "scenery" folder for it all now, so select the folder IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THAT SCENERY FOLDER, then give it a "Scenery Area Title" for the Scenery Library list.  I called mine "Consolidated FS Genesis FSX Terrain Mesh" (imagine that!  ).  Move it anywhere you want in the "Priority" of the Scenery Library, as LONG as you keep it ABOVE the default Terrain Mesh that comes with FSX.  A good place to "put" it is just below the "Addon Scenery" entry.  That way, if you ever add any OTHER scenery (freeware or payware) that has it's OWN Terrain Mesh, you can place THAT addon ABOVE the "Addon Scenery" entry, and it will be used instead of the FS Genesis Terrain Mesh.  Note this is how you can use MULTIPLE Terrain Mesh products in FSX.  Layer them accordingly, then "Enable" or "Disable" them, just like the discussion for doing that with Landclass was all about at the start of this forum post.

Why bother doing any of the above at all with the Terrain Mesh addons?

1.  If you installed the FS Genesis Terrain Mesh in the default FSX\Scenery folder, then delete FSX for a re-install, it's "Bye -Bye FS Genesis Terrain Mesh".  You would have to re-install ALL the terrain mesh from scratch again.  The above way let's you remove\re-install FSX (and who hasn't had to do THAT at least once already?  ), then simply "ADD" the entire "consolidated" terrain mesh folder back to the FSX Scenery Library when you are ready. Saves LOTS of time if you ever have to do it.

2.  Keeps your FSX folder "less cluttered" and easier to manage.

3.  Allows greater flexibility in the use of addons that "duplicate" each other, like Landclass and Terrain Mesh.  For instance, if you ever wanted to try a different Terrain Mesh product (or remove the FS Genesis Terrain Mesh to use the default FSX Terrain Mesh again), you can simply "Disable" the entire FS Genesis Terrain Mesh folder in the Scenery Library (which would give you the default FSX mesh back again), then install a different Terrain Mesh product the same way in the Scenery Library, "Enable" it, and try it out.  You could do NONE of these things if the FS Genesis Terrain Mesh was installed to it's "default" FSX\Scenery folder location in FSX.  The only option you would have would be to UNINSTALL the entire FS Genesis Terrain Mesh product from FSX. 

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I hope the above will have been "educational" for any FSX users who might benefit from it.  The more you learn and understand how all the different parts of FSX "work together", the more flexibility you have with using it.

CAVEAT:  Although I have tried to ensure all the information above is accurate, there is always the possibility that I may have had an "elder moment" while typing\reviewing it before hitting the "post message now" button.    If anyone finds any "errors" or "omissions" in it, PLEASE feel free to post a correction notification.  I will update it as required.  Also, if you still have ANY questions about it (I do make "assumption" errors sometimes, even when trying to type things like this at the "for a complete newbie" level), just ask.  I'll be glad to try and clarify anything that might still be confusing to you.

Best Regards

Rick

(FalconAF)

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EDIT ("elder moment") #1 - Something I forgot.  Remember I had you COPY all the .bgl files to a new "consolidated" folder?  That means you now have TWO instances of all the .bgl files on your hard drive.  And they are VERY, VERY big files in some cases.  If both folders are still on the same drive (especially if they are both on the same drive FSX is on!), you really want to get at least ONE of them off that drive.  There is no reason to have "duplicate" files on your FSX drive...it just reduces the "free space" on the drive, and can slow down FSX.  Consider moving at least ONE of the sets of duplicate files to another hard drive partition, or even better, to an external hard drive if you have one.  I would NOT put the "consolidated" folder on an external hard drive, as this could slow down FSX due to access times (depending on your hardware setup).  When I wrote the tutorial above, I had copied my "FS Genesis FSX Terrain Mesh" folder back to the same drive where my "consolidated" folder is located.  I did that ONLY for the ease of taking screencaps to show you the two folders at the same time in one picture.  I am going to put that "FS Genesis FSX Terrain Mesh" original installation folder back on another hard drive now, to get it off the main FSX hard drive and free up a lot of space again.

EDIT ("elder moment"  ) #2 - If you already have the FS Genesis FSX Terrain Mesh installed to the default FSX location, UNINSTALL it first before doing any of the above.  If you don't, the uninstall pointers in your "Start, All Programs, FS Genesis" entry in your "Start" menu won't be able to automatically uninstall the original installation.  The files will remain in your default FSX\Scenery folder, and you will have to manually remove them (which will be a royal pain in the *ss!).  Sorry about forgetting to mention the uninstall.  If you DID do what I recommended in the tutorial above WITHOUT uninstalling the FS Genesis Terrain Mesh from the default installation, you can find the files to remove from FSX by doing a "Search" for *FSG* in your FSX folder (use the "asterik" at each end of FSG...it will find all instances of any filename with "FSG" in it).  It should list the location of all the FS Genesis .bgl's that are still in your FSX\Scenery 0000 - 1107 scenery sub-folders, then you can delete them that way. 

Rick       

Wow, Rick -- that is the best tutorial I have ever seen on manipulating terrain mesh.  Much obliged for taking the time to spell it all out.  I trust the moderators will forgive you, knowing what a useful educational service you have provided to their customers.

I will study the details and proceed.  Thanks again!

John

Rick, that is actually happening for me again, thanks to UTX and GEX.  Those products (plus landclass and mesh addons) have made FSX truly come alive.  I am blown away every time I explore a new area and see features that are recognizable and realistic.  Just finished a run all the way down the Green River to the Colorado and could not get over the experience.

John