New 3DCrafter/Old 3DCanvas user

I’ll try to make this short. About 5 years ago, I got 3DCanvas Pro. This past winter, I got a new computer going from a 32bit Win7 Ult to a 64bit Win7 Ult. I could not get my 3DCanvas to work, so I bought the new 3DCrafter Pro. I purchased it thru The Game Creators since I couldn’t get into Amabilis this past weekend. I was sent instructions to download 3DCanvas V6 via <!– m –><a class="postlink" href="http://files.thegamecreators.com/3dcanvas/3DCanvasTGC6510.zip">http://files.thegamecreators.com/3dcanv … GC6510.zip</a><!– m –>. OK, it downloaded OK, but when I went to enter the keycode furnished to me I got a small window saying that the keycode was invalid for 3DC6. I informed Support at The Game Creators and they told me to go to the forum at Amabilis. That’s why I’m here. In the interim, this is what I’ve done. Working on a hunch, I downloaded the freeware version of 3DCrafters. In its Help Menu, I entered the keycode furnished to me. It was accepted. After exiting and restarting 3DCrafters, I noticed that it now said &quot;Professional Version&quot; or something of that sort. There was now a long list of Exports/Imports available. Apparently, the Pro Version was imbedded in the freeware version and was activated by an acceptable keycode. I downloaded the plugins for version 9.1.1 by Paul Gausden. Since I am into FSX scenery, I was desirous of getting export of mdl and x files which were now apparently available. Up to this point, everything was going OK until. . . An exported mdl file shows 0 bytes. 5 years ago, I had this same problem but Paul talked me through it. Incidently, I am 76 years old and my memory isn’t what it used to be. That is, if I don’t use something often, then I lose it. I had to get a temp password just to get into here. Old age sucks! I am creating new scenery for the Sacramento Intl Airport. Big change there is a new terminal that I was making with 3DCanvas. I had to leave that project for almost a year to do other things concerning the scenery file. Seems that now when I got back to using 3DC all my troubles came. Do you think that I now have a valid 3DCrafters Pro? And if so, what am I doing wrong concerning the mdl file? And what happened to the Config file? That is, where is it? Do I still need to make a Placement bgl file? The tutorials I have are a bit dated. Are there new ones that will answer my questions? This all might be a little too much for a thread. MY e-mail is <!– e –><a href="mailto:cline9084@comcast.net">cline9084@comcast.net</a><!– e –> and I’d appreciate any help I can get. I’ve attached what I’ve accomplished so far with the new KSMF terminal using 3DCanvas.

Re my mdl problem. I can download an .x file OK, but still get 0 bytes for the mdl file. I’ve &quot;shifted center&quot;, highlighted the object of interest, saved, all this on a generic cube. I can export all other types of files which have some data volume, but not the mdl file. As with most of my computer problems, the cause is usually simple. I’ve just not found it yet.

BTW, my computer was built by a techi in Washington state,with:
MSI 890FXA-GD70 motherboard
AMD Phenom II X4 Processor
8 GB of RAM
120GB Intel X25-M Sata solid-state drive
1 TB harddrive
ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics card w/1GB CDDRS Memory
750 watt power supply
Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit

A lot more of a machine than I’m used to. And the most complex program I’m involved with is 3DCrafters!!!
Anyway, Paul, hope your busy schedule permits an answer to my problem.

I’ll try and look at what’s happening in more detail later this week.

3DC 8 and higher you need to select everything you want to export instead of just a single object as you did in 3DC 7.

Hold down Ctrl and A and then click a part in the main group before running the export plugin.

Actuallly, reading this again it looks like it can’t locate the XtoMDL.exe program from the FSX SDK – I’ll check the plugin to see what it’s looking for.
Try copying the contents of the folder that contains the xtolmdl.exe into the pluginsimportexport folder.

Is the .X file larger than 0 bytes?

I get an .x file, and it’s quite full. I dragged it onto the XtoMDL.exe (dated 12/10/2007) and while the DOS window was present, noticed a lot of &quot;Warning! Invalid MDL format. Not in triangle lists&quot;. I don’t know what that means.

Paul, Attached pic might help. Seems like no GUID was furnished by the .X file. Which implies that 3DCrafters didn’t furnish it to the X file either. (I was able to bring up the error message in DOS by using &quot;cmd&quot; in Start/Run which gave me the DOS window where I entered the command which was executed and it stayed until I could copy and close it.)

I would need to see the .X file but did you use the standard .X export that comes with Crafter? (that won’t work)

The FSX MDL exporter creates a .X file first then automatically runs XTOMDL.EXE to make the MDL file.

Sorry with the lateness of this reply–I’ll blame in on an eight hour time difference. The X file I used for the xtomdl.exe (from the SDK) was created by a small program called MDLConverterX and I suspect xtomdl was looking for a GUID. While you were sleeping, I tried different methods to get a mdl, x, and a config file generated by 3DC. No luck. Even when I created a generic globe and saved it as a 3dc file, it would not generate the files I wanted to save. Normally, my computer chatters a bit when it is saving a file, but the silence was deafening. When I went to my Work_in_Progress folder, just the 3dc file was there with no newly created files. After getting a bit frustrated, I uninstalled all the 3dc programs (the main 3dc and your plugins). I then reinstalled 3dCrafter9.1 and your 3dc9.1.1 plugins. It also said that I had the freeware version and wouldn’t take the keycodes I had. I was getting nothing but Error 91 notices. Plus an Error 713 (whatever that is). So I uninstalled those and installed 3dcrafters8.20.8144 and your 3dcPlugins827. At least now it shows me having the Pro version, but still no mdl, x, or config files were exported. So I’m back to where I was. I noticed that a bgl file could be exported, but it doesn’t show up in FSX even when I gave, as requested, the lat &amp; long. I can’t get any bgl to xml program to decompile it. I wonder if this is another compatibility issue.

There should be no need for MDLConverterX or running XToMDL directly.

You must use the File-&gt; Export-&gt; Flight Sim X (.MDL) (.X) menu option.
This will pop up a small window with a name and GUID

This will create a correctly formatted .X file and if it can find XToMDL.EXE from the FSX SDK registry entry then it will run that and convert the .X file to .MDL

I would recommend using 9.1.1 if you can – uninstall may have left a few folders behind. Try uninstalling again then deleting the folders in the program files (x86) and My Documents folders.

OK, 3dcrafters8.20.8144 and your 3dcPlugins827 now gives me a mdl, x, and a config file with a GUID. But, the mdl file is still empty. Things are looking up. This is exactly the same thing I had a couple years ago. I know I’m doing something wrong. I highlighted everything up to &quot;group&quot; after shifting center and saving. When I go to save a generic cube in mdl,x, I get a small notice of a GUID. I would guess that I wouldn’t even get an empty mdl file if the xtomdl.exe was corrupt. I’m going back to the SDK to insure that the xtomdl is sound. I have the xtomdl in the Work-in-Progress folder. Is there a preferred location for it? When you refer to using 3dc9.1.1, are you referring to your plugins, or the freeware version of 3dc, or both? What got me into this thread was that I was having trouble getting 3dc9 Pro to work and was referred to this forum by Game Creaters support. I’ll plug along as well as I can. Today is my daughter’s 52nd birthday and I have to show some attention to her (and my wife!) You’re probably heading home from work at this time so I’ll get back to you tomorrow.

By the way, I noticed that when I had your 3dcplugins 9.1.1 loaded, that there was no option for a FltsimX (mdl) (x) export. Your 3dc 827 had it. Also, after I loaded 3dc9, I got Error 91’s and could go no further. That’s why I went and re-installed 3dc 8.2.

I had sent a message earlier, but I apparently forgot to submit it. Basically, I took your advice, uninstalled 3dc8.2 and your plugins 3dc plugins 827 and reinstalled 3dc9 and your 3dcplugins9.1.1. I got error 91 several times and finally went back and reinstalled 3dc8.2 That worked. I installed your 9.1.1 to that and immediately lost the export line of &quot;flightsimX (mdl) (x). So I’m back to using your plugins827. Try as I might, I still get empty mdl files, though the config &amp; x files are generated. I’ve no idea of how many times I’ve installed or uninstalled the 3dc msi’s. I will attach the generic cube x file since I understand that the mdl file is made from it in the LibaryCreaterxml.exe file.

OK, I followed your instructions. After uninstalling 3dCrafters 9.1.1 and your plugins and everything in Program files (86) and My documents, I went to regedit and deleted HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareVB and VBA Program Settings3DCrafter9-VB6 though the reference had no &quot;-VB6&quot; on it, just 3dCrafter. The second line you furnished of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWow6432NodeAmabilis3DCrafter9 had no reference at all concerning 3dCrafter, so I exited regedit.

I’m going to now reinstall 3dCrafter91.msi . . .

Later. . . installed 3DCrafter 9l.msi. Seemed to install OK. When I hit the 3dCrafter.exe, I immediately got an error 91 &quot;Object variable or with block not set&quot;. I exited 3dc and came back to this post. Now what? Now that 3dCrafter 9.1 is installed, can I also install 3dCrafter 8.2? That would seem to be a downgrade. &quot;9.1.1 should be able to run alongside 8.2, they can be installed together.&quot; Just noticed that I don’t have winzip on this machine. I’ll get it and send you the config and x files. Also, if 3dc can”t find my xtomdl.exe. Where should I put it? Awaiting your reply with baited breath <!– s:? –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_confused.gif" alt="" title="Confused" /><!– s:? –>

here’s the two files you wanted