Making changes in AFCAD

[jwh]

Using AFCAD I've been able to successfully backdate a number of airports to match my vintage charts by changing runway surfaces, deleting whole runways and taxiways or just changing the runway markings to give the airport a CalClassic look. This seems to work fine with certain scenery but with others the changes just will not take effect. I am curious to know why. Is it the way the original scenery was created that alterations are unable to be made in AFCAD.

The couple of screen shots below show Norfolk Island and Tamworth in northern New South Wales. With Norfolk Island I was able to change the runways to unsealed as they were during the 60s DC-4 era. And with Tamworth I was able to shorten the main runway to its original length, remove the modern day markings plus completely delete the second runway and taxiways which were not there in the 60s.





What really perplexes me is that sometimes it works and other times it doesn't. Any suggestions very gratefully welcomed.

Thanks
John

[Tom/CalClassic]

There could be several reasons, but these all apply to add on airports. There should be no problems with modifying default airports. Do you have a specific airport you can use as an example?

[jwh]

Hi Tom
I tried modifying the runway of the Southampton 1988 scenery (soton88.zip) to give it the look that it had in 1965. Have unticked the necessary boxes and made other changes to the markings just as I had done with several other scenery packages. Saved the AF2 before closing but found nothing had changed.

Am wondering why.

John

[Tom/CalClassic]

Hi,

A runway rectangle is included in the main soton.bgl file, which also contains all the other components of the airport (taxiways, aprons, buildings, etc.). The AFCAD file only controls the paths of the AI aircraft, parking, radio frequencies, etc. - no visible objects. Also, it appears that the soton.bgl file cannot be decompiled by the usual programs. It appears to have been created by a program typically used for FS2000 scenery.

Thus this airport's visible components are unchangeable without completely rebuilding it from scratch. But you can change the non-visible components of the airport using AFCAD (parking types and locations, radio frequencies, start locations, etc.).

[Defender]

Hi John,

I've disassembled and modified files like that before (personal use only!) using BGLana31 which gives you a SCASM file opening with notepad. But it's an extremely complicated and time consuming process and your particular file is a monster. I wouldn't even attempt it.

If it really matters and you're not happy just to scrap it and modify the default version with AFCAD, then why not try contacting the publishers. There's a name at the foot of the readme and these guys are really enthusiastic. Or join the Classic British forum and ask the question.

Good luck

Bill

[jwh]

Hi Tom and Bill
Thank you for your replies and suggestions. I'll leave Southampton as it is which is a pity as it is quite a good vintage scenery except for the modern style runway. Looks like backdating is a bit of a hit and miss exercise. Have had success with quite a few and they far outnumber the ones which haven't worked. Like yourself Bill, these backdates are purely for my personal use.

Thanks again
John