Aircraft parts disappear behind prop

[DaveStreet]

Greetings All,

Working on a UAV using FS Design Studio and am having a problem with a couple of aircraft parts. When I bring the model into MSFS-9 and pan my view, some of the parts (Radar, Sensor, antenna, etc) aren't visible when looking through the spinning (transparent) prop arc. All the major parts of the aircraft are visible when looking though the arc (fuselage, wing, L/G Struts, etc), but just some of the other objects. Natually, I looked at the parts' properties in FSDS, but their all the same.

It's as though the prop arc is "erasing" portions of the parts.

Any suggestions would be appreciated...

v/r, Dave

[Felix/FFDS]

Two things -

make sure your transparent parts are LAST in the drawing order.

and if you're using a transparent texture for your prop disc (prop_blurred) your disk should have at least some transparency - (even material alpha of 250).

[DaveStreet]

Ahh... That makes sense, as I added these parts after adding the prop disk (Prop_Blurred) object. In fact, I copied the prop disk from a different project I was woking on... which I had built the prop disk LAST. Which is probably why I didn't encounter this issue, before.

Now (please bear with me, I'm new to FSDS)... how do I change the drawing order? Is it associated with the number in brackets in the "Select by Name..." dialog (like: Wing[2])?

Thanks much for the help.

v/r, Dave

[Felix/FFDS]

Ahh... That makes sense, as I added these parts after adding the prop disk (Prop_Blurred) object. In fact, I copied the prop disk from a different project I was woking on... which I had built the prop disk LAST. Which is probably why I didn't encounter this issue, before.

Now (please bear with me, I'm new to FSDS)... how do I change the drawing order? Is it associated with the number in brackets in the "Select by Name..." dialog (like: Wing[2])?

Thanks much for the help.

v/r, Dave

The absolute quickest way is to select the part, cut (CTRL-X) and immediately paste (CTRL-V).

But of course, being a true FSDS Luddite, we can't have you do things the easy way.

Therefore:

1. Create a parts file merge list (PArts->Create parts file merge list).  This basically saves all the parts into a text file.

Close the project.

Open the created parts file merge list text file in notepad.  Locate your transparent prop disk part in the hierarchy.  Cut it out and paste it to the end of the list.  Save the text file.

Open the project in FSDS.

Select all parts and delete them.

Now you have a choice - either merge the parts from the created merge list, or (the really neat masochistic way) LOAD each of your quadrillion parts one by one.

.....

I think the cut and paste from the first paragraph is easier, myself.

[DaveStreet]

Whow... You're my newest Hero!

Actually, I used the Cut/Paste, as you suggested, and it didn't initially work (the mistake was mine, of course). However, I went back and looked at the "Model Hiearchy" list and realized I had the Prop disc as a "child" to the Spinner... which, was higher in the list. So, I simply did the Cut/Paste to the Spinner... and Tah Tah... worked like a champ.

Again, many thanks for the assist. I really need to bump up to FSDS v3 (I'm at v2.24). It probably has more tutorials.

Thanks, again... v/r, Dave

[Felix/FFDS]

WHile it's nice to update, only if you want need to use the XML coding, and latest FS9 "eye candy".   You "lose" some things like the pre-processes (which can be duplicated with XML coding).

As far as tutorials, modelling in FSDS3 is the same as in FSDS2, and where they differ is in the specific FS9 XML parts coding - and there, any of the XML coding tutorials will do.