Aircraft lighting

[NCGent]

How do you map out where to place lights on aircraft? Would you get the numbers from FSDS or another way, cant seem to place the lights in the right spot. Thanks for any help you can give.

[Milton]

Not exactly sure how to do this in FSDS but in GMax I select a vertex or vertice for example on the end of the wing then note the x,y,z coordinates.  Convert that to feet for the light placement.

You can also do this for all other necessary coordinates.

[NCGent]

Thanks Milton, Ill see what I can come up with now, that should work in FSDS also if I can figure it out....lol

[Felix/FFDS]

Are you modelling the lights, or adding them in the aircraft.cfg file?

in FSDS, you can always create a small box (MAKE SURE YOU TICK IN IT'S PROPERTIES THAT IT IS A REFERENCE PART SO IT DOESN'T GET GENERATED) and like Milton says, note the axis coordinates of the part.  If your default FSDS set up is in feet, then you can copy down the coordinates directly.

Remember that most aircraft.cfg coordinates are z,x,y !

[NCGent]

I am adding the lights to the config file. FSDS is set to metters at this time. Do I get the coordinates from placing the pointer on the X, Y, Z of the axis and if I have FSDS set to metters will these coordinates also work? And one more question,

light.0 = 3, -6.60, -19.29, 0.79, fx_navred ,
How do the above coordinates determine where the light is placed, is the first number for going to the back of the plane (aft), the 2ed number for left and right (port & starboard) and the 3rd number for going up and down?

[NCGent]

I am adding the lights to the config file. FSDS is set to metters at this time. Do I get the coordinates from placing the pointer on the X, Y, Z of the axis and if I have FSDS set to metters will these coordinates also work? And one more question,

light.0 = 3, -6.60, -19.29, 0.79, fx_navred ,
How do the above coordinates determine where the light is placed, is the first number for going to the back of the plane (aft), the 2ed number for left and right (port & starboard) and the 3rd number for going up and down?

[Felix/FFDS]

I am adding the lights to the config file. FSDS is set to metters at this time. Do I get the coordinates from placing the pointer on the X, Y, Z of the axis and if I have FSDS set to metters will these coordinates also work?

Since your default is meters, you'll have to convert the x,y,z coordinates to feet, but yes, setting the cursor on the corresponding point will give you the coordinates (in meters).  That's why I recommend creating the little reference box that you can move around from place to place and not worry about place your cursor, then just read the coordinates directly from the part properties dialog box.

And one more question,

light.0 = 3, -6.60, -19.29, 0.79, fx_navred ,
How do the above coordinates determine where the light is placed, is the first number for going to the back of the plane (aft), the 2ed number for left and right (port & starboard) and the 3rd number for going up and down?

the coordinates are given (in feet) from the reference datum point (rdp):

-6.60 (AFT from refernence)
-19.29 (to the LEFT of reference)
0.79 (ABOVE reference)

Note that I mention FROM the reference datum point, since not in all models will you find the reference point at the model's 0,0,0.  (Look at the default Cessna and other planes for this).

[NCGent]

felix
How do I convert meters to feet ?

[Felix/FFDS]

1m = 3.28 ft   (close enough for gov't work)

[Travis]

Or go to http://www.unitconversion.org/ and convert it.

[NCGent]

Thanks a bunch guys.