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Where's TTOOLS

PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:50 pm
by Dispatchcode
Hi iv been told that TTOOLS can configure FSX air traffic, i would like to change my AI traffic into full.. to looks like its a busy airport YSSY.. (not just in u.states) so, where can i get this freeware from?? i just can't find it in the net.. all i found is forums .. can someone please give me a link please...  ;) and i read about TTOOLS, apparently its special for FS2004, and you can convert it into FSX?? is it a hassle??

Re: Where's TTOOLS

PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:37 am
by pete
Hi - always try a search & notice we have a forum that includes TTools in the sub title ;)

TTools available here.

http://www.simviation.com/fs2004utilities1.htm

Re: Where's TTOOLS

PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 9:50 am
by Dispatchcode
but is that TTOOLS compatible with FSX thou?

Re: Where's TTOOLS

PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 9:56 am
by ashaman
TTOOLS doesn't work with "the cross".

Its output traffic files do work under "the cross", but you must compile them under FS9.

So, you want to use custom traffic under "the cross"? You must first compile it under FS9 and then transfer the resulting traffic .BGL file under "the cross".

At least for now.

Re: Where's TTOOLS

PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:59 pm
by Gypsy_Baron
but is that TTOOLS compatible with FSX thou?



There are utilities emerging that will convert the FS9-format TTools files into FSX-format
files that can then be run through the TrafficDataBaseBuilder to create a FSX "traffic_xxx.bgl"

The unmodified FS9-format "traffic_xxx.bgl" files will work, with a few quirk, in FSX just by
placing them in the Scenery\World\scenery folder as you did in FS9. HOWEVER, you will
then lose all the AI traffic created with FSX-format bgl's, for reasons only the Aces team
knows  >:(

I have just begun converting my FS9 files into FSX format using one of the utilities ( aisort )
but it is not a job for the impatient or faint at heart.
The new TDBB is a VERY finicky piece of....ah....software and it takes alot of effort to get
it to compile an error-free FS9 traffic conversion, even with the time-saving tool such as
aisort. The requirements of TDBB are not spelled out with any detail or clarity in the SDK,
which to me isn't surprising as I find all the FS SDK's to be sorely lacking in most areas.
So it's a matter of alot of guesswork, trial and error and starting and re-starting FSX to
get through the process.

Before aisort was published ( just a few days ago ), I spent three FULL days converting
a fairly simple, 73 aircraft, 10-airfield flightplan from FS9 format to FSX format.
( thank goodness I'm retitred! )
I lost  track of the number of times I had to go back and "adjust" departure/arrival
times to get TDBB to "find" parking for the aircraft when ample parking was available!
I had to eliminate virtually ALL the TNG's in the plan since TDBB will only allow 3 aircraft
in the pattern at any given airport and even when I only had 1 A/C doing TNG's, it
still "coulnd not find a slot for touch and go's".

 TDBB, IMO, is an OVERLY restrictive implementation and most likely, not well tested
from the results I'm seeing. TTools, even with it's "not complient with the SDK" areas,
was a FAR better tool for creating AI traffic, fast and easily. TDBB is just the OPPOSITE!.

 Hope that answers your question :)

   Paul

Re: Where's TTOOLS

PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:25 pm
by Dispatchcode
definitely! but.... ii aint have FS9....  :'(

Re: Where's TTOOLS

PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:40 pm
by ashaman
Then you must wait the publishing of a "the cross" compatible edition of TTools, or some sort of similar tool.

Really no other solution but wait and hope, beside buying FS9 too.

Re: Where's TTOOLS

PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:39 pm
by Gypsy_Baron
definitely! but.... ii aint have FS9....  :'(



You don't need FS9 to run TTools. If you download flightplans, etc from an AI site
like PAI, you's just compile them and move the BGL into FSX.

You'll also need to download the aircraft models/liveries that are used in the
flightplans. These will need to be placed in the FSX SimObjects folder.
I would sugest creating a new folder named something like "AI Aircraft"
and place the AI downloads there, rather than cluttering up the FSX "Airplanes"
folder.

If you just want to use the FSX default aircraft in an AI role there are a couple
of ways to do that. You can write your own "TrafficPlan" files, using the FSX SDK
as a guide. Then compile it using the FSX TrafficDataBaseBuilder.

Another way would be to edit a downloaded "flightplans_xxx.txt"  file and the associated
"aircraft_xxx.txt" file, substituting FSX default aircraft for those called out in that  file.
Then use TToo;s to create the FS9 format BGL.

If you use aa FS9 format traffic BGL in FSX, FSX will no longer use any FSX format
traffic BGL's. I can't for the life of me figure out why Aces did this. Just another
"break things that worked and try something new" approach I guess :(

        Paul