Editing FX file - HELP

[richiemonahan]

OK, I'm trying to take a couple of really good strobe light effects (Opensky 757 and HNAC A300) and edit them. I'd like to move them to other aircraft because the default ones stink. But they need to be edited so they fit on the end of the new plane's wing. For example, a 757 is smaller than a 777, so if I move the 757 strobe FX to the 777 the strobes are blinking mid-wing instead of at the end. I did the securities song and dance (properties, edit, give my selfpermission to edit etc.) and when I try to move the emitter offsets (which I think dictate the spacing of the strobes) and try to save it it won't let me. I get a message that reads "cannot create the C:\Program Files\Microsoft games\Flight Simulator\Effects\Opensky_757_strobe.fx file. Make sure the path and file name are correct" Any body have any ideas.

[Avechelice]

Hello,

I try to understand your problem .....

EG you want made the move of the strobe effect of this plane

[LIGHTS]
//Types: 1=beacon, 2=strobe, 3=navigation, 4=cockpit, 5=landing
light.0 = 3, -20.666, -72.779, 3.123, hnac_a300_navred
light.1 = 3, -20.666, 72.779, 3.123, hnac_a300_navgre
light.2 = 3, -29.738, -73.389, 2.949, hnac_a300_navwhi
light.3 = 3, -29.738, 73.389, 2.949, hnac_a300_navwhi
light.4 = 3, -29.738, -72.595, 2.940, hnac_a300_navwhi
light.5 = 3, -29.738, 72.595, 2.940, hnac_a300_navwhi
light.6 = 2, -20.098, 0, 3.123, hnac_a300_strobe
light.7 = 1, 6.906, 0, 9.373, hnac_a300_beacon

To this other plane

[LIGHTS]
//Types: 1=beacon, 2=strobe, 3=navigation, 4=cockpit, 5=landing
light.0 =1, 8.20, 0.00, 10.30, B738_BCNU , //upper beacon
light.1 =1, 4.50, 0.00, -4.60, B738_BCNL , //lower beacon
light.2 =3, -53.75, 0.00, 7.60, fx_navwhi , //aft id
light.3 =2, -53.75, 0.00, 7.60, B738_STROBE, //aft strobe
light.4=4, 48.00, 0.00, 5.50, B738_vclight , //cockpit splash
light.5=5, 26.00, -6.65, 2.50, fx_navwhi , //left inspection light
light.6=5, 26.00, 6.65, 2.50, fx_navwhi , //right inspection light
light.7=5, 26.00, -6.00, 5.00, B738wing , //-----|
light.8=5, 26.00, 6.00, 5.00, B738wing , //-----|
light.9=5, 12.40, -19.10, 16.40, B738wing , //-----|
light.10=5, 12.40, 19.10, 16.40, B738wing , //inspection light splashes on wings and engines,normally lit druing t/o+landings

You have just to replace the effect like this

[LIGHTS]
//Types: 1=beacon, 2=strobe, 3=navigation, 4=cockpit, 5=landing
light.0 =1, 8.20, 0.00, 10.30, B738_BCNU , //upper beacon
light.1 =1, 4.50, 0.00, -4.60, B738_BCNL , //lower beacon
light.2 =3, -53.75, 0.00, 7.60, fx_navwhi , //aft id
light.3 =2, -53.75, 0.00, 7.60, hnac_a300_strobe, //aft strobe
light.4=4, 48.00, 0.00, 5.50, B738_vclight , //cockpit splash
light.5=5, 26.00, -6.65, 2.50, fx_navwhi , //left inspection light
light.6=5, 26.00, 6.65, 2.50, fx_navwhi , //right inspection light
light.7=5, 26.00, -6.00, 5.00, B738wing , //-----|
light.8=5, 26.00, 6.00, 5.00, B738wing , //-----|
light.9=5, 12.40, -19.10, 16.40, B738wing , //-----|
light.10=5, 12.40, 19.10, 16.40, B738wing , //inspection light splashes on wings and engines,normally lit druing t/o+landings

This seem's work for me.

Regards.http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/a/bye.gif

[n4gix]

First of all, the above answer is the correct one. You do not need to "edit" the actual .fx files at all...

Secondly, the reason why you cannot "save" any edits is because you haven't set your Permissions properly.

Everything under the C:\Program Files\ folder is "protected" by the operating system.

You need to do two things:

1. From Windows Explorer, right-click on C:\Program Files\Microsoft games\Flight Simulator and choose the Permissions tab. Enable "Full Access"

2. Right-click on the Desktop icon for FS and set it to launch in the "Administrator" mode.

[richiemonahan]

Guys, thx for the feedback. I'll try to save the way you suggested. But since my original post I've come to find that the strobe(s) I'm trying to replace on the Overland 777 is actually on the tail cone. So when I substitute the "hnac" strobes as mentioned above, they appear, but back by the tail cone. The slow blinking strobe on the wing tip appears to be part of the model vs. an FX file pulled from the main effects folder. So it appears it cannot be overwritten or replaced. Too many models have this problem.

[richiemonahan]

Bill - still frustrated. I went onto microsoft games, right clicked on FS9 and asked for full control. I don't actually have a permissions tab but rather "security", and it doesn't ask for "full access" rather "fullcontrol for me. When I checked it, it ran for awhile, and I saw all the various FS9 files, bgls etc in a box. But when I went back in and tried to edit the fx file, I still get same message that says "cannot create the C:\Program Files\Microsoft games\Flight Simulator 9\Effects\Opensky_757_strobe.fx file".

[richiemonahan]

OK, since I have updated all my "permissions" within FS9, I now realize maybe I am trying to edit a fx file but my computer isn't capable of it. DO you need a special system to do that. I copied the two strobe fx files onto a disk, then made changes to them on another computer.But when I copied the corrected versions back to my FSp computer, I see that they are now text documents. Now I'm really frustrated. Anybody have any ideas. Anr remember, I DO NEED to edit them. I need to put them in individually, I can't cut and paste them over the existing strobe, it's in the wrong place.

[Avechelice]

Hllo,

If they are show as TXT document (icon) it's not a problem .. it's cause you opened it with notepad and it was ticked "allways open with this application"
It's no problems for the game.
If instead it's now ****.txt instead ****.fx .. just rename as .fx
And don't forget to rename the effect name for be the same as the one you replace as it's called by the model.(so when you will past it in the effect folder it will be a overwrite warning)
Hope it's help.

Regards.http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/a/bye.gif