Flap, KeyFrame Animation problem, GMAX Constellation

[dzignguy]

I'm getting on with this airplane and have only one or two issues left with the exterior. The biggest is with the Flaps and their Key Frame Animation. The Constellation has two sets of flaps on each wing. A primary section that is five times longer than the Secondary that is canted inwards due to it's position under the wing root. I have animated the flaps to rotate and move back towards the final "full 42 degree position". The nomenclature listed in the SDK is l_pct_trail_edge_flap0 for left, primary flaps and l_pct_trail_edge_flap1 for the left secondary flaps. The right side flaps are the same except for the "l" changed to an "r".

the problem is that I can only get the "flap0" to work without attaching the secondary to it. Unfortunately when I do attach the secondary to the primary the secondary doesnt move in the right direction. Not acceptable to my expectations...........:-tongue

I will be glad to provide the offending objects in GMAX format if your interested in looking at my animation and nomenclature. Tha animation works great in GMAX but does not in FS-8.

Heres a couple of pictures to illustrate the problem.

http://webpages.charter.net/dzignguy/images/msfs%20Connie%20_14a.jpg


The next photo is how it works in FS-8

http://webpages.charter.net/dzignguy/images/msfs%20Connie%20_13.jpg

As you can see the inner secondary flaps dont actuate. Got any idea about this kind of rigging?

[dzignguy]

I have been doing more experimentation on the issue listed above. I sure wish there was better documentation of the SDK. Particularly, on the issues of how nomenclature and linking of parts work...... Perhaps there is, I just haven’t found one. Anyway, I am posting these issues so others, hopefully, will benefit from the solution if any.

It appears that creating a couple of dummy objects and naming them l_flap and r_flap respectively, then linking the secondary flaps to their respective dummy makes the inner flap section work. Unfortunately it still doesn’t follow the correct extension/retraction track set up in the key frame animation....... It appears to just rotate on a set axis. I also tried linking both of the key frame sections of the trailing edge flaps to the dummy object on each side and the secondary flap appears to work OK but then the primary extends way below the key frame animated point.............

I am beginning to understand that many of the things that are animated need links to other parts in the SDK list in order to work but I have not figured out a consistent rule as of yet.......

I did have a problem getting the feather-able props to work properly and found that they gad to be linked to a dummy or other object called prop0_still in order for them to disappear when the engines were running....... Any one out there knows of a good reference that describes the relationship of the various objects used in the FS?


TIA, John

[LEDZZ]

I'm guessing here, but I would bet that you only have one set of flaps set up in your aircraft .cfg file i.e.,
(Flaps.0) (should be square brackets)
type= 1
span-outboard= 0.500
extending-time= 3.000
system_type= 0
damaging-speed= 0.000
blowout-speed= 0.000
lift_scalar= 1.000
drag_scalar= 1.000
pitch_scalar= 1.000
flaps-position.0= 0.000, 0.000
flaps-position.1= 8.000, 0.000
flaps-position.2= 20.000, 0.000
flaps-position.3= 40.000, 0.000
system_type=1

In order for l_pct_trail_edge_flap0 for left, primary flaps and l_pct_trail_edge_flap1 for the left secondary flaps to work in FS, you need to have more than one [Flaps.X] section in the .cfg file i.e.,
(Flaps.0)
type= 1
span-outboard= 0.500
extending-time= 3.000
system_type= 0
damaging-speed= 0.000
blowout-speed= 0.000
lift_scalar= 1.000
drag_scalar= 1.000
pitch_scalar= 1.000
flaps-position.0= 0.000, 0.000
flaps-position.1= 8.000, 0.000
flaps-position.2= 20.000, 0.000
flaps-position.3= 40.000, 0.000
system_type=1

(Flaps.1)
type=2
span-outboard=0.500
extending-time=5.000
system_type=1
damaging-speed=250.000
blowout-speed=300.000
lift_scalar=2.000
drag_scalar=1.000
pitch_scalar=0.100
flaps-position.0=0.000, 0.000
flaps-position.1=0.500, 0.000
flaps-position.2=1.000, 0.000
flaps-position.3=1.500, 0.000
system_type=1

(Flaps.2)
type=1
span-outboard=0.0
extending-time=4
flaps-position.0=0.000, 0.000
flaps-position.1=0.000, 0.000
flaps-position.2=0.000, 0.000
flaps-position.3=40.000, 0.000
damaging-speed=260
blowout-speed=300
lift_scalar=0.00
drag_scalar=0.00
pitch_scalar=0.00
system_type=1

The above example is from a aircraft I'm working on that has 4 sets of flaps (and the only ones that are linked are the Main trailing edge flaps and the flapailerons).. It has leading edge flaps (FLAPS.1), Trailing edge flaps and Flapailerons (Flap.0), and both rudders that rotate inward with full flaps (Flap.2). I believe you've done the animation correctly, just need to add to the aircraft .cfg file. Hope this helps....Rick Sasala

[dzignguy]

LEDZZ,

Thanks, that did it! Perfect! Well alomost anyway, I just need to get the parameters correct but that's no major problem... The flaps now extend properly. That finishes all the issues I've had on the exterior components. Now, on to the VC and panel components. This work is really gratifying, for sure..... Any way, I thank you, BIG TIME, for the return post and fix!

Best Regards,

John

[LEDZZ]

Great! Glad you got it working. Unfortunately the SDK leaves alot to be desired when it comes to flap animation and the correct .cfg settings....Rick Sasala

[dzignguy]

Here she is, Full Flaps, flared and a second from touch down.....Oooops, not much runway left... :)

http://webpages.charter.net/dzignguy/images/msfs%20Connie%20_25.jpg

Thanks again for that great tip!!!!