Re: What's going on with SCASM?

[fergusdog]

Hello,

What is the latest SCASM version that can be downloaded? I have 1.something
that comes with sort of documentation but cannot find any recent version. Then,

DOD and Terrabuilder include 2.32 (something like that) but they have no docs
for SCASM.
The version that I have docs for is so old that I'd rather use newer version.

Especially RwyLights function is causing problems. No matter how simple scasm
file I write RwyLights() causes scasm (all versions) to hang. I can stop it
with Ctrl-C but then it doesn't write the bgl file. And it doesn't give ANY
hint as to what might be the problem.

In short: what is latest scasm version with documentation and where I can
download it? Also, is there places with examples of using various scasm
functions?

Thanks,
Tomi

Tomi,
the newest version is scasm 2.39, available at http://www.arriveat.com/m98tobgl

together in a package with mdltobgl (compiler for aircraft to 3D-object).
When using ASD or Airport2.10, you can set the runways on a graphic
surface and don't have to worry about the correct syntax.
Andreas

Isn't the latest version 2.50? One would think it's later than 2.39 anyway...
You can get it at www.scasm.de. It also is the last version of scasm, since
Manfred decided to change to linux and quit on windows. He's a casulty of the
new windows XP register sceme.... Thanks Microsoft...

Cheers, Christian

Christian

Yes, I have scasm 2.50. You are referring to a reply on an old message,
where scasm 2.39 was the newest one. It´s a pity that Manfred won´t
continue scasm development. But I cannot imagine that scenery designers
will switch to Linux, only because of scasm... Maybe FSC can replace
scasm, although it is not yet fully compatible.

Andreas

Yes, my mistake. I was browsing the forum for a question I had, and the next
day got linked to the old messages. This forum system can be very confusing at
times :P

Cheers, Christian

[jtyme]

Maybe FSC can replace

scasm, although it is not yet fully compatible.

Andreas

My question is: Why doesn't someone write a front end for C++ ?? Straight
from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

Justin
FSGenesis

[fergusdog]

Maybe FSC can replace

scasm, although it is not yet fully compatible.

Andreas

My question is: Why doesn't someone write a front end for C++ ?? Straight
from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

Justin
FSGenesis

If I would have the time, I would write a program to handle shape files and
make editing geographic features less of a hassle. That's a huge project
though, and I lack the time. I hope that the gMax program will be a basis for
good scenery design. Otherwise, I will look into using GRASS and write a few
export macros...

Cheers, Christian

[dragnhorn]

Maybe FSC can replace

scasm, although it is not yet fully compatible.

Andreas

My question is: Why doesn't someone write a front end for C++ ?? Straight
from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

Justin
FSGenesis

If I would have the time, I would write a program to handle shape files and
make editing geographic features less of a hassle. That's a huge project
though, and I lack the time. I hope that the gMax program will be a basis for
good scenery design. Otherwise, I will look into using GRASS and write a few
export macros...

Cheers, Christian

Christian,
OK, I'll bite. :-) What is "GRASS"?

Best, Rob

O, btw, I finally uploaded my CYYF scenery to avsim and flightsim. File name
is "CYYF.zip". Be sure to get the Nova Gold textures and put the two bgl I
supplied in your main fs2k\scenery folder. They are NovaLib1.bgl and
Novatree.bgl.
I tried out making people that I know for this scenery and it worked fairly
well. I'm the one in buckskins by the TCA Hangar. :-))

Best, Rob

[cloudandy]

Maybe FSC can replace

scasm, although it is not yet fully compatible.

Andreas

My question is: Why doesn't someone write a front end for C++ ?? Straight
from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

Justin
FSGenesis

Hello Justin

Yes, one should really have a compiler basing on the Windows surface.
That could really provide some more features. But it requires being
familiar with hex-code editing and all that. And it is very time-effortive
to figure out new unknown opcodes. Respect for Manfred, how he did it
in the past...

Andreas

[jtyme]

Maybe FSC can replace

scasm, although it is not yet fully compatible.

Andreas

My question is: Why doesn't someone write a front end for C++ ?? Straight
from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

Justin
FSGenesis

If I would have the time, I would write a program to handle shape files and
make editing geographic features less of a hassle. That's a huge project
though, and I lack the time. I hope that the gMax program will be a basis for
good scenery design. Otherwise, I will look into using GRASS and write a few
export macros...

Cheers, Christian

Hi Christian,

I use a great little GIS called Manifold that is relatively inexpensive as far
as GIS' go. You can check it out at http://www.manifold.net. Price might be a
little steep for a freeware hobbyist, but I find it invaluable. It can
import/export just about any GIS format and has a wealth of features for
manipulating data.

Justin
FSGenesis

[jtyme]

Maybe FSC can replace

scasm, although it is not yet fully compatible.

Andreas

My question is: Why doesn't someone write a front end for C++ ?? Straight
from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

Justin
FSGenesis

Hello Justin

Yes, one should really have a compiler basing on the Windows surface.
That could really provide some more features. But it requires being
familiar with hex-code editing and all that. And it is very time-effortive
to figure out new unknown opcodes. Respect for Manfred, how he did it
in the past...

Andreas

HI Andreas,

It's all (well, mostly) documented in the SDK. Wouldn't it just be a matter of
using the documented opcodes and linking them to a GUI? It would seem any
proficient C++ programmer could pull it off in a few hundred hours. The
existing GUIs like ASD, Airport, Architect could simply put out C++ instead of
SCASM FSASM or FSC.

Justin
FSGenesis

[cloudandy]

Maybe FSC can replace

scasm, although it is not yet fully compatible.

Andreas

My question is: Why doesn't someone write a front end for C++ ?? Straight
from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

Justin
FSGenesis

Hello Justin

Yes, one should really have a compiler basing on the Windows surface.
That could really provide some more features. But it requires being
familiar with hex-code editing and all that. And it is very time-effortive
to figure out new unknown opcodes. Respect for Manfred, how he did it
in the past...

Andreas

HI Andreas,

It's all (well, mostly) documented in the SDK. Wouldn't it just be a matter of

using the documented opcodes and linking them to a GUI? It would seem any
proficient C++ programmer could pull it off in a few hundred hours. The
existing GUIs like ASD, Airport, Architect could simply put out C++ instead of
SCASM FSASM or FSC.

Justin
FSGenesis

Justin

I am no C++-programmer, unfortunately. Maybe the tendency will go to C++ for
the scenery design programs as well. But scasm is very popular and well-known,
and it would last a while until they all would have reworked their file
outputs.
The best would be a compiler which could handle both, C++ and sca code.
We´ll have a good look at the G3D-tool MS will provide with FS2K2.
Maybe that will change FS-design completely.
The advantage of scasm is that it is (somehow) better to learn and better
documentated than SDK. Without a bugfree and complete documentation, any
design tool or compiler will be useless.
I don´t think that at the current state of SDK-doc it will be an easy job
to make an SDK-based front end. The opcodes are documentated, but very often
incomplete and in a very cryptic manner.
It will not be possible to work without comparing the C++-output with a scasm-
generated output sometimes. That will really take time.
And when I remember how long it took until the new FS2K/CFS features were
implemented (at least partially) into the scenery design programs, I am not
so sure that they will so easily change their sca-text outputs to C++-outputs.
And FS2K2 will probably bring some news.

Andreas

[fergusdog]

Maybe FSC can replace

scasm, although it is not yet fully compatible.

Andreas

My question is: Why doesn't someone write a front end for C++ ?? Straight
from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

Justin
FSGenesis

If I would have the time, I would write a program to handle shape files and
make editing geographic features less of a hassle. That's a huge project
though, and I lack the time. I hope that the gMax program will be a basis for
good scenery design. Otherwise, I will look into using GRASS and write a few
export macros...

Cheers, Christian

Christian,
OK, I'll bite. :-) What is "GRASS"?

Best, Rob

O, btw, I finally uploaded my CYYF scenery to avsim and flightsim. File name
is "CYYF.zip". Be sure to get the Nova Gold textures and put the two bgl I
supplied in your main fs2k\scenery folder. They are NovaLib1.bgl and
Novatree.bgl.
I tried out making people that I know for this scenery and it worked fairly
well. I'm the one in buckskins by the TCA Hangar. :-))

Best, Rob

GRASS is a free GIS program. It's purpose is to edit data such as coastlines,
roads, rivers, etc. The 'standard' GIS programs are ArcInfo / ArcView which are
much better than GRASS are very expensive.

Cheers, Christian

[dragnhorn]

Christian,
OK, I'll bite. :-) What is "GRASS"?

Best, Rob

GRASS is a free GIS program. It's purpose is to edit data such as coastlines,
roads, rivers, etc. The 'standard' GIS programs are ArcInfo / ArcView which are

much better than GRASS are very expensive.

Cheers, Christian

Thanks Christian for your reply. I'll do a search and see if i can find this
program.

Rob