Vinkas Addon Questions

[polaris149Tiberius]

"Vinkas Addon Questions"

Hello everyone. I guess Ive been focusing on the vanilla Orbiter that I failed to get around to some of the Ship Addons. I am getting interested in some of the ships out there now that are NASA realistic ships and some of them need Vinkas Spacecraft and multistage addons. Im a bit confused when I go to the site where you can get these addons.
Located here: http://users.swing.be/vinka/

The webpage says that you should get:
base package (multistage + spacecraft) for previous Orbiter versions

Ok I use Orbiter 2006 P1 v060929 so I dont need this.

next up from the bottom of the page is
3ds2msh version 050630 : .3ds to .msh file converter
...which doesnt say what version it is for just that it converts .3ds to .msh. Ok but do I want to convert .3ds? Am I a developer? Do I want to be a developer? What the HELL is this file for? Do I exicute the file when I extract it into what appears to be the root directory for Orbiter?
What is this file for ? Anyone can tell me what I (a user) needs to do with this file?

Then next is:
multistage2 full package (dll + examples) 050721 for Orbiter build 050216
spacecraft2 full package (dll + examples) 050721 for Orbiter build 050216

which is self explanitory they are full spacecraft 2 and multistage 2 packages for orbiter build/version 050216. Ok I have version/build 060929 so I dont need these files. NEXT!


Next are these:

• spacecraft3 full package (dll + examples) 060302 for Orbiter build 050216
• base package (multistage2 + spacecraft2) 050721 for Orbiter build 050216

Ok this looks like a full package of Spacecraft3 for Orbiter 050216 and a base package multistage 2 for the same version of Orbiter 050216.
Ok now Im getting somewhere. Some of the ships that I want say I NEED Spacecraft 3 so I guess these are packages I need to install and then patch with these right here:

Spacecraft3 patch
Stage patch

Ok so -so far I get that I need to install the

3ds2msh version 050630 : .3ds to .msh file converter


then

• spacecraft3 full package (dll + examples) 060302 for Orbiter build 050216
• base package (multistage2 + spacecraft2) 050721 for Orbiter build 050216

then patch with

Spacecraft3 patch
Stage patch

Ok I will do that. Here is what I get when I do that:

In the root Orbiter directory is 3ds2msh.exe and then some folders.
|_add-on docs
|_config
|_meshes
|_modules
|_scenarios
3ds2msh.exe

But now when I extract the Spacecraft3 Patch and the Stage Patch they both put a file in the root Orbiter Directory: spacecraft3.dll, and Stage.dll right next to 3ds2msh.exe.

So it looks like this:

|_add-on docs
|_config
|_meshes
|_modules
|_scenarios
3ds2msh.exe
spacecraft3.dll
Stage.dll

Oh ok after reading the spacecraft.pdf it does say that those files belong in the modules folder. So my original question about 3ds2msh.exe still stands. Do we need this file? And my other question is: Is the above proceedure correct?

Thanks in advance.

 

[liber]

Some add-on requaired Vinka dll,you put tham into modul folder.
If you download some add from Orbiter Hangar sometimes thay don't have included Vinka dlls,so just take latest dll from Vinka site.
You don't need to download 3ds2msh,but it's good item for those who want to make add on.
Basicly Vinka is great add,you don't need to know program language to bring your ship alive.
If something dont working check Orbiter log,mainly you see there what's cooking.

 

[ar81]

Try [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3201"]Orbiter diagnostic V0.2[/ame]
Post the diagnostic here, so we can provide some advise.

Vinka made these addons:

Spacecraft.dll
Spacecraft2.dll
Spacecraft3.dll
Multistage.dll
Multistage2.dll

Those should be unzipped to the directory where Orbiter.exe file is located.

And a mesh file converter (for developers) that turns 3DS files into MSH files

3DS2MSH

 

[polaris149Tiberius]

Try Orbiter diagnostic V0.2
Post the diagnostic here, so we can provide some advise.

Vinka made these addons:

Spacecraft.dll
Spacecraft2.dll
Spacecraft3.dll
Multistage.dll
Multistage2.dll

Those should be unzipped to the directory where Orbiter.exe file is located.

And a mesh file converter (for developers) that turns 3DS files into MSH files

3DS2MSH

This cant be right. Those files go in the modules folder. The PDF says so. Accept for the 3d2msh.exe file which I guess goes in the root Orbiter folder. Vinka is very vauge about the whole process of patching. I guess he didnt imagine that NON-PC savey people would be using his mods.

I would like to offer a patch to his patch. I take no credit for his files just that I put the package together for new people to Orbiter so they can get Vinka ships. Its the attachment to this post.

 

[tl8]

The zip files are structured to go into the correct folders when unzipped to the Orbiter directory.

For the patch, you would unzip to the modules folder.

If you need to change 3ds to msh you can use Vinka's 3DS2MSH tool.
It is not critical to anything else.

 

[polaris149Tiberius]

The zip files are structured to go into the correct folders when unzipped to the Orbiter directory.

For the patch, you would unzip to the modules folder.

If you need to change 3ds to msh you can use Vinka's 3DS2MSH tool.
It is not critical to anything else.

Ok thanks that what I thought. My package is structured that way. Ya'll feel free to download and install if you dont have it yet. Makes something that isnt easy very easy.

 

[n122vu]

The zip files are structured to go into the correct folders when unzipped to the Orbiter directory.

For the patch, you would unzip to the modules folder.

If you need to change 3ds to msh you can use Vinka's 3DS2MSH tool.
It is not critical to anything else.

Just FYI, the older versions of multistage and spacecraft dlls are not structured this way. I just did a fresh Orbiter install and also installed the shuttle fleet and after I thought I had all of vinka's dlls installed, Orbiter Diagnostic kept saying they weren't there. I checked the root Orbiter folder and found them.

Hope this helps.
n122vu