General Question About FLAT folder location

[jacquesmomo]

Hi

Just a simple question.

With OpenOrbiter 2024, I know that we can use another folder for the "earth" textures, such as another installation of Orbiter,
which allows you to avoid having several large files.

For me, I use the Hires textures installed in an Orbiter 2016.
With in the "Orbiter_NG.cfg" file:

; === Subdirectory locations
ConfigDir = .\Config\
MeshDir = .\Meshes\
TextureDir = .\Textures\
HightexDir = .\Textures2\
PlanetTexDir = D:\ORBITER 2016 Europa2\Textures\
ScenarioDir = .\Scenarios\

My question:
Does this work also for the FLAT folder?
Or do I have to include this folder in my OpenOrbiter 2024 installation ?

 

[misha.physics]

Does this work also for the FLAT folder?
Or do I have to include this folder in my OpenOrbiter 2024 installation ?

I noticed it some time ago. Setting "PlanetTexDir" patch did not work for FLT files, so I had to place the "Flat" folder into Orbiter 2024 installation to get it working.

 

[Buck Rogers]

AFAIK the FLAT folder must be in the planet folder. Also using direct paths is not good.
Looking forward to your next release

 

[jacquesmomo]

Ok thank you !
That's clear !

Thank you for your answers.

I'll take this opportunity to ask another question...

I'm updating my French Guiana tiles (I'm finalizing soon (?) my ELA4 add-on and my Ariane6 rocket adapted for Openorbiter 2024)
and all my tiles weigh 680 MB.

I know that with treeman.exe we can decompress the Surf.tree and/or Mask.tree files, then integrate my files, then recompress the files into Surf.tree and/or Mask.tree.
(For me, it's a bit complicated; I've never done it... and I don't whant to do this)...

My question:
Can we have two *.tree files for "surf" tiles (or mask tiles), for example:

• Original Surf.tree
• Surf2.tree (or Surfguyane.tree)

with both read by Orbiter?

I think not, but I'd like confirmation...

 

[misha.physics]

I know that with treeman.exe we can decompress the Surf.tree and/or Mask.tree files, then integrate my files, then recompress the files into Surf.tree and/or Mask.tree.
(For me, it's a bit complicated; I've never done it... and I don't whant to do this)...

And it will not work for those who use high-resolution TREE textures. Personally, I think it is more convenient to keep custom scenery add-ons separately from the "original" TREE archives, so not to integrate them (however the original TREE archives contain some problem areas that it would be nice to fix in the future).

By the way, it is interesting what is the efficiency of compressing DDS tiles into TREE archive, namely how many free space it gives.

 

[jacquesmomo]

So I had fun doing a few tests that might interest you...

First, to see the effect of the "flt" file, I set the height to 1000 (which is excessive).

1) First test:
All Surf Mask Elev files and the FLT file in my Orbiter 2024:
It works, but this is normal..

2) Second test:
All Surf Mask Elev files and the FLT file in another Orbiter (for me it is an Orbiter 2016 installation)

With the line in the Orbiter_NG.cfg file:
PlanetTexDir = D:\ORBITER 2016\Textures\
instead of
PlanetTexDir = .\Textures\

The Surf Mask Elev tiles are indeed used (we already knew that)
but not the FLT file...

3) Third test:
All Surf Mask Elev files in my Orbiter 2016
and the FLT file in my Orbiter 2024

With the line in the Orbiter_NG.cfg file:
PlanetTexDir = D:\ORBITER 2016\Textures\
instead of
PlanetTexDir = .\Textures\

The Surf Mask Elev tiles are still being used (as in case #2)
but also the FLT file!!!

Conclusion:
You can therefore use ground (surf mask elev) textures already installed in another Orbiter,
BUT the Flatten folder with its *.flt file(s) must be in the installation of the Orbiter 2024 being used.

Proof in image :