[Part 2] Use SAM Library Objects

[Marten@Stairport]

The provided SAM Library contains different pre-animated objects to be used within your custom scenery. You can easily implement them without the full background knowledge. There is a tutorial showing the implementation as well.

 

Add Jetways

 

You will find the library jetways in the World Editor Library tab in the SAM_Library/jetways/ directive. The numbers in the file names describe the height above ground of the jetways floor. Depending on the height of the building you want to connect the jetway to select an object and place it in your scenery like every other object. Rotate the object to match the entrance/bridge with your terminal. Make sure that you rotate them clockwise so that the heading matches the real heading and is positive. In certain situations it is turned incorrectly to a negative value (like -90 instead of 270 degrees). In that case the animation won't work. Once all jetways have been placed export the scenery and load it in you X-Plane 11 flight simulator. Your jetways should now be visible in your custom scenery. To animate the jetways open the Authoring Tool (jetway tab). You will see a list of coordinates of your jetway objects.

First choose the specific jetway you want to animate. You could either look up the coordinate of the jetway in your World Editor or you simply open the Test Arrangement dropdown in the Authoring Tool. You will see different test sliders. By moving them around you can drive the associated animation. Click and slide through all shown coordinates until you found the jetway object you were looking for.

Now you set up the jetway measures by selecting the corresponding template. Open the Description tab of your jetway and load the template according to the used jetway object. Make sure to select the right one otherwise the animation will be messed up. Then you define the movement limits of the jetway. The loaded template already sets proposed values however you might tune them to work with your custom environment. Keep in mind that you have to do this for each placed jetway object in your scenery.

Open the Installation tab and set the minimum and maximum values for each part oft he animation. You can use the Test Arrangement to determine the relevant limits. Attention: Min/Max Wheel usually won’t be changed. Also set the initial rotate values which will be the fixed position if the jetway is not being used.

Finally choose a name for the user menu button at the Jetway Label like „Gate 01“ and save it. Your jetway should now be animated correctly. You might restart your flight again to start the
animation flow.

If your jetway does not connect, your aircraft is probably out of the given limits. You can use the „Force Connect to Aircraft“ button in the Test Arrangement to see which values are required for your current parking position.

 

Add Marshaller/VDGS

 

You can integrate a Visual Docking Guidance System or a Marshaller to every parking position no matter if they use a jetway or not. Place the relevant object from the dockings directory in your scenery. There are no requirements in terms of range or angle to the parking position. To activate the objects open the Authoring tool (Docking Points tab). You will see a list of coordinates of your objects. You have to define a parking position for each so the easiest way is to load a flight / move the aircraft at each spot and simply click Copy Aircraft Location.

 

Furthermore you have to set a unique ID (like marshaller 01) and save it into the corresponding scenery.

Note: The marshaller will only be visible when either the aircraft is moving or you override the
animation in the Test Animations tab.

 

 

Add other library objects

 

All other library objects contain individual animations which have to be set up with specific values. To use an object simply place it with WED in your custom scenery. Once all SAM objects have been placed export the scenery and load it in you X-Plane 11 flight simulator. Your SAM library objects should now be visible in your custom scenery.

Check the list Objects Overview down below and see which dataref is beeing used by the object. Then go to the Authoring Tool (Dataref tab) and open the relevant dataref. You should see the coordinates of your placed object.

Enter a Name for the specific object, for example „Hangar 1“. If it is a user controlled animation the button in the user menu will use this name. Otherwise you will only see the name in the authoring tool.
If you want to test the animation simply click Toggle Now.

Important note: You can place the same library object multiple times. They can use the same dataref but individually animated. Just keep in mind to change the button name accordingly.

 

Objects Overview

 

v1.00

Hangar 01 - sam/library/hangar/door60s + sam/library/light/obs

Hangar 02 - sam/library/hangar/door20s

Hangar 03 - sam/library/hangar/door60s

Hangar 04 - sam/library/hangar/door20s

Windturbine 01 - automatic

Windturbine 02 - automatic

Windturbine 03 - automatic

 

Edited January 10, 2019 by Marten@Stairport