FS2004 FIREWORKS PLACEMENT
The best way is to print this out for viewing as you will be toggleing between different files...
In this package are 3 folders (Special effects SDK) which is Microsofts BGL file maker which uses the new XML file
format and my fireworks example files (XML tutorial files) which contain 2 XML files ready to go and be processed
in Microsofts SDK and then added into the scenery library of fs9.And (Fireworks test flights) which are a couple of
saved flights for later.
First go ahead an explore and get that out of your system.
Ok now back to the tutorial..
You open the Special effects SDK and in it is a folder Effects_placement - this is the heart of the simple
program- in it is the (bglcomp.exe) and what it does is convert an XML file to a BGL file that can be used in FS9.
Now to show it work open my (XML tutiorial files)folder and copy n paste the 2 Xml files (France firework 1 and
Gulf shores Ala firework 1) into the (Effects_placement)folder.
Good- now using the left mouse button held down on one of the XML files drag it on top of the (bglcomp.exe)and
let it go..and it will automaticly create a BGL file of the XML file and will appear in that same folder.
Now do the other XML file the same way.
Great! now you have 2 files ready for entering into the addon scenery of FS9 which will display a fireworks show
on one side of the world (France) and (Gulf shores Ala. U.S.A.)on the other...
The reason I have 2 files are for the ladditude and longitude tutorial later in which there is a different value
for one side of the world and the other you must know when you create your fireworks.
Next--You will want to open FS9 directory and open the ADDON SCENERY folder and in it create a new folder and
name it anything you want like - FIREWORK TEST ok now open the newly created folder and in it create another
one and name it- scenery and this folder MUST be named scenery for FS9 to see it..
Next - copy the 2 BGL files that were made by the (bglcomp.exe) into that scenery folder.
Now start FS9 and go to the scenery library and add the area - add the scenery area (FIREWORKS TEST)-at main menu
click (SETTINGS) then (SCENERY LIBRARY)
and a box appears-then OPEN the (ADDON SCENERY) folder and find the (FIREWORKS TEST) folder and SINGLE click it to
highlight it
and at the bottom right of the box click OK-then click OK again at the bottom main menu-Now the scenery is added and
at any time you can open the (SCENERY LIBRARY) and turn it OFF or BACK ON.-EXIT FS9
Now copy my saved flights folder (Fireworks test flights) into the (Flights) folder of FS9
Next start fs9 and go to - Select a flight and find (Fireworks test flights) and start one of the 2
flights to see the fireworks.
Now you may un add the area and delete the (FIREWORKS TEST) folder in the ADDON SCENERY folder of fs9
and the (Fireworks test flights) folder also cause you are ready to make and place your own..also you
may delete the BGL files out of the (Effects_placement) folder so its like starting from new.BUT leave
the XML files in there in which you will later open it with notepad and edit it for your
firework placement any where in the world and at any height and at any time to appear..
NEXT you need to find where you want your firework show to appear..
Start FS9 and fly to the spot you want it-you will need to turn on (Slew) mode- press the (Y) key and
Map mode -press the (Shift + S) key together for exact placement.
Now after you have slewed around and are over the spot you will need to get the lattitude and longitude
of where your aircraft is by pressing the (Shift) then the (Z) key- note it may already be displaying
at the top of your screen - just keep toggleing the 2 keys till it does-one will show framerate and another
will show Lat and Long ect
Next you need to write the Lat and Long down -for instance my France firework file was located
at N48 51.50 and E2 17.86
NEXT exit FS9 and go back to the (Effects_placement) folder and open one of the XML files with NOTEPAD.
For instance here is the France firework xml file opened with notepad -
This is what you want to edit by backspacing and typing in different stuff,,IMPORTANT..the file is sensitive in
the exact way its written and if something is not in the right place it wont work ect SO make a copy of the file
and save it somewhere in case of a mistake you can start over..
First we want to edit the lattitude and longitude with the lat and long you wrote down.
You will see where it says lat= and lon= ...
You will want to backspace the numbers and type yours in BUT...notice for instance above the lat="48 51.50"and
notice there is no (.) period between 48 and 51 this is important when entering your co- ordinants
do not put a period between the 1st 2 no.s or it may not show up..Next notice the lon="2 17.86" and notice there is no
(-)minus before the 2 ..like lon="-2 17.86" this is important - if you open the Gulf shores Ala firework
XML with notepad you will notice its longitude does have a (-) before the first number.This reason is one side
of the world uses a (-) and the other side dont is the best way to explain it BUT the bottom line is your
FS9 display will not show you nothing but the numbers so if your fireworks dont show up you may have to go back
and either add in the (-) or take it out...
At this point after you have typed in your co-ordinates you may exit and save the changes in notepad then re- name
the xml file to your desire -but leaving the extension .xml on it then drag it to the bglcomp.exe and make your
scenery addon as described above and go see your work..you may slew again the area and write down new lats n longs
and add even more beefing it up by making a new bgl as above and all you have to do is copy and paste it into your
created addon folder for that area- in other-you dont have to add a new area for each file..
ADVANCED...Raise\lower the height and set the time it appears...
OPEN the xml again as above and notice you see after the lat and lon (alt="0") just change it to say (alt="300")
and the fireworks will appear 300 m higher OR make it lower (alt="-350") and many will blow up on the ground
TIME - this is located under -effectParams= .....
The 2 xml files I included make the fireworks appear all year round every month,day and second from 7 or 8 pm to
11 pm depending on which xml file - one starts at 7 and the other at 8 pm
OK notice the - effectParams="MOY=01,12;DOM=01,31;HOD=20,23;MOH=00,59;SOM=00,60"/>
This is what you will want to edit to make it appear when you want it to show..
Lets start with the first and the rest explains itself
MOY=01,12 this means Months of Year and the 01,12 means the 1st month (January) and the 12th (December)as 1 thru 12
so the fireworks can show up every month of the year BUT depending on the following settings for days,hours,minuites,
and even seconds..
IN other words you can make it only show up on ceartain days all year long ect...or hours of ceartain days and forever ON!
MOY means Months of year
DOM means DAys of month
HOD means Hours of day
MOH means Minutes of hour
SOM means Seconds of minutes
For example in the text above you will see the HOD=20,23 this means the only hours of the day the fire works
will appear are from 8pm to 11 pm as the time is set as military time 0-23 as in the no. 6 is 6am and 18 is 6pm.
Other note - if you are going back to re-edit your file in the Effects_placement folder and you re drag it
back through the bglcomp.exe and your original BGL file is still in there it will not ask you if you want to
overwrite the BGL so it will seem as if nothing happens but it DID overwrite it..just re copy it in your scenery..
