Change Shoreline Width?

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csharpe
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:05 am

Change Shoreline Width?

Post by csharpe » Mon Jul 25, 2011 1:48 am

Is there an easy way to change the shoreline display width in FSX? I'm talking about the actual way SBuilderX shorelines displays in FSX, not the display settings while working in SBuilderX. The default SBX shorelines appear to be at least twice as wide as the default FSX shorelines, and I'd like to know if I need to modify some settings to get them closer in appearance to each other.

Thanks,
Carlyle

rhumbaflappy
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Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:11 pm

Re: Change Shoreline Width?

Post by rhumbaflappy » Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:54 am

The SBuilderX.ini file can be used to define the default line width.

Dick
Dick

csharpe
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Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:05 am

Re: Change Shoreline Width?

Post by csharpe » Mon Jul 25, 2011 4:13 am

Unfortunately, changing the default within the program only affects the way the shorelines appear within SBuilderX. It has no effect on the how the shorelines appear in FSX. Whether the default is set at 1 or 100, the coastlines that are "generated" all have the same size in FSX.

Is there a change that can be made that will affect the output file?

Thanks,
Carlyle

csharpe
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:05 am

Re: Change Shoreline Width?

Post by csharpe » Mon Jul 25, 2011 4:36 am

This may help clear up how I'm trying to frame my question. I've copied this from the "help" file:

Set Width
Vector Lines (roads, shorelines, railroads) have a fixed width in FS that is defined in the terrain.cfg file. You can change the displayed width of these Lines in SBuilderX so that they are easier to see in your project, but this will not change the width of the terrain element in FS. You can also define the width of other types of Lines (for example, textured Lines) - just right-click on the Line segment and select Set Width... from the menu
--------------------------------------

My question is: if FS has a "fixed width" assigned to lines, why does SBuilderX output the coastlines at approximately twice the width of FSX coastlines? Shouldn't they appear the same if FS is assigning the width?

Thanks,
Carlyle

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luisfeliztirado
Posts: 436
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Location: Santo Domingo

Re: Change Shoreline Width?

Post by luisfeliztirado » Mon Jul 25, 2011 1:26 pm

Hello Carlyle,

The default coastlines are very few in number and are extremely thin. If you are able to use other thicker coastlines, it is because Dick Ludowise (Rhumbaflappy) and I put out a revised terrain.cfg when FSX was released. This document also allows the use of FS 9 coastlines that were much thicker than the 6 default FS X coastlines.

Perhaps you could indicate precisely what you are trying to do. Are you not satisfied with the coastlines as displayed in FS X?

Best regards.
Luis

csharpe
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Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:05 am

Re: Change Shoreline Width?

Post by csharpe » Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:57 pm

Thanks, Luis. I agree with you that the default coastlines are extremely thin. However, I am working on a huge project that recreates the Honduras island chain that runs from Utila to Roatan to Guanaja, and I have extremely detailed coastlines. Because of this, the newer "thick" coastlines cover up much of that detail. I would not want to us the FSX defaults in every instance, but I could really use some of them here.

If you could let me know the specific names of those 6 or so FSX coastlines, that would really help me out.

Thanks,
Carlyle

csharpe
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Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:05 am

Re: Change Shoreline Width?

Post by csharpe » Mon Jul 25, 2011 3:12 pm

Luis,

I think I found them. Are all the defaults you referred to named "Shorelines Generic..."? If so, I believe I'm all set now.

Best,
Carlyle

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luisfeliztirado
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Location: Santo Domingo

Re: Change Shoreline Width?

Post by luisfeliztirado » Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:22 pm

Hello Carlyle,

Sounds like a fascinating project. Good luck.

You have other options besides the generic shorelines. You can use terrain polygons ("Park" polygons) to draw beaches of any dimensions and shape that you wish,then simply assign a beach texture to the polygon. They won't have wave effects, but you can also draw them separately - the wave effects are in the line options towards the end. Or you can also not use shorelines at all, since in many places the land goes all the way to the water without any beach.

Best regards.
Luis

csharpe
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Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:05 am

Re: Change Shoreline Width?

Post by csharpe » Tue Jul 26, 2011 3:54 pm

Oh yes, I've been working with the "beach" effect (using the surf line) as well, and it is VERY cool! I figure where I have the adequate satellite data, I can draw the specific beaches, and where I do not, I can use the generic texture. SBuilderX is such a terrific program to work with. I'm quickly discovering many of the short cuts!

Thanks,
Carlyle

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