Hi folks,

G2xpl is a X-Plane add on (for Windows 64 bit OS only!) which allows for loading textures from popular internet map providers onto X-Plane default scenery.

 

Here are some screenshots/clips of G2xpl in action:

 

or check out:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=g2xpl

You can download demo version 6.94 for Win OS (64-bit version only) here: g2xpl_6.94 demo.zip
It should work with both X-Plane 10 and 11.
Demo version has a limitation of textures resolution (zoom level up to 15). Please test it and if you find it useful after receiving donation at
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=5MDYTWW6FNSG6
I will email back the full version without the limitation.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE: If you haven't received your copy of the full version within a few days after sending the donation please email or PM me. I had reports that some of the emails I've sent were truncated or didn't go through.

Readme-FAQ files: G2xpl README.pdf

Step-by-step instructions how to set it up and use it: g2xpl step by step instuctions.pdf

And more detailed description: G2xpl_details_FAQ_ENG.pdf

If you have any questions please take a look into readme-FAQ first.

The most common Q&A:
Q: Does G2xpl load texture data seamlessly in the background while flight simulation?
A: No. Current X-Plane scenery system does not allow for it. You can only load complete texture data per 1x1 deg area (which means several dozens km x several dozens km) at once.

Q: Is there a way to cover with orthophotos (only) my favorite airport ?
A: No it is not possible to set the area to be covered by orhtophotos. X-Plane scenery in organized in DSF volumes each covering 1x1 deg area. For every scenery conversion the base mesh from entire DSF needs to be rebuilt which is time consuming process. Therefore G2xpl always processes and covers with orthophotos entire 1x1 deg area (which is normally several dozens km x several dozens km in size)

If you still could not find the answer then email me at my new email address: [email protected].
Please NOTE that my previous email account [email protected] is not valid any more

Edited June 14, 20178 yr by Robert2
added step-by-step instructions

windoze only, half the community cannot use it, sorry.

Hi Robert,

Theoretically speaking, another solution to 3 would be to use MeshTool as the back-end to your plugin; MeshTool is capable of filling in default "land-use" type scenery where there are no orthophotos. However, MeshTool is pretty painfully slow - it goes through our entire GIS process, which was never meant to be real-time.

Probably better is just to use google for the entire DSF tile. I am looking at a real texture pager for X-Plane ... a number of custom scenery authors have asked for this because the current "load everything now" strategy maxes things out. With textures that are resized/paged on the fly, you might be able to create one DSF once that covers the whole 1x1, then provide the images on an as-needed basis.

cheers

Ben

Technically, this tool is illegal and threatens the very existence of Google's mapping systems. But I'm sick of playing that record.

Well every time I run it, the program tries to download 1687 google maps and reaches the download limit about half way through. The when run again the same numbers appear suggesting that it is making no progress?

Great idea for a program, but I agree that legality is questionable when using Google Maps.

All the best

Steve

Hi Robert,

The problem on my installation is that the plugin crashes, while trying to create DDS textures.

Is there a solution?

Thnks in advance

Baper

Hi Robert,

The problem on my installation is that the plugin crashes, while trying to create DDS textures.

Is there a solution?

Thnks in advance

Baper

Wohoo, I have the same problem, but I hope it will be fix with beta 3 ^^ (I hope there will be another beta )

Hello,

first, your work is great!! I'm looking for this tool (or something else) for months, and at last ... Great, wonderfull!!

Second: do you know what0s the limit or quota Google Maps give for a day session? I suposse that the quota is for ip, don't? Because when I get the alert of G2xpl about the quota exceded, in maps.google.com I get errors about the precision of the map, any map ..

Thanks!

P.D. I'm getting maps from Spain, LEBL, and not problem with the near Grenwich meridian.

Hello,

first, your work is great!! I'm looking for this tool (or something else) for months, and at last ... Great, wonderfull!!

Second: do you know what0s the limit or quota Google Maps give for a day session? I suposse that the quota is for ip, don't? Because when I get the alert of G2xpl about the quota exceded, in maps.google.com I get errors about the precision of the map, any map ..

Thanks!

P.D. I'm getting maps from Spain, LEBL, and not problem with the near Grenwich meridian.

Yes, google maps is blocking the IP, so just go offline and re-dial, you will get a new Ip, then it should go fine.

Yes, google maps is blocking the IP, so just go offline and re-dial, you will get a new Ip, then it should go fine.

mmmm... bad thing! I've fixed IP!! Some idea??

mmmm... bad thing! I've fixed IP!! Some idea??

http://whatismyipaddress.com/

Try this, remember your IP and then re-dial, if you got a new you can see it, if not you have maybe a fix ip, ask your provider

Hi RObert2...

Can you use Google Earth for roads vector info, and replace the standard info in the DSF recompilation? The road data in X-Plane is broken and has no coincidence with the google maps images.

Regards!!

Hi Robert,

Theoretically speaking, another solution to 3 would be to use MeshTool as the back-end to your plugin; MeshTool is capable of filling in default "land-use" type scenery where there are no orthophotos. However, MeshTool is pretty painfully slow - it goes through our entire GIS process, which was never meant to be real-time.

Probably better is just to use google for the entire DSF tile. I am looking at a real texture pager for X-Plane ... a number of custom scenery authors have asked for this because the current "load everything now" strategy maxes things out. With textures that are resized/paged on the fly, you might be able to create one DSF once that covers the whole 1x1, then provide the images on an as-needed basis.

cheers

Ben

Thanks Ben for your comments!

if you are reading this then let me ask you a question:

some people have asked me why i'm not using separate scenery directory for new generated DSF

when i did that I noticed (maybe i'm wrong??) that the scenries were missing objects from corresponding DSF file in -global overlays- directory

Of course i could combine both DSF from -global terrain- and -global overlays but i am not sure if some of the DSFs from -global overlays- might get updated somewhere during X-Plane 9 updates and my DSF will get outdated then

Can this happen? Why there are 2 separate DSF volumes per each 1x1?

Do you plan to update any of DSF files at all during X-Plane 9 upgrades???? Or its done only during scnery re-cut?

Thanks

Rob

Wohoo, I have the same problem, but I hope it will be fix with beta 3 ^^ (I hope there will be another beta )

hello

The problem is that i cannot recreate this crash! I had some crashes in download loop and problems with mesh conversion (hopefully fixed now) but never during TGA-> DDS conversion.

Does program crash AFTER some maps have been converted (then there is definitely a bug in my code) or just before that (then the problem might be Nvidia DLL and interfacing to it)? Take a look into your X-Plane\Custom Scenery\-global terrain-\Textures directory and let me know if you see any DDS files.

Here is a new version of BETA2.

g2xpl2.1.zip

I changed linking to DLL. Just extract these 3 files (overwrite existing ones) ale let me know if this helps. If not - Could you send me your g2xpl.ini files?

Anyway there is always workaround - Ben will publish his DDS conversion tool soon.

Rob

[Of course i could combine both DSF from -global terrain- and -global overlays

And that should be great ! I don't think they plan to update it...Too much data IMO.

Ben, what's your opinion ?

Olivier

mmmm... bad thing! I've fixed IP!! Some idea??

Even though i have fixed ip i was blocked only for a day or max 2. Maybe it is becasue i was on corporate network behind a proxy...

are you sure that if you have fixed address they will block it permanently? Pls double-check after few days...

I guess you might also look into relying your traffic through Tor

http://www.torproject.org/download.html

hello

The problem is that i cannot recreate this crash! I had some crashes in download loop and problems with mesh conversion (hopefully fixed now) but never during TGA-> DDS conversion.

Does program crash AFTER some maps have been converted (then there is definitely a bug in my code) or just before that (then the problem might be Nvidia DLL and interfacing to it)? Take a look into your X-Plane\Custom Scenery\-global terrain-\Textures directory and let me know if you see any DDS files.

Here is a new version of BETA2.

g2xpl2.1.zip

I changed linking to DLL. Just extract these 3 files (overwrite existing ones) ale let me know if this helps. If not - Could you send me your g2xpl.ini files?

Anyway there is always workaround - Ben will publish his DDS conversion tool soon.

Rob

Thats the error.

In the X-Plane\Custom Scenery\-global terrain-\Textures directory i have:

empty.dds (1 KB)

g2xpl_4_17_20924_84884.tga (3 MB)

g2xpl_4_17_68360_85920.tga (3 MB)

g2xpl_4_17_69668_85108.tga (3 MB)

I will send you my g2xpl.ini

thx for your effort

Even though i have fixed ip i was blocked only for a day or max 2. Maybe it is becasue i was on corporate network behind a proxy...

are you sure that if you have fixed address they will block it permanently? Pls double-check after few days...

I guess you might also look into relying your traffic through Tor

http://www.torproject.org/download.html

Yes, every day my ip is unblocked and I can download a few new maps ... but very few new maps! With this rate probably I need one month to get a 4 square degree area ... I will be patient!

hello

The problem is that i cannot recreate this crash! I had some crashes in download loop and problems with mesh conversion (hopefully fixed now) but never during TGA-> DDS conversion.

Does program crash AFTER some maps have been converted (then there is definitely a bug in my code) or just before that (then the problem might be Nvidia DLL and interfacing to it)? Take a look into your X-Plane\Custom Scenery\-global terrain-\Textures directory and let me know if you see any DDS files.

Here is a new version of BETA2.

g2xpl2.1.zip

I changed linking to DLL. Just extract these 3 files (overwrite existing ones) ale let me know if this helps. If not - Could you send me your g2xpl.ini files?

Anyway there is always workaround - Ben will publish his DDS conversion tool soon.

Rob

I'm getting the same error and crash. Attached is the screenshot with more detail on the crash message and my .ini file. Because of the crashes, I now have a 1x1 area with no texture right around Seattle. Any suggestions as to how I can rebuild the default area? Just get it from the DVD should work, right?

Thanks for the potentially great tool! I'd love to get it working.

g2xpl.zip

Edited March 14, 200817 yr by Andrew

I Have tried the sofware and it ROCKS!!! you are the man!

congratz men, its a great tool, and great job. Here are some things i have in mind to update your tool:

>Make it download the roads information from maps.google.com and place them in x-plane, that way we will have trafic over the roads while flying.

>Make it download the 3d objects from the google earth virtual warehouse, that way we will have the same 3d objects that we do when we use google earth (if you dont like them you can remove them with overlay editor anyway)

>Use the default textures from the original DSF file in the areas were the maps are not placed (mine is black,not good)

>Make it a stand alone tool, just input the coords and make it do the work without X-Plane runing.

>Linux version (now im downloading the maps from windows and copying the scenery to linux) if it was a stand alon tool i could try to run it with WINE

Unfortunatley this error make this brilliant soft completely unusable.

to me you have an issue when the software is trying to create the DDS photos. Probably you have a compability related problem with nvcompress.dll . try to find another version of that file over the internet.

>Make it a stand alone tool, just input the coords and make it do the work without X-Plane runing.

You can do this already.

Change the coordinates in the .ini file and launch the .exe.

Daniel

You can do this already.

Change the coordinates in the .ini file and launch the .exe.

Daniel

thanks! ill give it a try

have you try it on linux with WINE?

im gonna try it with VMWARE runing win xp over linux

to me you have an issue when the software is trying to create the DDS photos. Probably you have a compability related problem with nvcompress.dll . try to find another version of that file over the internet.

Looks like it's a DXT5 and nvcompress issue. Searching for nvcompress turned up some other related issues. Other games are also having this problem. Maybe there is a way to get it to run through GIMP's plugin which uses hardware as mentioned in this thread. Thoughts Robert2?

Edited March 17, 200817 yr by Andrew