Use of the IPACS Converter.

Purpose:

The job of this converter is to convert a 3D model from Metasequoia into an *.obj file for Easyfly, Piccolfy and Aerofly Professional (afpro).

The name of the program-file is doga2obj.exe (or convert.exe).

If you have finished your work with Meta, save you file as an *.MQO file to make sure that nothing will get lost.

Preparation:

Select File > Save as > File type DoGa CGA System (*.suf)

Use the standard setting for the axis:

DoGa CGA System
Flip right and left ON
invert Face OFF

Use the standard setting for the SUF options:
Attribute file ON
Normal ON
UV Mapping ON

You can modify the size with the “Size options”:
Multiply 1.0
digits 3

The Converter:

Copy the converter into the folder where the *.suf file is stored.
Open the DOS prompt, change to according folder and start the converter with the following command:

doga2obj Name scale 0.001 (or convert Name scale 0.001)

This command translates the *.suf file into an *.obj file.

Now enter your model name without extension.
Avoid all special characters or spaces.
The entry scale 0.001 accords our value digits 3 from above.

That’s it, now you have an *.obj file for Easyfly, Piccofly and afpro.

Tips:

Size:

It is helpful if you have an idea about the size of your model, BEFORE loading it into the simulator.
Therefore open the *.obj file with an editor, look for the entry leftwing and check the second column of the coordinates.
Scroll through the lines until you find the roughly highest value.

#
# Object Leftwing
#
g Leftwing
texture rF86.bmp 1 1
ambient 0.90 0.90 0.90
diffuse 0.90 0.90 0.90 1.00
specular 0.60 0.60 0.60
shininess 0.20
f tnv
v -0.180910 0.908978 0.032917 0.545098 0.403922 -0.733333 0.898438 0.902344
v -0.186670 0.909041 0.028667 0.388235 0.309804 -0.866667 0.898438 0.902344
v -0.244340 0.998210 0.033915 0.356863 0.352941 -0.866667 0.937500 0.875000

In our example the value is 0.998210 which is nearly 1 meter.
This means your model will have wing span of about 2 meters.

If the *.obj file does not show any usable values (they might be a hundred times too big), then we need a different scale.


Scale:

It is very easy to increase or decrease the model by factors of 10, 100 or 1000.
Open the DOS prompt, press F3 to recall the last command and change the value:

doga2obj Name scale 0.0001 ( or convert Name scale 0.0001)

Now we have decreased the size of the model by the factor 10, because we have set digits 3, but have entered the value 0.0001.

Easy, isn’t it?

This also means that by combining the multiplier and scale we can create any model size. Give it a try.

Have fun.

Rodeo