Latest Blender exporter removes flags from texture xmls (Blender 4.2)

Version: 1.3.23.0

Frequency: Consistently

Severity: High
(Low - quality of life, workflow optimization, rare enough to not impact production, etc…
High - critical but workarounds are available, important feature not working as expected, frequent enough to impact production
Blocker - prevents from working on the project, prevents from releasing the product)

Marketplace package name: if applicable

Context: What package? When editing or mounted from Community? In main menu or in flight? etc…

Similar MSFS 2020 issue: insert url here if applicable

Bug description: With the latest exporter in Blender 4.2 I am experiencing the following issue. The option to have texture xmls generated by the exporter works in general but has a major issue. If a xml has been edited by hand, to add flags, the exporter somehow recognizes that and replaces that xml. With the result being all flags lost. Xmls that have not been edited are not replaced during exports.

Repro steps: Edit a xml by hand that was created by the exporter, do another export and see what happens to the xml.

Attachments:

Private attachments: Send a PM to @PrivateContent with the link to this topic and the link to download your content

Hello,

Did you try to uncheck the “Generate TextureLib” option in the settings ?

Regards,
Boris

Hey Boris,

why should I uncheck it? I want to make use of this function so I dont have to create the xmls by hand.
Usually the exporter recognizes if a texture already has a xml and only generates those that are missing, it does not replace existing xmls. But when a xml has been edited by hand to add a flag this system fails. The exporter replaces only those xmls that have been edited by hand to add a flag. Something like that shouldnt happen.

Have you tried the image editor in Blender - there is a MSFS 2024 N tab that allows you to set the flags there.

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@b1e1n7e I was about to tell you the same thing as @DA40CGDFQ.

We overwrite the XML at each export, and this is by design.

You shouldn’t edit your texture XML manually. Instead, use the Blender Image Editor, which handles the flags properly.

Regards,
Boris

@Boris @DA40CGDFQ Thank you guys, I wasnt aware of this. How exactly do I open this editor?

Like this or in a new panel if you want :
image

Also, be aware that there is a documentation for the plugin located in :
C:\MSFS 2024 SDK\Tools\Blender\addons\io_scene_gltf2_msfs_2024\documentation

Hope it helps,

Regards,
Boris

@Boris Thanks a lot, I will try this and see if I can get my AO artifacts fixed. Thats probably why it had not worked, because I edited the xml by hand. In that case you could delete my bug report regarding AO flags.

Alright, the problem is solved.
Maybe its a good idea if we keep the bug report and just mark it as solved. I will write a short comment and link to this discusion so that people who had the same issue can learn from it.

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