Eliminating Corrupted 2D Objects...

Share your designing tips with other Designer's. Find answers to your problems using the APCD.
User avatar
Danny D
Posts: 1107
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 1:09 am
Location: SE Missouri

Eliminating Corrupted 2D Objects...

Post by Danny D »

Recently while working on Wakonda, I needed some 2D objects from my last course, so I went into my Wakonda object library and did an import from "The National GC of KC". I discovered that the specific 2D objects that I wanted didn't show up during the import function. I had heard that if a course isn't locked, you can retrieve 2D objects from a course using the Links Extender ver2, so I decided I would try it and see.

I opened "The National" in Links Extender, and started looking around. From the menu I selected CRZ File, and then OPEN CRZ File, and browsed to "The National GC of KC" and opened it.

Next I clicked on the drop-down menu and chose "2D Objects"
What appeared was a list of all of the 2D objects that are in my course. I started scrolling down and looking for the objects I wanted. When I found one, I scrolled to it and pressed the SPACE BAR to select it. Each time I found one that I wanted to save, I made sure it was highlighted and then pressed the SPACE BAR to add it to the list that I wanted to save. You can select them with the mouse if you prefer, but I preferred to use the down arrow to scroll down thru the list, and simply hit the spacebar to select the ones I wanted. I found that easier than using the mouse.

As I looked at them, I decided I wanted some of the flowers, so I selected every name that had the word FLOWER. After I had located and selected every file I wanted, I selected "Export Selected Items to Hard Drive". Here's a little tip before you export them. Jot down one of the file names that you selected just in case you have trouble locating them, so you can do a file search if needed.

I use Windows 7 and by default, the files were placed in the following location on my hard drive...

C:\Users\DanD\Documents\Links Extender v2\The National GC of Kansas City.crz\2D Objects


When I opened the folder and looked at the files that had been exported, I was surprised at what I found. Each TGA file name had 2 or more copies, and each copy was a different size and resolution. Look at the file list picture. Notice the ones that are highlighted are the same file but with A,B,C and D in the names, and each file gets smaller. If you look at those files in a file viewer, you can see they are the same pictures, only different sizes.

Here's my theory...

I suspect that when a TGA file is added as a 2D object in the APCD, when you do a Validate & Save in the APCD, it creates these smaller images automatically. Most likely it's using them to re-render objects to a smaller resolution as you move back away from them so it can produce better images at a distance. It would make sense. What I believe happens once in a while is that some of the files either get corrupt, or get mixed and jumbled up by accident by someone importing files with the same name. The end result would be file names are the same name, but the images are different. Then, when they get saved in the APCD, it sorts the wrong pictures into the wrong folder. That also makes sense...

Now that I understand what's most likely happening, I will never import small 2D objects from other courses again. Here's what I will do from now on if I want any 2D objects. And, by the way, I think this would be the best method for building a planting set.

1 - Open the course in the Links Extender that contains the 2D object files that you want.

2 - Select ONLY THE LARGEST of the files on the list. Don't select the smaller copies, and export them to your hard drive.

3 - View each file to make sure it's a good picture and that you want it in your planting set.

4 - Make up new names for them that you know can't already exist, for example... "wakonda_misc_001". The next name would be "wakonda_misc_002" and so on. (Hint: I chose to name every file that I collected the same, only with higher numbers. I did not catogorize the object types. I wanted all of the files that I would be using to be in the same category.

5 - Open the APCD where your planting set is and select the PLANTING tab, and then select OBJECT LIBRARY.

6 - In the Object Library, select the OBJECTS tab.

7 - Now select NEW OBJECT TYPE.

8 - Create a name for the category where you want to place the files you have saved & renamed.

9 - Select the IMPORT icon and browse to the files that you want to import. Once they are imported, select all of them and click the "Add to current planting set" button.

10 - Click the PLANTING SET tab and locate them on the list. At this point, you might want to select each one and set their properties so you won't have to do it as you plant each one. Or you can do it later.

That's it! You're now ready to plant without fear of them being corrupt.

When I had all of mine complete, I went to a plot and planted every one of the new saved objects close together, and then zoomed in and out to see it any of them changed. I backed away until all of them finally disappeared, and then I moved back in and watched them closely for any changes. They all looked perfect, and were really sharp and clear at all distances. This would be the only method I would use from now on to create a planting set. I believe it will eliminate those pesky corrupted 2D objects.

Hope this helps,

Dan
Attachments
extender.jpg
extender.jpg (489.73 KiB) Viewed 8623 times
filenames.jpg
filenames.jpg (203.88 KiB) Viewed 8623 times
Last edited by Danny D on April 28th, 2020, 2:18 am, edited 2 times in total.
Completed Courses
Real Courses: The National Golf Club of Kansas City - Wakonda Club - Coeur d'Alene Resort Course
Fictitious Courses: Northern Lakes - Golfcom Tees
Southern Oaks - Hometown 9 hole real course with a fictitious back 9 added
User avatar
sagevanni
Posts: 1133
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 6:21 am
Location: Somewhere on flat earth

Re: Eliminating Corrupted 2D Objects...

Post by sagevanni »

Thank you Danny........

I copy/pasted everything into a saved document to have ready at hand any time.......

Sage...... :clapping:
If there is one thing ................ummmmmmmm.......I can't remember.
User avatar
Adelade
Posts: 1346
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 10:24 am

Re: Eliminating Corrupted 2D Objects...

Post by Adelade »

I've always used this method as well, it just felt more proper and safer to make new files out of them with Links Extender than using the in-APCD import from course function since I had heard of corrupt 2d objects. Takes a bit more time but probably worth it. I wish there was a way to quickly select all files in the list in Links Extender and then sort them out in file explorer instead, shift+select or ctrl+a didnt work if i recall correctly. The multiple files of same object had me a bit confused too at first but I concluded the same as you Dan, that theyre used for longer distances and for lower graphics slider settings.
Finished Courses - Main: Amedal (fictional), Nine Bridges (real)
Other: Austin, Sheshan, Kauri Cliffs, Le Golf Nat. Updates: Whirlpool, Royal Lytham, Royal St George's, Chicago, Chambers Bay, Munchen Nord E
Working on: 2 fictional courses + a couple things...
Ian Wells
Posts: 561
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 3:02 am

Re: Eliminating Corrupted 2D Objects...

Post by Ian Wells »

Thanks Danny
Ian
Ian Wells
Posts: 561
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 3:02 am

Re: Eliminating Corrupted 2D Objects...

Post by Ian Wells »

Andy,
I have tried to download the extender but when I open it after Links And APCD Extender "extracting files" there is nothing further. Am I missing something? :dunno:
Ian
User avatar
Andy
Site Admin
Posts: 343
Joined: August 22nd, 2019, 3:05 pm
Location: Winchcombe

Re: Eliminating Corrupted 2D Objects...

Post by Andy »

Ian Wells wrote: March 3rd, 2020, 12:05 pm Andy,
I have tried to download the extender but when I open it after Links And APCD Extender "extracting files" there is nothing further. Am I missing something? :dunno:
Ian
I know nothing about it Ian. The program came from Andrew Jones, not me. :dunno:
I started off with nothing and I still have most of it left!
User avatar
Adelade
Posts: 1346
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 10:24 am

Re: Eliminating Corrupted 2D Objects...

Post by Adelade »

Yeah there isnt any confirmation popup or anything if I recall correctly, but they still end up at C:\Users\[username]\Documents\Links Extender v2 when pressing extract, check there :thumbup:
Finished Courses - Main: Amedal (fictional), Nine Bridges (real)
Other: Austin, Sheshan, Kauri Cliffs, Le Golf Nat. Updates: Whirlpool, Royal Lytham, Royal St George's, Chicago, Chambers Bay, Munchen Nord E
Working on: 2 fictional courses + a couple things...
Ian Wells
Posts: 561
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 3:02 am

Re: Eliminating Corrupted 2D Objects...

Post by Ian Wells »

Andy, sorry, I didn't realize the Andrew wasn't you. I must learn to read all the text.

Adelade, I downloaded the Links Extender file again, extracted and looked where you suggested, but there was no \Links Extender v2 folder. I ran a search for "extender" on my C drive and it found the file in c:\Program Files (x86)\Links Extender V2. Thank you for your help :tiphat:

Ian
Edit.
Adelade when I selected and downloaded the 2D images they did go to the file location you sugested - again without any notification, hence Dans comment regarding remembering the file name.
Thanks again.
sodbuster
Posts: 45
Joined: February 20th, 2020, 9:47 pm

Re: Eliminating Corrupted 2D Objects...

Post by sodbuster »

I can't find a download link for Extender. :unsure:
User avatar
Adelade
Posts: 1346
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 10:24 am

Re: Eliminating Corrupted 2D Objects...

Post by Adelade »

A link to a download can be found in the video description (below the video) for Lez' vid #62 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTsBNDO ... e=youtu.be , seems to still work.
Get the v2.5 one
Finished Courses - Main: Amedal (fictional), Nine Bridges (real)
Other: Austin, Sheshan, Kauri Cliffs, Le Golf Nat. Updates: Whirlpool, Royal Lytham, Royal St George's, Chicago, Chambers Bay, Munchen Nord E
Working on: 2 fictional courses + a couple things...
Post Reply