This [[:Category:howto|howto]] is intended to be a help guiding the potential livery artist as well as the more experienced one needing a refresher.

== What is a livery? ==
[[File:PC-9M Slovenian Livery.png|150px|thumb|right|Slovenian livery for pjedvaj's second version of the [[Pilatus PC-9M]].]]
A ''livery'' is the way an [[aircraft]] from for example an airline or a fighter wing is painted. Some other flight simulators and games call this a '''paint (scheme)''' or '''repaint'''. A livery consists of one or more textures, wrapped around the 3D model representing the aircraft.

Most aircraft in FlightGear come as a ZIP file which contains a few text, 3D model and image files organized in several directories. In that structure is one or more liveries and one or more text files, XML files, describing it's use. The liveries can usually be found in the <tt>..Models<tt>, <tt>..Liveries</tt>, <tt>..Models/Liveries</tt> or some other directory, depending on how the aircraft's author organized the files and directories.

== General work flow ==
There are a few ways to make a new livery. First of all have a look at the [[FlightGear livery database]], to make sure you don't duplicate someones else's work. You can also download templates for liveries, called ''paintkits'', there for a few aircraft, but usually paintkits are included with the aircraft.

When creating the livery, the work flow is basically in this order:
# Check the FlightGear Livery Database, to avoid duplicate work
# Find reference images,
# Get a paintkit, if available,
# Make the livery
# Share the livery

== Finding reference images ==
To do a good livery based on a real aircraft you simply have to have reference images to look at while making the livery. You will need images from both sides of the fuselage, images of the top and bottom, and a lot of close in images of details. Make sure you also have images from an angle. Having a three way drawing can be helpful, specially if you want to add rivet lines, or if there was no paintkit available.

Make sure you have a lot of good reference images of the aircraft livery you want to make. A list of websites containing such images can be found at the bottom of this article.

== Editing the livery image ==
[[File:Vector vs Raster Graphics.png|150px|thumb|right|One pixel line width square and circle together with a gradient. Left side is a vector image, right side a raster image. Both are exported 20 times larger.]]
[[File:Livery layers in Inkscape (Slovenian PC-9M).png|150px|thumb|right|Inkscape layer dialogue. The four top top layers are the paintkit, while the rest of the layers are the livery.]]
[[File:Finished Slovenian PC-9M livery (3DViewer screenshot).png|150px|thumb|right|3DViewer screen shot of a finished livery draped over the model.]]
[[File:Finished Slovenian PC-9M livery (in-game screenshot).png|150px|thumb|right|FlightGear 2.0.0 in-game screen shot with the finished livery.]]
To be on the safe side copy the aircraft folder to some other place and work on the livery in the copied directory.

=== Vector or raster ===
There are in general two ways to edit the livery: Using a raster image editor such as GIMP or Photoshop or using a vector graphics editor such as Inkscape or Illustrator. GIMP and Inkscape are both free and open source software. If you don't have experience with a vector editor there's a bit of a learning curve, but after you have passed it a vector editor can be more rewarding, as you can more easily adjust, scale and rotate elements in the livery such as warning labels, stripes and cabin windows. Vector images also have the great advantage of having the possibility to later make a higher resolution livery in a snap.

=== Using layers ===
When editing the livery, have the template in one or more layer, adding the elements of your livery in other layers. Another good idea if you are using a raster editor is to have individual elements as separate layers to be able to move them around if necessary.

=== Saving the files ===
''Start'' the work by saving your livery while it is still empty. That way you will not get carried away, forgetting to save it just to be reminded in the harshest way, maybe having hours of work lost. The file should usually have a size of 1024*1024 pixels, but any rectangle with n2 pixels side, for example 256, 512 and 2048 pixels, will do. Larger image size will result in more detail being shown, but also a slower running FlightGear.

Note that all liveries for a certain aircraft must have the same aspect ratio. So when an existing livery is 1024*2048, your livery can be 512*1024, but not 512*512.

If you are working with raster files, remember to use a two or four times larger size, while working on the livery, in case you later on need a livery in a larger size. When you are done you can save a version in the right size. Save the file in a larger size also when creating a raster image paintkit from scratch.

While working on the livery save the file in different versions while you are adding new features, so you don't end up messing your ''only'' file up by mistake. Copy the file, with the right size, to the aircraft's <tt>..Models</tt> directory or <tt>..Models/Liveries</tt> directory, depending on how the original author organized the aircraft's folders, and name it default.png.

=== Viewing the livery in 3D ===
While you are working on the livery it is a good idea to load it into a 3D viewer, turning the model around and comparing it to your reference images at regular intervals.

To be able to check the livery on a model there are three ways, you can either
* use '''[[FGRun]]'s''' built in viewer at the aircraft page to look at the model, which is rather slow.
* use '''3DViewer''', a neat, small and fast viewer.
* use the 3D modeller '''[[Blender]]''', which has quite a steep learning curve.

My recommendation is 3DViewer, since it is small and fast.

=== Naming your livery ===
Lastly, when done give the livery a proper name. For hints on airliners etc. have a look at the [http://liveries.flightgear.org/contribute.php livery database's contribute page]. It is usually a good idea to have aircraft model and airline, possibly also years it was used in the file name.

Details on the XML work needed here.

== Sharing your work ==
Please consider sharing your work on the forum, and in the case it is a real livery and doesn't have parts of non-free images, also the livery database under the GPL license.

=== Showing your livery at the FlightGear forum ===
In order to show your liveries at the forum you have to be registered and have uploaded your images of the livery to some external image host like Picasa, Flickr, imageshed or something similar.

On the forum there are sometimes a topic for the development of an aircraft as well as a sparate topic for liveries to the same aircraft. Use the forums search function to find any already existing topics. If you cannot find one, make a new one in the [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=13 liveries development] subforum with the name of the aircraft somewhere in the topic's title.

To add the image to your post use your image host's share function or if you do not find it use <tt>[img]</tt> tags like this <tt>[img]<URL to image>[/img]</tt>.

To share your livery you have to upload it to a file host and link to it with the <tt>[url]</tt> tags like this <tt>[url=<URL to file>]<Description of file>[/url]</tt>.

=== Uploading to the FlightGear Livery Database ===
You can upload your liveries to the official livery database using [http://liveries.flightgear.org/contribute.php a web form]. Please read the rules and tips carefully before sending in your livery.

=== Uploading to Unitedfreeworld.com ===
Both real and fictional liveries can be uploaded to Unitedfreeworld.com using [http://www.unitedfreeworld.com/contribute/ a web form].

Unitedfreeworld uses a Creative Commons-Attribution-Non commercial-No derivates (CC-by-nc-nd) licence and recommends you to adhere to that, and that your livery contains no copyrighted material, in essence that it is your own work entirely.

== A pledge to aircraft developers and livery artists ==
Some one else would likely want to have a try at liveries for the aircraft you are working on. When you are developing an aircraft or are making a new livery for an aircraft without a painkit, please consider making a paintkit for that aircraft. Also consider that the aircraft will more likely get higher quality liveries and more liveries if your paintkit is of high quality.

== Related content ==
* [[Livery over MP]], describes how to equip an aircraft with a livery system.

== External links ==
* [http://liveries.flightgear.org/index.php FlightGear Livery Database]
* [http://www.unitedfreeworld.com/ Unitedfreeworld.com]

=== Web sites for reference images ===
A small selection. Many, many more are available these days.
* [http://www.google.se/imghp Google image search] The obvious
* [http://www.airliners.net/ Airliners.net] Well known
* [http://www.airplane-pictures.net/ Airplane-Pictures.net] Many ways to browse through the images
* [http://www.jetphotos.net/ JetPhotos.Net]
* [http://www.planepictures.net/ PlanePictures]

=== 3D Viewers ===
* [http://karelse.home.xs4all.nl/3DViewer/ 3DViewer] Small, neat and fast.

[[Category:Aircraft enhancement|Edit a livery]]
[[Category:Howto|Edit a livery]]

[[de:Howto: Edit a livery]]

Scripted Compilation on Linux Debian/Ubuntu

2011-08-03T22:18:30Z

Mmuc:

==Description==
The following script takes care of downloading and compiling FlightGear from the git repositories with just one command execution for both 32-bit and 64-bit Debian based systems (Debian, Ubuntu). Pre-existing installed version (if any) of FlightGear are not touched at all since the script builds and installs everything under the directory in which it is launched.

Necessary packages are installed via the apt-get system while libraries not included in the repositories are downloaded and compiled on the fly (i.e. [[Plib]], [[Simgear]] and [[OSG]]).

=== List of compiled programs ===
The script is able to download and compile:
* FlightGear (And all the data needed to use it)
* [[Fgrun]]
* [[FGCOM]]
* [[FGComGui]]
* [[Atlas]]
* [[Terrasync]]

== Download ==
You can download the script here: [http://www.gitorious.org/fg/fgmeta/blobs/raw/master/download_and_compile.sh download_and_compile.sh]

The script is maintained in the FlightGear main repository. Remember to update this script whenever a new FlightGear version is released, so that you'll be able to download the latest stable revision.

There is also another option for building FlightGear and all its dependencies in an automated fashion, please refer to: http://geoffmclane.com/fg/fgfs-052.htm

== Instructions ==
To run download_and_compile.sh, just save it in a directory called for example: ~/fgfs
then execute it (no need to execute it as root).

Here is for example a sequence of commands to get the script and launch it in a new folder.
<pre>
mkdir ~/fgfs
cd ~/fgfs
wget http://www.gitorious.org/fg/fgmeta/blobs/raw/master/download_and_compile.sh
chmod 755 download_and_compile.sh
sh download_and_compile.sh
</pre>
Once the script is finished, you will successfully get all the programs installed in the ~/fgfs directory.

=== Launching FlightGear ===
To run your new git installation of FlightGear you have to launch the ''run_fgfs.sh'' command under the same folder, for example:
<pre>
cd ~/fgfs
sh run_fgfs.sh
</pre>

=== Launching Fgrun ===
For many users it's more comfortable having FlightGear launched by the graphical utility Fgrun which is installed as well in the same folder. You have to launch the ''run_fgrun.sh'' command, for example:
<pre>
cd ~/fgfs
sh run_fgrun.sh
</pre>

=== Launching FGCOM ===
FGCOM is the system used by FlightGear to simulate radio communications between users. Launch it using the ''run_fgcom.sh'' command:
<pre>
cd ~/fgfs
sh run_fgcom.sh -cs
</pre>

=== Launching FGComGui ===
FgComGui is a GUI wrapper to launch fgcom.
<pre>
cd ~/fgfs
sh run_fgcomgui.sh
</pre>

=== Launching Atlas ===
Atlas provides a map for FlightGear, use it launching: ''run_atlas.sh''
<pre>
cd ~/fgfs
sh run_fgatlas.sh
</pre>

=== Launching Terrasync ===
Your FlightGear compilation comes with the Terrasync program too, so if you want to use it:
<pre>
cd ~/fgfs
sh run_terrasync.sh -S -p 5500 -d /folder/with/sceneries
</pre>
Where: ''/folder/with/sceneries'' is the folder containing the sceneries data.

Then launch fgfs with the '''--fg-scenery=/folder/with/sceneries --atlas=socket,out,5,localhost,5500,udp''' option

== Troubleshooting ==

=== Compilation errors ===
Here we are, no fear, if you wish to use programs from the cvs/svn/git repositories, you might face compilation errors that will prevent you to have a working copy of one or more of the programs provided by this script. What can be the causes that prevent us from successfully compiling? As far as I know those:
# Software developers introduce a new functionality with a new piece of code that prevents the compilation under your architecture, this can happen working with cvs/svn/git sources.
# The program refuses to compile because of a divergence in the libraries on which it depends. For example FlightGear might not compile because OSG has been modified, while OSG itself compiles fine, FG won't.
# One or more repositories are down and you can't get the library you need. (Both from cvs/svn/git or apt-get)

There is a simple solution to the above errors: wait and relaunch the script after some time (hours or days), if software developers repair or synchronize their code with the newly updated libraries (which generally happens eventually), your FlightGear will compile fine as if the previous error never took place.

Sometimes it happens that the script fails to compile only fgrun, fgcom or atlas, if you then see the run_fgfs.sh file it means that FlightGear installation was successful and you can safely run it.

== Options ==
The script by default (without any option) will only compile FlightGear and Fgrun. To make it compile all, you need to launch the script with the ''ALL'' parameter. i.e.:
<pre>
sh download_and_compile.sh ALL
</pre>

=== Compiling only one program ===
If you wish to recompile only one of the programs you can launch the script with one of the following parameters:
* PLIB (to compile and install only plib)
* OSG (to compile and install only OpenSceneGraph)
* SIMGEAR (to compile and install only Simgear)
* FGFS (to compile and install only FlightGear)
* DATA (to download / update only data files for FlightGear)
* FGRUN (to compile and install only Fgrun)
* FGCOM (to compile and install only Fgcom)
* FGCOMGUI (to compile and install only FgComGui)
* ATLAS (to compile and install only Atlas)

=== Fast updating ===
There is a second parameter ''UPDATE'' that allows you to just update your installation. i.e.:
This will only update FGFS
<pre>
sh download_and_compile.sh FGFS UPDATE
</pre>

=== Compiling last stable versions (Experimental) ===
Even if the script fetches data and sources from bleeding edge developers repositories (which sometimes do not compile), you can still force the script to download latest known versions of the software that were compiling successfully by adding the -s option.
<pre>
sh download_and_compile.sh -s
</pre>

How does it work? Inside the script there is a small list with latest known versions of successfully compiling revisions, it will download from svn/git those specific revisions, which have been found able to compile together.

=== Advanced options ===
* Skip download of packages using '''-p n''' option
* Skip compilation of programs using '''-c n''' option
* Skip retrieving software updates using '''-d n''' option
* Skip reconfigure (make clean) using '''-r n''' option

For example, if you are a developer and wish to quickly recompile and reinstall only your own modifications for FlightGear do this:
<pre>
sh download_and_compile.sh -p n -d n -r n FGFS
</pre>

this will only recompile modifications and reinstall them.

=== Multicore Acceleration ===
Using the option '''-j x''' (where x is the number of your CPU-Cores you wish to assign to the job) will speed up the whole compilation process considerably.

== Disk usage ==
Having both compiled program, source code, and data from git requires some hard disk space: It will take something like 7 GB of space.
If you don't have a fast machine, it will require you also several hours of compilation time.

[[nl:Compileren met een Script op Linux Debian/Ubuntu]]

Scripted Compilation on Linux Debian/Ubuntu

2011-07-28T15:26:16Z

Mmuc: spelling and wording improvements

==Description==
The following script takes care of downloading and compiling FlightGear from the git repositories with just one command execution for both 32-bit and 64-bit Debian based systems (Debian, Ubuntu). Pre-existing installed version (if any) of FlightGear are not touched at all since the script builds and installs everything under the directory in which it is launched.

Necessary packages are installed via the apt-get system while libraries not included in the repositories are downloaded and compiled on the fly (i.e. [[Plib]], [[Simgear]] and [[OSG]]).

=== List of compiled programs ===
The script is able to download and compile:
* FlightGear (And all the data needed to use it)
* [[Fgrun]]
* [[FGCOM]]
* [[FGComGui]]
* [[Atlas]]
* [[Terrasync]]

== Download ==
You can download the script here: [http://www.gitorious.org/fg/fgmeta/blobs/raw/master/download_and_compile.sh download_and_compile.sh]

The script is maintained in the FlightGear main repository. Remember to update this script whenever a new FlightGear version is released, so that you'll be able to download the latest stable revision.

There is also another option for building FlightGear and all its dependencies in an automated fashion, please refer to: http://geoffmclane.com/fg/fgfs-052.htm

== Instructions ==
To run download_and_compile.sh, just save it in a directory called for example: ~/fgfs
then execute it (no need to execute it as root).

Here is for example a sequence of commands to get the script and launch it in a new folder.
<pre>
mkdir ~/fgfs
cd ~/fgfs
wget http://www.gitorious.org/fg/fgmeta/blobs/raw/master/download_and_compile.sh
chmod 755 download_and_compile.sh
sh download_and_compile.sh
</pre>
Once the script is finished, you will successfully get all the programs installed in the ~/fgfs directory.

=== Launching FlightGear ===
To run your new git installation of FlightGear you have to launch the ''run_fgfs.sh'' command under the same folder, for example:
<pre>
cd ~/fgfs
sh run_fgfs.sh
</pre>

=== Launching Fgrun ===
For many users it's more comfortable having FlightGear launched by the graphical utility Fgrun which is installed as well in the same folder. You have to launch the ''run_fgrun.sh'' command, for example:
<pre>
cd ~/fgfs
sh run_fgrun.sh
</pre>

=== Launching FGCOM ===
FGCOM is the system used by FlightGear to simulate radio communications between users. Launch it using the ''run_fgcom.sh'' command:
<pre>
cd ~/fgfs
sh run_fgcom.sh -cs
</pre>

=== Launching FGComGui ===
FgComGui is a GUI wrapper to launch fgcom.
<pre>
cd ~/fgfs
sh run_fgcomgui.sh
</pre>

=== Launching Atlas ===
Atlas provides a map for FlightGear, use it launching: ''run_atlas.sh''
<pre>
cd ~/fgfs
sh run_fgatlas.sh
</pre>

=== Launching Terrasync ===
Your FlightGear compilation comes with the Terrasync program too, so if you want to use it:
<pre>
cd ~/fgfs
sh run_terrasync.sh -S -p 5500 -d /folder/with/sceneries
</pre>
Where: ''/folder/with/sceneries'' is the folder containing the sceneries data.

Then launch fgfs with the '''--fg-scenery=/folder/with/sceneries --atlas=socket,out,5,localhost,5500,udp''' option

== Troubleshooting ==

=== Compilation errors ===
Here we are, no fear, if you wish to use programs from the cvs/svn/git repositories, you might face compilation errors that will prevent you to have a working copy of one or more of the programs provided by this script. What can be the causes that prevent us from successfully compiling? As far as I know those:
# Software developers introduce a new functionality with a new piece of code that prevents the compilation under your architecture, this can happen working with cvs/svn/git sources.
# The program refuses to compile because of a divergence in the libraries on which it depends. For example FlightGear might not compile because OSG has been modified, while OSG itself compiles fine, FG won't.
# One or more repositories are down and you can't get the library you need. (Both from cvs/svn/git or apt-get)

There is a simple solution to the above errors: wait and relaunch the script after some time (hours or days), if software developers repair or synchronize their code with the newly updated libraries (which generally happens eventually), your FlightGear will compile fine as if the previous error never took place.

Sometimes it happens that the script fails to compile only fgrun, fgcom or atlas, if you then see the run_fgfs.sh file it means that FlightGear installation was successful and you can safely run it.

== Options ==
The script by default (without any option) will only compile FlightGear and Fgrun. To make it compile all, you need to launch the script with the ''ALL'' parameter. i.e.:
<pre>
sh download_and_compile.sh ALL
</pre>

=== Compiling only one program ===
If you wish to recompile only one of the programs you can launch the script with one of the following parameters:
* PLIB (to compile and install only plib)
* OSG (to compile and install only OpenSceneGraph)
* SIMGEAR (to compile and install only Simgear)
* FGFS (to compile and install only FlightGear)
* DATA (to download / update only data files for FlightGear)
* FGRUN (to compile and install only Fgrun)
* FGCOM (to compile and install only Fgcom)
* FGCOMGUI (to compile and install only FgComGui)
* ATLAS (to compile and install only Atlas)

=== Fast updating ===
There is a second parameter ''UPDATE'' that allows you to just update your installation. i.e.:
This will only update FGFS
<pre>
sh download_and_compile.sh FGFS UPDATE
</pre>

=== Compiling last stable versions (Experimental) ===
Event if the script fetches data and sources from bleeding edge developers repositories (which sometimes do not compile), you can still force the script to download latest known versions of the software that were compiling successfully by adding the -s option.
<pre>
sh download_and_compile.sh -s
</pre>

How does it work? Inside the script there is a small list with latest known versions of successfully compiling revisions, it will download from svn/git those specific revisions, which have been found able to compile together.

=== Advanced options ===
* Skip download of packages using '''-p n''' option
* Skip compilation of programs using '''-c n''' option
* Skip retrieving software updates using '''-d n''' option
* Skip reconfigure (make clean) using '''-r n''' option

For example, if you are a developer and wish to quickly recompile and reinstall only your own modifications for FlightGear do this:
<pre>
sh download_and_compile.sh -p n -d n -r n FGFS
</pre>

this will only recompile modifications and reinstall them.

=== Multicore Acceleration ===
Using the option '''-j x''' (where x is the number of your CPU-Cores you wish to assign to the job) will speed up the whole compilation process considerably.

== Disk usage ==
Having both compiled program, source code, and data from git requires some hard disk space: It will take something like 7 GB of space.
If you don't have a fast machine, it will require you also several hours of compilation time.

[[nl:Compileren met een Script op Linux Debian/Ubuntu]]