The Structure

 

The Structure tool works like an extra object that can be placed at any position in a complex MSO. A structure file is similar to a macro file but without some variables such as the coordinates, scale, rotation, and some others.

Another very important use of structures is that they are used to make 3D library files with Nova. Library files are a very good feature in scenery design. They not only make bgl files smaller but will give you some extra performance when using the same object frequently. So if you use the same tree many times in a scenery its a very good idea to put this tree macro into a library. For more information on libraries click here.

To be able to use a Structure you must first create one. You could make a MSO gate and then save it as a Structure. Once this is made then you would have access to this gate from your Structure menu.

A MSO structure has only one scale. You would not, for example, make the fuselage of an aircraft to a scale of 1:100 and the wings to a scale of 1:200. The whole aircraft must share the same scale and so must the MSO. This means that you have to be careful when you make any structures that will later be added to a complex terminal or any other object.

This is an example of using a Structure. You can see a hexagonal terminal made using the polygon object. The blue rectangles represent the gates.

A gate, which will normally be a MSO, is saved as a Structure and is used here as any other tool.

You will only need to indicate its position (X,Y) and rotation on the MSO complex.

The spin option, if used, will make the selected structure rotate around its Z axis. A rotating radar is a good example.