Installation into P3D V4

[Eziocin]

Hi,
I have downloaded all the updated products and when I try to install them they point at "C:\Program Files (x86)\Addon Manager"....is this OK or should I manually point them at the P3DV4 folder ?
Thanks

Ezio

[virtuali]

If you have enough space on the C: drive, then yes, the default choice is correct. The whole main advantage of the new installer, which has been requested by user for years, is that now you can freely select the installation folder as you like,  without being forced to install into the sim like it used to be.

In fact, it would be best if you DO NOT install into the sim, so you'll be able (at least on P3D 3 and 4), to reinstall the sim entirely, without having to reinstall all the FSDT sceneries, which is the main advantage of the new installation system, which is the one officially suggested by LM.

[lonewulf47]

I have just started to install FSDT airports into P3D V4. I have installed P3D V4 on a separate (D:) drive and would like to install all my addons also on this drive, but outside the sim. I have therefore created a folder "Prepar3D v4 Add-Ons" on this drive D (actually the same name as it was proposed in the "documents" folder after installing P3D V4 (similar to P3D V3).

To install into this mentioned folder I have directed the installer there and had started the install process. So far the install went flawless and after finishing I found a folder "Addon Manager" holding all possible data for the Addon Manager, the installed airports etc. So far so good.

Now what I see further is that NO ENTRY is made in the scenery.cfg. To properly start displaying the airports (and the Addon Manager) there is now some XML code in the "Documents\Prepar3D V4 Add-Ons" folder within a subfolder for each component like Addon Manager, Airports etc.

How can I tell the installer to make the usual entry into the scenery.cfg? I understand how it works without this, but you might have noticed that there are some Add-Ons that actively use the scenery.cfg for other utility works. So - leaving out the entries in the scenery.cfg may not be such a great idea. Any other ideas?

Regards
Oskar

[virtuali]

Now what I see further is that NO ENTRY is made in the scenery.cfg. To properly start displaying the airports (and the Addon Manager) there is now some XML code in the "Documents\Prepar3D V4 Add-Ons" folder within a subfolder for each component like Addon Manager, Airports etc.

Please have a look at this post of mine on the LM forum:

http://www.prepar3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6312&t=124701#p158461

It explains some of the benefit of this new system, and why is so much better for users and developers alike.

How can I tell the installer to make the usual entry into the scenery.cfg? I understand how it works without this, but you might have noticed that there are some Add-Ons that actively use the scenery.cfg for other utility works. So - leaving out the entries in the scenery.cfg may not be such a great idea. Any other ideas?

The one addon we do which requires reading all the scenery areas, regardless where they are, which is of course GSX, fully supports it so, we made our own part.

We can only hope that, having switched entirely to this new method, with all our products, would prompt developers for such utilities to update them to support it.

[lonewulf47]

Thank you, Umberto for your descriptive answer. I fully understand the arguments and - so far - even the system, however there is one important question remaining: Why are the entries for all FSDT airports in the Scenery Library non-editable? This seems a bit strange to me - to say the least. See attached picture. It seems that you have missed a parameter from the SDK.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/94175055/P3DV4_01.jpg

Edit: After a few trials with the add-ons.xml I am more or less convinced that this system has a major flaw: the entries in the Scenery Manager remain un-editable. While this may be ok for simple scenery within one folder, it is completely unacceptable for complex scenery with multiple entries. I wonder how LM will deal with that. For the moment I don't see any other possibility than to remove the add-on.xml and enter the scenery manually to the Scenery Manager and thus again to the scenery.cfg. Not sure whether this is a real progress in the history of simulation....

Regards
Oskar

[virtuali]

Edit: After a few trials with the add-ons.xml I am more or less convinced that this system has a major flaw: the entries in the Scenery Manager remain un-editable. While this may be ok for simple scenery within one folder, it is completely unacceptable for complex scenery with multiple entries

It's precisely a "complex scenery with multiple entries" which is WAY easier to move this way. Previously, with the user UI, you had to move manually ALL the entries, and be careful they would stay in the same order in relationship to each other.

Now, the "complex scenery with multiple entries" is what P3D calls an "Add-on Package", where the the various <Addon.Components> in its add-on.xml can have many entries for sceneries, textures, sounds, etc.

And you can edit the C:\ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3d v4\Add-ons.CFG file, to rearrange whole packages, without having to deal with the individual entries. Editing the Add-ons.CFG is no different than editing the Scenery.CFG, just the [Area.XXX] are now called [Package.XXX]

I wonder how LM will deal with that.

Perhaps they might add the ability to rearrange Packages too, in the "Options" -> "Add-ons" menu.

[lonewulf47]

Nope, I don't agree. It's just a lenghty explanation for something that is completely impractical (manually editing XML-Files - imagine people doing so... I won't even dare imagining).  I see that you are completely convinced by this system but I still see a few shortcomings - not to say impossibilites that keeps some devs away from it.

There is just NO and I repeat NO reason for having each new scenery on top of everything else and not being able to edit it - be it rearranging or even deactivating it. And don't try to tell me that I "just" would have to manually remove/relocate the respective "add-ons.XML" to have a scenery temporarily deactivated. There are so many reasons for editing a scenery sequence, e.g. think of libraries that need a specific layer number in regard of its "fellow sceneries" and each new scenery needing a specific layer in relation to that library. Sometimes - and this is my practical experience from dealing a pretty long time with this kind of issues - the devs lose the sight for the user's problems. A sad but very common mistake.

It just keeps me wondering why we still have a "Scenery Manager" if there are no sceneries to manage as soon as every dev starts using the "new" system. IMHO this new system has maybe a few advantages for the devs but many disadvantages for the user. You should not forget that many of the users are not willing/capable of editing/relocating any files manually but still wish to rearrange their scenery installations - and be it only to keep a good overview. Not talking about 20 new sceneries - but about a few 100... This will become virtually impossble.

Oskar

[virtuali]

Nope, I don't agree. It's just a lenghty explanation for something that is completely impractical (manually editing XML-Files - imagine people doing so... I won't even dare imagining).  I see that you are completely convinced by this system but I still see a few shortcomings - not to say impossibilites that keeps some devs away from it.

Maybe you haven't read this sentence well enough

Perhaps they might add the ability to rearrange Packages too, in the "Options" -> "Add-ons" menu.

I repeat it again: I don't question that it would be nice for users being able to rearrange sceneries, which is why I asked on the LM forum to add it but, it's just wrong to confuse a fixable limitation of the UI, with the obvious superiority of this system.

Since IT IS possible, albeit manually, to rearrange areas, since the system obviously support it, there are no reasons why either LM or some smart developer could make this process easier by providing an UI for it.

[lonewulf47]

Ok, Ok, let's finish this here. Thanks for taking the time to answer despite my critical disagreement with that system. We will never completely agree  Nevertheless I sincerely hope that there will be means provided that at least makes rearranging easier - so to speak...

Oskar

[VBV109]

When I installed P3d v4, all my FSDT-addons were put in P3d immediately. However, I see the jetways, but no other terminalbuildings. Do I have to reïnstall Hawaii and Honolulu or do I just need to point something to somewhere?

[virtuali]

However, I see the jetways, but no other terminalbuildings. Do I have to reïnstall Hawaii and Honolulu or do I just need to point something to somewhere?

Maybe a problem caused by OrbX ?

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,16332.msg116568.html#msg116568

[VBV109]

Sorry, was my mistake. I had it installed in FSX, but did not install it in P3d v4 (via installer and checked P3d), so... I think, the problem will be over soon.