When do we can expect a solution for marketplace sceneries?

[whiggy]

Hello!
I heard, there is a solution in sight for the problem with compiled marketplace sceneries.
API sor something else? This is the biggest problem for GSX. Do you know a timeline when we can expect this?

[virtuali]

We already have a solution, which is asking the scenery developer for an unencrypted version of the airport .BGL to be placed in the GSX airport profiles folder.

The better long-term solution will be using the new Facilities API, which is currently available ONLY in the SU10 Beta, which will allow to get data about the airport from the sim, without having to open the airport .BGL files, and should even eliminate the requirement of having an airport cache, making the program far easier to use and less likely to be affected by issue like corrupted .BGLs, filesizes, etc.

As explained in many other threads, we are already working with the Beta API and we are already working on integrating it with GSX, and as of *today* the new API is still missing some features we require and already asked to Asobo as soon the Beta came out, that is Runway Starts and Jetways/Jetway Links. Asobo has confirmed Runway Starts will come, but as of today, hasn't confirmed if data about Jetways/Jetways links will, which of course is important for GSX.

As of today, there's no confirmed release date for SU10, which might be a good sign, since if they are taking their time to fix all remaining issues, it *possible* they'll have time to add the missing information about Jetways we need ( and maybe fix bugs in the jetway animation system ) but of course it's noting we have any control over it.

Obviously, we can't release anything until SU10 comes out officially, since it we changed the software now, it will work ONLY with the SU10 Beta.

[Wimma]

We already have a solution, which is asking the scenery developer for an unencrypted version of the airport .BGL to be placed in the GSX airport profiles folder.

FFS this is not a solution! It is a workaround, not even that.

Do you expect every single one of your customers to contact their 25+ different developers and beg for the BGL? We paid 40 bucks for a Ground service programme and it feels like I paid 40 bucks for a Ground service programme, a PR apprenticeship because I have to write 20 mails to developers begging for a bgl, and an IT apprenticeship because we have to add and change stuff manually in files for it to work properly. Not mentioning the amount of time I have spent trying to get profile to work and getting my profiles to work for other people.

Furthermore, there are more than a couple of developers with terrible customer support where you most likely will never get an answer from; plus, multiple developers have already said they WILL NOT GIVE THE BGLs OUT! (LatinVFR e.g.)

I know that you are working on the SU10 API thing, which is great; but please, don't you dare call this a flippin "solution" man...

[virtuali]

FFS this is not a solution! It is a workaround, not even that.

It's a temporary solution, but it works.  Plain and simple.

Do you expect every single one of your customers to contact their 25+ different developers and beg for the BGL? We paid 40 bucks for a Ground service programme and it feels like I paid 40 bucks for a Ground service programme, a PR apprenticeship because I have to write 20 mails to developers begging for a bgl, and an IT apprenticeship because we have to add and change stuff manually in files for it to work properly. Not mentioning the amount of time I have spent trying to get profile to work and getting my profiles to work for other people.

You paid 29$ for a Ground Service program that clearly indicated in its description it won't be able to work on encrypted airports, clearly explaining what you would have to do as a workaround.

https://fsdreamteam.com/products_gsxpro.html

While GSX works automatically with every airport, it needs to read the airport .BGL file, which means, by default, airports bought on the MS Marketplace won't work well, because GSX would use data from the default airport, since it can't read the add-on scenery because of the Marketplace DRM encryption. This is not an issue for FSDT airports, becaue we'll install a DRM-free version of the airport file automatically for all our sceneries but, for 3rd party sceneries, you might need to ask the original developers if they would be willing to make available a file with at least the basic airport data, which can be used by GSX when placed in the GSX profiles folder.

And we started to alert users about the encrypted airports issue starting about two years ago, when our first scenery for MSFS came out so, it's not something that should be news to anybody. Everybody knows Marketplace airports are encrypted, and no single add-on that need to read their data will work with that, GSX is not the exception, and nowhere we ever advertised which were able to bypass the encryption.

there are more than a couple of developers with terrible customer support where you most likely will never get an answer from

So you are complaining with us for your decision of buying a scenery from a developer with terrible customer support, in encrypted form ? Even if GSX didn't existed, buying an unencrypted version of a scenery would granted you the ability to eventually fix small issues yourself, especially when you know the developer might not willing to do it, because of its reputation of bad support.

multiple developers have already said they WILL NOT GIVE THE BGLs OUT! (LatinVFR e.g.)

You are wrong about this specific one. I've got emails from both LatinVFR and FlyTampa, saying they will give out DRM-free airports for GSX use.

]I know that you are working on the SU10 API thing, which is great; but please, don't you dare call this a flippin "solution" man...

Do you have an alternative to suggest ?

Can you use those encrypted airports with, say, Little Nav Map or ANY other utility that needs to read data from the airport ?  Do any of these utilities have even "workarounds" available ?

[Cygnific]

<snip>

You are wrong about this specific one. I've got emails from both LatinVFR and FlyTampa, saying they will give out DRM-free airports for GSX use.

Nice! I'll send both a message. Bought lvfr-ksan and lvfr-barcelona, flytampa-copenhagen a long time ago (didn't buy anything else on the marketplace after, because of this encrypted airport problem)

[Wimma]

You are wrong about this specific one. I've got emails from both LatinVFR and FlyTampa, saying they will give out DRM-free airports for GSX use.

This is where I have the information from. Latin VFR Forum. "Like I said, we like FSDT, and highly respect Umberto. But we aren't going to do anything regarding this, is an issue caused by an addon that wants to work after the fact that our bgls have been released, for quite a long time." https://www.latinvfr.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1470

Whatever you chat with LatinVFR is out of my knowledge, obviously. Glad to hear they will though...

[Wimma]

You paid 29$ for a Ground Service program that clearly indicated in its description it won't be able to work on encrypted airports, clearly explaining what you would have to do as a workaround.

My invoice says something else...

This is not a big deal because I like GSX in general, obviously, otherwise I wouldn't use it. But since you are always the guy who tries to be over correct, I may as well tell you

[Cygnific]

Great!  Just as I send a email to latinvfr, the link to their reaction is made (searching for gsx pro didn't show anything on their forum)


@Wimma, to be fair it's with tax though. Which doesn't go (atleast it shouldn't) to Umberto.

[virtuali]

My invoice says something else...

This is not a big deal because I like GSX in general, obviously, otherwise I wouldn't use it. But since you are always the guy who tries to be over correct, I may as well tell you

GSX costs 29$, and that's not really open to discussion. The extra VAT you paid for it, doesn't obviously get pocketed by us, is collected by Digital River, which will send it to your country to do all the things countries do with taxes, like roads, schools, etc.

[Wimma]

I know what taxes are, obviuosly? WTF are you all on about. Umberto said "You PAID 29 dollars...". Which is not true. It costs 29, yes, but I paid 37 FULL STOP! No need to discuss that. A certain developer in here always tries to be correct. Now I am the one to do so. It is a called a taste of one's own medicine... YOU PAID DOES NOT EQUAL COST!

[virtuali]

I know what taxes are, obviuosly? WTF are you all on about. Umberto said "You PAID 29 dollars...". Which is not true. It costs 29, yes, but I paid 37 FULL STOP! No need to discuss that. A certain developer in here always tries to be correct. Now I am the one to do so. It is a called a taste of one's own medicine... YOU PAID DOES NOT EQUAL COST!

Well, if you keep insisting, I must correct you again because, it was YOU who wrote:

We paid 40 bucks for a Ground service programme

You started using the 2nd-person plural, making MY reply of "You paid 29$" completely correct, since when users (plural ) are being referred to, it's goes without saying the only price worth commenting is the only official retail price, which is 29$, since every user will end up paying something different.

It is a called a taste of one's own medicine.

Exactly, you decided to use the 2nd-person plural, a common trick to make your point stronger to make it sound as you were speaking for more more people than just yourself, and it turned out against you...

[Wimma]

And you think that I am the only person from Austria, or with this specific VAT percentage for that matter, who bought GSX? "We" is, like you correctly say, used to emphasise a point. However, it would only be incorrect if I were the only one with this VAT percentage; and because I already know one person from Austria who owns GSX, we is appropriate as there is indeed more than one person who bought it for this specific retail price + VAT. Now stop trying to come out as the good guy here and take a break for the love of god. Or even better, work on fixing bugs.

[virtuali]

And you think that I am the only person from Austria who bought GSX?

Doesn't obviously make any difference because, depending which payment method they chose, and what was the exchange rate at that time was ( it changes multiple times per day ), it will still result in many users, even from the same country, still not paying the same.

That's why it's always wrong, regardless of the case, when commenting about what a program does (or doesn't), using the final price paid instead of the official price.

[Wimma]

I would suggest using your over-correctness in your actual job, programming, and hire someone for customer support, as this really isn't your strength mate...

[virtuali]

I would suggest using your over-correctness in your actual job, programming, and hire someone for customer support, as this really isn't your strength mate...

It's precisely because I'm a programmer, that I exercise over-correctness on forum posts and expect accurate problem reports, which always results in bugs eventually fixed.