Help With afcad_path

[777Dave]

Hello all.  I am new to GSX Pro and have it installed for MSFS2020 but need some help.

I am trying to download two configs from flightsim.to.

https://flightsim.to/file/39695/lvfr-barcelona-lebl-gsx-profile

and

https://flightsim.to/file/42372/leco-a-coruna-tdm-gsx-profile

I am a bit confused in regards to the afcad portion of the install.  What I am currently doing is as follows:

1. Download the custom config file from flightsim.to
2. Load up the sim and spawn at the airport I have the custom config for
3. Create a generic .ini config file by selecting 'customize airport positions'
4. Close the sim

5. Browse to C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Roaming\virtuali\GSX\MSFS in file explorer
6. Copy the afcad path of the file I randomly generated in the sim
7. Open the custom config file I donwloaded and dopy the adcad path into it

8. Delete the original random .ini
9. Drag and drop the custom .ini I downloaded with the afcad path I pasted in from the original file

Is this the correct procedure?  Is there a tutorial that I could watch that would better elaborate on this if not?  Is there a way to test that your custom config works?

Also

The default afcad I am getting when generating a random file within MSFS is afcad_path C:\Users\xx\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages\Official\OneStore\fs-base-genericairports\scenery\0602\APX48170.bgl

I am confused about this part, as both of these airports are payware purchased from the in-game marketplace: \fs-base-genericairports\scenery\0602\APX48170.bgl

Why does it say it is a generic airport when it isnt?

[virtuali]

Is this the correct procedure?

Surely not.

That's a very convoluted way to overcome the previous inability of GSX to read encrypted airports from the Marketplace, but even if it MIGHT work in some cases, it would never work everywhere, because it really depends how much the add-on airport changed in relationship to the default.

After the October 17th, where support for the new Navdata API that came with the SU10 SDK has been added to GSX, the proper way to use Marketplace airports, is just enabling the usage of the Navdata API in the GSX Config panel, so GSX will get data about the airport through Simconnect, without any need to find and read the actual .BGL file.

Enabling it results in any reference to the airport .BGL in the .INI file completely redundant, you can leave it there or remove the line altogether, it won't make any difference, since GSX won't read the airport .BGL anymore, it will just load an .INI based on the ICAO, that is the first part of the name.

However, this also means you need to be sure the .INI you have for that ICAO is really made for that airport, since without any reference to a  .BGL (this is how it works using the Navdata API), GSX won't be able to automatically associate the right .INI to the right scenery, in case you have more than one for the same ICAO, so it's just easier to be sure you have only one .INI for a particular airport, and it's the correct one.

Now, it's difficult to say if THAT specific profile you are referring to will work well or not. Again, it really depends on the airport, because if it was intentionally made to force GSX to work on a Marketplace airport when it couldn't, so it was edited using the default parking names and positions, altering their positions trying to match the airport.

It might have issues in case the parking names loaded by GSX, which now (when using the Navdata API ) DO match the actual Marketplace airport, so they might not match the ones in the profile anymore, which was made by repurposing the default airport.

So, the first thing I'd try, is to enable the Navdata API first, so GSX can read the PROPER airport data from the sim, and not use any profile, see how it goes.

[blntydmr]

There is a Vote for this in MSFS Forum.
https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/decrypt-marketplace-scenery/538748

[777Dave]

So, the first thing I'd try, is to enable the Navdata API first, so GSX can read the PROPER airport data from the sim, and not use any profile, see how it goes.

Great.  Thanks.

I am being sure to download configs that are made for whatever specific airport I am using.  What about in the case of payware airports that are installed from other sources such as simmarket?  Will the afcad path need edited in those cases? If I install a custom config with the marketplace items with API enabled, that will work, right?

[virtuali]

What about in the case of payware airports that are installed from other sources such as simmarket?  Will the afcad path need edited in those cases? If I install a custom config with the marketplace items with API enabled, that will work, right?

- If the SU10 Navdata API option is Enabled, GSX won't even know the difference between a standard airport and an encrypted airport from the Marketplace. It will get data about that airport from the sim, regardless how it got there. The name of the airport in the profile will not be used, because GSX under no circumstances will ever read a .BGL in this case.

- If the SU10 Navdata API option is Disabled, GSX will use the profile whose FILENAME matches the .BGL GSX has loaded. The PATH is completely ignored, and it has been made like this precisely to facilitate sharing of profiles, without any need to edit anything. The GSX manual is very clear about this, yet for some reason some profile creators insist you have to "edit the path", when is completely useless, since only the filename itself is being checked for matching.

[777Dave]

The GSX manual is very clear about this, yet for some reason some profile creators insist you have to "edit the path", when is completely useless, since only the filename itself is being checked for matching.

This is very helpful.  So basically, it's all API controlled now?  I agree with you.  What confused me was reading the description of the configs.  All of them claimed you needed to make edits to the .ini, but I couldn't find anything to corroborate this in the manual.

[virtuali]

So basically, it's all API controlled now?

Exactly, GSX will only make calls to Simconnect, asking about the airport parking spots, taxiways and runways, all data it needs to operate on it which previously got by opening the .BGL file. With the Navdata option enabled, GSX won't even know where the data is coming from, be it a default scenery, something in the Community folder, or a scenery bought on the Marketplace.

All of them claimed you needed to make edits to the .ini, but I couldn't find anything to corroborate this in the manual.

The manual, in fact, said exactly the opposite: you don't have to edit anything. Quoting from the "Note for scenery developers" paragraph, at Page 49:

The name of the .BGL used to customize the scenery is listed in the [GENERAL] section of the GSX .INI profile. It will include the complete path valid for your system but, don’t worry, there’s no need to edit it out before sharing your work, since GSX will only use the .BGL filename, and will ignore the full path altogether, it has been designed like this exactly to facilitate sharing of GSX .INI profiles without worrying about different paths. As long the currently active .BGL matches the name referenced in the .INI file, the .INI will be loaded by GSX, no matter the path.

But generally speaking, assuming MS/Asobo will add our request to get the missing data about Jetways in the Navdata API, the whole .BGL concept will hopefully go away in the future.