I have a new large airport in development - how do I make it GSX-ready?

[Marionettework]

I’ve been developing a large airport (Algiers DAAG) for the past few months, already announced, and a couple of my customers asked me if I plan to support GSX. I don’t have GSX since I do 95% development and 5% flying and I just didn’t get around to buying it. I know nothing about how to make it work with GSX, I just know that some airports have GSX profiles to help guide passengers to the planes, I assume.

In the GSX product description I noticed that it supports modified jetways for many default airports. I’m actually still finalizing jetways for my airport, and I’d like to ask what the GSX jetway behaviour is at DAAG and how the type of jetway I use will affect it. The default North-American style metal jetway is not a good fit for that airport since in real life it has glass jetways. Does GSX today replace the default jetways with glass there? I’m actually planning on using a different jetway simobject that comes with MSFS, there’s one glass jetway that comes with a default airport that’s a great match, and I wouldn’t have to do custom jetways. Will that be ok for GSX? Will it leave that simobject and still work for loading passengers?


Here’s a teaser I made for my airport FYI

i=TdCnDXn120yC2Ucn

[virtuali]

I’d like to ask what the GSX jetway behaviour is at DAAG and how the type of jetway I use will affect it. The default North-American style metal jetway is not a good fit for that airport since in real life it has glass jetways. Does GSX today replace the default jetways with glass there?

When GSX is used correctly, meaning the user understands the need to exclude 3rd party airports from GSX jetway replacement, the right behavior is "no behavior", meaning GSX won't change the jetways the add-on scenery comes with. GSX replacement jetways are only meant for default non-handcrafted airports and enabling them on any non-default scenery would cause issues like double parking spots and non-working jetways.

I’m actually planning on using a different jetway simobject that comes with MSFS, there’s one glass jetway that comes with a default airport that’s a great match, and I wouldn’t have to do custom jetways. Will that be ok for GSX? Will it leave that simobject and still work for loading passengers?

Yes, provided the "Exclude 3rd party" button in GSX is used to Disable the GSX replacement jetway file. The routine is run automatically when:

- You first install GSX

- You run a GSX Update

This means, if your users install your scenery AFTER GSX, and they don't go back in the GSX Config page in the FSDT Installer and select the "Exclude 3rd party" button, the GSX replacement jetway file will surely conflict with your scenery, causing all the above issues. That is, until the next GSX Update, when the exclusion routine is started in any case.

Note that, for the scenery to be recognized automatically and added the list of exclusion, its package name MUST conform to the official naming convention suggested in the SDK, which is:

developer-airport-ICAO-airportname

If a package doesn't respect this naming convention, GSX can't recognize it automatically, so it will need to be excluded manually by the user. Of course, if you plan to publish the product on the MS Marketplace, you'll have to respect the official naming standard, otherwise the package won't even be accepted.

[Marionettework]

My package conforms to the naming convention. So if I want my users to be able to use GSX, what do I need to do then? I saw that a bunch of airports have these GSX profiles, who creates these, is it FSDT or the developer?

[virtuali]

So if I want my users to be able to use GSX, what do I need to do then?

This part of my reply answered that question:

The routine is run automatically when:

- You first install GSX

- You run a GSX Update

This means, if your users install your scenery AFTER GSX, and they don't go back in the GSX Config page in the FSDT Installer and select the "Exclude 3rd party" button, the GSX replacement jetway file will surely conflict with your scenery, causing all the above issues. That is, until the next GSX Update, when the exclusion routine is started in any case.

I saw that a bunch of airports have these GSX profiles, who creates these, is it FSDT or the developer?

Users usually make airport profiles and share them on various websites, but they can also be made by the scenery developer.

[Captain Kevin]

Unless anything has changed with MSFS, I would think adding vehicle parking and paths would help, so the vehicles use the roads rather than taxiways and runways.

[Flightdoc]

As a guy who has made about 12 GSX airport profiles, and that includes customizing GSX service vehicle placement, the biggest problem I see is too many objects placed around gates. They interfere with GSX spawning placements, and also often with walker paths. But very easy for you to check on this if you have GSX or at least in the beta stage of your product ensure that one of the beta team is paying attention to this.