A question on SODE when installing GSX ver 2

[WebMaximus]

I just downloaded the latest installer for GSX and when launching it it said I had SODE 1.4.2 installed and told me to uninstall it. So I went to the Control Panel in Windows and uninstalled it and then restarted the installation program for GSX.

This time I got pretty much the same result only this time it said it found SODE 1.3.0. Problem is this version is not found looking at the list of installed programs in the Control Panel. I did find SODE stuff both in my file system as well as in the registry but I'm not that tempted to clean up that stuff manually because checking out the stuff left in my file system it's clearly related to scenery I have installed and I don't want to end up in a situation where I'm forced to reinstall a number of my scenery products only to update SODE to the version required by GSX.

So...what's the recommendation here? Clearly there must be a way to make sure you have the latest/required version of SODE without breaking already installed stuff?

[12bpilot]

Hello

Sorry for the confusion. V1.3.0 was a version that could be installed over by a newer SODE version without detecting it. It was expected to be manually uninstalled.
I guess some add-on just installed a later SODE version and rendered the V1.3.0 install useless...functionally, there are no issues, everything works as intended.

But there are traces in registry and the filesystem from V1.3.0, which could confuse the new GSX installer.

To summarize: If you had a working V1.4.2 before, then the V1.3.0 is functionally not existing, only traces are there from a not executed manual uninstall. Even if you still had the entry of V1.3.0 in the "Apps&Features" list, then the uninstall will fail, because the files got overwritten by the newer version.

Here's the recipe to clean everything up:

• Go to "Apps&Features" and make sure all possible SODE versions are uninstalled in the list
• Manually delete the folder C:\Programme (x86)\12bPilot\SODE
• Download the V1.3.0 installer: http://sode.12bpilot.ch/?wpdmpro=sode-v1-3-0
• Execute the installer and install V1.3.0 (or repair if it gives you the option)
• After that, execute again and this time, choose "Uninstall"

This should properly uninstall SODE V1.3.0 and remove all traces.
Then you can proceed and install the latest SODE from here http://sode.12bpilot.ch/?page_id=9 or use the GSX installer, which should have it bundled within.

Best regards,
Jeffrey

[WebMaximus]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I've followed your instructions but now before executing the final step (install GSX and/or the latest SODE version) I see how I still have the C:\ProgramData\12bPilot\SODE folder containing things that seem related to some of the scenery products I have installed.

Should I leave this folder intact or should I manually remove it before installing GSX?

[12bpilot]

The ProgramData location can be left as it is.
It's the Program Files (x86) location that contains the core SODE install that needs to be updated/modified.
Blame Microsoft for the similarity in naming 

[WebMaximus]

 

So here's next question/issue. I downloaded the latest version of SODE from your site and when the SODE Platform Manager appears during the installation I get the below error message when clicking the 'Register' button.

[12bpilot]

The new method I use for add-on installation is only compatible with Prepar3D v3.4. I think also the new GSX requires the latest version of v3.4.
Which version are you using? V3.3 or V3.2?

[WebMaximus]

Ah, I see.

So no backwards compatibility for the latest version of SODE and/or GSX?

I'm on Prepar3D_v3_Professional_3.2.3.16769.

[12bpilot]

I can only speak for SODE here so...

It is getting more and more complicated for us developers to support all possible versions, subversions and combinations thereof in our products. So it is natural that we try to support at least the latest versions of each sim.

However, if you still want to use v3.2 of Prepar3D, there is a workaround for SODE, use at your own risk :

EDIT: Removed workaround.

[WebMaximus]

Thanks for the explanation and I fully understand the hassle supporting multiple versions where you obviously prioritize the latest.

Not sure if I'll get P3Dv4 or maybe ditch P3D and go the XP route instead. I already gave LM $398 and I'm hesitant whether the improvements in version 4 are worth another $199.

Time will tell.

[12bpilot]

Oh I see, you don't have P3D v4.
In this case I recommend to stay with V1.4.2 of SODE, because the latest version does not work with the GSX 1.9.9 version.
To use SODE V1.5.1 with GSX, you need GSX V2.0.0 and the latter needs Prepar3D v3.4.

See my post below: pre v3.4 versions are supported again.
Take care

[virtuali]

So no backwards compatibility for the latest version of SODE and/or GSX?

There as been already a discussion on another thread about this, and we finally got to the bottom of this:

- The new installation system is supported since P3D 3.0, but it had quite a few bugs.

- The ability to add an addon by launching Prepar3d.exe from the command line to reconfigure the add-ons.cfg file, is supported only starting from 3.3. We found about this so, with 3.2 and before, we don't use the add-on.xml system with GSX, but it seems the SODE installer does, that's the reason of that error.

- Even if 3.3 had all the features supported by the installer, it WAS bugged, and *sceneries* added using the add-on.xml method still don't work and 3.4 is required.

Yes, it would be just so simpler if we just didn't allow any version lower than 3.4, it would make our life so much easier but, since some users seem to want to keep the bugged 3.3 for reasons I still don't fully understand, we updated ALL our installers again now, and are using the new installation system only in 3.4 and 4.0

However, if you want to stop the error while installing SODE, you must either upgrade with 3.4, or wait if a new SODE installer will eventually be able to deal with all those differences.

Back then, with FSX, life was much easier: you either installed the SP2, or nothing would work. Everybody installed it, nobody complained...

[12bpilot]

However, if you want to stop the error while installing SODE, you must either upgrade with 3.4, or wait if a new SODE installer will eventually be able to deal with all those differences.

A new installer for V1.5.1 has been uploaded to my site: http://sode.12bpilot.ch/?p=1242
So users having the issue with registering SODE for P3D for versions before V3.4, please re-download the installer for V1.5.1, which supports the old install method for those sims. V3.4 and V4 onwards will use the add-on.xml mechanism.

[WebMaximus]

That's impressive support!

As in my case though running P3Dv3.2 and thus not able to use the latest version of GSX would I have any benefits from installing this latest version of SODE rather than staying at 1.4.2?

[12bpilot]

That's impressive support!

As in my case though running P3Dv3.2 and thus not able to use the latest version of GSX would I have any benefits from installing this latest version of SODE rather than staying at 1.4.2?

If I understood Umberto's post above correctly, the new GSX supports P3Dv3.2 perfectly fine.
So, I'd suggest to:

• Install the updated SODE V1.5.1 first
• Install the latest GSX

Since you already have then latest SODE installed, GSX will skip its own SODE install step and you are good to go.

Sorry for the confusion, as I said, it has not gotten easier.

[WebMaximus]

OK, I'll try that.

Again, many thanks for your brilliant support!