a really basic dumb question

[hurricane3]

You would think after installing well over 300 planes before FS9 went nuts this last time I would know the answer to this very basic question.
When it asks if you want to overwrite a file ,such as in gauges or effects ,and that there already is a file with the same name, should you click yes ,yes to all ,no or what? If the files are different sizes what should you do?
I've always gone for yes to all but don't know if that right.

[robert41]

For gauges, I keep a specific gauge with the plane that it came with. Makes it easier to find and keep track of. For effects, they must all be in the effects folder. So if I have two with the same name, I will try each one and if they are a different effect, pick the one I like most.

[hurricane3]

Ok with gauges you would only be overwriteing gauges you already have and keeping the new ones ,if you hit yes to all. For effects if they have the same name but are different sizes ,you can still go to yes to all ,and then check if you like the effect but how do you go to the other effect if you like that one better. Either way it wouldn't delete the effects just change them ,is that right?Can you still hit yes to all then?

[aeromed202]

Without even reading everything I STRONGLY recommend NEVER overwriting gauges. Simply put, if the sim works now leave things as they are, even if it means hitting NO fifty times to overwrite. Gauges are probably the #1 failure point so I keep a backup copy of all the gauges with regular updates.
As for effects there is always a chance someone made one and named it identically to an existing one so overwriting would change it but I haven't found one yet. Typically addons will conveniently provide known effects with the package, these being identical in every way to something you already have. Like IRIS's lights are included in most every package and will be the same effect every time. The good part is that if the effect is no good or corrupted it just won't display as the sim keeps going its merry way. You can rename effects if you want to keep them unique but then you have to specify the new name where ever the aircraft cfg calls for it. Hope this explains things.

[robert41]

If you click yes, the new files will overwrite the originals.
If I would install a He111 into FS9, for example, it probably will have a gauge folder. I install those gauges, that are in the He111 gauge folder, into the He111 panel folder. If it comes with an effects folder, those files need to go into the FS9 effects folder to work. If you find a same named file in the FS9 effects folder, just try each one, one at a time. In other words, keep one of the same named effect files out of the FS9 effects folder, move it to a safe place, then try the other, see which one you like best.

[hurricane3]

I thought because the readme always says to put the gauges into the main gauge folder, I didn't think they would work if put say in the panel folder.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

IIRC, the gauge's call goes first to the specific panel folder and secondary to the main gauges folder. So keeping the gauges in this panel folder should make them work for this panel.
Other panels of course can't make use of those gauges this way, this might be the reason to better store them in one central hold. The increasing amount of the same gauges in each panel folder could become a HD space problem over the years...

Cheers,
Markus.

[gigabyte]

I have run into this a few times, it may be a bit of work but my solution has always been to keep the original gauges with every aircraft and "COPY" them to the main gauges folder when instructed. I know this wastes space having 2 copies of the files, but disk space is cheap and I have lots, plus if I ever mess up an existing aircraft by overwriting a gauge or other needed file I have the original to go back to. The other benefit I like is it does make my backup simpler I just backup the entire Simobjects folder and I know I have everything needed to rebuild all in one spot, instead of hunting down files I separated from the original package.

I still see the file overwrite message when copying and my rule of thumb is if the gauge is newer and larger I overwrite, if it is older and smaller I do not, then the ones that are say older but larger I stop and look at carefully to make sure I have spares of both.

Remember as well depending on your OS version there should be an option to keep both, which just renames one to "Copy of File.cab" or whatever that is an easy way to keep both until you know everything is working then just delete the files that start with Copy of later and claim back the disk space.

[hurricane3]

I always just click yes to all ,and this is getting more complicated than I though it would be. If you click yes to all doesn't it only overwrite the gauges that are there and keep them the same? And won't it add the new gauges?

[Z-claudius24]

Hi,

When you click YES to all :
The gauges with a same name in the gauges folder will be overwritten and the new gauges (those not already in the gauges folder) will be added...
Hope it's made sens :)
Personally I put the gauges (of addon planes) in the panel folder ... it's a safe way and also it's help to investigate a problem ... if any ....

[hurricane3]

That is what I thought happened Claudis thanks.

[WarHorse47]

Hurricane, this is what I do.

I always unpack a new a/c in a temporary folder, retaining all the folder names. When there are additional files for the gauge, effects or sound folder, I "move" all the files from their temporary folder to the main FS9 folder. If and when I get a warning message on overwriting a file, I select 'No." This way the new files stay in the temporary location.

I'd say about 99.99% of the time the new files are identical to what is already in the FS9 subfolder, and basically "it doesn't need fixin', if it ain't broken." As you "move" the files, I always read the date and size of both the new file and the existing file. Very seldom is the newer file any different than the existing file, but if it is there is usually some notation by the developer to that affect.

One type of file not discussed is the *.dll file. Whenever prompted to overwrite an existing *.dll file, definitely make sure you have a backup copy of the original if you intend to overwrite. These are the library files that can really screw things up if overwritten.

As a suggestion for your next birthday, get yourself an external storage device. I have several. One is for laptops, but works quite well with my desktop. On it I keep a full copy of my entire FS9 directory just in case something does get overwritten. It came in real handy when I had to reinstall FS9.

--WH

[hurricane3]

When you click no doesn't that keep a bunch of files you already have ,instead of just overwriting the existing gauges for instance. Wouldn't that make your gauges folder just keep getting bigger and bigger with duplicate gauges?If it says you already have that gauge ,same name but different size I can understand clicking no. That would mean you want to keep a gauge that is different from whats already in there, but keep the other gauge of the same name but maybe it's different in some way.
I know I'am not making myself clear but thats because I don't understand what I don't understand.( does that make sense?)I don't think I've had any problems with clicking yes to all . I always thought that ment overwrite what you already have and add the new gauge.
If the gauge file is same size and name as the one it's prompting you about it would be ok to click no.
And what about when it says just yes and there is another ,is it no to all? I don't remember now.
I will get an external hard drive ,then I will have lots more questions.

[aeromed202]

Clicking yes to all will do this; each gauge will be compared to your existing set in the main gauge folder. If it is there already it will be overwritten (not duplicated, still just the one file being copied), but if it is new/unknown it will be added. All the files will go over quickly in this way. When all done there should be an empty new gauge folder because they all moved over to the main one with the number of main gauge folder files staying the same if no new ones were added. I've never had gauge files anywhere but the main folder, and you should know that there can easily be sets of gauges in their own folders within the main one that work just fine. Just follow the install instructions. You can do it this way because it is probably the easiest but if suddenly the game crashes on loading or loading an aircraft, you may have to remember what you recently installed and track down those pesky gauge files and delete them then find replacements that work. This is why I don't overwrite. The ones I have already work and a new one of the same name should be identical but may contain a glitch from who knows what or where that will crash the game.


Now if you have a folder of say 8 new gauges and you hit copy to the main gauge folder and the first file says you already have a file of that name "do you want to overwrite" and you say no, this will happen: the new file will stay put, leaving the old one of the same name in place. If you say no the the other 7 in the same way, you will be left with the folder of the 8 new gauge files un-moved, because you just told the computer you didn't want to overwrite any of them.
And yes, the gauge folder will grow with each new one added and can get quite big in numbers. But if you keep an updated copy and you do a re-install you only have to copy everything into the main gauge folder and every aircraft will be happy to use whatever file it needs.

[hurricane3]

Thanks for the explantion I think I got it now.

[robert41]

Glad you are getting it worked out.