Hi All,
In an effort to cut down on the load time I am having for FS9, I have been told that I should consider cutting down on the inventory of aircraft in FS9. I remember a tool for managing aircraft, but for the life of me I can't remember any details. Can anybody enlighten me?
Sean
I have no idea either and if any exists but a quick way back machine search should help
Hope bjoerns response helps you jackryan
In the AIRCRAFT directory, I make an additional folder called "Standbys". I then put most little used planes there (the whole folder), they won't show in the load aircraft dialogue. You can easily pull a folder out and put it down in the Aircraft directory when needed.Originally Posted by jackryan172
Also you can cut down by "remming out" seldom used textures in an aircaft.cfg file (just not the [FLTSIM.0] one). here is an example so that only the 1st texture shows up:
[fltsim.0]
title=AC500 N22WR VC
sim=AC500vc
model=ac500fsx
panel=AC500_My Blue (FSX)
sound=Alias
texture=n22wr
kb_checklists=AC500_Check
kb_reference=AC500_Ref
ui_manufacturer=Aero Design
ui_type=AC500 Pax
ui_variation=N22WR VC
atc_heavy=0
atc_id=N22WR
atc_airline=
atc_flight_number=1958
atc_type=ROCKWELL
atc_model=AC50
description=Textures by André Folkers. Beginning in 1958, Aero Design & Engineering Company rolled out the econo-model 500. There were 101 units built between 1958 & 1960. The AC500 Power : Lycoming O-540-A2B - 250 HP each at 2575 RPM.
//[fltsim.1]
title=AC500 N500MS VC
sim=AC500vc
model=ac500fsx
panel=AC500_My Tan (FSX)
sound=Alias
texture=orange
kb_checklists=AC500_Check
kb_reference=AC500_Ref
ui_manufacturer=Aero Design
ui_type=AC500 Pax
ui_variation=N500MS VC
atc_heavy=0
atc_id=N500MS orange
atc_airline=
atc_flight_number=1959
atc_type=ROCKWELL
atc_model=AC50
description=Textures by André Folkers. Beginning in 1958, Aero Design & Engineering Company rolled out the econo-model 500. There were 101 units built between 1958 & 1960. The AC500 Power : Lycoming O-540-A2B - 250 HP each at 2575 RPM.
The "//" causes FSX to bypass it looking for another VALID [fltsim.1] but their is none, so no successive textures load for use. You can rearrange the [fltsim.x sections so that if you want a couple but not all of them most of the time and "//" the first [fltsim.x] that you don't want normally, but don't want to delete forever. You can always go back and "un-REM" entries for occasional use.
remmed out??
Now there's a term it's been a "while" since I last heard. WOW!
Don't tell me, let me guess: A long-time DOS user, that resisted the advent of Windoze as long as you could, no? I know I sure did.
To me, Windows was a what I called a memory-vampire for those who couldn't figure out how DOS works, and need little pictures to help them. Still is a memory-vampire, you just can't avoid it now. Sadly.
I resisted installing Windows on our work computers as long as I could. Being the Lead E-Tech had advantages. But when we had to put little stick-on letters on the space bar so some retired Air Force Officers, pilots at that, could find the A-N-Y key, I gave up. As in "Strike any key when ready" ? THAT A-N-Y key. It was sad...
Sorry, back to ships and pipes, and such!
Pat☺
Fly Free, always!
Sgt of Marines
USMC, 10 years proud service.
Inactive now...
Yep, the more planes in your Aircraft folder, the longer the sim's start time.
I keep only the AI planes (I have quite a few of them in my various sims) and the stock planes (with anachronistic ones removed, eg., no jets in Golden Wings). Everything else goes in the Hangar.
The hangar is simply a folder with all my flyable planes in it. I have a gazillion of 'em, so I have sub-folders for each sim (Golden Age, Classic Era, Jet Age) and sub-sub folders for categories like light prop singles, small jets, rotary wings, etc. (That makes it quick and easy to find planes that I want to fly.
To make transfers quicker and easier, reach sub-folder has shortcut links to the Aircraft folders in the sims, and each sim's Aircraft folder has shortcut links to the main hangar folders.
The Hangar folder can be anywhere, inside the main FS folder or not. I have a Hangar partition on my FS drive, but that's not necessary.
I am not sure about FS9, but for FSX/FSX-E and P3D, you can make an additional folder in the SimObjects Directory and put AI aircaft there. I cleverly named my folder "AI Aircraft". That way they don't show up in the "Select Aircraft" menu. However you have to add a line to the fsx or p3d cfg file to show the path to the new folder. My FSX-SE entry looks like this looks like this; last line is my mod as discussed. However, I am not sure about FS9. It's been a long time. FS9 had a different file structure.
[Main]
User Objects=Airplane, Helicopter
SimObjectPaths.0=SimObjects\Airplanes
SimObjectPaths.1=SimObjects\Rotorcraft
SimObjectPaths.2=SimObjects\GroundVehicles
SimObjectPaths.3=SimObjects\Boats
SimObjectPaths.4=SimObjects\Animals
SimObjectPaths.5=SimObjects\Misc
SimObjectPaths.6=SimObjects\AI_Aircraft
I am not sure about FS9, but for FSX/FSX-SE and P3D, you can make an additional folder in the SimObjects Directory and put AI aircaft there. I cleverly named my folder "AI Aircraft". That way they don't show up in the "Select Aircraft" menu. However you have to add a line to the fsx or p3d cfg file to show the path to the new folder. My FSX-SE entry looks like this looks like this; last line is my mod as discussed. However, I am not sure about FS9. It's been a long time.
[Main]
User Objects=Airplane, Helicopter
SimObjectPaths.0=SimObjects\Airplanes
SimObjectPaths.1=SimObjects\Rotorcraft
SimObjectPaths.2=SimObjects\GroundVehicles
SimObjectPaths.3=SimObjects\Boats
SimObjectPaths.4=SimObjects\Animals
SimObjectPaths.5=SimObjects\Misc
SimObjectPaths.6=SimObjects\AI_Aircraft
I should addthat my sim takes 5-10 mins to load to showing aircraft...plus or minus my time to select aircraft and where I want to fly
In FS9 the Aircraft folder is the only place to put active aircraft, whether AI or flyable or both. The way to keep AI-only planes from cluttering up the Select Aircraft menu is to make them Type=2 in the AIR file.
my way
I move the fs aircraft to 2 folders named K4 HANGARS and FSX HANGARS, and zip each a/c folder with 7z (a zipper that compresses to a smaller size than any other zipping tool--some times 5 times less in size), and then delete the unzipped a/c folder.
I keep in the panel folder, and any effects within the a/c folder. That way I can transfer the a/c back into the sim and refly it and it has the gauges showing.
Eventually, I transfer the 2 folders to dvd discs named HANGARS 1, 2, 3 etc ( now I have HANGAR 8 as the most recent dvd burned, and then I use WHERE IS IT to make a catalog of the dvd disc. To find something I open the whereisit catalogs (named H1, H2 thru to H8) and find the a/c I need to transfer back to sim.
Next dvd I make will be named HANGAR 9, H9 in the WHEREISIT catalog list.
It is important to zip each a/c folder separately and not to make the mistake of zipping more than one a/c folder in a subfolder named WWII AIRCRAFT (or any other name)--for ease of access.
Mick's way is different from mine,
Mick,
It occurred to me that my cat looks like you in your avatar image--the same exactly, minus the helmet and flight jacket, of course.
One of my kitties looks very similar, but his eyes are much bluer. The Siamese blue. Sadly, they're also badly crossed. He looks like each eye is looking out the other side of his face
Makes his jumping up on things a real adventure.
His name, BTW, is The Kitten Kommando. Not Kitten Kommando, THE Kitten Kommando. He's the second KK I've cared for.
Pat☺
Sgt of Marines
USMC, 10 years proud service.
Inactive now...
I used to have a cat that looked like that. I think all brown tabbies look alike - much more so than orange tabbies, for example. I've had three orange tabbies and known several others, and none of them looked alike, but every brown tabby I've ever known looks just like my late great Scooter.Mick,
It occurred to me that my cat looks like you in your avatar image--the same exactly, minus the helmet and flight jacket, of course.
That's an incredibly complicated method you have for hangaring your aircraft! It must be a major project every tine you want to fly a plane!
That's amazing! How can you stand it?! If I had wait times like that I would've quit the hobby years ago!
I go and get something to munch on..
That wouldn't work for me. I have too much trouble keeping my weight under control as it is!
Worse, I could never paint planes if I couldn't boot up the sim quickly whenever I want to check something - which is constantly. As it is, the half minute wait that I have sometimes drives me half crazy!
I ended up going through and moving the aircraft I dont fly regularly into a folder named Aircraft_sav. Im going to go through and cut down each individual liveries that I dont fly. Thanks guys for your help.
Sean
Good point mick...That wouldn't work for me. I have too much trouble keeping my weight under control as it is!
Worse, I could never paint planes if I couldn't boot up the sim quickly whenever I want to check something - which is constantly. As it is, the half minute wait that I have sometimes drives me half crazy!
Another little trick I discovered, and I have no idea where by now, that will speed up the loading of an aircraft is to check it's aircraft.cfg for a couple of specific lines.
Under the [WEIGHT_AND_BALANCE] section, look for the line max_number_of_stations= XX, where XX is a number. A lot of developers leave it at the default 50, but the greater the number, the longer it takes to load the plane. Count the number of entries marked by the lines station_load.0 = through station_load.X = , where X is the highest number in the sequence. Like station_load.0 = through station_load.10 = , for example. Change the max number of stations line to equal the number of station load entries. In our example above that would be 11. Notice that the Stations start at 0 (zero), not 1, so the max number will be one greater than one would think from the final station load entry.
The same situation applies to the [contact_points] section. It's Max number line reads max_number_of_points = XX . Again, make sure is reads a number to match the number of point.0 = entries. As well, bear in mind that the points.X= start at 0 (zero), not 1, so the max points will be 1 greater than the highest number of point.X entries, same-same as with the W&B section's entry.
This little tick actually does affect the loading time of an aircraft, I've found. If you have a plane that's slow to load, take a look and see if this situation applies. It will help out.
Pat☺
Sgt of Marines
USMC, 10 years proud service.
Inactive now...
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