Renaming Aircraft Folders

[falcon409]

I haven't had a reason to do this in so long I've forgotten. . .but does renaming an aircraft folder cause any direct conflicts with the Sim? I have an aircraft that is named using jf_g44 and I want to name it Grumman_G44. What say you experts?

[Daube]

The only problem that could happen is if another aircraft is doing an alias (usually for the sound) to this aircraft's folder. Then you'll have to edit the alias as well to correct the folder's path.

[fsafranek]

It may also cause problems with any *.xml or *.ini files that were included with the aircraft if they are hard coded to the original aircraft folder name.
But being text files you can open them and see if that is the case.

Shouldn't have any effect with the sim (aka base FSX game) itself though.

[falcon409]

Thanks for the HU on those possibilities but after checking it doesn't appear that either is a problem, so it looks like I'm in the clear. The only other thing I thought of would be in Multiplayer, where another pilot might have the same airplane but not be able to see mine (nor I see him) because of the difference in folder names. Thanks for chiming in though. . .one more thing to add to my "don't forget again" list, lol.

[delta_lima]

When it comes to files / filing, I'm borderline OCD, so yes, I do this to suit my own personal preferences.

I always change the name, removing all the "_" underscores, etc, and following a "proper" fabricator/model/name scheme, so for example, the default folder "b747_400" would be "Boeing 747-400", etc. I say "would be" - because I've stripped out all the default aircraft save the "G_21" out of my active aircraft hangar and stick them to a backup hangar on another drive. "G_21" is corrected to Grumman G-21 Goose, etc.

As I also run an almost exclusive "FSX1955-1970" environment, so my fabricator names reflect that time period. So, I have "Hawker Siddeley Trident" , not BAe; "Sud Aviation Caravelle", not Aerospatiale, etc.

This makes it easy/organized when accessing the file names in the simobjects/aircraft or rotorcraft folders, etc.

Now you have to be careful, because if in some aircraft, there are multiple versions, each sharing say, the shared textures of one, or the panel/gauge data from one, then you have to edit those texture.cfg or panel.cfg files accordingly. Not a big issue, but just something you need to be think about if all of a sudden, you're missing repaints or entire models in the sim. Easily fixed, though, by checking that the call references are correct.

The worst is with Milviz and Aerosoft - specifically their F-86 . F-4 and F-14 products. Changing the names messes things up with a module file that calls for the original file folder/name path. I really dislike that, but I can't fix it, so I leave those with their original file names. Like I said, OCD ...

dl

[Naismith]

I hate underscores too, and non capitalised first letters. Must be a Canadian thing.

[icycle]

No, not just Canadian thing, we do the same here in Wisconsin too...

As i have multiple "era's" in my FSX, (WW 2, 50s',60's,70's,80's,90's,2000's, & modern), each with its own "airplanes" folder in SimObjects, I rename Aircraft folders all the time.

BTW - I know it's extreme, but just can't stand seeing a B707 from Pan Am waiting behind an Emirates A380, or a F105D waiting on a F-22, etc....

Regards
Bill

[PRB]

... The only other thing I thought of would be in Multiplayer, where another pilot might have the same airplane but not be able to see mine (nor I see him) because of the difference in folder names...

Multiplayer should not be an issue, since it's the "Title=" part of the aircraft.cfg that multiplayer is looking for, not the folder name. I rename the folders all the time, for the reasons mentioned above.

[awstub]

Bill,

If you don't mind, could you please put up a post on how you do this?

I tried it in the past but ended up creating enough problem that I decided scrap the idea.

Thanks,

Stu

No, not just Canadian thing, we do the same here in Wisconsin too...

As i have multiple "era's" in my FSX, (WW 2, 50s',60's,70's,80's,90's,2000's, & modern), each with its own "airplanes" folder in SimObjects, I rename Aircraft folders all the time.

BTW - I know it's extreme, but just can't stand seeing a B707 from Pan Am waiting behind an Emirates A380, or a F105D waiting on a F-22, etc....

Regards
Bill

[icycle]

Stu,

Sure. I simply have sub-folders within SimObjects, that contain what I need.

For example

"Airplanes - WWII"
"Airplanes - 50s"
"Airplanes - 60s"
"Airplanes - 70s"
"Airplanes - 80s"
"Airplanes - 90s"
"Airplanes - 2000s"
"Airplanes - Modern"

Each folder has the flyable planes from that decade. When I want to fly in an "era", I simple change the name on the folder to just "Airplanes", and then have planes for the relavent era available to me in FSX - you will need to keep FSX "default, available in each Airplane folder, so that they are always active (Elsewise FSX may "throw a shoe"). That takes care of a simple view of flyable aircraft.

For AI, I use UT2 + Powerpack, So much of the Airline traffic is managed through it - and thus outside the ".bgl" structure of FSX. (Fully understanding that process would take a separate post unto itself). For military traffic I have separate traffic files for each "decade" as above in my file structure, which can be activated through a scenery file management tool (I use Scenery Configurator v1.1.1 to manage my scenery files), as Military traffic does not lend itself well to Ultimate Traffic processes

All told, switching between "era's" takes less than 6-10 mins, which includes re-indexing the fles for FSCommander, Radar Contact v4, and Super Traffic Board.

Net, net, there are as many "schemes" for accomplishing the above, as there are virtual pilots. It all comes down to what makes sense to you, and is the easiest to execute (and remember!!). The problem is that it is almost too easy for me, and in a given week, I may switch era's 3-4 times. Usually something cool catches my fancy in the modern era, then somebody like Mr. Jahn releases a KC-97, and I end up wanting to fly around back in the 50's or 60's again....

Also, this does come at a cost in storage. I have something like 1.4TB tied up in this, so "buyer beware"......

Hope that helps.

Bill

[awstub]

OK, that makes sense to me.

I mostly fly 50's & 60's military aircraft ....usually in Asia, since I loaded the VNW project and some of the CalClassic vintage Asia scenery (I make sure I run all the FS2004 flightplans through AIFP).
Seeing modern civilian AI traffic really kills the immersion though.


Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Stu

Stu,

Sure. I simply have sub-folders within SimObjects, that contain what I need.

For example

"Airplanes - WWII"
"Airplanes - 50s"
"Airplanes - 60s"
"Airplanes - 70s"
"Airplanes - 80s"
"Airplanes - 90s"
"Airplanes - 2000s"
"Airplanes - Modern"

Each folder has the flyable planes from that decade. When I want to fly in an "era", I simple change the name on the folder to just "Airplanes", and then have planes for the relavent era available to me in FSX - you will need to keep FSX "default, available in each Airplane folder, so that they are always active (Elsewise FSX may "throw a shoe"). That takes care of a simple view of flyable aircraft.

For AI, I use UT2 + Powerpack, So much of the Airline traffic is managed through it - and thus outside the ".bgl" structure of FSX. (Fully understanding that process would take a separate post unto itself). For military traffic I have separate traffic files for each "decade" as above in my file structure, which can be activated through a scenery file management tool (I use Scenery Configurator v1.1.1 to manage my scenery files), as Military traffic does not lend itself well to Ultimate Traffic processes

All told, switching between "era's" takes less than 6-10 mins, which includes re-indexing the fles for FSCommander, Radar Contact v4, and Super Traffic Board.

Net, net, there are as many "schemes" for accomplishing the above, as there are virtual pilots. It all comes down to what makes sense to you, and is the easiest to execute (and remember!!). The problem is that it is almost too easy for me, and in a given week, I may switch era's 3-4 times. Usually something cool catches my fancy in the modern era, then somebody like Mr. Jahn releases a KC-97, and I end up wanting to fly around back in the 50's or 60's again....

Also, this does come at a cost in storage. I have something like 1.4TB tied up in this, so "buyer beware"......

Hope that helps.

Bill

[PHo17]

Stu,

Sure. I simply have sub-folders within SimObjects, that contain what I need.

For example

"Airplanes - WWII"
"Airplanes - 50s"
"Airplanes - 60s"
"Airplanes - 70s"
"Airplanes - 80s"
"Airplanes - 90s"
"Airplanes - 2000s"
"Airplanes - Modern"

...

All told, switching between "era's" takes less than 6-10 mins, which includes re-indexing the fles for FSCommander, Radar Contact v4, and Super Traffic Board.

...

Good idea!

Would there be any possibility to make that change automatic somehow?

HU programmers.

[delta_lima]

I have a super easy system for having just the types of aircraft I'm interested in during a particular "phase" or "interest" or "project" - typically less than a couple dozen. I'm not a repaint hoarder, so my aircraft rarely have more than 8-10 repaints per model - usually 3-4 favourites - so my menu list is easy to select out of.

All my aircraft are backed up on another drive, organized by period / main operator. I just drag the aircraft I want during that particularly "phase" / interest / project (usually last a couple of weeks) into my simobjects/aircraft folder, then once I want to move on, I either delete them (if I've not edited anything from the original backup) or save them back to the backup drive, and drag over the types of I'm focused on during this new "phase".

As to AI, I completely agree on the buzzkill that is the fake airlines and millennial aircraft. For that, my friends, you need only replace your traffic files with the Calclassic FS1955, 1957, or 1962 files - done. They've released a new FSX bgl - very important - don't use the FS9 versions!!!

If you're more into the 70s and 80s, then it's a more manual airline-by-airline process with input from folks like retroai.

dl

[napamule]

Not wanting to put any 3rd party models into 'Airplanes' folder (only 'default' airplanes in there) I made my own 'Aircraft' folders under 'SimObjects' folder. I have folder for FS9 and folder for FSX aircraft. I just added 'path' to fsx.cfg and FSX will find them. See pics.
Chuck B