P3DV4 add-on aircraft (and scenery) file locations

[delta_lima]

Yes. It’s official. I’ve come to the P3DV4 side of the house.

Amazing thus far. Kind of humbling, too, since there’s so much new to learn.

Looking for some clarity on how / where to locate add on aircraft. I believe there’s a .cfg vs an .xml route. Not finding clear info on the merits of each.

All I know is to not install in the sim folder. It’ll be on the same drive (I have a backup drive, but connected by USB, do not likely a good destination). I hear Adamski did a great tutorial, but I can’t find it on his site.

So any help for this newbie would be most appreciated.

Thx,

DL

[mpni]

Hi Delta_Lima
If you want locate your own aircrafts folder out of P3D you have to declare your own folder.
Go to C:\ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4 and make a backup of the simobject.cfg file.
Now open simobject.cfg file with Notepad++, and add this entry

[Entry.XX]
PATH=your full folder path
TITLE=Add Airplanes
ACTIVE=true
REQUIRED=false

XX is the number Following your last entry before change.
PATH is for example C:\My addons\Airplanes
That's all.
Put all your own aircrafts in this folder (C:\My addons\Airplanes) and P3D will use them.

You can do the same with effects.cfg file or gauges.cfg or sound.cfg…
Regards
MichelP

[delta_lima]

Thanks Michel. This is what I was hoping to get.

Is there a similar syntax for adding scenery? I’m just as concerned that I keep the scenery separate too.

Thanks.

DL

[dhazelgrove]

You can add scenery from wherever you like.

I use the old FSX format of "Addon Scenery', and put it all inside that.
You add scenery as you did in FSX. There's no required fancy footwork first.

Dave

[delta_lima]

You can add scenery from wherever you like.

I use the old FSX format of "Addon Scenery', and put it all inside that.
You add scenery as you did in FSX. There's no required fancy footwork first.

Dave

Hi Dave.

Yes, in FSX all the add-on scenery lived in the main FSX folder. Many suggest not to in P3dv4, so how to call scenery living outside the main sim folder is what I’m asking about.

The rationale being keeping your core install clean from whatever unintended problem come from a particular add-on being easily contained and reversible. I like that strategy, and am trying to implement that with the new sim.

[hschuit]

It is just what Dave says. In both FSX and P3D, add on scenery does not need to be located in the main FSX or P3D folder, you can put it anywhere you like. All you need to do is to add the "Local" folder path in the scenery.cfg node like this example:

[Area.143]
Title=NL2000 libraries
Local=D:\Addon NL2000\nl2k_v4_libraries
Layer=143
Active=TRUE
Required=FALSE

Henk.

[delta_lima]

It is just what Dave says. In both FSX and P3D, add on scenery does not need to be located in the main FSX or P3D folder, you can put it anywhere you like. All you need to do is to add the "Local" folder path in the scenery.cfg node like this example:

[Area.143]
Title=NL2000 libraries
Local=D:\Addon NL2000\nl2k_v4_libraries
Layer=143
Active=TRUE
Required=FALSE

Henk.

Thanks Henk.

Maybe my confusion stems from my never having bifurcated the install and addons in FSX. This is the first time I’m doing this with any sim.

It’s adding a bit of complexity, but I’m sure I’ll appreciate it later if I have an an issue introduced by a particular addon. My FSX install got hugely bloated and tweaked to death over the decade or so. Looking to put in a bit more rigorous care to the core install.

I was curious how scenery layers and priorities figured into this sim by doing this bifurcated approach. Seeing your entry example answers that question too.

Thanks.

[RobM]

The easiest way I've found to add scenery is to use the "Add Area" button in the P3Dv4 Scenery Library. In my own experience, it works
far better than the one in FSX.

Put the particular scenery folder (the one with the scenery and texture sub-folders) just about anywhere you want. Then start P3Dv4, go
to the P3Dv4 Scenery Library, click the "Add Area" button, browse to that scenery folder, click ok, and done, added to your scenery library.
To remove a scenery, just do the reverse using the "Delete Area" button in the Scenery Library.

I like it because it saves me from having to manually add or remove entries in the scenery.cfg (with my bad typing, that can be a challenge).

-Rob

[kremin]

@delta_lima

Adamski's tutorial is at https://www.nzfsim.org/fsx-p3d-tweaks/add-ons-outside-p3d-root/

Hope you are getting sorted....:encouragement: