Question about AI

[albix 1]

Hi all,I have a couple of questions that I hope someone of you will be able to answer.In the Aircraft folder there are too many AI planes and they create confusion in retrieving flyable planes. Setting the AI planes folders as "hidden" causes any problem?Second question: I have different AI bgl files. Is there a way to merge all them in one single file? and would this improve FS?Many thanks to all of you.Alberto

[Guest Rob Hirst]

Alberto, in the avsim library somewhere there is a utility called FSTyper. This allows you to set each of your planes as either flyable or not, hiding those not flyable in the selection screen. It takes about 30 seconds to do the whole of your folder. In fact it probably takes longer to download the program than to use it!!As for the traffic bgl question, I don't know but would like to, so if someone out there could help us out I'd be greatfull.Rob

[RFields5421 1]

Folder as "Hidden" should have no impact on FS performance. That value is only related to the display in the Windows Explorer. Programs and scripts see folders just fine. I'm not sure as it's practicality because you need to see hidden folders to work with FS - but give it a try.Personally, I have my AI aircraft folders named in a very specific way so that I know at a clance they are AI. In FSX, I have all my AI in a different aircraft folder than the flyable planes. Good new capability on Microsoft's part.One thing you must do is ensure AI aircraft are marked so they will not show up in the "Select Aircraft" window. That will greatly speed up loading that window.Multiple traffic files vs one large traffic files - some folks have demonstrated a very slight improvement in start up times with one large traffic file. Once the flight has started, there is no difference in performance in one traffic file and multiple traffic files.All you need to do is use TrafficTools to decompile the various traffic files. Open the aircraft.txt files and the flightplans.txt files and make sure no AC# are duplicated in any of the files. That could involve making hundreds of changes in the files. Then combine the files into three large files aircraft.txt, airports.txt and flightplans.txt - and compile the whole thing with TrafficTools. It will take a while to do so.I would strongly advise you to not combine the files. The minimal to no load time improvement is not worth the extreme difficulty in replacing old AI schedules with new schedules in one file.Multiple files make it very easy to update. Easy to troubleshoot problems and easy to remove an airline or aircraft if you want.One big traffic file is a royal pain in the rear and a LOT of extra work.

[albix 1]

What to say? It is nice to have friends from all over the world that help when needed. Thanks Rob, thanks Reggie!I downloaded FSTyper and found it very helpful, many of my AI planes were flyable and changed them to non-flyable so they don't show anymore. I also made their directories "hidden" and hadn't any problem with traffic but now my Aircraft directory is much more tidy and easier to find my planes files.I agree with you Reggie, if the advantage of combine the bgl files is not that much I will leave as they are.Thank you again guys, very happy flights!Alberto, Italy