New addon scenery installed but not available

[Quasimode 0]

I've just installed VFR Photographic Scenery (Horizon Simulations) and it's sitting at the top of the list in the Scenery Library in FS2004 but I can't get access to it. Obviously I've missed one or more of the essential installation processes. I'm running Windows 7. Can anyone help? I'm not up to speed with computer jargon so simple step by step would be great. Thanks in advance!

[N60JBravo 27]

What do you mean by "I can't get access to it"?

 

Are you trying to edit the files?

 

Does the addon not show up in the sim?

 

regards,

Joe

[Quasimode 0]

Hi Joe

Yes the addon shows up in the sim: it's sitting right at the top of the Areas List (every item checked as enabled). When I search in Go To Airport tab and select 'Search in Addon Scenery' nothing shows up and I need to revert to default mode to fly. On opening FS9 i am gettin scenery CFG file error messages (Areas 033,038,041). I am running Windows 7 64bit. I am not trying to edit the files.

Thanks for your input.

[N60JBravo 27]

No need to "'Search in Addon Scenery'".

 

That is a legacy mode used only for very old scenery addons.

 

Modern addons are designed to automatically replace the default scenery.

 

How are you "revert(ing) to default mode"? Does this addon have a configuration utility or are you just unchecking the Scenery Library entries? (Sorry, i don't have this addon)

 

If you reactivate the addon do you still get the scenery.cfg errors?

 

If so, your scenery.cfg is in the root FS9 folder and can be opened with Notepad.

 

Look in it for [Area.nnn], where nnn= 033, 038, or 041.

 

Each [Area.nnn] data block will have a path, verify that the path leads to a valid scenery folder.

 

A valid scenery folder will usually be named to match the title= line in the scenery.cfg and contain a folder named scenery and possibly a folder named texture.

 

The child scenery folder will contain at least one file with the .bgl extension.

 

regards,

Joe

[Quasimode 0]

Thanks Joe

Apologies for the delayed reply; I've been away from the site for a while. I've managed to get rid of 033 and 038 by unchecking them but 041 doesn't exist in Notepad. I'm going to be fully occupied for a while looking after grandchildren (!) and will catch you later.

[Ramjett 27]

Quasi,

 

It sounds to me, in my limited experience, that something that was installed as a part of the scenery, deleted something that was default to FS9.  I've looked at my FS9 Scenery.cfg before and most of the lower numbered entries have been default.  My addon areas are usually 3 digits long.

 

I would look in your original FS2004 install disks (you'll have to open several cab files to locate it) and see if you can find the default areas 33, 38, and 41.

 

Randy

[cbrown 1]

Scenery.cfg can be found on FS9\Disc 4\Complete or FS9\Disc 4\ Compact.

 

Area 033 is Sydney Aerial Photo  and  area 038 is Addon Scenery.

 

Area 041 will probably be an area you have added since the original install.

 

You  should be able to obtain an Excel file listing everything on the 4 discs.  Just search for FS9 CD Directory by Brian Collins.  I got it here on Avsim originally.

 

Colin B

 

Edit.  File name fs9cddir.zip.

[Ramjett 27]

Colin...and Quasi...yep, I made my post from work without access to my system.  I checked as soon as I got home and my cfg is set up the same way, 33 is Sydney Aerial Photo, 38 is my addon scenery and I have no scenery area above 38.  Weird because I know somewhere while trying to track down an errant scenery I saw an area in the 400's.

 

Randy

[N60JBravo 27]

I've managed to get rid of 033 and 038 by unchecking them but 041 doesn't exist in Notepad.

 

 

...my cfg is set up the same way, 33 is Sydney Aerial Photo, 38 is my addon scenery and I have no scenery area above 38.

Are you guys looking at the correct scenery.cfg?

 

FS9 uses the scenery.cfg in the root FS9 folder, the folder that contains the FS9.exe.

 

regards,

Joe

[Ramjett 27]

Joe,

 

Yessir, I looked at the scenery.cfg in documents and settings/application data and the root folder.  There's also a scenery.cfg in C:/Program Files/MS Games/Flight Simulator 9 folder.  Both say the same thing and both end at Area 38 for me.  Can't speak for the others.

 

Mine may be set that way now...remember I posted I recalled seeing areas listed into the hundreds that contained my addons...because now I install all my addon scenery into a separate drive and add sceneries to "Scenery Library" from that drive.  They all show (more than 300 addon sceneries) in flight sim,  I don't know why they don't show in either scenery config, though.  Area 38 for me lists only the scenery filling the highest (number 1) spot in my scenery library list.

 

It works so I ain't messing with it... :smile:

 

Randy

 

(I wish Quasi would sign his real name)

 

Randy

[N60JBravo 27]

 

 

I looked at the scenery.cfg in documents and settings/application data and the root folder. There's also a scenery.cfg in C:/Program Files/MS Games/Flight Simulator 9 folder. Both say the same thing and both end at Area 38 for me. Can't speak for the others.

 

I am a little confused by your response.

 

The root FS9 folder is the folder that contains the FS9.exe file.

 

If you have FS9 installed to the default location it would be the C:/Program Files/MS Games/Flight Simulator 9 folder.

 

That is where the working scenery.cfg is.

 

Are you saying that scenery.cfg only goes to [Area.38]?

 

regards,

Joe

[royth 0]

You are not getting permission problems with Windows 7 are you?

[Ramjett 27]

Joe,

 

I didn't explain it very well.  For that I apologize.  I have found 2 scenery configuration files on my system.  

 

One is in C:/Documents and Settings/Owner/Application Data/Microsoft/FS9 (the same folder the elusive FS9.cfg file no one can seem to find is if "show hidden files" is not enabled).  Looking at that config with notepad reveals that the last entry is Area 38, and the file referenced is the scenery in the number 1 position of my addon sceneries.

 

The second one is in C:/Program Files/Microsoft Games/Flight Simulator 9/ (the same folder that has the FS9.EXE  file in it).  That scenery.cfg file is identical to the one in documents and settings, also ending at Area 38, referencing the same Number One scenery on my addons list in settings/scenery library.

 

All of my addon scenery files are stored on a separate harddrive (K:/).  When I add a scenery through settings/scenery library/add I simply point FS9 to that drive and the appropriate folder.  On my addon scenery list there are 326 separate scenery addons I have added over the years.  These all show up just fine, despite the fact that both of those config files I referenced above end at area 38 and show only that one addon scenery that is in position one priority.  While some may be tempted to say "that's impossible" I know what I see when I start FS9.  There is no way I could mistake the default Denver International for the very well done freeware KDEN I have added on...or any of the others I have added/created myself with ADE9X.

 

Now, having said that, I am confused why my scenery.cfg ends at Area 38 because, just as I know I am seeing all my addon sceneries in FS9, I also know I saw, at one point, a scenery.cfg with close the 400 areas listed.  I know that because I once upon a time wanted to remove an addon scenery and simply deleted it from my file structure without deleting it through settings/scenery library.  The next time I started FS9 I got the "Area XXX Not Found" warning.  I distinctly remember looking in the config to see what area was missing and properly deleted it from my addons priority list.  That number was in the hundreds, not 38 or less.

 

The world is full of mystery...

 

Randy

 

Edit: Quasi, sorry to hijack your thread, but I hope all this discussion is helping you  solve your 33, 38, 41 issue.

[N60JBravo 27]

Welcome to the Virtual Store.

 

You must have FS installed to the default Program Files folder. Not a good idea for a program that is designed to have the core files modified.

 

People who create viruses and malware write them to sometimes hide in the Program Files folder. The reason being you can create hundreds of Word documents without ever looking in the Word Program Files folder.

 

This is why the newer versions of Windows (post XP) have added protection placed on those folders.

 

What can happen when you, or a program, try to write to a file in Program Files is that Windows will create a copy of the file in the Virtual Store so the original file is protected. The scenery.cfg is a perfect example.

 

FS will still read the file in the Virtual Store instead of the original, yet it becomes a bit of a nightmare for the end-user.

 

This is one of the reasons that there are about a thousand posts here, and other forums, advising people to not install FS to the default Program Files location.

 

Look for your scenery.cfg in C:\Users\your name\AppData\Local\VirtualStore

 

regards,

Joe

[Ramjett 27]

Joe,

 

Not sure what OS Quasi is running, but I am using WinXP, SP3.  WinXP doesn't care and there is no C:\Owner\...\Virtual Store\  file anywhere.  My FS9 and FSX configuration files are in C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data\Miscrosoft\FS9 or \FSX.  As I said, there are two scenery configs, one there and one in the FS9 folder in Program Files\Microsoft Games\FS9.  They are both identical.

 

Now that I've said that, let me give you my apology and "oops".  The config only "seems" to end at area 038.  I scrolled down through my config while trying to see what mine said to help Quasimode.  After area 038 it was blank...until I continued to scroll down.  Previously I stopped where the blank area was thinking I was at the end of the file.  For some reason there is a large blank area in the config and then it starts listing areas again, all the way to Area 422.  I took that blank area out with my editor program and voila...FS9 still works fine and the config looks normal again.

 

See, I knew I had seen areas in the hundreds before.  Thanks, Joe.  Hope this helps Quasi also

 

Randy