RC4.3 and P3D 2.5

[G-YMML1 582]

Hi,

 

I have moved recently tp P3D from FS2004 where I had been using RC4.X since 2005. After several attempts to enjoy PRO ATC X I found out that this software lacks a flexibility that RC delivers. As such, I'm planning to return back to RC and I have some questions for P3D specifics.

 

1) Does RC work in P3D at the same manner as it used to work in FS2004. Are there any shortcomings or limitations comparing with FS2004? I'm especially worrying about managing of AI as it seems to me both FSX and P3D use slightly different AI engine

 

2) Does RC original 4.3 installer work "install-and-run" in P3D? Should I add any other modules, files or do some other magics to make it work in P3D?

 

3) Is activation process still the same as it used to be 3-4 years ago? I still cannot find John's e-mail where my code should be mailed.

 

 

Thank you

 

Dmitriy

[Glynn 405]

If you are not going to use FS9 again then you only need to place Makerwys into your P3D folder and go about building your DB as normal. pointing to your P3D install.

 

If you are still going to use FS9 as well as P3D then all you need to do is make a copy of your RC4 folder and rename it RC4-P3D. make a shortcut to this RC4.exe on your desktop

Put a copy of the  makeRwys.exe into your P3D root folder

Run RC4 from your new shortcut and do the Rebuild scenery DB as you normally would to create the data files from your P3D installation.

 

RC4 does not need reinstalling and works just the same in P3D as it always did in FS9 and FSX.

 

A fresh install on a new machine will need registering and you should send it to Register@jdtllc.com in (exactly) the format -12345678 ! firstname ! lastname

[AshleySear 2]

Hi,

RC works well in P3D up to 2.5 HF4.

Don't forget you need FSUIPC which is installed with RC but is worth buying for tyhe extra facilities

 

to install RC4:

open the P3D installation folder

create a copy of P3D.exe

rename the copy to FSX.exe

 

run the RC4 installer and point to your p3d installation folder

 

install and enjoy-doing it this way the installer is quite happy

 

Best

 

Ashley Sear

 

ex RC beta tester

[OneWhoKnocks53 51]

The install of rc4 on p3d required a .dll registry entry if you are using win 8 or above, FYI.

[G-YMML1 582]

What is the point of renaming P3D.exe into FSX.exe? Moreover, there is of fsx.exe in P3D main folder already. It's default file.

The install of rc4 on p3d required a .dll registry entry if you are using win 8 or above, FYI.

 

Thanks. I'm still with W7 unless there will be viable benefits of switching to W10 in terms of P3D performance.

[OneWhoKnocks53 51]

Thanks. I'm still with W7 unless there will be viable benefits of switching to W10 in terms of P3D performance.

 

If you are OK with 7, no need at the moment to move off it. I'm on 10 and have no problems, but no dramatic improvements either.

[G-YMML1 582]

If you are not going to use FS9 again then you only need to place Makerwys into your P3D folder and go about building your DB as normal. pointing to your P3D install.

 

If you are still going to use FS9 as well as P3D then all you need to do is make a copy of your RC4 folder and rename it RC4-P3D. make a shortcut to this RC4.exe on your desktop

Put a copy of the  makeRwys.exe into your P3D root folder

Run RC4 from your new shortcut and do the Rebuild scenery DB as you normally would to create the data files from your P3D installation.

 

RC4 does not need reinstalling and works just the same in P3D as it always did in FS9 and FSX.

 

A fresh install on a new machine will need registering and you should send it to Register@jdtllc.com in (exactly) the format -12345678 ! firstname ! lastname

 

Thanks for the info. It's going to be a brand new install as I reformatted my HD 4 months ago purely for P3D clean install.

[ronzie 21]

With P3D and the RC install you'll get error messages when it tries to install the RC distributed version of FSUIPC4. Ignore those and continue. Then get the latest FSUIPC4 from:

 

 http://forum.simflight.com/topic/66139-updated-modules/

 

today at 4.942 which is compatible with P3D several versions to to 2.5 and install it over the attempted 4.1 install that is in the RC distribution. Also get the latest makerwys.exe v4.68 from:

http://forum.simflight.com/topic/66136-useful-additional-programs/

putting that into your P3D folder. Run that version again after your RC install and activation is finished.

 

Don't forget if you have not done it to set your rcv4.exe properties to run as admin in the first and second (advanced) properties windows.

 

To avoid some security problems do not install RC or P3D and any program files folders to make access to P3D and RC easier for interaction.

[Richard Sennett 2,499]

With P3D and the RC install you'll get error messages when it tries to install the RC distributed version of FSUIPC4. Ignore those and continue. Then get the latest FSUIPC4 from:

 

 

Thanks Ron

[hvw 392]

Is a reinstall of RC4 really necessary to use it with P3Dv3? RC4 worked fine for me with P3dv2.5, however, when I now run the DB rebuilder pointing to my P3Dv3 folder, nothing is being done. I did copy p3d.exe and renamed it to fsx.exe. I just wonder why it won't work when pointing to P3Dv3 where it works and worked for P3Dv2.5 very well. (Latest version of fsuipc and mkerwys is present in the P3Dv3 root folder)

 

 I just want to avoid trying to acquire another activation key seen the experiences of other users here in this forum.

 

Thanks,

Hans van Wijhe

[ronzie 21]

First test is to go into your P3DV3 folder and see if running makerws.exe directly in there works. If it does then use the network method described to transfer and process the files when running the rebuild DB. Answer yes to you are on WideFS and then enter usual path and continue. See if the the process windows pop up.

 

http://forum.simflight.com/topic/66136-useful-additional-programs/ has makerwys.exe 4.692. See the release notes about migration issues.

 

http://forum.simflight.com/topic/66139-updated-modules/ has fsuipc4.946 which added P3Dv3. fsuipc is not used for scenery rebuilding.

 

If in the network method (which can be used as a two step method with a usual local path by you directly running makerwys first) works then you are OK.

 

Are you getting any error messages? What do you mean nothing happens.

 

Do not rename rcv4.exe itself. Do not rename P3Dv3.exe.

 

If you reinstall RC on the same disk drive and partition/drive letter, the samr key you have should work. If you lost your key your current one is in either keyboard.dat or rcv3.dat. Be sure you keep backups of those two files in a separate folder outside of FS to avoid a reinstall if they corrupt.

 

All RC is interested in is the folder name, not the name of the P3Dv3.exe file. fsuipc during installs looks for the path and file names so it can find the modules folder and adjust to the version of P3Dv3 being run for its proper interfacing during flights.

[hvw 392]

Thanks very much Ron. Unfortunately your suggestions did not help. When I run RC4's rebuild databases option immediately, without generating any .csv files, I am returned to the "finished rebuilding" messages. (That's what I meant with "nothing happens).

 

After I updated fsuipc from version 4.945a to 4.946 I now get an error message "run-time error '6' Overflow.

 

When I point RC4's DB rebuilder to the path where my p3dv2.5 resides, all goes well. FYI, both prepar3d versions as well RC4 are on a local not networked computer.

 

As a workaround I am now doing the following. I run makerwys in my prepar3d v3 folder and then copy the generated *.csv files into RC4's data folder. Not ideal, but it works

 

Hans

[hvw 392]

Ron,

 

Reinstalling RCv4 didn't resolve the problem. I wonder if the format/lay-out of the scenery .bgl files differ from previous versions of Prepar3d/MSFS

 

Hans

[ronzie 21]

When you directly ran makerwys.exe did it update in the P3D folder the .csv files mainly r5.csv?

 

Copying the .csv files alone will not help as RC needs to generate a4.csv in its data folder.

 

When you manually copied the files, you need to copy r5.csv in your P3D folder as r4.csv in your rcv4\data folder. Don't copy r4.csv. That probably generatetd your error.

 

I suggested just to use the network method to separate the processing steps. You do not have to be on a network.

 

The last RC message in the process is finished building a4.csv. If you get that without errors it is working.

 

 

I'll be back later with details.

[ronzie 21]

First for safety make a safe copy of rcv3.dat and keyboard.dat in a safe location such as in your documents folder. Open keyboard.dat in notepad. note the last field is a sequence of letters. This is (assuming you pasted your key into the RC registration dialog and it started OK) your key code that you entered. It is good for reinstalls should that be necessary as long as you locate the RC folder in the same place and you have not reformatted you disk.

 

Let's do one process at a time:

 

1. Run makerws.exe directly in your P3D folder. Insure that you get the collecting runways/airports window followed by finished collecting runways, airports message in that makerwys window.

 

2. Open RC and click on the scenery rebuild task. When it asks if you are running on wideFS click yes even though you are local to it. OK the warning prompt that you already ran makerwys first. This will keep makerwys.exe from running again.

 

3. Put in your path to your P3D folder on that same PC.

 

4. You should now get progress dialogs from RC such as copying r5.csv to r4.csv. Next it will state it is creating a4.csv followed by finished building a4.csv.

 

5. Wait about 30 seconds to exit to allow disk writes to complete..

 

To check:

 

Open the P3D folder with win explorer. Right click on r5.csv and select properties. note the date/time stamp and file size.

 

Open the rcv4\data folder and right click on r4.csv selecting properties. Note the date\time stamp and file size and compare with what you noted for r5.csv. The time should only be a second or two later for processing time. The file size should be the same.

 

Right click on a4.csv, select properties, and get the date\time stamp. The time should be about ten seconds or so later to allow for the a4.csv building time.

 

For each step of the RC scenery database building process there is a dialog box that needs to be clicked OK.

 

What this method does:

 

By directly executing makerwys in the P3D folder directly we have eliminated the security needed for RC to execute it. By stating you are using a network in the RC scenery rebuild RC will skip to start copying r5.csv and renaming it to r4.csv in its data folder. It will from its copy of r5.csv (renamed to r4.csv) build the airport coordinate base a4.csv in its data folder.

 

It should be noted that r4.csv in your P3D folder is not used by RC, only r5.csv which in copying to its data folder renames it r4.csv. r5.csv has more information used by the last couple of rcv4 builds.

 

This process description should help you in trouble-shooting.

 

Now, if you are still getting an error in just starting RC (P3D not running yet) after following the scenery rebuild then you will probably need to reinstall. If you get an error on loading the flight plan then something is amiss with the .pln format.

 

Follow up with a reply please.