LM would like addon scenery stay outside the main folder.

AS earlier has stated to continue what they are doing now : their own aerosoft folder in the main folder.

 

Aircraft already need to be installed into P3Dv3 directly like before.

 

Carlito explained his way installing Addon scenery :

 

1. Setup a directory for add-ons outside of the P3D v3 main directory, In my case I created a folder D:\P3D_Addons

2. Copy the entire "Addon Scenery" and "Aerosoft" folder from the P3D v2.5 installation to that new folder

3. Copy the "Effects" folder from the P3D v2.5 installation to the new folder

4. Add the following entry to the effects.cfg file in C:\ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3d v3:

[Entry.1]

Title=Default Effects

Path=D:\P3D_Addons\Effects

Required=True

Active=True

 

This way, P3D v3 will find the effect files in the separate directory. Now you can simply add the sceneries (which are now located in D:\P3D_Addons\Addon Scenery and D:\P3D_Addons\aerosoft) to your scenery.cfg and most of them should work.

 

That also works for sceneries like FlyTampa which install into their own sub-directory inside the P3D main folder. In rare cases, sceneries also add files to {Your P3D main directory}\scenery\world\scenery (e.g. airport elevation corrections) or {Your P3D directory}\SimObjects.

Then you also have to move them to the respective folder in the P3D v3 Installation.

 

And one final note: Sceneries with configuration tools might also require some additional tweaking so that the configuration tool works.

 

 

The question is : is it better to install Addon scenery outside P3Dv3 or can we continue as always like with earlier versions ..?

As I have written in the instructions you cited (which is consistent with the guide provided by Martin from FlyTampa here http://www.flytampa.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7737), I did create the Addon folder outside of P3D. If you want add-ons which by default install into an "Addon Scenery" folder inside of the P3D folder to install into that new folder outside of the P3D main directory, then you can simply set a symbolic link called "Addon Scenery" inside the P3D folder which then points to the other folder.

 

However, one note of caution: If you don't understand the file structure of P3D (or FSX) and don't feel comfortable with things like symbolic links and messing with the .cfg files, then you better install everything where the installers point to by default.

Most of new P3D installers for existing addons install the files at the same place than before.. inside P3D file structure. Making all those changes by ourselves is a workaround that we should not have to and do not need to do in my opinion.

I feel that it is not the right way to make symbolic links. This will work of coarse but I do not know one "game" which wants users to make them.

 

If one developer installs into an Addon folder outside P3D and the next, like AS , makes their own folder inside P3D what use is it to split addon scenery into inside/outside P3D..?  

On the same drive Ive made folders for addon airports, e.g Aerosoft. But copy the effects into the main P3D folder. All works fine. Having to copy over effects files again is easy and linking to the scenery again is also very easy. FSDT and Flightbean have done straight into main folders.

A lot of installers don't give an option where to install so I simply install those wherever they want to install. In the end it's same as before in my case: I install add ons like ASN, TrackIR, Plan-G into a separate folder on my C drive (never in the default Program Files folder!) and the rest goes into P3D if I don't have a choice. I feel no need at ALL to fool around with folders and links and whatever. I happily install everything all over again whenever an update of P3D requires this. 

All you do is make a folder, copy and paste the P3D v2.5 exe into said folder and then the installers think its the right location. All airports seem to give an option to browse to folders. 

 

It as simple as not installing P3D into program files 64.

 

The basic's are as basic as that.

I do what needs to be done to get my addons working in P3D v3. If there is a way to avoid installing into the core sim folder, then fine. However, if there isn't, then I will install it where it wants to go. I am here to enjoy flying in my flight simulator, not strictly abide by a new set of "rules".

I do what needs to be done to get my addons working in P3D v3. If there is a way to avoid installing into the core sim folder, then fine. However, if there isn't, then I will install it where it wants to go. I am here to enjoy flying in my flight simulator, not strictly abide by a new set of "rules".

+1 

The new 'rules' came about because of complaints of having to uninstall/reinstall for point-release updates to the product. Adhering to the rules would reduce the impact to the end user significantly... which is what they wanted... and now they complain about getting what they want.

 

LMAO

That's a fair point, but I am prepared to deal with that when the time comes. The irony is that I still can't fly yet in P3D v3 because of several issues that need to be addressed. The most pressing one is the controller assignment problem, but....being a perfectionist.....I also need the ATC window to be working when I am flying the PMDG 737NGX, and I also need the REX installers to be updated so that I can have my nice dawn/dusk effects and concrete apron textures back!

On the subject's question...

 

When possible, yes - I am now offloading installations to a sidecar directory using the new P3Dv3 method.

 

Not only will this make any P3Dv3 updates a little smoother, but I think it will greatly assist down the road when I inevitably reinstall my entire machine. By having a backup of this sidecar directory and the associated config files which point there, and assuming the addons are "non-sensitive" (no DRM, no special installed exe's), adding things back in becomes trivial.

 

Some vendors will choose not to invest the time to adapt to this new method, which is unfortunate. Other vendors might not have the ability to based on how deeply their addons touch the core, and it is what it is. It's not essential, but it certainly is functional AND worthwhile, if you ask me.

 

-Greg

Created folders on the same drive as my P3D's but outside the root folders

 

ADDON_AIRCRAFT

ADDON_EFFECTS

ADDON_SCENERY

 

Use each of their .cfg files to set up the paths.  Have them directed to P3Dv2 and P3Dv3.  Seems to be working quite well,  No need for dual installs for each version.  Plan to install all future addons this way.

Created folders on the same drive as my P3D's but outside the root folders

 

ADDON_AIRCRAFT

ADDON_EFFECTS

ADDON_SCENERY

 

Use each of their .cfg files to set up the paths.  Have them directed to P3Dv2 and P3Dv3.  Seems to be working quite well,  No need for dual installs for each version.  Plan to install all future addons this way.

^^^This is precisely the way the new system is supposed to work! Some folks write as though this is all new and was suddenly forced by v3...

 

...which is decidedly not the case at all, as it was first introduced in v2.5, but apparently few (if any) actually paid attention.

Created folders on the same drive as my P3D's but outside the root folders

 

ADDON_AIRCRAFT

ADDON_EFFECTS

ADDON_SCENERY

 

Use each of their .cfg files to set up the paths.  Have them directed to P3Dv2 and P3Dv3.  Seems to be working quite well,  No need for dual installs for each version.  Plan to install all future addons this way.

Ditto except that I have an Addon_Gauges folder also.

 

For a concept that is so freaking simple I am absolutely amazed at the misunderstanding and misinformation that is being bandied around many of the major forums.

• It's a suggestion NOT a commandment
• you will be better off in the long run
• it will take time for all dev's to comply
• for non compliant items - no problem except for possible reinstall on new versions

Post after post complaining about having to reinstall add-ons on a new release - so we get a solution - and we complain because we have to do something to make it work?

 

 

Vic