Automatic 3rd party Add-on discovery

[jabloomf1230 2,445]

Has anyone tried to experiment with this feature?

 

http://www.prepar3d.com/SDKv3/LearningCenter/add-ons/add-on_instructions_for_developers.html

 

Supposedly if an add-on gets installed to:

%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Prepar3d v3 Files\add-ons

It will show up in the P3d menu that allows enabling and disabling an add-on while P3d is running. Each add-on installed in this manner requires an XML file add-on.xml which is also located in the above folder. More details here:

 

http://www.prepar3d.com/SDKv3/LearningCenter/add-ons/add-on_packages.html

 

This approach seems neat and clean, but I am not aware of a developer who has followed that approach.

[Psybear 23]

The path on my system is:

 

%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Prepar3d v3 Add-ons

 

It is separate and alas, empty.

C

[WarpD 824]

It is empty because you really don't want developers filling up your Documents folder on your C: drive.

[Psybear 23]

My Documents folder is not on my C:\ drive. :wink:

 

What's odd is that the location is a different folder than what is described in the SDK

 

Prepar3d v3 Add-ons\

 

Prepar3d v3 Files\add-ons\

[WarpD 824]

On my system it is as described in the SDK.

 

Your system is definitely not typical and it is unwise to plan on users having a great deal of space on their OS drive.

[Psybear 23]

Look, I'm uninterested in another Avsim argument but quite interested in getting to the point of the OP's posting. Yes, of course, it is unwise to jam up the C:\ drive Precisely why MY my documents, pictures. etc,. is on a 3rd storage drive, E:\

 

As an esteemed developer yourself I'm sure you realize LM is trying to get 3rd party developers to place their stuff outside the root folder of P3D. Agreed, placing it automatically in average users C:\ drive is not thoroughly thought through. (Say that 3 times)

 

However, Real Air gets it. Burkhard Renk (MyTrafficPro) gets it. I have my own Add-On folder on my E:\ drive.  The benefit is I don't have to install FS Global Ultimate, Turbine Duke or MyTraffic Pro at every P2D update or hotfix.

 

Ever open to suggestion, I'm curious to know what your solution is.

 

C

[WarpD 824]

There is another method offered in the SDK that doesn't require installation into the Documents folder. It's the correct choice to do. It was provided with the 3.3 update so it hasn't been available until now.

 

I merely mentioned that the reason you won't see this particular approach embraced is because, as example, aircraft addons will swallow up that free space quickly and developers really can not require/demand/nor expect that customers will move their Documents folder location.

 

So... while this method is 'automatic'... it's not a wise choice. More robust methods are available and well documented in the SDK. Also... regarding the OP question... yes I've tried it out, as well as the other method.

[jabloomf1230 2,445]

 

 

Also... regarding the OP question... yes I've tried it out, as well as the other method.

 

Ed,

 

Do you have a template for the XML file for the specific app that you tested? I tried following the SDK suggestions and I couldn't even get a simple test.exe (which runs in a loop and does nothing) to show up in the enable/disable selection window. Thanks.

 

Jay

[WarpD 824]

I don't do apps, I do aircraft. So I haven't made one of those, however I would expect it to be much the same.

 

Unless you're planning on making your own addons (at which point you need to be in the L-M forums for support, not here)... I wouldn't recommend end users start making their own installations of other addons. That could get messy, fast.

[jabloomf1230 2,445]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the whole concept put forth by LM, but isn't there some advantage of being able to enable/disable addons from within the P3D UI? Right now one can enable/disable scenery BGLs from witin the UI, but that's it.

[WarpD 824]

I didn't discuss that at all. I'm simply stating that for you to take someone else's addon and redesign it's installation... well, that makes for one heck of a nightmare support potential that the developer shouldn't have to deal with.

 

So... while the process itself is a good one... I do not recommend end users do this at all. I already saw where someone took all of their DLLs and added them to a single entry. There was nothing gained by doing that.