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captain420

How to manually add scenery/addons into P3D v4 the right way

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Many Thanks !


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Hi all,

1) What is so different using the "addon.xml technic" versus dealing with .cfg files in the Program Data folder (simobjects.cfg, texture.cfg etc where you can add lines to point where your addons are installed) ?

2) How software like / using MakeRwys are dealing with this new way of installing scenery as they are not implemented in the scenery.cfg ?

I apologize for my bad english...not my motherlanguage....

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

 

Cedric

 

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Hiya folks,

I'm attempting to use the new add-on.xml mechanics to install a couple of scenery packages, and I'm having some challenges. I'm probably missing a certain concept or part in the process, but was wondering if one of you could take a look at my file and process to perhaps identify what I missed...

First, I created a folder inside the "Prepar3D v4 Add-ons" My Documents directory called "KPVD"...

c:\Users\Greggerm\My Documents\Prepar3D v4 Add-ons\KPVD

Second, I created an "add-on.xml" file in that directory and using the examples seen in this thread as a guifde, I added the following information to the XML file...

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="AddOnXml" version="4,0" id="add-on">
<AddOn.Name>KPVD Scenery</AddOn.Name>
<AddOn.Description>KPVD Scenery</AddOn.Description>
<AddOn.Component>
  <Category>Scenery</Category>
  <Path>D:\Prepar3D Addons\Addon Scenery\KPVD</Path>
</AddOn.Component>
</SimBase.Document>

You'll notice the path to the scenery files itself are on a different drive. The "KPVD" folder I'm pointing to contains the traditional "Scenery" and "Texture" folders you would find in a normal MSFS family scenery package.

Upon the next launch of P3Dv4, I was prompted about installing/activating the scenery file. I proceeded with this, and it seemed to bring it in. Unfortunately, when I visit the scenery area, it remained entirely default. The scenery area was not listed in the traditional "Scenery Library" in the sim itself, but I believe that would be an expected behavior.

As a test, I used the traditional "Scenery Library" within P3Dv4 and added the area the old fashioned way... it worked just fine, proving out that the scenery itself is OK for use in P3Dv4.

I get the sense that I am missing something with this new method. The SDK guidance is a little bit disjointed for me, and I'm wondering if I haven't connected all the dots. I think you in advance!

As a sidenote, I did try to use Lorbi-SI's promising addon manager to create a new example. It shows what appears to be my XML added scenery area, but something still looks off - it shows no title. Unfortunately, the tool is crashing on me with an "Object reference not set to an instance of an object" unhandled exception, so I can't really leverage it right now. Keep up the good work, Lorbi-SI - that tool will likely become a very useful utility!

Again, thanks!

-Greg

 

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I had the same issue, try this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="AddOnXml" version="4,0" id="add-on">
<AddOn.Name>KPVD Scenery</AddOn.Name>
<AddOn.Description>KPVD Scenery</AddOn.Description>
<AddOn.Component>
  <Category>Scenery</Category>
  <Path>D:\Prepar3D Addons\Addon Scenery\KPVD</Path>

  <Name>KPVD Scenery</Name>


</AddOn.Component>
</SimBase.Document>


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1 hour ago, odourboy said:

I had the same issue, try this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="AddOnXml" version="4,0" id="add-on">
<AddOn.Name>KPVD Scenery</AddOn.Name>
<AddOn.Description>KPVD Scenery</AddOn.Description>
<AddOn.Component>
  <Category>Scenery</Category>
  <Path>D:\Prepar3D Addons\Addon Scenery\KPVD</Path>

  <Name>KPVD Scenery</Name>


</AddOn.Component>
</SimBase.Document>

Correct. Scenery Category has to have a Name tag.

In the spec they say "highly recommended", but it was my experience too that without a name scenery doesn't work.

btw. my app will take care of that for you ;o)

Best regards


LORBY-SI

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2 hours ago, odourboy said:

I had the same issue, try this:

Bingo - adding the name tag fixed it... the scenery is now available in the sim and is showing up as a greyed out entry in the traditional "Scenery Library" area. Thanks, odourboy!

57 minutes ago, Lorby_SI said:

In the spec they say "highly recommended", but it was my experience too that without a name scenery doesn't work.

Adding a name tag also fixed the fault I was having with your tool, Oliver.

I had an add-on.xml file in existence without the name tag and it would show up (obviously) with no name in P4AO. With this being the case, when I attempted to add an entirely new XML entry or edit an existing, it would fault with an "Object reference not set to an instance of an object" unhandled exception.

Now that the XML file has a name tag included, P4AO has no trouble handling it or any new files.

Just a note for your development process.

Thanks to both of you!

-Greg

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1 hour ago, Lorby_SI said:

In the spec they say "highly recommended", but it was my experience too that without a name scenery doesn't work.

The name element is only used to reveal the scenery in the scenery library.  I have dozens of sceneries without names that work just fine, I always omit the name element when entering the elements for landclass and terrain paths.


Dan Downs KCRP

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54 minutes ago, greggerm said:

Bingo - adding the name tag fixed it... the scenery is now available in the sim and is showing up as a greyed out entry in the traditional "Scenery Library" area. Thanks, odourboy!

Adding a name tag also fixed the fault I was having with your tool, Oliver.

I had an add-on.xml file in existence without the name tag and it would show up (obviously) with no name in P4AO. With this being the case, when I attempted to add an entirely new XML entry or edit an existing, it would fault with an "Object reference not set to an instance of an object" unhandled exception.

Now that the XML file has a name tag included, P4AO has no trouble handling it or any new files.

Just a note for your development process.

Thanks to both of you!

-Greg

Hi Greg,

many thanks, I am replacing a missing name tag with the addon path now (version 0.91)

Best regards


LORBY-SI

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29 minutes ago, downscc said:

The name element is only used to reveal the scenery in the scenery library.  I have dozens of sceneries without names that work just fine, I always omit the name element when entering the elements for landclass and terrain paths.

Are you targeting the /Scenery/ subfolder itself or the top folder above it?

If I use the top folder (=the "classic" way), then omitting the <Name> tag will not add the scenery to P3D.

And here is the content error that P3D throws when I do this:

Quote

[error.0]
error=Operation = Add, Active = True, Required = False, Category = Scenery , Path = H:\MegaSceneryEarth\Italy , Layer = 109
TITLE argument is mandatory.
 

Best regards


LORBY-SI

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Great posts Oliver,  Really good information ! 

 


 

 

 

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Be aware that you cannot verify all scenery added by opening the Scenery Library.  It will only list scenery elements for which you provide a name.  The easy way to see what P3Dv4 is loading is to look at ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D V4\Scenery-addons.xml.  This file is updated on every start of P3D and will contain all elements not other wise named such as libraries and landclasses. I suspect some may believe that an element is not loaded because it's not seen in the Scenery Library.  This may not be the case.


Dan Downs KCRP

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2 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

Are you targeting the /Scenery/ subfolder itself or the top folder above it?

Ah, we have crossed communications.  The Name certainly is required in the scenery.cfg, which is I believe what you are referring to here.  I was strictly referring to only the add-on.xml format per SDK guidance.


Dan Downs KCRP

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Wow, lot of work just to add some scenery. Currently in P3DV3 I have all my Taxi2gate and LatinVFR scenery installed outside the main  P3D folder and linked back via the scenery.cfg file. When I have e upgraded P3D in the past I have a backup copy of my scenery.cfg file. After a new install of P3D I simply go to that backup file and copy/paste the scenery entries into the new scenery.cfg. Is there ANY reason I cannot do this same method for P3D v4? 


Eric 

 

 

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5 hours ago, downscc said:

Ah, we have crossed communications.  The Name certainly is required in the scenery.cfg, which is I believe what you are referring to here.  I was strictly referring to only the add-on.xml format per SDK guidance.

Hi Dan,

no, this is in the add-on.xml. If I add the top folder of a scenery as a "Scenery" addon component (like we did with scenery.cfg) but leave out the name, then the above error will appear in the content log - and the scenery will not show.

Best regards


LORBY-SI

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On 6/6/2017 at 0:56 PM, Lorby_SI said:

Hi @ll,

Many thanks to all the early access testers!

I have uploaded the "P3D V4 Addon Organizer" depicted above to the DOWNLOADS section of the Lorby-SI website

http://lorby-si.weebly.com

This is still a beta version, but as far as I can tell it is fully functional. A user manual is provided as well.

It is a simple application, that will help you manage addons by using external XML files.

You can:

– Add or delete scenery and other addons

– Activate and deactivate existing addons

– Change scenery order

– Make a backup of your addon configuration files and restore it

Best regards

@Lorby_SI, I wonder if you could explain in more simple term what this tool does.  Perhaps an example will help.

I have tried to install several P3Dv3 airports into v4 by just pointing the installer to v4.  I then added the scenery using the P3D Scenery manager but they did not show up or crashed the sim.  So what will your app do once I have installed the scenery or am I going about this all wrong to start with?  I see some people are installing sceneries to other locations outside of the sim, which makes sense but I thought lots of these sceneries have effects etc. that need to go into the correct folder ?  


Mark W   CYYZ      

My Simhttps://goo.gl/photos/oic45LSoaHKEgU8E9

My Concorde Tutorial Videos available here:  https://www.youtube.com/user/UPS1000
 

 

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