[12JUL17] First Ever Triple Product Line Update at PMDG...

[WotanUK 289]

A quick question for PMDG, why are you still installing directly into SimObjects, isn't that against the advice of LM?  

[Manny 1,293]

23 minutes ago, Raven9000 said:

I guess yours is the 11th time this has been asked...

 

I swear, people don't even read the original post, just add the same question over and over... Even though the exact same thing has been asked and answered again just 4-5 posts above yours.

 

YES, you need to uninstall and re-install...

 

:)

 

Thanks.

 

Not being crtical or anything...but it does defeat the purpose of the "mirco update" concept  and we are going through cognitive dissonance.. is  all!

 

:LOL :)

 

It could stop people asking this Q again if on the first post it says.. "Yes, all three 777, 747 and the 737 need to be uninstalled and reinstalled if you own all three of them EVEN if you did it last weekend"/ 

[Chrisflyer 3]

Are we also supposed to uninstall PMDG Operations Center?

PMDG Operations Center is not uninstalled when the aircraft are uninstalled, also operations center for some reason does not show in the Windows 10 apps & features list.

Should we delete it from the "Program Flies (x86)" directory?

 

 

[captainsazzman 83]

11 hours ago, rsrandazzo said:

Captains,

Tonight for the first time in company history, we have pushed updates to three product lines simultaneously.  Both the 777 and 747-400 received minor updates, and the NGX received it's fist major update in 18+ months as well as the addition of the awaited Prepar3D v4 compatibility.

Instructions to receive ALL of these updates are as follows:

UPDATES ARE AVAILABLE FOR:

• PMDG 747-400 QOTSII  for [FSX, FSX-SE, P3D v3, P3D v4]
• PMDG 777-200LR  for [FSX, FSX-SE, P3D v3, P3D v4]
• PMDG 777-300ER  for [FSX, FSX-SE, P3D v3, P3D v4]
• PMDG 737-8900NGX  for [FSX, FSX-SE, P3D v3, P3D v4]

HOW TO UPDATE:

1. Uninstall the currently installed product.  (YES.  YOU. MUST. DO. THIS.)  [it is not necessary to de-activate your license... just uninstall the airplane using the add/remove component in windows!]
2. Log into your account at PMDG eCommerce and navigate to your order history.
3. Download the full installer for the desired product.
4. Run said installer.  (Run-as-admin is always a good idea, while we are talking about it!

Following these simple instructions will get you the latest and greatest for your product line.

WHAT WE CHANGED:

1. Some stability fixes were introduced across all platforms.  We discovered ways that other products can interrupt the flow of data between our product and simConnect- and we have taken steps to prevent the disruption.
2. Some further installation-based stability fixes to make sure we get everyone up and running in a stable fashion. 
3. Some efficiency tweaks to various aspects of all platforms, but particularly Prepar3D v4.
4. a bunch of other stuff that I just can't keep straight in my head...

 

SPECIAL NOTAM:  For reasons I am unable to determine, the PMDG Operations Center is reporting the incorrect version number for the PMDG 737NGX in FSX-SE.  For now- if you have FSX or FSX-SE, go ahead and grab the new installer and you will have the latest...  I'll get that sorted out soon enough.

AEROSOFT CUSTOMERS:  Aerosoft will have udpates available for you during the day Wednesday.  It might take them a few hours to get them downloaded and situated, SO BE PATIENT AND POLITE.  (Seriously... any nastiness and we will have you sent to the Chief Pilot's office for a dose of how-to-behave... Nobody wants that... so be nice.)

 

WHAT NEXT?:  PMDG 737-6700NGX later this week and the PMDG DC-6 Cloudmaster next week!

What a summer this has been... 

 

I helped! .... I think? lol

[captainsazzman 83]

11 hours ago, PMDG777 said:

Smashing good job Robert!

Do we need to delete remaining folders too? SimObjects, etc?

[Wolfgang Lang 17]

People complaining about downloading full installer again reminds me to the times of 56k modem.

They have to pay for every connection minute? ;-)

 

Thanks to the hole PMDG team for new releases and constant updates!!!

[markdf 84]

32 minutes ago, Wolfgang Lang said:

People complaining about downloading full installer again reminds me to the times of 56k modem.

They have to pay for every connection minute? ;-)

 

Thanks to the hole PMDG team for new releases and constant updates!!!

While I have fast enough internet that this falls under "mildly inconvenient" rather than major hassle, it's worth remembering that not everybody does, your situation is not the same as every other customers!

Many people have slower connections (heck, some areas even still use ADSL2!) and/or slower computers, and for them it's a much bigger time commitment, especially when this is the second time in as many weeks that they've had to do so.  Not to mention that one of the reasons we're repeatedly told that these centralised updating programs that add to the clutter on our computers are supposed to make this kind of exercise redundant - if they don't do that job, then their value needs to be reevaluated. Perhaps you have an infinite amount of free time, but some people here have full time jobs, families and other demands on their time - and they quite rightly want to make the best possible use of the limited time they get to enjoy their hobby.  It's easy to forget that nobody on here got anything for free, they're all paying customers, and as paying customers they have every right to speak up if they're unhappy with a particular decision without yourself or others telling them to stop complaining (which PMDG I'm sure understand, but some users on here seem have trouble remembering)

And yes, I know I'm gonna get the "but they made changes to the installation routine" parroted back at me, but I find that to be questionable logic. If there are new prerequisites then there's no reason that updater could not pull those down separately, if there's a need to wipe and replace a configuration file that should also be quite possible, ditto with registry entries.  There's nothing that a full fat installer can do, that a properly coded updater cannot also do (or in fact any program, Windows does not restrict functionality of the APIs based on whether things are updates or full or installs.  (On which note before the inevitable "You don't know what you're talking about/you're wrong" or "How would you know?" I'd like to add that writing software is what pays my bills and keeps me fed.)

Of course, without specifics about what the actual reason they feel that only a full uninstall and reinstall is possible, all we can do is speculate - although I'd be fascinated to know the details behind that since I'm drawing a massive blank, especially considering the additional bandwidth costs they must be incurring on Amazon if every single one of their customers is re-downloading their entire product library multiple times in a month. We use Amazon EC2 for certain customers at work and management are pretty strict about keeping bandwidth bills to a minimum there.

For those of you who use Steam, when was the last time Steam turned round and said "You have to fully delete this game and re-download the entire thing because the installer changed?" - it doesn't, because it does exactly what I said above, it simply installs any new prerequisites and/or changed files as needed, runs through a logic process to determine if everything else it needs has the correct, valid configuration, and then lets you get back to the game with the minimum of time and bandwidth used.

[Wolfgang Lang 17]

10 minutes ago, markdf said:

 

Sorry Mark I need to laugh now. I understand your opinion, seems you did not see mine.

Especially the smiley - looks like you like writing a lot - wanna try as a writer?

But is ok, have a nice day anyway

[FlavioSSA 44]

1 hour ago, Wolfgang Lang said:

People complaining about downloading full installer again reminds me to the times of 56k modem.

They have to pay for every connection minute? ;-)

 

Yes, there are some ISP´s that charge by download volume. Mainly in places with not so sofisticate internet infrastructure, like radio conection.

[markdf 84]

15 minutes ago, Wolfgang Lang said:

 

But is ok, have a nice day anyway

Well, same to you as well.

 

On an unrelated note, the drop down menu in the OC now seems to be broken.  It wants to render a scroll bar, but doesn't seem to actually manage it.  Took me a minute to figure out why I couldn't see all my products (as it starts with the menu scrolled to the bottom) until I figured out what the black bar really was.

Screenshot on Dropbox

[Raven9000 272]

42 minutes ago, markdf said:

Many people have slower connections (heck, some areas even still use ADSL2!)

Not really sure what ADSL has to do with anything refered t as "slow"... I have (among others) a 20MB ADSL connection.... works perfect...

[Raven9000 272]

2 hours ago, Manny said:

:)

 

Thanks.

 

Not being crtical or anything...but it does defeat the purpose of the "mirco update" concept  and we are going through cognitive dissonance.. is  all!

 

:LOL :)

 

It could stop people asking this Q again if on the first post it says.. "Yes, all three 777, 747 and the 737 need to be uninstalled and reinstalled if you own all three of them EVEN if you did it last weekend"/ 

This has also been asked and answered.... You can't use a micro update when the installer itself is also being updated...

[markdf 84]

Just now, Raven9000 said:

Not really sure what ADSL has to do with anything refered t as "slow"... I have (among others) a 20MB ADSL connection.... works perfect...

It's still more hassle for you to download a large file, than say someone with FTTC or FTTP connections, and many providers who sell "up to" connections often fail their users rather dramatically (and some don't, my last ADSL2 provider before upgrading was amazing and gave me equal or over my paid for speed)

[markdf 84]

12 minutes ago, Raven9000 said:

This has also been asked and answered.... You can't use a micro update when the installer itself is also being updated...

That logic makes zero sense. A micro update by definition would be updating the installed files and configuration and is the only thing that matters in an update scenario.  Updates to the original installer package are irrelevant as long as the actual product files and configuration files match once the update is complete.

Yes, users have to do it here - but the logic used to justify it does not stand up.  Beyond copy and pasting nobody has provided a proper answer or justification for why this keeps being required.

 

For those who struggle to follow that logic, here's a fine example:

During the lifetime of a Windows release, Microsoft re-release a number of updated versions of the Windows install CD/DVDs to account for updates. SP1, SP2 etc

Normally, you update Windows through a series of updates provided via an update client (Windows Update) (that could be considered micro updates, as they only update changed files)

Do you ever have to wipe your computer to continue to receive updates, because Microsoft have updated the installer (or install media)? The correct answer is no, you do not, because the only thing that matters is the end result of the file versions on your machine. Changes to the install media are not (and should not) be relevant to end users installing updates unless something is *really* wrong with the update process.

 

[Captain Kevin 586]

2 hours ago, Raven9000 said:

I guess yours is the 11th time this has been asked...

 

I swear, people don't even read the original post, just add the same question over and over... Even though the exact same thing has been asked and answered again just 4-5 posts above yours.

 

YES, you need to uninstall and re-install...

I read it, but I was confused myself, given that I had already done it for the 747 11 days ago. I almost asked, but decided not to. I just tried to run the Operations Center to see what it would tell me, and trying to do it there confirmed that I needed to re-install it. Done.