Just one example, found my Addon sceneries are spreaded in 9 different folders.

Some developers (FSDG) install in the P3D Addons folder in c:\Users\documents.

Some developers (Pacsim, Tropicalsim, FlyTampa) install their own folder in the P3D main directory. Simmarket sceneries get spreaded everywhere, in Simmarket folder itself (Justsim), in Prepar3D v4 Add-On folder inside main P3D folder (JetStreamDesign).

Ad oh, yes, some go to the Aerosoft folder, some go to the Addon Scenery folder (Drzewiezki).

Quite often you can't change the folder during installation. What a chaos...

Mike

I totally agree with you - all these players need to follow a standardized approach.  Only LM can force them now

And don't forget ORBX. They have their very own "installation philosophy" ...

Yeah, you`re right, forgot ORBX.

And just found, Creative Design studios (Night Environment) installs to C:\Users\Appdata\Local\..

So that`s 11 different folders just for sceneries...

Mike

And if you install products purchased from Flight1, it creates a root folder named "Flight One Software" directly in C: with the license files. That's even more chaos!

Yea, sounds logical but when you look at the other side, many simmers want to install where they want to install... maybe it's a special named folder organizing their own special way, maybe they are out of disk space and need to install on a separate drive (can't count how many "extra" drives I have had over the years).  Maybe some developers need to find certain files at a certain location in order to work properly.

Not sure what is the best way or if there is a correct method for all developers.

28 minutes ago, Afterburner said:

And if you install products purchased from Flight1, it creates a root folder named "Flight One Software" directly in C: with the license files. That's even more chaos!

Actually that's not a big deal. Many addons install relevant files in areas outside the main install folder. License keys, etc. The issue is to ultimately have a standardized install process which LM is working towards. As with any change, there will be chaos somewhere in the middle but ,IMHO, LM has put the writing on the wall. I expect the next version to have mandatory install options.

Think about it though, it probably is a PITA to the developers who have to redo their installs but ultimately it will be better for them AND the sim community. If LM *KNOWS* where third party stuff is going to be they can code many things differently possibly resulting in some great enhancement down the line that would be impossible with stuff strewn all over the place.

Even with this minimal change in V4, due to various testing I've had to reinstall a few times and it's a snap. With one or two minor exceptions, P3D picks up and installs all my stuff right away.

Vic

2 minutes ago, Clutch Cargo said:

Yea, sounds logical but when you look at the other side, many simmers want to install where they want to install... maybe it's a special named folder organizing their own special way, maybe they are out of disk space and need to install on a separate drive (can't count how many "extra" drives I have had over the years).  Maybe some developers need to find certain files at a certain location in order to work properly.

Not sure what is the best way or if there is a correct method for all developers.

I agree Clutch but that is not an issue. Other than installing in the P3D root, you can install your stuff anywhere you want - the only requirement is that you have an add-on.xml file in Documents that tells P3D *where* they are.

I have my system set up in groups, Generic Aircraft, Specific developer a/c, large scenery groups like Toposim, etc. I have them all on a dedicated drive in dedicated folders. The xml file has the path - no big deal.

Vic

I agree. I mentioned in another thread that some installers create a product folder for you, but other installers will install sub files to the directory you pick. You never really know what you are going to get until after the installation is complete. I also think file naming conventions should also be standardized. Check out your downloads at Simmarket LatinVFR is the only one that I have noticed that includes a version number in their file name. Another issue that has been brought up is addons that overwrite default files. Installers should warn you if default files are modified.

A common set of standards is something I mentioned a few years ago. I think an entity like AVSIM could spread head this initiative (in collaboration with other sites). Developers could receive accreditation - Flightsim Standards Compliant Addon (FSCA) or something like that. 

 

 

They wont.  look at the tweaking you have to do with active sky and pmdg and fsl to stop issues.  I've been saying for years they should work together to fix issues but I guess it's too much to ask a bunch of computer programmers to have social skills.   An example of this is for every say 50 flightplans I upload onto edi-gla.co.uk I probably get 1 or 2 thankyous so I now rarely upload any now

46 minutes ago, vgbaron said:

I agree Clutch but that is not an issue. Other than installing in the P3D root, you can install your stuff anywhere you want - the only requirement is that you have an add-on.xml file in Documents that tells P3D *where* they are.

I have my system set up in groups, Generic Aircraft, Specific developer a/c, large scenery groups like Toposim, etc. I have them all on a dedicated drive in dedicated folders. The xml file has the path - no big deal.

Vic

I've been generally successful at relocating my add-ons with this approach, but the sound gauges (most are DD based, even if they're propriety ) path names always give me grief. The relative path names to the Sound folder always seems to break when relocating the add-on, requiring me to go into the panel.cfg set an absolute path manually. 

1 hour ago, tooting said:

An example of this is for every say 50 flightplans I upload onto edi-gla.co.uk I probably get 1 or 2 thankyous so I now rarely upload any now

Too true. If you are in this for thank yous, kudos or money - you are in the wrong place.

I recall several talented freeware developers who quit because some people would complain because a rivet was out of place on an aircraft.

Vic

Hi @ll,

"agree where to install" - I would phrase it differently. All developers should first and foremost simply follow the spec. The P3D Learning Center is very specific about where and how developers are to install their products, down to the actual folder naming conventions. The recommended way to distribute addons is via external installation with an add-on.xml configuration file

Learning Center -> SDK -> Add-ons -> Add-ons Overview -> Distributing Add-ons

Learning Center -> SDK -> Add-ons -> Add-on Instructions for Developers

Way down at the bottom is an interesting part:

Quote

NOTE: Please be aware that Prepar3D's base installation files should never be modified by developers. Instead, use an accepted way of distributing Add-ons.

(Accepted = Recommended = as described in "Distributing Add-ons")

"Developers" are not only the big and small names in payware. Everyone creating a scenery, an aircraft, a gauge etc. is a developer and should know his/her way around the spec.

Best regards

"NOTE: Please be aware that Prepar3D's base installation files should never be modified by developers. Instead, use an accepted way of distributing Add-ons."

Hmm. where does that leave PTA? I wouldn't mind betting many of us, (LM included, although they would never admit it) would be reluctant to fly without our chosen modifications to those 7 base installation files held within the ShadersHLSL folder. Maybe not a good example, as the situation is easily recovered following a Client update, but the principle holds true nonetheless.

MIke

4 hours ago, vgbaron said:

Actually that's not a big deal. Many addons install relevant files in areas outside the main install folder. License keys, etc. The issue is to ultimately have a standardized install process which LM is working towards. As with any change, there will be chaos somewhere in the middle but ,IMHO, LM has put the writing on the wall. I expect the next version to have mandatory install options.

Well, to me it is a big deal, because some add-ons (Flight 1 included) give the user no control over the installation folder of the key files. If I relocate the files from the intended folder to a different one, the add-on no longer works. Imagine if more add-ons would install some of their files indiscriminately in a root folder of the very C: drive. In this regard, I am in favor of LM establishing a standardized installation procedure for the future that all add-ons must follow. Even though it would force the developers to spend some time on recoding their installers (ORBX, to name one of them), but the benefits are huge, e.g. being able to uninstall and reinstall P3D without uninstalling the add-ons.