How to Reinstall Add Ons?

[ssair1 92]

After going through the steps required for debugging recommended by LM, one of their recommended steps is to: 

"Delete the following generated folders/files. This will result in any add-ons being removed/disabled.

%PROGRAMDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4

%APPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4"

Ok, so the last time I did this, it took me a few hours to reinstall all my addons via Windows Add/remove programs feature. And I am quite certain that there is an easier way to reinstall all my add-ons. Can someone please tell me how to do this? 

Kind regards, 

 

[Jim Young 2,356]

Go to the Lorby_Si Forum here at AVSIM, click on the link to his website and download the Addon Organizer for P3DV4.  Follow the installation instructions for addon new addons.  Once add-ons are set up, you will be able to uninstall p3dv4 and, when you reinstall it, the add-on sceneries will be added.  This topic at Lockheed Martin provides more information on the process - http://www.prepar3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=125165.  Ed Wilson at Mindstar Aviation describes the process very well in this topic.

The following link provides even more information on adding components to your add-on scenery such as textures, fonts, simobjects, gauges, etc., etc. - http://www.prepar3d.com/SDKv3/LearningCenter/add-ons/add-on_packages.html

So, if Lockheed tells you to delete everything by deleting the three generated folders/files as you did above, when you reinstall P3D, your addons will still be there.  You can even add your commercial add-on aircraft (simobjects) and they will be returned after reinstalling P3D but only if you install your scenery and aircraft to a folder outside of P3D.  When you remove P3D for any reason, you do not want to also be deleting the files and folders belonging to your addon scenery and aircraft.

Have fun and take your time setting up your add-on.xml's.  It's a fun learning experience but Lorby_Si made the process a bit easier as it does much of the process automatically.  The biggest problem is scenery from Orbx/FTX or UTX as there are some issues with layering but that is expected to be worked out. In addition, some older addon developers still use the old installers and do not make add-on.xml's or place the scenery outside of P3D so you have to be constantly alert for this possibilities.  I always try to tell the installer for the new addon to place the scenery in D:\ instead of the same folder as P3DV4. Instead of using a program like Scenery Config Editor, you can do all of the arranging of your scenery via the Lorby_Si Addon Organizer. 

[ssair1 92]

Thank you, Jim, for the valuable advice and information.

Kind regards,