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Lorby_SI

P3D 4.4 addon autodiscovery broken

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Hello @ll,

this got buried in time a little bit, but I think that it is important to know. Since P3D 4.4 the two add-ons.cfg files no longer work as they should:

https://www.prepar3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6312&t=132273

In day-to-day usage this doesn't make a lot of difference - except when you are using the P4AO tool, which still assumes the correct operation of those files. I haven't had reports of bad things happening, this is just something to be aware of.

There may be problems though when updating from an earlier P3D version or upgrading to the next P3D iteration (when that issue has been fixed) - because then the addon-definitions will start a trek between those two files.

Best regards


LORBY-SI

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Thanks for this Oliver. I can make sense now of the presence of scenery titles in packages where they shouldn’t exist. But your right, I haven’t noticed any ill effects other than the mentioned confusion. 

Recently I made a decision to get my head around and learn the addon.xml method - I’ve succesfully started moving most of my scenery away from my root P3D folder. Your P4AO tool has assisted me greatly, thanks.

In view of the next sim update and since I’m at the beginning of it all, do you think I should manually sync my Program Data addons.xml with that in the appdata - either manually using an approved note editor or your tool?  Would this be the way of doing it?

 

cheers,

Andy

 


regards, Andy

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3 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

Hello @ll,

this got buried in time a little bit, but I think that it is important to know. Since P3D 4.4 the two add-ons.cfg files no longer work as they should:

https://www.prepar3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6312&t=132273

In day-to-day usage this doesn't make a lot of difference - except when you are using the P4AO tool, which still assumes the correct operation of those files. I haven't had reports of bad things happening, this is just something to be aware of.

There may be problems though when updating from an earlier P3D version or upgrading to the next P3D iteration (when that issue has been fixed) - because then the addon-definitions will start a trek between those two files.

Best regards

Hi Oliver, wonder how you perceive a problem would manifest itself and what should we look for?


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1 hour ago, antonvs said:

Hi Oliver, wonder how you perceive a problem would manifest itself and what should we look for?

  1. If you remove or rename an add-on.xml, the package will still be listed as present and active in P3D. P4AO should be aware of the issue and either remove the package automatically or at least show it in violet. Removing addons with P4AO should work though.
  2. The package definitions are not where they should be, so people may be confused about where to find things when looking for them
  3. P4AO still assumes the correct operation, so it will add new addons to the correct file, while P3D expects them in the other one - that could lead to unnecessary requests for addon activation when starting P3D.
1 hour ago, Orbitandy said:

do you think I should manually sync my Program Data addons.xml with that in the appdata - either manually using an approved note editor or your tool

Looks to me like using only P4AO (the latest version) to handle addons is currently the safest bet to keep everything consistent - even when installing new addons. When the sim asks you to activate an addon, it is already too late - it has been added to the wrong file. No idea how the next P3D version will handle this, if the addons will be reorganized automatically or not.

But since nothing serious is happening, maybe we can just ignore this for the time being. It may be of interest for developers though.

Best regards

Edited by Lorby_SI
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LORBY-SI

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What would happen if I put manually all packages into one add-on.cfg file.


- Harry 

i9-13900K (HT off, 5.5 GHz, Z690) - 32 GB RAM (DDR5 6400, CAS 34), RTX 3090Windows 11 Pro (1TB M.2) - MSFS 2020 (MS Store, on separate 4TB M.2).

 

 

 

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Hello Oliver, I have a addon coloured violet in 'other addons.' V1+2 which is the AI Global Ships. In the 'Packages' drop down list its in green.

It does appear in the add-ons list in the options menu and is ticked.

I think I may have just copied this add-on over from Prepar3D ver 4.3 but it appears to be working ok. is it best to remove this and reinstall.

many thanks   ….. bob

 

 

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1 hour ago, Nemo said:

What would happen if I put manually all packages into one add-on.cfg file.

Sorry, no idea. That is not something that I would do, the situation is bad enough as it is. We have autodiscovered and CLI addons mixed up in one single file, with other packages no longer existing on top. Manual editing can only make it worse IMHO.

Best regards


LORBY-SI

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1 hour ago, onebob said:

have a addon coloured violet in 'other addons.' V1+2

probably a broken path to the ship models. Check where that addon definition is pointing to and if that path really exists.

If the addon works correctly, that unfortunately doesn't tell you much. There are three different ways to link sim objects (like the ships) to the simulator - add-on.xml, simobjects.cfg and copying them into the default "Boats" folder.

Best regards

Edited by Lorby_SI

LORBY-SI

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36 minutes ago, Lorby_SI said:

Sorry, no idea. That is not something that I would do, the situation is bad enough as it is. We have autodiscovered and CLI addons mixed up in one single file, with other packages no longer existing on top. Manual editing can only make it worse IMHO.

Best regards

I was asking because I messed up my add-on.cfg files some time ago and I had to add the packages manually to the files according to some former backups and my memory. But for sure I was not 100% accurate with this. Luckily I have never experienced any issue. That's why I asked if it would make sense to have them all in one file.


- Harry 

i9-13900K (HT off, 5.5 GHz, Z690) - 32 GB RAM (DDR5 6400, CAS 34), RTX 3090Windows 11 Pro (1TB M.2) - MSFS 2020 (MS Store, on separate 4TB M.2).

 

 

 

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11 minutes ago, Nemo said:

that's why I asked if it would make sense to have them all in one file.

No, it doesn't make sense. Each of the add-on.cfg files has a specific purpose. One lists all CLI installed addons (the one in ProgramData), the other (in AppData) all those that have been discovered automatically. The first one is static, the other is synchronized with "\Documents\Prepar3d V4 Add-ons" every time the simulator starts. Depending on how an addon has been installed and where its add-on.xml is, the package definition belongs in one add-ons.cfg or the other, you don't have a choice in this. Which is why the curent situation, where all addons pool up in one single file, leads to deleted packages being left behind, the simulator can't synchronize the autodiscovery folder anymore.

Best regards

Edited by Lorby_SI

LORBY-SI

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Thank you, Oliver. Not sure if I understood all of it. But for now I leave it as it is and hope that no issues will come up. I also realized that developers also changed their preferred install method . For example Flight Breams KPDX went into "Program Data" while all other FB titles were in "Roaming". It is very confusing and I hope that LM cleans it up somehow.


- Harry 

i9-13900K (HT off, 5.5 GHz, Z690) - 32 GB RAM (DDR5 6400, CAS 34), RTX 3090Windows 11 Pro (1TB M.2) - MSFS 2020 (MS Store, on separate 4TB M.2).

 

 

 

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38 minutes ago, Nemo said:

Thank you, Oliver. Not sure if I understood all of it. But for now I leave it as it is and hope that no issues will come up. I also realized that developers also changed their preferred install method . For example Flight Breams KPDX went into "Program Data" while all other FB titles were in "Roaming". It is very confusing and I hope that LM cleans it up somehow.

You cannot just manually edit any of the two add-ons.cfg files, that is all there is to it. There are rules which addon goes where and how it is added to the sim (autodiscovery or CLI = command line interface) "Learning Center -> Software Development Kit (SDK) -> Add-ons -> Add-ons Overview -> Distributing Add-ons".

To be more specific: it is pointless to add package definitions to the add-ons.cfgs for addons that have an "add-on.xml" in a subfolder of "\Documents\Prepar3D V4 Add-ons". The simulator discovers those automaticlly and adds them to the cfg file (the wrong one in V4.4, but it still does it). Addon packages that have been added with the CLI (for example SODE and Aerosoft) should be reinstalled.

It is not up to Lockheed if developers choose not to follow the specification. The Learning Center, which is part of every P3D installation, describes how and where addons are supposed to be installed. If people decide not to follow those guidelines, there is nothing that the platform provider can do.

Best regards

Edited by Lorby_SI

LORBY-SI

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Does this mean that all add-ons that place a folder (including the add-on.xml) in "Documents\Prepar3d V4 Add-ons" during install then are listed as packages in the "AppData/Roaming add-on.cfg". All others in "Program Data add-on.cfg" ?

Edited by Nemo

- Harry 

i9-13900K (HT off, 5.5 GHz, Z690) - 32 GB RAM (DDR5 6400, CAS 34), RTX 3090Windows 11 Pro (1TB M.2) - MSFS 2020 (MS Store, on separate 4TB M.2).

 

 

 

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2 minutes ago, Nemo said:

Does this mean that all add-ons that place a folder (including the add-on.xml) in "Documents\Prepar3d V4 Add-ons" during install then are listed as packages in the "AppData/Roaming add-on.cfg". All others in "Program Data add-on.cfg" ?

Normally yes, and you don't have to add them there, the simulator does it for you (= autodiscovery). But not in V4.4, which is what this thread is about. Im V4.4 all addons pool up in the ProgramData file. This will hopefully be changed again in the next P3D version.

Best regards


LORBY-SI

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3 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

probably a broken path to the ship models.

Yes you are right, it was a path problem, It didn't appear to like the 'Texture' folder in the Effects folder so added a separate line for the path in the xml file.

many thanks   bob

 

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