I need to get a technical manual for FSX running on Steam. I retired from 38 years in the IT industry so I know something of files, folders, links, and so on. I am running on a computer that has an SSD 'C:\' drive, an SSD F:\ drive, and a 3TB E:\ drive. I try to put all Windows 10 items on 'C:\' and most of the FSX items on F:\ but I haven't been consistent. My main goal is to keep 'C:\' and F:\ as clean as possible. At this point I have FSX files on all 3 drives.

Does a manual exist that shows all the file links and where they are defined in FSX?. For example, when I start FSX on Steam I see that the FSX config file is on C:\ but that is only because the date and time gets updated when I run FSX. However, there seems to be a myriad of files but I can't see how FSX knows where they are. This 'map' would be included in the technical manual, I hope.

I am sorry if this inquiry has been posted already but I couldn't find it.

Thanks for your help.

Edited February 20, 20197 yr by mtroberts1768
wrong spelling

I have a very similar setup.  I have Win10 on my C drive and FSX Stream Edition on my F drive.  The various FSX cfg files are in C:\user\<username>\appdata and there are also files (flight plans and saved situations) in my documents folder.  All the other FSX files are in F:\\steam\steamapps\common.  I don't have a 3rd drive.

Thank you Steve. This is very helpful. I assume the documents folder you mentioned is on you 'C:\' drive. If I wanted to put the config files on F: is that possible? If so how do you tell Steam or FSX to look there? If I can change it is it an advisable thing to do?

Yes, your default C drive documents folder.  I really don't know if you could put your config files on another drive. I can tell you that my FS runs really well the way it is set up..

I'm not sure, but it doesn't look as if your question was answered.  While there isn't documentation (that I'm aware of) for FSX:SE, or it's predecessor.  However if you're wanting to look under the hood, see HERE.

Best wishes.

 

Thanks to both of you. Your answers and links were very valuable.

Hi,

FSX is a standard Windows application. So user specific files will be in your User account "C:\Users\<yourname>\" and global configuration files will be in "C:\ProgramData". This is hardcoded into the application itself, and doesn't change, no matter where you install the sim. This is pretty much standard for all Windows apps (or rather it is supposed to be) With FSX these folders are:

C:\Users\...\AppData\Local\Microsoft\FSX
C:\Users\...\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX
C:\Users\...\Documents\Flight Simulator X Files
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\FSX

All other assets are referenced by cfg files in these folders, most notably the last one where the active scenery.cfg is, and the one in \Roaming\ where the main fsx.cfg resides. Relative PATH entries in these files are resolved using the installation folder of the FSX.exe, read from the associated entry in the registry. The folder in AppData\Local is of a temporary nature, it contains pre-compiled assets like the shaders. If you delete it, it will always be re-created. This is not true for all configuration files though. Deleting a .cfg file will trigger the sim to create a default one - missing all your custom entries that you made yourself.

Best regards

 

Edited February 21, 20197 yr by Lorby_SI

Lorby_SI, thank you for helping me understand the file structure. I think using this info, along with that which I received yesterday, I will now be able to do what I had hope to do. 

Unless someone else has an actual manual that describes, in detail, the file structure of FSX, I will consider this item closed.

Hi,

they only real manual to speak of is in the SDK folder: "...\Steam\steamapps\common\FSX\SDK\fsxsdk.chm" - it's a Windows help file. But I don't think that the folder structure is described in a condensed fashion in there, if at all. 

Best regards

 

You are right. DaveCT2003 sent me a link to the development tools but the file structure was not discussed in any detail in any of the files. 

Yeah, its always been a learn as you go type thing, at least during the past 37 years!