Hello to you all,

I have just reinstalled P3Dv4 after significant mods to my C drive in order to fit it in. Just to clarify I have installed P3D into drive D/P3Dv4 (SSD)

Because of very limited space on my C drive I do not want to install addons into Prepar3D v4 add-ons  in the Documents folder on that drive. In essence, I would like to permanently delete that folder entirely but I do not know the process to get P3D to automatically put it into a Prepar3D v4 add-ons folder on a Drive H which is a 2TB HDD.

If possible I would also like to install all my addon sceneries into a "Sceneries"??? folder on that drive as well. I think this could be achieved just by installing the addon sceneries directly into that drive and folder but, will P3D recognize the added scenery?

Please bear in mind that I have not a lot of comprehension regarding how to relink the add-ons folder. I just watched a you tube video which told me I had to use the  "Mklink" command in search programs and files and, of course, this produces a "no matches found in this search" so I was somewhat stymied with that approach. Further, if at all possible, I would like a step by step process particularly for the addons in drive C.

Regards

Tony Chilcott

 

Hello Tony,

providing that all addons are using the add-on.xml "method", you can add so-called "discovery paths" to P3D. The simulator automatically searches through those in addition to "\Documents\Prepar3D V4 Add-ons", so you can just move all that content elsewhere and add a discovery path instead.

What you must watch out for is that the paths inside of the add-on.xml files still match their location. There are some products that upon installation use absolute/fixed paths, and moving the addon will break them. Those must be uninstalled and reinstalled in the new location.

To add discovery paths you can either edit "C:\ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4\add-ons.cfg" or use my P4AO app, which has a section for this.

Example:

Assuming that you have moved (=not just copied!) the contents of "C:\Users\...\Documents\Prepar3D V4 Add-ons" to "L:\Prepar3D V4 Add-ons"
(as a result, "C:\Users\...\Documents\Prepar3D V4 Add-ons" still exists, but it is empty)

how to do it manually:

you would add this to the end of the C:\ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4\add-ons.cfg:

[DiscoveryPath.0]
Path=L:\Prepar3D v4 Add-ons
Title=Stuff on L
Active=TRUE

Note that if you have more than one, discovery paths are numbered, like the "Package.n" entries ([DiscoveryPath.0] -> [DiscoveryPath.1] -> [DiscoveryPath.2] etc)

Same thing in P4AO:

Best regards

Edited July 21, 20196 yr by Lorby_SI

5 hours ago, himmelhorse said:

I just watched a you tube video which told me I had to use the  "Mklink" command in search programs and files and, of course, this produces a "no matches found in this search" so I was somewhat stymied with that approach

MKLINK is a Windows command line tool, it creates a symbolic link.

1. Move "\Documents\Prepar3D V4 Add-ons" to "H:\Prepar3D V4 Add-ons", so there is no more "Prepar3D V4 Add-ons" in "\Documents"
2. If you are on Win10, type CMD in the Cortana search field next to the start menu button. On Win 7 that search field is inside the start menu IIRC
3. The search result will say "Command line" at the top with a black rectangle symbol next to it - click on that
4. A black text window will open, showing C:\Users\yourusername> and a cursor 
5. Type:
6. cd Documents
7. press Enter
8. Cursor changes to "C:\users\yourusername\Documents>"
9. Type:
10. mklink /j "Prepar3D V4 Add-ons" "H:\Prepar3D V4 Add-ons"
11. press Enter
12. Type: 
13. exit
14. press Enter

That's it. You will see "Prepar3D V4 Add-ons" reappear in "\Documents" now, but that is just a link to the H:.. location. With this in place, you can install addons etc. to the default location in C:\...\Documents, the installer will not "get it", that the data is going somewhere else (nor will the sim). This has the additional benefit that you can also install addons that don't let you choose the installation path or that just put their add-on.xml in the autodiscovery folder without asking. 

Best regards

Edited July 21, 20196 yr by Lorby_SI

Oliver,

Thanks for your rapid response, yet again, mate.

I have read most of what you have stated elsewhere but it does not make any sense to me. It all just escapes me.

I have a virginal (in most respects lol) install and just run P3D once withut flying anything ... just pick aircraft and then exit. I have also re-downloaded your add on organiser and I am intending to use that exclusively, if I can, to download add-ons.

Windows 7 Ultimate is my OS at the moment.

1. When you say "on Win 7 that search field is inside the start menu IIRC, what does IIRC stand for. I discovered that typing CMD into the "search programs and files" and then typing Mklink gave me the following

"Creates a symbolic link.

MKLINK [C/D] : [/H] : [/J]0 Link Target

     /D     Creates a directory symbolic link. Default is a file symbolic link.

     /H     Creates a hard link instead of a symbolic link

     /J      Creates a Directory Junction.

     Link   Specifies the new symbolic Link name.

     Target     specifies the path (relative or absolute) that the new link refers to.

C:\Users\ etc"

 I do not have the faintest idea what that is trying to tell me, but I followed your instructions. and then closed MSDOS.

I then extracted your addon organiser to its own folder and and installed it to H/P3Dv4 add-ons and yea thats where it appeared...obviously.

I then created a shortcut and put that on the desktop. Double clicked on it and nothing happened, so I then clicked on it to run as adminstrator and again nothing happened.

Having arrived here, I am at a loss as I recall a simiar thing with my last P3D install.

Where do I go to now

Regards
Tony 

 

Hello Tony,

In your case, my two posts above about MKLINK and discovery paths are mutually exclusive. You do the one or the other, but not both.

First: don't change the installation path of P4AO - ever. It doesn't belong into the P3D addons - it is not an add-on, it is just a program.

Second: you don't need P4AO anyway. Just follow my instructions about MKLINK - exactly as I wrote them from 1. to 14.! Don't type anything else anywhere.

IIRC = short for "If I Remember Correctly". I don't have a Win7 machine anymore so I have to do this from memory

Best regards

Edited July 21, 20196 yr by Lorby_SI

OK mate,

My absolute preference is to use your programme exclusively, if that is possible for installation/deletion of Aircraft, sceneries and utilities.

In this case what should I be doing? ... Read ... what would you be doing?

I have deleted the contents of H/Prepar3D (now just a blank folder)

How do I undo the CMD inputs previously registered.

I will re-download your Organiser and await your response before extracting and installing.

Regards and again thanks

Tony

12 minutes ago, himmelhorse said:

OK mate,

My absolute preference is to use your programme exclusively, if that is possible for installation/deletion of Aircraft, sceneries and utilities.

In this case what should I be doing? ... Read ... what would you be doing?

I have deleted the contents of H/Prepar3D (now just a blank folder) 

How do I undo the CMD inputs previously registered.

I will re-download your Organiser and await your response before extracting and installing.

Regards and again thanks

Tony

Hello Tony,

I would be using mklink, this is the preferred method - because then all addon installers, no matter how screwd up they may be, will just work. 

I have deleted the contents of H/Prepar3D (now just a blank folder)

I really hope that you don't mean that. Where are your addons now?? You were not supposed to delete anything! 

I suggest that you send me an email, posting screenshots etc. is tiresome on a forum. Address is on the last page of the P4AO manual.

Best regards

Oliver,

As I said, this is a virgin install after an OS reinstall .... there are no add-ons installed and there will not be until I have sorted this out.  

My intention is to install a little as possible on Drive C. the last install of P3Dv4 gave me a huge Prepar3D addons folder which is one of the reasons I had to uninstall P3D.  I also want to set up all my add-on scenery to drive H if possible, and I was just trying to find out how to do just that.  However, in the meantime there is nothing in documents/prepar3d addons at this time and has not been since re-install.

So if I just leave that Prepar3dv4 add-ons folder in drive H will my entries in OS be all that I need to direct all add-ons to that folder

Regards

Tony 

 

11 minutes ago, himmelhorse said:

As I said, this is a virgin install after an OS reinstall .... there are no add-ons installed and there will not be until I have sorted this out.  

Good. You had me worried there for a moment.

In that state, just follow my mklink instructions above. Make sure that there is no more "Prepar3D V4 Add-ons" folder in "\Documents" before using the mklink. When mklink completes successfully, it will tell you so. 

After having established this symbolic link, just pretend that H:\ doesn't exist. Don't point installers at it or anything. You can install everything to the default folder, and Windows will automatically redirect it to H: by virtue of the symbolic link.

Best regards

 

Thank you so much for ALL of your efforts mate. As I have said before I really do appreciate it.

Just as an aside, where does this leave your add on Organiser which I found to be indispensible in the past?

regards

Tony

Goodness me guys, you have all missed the most obvious way to do this, it is built into Windows and has been there since XP,  (Windows 2000 too) "Remote Directories".

Just go to the folder "Libraries", right click "Documents", select "Properties" then select  "Move" to a empty "My Documents" folder you created on another drive, or across the network to another computer for that matter. It will copy all the files over for you.

I wouldn't put my scenery on another computer as the access times would be too slow.

I have been using this for years, I have never had my documents mixed in with the operating system as it will almost fail at sometime, while your documents and .pst files for Outlook are always safe on another drive.

BTW, you have always been able to relocate your .pst and .ost files from Outlook to a safe place under "Data File Management", all built into Windows.

If you need to go the way of a Symbolic Link, download the Free "Junction Link Magic", it has a great GUI and very easy to use, none of that CMD line typing, easily riddled with mistakes.

Chris.

Edited July 21, 20196 yr by ChrisDa
Typo

26 minutes ago, ChrisDa said:

Just go to the folder "Libraries", right click "Documents", select "Properties" then select  "Move" to a empty "My Documents" folder you created on another drive, or across the network to another computer for that matter. It will copy all the files over for you.

Do you really want ALL your user content/Documents redirected to another drive when all that is required is moving the P3D content? IMHO that is like shooting howitzer shells at an anthill.

Besides, I had customers where this very action went really really wrong. Not all installers and software are aware, and they will try to access the old location. You may end up with a veritable mess of files all over the place.

Best regards

Edited July 21, 20196 yr by Lorby_SI

17 minutes ago, ChrisDa said:

download the Free "Junction Link Magic",

After 35 years in the software business, I live by a simple rule: don't ever download freeware unless you absolutely have to. And if you have to, try it in a secure environment first. Many freeware product downloads carry payload that you really don't want, especially when acquired from sources other than the developer himself. "Free" things are to be seen only in the relative sense.

Best regards

Chris,

Mate, I appreciate your reply, however, if I right click "documents" and then select properties, I do not get a "move" option.

I get "set save location" which does nothing if clicked, "include a folder..." and a "remove" option.

This is Win 7 Ultimate OS. Just an observation. I get many many youtube and other directions which bear no resemblance to what I am looking at and that just confuses the cr.p out of me.

Regards

Tony

1 hour ago, himmelhorse said:

Just as an aside, where does this leave your add on Organiser which I found to be indispensible in the past?

Just install it - don't change anything while doing so. The link to start it is in your start menu, section "Lorby-SI". Pull the "Addon Organizer" entry to your desktop. You will also find the manual there.

Best regards

 

Edited July 21, 20196 yr by Lorby_SI