Developers stuck with code that installs user files and can't easily be relocated outside of program files, can continue as they do but make proper provisions:

Instead make use of cacls during the installation routines, while elevated, to add modify allow for the users group to their folder.

I agree: concentrating the addons in a subfolder "C:\Program Files\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4\OldAddon" and just extending the access rights of this subfolder would reduce risk.

But I doubt if a non-IT-professional virtual pilot would know how to do this.
For him, it's easier to simply replace the string "Program Files" by "Blabla".

I think, some time in the future a big bunch of addons are completely removed out of the simulators folder, it seems to be forced by LM - even ORBX changes its strategy.

It is the responsibility of the addon developer to make the permission or rather install their user updated files in user permissible places.

Even so, I completely disagree with making a new folder. And that is not easy, as this posed the first hurdle and became a problem for the OP this discussion arises. Again and again I've lost count.

If the devs had any idea they would have set the permission or explained what to do in a proper manner - namely set the permission - one checkbox for the life of the sim.

Right-click, Properties, Security, Edit, Users group, Modify Allow, OK, OK. So easy.

With any number of addons placing their user files into the sim structure, adding User group Modify for the sim root folder takes care of the lot of them. Otherwise we will spend the life of the sim organising addons into that new structure.

 

On ‎10‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 4:22 AM, SteveW said:

This is an old wives tale and is not a necessity. Since 99% of problems arise from installing into private folders it is better to Install into the stock location. Before installing addons, simply check the Modify Allow permission to the Users group on the P3D folder - one tick.

the same in v2 and 3, v4 is in C:\Program Files\Lockheed Martin:

http://www.codelegend.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=601

 

No, that is not an old wives tale, and checking the Modify Allow permission would not have fixed my problem in regard to the addons. I have the problem fixed now. When I have time, I'll post what happened.

Ken.

 

4 minutes ago, kmanning said:

 

No, that is not an old wives tale, and checking the Modify Allow permission would not have fixed my problem in regard to the addons. I have the problem fixed now. When I have time, I'll post what happened.

Ken.

The need to relocate the sim is an old wives tale and completely unnecessary.

And no one said that permissions would fix your issue.

Thanks.

...Ken wanted to know why LM place P3D where they do seemed odd to him. That lead to an explanation and why some addons need permissions in the stock location Program files. Seems the entire discussion is mis-interpreted.

On ‎10‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 4:49 AM, Reader said:

Hello Ken,

it is clear that you have in fact installed P3D to C:\ and not

C:\Lockheed Martin\Prepar 3D v 4.5.

Your remaining C:\Lockheed Martin\Prepar 3D v 4.5 folder will contain all addon files,

as they cannot be deleted by the P3D installer.

The best solution is to completely uninstall P3D, also deactivating it.

Then start again and make sure that your selected custom location is C:\Lockheed Martin\Prepar 3D v 4.5

before you start the installation.

 

Hi,

Well, some of the files went to the C:\Lockheed Martin\Prepar 3Dv4 and some went to the C directory. What I've noticed after I installed P3D is that some of the folders that were supposed to be in the main Prepar 3D v4 folder were scattered about the C directory and were not placed correctly. That was the first thing I noticed. It could have been that some of those folders were accidently placed in the C directory even before I installed P3D. And these folders having the same names as those in the main Prepar 3Dv4 folder, when I reinstalled the upgrade, some of the files went to the wrong folders. I don't know how they got there, but I do know they should not have been there. So, I deleted all the related folders that were in the C directory. One folder was named SimObjects, which is where aircrafts are installed. When I tried to installed my aircraft addon, it went to the SimObject folder that was in the C directory rather than the SimObject in the main Prepar 3D v4 folder. There were 2 of them, both in different locations. My aircraft addons would not show up in the aircraft list. And, the OK button was grayed out when I chose the location of my sim. As I said, P3D was installed in C:\Lockheed Martin\Prepar 3Dv4. I just simply took out the Program Files from the install location box when I first installed P3D. The problem was that some of the folders went to the C directory and some in the main P3D directory, and some of them were in 2 different locations. I don't know what happened but I just knew it was wrong. So, I uninstalled and reinstalled again. This time, all the folder structures were correct. I know some say that P3D will still work even when the folders are placed else where. It may work, but it causes nothing but problems when addon are installed, and they go to the wrong folders. I know and I experience that, and that's not how these folders are supposed to be placed in the first place. But everything is fine now.

Ken.

Perhaps when you took out the 'program files' in the path you left an odd character in there or two backslashes something like that confused the installer.

The sim will work fine in your folder, but you have to make sure you check addons one by one. Don't install more than one at a time and check each as you go..

28 minutes ago, SteveW said:

...Ken wanted to know why LM place P3D where they do seemed odd to him. That lead to an explanation and why some addons need permissions in the stock location Program files. Seems the entire discussion is mis-interpreted.

You do not know what you're talking about. You are the one that is mis-interpreting the discussion. These problems did not exist because I chose to install P3D outside the Program Files folder. Lockheed Martin states that you can install P3D into another folder, and I know what I'm talking about here. Even Developers like PMDG and others recommend P3D being installed outside the Program Files folder. This is where all of the write permission originates, and I see that some disagree with you. I for one know what I'm talking about.

Ken.

If you say so.

55 minutes ago, SteveW said:

Perhaps when you took out the 'program files' in the path you left an odd character in there or two backslashes something like that confused the installer.

The sim will work fine in your folder, but you have to make sure you check addons one by one. Don't install more than one at a time and check each as you go..

I've thought of that and that's possible. The sim is installed correctly now, and I have no problem installing the addons.

Ken. 

Edited November 2, 20196 yr by kmanning

@kmanning,

everything you wrote in your second reply further evidences that you had an existing

installation at C:\Lockheed Martin\Prepar 3Dv4 and chose instead, whether deliberately

or not, to install to C:\

I am not sure why you asked for advice, if your intention was to decry it.

I will limit my reply to writing that I am please that you have sorted it out.

Edited November 2, 20196 yr by Reader

 

4 minutes ago, kmanning said:

I've thought of that and that's possible. The sim is installed correctly now, and I have no problem installing the addons now.

Ken. 

I appreciate your gratitude.

I mentioned the correct and professional procedure for installing P3D in the first place and what to do about addon permission, which you ignored, because it was suggested by Chris that the stock location is fine. I wanted to back him up, he is correct and takes some guts to say it around here.

And at the same time I wanted to get it across that stumbling around with alternate locations is not required. Faltering at the first hurdle to relocating happens quite often.

At the end of the day it is better to provide the tick, for what is becoming a very small amount of addons, and leave the software to install into stock locations. I get mail thanking me for that.

38 minutes ago, Reader said:

@kmanning,

everything you wrote in your second reply further evidences that you had an existing

installation at C:\Lockheed Martin\Prepar 3Dv4 and chose instead, whether deliberately

or not, to install to C:\

I am not sure why you asked for advice, if your intention was to decry it.

I will limit my reply to writing that I am please that you have sorted it out.

That's correct. That's where I've always installed P3D, in C:\Lockheed Martin\Prepar 3Dv4. What I was mainly referring to, in regard to the location of my program, is to keep my program out of the Program Files folder, but I did not mean to install the program to the C drive directly. I posted here because of the way the program got installed incorrectly for some reason. You're using a word that most people do not know. What is decry?

Ken.

Edited November 2, 20196 yr by kmanning

6 minutes ago, kmanning said:

... You're using a word that most people do not know. What is decry?

Ken.

Google knows:

https://www.google.com/search?q=synonym+decry&oq=synonym+decry