Version 4.5 to 5 Strategy

[mmcwill1 32]

After recovering from a recent hard drive crash and reinstalling 4.5 and all my add-ons, I find myself dragging my feet a bit on version 5. It seems that a number of folks have opted for a parallel installation strategy where they have both 4.5 and 5 installed, then slowly port over addons as developers update compatibility/installers, etc. Are there any downsides to this strategy? For example, will ORBX Central support a dual installation like that. Thanks for any insight!

[CharlieBravoUK 12]

Hi,  I installed v5 alongside v4.5(hf2) primarily as a test to see how it ran etc..  am delighted with it and am now contemplating continuing to run the two side by side.  ORBX Central does support two sims - and I'm trying to online install things that are genuiinely compatible (although I am currently experimenting with both REX SF & EF by pointing them at P3Dv5 instead of v4 and they seem to work after a fashion).

[Psybear 23]

Yes. Orbx and others..FSDreamteam, Flightbeam, Aerosoft Updater also support dual install. Just watch the storage space...it will get eaten up.

 

C

Edited April 29, 2020 by Psybear

[Mace 1,902]

1 hour ago, mmcwill1 said:

 folks have opted for a parallel installation strategy where they have both 4.5 and 5 installed, then slowly port over addons as developers update compatibility/installers, etc. 

That's what I'm doing, and I see no downsides to it, other than the drive space needed for dual versions.  I already have the same Chaseplane installation running in both v4.5HF2 and v5.   All of my Orbx is migrated to a library, so that's all ready-to-go into v5 (I haven't put any Orbx into v5, I'm kind of waiting for the hotfix to drop).

[jimcarrel 688]

I didn't want to double install addons for both 4.5 and 5, so what I did was (already having 4.5hf3) I installed v5 on another larger SSD. then I created two bat files.

1st bat file - for running ver 5

rename "E:\Orbyx Library\p3dv4" "p3dv5"
rename "F:\Orbyx Library\p3dv4" "p3dv5"
rename "I:\Orbx Germany\p3dv4" "p3dv5"

2nd bat file - for running ver 4.5

rename "E:\Orbyx Library\p3dv5" "p3dv4"
rename "F:\Orbyx Library\p3dv5" "p3dv4"
rename "I:\Orbx Germany\p3dv5" "p3dv4"

These bat files enable both sims to use the same orbx libraries for both sims, you'd have to adjust your library paths 

Lets say I had been running 4.5 and wanted to run v 5, After shutting down P3D vers. 4.5, I'll run the .bat file for running v5. then open Orbx Central and switch it to v5, go to the insertion point page and just reselect your same insertion point. Central will then make sure your Libraries are lined up for v5. your ready to fly in v5. You need to make sure you copied all compatible stuff you wanted to use from v4.5 addons to v5 addons. If you have addons that need the windshield.dll you'll have to change that out with the new one for v5 from A2A or that plane will cause a CTD.  If you were flying in v5 then you run the v4 .bat file to fly that version, like wise do the O. Central thing.

I've been using this process since v5 came out     

 

Edited April 29, 2020 by jimcarrel

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

53 minutes ago, jimcarrel said:

I didn't want to double install addons for both 4.5 and 5, so what I did was (already having 4.5hf3) I installed v5 on another larger SSD. then I created two bat files.

1st bat file - for running ver 5

rename "E:\Orbyx Library\p3dv4" "p3dv5"
rename "F:\Orbyx Library\p3dv4" "p3dv5"
rename "I:\Orbx Germany\p3dv4" "p3dv5"

2nd bat file - for running ver 4.5

rename "E:\Orbyx Library\p3dv5" "p3dv4"
rename "F:\Orbyx Library\p3dv5" "p3dv4"
rename "I:\Orbx Germany\p3dv5" "p3dv4"

These bat files enable both sims to use the same orbx libraries for both sims, you'd have to adjust your library paths 

Lets say I had been running 4.5 and wanted to run v 5, After shutting down P3D vers. 4.5, I'll run the .bat file for running v5. then open Orbx Central and switch it to v5, go to the insertion point page and just reselect your same insertion point. Central will then make sure your Libraries are lined up for v5. your ready to fly in v5. You need to make sure you copied all compatible stuff you wanted to use from v4.5 addons to v5 addons. If you have addons that need the windshield.dll you'll have to change that out with the new one for v5 from A2A or that plane will cause a CTD.  If you were flying in v5 then you run the v4 .bat file to fly that version, like wise do the O. Central thing.

I've been using this process since v5 came out     

 

This is way too complicated for most users IMHO.. and relies on you being able to trick Orbx Central, even as it gets updated..

I would strongly suggest that most users use duplicate copies of whatever scenery you actually want to have active in both sims, and selectively move scenery folders from the V4 library to the V5 library as you get comfortable with flying there in V5. (As recommended by Orbx).

Personally, I only have PNW and Alaska left in V4.5.  Everything else is working nicely in V5 (except for the Orbx Global Airport Pack which I am hoping that Orbx will revise at some point..)

Just a slightly less tricky way of approaching the problem..

Edited April 30, 2020 by Bert Pieke

[jimcarrel 688]

I assure you I'm not a 69 year old tricky guy, I just sat and thought about it. The Orbx global airport pack, I didn't notice that, guess it doesn't translate, I'm pretty sure I've got traffic off, did you try with it on? 

Edited April 30, 2020 by jimcarrel

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

13 minutes ago, jimcarrel said:

I assure you I'm not a 69 year old tricky guy, I just sat and thought about it. The Orbx global airport pack, I didn't notice that, guess it doesn't translate, I'm pretty sure I've got traffic off, did you try with it on? 

https://orbx.to/v5

[jimcarrel 688]

Yes, forgot about looking at that, guess that was why I haven't thought about it working or not, thanks for reminding me!

[mazelda 124]

Currently I have both installed on a smallish ssd and put all my Orbx scenery into v5 using symbolic links. Which can be done through Win 10 by right clicking.

Not had an issue so far, Orbx central recognises both installs but only one set of scenery files. So this has saved me tons of space.

I only see a problem if Orbx change something specific for one version of p3d over another.

Hopefully by then i may have moved fully over to v5 

[AnkH 2,233]

9 hours ago, jimcarrel said:

I didn't want to double install addons for both 4.5 and 5, so what I did was (already having 4.5hf3) I installed v5 on another larger SSD. then I created two bat files

I dont think that this is very wise to do, as ORBX already released updates for their products that are v5 specific. Could be that you will run into issues with v4.5 after ORBX central updated your ORBX product to a v5 compatible variant. ADE files (AFCAD etc.) compiled with v5 SDK for example do not work anymore in v4.5, some guys trying to use the v5 version of a scenery in v4.5 already ran into such issues according to AS forums.

[jimcarrel 688]

every orbx scenery I've got except the global aircraft pkg is on the compatible list, besides, I don't understand how something that works fine for me, is apparently an idiotic idea.  I've not seen on the orbx site one v5 scenery that is not v4 compatible (yet). In addition, I'm not married to v4.5, it's a temporary setup. I have a few planes I like in v4 that I would not want to mix in with v5 yet. Different strokes for different folks. I promise not to mention my temporary method again.

Cheers to all.

[AnkH 2,233]

@jimcarrel I can easily quote the critical part about your approach in the ORBX forum here, maybe you will understand then (btw. i did not call it "idiotic"):

https://orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/192142-ftx-region-updates-for-prepar3d-v5/?tab=comments#comment-1654567

Quoting Holger Sandmann: "The underlying issue is that the default airports in Prepar3D v5 have received new generic terminal buildings and layout updates. Our airport enhancements, at these larger airports, incorporated some of the v4 versions of these features, which then ended up missing or misaligned in P3D v5. These small service packs make the necessary adjustments. Also, some airports within the FTX Regions have had their ICAO changed and those will be updated as well."

Which means: with your approach, you might end up having ORBX products updated for v5 running in v4.5 resulting in errors.

Quote

I've not seen on the orbx site one v5 scenery that is not v4 compatible (yet).

I am pretty sure this will never happen, neither for ORBX nor for other developers. As it makes no sense to install a v5 product into v4.5 (unless it would be v5 exclusive, but this will take some time). And because ORBX clearly separates the two simulators in their ORBX Central, unless you trick the tool by your renaming approach. So why should they inform anyone about a v5 product not being compatible in v4.5, if you can never install it into v4.5 without doing stuff never intended to do?

My example with the AFCAD is not just made up, here the link to the corresponding post in the AS forums: https://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/topic/152325-p3dv5-updates-canary-islands-thank-you/&tab=comments#comment-976218

Quoting Oliver Pabst: "The V5 Scenery codes are only usable in V5, for the V4.5 you have the old P3DV4 Installers which should be installed in different folder for your V4.5 Addons as long as you have P3D V4.5 still in use. To use the same scenery files for both P3D Versions is not possible, therefore the differences are to big in parts."

So good luck with your approach as soon as you once capture an AFCAD or scenery code upade for v5 in your ORBX products and then renaming everything to v4.5 again.

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

deleted - duplicate..

Edited April 30, 2020 by Bert Pieke

[jimcarrel 688]

I see and understand all arguments (using known facts) and will not say that they are incorrect, but for now all is working. The main point and reason for my original post was to show that for now (please notice I have used the word temporary) one can (easily in my opinion) run both versions with less drive space for now.   If I had more SSD space, I wouldn't consider doing it this way, the need would not be present.