I've got a basic question on this (and similar) tools, which I didn't try yet. As fas as I understand, they shift files out/into the Community folder to decative/activate them. On the other hand, the AppData directory has a file "Content.xml" where all installed addons are listed with an attribute "active=true". Wouldn't it be more easy to switch entries between true/and false? That would be similar to the way it can be done in X-Plane's "scenery_packs.ini".

Kind regards, Michael

Edited October 11, 20205 yr by pmb

np Kai 👍

hello Michael

i don't exactly know how the content.xml works, it's probably maintained by the simulator and so i wouldn't want to modify it for now. Maybe some other more experienced users can reply more precisely about that file.

maybe you are aware of that already, but just make sure this is how the tool works. The tool does not move any files around, it just create a link in the community folder and remove the link when not needed anymore, so there is no copying of files is involved and the operation is almost instantaneous  (otherwise it would be a pain, some mods are several hundreds MB, some people have several GB) .. the link is like a shortcut on your desktop, you can create and remove it freely but the main program will not move from its original place.

let me know if you have more questions

 

Edited October 11, 20205 yr by Bad_T

6 minutes ago, Bad_T said:

hello Michael

i don't exactly know how the content.xml works, it's probably maintained by the simulator and so i wouldn't want to modify it for now. Maybe some other more experienced users can reply more precisely about that file.

maybe you are aware of that already, but just make sure this is how the tool works. The tool does not move any files around, it just create a link in the community folder and remove the link when not needed anymore,

Thanks for both comments, acknowledged. I think I'll try it at a point.

Kind regards, Michael

21 minutes ago, Bad_T said:

i don't exactly know how the content.xml works, it's probably maintained by the simulator and so i wouldn't want to modify it for now. Maybe some other more experienced users can reply more precisely about that file.

Just an FYI... It appears that content.xml only lists scenery type add-ons. In addition, it is not updated if you remove a scenery package from the community folder. If you delete the file, it is recreated just before the "Checking for updates" screen during start up, with whatever is currently in the community folder.

All that to say, it appears to be not a candidate for what your tool is doing.

All the best,

...jim

Thank you again for your work!

 

Hi Michael,

I think this method via symlinks is better than setting true or false in the content.xml because it prevents the sim from reading all content I have collected and this saves a lot of time starting the sim. This is my experience.🙂 I only can encourage using this tool!

 

@Bad_T thanks for your actualised version of 1.d. Maybe you can look over the automated collapse function; I have expanded folders after starting your tool like before.

A second question: I use the FlyByWire A320mod and I have it involved like the sceneries via symlink with your tool. But it seems that its activating won't be saved; next time starting your tool the bus is deactivated. Other airplanes keep their status.

But this is not a great problem, not very important!😉

 

Kai

Edited October 11, 20205 yr by Kai-Uwe Wei

2 hours ago, Bad_T said:

so feel free to ask if you have questions or if you have ideas.

No questions, it works perfect for me, but maybe some ideas 🙂

You can add a startbutton for the sim, and maybe startbuttons for some "exe" too, for servers and so on.

So I can chosse where I wonna fly, take the symlinks and start the Sim all by one.

Only ideas-I tell 😉

i think i broke something with version 1d on 0.2 that's posted on flightsim.to .. my version does not show  any checkbox checked when i start the application .. it's weird and i need to investigate ...

i know i made an optimization but it's impossible i didnt see that earlier because I launched the application 100 times this morning ..

anyway .. investigating ...

ok i think fixed it, will upload a new version soon. Damned 1 full week without too many bugs, as soon i upload to flightsim.to i integrated several bugs 🙂 ..

Kai, once ou have downloaded the new version, let me know please if it also fixes your problems because i could not reproduce for now

Stephan, i wrote that down, will check for a future version, thank you.

Edited October 11, 20205 yr by Bad_T

Don't worry, Bad_T, your work is great and very appreciated!

 

thank you John, the new version is now uploaded on flightsim.to.

I think i wanted to do a little bit too much at once and broke a few things that were working good before (let's say that it's a bit like msfs patches 😜😜)

now i'm quite scared everytime i uplaod a new version 🙃

1 hour ago, Bad_T said:

now i'm quite scared everytime i uplaod a new version 🙃

Welcome to the wonderful world of coding! It comes with the territory.  🙂 

Thank you Bad_T,

I'll show two pictures what I mean, the first one is that I'd like to have but maybe it is not possible to do:

 

Furthermore I'd like to see the possibilty to select more than one preset

Edited October 11, 20205 yr by Kai-Uwe Wei

thanks for the screens.

kai sorry if it's obvious, but did you check in the options screen the option 'Start with collapsed addon list' ?

if yes, then there's really something that looks wrong because all your nodes are open.

if you use the right click menu option 'collapse all to folder level', does that work correctly ? or maybe there is a problem when there are too many nested folders, i need to check that, i will try to replicate part of your structure to see if i can reproduce.

i wrote down the suggestion of multi-preset selection, could be useful indeed. Thank you.

Edited October 11, 20205 yr by Bad_T

yes, I checked the option, and if I use the right click option for collapsing it collapses only one folderlevel to above. You are right, maybe there are too many nested folders. by hand I can collapse the folders totally.

But take time, it's not so important 😉.

 

Kai

Edited October 11, 20205 yr by Kai-Uwe Wei