Lorby MSFS Addon Organizer (Protoype) available

[Lorby_SI]

1 hour ago, Lorby_SI said:

OK, I will restore the layer backups feature in the next version.

Done, version 1.08. 

[edpatino]

Hi Oliver:

Thanks for sharing this utility, which I think it'll only get better and better over time. It's obviously a nice reminder of the excellent P4AO for P3D that I've used for a long time with success.

Just a question: after running the new utility (latest v1.08) I see a layering order that isn't alphabetical, but seems to take into account the order in which the scenery was installed in the Community folder, starting from top to bottom, with the scenery more recently added. Is that the way it is?. To me is not very clear if I change the layering order to make a certain scenery to be loaded with higher priority than any other (conflicting ones, display issues, etc.), should I move it to the top, right?, and in that case what I have to do to make this change permanent, as you wish?.

Another question would be: If I need to move a particular scenery out of the Community folder (I currently use a manual procedure, I have the Community folder and another separate folder on my PC which I named "Community Swap" folder, for convenience, and I cut and paste scenery from one to the other according to my flying needs, in order to have a lighter Community folder) without a simbolic link to it, but just simply moving it out to my "Swap" folder, would your app could be able to do this?.

Sorry for the maybe silly questions, but I'm a bit confused about how layers work in MSFS (if it does...).

Thanks in advance.

Cheers, Ed

 

[Lorby_SI]

7 minutes ago, edpatino said:

Just a question: after running the new utility (latest v1.08) I see a layering order that isn't alphabetical, but seems to take into account the order in which the scenery was installed in the Community folder, starting from top to bottom, with the scenery more recently added. Is that the way it is?. To me is not very clear if I change the layering order to make a certain scenery to be loaded with higher priority than any other (conflicting ones, display issues, etc.), should I move it to the top, right?, and in that case what I have to do to make this change permanent, as you wish?.

It is neither alphabetical nor in the sequence of installation. MSFS keeps a separate config file for the scenery loading sequence, and that is what you are seeing.

For the sake of "visual compatibility" to the legacy sims and P4AO, the scenery order is still shown like in the past - the item that is loaded first is at the bottom, the one that is loaded last is at the top. So if you want to give something higher priority, you indeed move it up.

To make the changes permanent you click on "Save".

[craigeaglefire]

V1.07 brings in a lot of Official Folder files (using Steam MFS) & yes, the initial ordering is jumbled, with 3PD addons & official ones being mixed,

will now try v1.08.

[Lorby_SI]

6 hours ago, craigeaglefire said:

the initial ordering is jumbled, with 3PD addons & official ones being mixed,

It may look jumbled, but it is the sequence in which the sim will load (all!) the scenery. At least it says that in the associated configuration file.

Which is the fundamental point of this app - it shows you how the simulator sees things. It doesn't really distinguish between Community and Official - because the sim doesn't do that either.

[Lorby_SI]

Hello @ll,

does anybody know about "abnormal" things that could exist in the addons and that the app should watch out for - and warn the user about? IIRC, @kaosfere posted about a conflict with the modelLib.bgl that can happen with scenery development?

Best regards

[craigeaglefire]

3 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

it is the sequence in which the sim will load (all!) the scenery

thanks Oliver,

it is just my limited knowledge of MFS - what layering/order for certain items?

the ones that confused me - i have rearranged using your Addon Organizer - i put below Orbx Innsbruck (last 3PD scenery) & before Kushiro, being first of the Asobo/Microsoft airports.

the items in-between i am unsure about where they should properly go.

& fs-base is placed as lowest item.

I have been waiting for this very helpful tool.

cheers

[kaosfere]

I would suggest at least prominently flagging packages that don't have a parseable manifest or layout file, since those can cause the content manager to hang.

[Lorby_SI]

1 minute ago, kaosfere said:

I would suggest at least prominently flagging packages that don't have a parseable manifest or layout file, since those can cause the content manager to hang.

MSAO is showing those packages as inactive = red with a note "PACKAGE INCOMPLETE" and which one of the files is missing. 

[Lorby_SI]

1 hour ago, craigeaglefire said:

what layering/order for certain items?

Honestly? We don't know that yet. I wouldn't spend too much time on layering. I think that the sequence would only become relevant when you have an actual scenery conflict.

Currently I only found a "clean" option to change the order of scenery packages. The rest of the packages are just loaded as the sim finds them, so most likely in alphabetical order, like in the file system. I really loathe the implied procedure - to change the names of folders to make them load in a different order - and I refuse to make a tool that does that... 🙂

 

[Lorby_SI]

15 hours ago, vgbaron said:

if you have something to say on a subject that is helpful, go for it - especially if it solves a problem someone may have.

There is always more than one solution, and those threads usually aren't really about actual show-stoppers, more like "nice to have" stuff.

Personally I have mixed feelings about posting in a thread and promoting my own products, especially when they are payware. But even with freeware I'm not a fan of "my thing can do this!" posts.

[edpatino]

4 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

Hello @ll,

does anybody know about "abnormal" things that could exist in the addons and that the app should watch out for - and warn the user about? IIRC, @kaosfere posted about a conflict with the modelLib.bgl that can happen with scenery development?

Best regards

In general, the app should warn the user about possible conflicts, like the one you mention about the use of the modelLib.bgl file. This last one seems to be happening to some freeware and payware scenery, according to several posts here and in Flightsim.to.

I don't know to what extent is possible for your app to allow editing the add-on scenery (by the user) to solve the conflict.

Cheers, Ed

[edpatino]

12 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

To make the changes permanent you click on "Save"

So, if I move up a scenery to make sure it's loaded with higher priority than others (maybe conflicting ones) and hit the "Save" button, this will modify the MSFS config file permanently?, or we should check the ordering again before the next MSFS start-up?.

Cheers, Ed

[Lorby_SI]

2 hours ago, edpatino said:

this will modify the MSFS config file permanently

As permanent as it can be, it is just a file. The simulator or another tool can mess with it at any time.

In a way this is the same situation as it was with the scenery.cfg in the legacy sims.

[Lorby_SI]

4 hours ago, edpatino said:

like the one you mention about the use of the modelLib.bgl file

I've added a button for that in version 1.09. But it will only tell you if there are probable conflicts, I'm not sure if I should let you edit them. But the app has at least a feature to rebuild the layout.json if you do edit the name of the BGL file.