I keep seeing references to problems with encrypted files in products like aircraft bought from the Marketplace. I've never been aware of any such problems on my system, but was curious if anyone could give me an example (ideally an actual file from an actual aircraft maybe?, or if not then the type of file to check) and I'll check if I do indeed have a problem with it.

Only reason I'm asking is that if I don't have a problem with encryption and others do, I might be able to suggest a solution but I don't want to suggest a "solution" if I actually still have the problem without realising it.

The encryption issue was mostlty around airports, and 3rd party tools like GSX. Recently, MSFS has made it so these utilities can read into the folder.

 

I don't have any files.  But an example is KDCA by DD.  the marketplace version you can't remove static planes which is a problem if you want to use 3rd party AI or fly on VATSIM.  However, on the non marketplace version you can.  

1 hour ago, andy1252 said:

I keep seeing references to problems with encrypted files in products like aircraft bought from the Marketplace. I've never been aware of any such problems on my system, but was curious if anyone could give me an example (ideally an actual file from an actual aircraft maybe?, or if not then the type of file to check) and I'll check if I do indeed have a problem with it.

Only reason I'm asking is that if I don't have a problem with encryption and others do, I might be able to suggest a solution but I don't want to suggest a "solution" if I actually still have the problem without realising it.

I don't think people are referring to a 'problem' with encryption, as in, something doesn't work.

People who complain about Marketplace encryption (like myself) tend to be referring to the fact that some key files that in other aircraft are used to make some modifications, are encrypted and essentially invisible with Marketplace releases.

Eg.

All aircraft released for MSFS have a systems.cfg file, that contains a wealth of configuration settings, including those of the autopilot for example.  In Marketplace addons (for example, let's say the Carenado PC-12), that systems.cfg file is encrypted and effectively invisible.

So let's say I want to make a mod to an aircraft's autopilot to make it engage more smoothly, I can do that in any MSFS aircraft, by tweaking the systems.cfg, whereas I cannot do that with any aircraft from the Marketplace, as the systems.cfg file is not visible/accessible.

That's the only problem that I've seen people refer to with Marketplace encryption.

Edited November 22, 20232 yr by JYW

OK, and thanks for the info. I was asking because I remember in the early days (I've always had the Store version) when I started using the Addons Linker, I noticed that most of the folders for stuff I installed into the MSFS community folder were flagged as encrypted and wouldn't be moved initially, until I turned the encryption off with my file manager (Directory Opus). I have been using that manager for ever, and haven't used an MS file manager this millenium (and actually, not much in the previous millenium either <grin>). So I'd just assumed that the encryption referred to with the Store products was the same thing, as I always move store-bought products out of the Official folders and into my own addons folder setup and never have any issues with encryption.

I did just do a check through a few random aircraft folders on my system though looking for/at "systems.cfg". For any aircraft I bought outside the store I can see such a file in the SimObjects folder ok, but I haven't been able to locate such a file in any store-bought aircraft folder. I can see that the store bought aircraft simobjects folders also have a bunch of subfolders along the lines of "random letters.fsarchive" which contain unintelligible stuff, so I guess those are the various encrypted files in some form or another.

Never having had the need to mess with things like the systems.cfg files since MSFS came along (although I seem to remember the odd tweak in P3D), I had been assuming using Directory Opus as my file manager had gotten round the encryption issues, and was going to suggest it here, but that looks to not be the case. I'll still put in a good word for Directory Opus though, it is a very powerful file manager and I wouldn't consider running a PC without it.