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scott967

Loading FSX config files - a warning!

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Excuse me, Ray, for joining the commentary. I understand that you were surprised and that this created a certain confusion.Perhaps it is worth while attempting to clear up the misunderstanding.Every time that you go to Options-Settings and change something, you will overwrite the fsx.cfg file. That is what it means to change a setting in FS (and perhaps in many other games.) The moment that you click on OK, you will have changed the fsx.cfg.By loading a saved configuration file, you are only using a shortcut to changing the fsx.cfg file - it is nothing more than that and the equivalent of making the changes manually by going to Options-Settings. The minute that you load the saved configuration file, you have overwritten your previous file.There is nothing mysterious about this, and it is only a configuration file, nothing particularly serious. People change and overwrite it often, some do it multiple times a day searching for the magical tweak that will give them better performance.If you do not like the new settings from the saved configuration file, all you have to do is go back to Options-Settings and change them to what you like. It is a simple process that all of us do all the time.There really is no reason to be surprised at this behavior, as it is perfectly normal and what we all experience all the time.Best regards.Luis

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Guest UlfB

Ray,The other way around would be a really awkward behaviour IMO, and would would upset a lot more simmers.Ulf B

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Hi Luis,<>Yes, I understand that. That's never been a problem.<>I now understand that is what happens but I don't think Microsoft have made this clear. In fact they make no mention of the Load / Save process at all in the Help. I was always under the impression that loading a different config file would not overwrite your FSX.CFG and neither did my friend who shall remain nameless to save his embarrassment. But his is a well-known name and a highly experienced FS user.<>Only when you exit FSX of course, not immediately. ;-)None of this would be an issue but I distinctly recall reading about this feature when FSX first came out. It was clearly stated it would allow users to save a config and share it with their friends to ensure all the settings were identical. What they didn't say is that it would permanently overwrite their own settings and that is the issue I have.I clearly understand how this process works. In fact, my friend pointed it out to me and I only posted here because I felt others who share config files may experience the same problem. Clearly you use this feature for a different purpose to us even though the outcome is the same. I was using it for a frame rate test so clearly we needed to be sure all the settings were the same. It was never intended it would permanently affect his FSX settings.<>I must challenge you on that. We haven't had this feature until FSX so it really should have been explained in the Help. And so far no-one has come back to me and said it's in the Help. Why not? It might be obvious to some but clearly there is room for confusion. Aces should have made it abundantly clear how this process works and the implications if not for the experienced user then certainly for the novice.


Ray (Cheshire, England).
System: P3D v5.3HF2, Intel i9-13900K, MSI 4090 GAMING X TRIO 24G, Crucial T700 4Tb M.2 SSD, Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Hero, 32Gb Corsair Vengeance DDR5 6000Mhz RAM, Win 11 Pro 64-bit, BenQ PD3200U 32” UHD monitor, Fulcrum One yoke.
Cheadle Hulme Weather

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>I must challenge you on that. We haven't had this feature>until FSX so it really should have been explained in the Help.>And so far no-one has come back to me and said it's in the>Help. Why not? It might be obvious to some but clearly there>is room for confusion. Aces should have made it abundantly>clear how this process works and the implications if not for>the experienced user then certainly for the novice.Ray, I don't think you'll find anyone who would disagree that ACES should have been more informative on this point. As it happens, there are a lot of other "features" that aren't mentioned either.Aside from making sure that ACES is aware of their "error of omission" there's little more than can be done at this point besides what you have just done......informed the public about the side-effect of loading a Saved configuration file.That was a valuable "public service," so - thank you! ;)


Fr. Bill    

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     Avsim Board of Directors | Avsim Forums Moderator

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All this makes me wonder about something I hadn't really wondered about before: When you save your config, does it save pretty much everything that's in fsx.cfg at that time or does it save only the display settings that can be configured manually using the GUI? I've always assumed the latter but I'm not so sure now after reading this thread. (I'm not at my FS machine at the moment so I can't look at what's in the files).For example if I've manually edited my fsx.cfg and changed something that can't be changed in the GUI, does that go in the saved config?If it does, I guess I can understand Ray's point a bit better. If it just overwrites stuff that's easy to change from the GUI anyway it doesn't seem like such a big deal.Colin

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Guest bdg52

Hi,One of the fundemental practices of a UI is to keep the user informed.Just my 2 cents.Bob

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Hi Bill,<>I agree. I feel I've flogged this one a bit but if Phil had joined in then it might have been shorter.;)>>:-) Thanks Bill. Let's hope this feature is looked at in the next version but even if it isn't at least I'll be more aware of how it works.


Ray (Cheshire, England).
System: P3D v5.3HF2, Intel i9-13900K, MSI 4090 GAMING X TRIO 24G, Crucial T700 4Tb M.2 SSD, Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Hero, 32Gb Corsair Vengeance DDR5 6000Mhz RAM, Win 11 Pro 64-bit, BenQ PD3200U 32” UHD monitor, Fulcrum One yoke.
Cheadle Hulme Weather

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Hi Bob,<>I couldn't have put it better! How many times have the words "well I assumed..." been uttered over something that was blazingly obvious to one person but not to another. ;-)


Ray (Cheshire, England).
System: P3D v5.3HF2, Intel i9-13900K, MSI 4090 GAMING X TRIO 24G, Crucial T700 4Tb M.2 SSD, Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Hero, 32Gb Corsair Vengeance DDR5 6000Mhz RAM, Win 11 Pro 64-bit, BenQ PD3200U 32” UHD monitor, Fulcrum One yoke.
Cheadle Hulme Weather

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Guest UlfB

>Hi,>>One of the fundemental practices of a UI is to keep the user>informed.>>Just my 2 cents.>>BobAnother of the fundamental practises is not to overload users with information. To much info and you won't know what's important and what's not.Ulf B

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Yea i can see it now. A cfg file for a 3ghz box shared with a guy running a 1 ghz duron cpu and a 32mb graphic card.Technically that cfg file should remain on the computer it was originally installed on.Just my 3 cents worth.. I got paid today. :( Dave


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Dave Opper

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>If it just overwrites stuff that's easy to change from the GUI>anyway it doesn't seem like such a big deal.That is indeed all that happens. Anything other than that remains intact... ;)


Fr. Bill    

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     Avsim Board of Directors | Avsim Forums Moderator

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<>Who ever said that was being done? :-roll But, sending a CFG to someone who is about to buy a state-of-the-art PC would make a lot of sense.


Ray (Cheshire, England).
System: P3D v5.3HF2, Intel i9-13900K, MSI 4090 GAMING X TRIO 24G, Crucial T700 4Tb M.2 SSD, Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Hero, 32Gb Corsair Vengeance DDR5 6000Mhz RAM, Win 11 Pro 64-bit, BenQ PD3200U 32” UHD monitor, Fulcrum One yoke.
Cheadle Hulme Weather

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>Who ever said that was being done? :-roll But, sending a CFG>to someone who is about to buy a state-of-the-art PC would>make a lot of sense.Never said it was being done. Just a possible scenario and with the minimum specs it kinda made me chuckle. No make that upchuckle. :-lol


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Dave Opper

HiFi Support Manager

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While I understand your poiunt completely Ray, I still have to go with the fact that, to me, this is standard behavior. I am hard pressed to think of many programs that use a CFG or INI file that do NOT retain the last loaded image. Maybe it's because I've been a programmer for many years but I've always assumed that as normal behavior and would not even think of explaining or much less adding a dialogue box to cover it.In any program that I've written utilizing multiple INI files it is a tacit assumption that the user would create specific INI files for all situation, including the default and load the required one.I can't speak for Aces but I would put forth that this is a basic Windows concept, much like using TAB instead of RETURN and needn't be covered specifically. One must assume that users have *some* experience just running a computer. :)I hope that didn't sound elitist nor condescending as it is not my intent - sometimes it is difficult to put intent into the written word.VicQ6600 G0 CPU 2.4 o/c 3.65Evga 680i A1 with P31 BIOS 2G XP2-8500 DDR2 1066FSB Mushkin 996535 RAM 5-5-4-12-2T320G 7200 HD partitioned for XP/Vista/Programs 2 - 74G Raptors in RAID0 500G 7200 HD for backup SATA DVD burner Evga 8800GTS 640 PCIx XG 174.74 702/1620/792Kandalf LCS case w/ built in liquid cooling 850W Thermaltake power supplyVisit the Virtual Pilot's Centerwww.flightadventures.comhttp://www.hifisim.com/banners/hifi-supporter-sigbanner.jpg


 

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Hi Vic,I wasn't expecting any more discussion on this as I feel I've probably flogged it to death.<>But to some, perhaps many people there might not seem to be a connection between a loaded CFG sent by a friend and your permanent settings in FSX.CFG. The fact that they both have the same extension may be a clue to those who are quite computer literate but not everyone has the same level of understanding. Does it seems so strange that some might consider a loaded CFG is discarded on exit?And despite me (and my unnamed friend) both being pretty savvy users we never made the connection between a loaded CFG and it permanently overwriting our own settings when FSX exits.Aces introduced this new feature in FSX I think they should have at least explained how the process works. It's been suggested that having a confirmation message displayed when exiting FSX would be confusing? Why? A question would have to be be very poorly phrased to confuse the user. Let me suggest this... You have modified your display settings. Do you wish to save the modified ones or retain the originals? That seems clear enough. One confirmation message when FSX exits. No big deal really.<>of course not Vic. I think I know you well enough to know that you would never adopt that attitude.You know, I can't believe me and my mate are the only two people who have shared CFGs in this way and are the only people who are confused by how it works. Maybe others reading this are too embarrassed to admit they misunderstood it too. Don't be. I honestly feel Aces need to look at this and change it. I know it may not seem a big deal as you only have to set things up as you like them but for the sake of a confirmation message it doesn't seem like it would take much effort.Cheers,


Ray (Cheshire, England).
System: P3D v5.3HF2, Intel i9-13900K, MSI 4090 GAMING X TRIO 24G, Crucial T700 4Tb M.2 SSD, Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Hero, 32Gb Corsair Vengeance DDR5 6000Mhz RAM, Win 11 Pro 64-bit, BenQ PD3200U 32” UHD monitor, Fulcrum One yoke.
Cheadle Hulme Weather

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