Being pretty new to v3,  I'm trying to get my airports synced with P2A.  I'm having some trouble figuring out how to use this new Data Mnt tool.

1.  I recall from v2 I was sure I could import taxiway/gate data not only from the Global Scenery apt.dat file but also from Custom Scenery.  I can certainly be wrong about that.   It seems it would look first in Custom Scenery then in Global Scenery.  I thought maybe that's what the "Overwrite User Modified Airports" checkbox is all about but it doesn't seem to do anything that I can see.   Am I just remembering this wrong?   I have a number of custom airports with "better" named gates and it's too bad I can't get them to import.   It always imports the one in Global Scenery.
 

2. When I saw the "Import All Airports" I thought "This is great!  A one-time import that I can set and forget!"    Unfortunately,  all it seems to do is wipe out the taxiway and gates for the airport set in ICAO.   I have tried multiple approaches and have finally given up on this "feature."   What is the story on this?

3. I can't make any sense out  of these sections called "Import Save and Load Gates" and "Selected Gate."   What do these do?   I thought at first that might be a way to rename a parking spot or give a name to a spot ATC would understand but I can't seem to do anything with these.  Please explain.
 

I know the import function is basically working.  I edited the global apt.dat and put a crazy name for a gate and verify that it is indeed finding its way into P2A.  I just wish I could figure out to do the other things that are hinted at by these checkboxes.   I would appreciate any clarification here.

Thanks

-mark

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by snomhf

1. The Overwrite User Modified Airports is to overwrite airports where you have made manual modifications.  It does look at Custom airports if they are entered in the scenery_packs.ini file.

2. Checking the "Import All Airports" should delete all Taxi or Gate data and then rebuild it from the data found in X-Plane, if you checked the Overwrite User Modified Airports option.  Otherwise, it will leave those airports alone and import all the others.

3. Saving and Loading functions Save a file with the Taxiway or Gate information so you can share with others or Save them while you are making edits in case something goes wrong.  Then load them back from the saved file if you want to.

These functions should work.  The manual editing functions that involve moving and adding/removing taxi points and gates are still not fully working properly, but renaming a gate should work.

Dave

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the explanations.   You are confirming that I had a correct basic understanding on this.  Unfortunately I can't get this to work.   I don't want to address point 3 as it doesn't seem like something I care about.   The other two points however I very much care about but I'll just address the more important one here (ie. point 1.).
 

I have been unable to get ANY of my custom airports to import.  In every case,  Data Mnt ALWAYS imports the airport from the GLOBAL apt.dat file.   Here is an example effort:

I have a custom airport (KBNA) that I purchased and indeed have in my .ini file:

 

I edited the ap.dat of this airport and changed one of the gates to "My Parking Spot" because I use that spot when I visit that airport and I want to assure Traffic Global does not put an airplane there:

 

Following your guidance,  I imported KBNA using the "Overwrite User Modified Airports":

 

...then verified that the "P2ABaseData.db" indeed updated:

 

When I look in Info I don't find "My Parking Spot" in the Gates list at all.  As a matter of fact, ALL of these gate names are from the GLOBAL apt.dat and NONE of the CUSTOM KBNA gates show here.   I tried terminating P2A and restarting it thinking maybe that would be required but got the same results:

 

...it occurred to me that perhaps the reason was because I had made the gate for "My Parking Spot" a "misc" type rather than "tie_down."   Maybe that was causing problems for the import program??  [Side-note: I made this "misc" so Traffic Global woudn't try to use it.]  However I have tested with several other of my custom airports where I DO NOT have any "misc" type gates in and I get the same results so I don't think that is a factor.

When I looked in the GLOBAL apt.dat file,   I indeed find "GA Tie-down" which DOES NOT occur at all in the CUSTOM scenery KNBA file which proves Data Mnt imported the GLOBAL airport:

 

I'm wondering if I understand your comment "The Overwrite User Modification Airport is to overwrite airports where you have made manual modifications."   However, your comment "It does look at Custom airports if they are entered in the scenery_packs.ini file" is crystal clear.  Does KBNA qualify as a "manual modification?"  Is that the source of this?

 

Thanks much!   I hope you can get me straightened out on this because I REALLY want this to work.

-mark

 

 

Edited November 11, 2025Nov 11 by snomhf

Mark

Thanks for all the details.

There could be a bug in the import code.  I'll have a look to see what's going on.

Dave

Thank you Dave.   You're the best!   If you need any further testing from me please ask.   Happy to help.