hi guys, got a question for all of you. was wondering if it would be to much trouble to ask a designer of certain aircraft and or panels that i might want to download, to make a self installer for it? there are some GREAT panels and aircraft out there but sometimes or lets say alot of the times there's to much involved and i get lost trying to put certain folders and files in certain places along with changing,adding and deleting configs and moving this to that and what have you. i've heard that some designers would include a self installers but don't because they might not be where the person wants them to install to. i don't care where it installs to as long as it installs and i can select it on the aircraft menu. hope this isn't a to stupid request but i have to ask. thanks, william

Hi William,First of all: using Capitols and Returns makes text a lot more readabe :-) ...About your question: No, it's not a stupid question.But being a freeware designer myself, I'll explain why I think auto-installers, in general, are a nightmare in FS.Main problem is that FS lacks a proper file-version control, while relying on the use of shared files like gauges, effects, sounds, etc.Example: suppose an upload contains a file, of which a newer version is already present on your PC; it usually will just be overwritten, giving you more problems then you already had installing it.Moreover, it's almost impossible to detect every aspect of a specific, existing user installation (what's already there, where, was it modified already, etc. etc.). Again, with a big chance of overwriting things accidentally, or install files at the wrong place.The only time an auto-installer/unzipper is usefull (and not having the problems mentioned above) is for complete, new aircraft in which a designer has everything under his own control. So no gauges, sounds, effects, etc. included that are "borrowed" from other designers. I do suggest that you take some time to learn (if you don't already know) basic stuff that IMO every PC-FS user should know, like editing config files with Notepad and creating/moving/copying files and folders. Most designers make every effort in their README's to explain how to install stuff.Hope this makes it clear.Regards, Rob Barendregt

Thanks Rob, roger the capitol letters, just lazy on my part. I can move some files and folders and some VERY basic things in the config. files but while most downloads do have instructions SOME are to vague for me. i guess they assume most people know this stuff which they probably do. Thanks for enlightening me on this. Will be brushing up on what you mentioned. William