17 minutes ago, Lorby_SI said:

I have made an app that handles scenery (and scenery order) and all other addons through the proper XML files. It is just not ready for prime time - I am currently implementing a full backup and restore option for the config files.

Legacy: everything that has not been built with the V4 SDK. Just making a new installer and hoping for the best is not what I would consider an update.

At the very least I expect every content developer to run it through the content error log until it is clean. This is a massive help that LM provided us with.

Best regards

Looking forward to it. 

Thanks for all the input, I am starting to understand the specifics and their advantages.

But where to put AFCADs? In FSX I had them in the Addon directory.

 

57 minutes ago, phmcr said:

Thanks for all the input, I am starting to understand the specifics and their advantages.

But where to put AFCADs? In FSX I had them in the Addon directory.

 

Just like you handle all other BGL files - create a scenery folder somewhere - link it with an add-on.xml as shown in my first post - give it the proper layer number. For those I suggest Layer 127, that puts it right above the default scenery.

It would probably be a good idea to make your own "Addon Scenery" directory with Layer 127 and your own "My World" scenery folder with Layer 1 or 2 (you will have to try which one works). Install all BGL that go directly above the defaults into the first one, and all those that go into the base layer into the second folder. Add both scenery folders with a single (=the same) add-on.xml.

Best regards

NOOB question: Does the "Addon Scenery" directory approach allow the use of the Scenery Library to enable/disable specific sceneries? I routinely switch sceneries on/off depending on when or where I'm flying. (I actually use Scenery Config Editor to do this, but that's a separate issue).

3 minutes ago, odourboy said:

NOOB question: Does the "Addon Scenery" directory approach allow the use of the Scenery Library to enable/disable specific sceneries? I routinely switch sceneries on/off depending on when or where I'm flying. (I actually use Scenery Config Editor to do this, but that's a separate issue).

+1

32 minutes ago, GSalden said:

+1

It doesn't. Because you are shutting off that entire add on when you disable it in the menu. 

14 minutes ago, warriorpilot said:

It doesn't. Because you are shutting off that entire add on when you disable it in the menu. 

I don't understand your reply, but if there's no way to conveniently enable/disable scenery stored in an add-on folder, it's not going to get much traction as the preferred method IMHO.

You can enable or disable an addon via Menu > Options > Addons - however you will have to restart P3D for this to take effect.

The other option is simply to move the relevant add-on.xml out the Addons directory or rename it with suffix .off

36 minutes ago, odourboy said:

I don't understand your reply, but if there's no way to conveniently enable/disable scenery stored in an add-on folder, it's not going to get much traction as the preferred method IMHO.

That depends on how you organize it.

- create a single add-on.xml for each addon to enable/disable them individually
- create combined add-on.xmls to enable/disable whole batches of sceneries at the same time

Or use an external tool

But generally speaking, we disabled sceneries to save memory, did we not? At least this reason is gone now.

Best regards

 

13 minutes ago, Lorby_SI said:

That depends on how you organize it.

- create a single add-on.xml for each addon to enable/disable them individually
- create combined add-on.xmls to enable/disable whole batches of sceneries at the same time

Or use an external tool

But generally speaking, we disabled sceneries to save memory, did we not? At least this reason is gone now.

Best regards

 

Not only to save memory but also to get maximum performance.

I use photo scenery only so I have to disable the addons where I do not fly .

The less data in the memory te faster the pc ..

There are other reasons also - for instance, I enable photo scenery for daytime flying, but turn it off at night so night lighting can be seen.

14 minutes ago, odourboy said:

There are other reasons also - for instance, I enable photo scenery for daytime flying, but turn it off at night so night lighting can be seen.

... and with those XML files you can group all your photoscenery into one config file and turn it all on and off at the same time.
Or group it by countries. Or - whatever you think is practical for you.

Best regards

To me, the layering is the most confusing, especially when you have things like UTX, GEX, ORBX, etc.

Yep, a tool that can display that graphically would go a long way in eliminating that.

 

Vic

Hi @ll,

Many thanks to all the early access testers!

I have uploaded the "P3D V4 Addon Organizer" depicted above to the DOWNLOADS section of the Lorby-SI website

http://lorby-si.weebly.com

This is still a beta version, but as far as I can tell it is fully functional. A user manual is provided as well.

It is a simple application, that will help you manage addons by using external XML files.

You can:

– Add or delete scenery and other addons

– Activate and deactivate existing addons

– Change scenery order

– Make a backup of your addon configuration files and restore it

Best regards

Many thanks in advance!

Will definitely try it out. At least until simstarterNG is updated which was my preferred manager so far.

But different options or approaches can't be wrong for the end user.