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Activating/de-activating scenery?

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HiWhat is the purpose of activating/deactivating scenery in the Scenery Library?Is there any real benefit to deactivating scenery that you are not intending to use - either default scenery or addon scenery?Thanks for any adviceBarry

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Barry,In FS9 and previous, you had to shut down the sim to make changes to your scenery; this new feature is not essential, just more convenient.I do it occasionally to de-clutter the environment particularly when I'm testing things. This would include scenery add-ons or an AI traffic plan (which is just moving scenery).I have default traffic in it's own folder; my normal Ultimate Traffic and other well established plans in a folder; Military AI in a folder and anything new I'm testing in a folder. So I've been adjusting parking or traffic for a military base - that's the only traffic folder activated to keep the load light and to simplify traffic initialization. Or John Doe offers a new version of KABC; dropped into a Scenery_Testing folder, it can't get lost among other files and it's easy to enable/disable for testing. Once 'approved', it gets moved into the standard addon scenery folder with all the other 'regulars'.Not everybody has a need to manage scenery but those that do find this on-the-fly enabling/disabling useful.Having scenery active that is not currently in use probably has minimal impact. Since I fly almost exclusively in the US, I've toyed with the idea of removing all scenery folders from other continents but I also bet I wouldn't notice any change in the sim's performance; maybe just a few seconds here and there because of having fewer files to scan. I haven't done it and probably won't...but it's one of those things I wonder about from time to time.Loyd

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Guest firehawk44

"Is there any real benefit to deactivating scenery that you are not intending to use - either default scenery or addon scenery?"I read somewhere that it's not recommended to disable any of the default scenery. Maybe it will cause problems, maybe not but I would avoid doing that (it won't hurt to try though!!!). Many addon developers throw in static aircraft with their scenery and it's nice to be able to enable or disable this particular portion of the addon instead of uninstalling/reinstalling the whole scenery. The more addon scenery you have enabled, the longer it will take for FSX/FS9 to startup. This is really noticeable with one or more of the MegaScenery's series enabled. A large amount of AI will cause longer load times too and, coupled with the many addon sceneries, it could a really long time to load FSX/FS9 depending on how high-powered your system may be. It won't affect FPS, just load times. It's a nice feature to be able to disable an addon without going through the sometimes messy procedure of uninstalling the addon and then, later on, finding you would like to have it installed again.Best regards,Jim

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There are several benefits to it, depending on what you are trying to achieve. As stated above already, you really don't want to disable any of the default FSX installation entries, but anything you add after that is fair game.Once you understand how the Scenery Library works, and how powerful it can be if used correctly, you will NEVER add anything directly to the Addon Scenery/Scenery folder again as long as you live. Why? Uninstall FSX, and everything there is gone too (as far as making a re-installation work properly). You also avoid conflicts with scenery .bgl files for the same geographical areas just being "dumped" into the Addon Scenery/Scenery folder this way. This is the biggest problem with airports not working...duplicate "afcad" type files from multiple addons in the Addon Scenery/Scenery folder...and other scenery areas that conflict with each other.Another reason is by installing things outside the Addon Scenery/Scenery folder (or any other "default" FSX scenery folder), then enabling/disableing them in the Scenery Libray, you CAN use "duplicate" addon products in FSX...one at a time...without them conflicting with each other. Landclass and Terrain Mesh addons are good examples of this. The link below from the Simforums GEX forum includes an in-depth discussion about this, with a couple tutorials I made for both Landclass and Terrain Mesh addons. If you have any third-party addon that can be installed OUTSIDE of the main FSX folder, then activated in the Scenery Library, you have many more options available to you on how to use it all.http://www.simforums.com/forums/forum_post...p?TID=24965&KW=Many scenery addons available, both payware and freeware, can overlap each other if you eventually get enough of them. By installing them OUTSIDE of FSX, and LAYERING them correctly, then activating/deactivating them using the Scenery Library, you can get a multitude of options available on what you want to use at any given time in FSX.FalconAF


Rick Ryan

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>There are several benefits to it, depending on what you are>trying to achieve. As stated above already, you really don't>want to disable any of the default FSX installation entries,>but anything you add after that is fair game.>>Once you understand how the Scenery Library works, and how>powerful it can be if used correctly, you will NEVER add>anything directly to the Addon Scenery/Scenery folder again as>long as you live. Why? Uninstall FSX, and everything there>is gone too (as far as making a re-installation work>properly). You also avoid conflicts with scenery .bgl files>for the same geographical areas just being "dumped" into the>Addon Scenery/Scenery folder this way. This is the biggest>problem with airports not working...duplicate "afcad" type>files from multiple addons in the Addon Scenery/Scenery>folder...and other scenery areas that conflict with each>other.>>Another reason is by installing things outside the Addon>Scenery/Scenery folder (or any other "default" FSX scenery>folder), then enabling/disableing them in the Scenery Libray,>you CAN use "duplicate" addon products in FSX...one at a>time...without them conflicting with each other. Landclass>and Terrain Mesh addons are good examples of this. The link>below from the Simforums GEX forum includes an in-depth>discussion about this, with a couple tutorials I made for both>Landclass and Terrain Mesh addons. If you have any>third-party addon that can be installed OUTSIDE of the main>FSX folder, then activated in the Scenery Library, you have>many more options available to you on how to use it all.>>http://www.simforums.com/forums/forum_post...p?TID=24965&KW=>>Many scenery addons available, both payware and freeware, can>overlap each other if you eventually get enough of them. By>installing them OUTSIDE of FSX, and LAYERING them correctly,>then activating/deactivating them using the Scenery Library,>you can get a multitude of options available on what you want>to use at any given time in FSX.>>FalconAF>> Excellent post Falcon. Very good points.


John
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FalconHow do you treat "AFCAD" files? Up to now I have installed these (usually as instructed) in the ...addonscenery (and/or Texture) folder. Would you create a separate AFCAD folder and put them all in there?All of my other scenery/mesh/landclass have their own dedicated folders.Peter Hayes

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Depends on the ADCAD file. I never put any of them in the default Addon Scenery/Scenery folder, though.I have a folder outside FSX called "FSX AFCADS" with a subfolder called "scenery" under it. All my GENERIC AFCADS go there, and I add this folder to the Scenery Library IMMEDIATELY ABOVE the default ADDON SCENERY entry in the Scenery Library. By generic, I mean any third-party AFCAD I download for DEFAULT FSX airports. I also RENAME them all so they start with the ICAO of the airport. I do this because it makes it much easier to identify if I accidentally get 2 or more AFCADs for the same airport installed. Windows Explorer will list all the AFCADs in alphabetical order, so it is easy to see duplicates this way...they will be in the list next to each other if they exist. So, if I had 2 AFCADs for the same airport that were originally named:ADE_KLAS_xxxx.bglAFX_KLAS_xxxx.bglThey would (could) be far apart in the file listing, and I might not realize I had conflicting AFCADs. Change the names to:KLAS_ADE_xxxx.bglKLAS_AFX_xxxx.bglAnd now they will show up together in the Windows Explorer file list. I'll still know which program (ADE or AFX) was used by the developer, and can choose which one I want to keep and which one to get rid of.Now, say you download a scenery "package" for an airport that contains it's own AFCAD file(s) for that specific scenery addon. No problem! Just create a separate folder for that entire package, and add it to the Scenery Library ABOVE the "generic" AFCAD folder you created. Any AFCADs in the "package" will take priority and be used (the .bgl's will be in the "scenery" folder of the "package" you added).Keeps things nice and orderly, and prevents duplicate AFCAD conflicts. And it works for Traffic addons also. A program like My Traffic contains TONS of AFCADs. Just layer the Scenery Library accordingly, and you won't get AFCAD conflicts. For instance, the order in my Scenery Library from top to bottom is:1. (Specific Airport Addons with their OWN included AFCADs)2. Generic AFCAD folder (contains individual third-party "special" AFCADs, like crosswind runway ones, or "updated FSX default" ones made by contributors here)3. My TrafficThe above will use AFCADS in this order then:1. Default ("Stock") FSX AFCADs (if no others exist in the above addons)2. My Traffic AFCADs instead of "stock" FSX ones3. Third-party "Generic" AFCADs I've downloaded (instead of "stock" or My Traffic AFCADs)4. SPECIFIC AFCADs for complete airport "packages" I have, instead of "stock", My Traffic, or "generic" AFCADs I have installed.NOTE: AFCADs will NEVER be put in the ADDON SCENERY/TEXTURE folder. If there are TEXTURES included with the AFCAD, it should be considered a "package" for the airport, and a separate "airport" addon should be made for the Scenery Library with it's own SCENERY and TEXTURE subfolders (just like the default ADDON SCENERY/Scenery and Texture subfolders). Otherwise you will end up with massive amounts of TEXTURES in the ADDON SCENERY/TEXTURE folder, and never know which ones belong to which AFCADs or addons.Rick


Rick Ryan

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RickThanks for that really helpful reply. I am going to do as you say. Do you recall if anything is in that addon sceneryScenery (or Texture) folder when you first install FSX? I've got a feeling that it is empty on a clean install - I am just going to copy all of those generic afcads that I have downloaded files into an "AFCAD" folder and separate out those downloaded by a software package.Peter Hayes

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After a fresh install of FSX, the ADDON SCENERYSCENERY and ADDON SCENERYTEXTURE folders are both empty. They are just a "dumping ground" for addon scenery (.bgl files in the scenery folder) and addon texture files (in the texture folder). Leave them empty! Install your scenery addons in separate folders when possible. As soon as you put two or more scenery addons in the default ADDON SCENERY subfolders, you have no way of knowing (in a lot of cases) what goes with what anymore.Most scenery addons at most will contain only items that would go into the ADDON SCENERY scenery and texture folders. It is easy to create alternate folders for these addons and "ADD" them directly to the Scenery Library. Be aware though...some scenery addons may contain additional folders with files that need to go in other FSX folders. The most common types are "Effects" files that need to be placed in the FSXEFFECTS folder (for things like smoke, fireworks, torch flames, etc). So, here's what I always do with any new scenery download:1. Unzip the file to a TEMPORARY folder on your hard drive. DON'T unzip it directly to the FSX directory!2. Take a look at the folder structure and what the folders contain. If it only has two folders for "scenery" and "textures", the author a lot of times will say something like "Place the scenery files in the ADDONScenery folder and the texture files in the ADDONTexture folder." Don't...create your OWN folder for the addon with those two subfolders, then add that folder to the Scenery Library instead. Then you can move it around anywhere you want in the priority list, and "enable" or "disable" it in the future if you want to.3. If the above addon had THREE subfolders like:ScenerryTextureEffectsSTILL create your own folder for the addon using the Scenery and Texture sub-folder format, and add it to the Scenery Library. You will then have to MANUALLY copy the files in the EFFECTS folder to the main FSXEffects folder (or whatever sub folder in FSX they would have gone to if you unzipped them directly to the main FSX directory). This isn't as bad as it sounds, because you can always go back and look at the contents of the zip file to identify which effects files you manually added to the FSXEffects folder with the install of the scenery to the Scenery Library. So determining which "other" files need to be deleted isn't hard if you want to delete the entire package in the future. CAUTION HERE!!! Some addons use the SAME effects files, and the author of the addon just included the effects file in the download to make sure you have it. IF you AREN'T POSITIVE no other addon is using the effects file, LEAVE it in the FSXEFFECTS folder even if you uninstall the addon. Effects files are relatively small file sizes, and won't hurt anything in FSX if they are left in the effects folder and no addon is using them.I don't do the above for any MAJOR scenery addon (usually commercial) like a UTX product. I'll install those in FSX directly if that's what the developer recommends (exceptions being things like Landclass and Terrain Mesh addons, as discussed previously in this thread, and PhotoReal scenery products like MegaScenery...they get their own folder outside FSX also). But for most third-party freeware type addons, they are gonna get their own installation OUTSIDE of FSX, then added to my Scenery Library, unless the documentation flat out says it won't work that way. Then, depending on what it is, and how bad I really want it, I may not even install it. I want control of what gets added to my FSX, to help prevent conflicts with other addons I may use. If a developer won't give me that control, and their addon might cause conflicts with other addons I use, then it isn't going in my FSX.Rick


Rick Ryan

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As an after thought, some folks may wonder WHY I do all the stuff I do above, other than the reasons I already stated. Another reason is "beta testing" or "reviewing" an addon. Most scenery type addons are developed for a DEFAULT install of FSX. A developer would have a nightmare trying to ensure his/her addon didn't conflict with ALL OTHER addons available.So, by doing the above things, I can always DISABLE almost ALL other addons via the Scenery Library, to "test" a new addon and see what it does, how it works, etc. This also prevents a "bad review" of a product that might be being "hosed" by a different addon I have enabled in FSX at the time.Anyone who does Beta-Testing or Product Reviews should try to ensure that no OTHER addon they have is influencing the results of what they are beta-testing or reviewing.Rick


Rick Ryan

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RickThanks again. Have tidied up all of my AFCADS (found several duplicates)Just one point - what "priority" do you give those sub-folders yoy have created in the addon sceneryscenery folder? Just above the default addon scenery as for the FSX Afcads?RegardsPeter Hayes

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Peter,Not sure what you mean by your question above. If I'm reading it correctly, we may have a misunderstanding about what exactly I do yet. I have to go to work right now and will be back in about 10 hours. I'll post a reply then with screencaps of my Scenery Library list to maybe clear up some confusion.Rick


Rick Ryan

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OK, here we go. I don't *think* I violated any forum rules with the size of the included screencaps. If so, my apologies. I needed to make them this size so my Windows Explorer file lists would be readable.NOTE: There are no doubt NUMEROUS different ways to manage scenery addons using the FSX Scenery Library. My examples below are only one of them. I'm sure other FSX users have other creative ways of doing it through different means of organization, etc. I just want to give you an example, as a tutorial, on one of the many ways it could be done.------------------------------------------------------First things first. Nothing gets added directly to my main "C:Program Files" directory on my root drive (if I can avoid it). I create subfolders for things like Games, Utilities, etc, then add the programs by category under those subfolders. Makes the Windows Explorer list a lot easier to navigate instead of having a 20-page long list of "programs" in the main "Program Files" directory. So, as you can see in the first 2 caps below, I have a "Ricks Games" subfolder..."C:Program FilesRicks Games". All my "games" go there. It is also sub-divided...I have a "Microsoft Games" folder under it, where all my FSX related stuff is. THAT folder is sub-divided with a separate folder for my FSX install ("Flight Simulator X"), a folder for addons that DO NOT get added to FSX via the Scenery Library ("Flight Simulator Utilities FS9 and FSX"...contains things like GEX, FEX, ASX, FSC, flight planners, and whatever else fits in this category), and a folder SPECIFICALLY FOR addons I MANUALLY add to the Scenery Library myself ("Flight Simulator X Addons"). The key here is that ANYTHING that I have manually added to the FSX Scenery Library is located in THIS folder. It contains folders that I have pointed "auto-installers" to (instead of the default FSX folder, if able), folders I have created myself (with the appropriate Scenery and/or Texture folders, as necessary, for anything I don't want to just "dump" in the default FSX "Addon SceneryScenery or Texture folder (despite what the addons included ReadMe files might say to do), etc. Anything in this folder (as an addon) can be added to the Scenery Library manually. I might have to "browse down" several or even numerous folder levels to get to the folder IMMEDIATELY ABOVE the "scenery" folder containing the .bgl files for the addon, but they can all be added to the Scenery Library, and it gives me total control over how FSX will use the addon scenery (I can enabledisable it, or change it's "priority" in the Scenery Library list). As you continue reading this tutorial, you will see how my "Scenery Area Titles" I select for the Scenery Library entries relate to the folder names for the addons. screenhunter34ed1.jpgI included the cap below of my main FSX installation folder. As I mentioned in an earlier post, some addons I do add directly to the main FSX installation folder. Usually major commercial ones, like UTX, My Traffic, or "combination" addons that might contain aircraft AND scenery files for the product (like the Aerosoft helicoptor addons that also have "scenery" of ships to land on, etc). These type of addons usually contain many additional folders, or need to install things in several areas of FSX. So I let them do it. If I ever have to re-install FSX, I'll have to reinstall these from scratch again (the original CD's or purchased downloaded files). Note I highlighted the "My TrafficScenery" folder from the My Traffic installation. That is where all the My Traffic "AFCAD" files get placed when you install My Traffic (more about that when we get to "layering" the Scenery Library below). screenhunter41nq6.jpgOK, the remaining caps are from my Scenery Library, and show how I layered the stuff in it. The IDEAL concept is to "pyramid" (layer) your scenery, from BOTTOM to TOP, so you avoid conflicts (if possible), and get FSX to use what you want, EVEN IF you have "duplicate" types of scenery addons.Let's start with a default installation of FSX. It will contain "Base Files" in "Base Folders". The LOWEST LAYER (at the bottom of the Scenery Library list) is the "Default Terrain" one (see cap below). Everything else get added on top of that, layer by layer, just like building a wedding cake. Note: In the cap below, there are 250 "Priority" layers...that is more than a default installation. The cap below contains layers for my entire Scenery Library, which currently has 250 layers due to stuff I've added to it. screenhunter33xm9.jpgAs I scroll up the list (cap below), you eventually encounter the "ADDON SCENERY" layer (136 in my list). In a DEFAULT installation, the ADDON SCENERY layer would be "Priority 1" at the top of the list. I NEVER add ANYTHING to FSX using this folder...it is the "dumping ground scenery and texture" folders in the main FSX Addon Scenery directory. You can't disable or prioritize more than ONE addon that gets added to this folder. So if you get multiple scenery addons in this folder for the same "airports" or geographical locations, you are screwed. They can seriously cause scenery conflicts in FSX. LEAVE IT EMPTY...and leave it where it is in the Scenery Library list. It works best as a "delineator line" to remind you what is default install (everything BELOW it) and what YOU have MANUALLY installed yourself, or allowed a third-party addon (like UTX, My Traffic, etc) to install into the main FSX folder (those would be everything ABOVE it in the list).screenhunter35wt7.jpgOK, this is where it will become a little difficult for me to explain the rest of the "layering" and "prioritizing" concept. It will all depend on the individual's addons they have. Basically, after you create folders for them OUTSIDE of the main FSX installation folder, you have to look at your addons and what they are designed to do. Scroll around the cap above and the remaining caps below, and try to follow along. The first addon I placed immediately above my ADDON SCENERY entry was the "World Timezones" one I have (freeware download). It fixes the time zone problem in FSX, and is "world-wide" so to speak. There is no other addon that will interfere with it, so I put it right above the ADDON SCENERY entry. In reality, it could have gone anywhere else in the list. It just "fits" there for me.AFCADs next. My "MY TRAFFIC" addon in next up the list. It contains AI for all the world, and improved AFCAD files (tons of them!) for the default FSX airports. So I put it next up in the list. Note any OTHER AFCADs I place in the list ABOVE the MY TRAFFIC entry will "take priority" in FSX...even if they are for the same airport as one in the MY TRAFFIC folder. That's how the "prioritizing" and "layering" thing works in the Scenery Library. If you scroll farther up the list, you'll find two MORE entries in the list for folders I have that contain AFCAD files...a folder for third-party ones I have downloaded by independent developers here, and a folder for ones I myself have "modified". I could have multiple AFCAD .bgl files (one in each of the 4 folders), but FSX would use the one in the HIGHEST folder in the list. So, if I download a third-party AFCAD for say KLAS and put it in the HIGHEST folder, I don't have to worry about deleting an AFCAD .bgl for KLAS in the MY TRAFFIC folder. FSX just won't use the one in the MY TRAFFIC folder, because it is at a LOWER priority in the Scenery Library list. If, on the other hand, I had placed BOTH of those KLAS AFCADs in the FSX default "Addon SceneryScenery" folder, I WOULD get a conflict, and my AI might be doing loop-de-loops for me in FSX. ;-) BIG NOTE HERE!!! This can ALSO be a cause of "Out Of Memory" errors in FSX, and can sometimes cause FSX to "lock up" and quit running, forcing you to end the session and reboot FSX. I won't go into the technical reasons for this. I'll just ask you to trust my over 35 years IT and 20 years flight simming experience on this one. I've seen it over and over again...scenery conflicts in Flight Simulator that cause the program to "crash" on you. Prevent them, and it can solve many of these "crashing" problems. OK, remember I talked about "airport packages"? If I install a scenery "package" that consists of an airport with it's OWN INCLUDED AFCAD specifically designed for that scenery, I simply create a folder for that entire "package" (using both a "scenery" and "texture" folder if needed), then add that to the Scenery Library as a separate addon. The AFCAD .bgl for that SPECIFIC package will be included in the packages "scenery" sub-folder. As long as I place THAT ENTIRE PACKAGE as an addon in the Scenery Library ABOVE any folders that contain other AFCADs, I'm good to go. The scenry "package" uses it's own "specialized" AFCAD designed for that scenery addon. As you look at my different screencaps, you will notice these "packages" more towards the top of the Scenery Library list...ones like "Fly Tampa - Hong Kong", "KATL Jim Vile" (the author's name included, just for my reference), "KMEM BluePrint Airports", etc. Note also I place these above any other scenery addons that also contain their own AFCADs...like some of the MegaScenery titles. If the airport locations in the two scenery products are the same (as far as FSX is concerned), then you CAN "mix and match" them. Sometimes it works...sometimes it doesn't. You won't really know until you fire up FSX and try the scenery sometimes. But when it does work (most of the time) it feels great to know you have that much control over managing your scenery!OK, one other thought, and I'll shut up. ;-) You can layer things all kinds of ways. Use you imagination! You'll see I layered all my MegaScenery products ABOVE my UTX ones. I live in Las Vegas, so I do like using the MegaScenery Las Vegas once in a while. If it is enabled (checked) in the Scenery Library, I see it in FSX. If I don't want to see it, I just "uncheck" the layer. FSX rebuilds the scenery.cfg file "on the fly" in FSX, and "poof!", the MegaScenery doesn't show up anymore and I'm now seeing the UTX scenery. Get creative!(Scroll to bottom of post for closing comments...) screenhunter36fx7.jpgscreenhunter37qz2.jpgscreenhunter38kx0.jpgscreenhunter39iv2.jpgscreenhunter40jg8.jpgI hope this may have helped some users of FSX get a better understanding of the Scenery Library and how powerfull it can be in managing your scenery addons. By no means is it an "all inclusive" explanation! If anybody wants to add anything based on their way of using the library, feel free to do so. If anybody has any questions, I'll be more than happy to try and help clarify anything here.Have fun!Rick(FalconAF)PS - Subject to edit in case I discover after posting that I went brain-dead during my typing of it all!


Rick Ryan

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