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Post by Dan K. Hansen on Sept 21, 2010 11:23:47 GMT
Hi there Inspired by the fact that there every now and then comes a "wave" of people who have difficulties in installing our aircraft, I thought I'd start this thread. As HJG offers a variety of panels and model-types we have tried to make our install procedures in a way to avoid redundancy. Install of aircraft in FS9 or FSX isn't really that different. The main difference is that "Aircraft" folder is called "SimObjects\Airplanes" in FSX. That is actually more or less it! What may confuse is that in FS9 there is a default folder called fsfsconv and this is not present in FSX. another thing is that in order for our aircraft to work in both FS9 and FSX we had to make both a panel_fsx.cfg and a panel.cfg likewise an aircraft_fsx.cfg and an aircraft.cfg. The ones needed for FSX is obviously the ones that include "FSX" in the name. So to use the FSX-files you need to remove the panel.cfg and the aircraft.cfg first, and then rename the other to panel.cfg and aircraft.cfg. So far so good. In order for the panel gauges to show, you will need to put the files found the respective CORE-packages into the default "Gauges" and default "Sound" folders. No difference in FSX or FS9 here. The default B737 is called b737_400 in FS9 and B737_800 in FSX. Thus the aliasing to the default panel is a bit different in the two FS-versions. If you want to use one of the HJG panels, you have to install it in the fsfsconv in FS9 precisely as the other panels already present there, and then make the aliasing to that panel in the panel.cfg file. A bit different in FSX, but in my opinion more flexible is the FSX way of doing it, as I have described in various ways in my tutorials. Installing Textures is not different in the two FS-versions. Keep and eye on the Texture folder name and the Texture= section in the aircraft.cfg file, as they must match. I will see if I can make an install procedure that is even more equal for the two FS-version, as this is very possible, but that is w.i.p. and it will implement quite an amount of editing in many of our files. But please do not over-complicate it. If you have been used to install aircraft in FS9, there is really no real difference in doing the same in FSX. Comments and suggestions are welcome, and ideas may be taken or dropped at my own discretion
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Post by urvy9999 on Jan 11, 2011 22:48:44 GMT
after installation the aircraft is not in the aircraft selection menu. tried several aircraft but only the BAe 146 basepack version is visible.sis i mis something ?
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Post by Dan K. Hansen on Jan 12, 2011 9:32:07 GMT
Yes you have missed something, otherwise the aircraft would show. Please follow the instructions given several places at the forum. You do not state whether you use FS9 or FSX, and you do not tell which aircraft you want to install, which textures, which panels sounds etc. etc. In fact you don't give us much to work with, hence the answer will be very "fluffy" ... the more you give, the more we can provide ... Even though we are good, we cannot solve issues like: "Something is wrong, how do I fix it..." See the picture?
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roy
CV-990
Posts: 7
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Post by roy on Jan 22, 2011 14:30:36 GMT
hi! i have never been on this site before, so please forgive me if ,i haven,t yused the correct protocol! here is my problem :when i download one of your "basepacks" (any fs2004 aircraft) it will not install.. when i click on the air file (brown icon) i get this message: sorry an error has occured the application could not be installed because the installer file is damaged try obtaining a new installer file from the application author . i am running fs 2004 on windows vista home premium... any idea what is wrong? thanks
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Post by rpjkw11 on Jan 22, 2011 15:29:54 GMT
Roy, just recently the model files gave me the same message on EVERY aircraft. After a few minutes of chasing my tail, I realized it was the result of a new program I installed. Everything worked just fine so I didn't worry.
When I download ANY new aircraft, I always unzip to a particular folder (called Bob 2). At that point I'm ready to create a new folder (if necessary) for that particular aircraft. Example: Boeing 727-200 Multiple users (HJG). Then I add what I downloaded (airfile, config, etc.). When that is done, I then copy and paste the new folder to FS9 aircraft file, double checking that everything that should be there is and matching where necessary. Then I open FS9 and check to see that the aircraft is in there and make a quick flight.
This sounds complicated, but really isn't (to me, anyway). I'm basically doing 'file management' the same way I used to do back in the 80s and 90s. It makes it easy for me to set up a new aircraft and also to add paints later. It's also easy for me to find any errors I might have made.
Bob
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Post by Herman on Jan 22, 2011 18:23:15 GMT
Yes roy, you have missed something, and as Dan states above you are not giving enough information.
As far as your explantion of the information you get when opening the "air file" here is what I can tell you.
The brown icon "air file" is exactly what it says...it's the aircraft air file... and you leave it as is.....you cannot... and should not change it.
Herman
Herman
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Post by rpjkw11 on Jan 22, 2011 18:37:20 GMT
I just looked at the file Roy is talking about, IF his is like mine. It says it's an "installer file", BUT it's really the airfile. That confused me when I first saw it a couple of months ago. Don't worry about it or try to open it. Just make sure that it's listed exactly on the 'sim=' line in the aircraft config, or it won't show up in FS9. Same with the model file if it has a name, ie.: model.xxx. This should shown as xxx on the model line, model.xxx, of the aircraft config file. If there is no name, leave it blank.
Bob
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roy
CV-990
Posts: 7
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Post by roy on Jan 22, 2011 21:03:31 GMT
hi! herman, i think you think i am someone with the user name urvy9999..top of this page... i have given as much info as possible, but further to bobs response, i am still getting nowhere.. i just can not get the base pack (any base pack!) to install....help!
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Post by rpjkw11 on Jan 22, 2011 23:04:05 GMT
Roy,
When you download a base pack (I'll use the 727-100 as an example) you'll have a zipped file that must be unzipped using WinZip or other extractor. Unzip the file to an empty directory, I call mine Bob 2.
You'll see the following: model folder panel folder sound folder aircraft config file for FS9 and FSX; if you use FS9 you can delete FSX. airfile : B727100_VL
You are now ready to add a repaint BEFORE moving everything to the FS9 aircraft directory.
I downloaded and unzipped, like above, the ACES repaint. You can unzip to the same place you unzipped the base pack.
You will see the following: texture.aces_colombia_1980_025_hk-2541x add to aircraft; that's the one we need now.
Open the 'add to aircraft' folder and can copy and paste the contents to the top of the aircraft config file you already have. Change the: [fltsim.xx] to [fltsim.0] since this is the first aircraft in the file.
Now, move the texture.aces_colombia file to the base file containing the model, airfile, config, etc.
The base file should have: model panel sound aircraft config airfile:B727100_VL texture.aces_colombia_1980_025_hk-2541x
IF you desire, change the name from VL HJG B727-100 Early v1.2 to, say, Boeing 727-100 Early. Now you can install that folder into FS9 and it should show up properly. You will, of course, have to do the same for a panel and sound file as well as other paints, but I think you get the idea.
Hope this helps,
Bob
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Post by Herman on Jan 23, 2011 2:24:35 GMT
roy, Bob's advice and suggestions are very good.
Just wanted to mention a couple of other things.
What I meant by ...not enough information....is, it would be usefull to know exactly which aircraft base pack and what procedure are you using to install into FS2004.
There are some slight differences between individual aircraft base packs. The DC-8's for example you have to create a specific folder to unzip the base pack into.
Some models have two folders in the base pack and also the texture folders. Only the second folder can be copied and pasted into the FS9 aicraft folder.
I , therefore think it would be usefull to know exactly what precedure and steps you are using.
Herman
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Post by Mike Monce - HJG on Jan 23, 2011 14:27:30 GMT
Hey all,
I get the sense that roy thinks our aircraft autoinstall. Is that right roy??? He may have never done a manual install.
bob's directions are essentialy the procedure I use, but roy let us know if they make sense to you.
Mike
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Post by rpjkw11 on Jan 23, 2011 15:51:37 GMT
Mike,
I had that thought, too, after I wrote my "dissertation". Manual installation is really the best way to go except when there's no choice (which seems to happen with increasing frequency).
Roy, give the manual installation a shot; I think you'll find it's really quite easy. Also, there are more items that need to be installed that way than have auto installers, so you'll be able to enjoy FS9 more.
Good luck,
Bob
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Jan 23, 2011 21:17:24 GMT
"MANUAL INSTALLATION" .... so far as I'm concerned .... is the only way to go.
Unzipping everthing to a temporary folder .... and then manually dragging and dropping everything to the respective FS directory folders .... where it's all supposed to go .... piece by piece.
The result being .... it can then only go wherever folk put it !
HELL .... on those occasions I'm confronted with an AUTO-INSTALL file I still extract everything to a temporary folder .... first .... and then drag and drop all of the supplied components to their respective FS directory folders.
I just do not like .... or trust .... AUTO-INSTALLERS.
No current HJG file is of an AUTO-INSTALL type !
Mark C AKL/NZ
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roy
CV-990
Posts: 7
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Post by roy on Jan 24, 2011 18:20:11 GMT
hi bob hi mike,...yes you are both right! this manual install business is brand new to me! but i am eager to learn, i have had some succsess with bob,s instuctions, but i am still having problems, i will keep trying, and i will furnish you with as much information as i can regarding the problem, i suppose i need to be "led by the hand" as it were, with clear, precise, step by step (leaving nothing out!) instuctions.... please forgive my lack of knowledge, but we all have to start somewhere! i am very greatfull for the help and advise......roy
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Post by jimhalinda on Jan 24, 2011 19:00:39 GMT
Part of the problem here is that Windows seems to think a file with the '.air' extension is some kind of installer program. Well it isn't!
In MS Flight Sim, the .air file is a compiled object that contains information which tells the FS software how the aircraft will behave.
It is mere coincidence that these flight sim files with the '.air' extension look like some kind of installer file (to Windows).
As mentioned above, you have to learn where all the pieces need to fit and install it manually.
You should start by looking at one of the default aircraft (say, the 737-400). Look inside its aircraft folder and study the other files and folders there. This is more or less what a properly installed aircraft looks like. Open the aircraft.cfg file and review the entries at the top of the file. This is how you link the texture files to the aircraft.
A properly installed HJG aircraft will look like this, except they go one step further and alias the panel to a separate folder.
But if you first study a default aircraft and understand how it all fits together, then you will better understand HJG's installation instructions.
Regards,
Jim
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