A2A Install Location in P3D v4

[CrownCityMisfit]

I've seen some confusion already regarding the A2A install location in P3D v4. Is it true the default location is the User folder on the C: drive? Can we specify another location before installing? Worried about space on my main drive - which is why I have a S: drive for simming.

Thanks!

[SolRayz]

Ditto, please give us an option to install in the location of our choosing. C:\Docs is totally unacceptable. We can move the folder and adjust add-on.cfg and add-on.xml accordingly, but will this pose problems with future updates?

[CrownCityMisfit]

I did get this response over at Orbx forum from helpful user Volkira:

"You can even change the files in your documents/Prepar3d v4 add_ons else where like this.
In your User AppData/Roaming/Lokheed Martin/Prepar3dv4 folder you'll see Add-ons.cfg
You can edit this eg.
I have the A2A C172 in my documents/Preparedv4 add_ons.
In the cfg it looks like this

[Package.0]
PATH=C:\Users\Volkira\Documents\Prepar3D v4 Add-ons\A2A
ACTIVE=true
REQUIRED=false

so if I wanted to move it to another location I would change the Add-ons.cfg too

[Package.0]
PATH=E:\Prepar3D v4 Add-ons\A2A
ACTIVE=true
REQUIRED=false
and make sure you move the files into the new location.

Also if you had a different package at same location you would change the package number.
[Package.1] then a new package would be [Package.2]

In the end you can create any number of paths as long as you edit them in the cfg."


As SolRayz asked... what does that mean for future updates?

[SolRayz]

You cold just move your addon folder where you like, as long as you change the path(s) in the add-on.xml in Docs folder, then reload P3D and it will autmagically add it to the add-on.cfg, which is probably the better route, since manual editing could lead to errors.

But anyway you look at it, its a total complication. For A2A, that means adding the paths for Effects, Fonts, Guages, Scripts, and SimObjects. And if you plan on using Chaseplane, or PrecipitFx, your A2A airplanes folder better be in the root simobjects folder, otherwise those apps will not have access to aircraft.cfg, which could be required in some instances.

[CrownCityMisfit]

You cold just move your addon folder where you like, as long as you change the path(s) in the add-on.xml in Docs folder, then reload P3D and it will autmagically add it to the add-on.cfg, which is probably the better route, since manual editing could lead to errors.

Understood, but there's got to be a better way. This is too messy.

[Roadburner426]

This is the method I am going to use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoJhk8Ud8TU . This guy shows how to move the whole document folder very easily. However I am just going to move the P3Dv4 add-on folder this way as I imagine it works the same. It puts a redirect where the folder is, and then moves all the actual files wherever you want them. Not ideal, but at least it appears to be a very good solution for the time being.

[CrownCityMisfit]

This is the method I am going to use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoJhk8Ud8TU . This guy shows how to move the whole document folder very easily. However I am just going to move the P3Dv4 add-on folder this way as I imagine it works the same. It puts a redirect where the folder is, and then moves all the actual files wherever you want them. Not ideal, but at least it appears to be a very good solution for the time being.

Good video, thanks for sharing.

Yes it's perfect for a sim-only rig. Not going to work for me, as my rig is also used for motion graphics and vfx production, and a little scenery dev as well. The documents folder gets used my a ton of other apps, and I have limited space on my 250GB SSD for sim-only files. I'd like to keep to that way for sure.

[Roadburner426]

Well the way I interpret what he was saying is that we can do that with any folder. It was just easier for him to move the whole documents. So what my intent is to do it for the P3D addon folder, or whatever other folders wind up installing themselves on my C: Drive. Whenever I actually get my PC upgrades installed tomorrow/Saturday and then install P3D, and hopefully I have the Cherokee to mess around with I will let you guys know if it successful. This is our primary family PC, and my FSX PC so it is not sim only for us either. So I will just be trying to put everything P3D related back on to the SSD for speed purposes. I figure this whole transition will be a learning curve for all of us. Definitely is for me since this will be my first adventure in to P3D ever so I am just trying to follow you guys and learn what I can.

[afcraig2010]

I did this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoJhk8U ... 8916197792

Moved it to my large Hard Disk Drive. My OS is on an SSD and my simulator is on a smaller SSD. I actually wouldn't mind if all the addons went to this folder because it's on a large HDD.

[mallcott]

You cold just move your addon folder where you like, as long as you change the path(s) in the add-on.xml in Docs folder, then reload P3D and it will autmagically add it to the add-on.cfg, which is probably the better route, since manual editing could lead to errors.

But anyway you look at it, its a total complication. For A2A, that means adding the paths for Effects, Fonts, Guages, Scripts, and SimObjects. And if you plan on using Chaseplane, or PrecipitFx, your A2A airplanes folder better be in the root simobjects folder, otherwise those apps will not have access to aircraft.cfg, which could be required in some instances.

No you can't.

If you just move the folder, the next compliant addon or L-M update that comes along will just recreate the original folder in the original location. The implication for duplicate folders in multiple locations has not been explained. Please explain.

If you want to make these changes you need to understand dynamic links. Explained elsewhere, along with a GUI Tool to assist with this, if uncomfortable with command prompt dos-style edits, MKLink.

Seriously, there is so much duff information and faux advice floating around in these forums about this, simmers NEED to be aware that not everything printed here is correct. Not even by the forum owners. Research for yourself is the only logical path for a seasoned simmer. Moving folders is only storing a mighty issue further down the line IMHO.

P3D v4 is DIFFERENT from v3.x, which made changes during its update cycle to recommended locations.

In v4 Addons are now separate for good reason, and molesting the file locations will cause problems if you don't understand what you are doing.

But if you DO understand, you can use relocation to really good advantage.

[Lewis - A2A]

I posted this in the 172 tech support area;

http://a2asimulations.com/forum/viewtop ... 08&t=59802

No one should be editing the xml files they according to the SDK should be in the addon root file as recommended, if you want to edit anything it should be the addon cfg program. Its similar to adding a new livery to the sim only this time your adding a new directory. We are currently reviewing a new installer but the post I made will still be relelvant as its standard P3Dv4 stuff according to the SDK.

thanks,
Lewis