3rd party downloads 2004

[G7]

Hi Guys
I am having trouble trying to get addon aircraft downloads onto my 2004 since installing XP with 2 pack,every thing seemed fine with Win2000.They show up in the FS9 folder ok but not on the actual simulator.I must be doing something wrong somewhere but I can't put a finger on it!! Any any ideas? G7

[MattNW]

Most add on aircraft come in a .zip file with an aircraft folder inside that. Extract this and paste it into your "Aircraft' folder. If there's a guages or effects folder you need to copy the contents of those into your guages and effects folders in the sim. That usually works for about 99% of the downloaded airplanes.

If you are doing this and it isn't working then something more serious than an installation problem is going on here. Is this a particular airplane or is the problem with any add on you download?

[Hagar]

I doubt very much this is anything to do with your OS. One of the most common causes for aircraft not displaying on the menu is the "aircraft container" being hidden inside another folder. This could also depend on the method you use to extract zipfiles & install the aircraft. Different versions of unzipper utilities will extract files in different ways. Check those folders carefully & make sure they're installed correctly.

[GeeOh]

Great Tutorials on Adding Aircraft into FS 2004 here at this site

Its helped me immensely on getting it right.
I still have a few glitches now and then..but after reading the tutorials you'll have it downpat in no time..

[G7]

'Bingo'!! cracked it!!
My wife is fed up with me being on the computor
Uninstalled and then re-installed 2004 .....I seemed to have got all the files in a mess(it's my age and 2 brain cell's)
When I downloaded after the re-install the files 'corrected themselves'....more by luck than judgment!.....Before that I could get the models into the Aircraft folder but they refused to show up on the Sim.
Thanks for your help guys.It's 22 30 UK time and I can now kip down a 'happy chappy!'
BTW I used EASY ZIP!

G7

[Sibbritt]

Hi G7,unfortunately I had the same problem & with scenery as well.I checked with Microsoft & they explained that when you update to service pack 2 for XP,a lot of flight sim addons wont work.

[Hagar]

I didn't realise you updated to XP from Win2000. I think explains it. As you've found out, the answer is to reinstall FS9. I have no idea why this should be as previous OS updates never affected existing programs in my experience.

[G7]

Hi Sibbritt
Back to square one today.....I suspect you are right.My aircraft show up in the fs9 folder but not in the Sim.Hagger suggested that they may be hidden....I will try to have a search for them..........I only updated to XP because I had to replace the HD
G7

[Hagar]

Hi G7. If you replaced the HD I assume you installed WinXP before installing FS9. How did you install the addons? Did you back up the ones you had before or do it all from scratch? The reason I ask is that you mention more than one aircraft. When installing addons I always do them one at a time & check each one out in the sim before installing another one. This will save you searching through any number of aircraft trying to figure out why they're not showing up.

I don't know how experienced you are or which method you use for installing aircraft. If you follow the tute posted here it should be easy enough. http://www.simviation.com/acinstall.htm

Also make sure you're looking in the right place for them on the FS9 aircraft selection menu. It's quite possible they're installed correctly but you're looking under the wrong category.

[G7]

Hi Hager
First things first!I had to replace the HD because the previous one was full. My Grandson(IT wiz..NOW AT UNI) suggested that I replaced it with a new HD installing XP(PREVIOUS WAS 2000pro) he loaded all the required files onto the new HD......(not FS9.....that was re- installed after XP)....With 2000PRO I had no trouble installing addons

The situation now is that aircraft that I install now are actually in the FS9 aircraft folder ........I had one success after I re installed 2004 a couple of days ago and that was it!
I have tried using your method of installing(cut and paste) but because the file includes a desktop shortcut it 'plonks' the aircraft on the desktop!
Soooooo! I use a drag and drop(from fs folder into Aircraft in FS9) ....That puts the aircraft into the FS9 folder ok.........and there it stops not to re appear!!!

When I go into the Flight sim I only have the basic aircraft + the one success......I tried to get into the cfg file and it tells me that it is not supported!
I did manage to get into the cfg for Aircraft F4B-4 and it listed it as FS9\Aircraft\Beech_Baron_58\F4B-4 ........all rather confusing!!!!!
When I open the sim I USE 'CREATE FLIGHT' ...click on the top of the aircraft panel.....Select ANY....then click on the box below and scan down

My two brain cells are working overtime  and my computor skills are basic ...and I mean basic!!! it's the grey hair

Sorry about the drawn out reply ,but now you can see where I am coming from!
G7

[Hagar]

Hi G7. I'm working under a handicap as I have never used WinXP or Win2000 for that matter. I don't understand what you mean by the desktop shortcut. I always understood that the standard Windows commands are common to all versions of Windows. I use the right-click Cut & Paste commands for installing all addons to all my own sims. You should be able to open CFG files in Notepad. Either open Notepad & browse for the file from File/Open OR right-click on the file & select Open With from the dropdown menu. Then select Notepad from the list of programs.

The situation now is that aircraft that I install now are actually in the FS9 aircraft folder ........I had one success after I re installed 2004 a couple of days ago and that was it!

You're still talking about ALL aircraft. There's no point in installing more if you can't get them to work. Concentrate on one & get that working first. Then you can fix the others individually in the same way. If the folders are installed to the correct location, FS9\Aircraft, open them to make sure the one you want is not hidden inside them. This must be the folder directly containing the Model, Panel, Sound & Texture subfolders that are common to all versions of FS since FS98. If this folder (aircraft container) is hidden inside another one it will not work.

Please tell me if this helps.

[frank_carbon]

One thing at a time. Regarding the .CFG files. Go here http://www.simviation.com/lair/aliasing1.htm and scroll to the section in bold print that says "OK, let's get started". Read and understand those four steps in the tips box. Once done,  all the .CFG files (whether panel, sound, aircraft, etc.) you try to open will very conveniently open in Notepad for easy reading and editing. Also, once done, depending on how your Views are set up the little icons for all the .CFG files will change to a resemblance of a, well, note. This is normal and a good indication you followed instructions correctly. Save, read and reread that tutorial. It will help you later down the road. Next, if what you typed in your post is the file path to your F4 whatever then you have somehow managed to put those items into your Beech Baron folder. Without going into adding different versions of the same aircraft to an aircraft folder, suffice it to say that each unique aircraft will have it's own folder inside the FS9/aircraft folder. In other words, since you have installed FS9 when you double click on the FS9/aircraft folder in Windows Explorer you should see an individual folder for each of the default aircraft (one for the Baron, one for the Vickers Vimy, etc.). Following this structure when you add a new type aircraft you would then see a new folder (containing model, panel, sound, texture folders, aircraft.cfg, .air file, etc.) typically named after the aircraft you wanted to install. I am only rewording Hagar's instructions in his excellent tutorials. Make sure you follow his instructions to a tee. They are no different with XP. If the appearance of your desktop is confusing from what you're used to with 2000 then go to Windows Control Panel and select "switch to classic view" under Appearances. Make sure to reread Hagar's tutorial as often as necessary, especially in you're case, toward the beginning about how FS recognizes aircraft. If you're still a bit unsure of some things, go to http://www.simviation.com/lair/Windows%20Basics.htm. Not only will this help in customizing FS but is an excellent tutorial on handling folders and files in general throughout Windows. Hope this helps.

[Hagar]

Thanks for the recommendation frank_carbon & also confirming that this should be basically no different in XP.

Also visit my Lair from the link in my sig for tips, tricks & tutes on most things you need to know to get started in FS9 & the other M$ sims. I've always stuck to the basics & leave the complicated stuff to more knowledgeable people on this forum & elsewhere. I've been doing this for a long time & I'm sure we'll figure this out.

[frank_carbon]

Sorry Hagar, I guess I should have given credit where it was due. Won't happen again. But many thanks for the great tutorials.
Anyhow, one more thing for those using XP. If you are using the  Windows XP on board extractor to unzip the downloaded files it is very much the same procedure as outlined in Grumpy's/Hagar's tutorials. Right click on the zipped/compressed file, select Extract All from the context menu (the popup box you get when you right click on a zipped file). The file path to where it will be extracted to is displayed at the top along with a browse button to select a different path. You can change this to extract directly to an FS9 folder (not a good idea-see Grumpy's toot) or, by default should extract it to a new temp folder within the temp folder you originally downloaded the zipped file to (good idea). No option is given for "using file names, etc. since it is unnecessary when doing it this way (extracting to a new temp folder). The new temp folder should have the same name as the original zipped folder and the icon for the new one will not look like the zipped one. Then you can open that folder(the new temp) and, following Grumpy's instructions, czech out the ReadMe first and do your install straightforwardly as outlined in Hagar's tutorials. Basically there is not much difference using the XP on board extractor or an add on extractor since we're going to extract it to the same place anyhow (a new temp folder) then install files and folders where they belong in FS9 anyhow (good idea).

[Hagar]

Please don't apologise. I wrote my original comments before reading your first reply properly. You gave me more than enough credit already. I'm not after credit, I simply want to get people up & running. I just wish a few more would read my basic tutes & articles like Working with Windows before attempting all this. I'm sure this would make it all so much easier, even for those who think they know what they're doing.

I can only show you my methods & those I find easiest. From the amount of positive feedback in my mailbox these seem to have helped a great many people over the years. I can't force anyone to use them & have no wish to do so. We all have our own ways of doing things & what I find easy will not suit everyone.

PS. I should point out that Pete wrote that aircraft installation tute, not me. I prefer the right-click Cut & Paste options for installing aircraft or anything else. Never trusted Drag & Drop myself.