installing FS9 craft in a WIN7 FSX

[Capt.Propwash]

My cousin just bought FSX and put it on his Win7 Laptop.  runs very smooth Medium everything just fine.

I tried to give him some FS9 craft that I have from my computer, and a message kept popping up "do you want to allow administrator priviledges to this file?"  -- of course I said YES!.

Now the FS9 craft will not show in his "SELECT A CRAFT" pages.




What am I missing??

I have FS9 and FSX on my WINXP system, and I can add fs9 craft to my fsx all day long and I have no problem seeing the craft (other than maybe the occasional - "x" gauge is not supported, do you still want to run it??)  But I have no problem at all adding scenery or craft or anything to mine.

[Capt.Propwash]

am I missing something? or is it the same????

[tdf]

I have limited experience as I just started installing FS2004 aircraft into FSX myself.  What I have run across is that some packages install and some don't.  FSX seems to want a "thumbnail.jpg" file of the craft in the texture directory of the aircraft file set in order for the aircraft to show up in the "select aircraft screen".  I have been able to copy and rename a jpg file from within the file set to be "thumbnail.jpg" and worked around this issue in most cases. As you mentioned, many of the guages are not compatible as they were created in FS98 per the error message.   

Some seriously detailed instructions as to what the FSX application expects (what files go where in the directory set)  would be of great help.  Myself, I will keep looking. That knowledge may be documented somewhere on the site.

[Capt.Propwash]

as for planes not showing, I know about the thumbnail issue.  If you put a plane into FSX without a thumbnail, it will create a "grey" basic plane that you can still click on and be able to fly the plane.

when I mentioned that the plane is not showing up.... There is no grey plane, there is no ADD ON plane even listed.  It is like I never did anything at all.  All that you can select is the default planes.

[LeeC]

I'm making a bit of a guess here as I don't know how you've installed the aircraft or how your friend has installed his FSX.

Is his Windows 7 32 or 64 bit?

If it is 64-bit, then his FSX is probably installed in C:\Program Files (x86) and those FS9 planes might be installing into C:\Program Files, which is the 64 bit location in Win 7 64-bit.

If it is 32-bit, are aircraft stored in the same directory structure in FS9 and FSX? FSX uses SimObjects\Airplanes, is FS9 the same?

If you browse to SimObjects\Airplanes, are the aircraft folders there in the Aircraft folder?

[Capt.Propwash]

If i remember correctly his is a 64 bit.

C:/Program files(x86)/Microsoft Games/Flight Simulator X/Sim Objects/Airplanes


..... MINE:: WINXP 32bit, E:/Microsoft Games/Flight Simulator 9/Aircraft

[Boikat]

I'm assuming that the add-on aircraft folders are showing up in the simobjects/airplanes. 

Is DX10 preview disabled/off?  (I've never fiddled with it, but that seems to be a problem at times, though I think that just has to do with actually seeing the aircraft)

How does it handle adding a new paint to a default aircraft?  Do they show up for selection?

[Capt.Propwash]

in the folder ...FSX/SIM Objects/Airplanes .. the added folders show up just fine.  Its just when you go into the sim, that nothing new shows up.  Not even with SHOW ALL VARIATIONS checked at the bottom.  Only the Default FSX-Deluxe craft are showing.


No idea about the DX10.  I thought that was more for video and not so much about adding and showing craft, it might, but being that I love XP and didnt even want to venture to get crappy Vista, Im not even thinking of getting 7 yet cause my XP runs my FS9 just fine.

about new paints to default planes... Never got that far as I only had about 1 hour to mess around with his computer and I thought he would enjoy Steve Hinson's FS9 F14D Rev3 in his FSX (being that i can put it in mine with absolutely no problems), but it will not show up.   I do have Steves FSX-F14 Pheonix BETA that I was testing for Steve just before he left us to fly his new F14 in the Heavens, that I could try to put on my cousins computer.





I also saw somewhere on here, that the PANEL has something to do with if planes show up, or not, and not the .air file.  I dont know if that has something to do with it, but I might have to dig a little deeper with my FS9 and X F-14 folders side by side for comparision.

Any other thoughts???

[Boikat]

Yes, a bad panel can cause the add-on to not show up.  Bear in mind, I'm using Vista, too, so I'm just tossing out ideas.

What are some examples of add-on's you've tried besides the F-14?

[Hagar]

I hesitate to give advice on FSX as there's so many possible variables. I have no knowledge of Vista/Windows 7 but really don't see why installation of aircraft to FSX should be any different from any other OS. Do you have the same problem installing native FSX aircraft?

A lot of these installation problems appear to be caused by the security features of Vista/Windows 7. To overcome this most of the gurus advise installing FS to a location outside the default Program Files or if possible to a separate HDD. I'm still using WinXP but installed FSX on my own system to C:\FSX

[quote]I also saw somewhere on here, that the PANEL has something to do with if planes show up, or not, and not the .air file.

[Capt.Propwash]

other aircraft tried.

ALL FS9 CRAFT!!!

BEECH D18Samphibian http://www.farmboyzimsflightsims.com/Fl ... lanes.html (bottom most download)

FS9 Effects:  DO NOT OVERWRITE FSX VERSIONS!!! but added any that were not already there.


and the F14D Rev3




These where the only 3 things that I had time to attempt to install.    BOTH planes do NOT show up on the SELECT A CRAFT list.

[Fr. Bill]

BEECH D18Samphibian http://www.farmboyzimsflightsims.com/Fl ... lanes.html (bottom most download)

Well, of course it won't show up on the menu!

It's actually a FS2002 model!

Double-click on the b18amph.mdl file and open it in Notepad.exe, then check the header. You'll see:

MDL8MDLH

which means it was compiled with the FS2002 MakeMDL.exe compiler.

Models compiled with the FS2004 MakeMDL.exe compiler will have:

MDL9MDLH

in the header.

FSX compled .mdl files will have:

MDLXMDLH

in the header.

In summary then:

FS9 will run both MDL8MDLH and MDL9MDLH .mdl files

FSX will run both MDL9MDLH and MDLXMDLH .mdl files

[Sparrow]

Guys, ive had, FSX A, for a while now, and i ive come to terms with the whole aircraft transplant from FS9 to FSX.
There are an enormous amount of "do's and dont's", and ending up with a disaster that could cost you some headaches.
There are various ways to "overcome" this issue, and it left me with one decision. Do not try and transfer from FS9 to FSX!!!
Let me explain the following, with the different OEM's you have choices, with win xp..... 32bit you could transfer some of the files, win 7 32bit you might transfer, with win7 any 64bit dont even try. Its as simple as that.
Capt.Propwash explained in somewhat detail and that is the truth.
So with win 7 products, win 7 wants to rather use ".dds" textures. If you look at the FS9 and earlier editions, they use ".bmp" textures. The "mdl" file of that said aircraft is compiled to use the bmp textures. I am refering to the default planes. So even if you illegaly change the default textures to .dds, it still wont show up, because of the mdl file. You can do what you like, changing the panel adding thumbnails isnt going to solve the problem. One will experience lag accompanied with your favourite bottle and end up with a smashed computer.

Here's the advice i can give.
There is a world of websites that you can explore to find your aircraft. The designers are designing compatible aircraft for your OEM. That said,  these aircraft meet the exact requirments. Remember this, FSX has only recently been available, and to start explaining to those that dont know it yet, FSX is a extremely complexed software, and extremely touchy. It doesnt like to be messed around with. Trust me. I myself is a designer, and i have been creating numourous scenery for airports, FSX with win 7 ultimate is what i am using, as a test bench. I recommend you not to waste time with mixing diesel with dust. You wont start your engine. Its as simple as that.
Support the designers, they will also assist when needed.
As for directx 10 compatability, Here is a enormous issue. Installing older versions of aircraft into FSX, and installing scenery addons, You set the settings in "display" to DX10. Your FS9 aircraft wont show up at the scenery which is DX10. FS9 aircraft are DX 9c compatible. So as soon as you get closer to that DX 10 scenery or start your flight in that DX 10 scenery, your PC will BSOD. I have recently purchased a  scenery of an airport, which cannot be run without DX 10. So imagine the consequences what might happen with DX 9c aircraft.
I hope ive explained better.

Anyone please correct me if im wrong. I am open to discussion.

[patchz]

[quote]Guys, ive had, FSX A, for a while now, and i ive come to terms with the whole aircraft transplant from FS9 to FSX.
There are an enormous amount of "do's and dont's", and ending up with a disaster that could cost you some headaches.
There are various ways to "overcome" this issue, and it left me with one decision. Do not try and transfer from FS9 to FSX!!!
Let me explain the following, with the different OEM's you have choices, with win xp..... 32bit you could transfer some of the files, win 7 32bit you might transfer, with win7 any 64bit dont even try. Its as simple as that.
Capt.Propwash explained in somewhat detail and that is the truth.
So with win 7 products, win 7 wants to rather use ".dds" textures. If you look at the FS9 and earlier editions, they use ".bmp" textures. The "mdl" file of that said aircraft is compiled to use the bmp textures. I am refering to the default planes. So even if you illegaly change the default textures to .dds, it still wont show up, because of the mdl file. You can do what you like, changing the panel adding thumbnails isnt going to solve the problem. One will experience lag accompanied with your favourite bottle and end up with a smashed computer.

Here's the advice i can give.
There is a world of websites that you can explore to find your aircraft. The designers are designing compatible aircraft for your OEM. That said,

[Hagar]

So with win 7 products, win 7 wants to rather use ".dds" textures. If you look at the FS9 and earlier editions, they use ".bmp" textures. The "mdl" file of that said aircraft is compiled to use the bmp textures. I am refering to the default planes. So even if you illegaly change the default textures to .dds, it still wont show up, because of the mdl file. You can do what you like, changing the panel adding thumbnails isnt going to solve the problem. One will experience lag accompanied with your favourite bottle and end up with a smashed computer.

Not sure where you got this idea. Fr.Bill explained that the Beech 18 Capt.Propwash was having problems with is a FS2002 model - NOT FS9. The MDL file is incompatible with FSX. As patchz will confirm, it has nothing to do with the texture format or the version of Windows.

As for directx 10 compatability, Here is a enormous issue. Installing older versions of aircraft into FSX, and installing scenery addons, You set the settings in "display" to DX10. Your FS9 aircraft wont show up at the scenery which is DX10. FS9 aircraft are DX 9c compatible.

The DirectX 10 Preview feature is a separate issue. This option is only available with Vista & Win7. When enabled it prevents the textures displaying on some FS9 aircraft in FSX. The solution is simple. Switch it OFF when using those aircraft.

I can't comment on the scenery as I've never tried it but I wouldn't expect FS9 scenery to work in FSX.