Need a cab file maker

[stephan]

Howdy folks. Evening Mr. Fozzer. I know you're lurking in the shadows of the ether world here,hahaha.
I downloaded a fantastic freebie exclusive for FS9. It is a 737-800w. It has an audible copilot that automatically walks you thru each phase of prep,start-up,climb,flight...the whole ball of wax.I also have the PMDG 747 in several versions as well as other PMDG ac,and for me,this freebie has PMDG beat hand down when it comes to a semi technical sim session,where one would like a little realism,without the 20 minute prep time required by a PMDG cold/dark start up. PMDG is still a good craft,BUT,this freebie had a LOT of work and thought put into it and is a joy to fly.
ANY WAY...
I cant seem to leave ANYTHING alone.This beauty is no exception.
I opened the cab file and edited a background bmp for the overhead panel,...did a little editing,and then used the cab file maker I found in the FS9 disk,OR maybe it was in the Windows XP files somewhere.
Regardless,when I went to fly the craft,it wouldnt load right.I believe the cab is of a different type normally used,in general.It's the only thought I can come up with.
Does anyone know of a cab file maker download that is compatible with FS9? It has to be a freebie as I am unemployed.Northern Ohio where I live is a ghost town with no jobs,and the steel mill near the Lake is laying off 650 people here SOON.So,there's a lot of us looking for jobs that aren't here. Gotta be a freebie folks.Sorry.I'm not a mooch,but I gotta take what I can get. Thanks for letting me bend your 'ear'. Any answers to my problem? Thanks in advance. // Stephan (Altitude with Attitude).

[Azframer]

Warning I have never used it or downloaded it. Just bringing it to your attention.

Rick

http://www.filecluster.com/downloads/Ca ... Maker.html

[stephan]

Azframer...thanks bud.Just downloaded that one just before I posted my question.Havent used it yet,but from what I read on the net,it seems like a good one.Now,if only is is one FS recognizes. Thanks for the super quick response!

[Azframer]

I know all the well of what it means to need FREE, not liking to mooch either, but I have been a out of work house framer for a few years now, and now so old I am doubting going back to it but waiting on housing market to come back so I can design some houses. I have a special needs son who is getting to big for my wife to handle alone, so design work at home on CAD would be in the wheel house I need.

Rick

[Azframer]

I had been trying to work on this while waiting on some details needed by the home owner to fill in the blanks when we found out they were unable to get the financing,

Front and Rear Elevations

Left and Right Elevations


I'll end up finishing and add it to the rest I have on hand. I have other pages at different stages of being complete until the builder told me about owner not being able to get financing on it.

Rick

[Capt_Cronic]

prepar3d sdk has a cab maker and its free.

check out this link;
http://www.prepar3d.com/SDKv2/LearningC ... Center.php

[PhilFly]

I'm using the tool built in with Windows XP.
Click on Start, Run and enter iexpress then follow instructions
It works very well
Cheers

Philippe

[stephan]

Thanks to all who replied to my question.I tried the Cab Maker 2.0,and so far,all I can see is you have to load the files into the cab maker one at a time.What I need must be able to load many files and folders into one cab.In other words, I take an ac after I modify it,...want to save it in case of a crash,and load all of its folders and files into a cab all at once.CabMaker 2 doesnt permit multiple transfer of files at one time...unless I am missing something.The one from windows does allow this.But,I believe I used it to recab a gauge file and the ac didnt load,and wouldnt recognize the cab,tho I named it with the cabs original name after re-cabbing it.Hope that makes sense. To the CAD designer...good luck bud,and God bless. Wishing you the best and prayers sent your way.

[Hagar]

If you haven't already got it download the CabDir SDK here --> http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/resources/cabdir-sdk.32/

This is part of the official FS2004 SDK which is no longer hosted by Microsoft. Install the SDK by running cabdir_sdk_setup.exe.
The default location is "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\SimObject Creation Kit\Cabdir SDK"

To create a CAB file from a folder first move the folder into the Cabdir SDK directory. Then drag & drop it onto the cabdir.exe icon.
A CAB file with the same name as the folder will be created next to it.

[Capt_Cronic]

the cab maker in p3d sdk is designed for flight sim format.
it will do batch jobs also.


info from sdk;

Creating Cabinet Files
Overview

If you create add-ons, you can use the Cabdir utility (cabdir.exe) to combine all the folders and files in a directory into a single cabinet (.cab) file, simplifying the process of distributing files to end-users, whether they download the file from a Web site or install it from a DVD or CD. You can use a setup utility to extract and install the files for end users or explain that they can manually view and copy files in the .cab file.

Creating cab files is particularly useful when building gauges; see the Programmable Gauges document to learn more about building gauges.

To create a .cab file
1.Open a Command Prompt.
2.Type cabdir [switches] source_dir [dest_cab].

Notes
1.source_dir is the name of the directory containing the source files.
2.dest_cab is the destination cab file that will be built. If dest_cab is not specified, a cab will be created in the parent directory of source_dir with the same name as source_dir.

Switches
You can use the following switches with Cabdir.exe.

Switch
Description

/? Displays help information for cabdir.exe.
/R Recurse into sub directories. This is the default.
/R- Does not recurse into sub directories.
/F Flattens the directory structure. No subdirectory pathnames will be stored.
/COMPRESS Compress all files. This is the default.
/NOCOMPRESS Do not compress any files.
/NOCOMPRESSBGL Compress all files except .bgl files.
/AUTOCOMPRESS Compress only those files more than 10% compressible.
/BATCH Allow cabdir to run with no user interface.
/D Deletes non write protected files after CAB is created.
/V Verbose output into MS-DOS window.
/X Maximal compression at the expense of random-access. Not
recommended for normal use.

[stephan]

Thanks again gents. I'll take a look at both. The p3d...,,,isnt that for the sim game P3D? Didnt know they were compatible with FS9. But then again,I am so old school,I did programming in BASIC,LOL. Some of the terminology used in the newer ( during the last 20 years), more involved programs are way over my head.But if you folks are willing to go the distance to try and help as you have,the least I can do is give it my best shot.Thanks again!

[stephan]

By the way...if there are ladies offering help,...when I use the term, 'Gents', I dont mean to sound as if i am slighting the ladies. Just used to the sim sites to be mainly a bunch of guys and it simply is a habit. Glad to have the ladies enjoying the sim world as well. Apology offered.

[Fozzer]

By the way...if there are ladies offering help,...when I use the term, 'Gents', I dont mean to sound as if i am slighting the ladies. Just used to the sim sites to be mainly a bunch of guys and it simply is a habit. Glad to have the ladies enjoying the sim world as well. Apology offered.

Never fear Steph.... ...!

I use the term; "Chaps" or "Chums", or "Lads", or "Blokes", or "Folks", in preference to the awful, universal word for absolutely anything, eg: "Guys".... ...!

Paul..... ... ...!

[stephan]

Hahaha! I see we think alike on many things Me Fozzer. I'm just usually a dollar short and a day late figuring out out how to fine tune my 'gift of gab' and ending up eating a lot of my own words first. // Once again,I'd like to extend my thanks to you folks who offered various ideas and links to help me with my CAB creating/compatibility dilemma. One them that I tried,I figured by reading the SDK instructions alone,called for some kind of programming knowledge,which I have forgotten most of what I know by reason of using the Windows method to everything. BUT,the gent that suggested the SDK cab program offered a very brief and perfect set of instructions that worked like a charm the first time I tried it. Thanks so much !!!!!!!!!!! I am sure I will get a LOT of use out of it. It has only one problem (which I am fairly sure is my short cutting in the program) and that is,you cant cab a file already cabbed. So,..... I simple cab everything else ,then put it in a folder with the extra cab file and make myself a txt note describing what the extra cab file is.No big thing. Happy as can be!

[Hagar]

Thanks to all who replied to my question.I tried the Cab Maker 2.0,and so far,all I can see is you have to load the files into the cab maker one at a time.What I need must be able to load many files and folders into one cab.In other words, I take an ac after I modify it,...want to save it in case of a crash,and load all of its folders and files into a cab all at once.

I'm a tad confused. If you wish to compress FS aircraft folders for backup I'm not sure quite why you prefer CAB format when a ZIP file would do the same thing. The file size will be about the same so I don't see any advantage.

It has only one problem (which I am fairly sure is my short cutting in the program) and that is,you cant cab a file already cabbed. So,..... I simple cab everything else ,then put it in a folder with the extra cab file and make myself a txt note describing what the extra cab file is.

Zipped files will also include any gauges in CAB format.

You can use cabdir.exe in the CabDir SDK from my link to create new FS gauges in CAB format if that's what you wish to do.