Simviation Forums

ok so firstly I would like to say that I'm a great fan of addons that say "simply unzip this file to fs2002 directory and all the files will go in the correct folders" and when they say that, the addons almost always work. However I am not a great fan of the authors that are vague about installing and ask that you unzip different zip files into different folders manually.

I just had to get that off my chest as I just installed 4 aircrafts that dont turn up in my fs2002 aircraft list.  :-/

Do what I do. I always download  new files into a temp folder. I have made a temp folder in my flight sim folder and called it ~FStemp~. When I unzip a new file, I unzip it into the temp folder. Though it might add an extra step, it assures that you wont "lose" an aircraft or a file. From there just copy/cut and paste

There's an aircraft installation tutorial here on SimV. You should read it to familiarize yourself with the aircraft folders.

Once you familiar with everything, you won't need instructions, you will know where everything goes

It's a long standing argument as to which method is preferable.

For people not terribly familiar with the "innards" of FS2002 file structure, an auto-install is great.

However, there are potential weaknesses with it. For example, an older panel (and they all become older eventually) might contain gauges that are older versions of ones you already have (GPS is a common one). If you unzip into folders overwriting your newer version, you're stuck.

Some add-ons , my Baron Panel being an example, have more than one option for installation - the panel.cfg in my case.

To provide an auto-installing zip file, I'd have had to have made 2 - doubling the size of the download.

In my opinion, the onus is on the add-on authors to provide CLEAR instructions for how to install their files. If they assume that the people who are downloading are doing so for the first time, and no nothing about add-on file installation, they wouldn't go far wrong and the end user would have a much easier life.

I do something like loomex does.  I have a folder My Download Files\Unzipped.  Every file I unzip goes into the same folder so I never have to look for a folder to unzip into or remember I whether cleaned it out afterwards.

If I see a file called setup.exe, or similar, I use an uninstall utility so I can tell what it does and restore if desired.

In credit to the addon authors most of them do provide clear instructions on installation, so much so that it gets boring reading the same "unzip to your FS2002\aircraft" folder" every time.

I created a folder structure:

FS_test\

I disagree! I DO NOT ever use an auto installation (unless from a reputable payware company like FSD), you never know where your files are going and what they are installing, take the time to learn the file structure of your sim, will save you having to reinstall when you d/l something that screws up your sim.

I hate the EXE installs that when I install them into a temp folder, I have an uninstall icon, which means that is is in my registry, WHY?! I then have to take the extra time to COPY the files over to another temp folder so I can get rid of the uninstall and the originals, what a pain.

Just my 2 cents, but I have an organized sim that I won't have to reinstall any time soon because of an EXE file that was put together by someone that didn't know what they were doing.

"I DO NOT ever use an auto installation... you never know where your files are going and what they are installing"

I agree.

I have to agree, auto installers make me very nervous.   A lot of the time I will let it auto install to a temp folder then I can place the files where they need to go.  I will do the same thing with zip files.  Always use a temp folder unless I am comfortable with the designer.  Because that way I can name the folders what I want so it makes sense to me.  Sometimes designers name things that make no sense when I look at it later if I want to modify something.

There is my perspective....

auto installers are a different matter. I mean the zip files were you can observe the directory structures and just install the files were they need to go. Yesterday I spent about 20 minutes at least, installed one aircraft. The instructions were clear but it was still really tedious, I had to unzip about 10 different zip files and edit .cfg files. It worked, but I would've preffered it to take 1 minutes (which it could've) rather than unzipping 10 zip files within the one zip file

Yes.  This can be a problem if the author hasn't set the zip utility to preserve the directory structure.  There's no reason (if the author knows how to use a modern freeware zip utility like PKzip), why users should have to mess about, unzipping odds and ends individually from a zip file.  You should be able to open the zip, double-click on the readme, find out where to unzip it, and then simply unzip the whole thing into the proper folder.  Then you should be all set.  There's absolutely no reason why it should be much more difficult than that.

The problem is, many add-on creators just don't seem to know how to use the features of the zip utility properly.  Not only that, but a large minority of add-on authors are not exactly detail-orientated.  Just recently I found a freeware add-on that was in a zip file.  The zip contained a readme file, the necessary modified file, and 6 or 7 additional files that had absolutely no use whatsoever.  Judging by what these files were - exact (unaltered) copies of various game files, they presumably got included by accident.  Finally, the readme file instructed the user to unzip the modified file to the wrong folder (which basically ensured that the author's time spent creating the mod was completely wasted).  I didn't dare install the add-on, because if the author can't write correct installation instructions, what are the chances that he/she can modify a file successfully?

Strangely, this amateurish attitude on the part of add-on creators seems to be endemic to Microsoft flight sims.  Other flight sims don't have anywhere near the same degree of trouble with 3rd party add-ons.  Perhaps it's because other games are more difficult to hack.  MS have made their games more accessible to the player community.  While that's undoubtedly a good thing, it seems to create some unintended and annoying consequences.

Personally, I think the safest way to install addons is to keep a folder for everything you download.
Mine looks something like this

FSDOWNLOADS--
                 Aircraft---
                       Panels---
                            Sounds--
                                  Utilities--

And just unzip them into whatever folder applies.

We've all been burnt by the way Zips are packaged.
Better to be safe than sorry.

Al

We have always recommedned everyone to unzip & autoinstall into a Temp folder ( with rare exception - like FSD mentioned above). It's the only way to do it.
That way you are in control.
& That way you will never have problems.
I never do anything else.


Yes - many contributors to our hobby give misleading info in the Readme -the most common '... unzip into the Aircraft folder in FS2002'  but ......
1. They have given to the community for nothing but ... well nothing ....  That's generous!  8)
2. OK ... they got that bit wrong .... .... mm ... well.. that's life.. (& you didn't pay for this generosity) ... that's why we go to the trouble of making basic tutorials here......  ;D

I, & almost certainly all of us, have been in these shoes at one time & know what it feels like to not seeing your plane in the sim.

But there really is only one answer : ALWAYS UNZIP INTO A TEMP FOLDER & understand the simple main folder & sub folder structure so you can copy the main folder across. .

[quote]...but ......
1. They have given to the community for nothing but ... well nothing ....

What you say is absolutely right! & in an ideal world the contributors WOULD finish with the correct install info.

But - this has been an issue since FS add-ons (& most likely all software add-ons) began. It's been something that used to keep me & Doug (my ex partner in this) very busy in the Repetition Business.

Those that get it right - great. But even then I will still install into a TEMP folder because it makes no difference in the end.