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FSX Help/advice needed - No Tools Menu after 3 days trying...

DragonflightDesign

Resource contributor
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northernireland
<Path>..\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Environment Kit\Traffic Toolbox SDK\traffictoolbox.dll</Path>
These paths... The SDK installation assumes that you will take the default side-by-side installation path. If you tell the SDK to install in a non-default folder (mine is D:\FSX SDK and FSX is in D:\FSX Flight Simulator), the installer will still give you the side-by-side relative paths. Changing them to the hard-coded real path solves this problem.

[Edit] Clarification: Even though the installer was told to use D:\FSX SDK, when I opened up the dll.xml file the SDK installer had still written the default path of (e.g.)

..\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Mission Creation Kit\object_placement.dll

instead of the expected

D:\FSX SDK\Mission Creation Kit\object_placement.dll

Poor installer coding.
 
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n4gix

Resource contributor
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Dai, see the previous reply. That is what the ConfigSDK.exe utility is supposed to take care of...

I habitually install nothing in the default paths because my C drive is a miniscule SSD and simply does not have enough room for such.
 

DragonflightDesign

Resource contributor
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1,082
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northernireland
Hello Bill

I read that as ConfigSDK.exe changes the registry paths, not the paths in dll.xml. Is it supposed to do that as well, or did I misread it?
 
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us-florida
These paths... The SDK installation assumes that you will take the default side-by-side installation path. If you tell the SDK to install in a non-default folder (mine is D:\FSX SDK and FSX is in D:\FSX Flight Simulator), the installer will still give you the side-by-side relative paths. Changing them to the hard-coded real path solves this problem.

[Edit] Clarification: Even though the installer was told to use D:\FSX SDK, when I opened up the dll.xml file the SDK installer had still written the default path of (e.g.)

..\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Mission Creation Kit\object_placement.dll

instead of the expected

D:\FSX SDK\Mission Creation Kit\object_placement.dll

Poor installer coding.

Thanks for the replies

My SDK and FSX root folders are installed in the same place, so I don't think that would be an issue, but I have updated the paths to the direct location (no ".."):

f<?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252"?>

<SimBase.Document Type="Launch" version="1,0">
<Descr>Launch</Descr>
<Filename>dll.xml</Filename>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<Launch.ManualLoad>False</Launch.ManualLoad>
<Launch.Addon>
<Name>Object Placement Tool</Name>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad>
<Path>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Mission Creation Kit\Object_Placement.dll</Path>
</Launch.Addon>
<Launch.Addon>
<Name>Traffic Toolbox</Name>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad>
<Path>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Environment Kit\Traffic Toolbox SDK\traffictoolbox.dll</Path>
</Launch.Addon>
<Launch.Addon>
<Name>Visual Effects Tool</Name>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad>
<Path>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Environment Kit\Special Effects SDK\visualfxtool.dll</Path>
</Launch.Addon>
</SimBase.Document>

Still no tools menu. I am reinstalling the SDK from the CD now and will let you know how that goes.

Thanks
 
Messages
455
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us-florida
So I uninstalled the SDK, the installed the SDK SP1 from disk 1 of FSX Deluxe Edition that came with FSX Gold. Then I used the Acceleration DVD to install the SDK SP1a and SP2. Still no tools menu. I did not have the Accelleration expansion pack for FSX installed, so when I tried to install that, it said to first uninstall FSX SP2, but I can not find FSX SP2 in add/remove programs. Any ideas on that?

Thanks
 
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7,450
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us-illinois
Hi Caleb:

Just to clarify, we are discussing only the status messages that appear during installation of the SDK from folder chains on FSX Deluxe and FSX Acceleration DVDs that came in the post-RTM "FSX Gold" package, correct ?

Also, you have NOT separately installed a FSX SP2 'patch' for FSX (the simulator package, and NOT the SDK), correct ?

If so, the status messages that appear during installation of the SDK refer to the un-installation of SDK components from a version of the SDK released prior to FSX Acceleration ...that are replaced by SDK components from FSX Acceleration.


If you DID install a FSX SP2 'patch' for FSX (the simulator package, and NOT the SDK), that MUST be removed, as any FSX SP2 updates you need to use are already included with- and automatically installed by- FSX Acceleration. :alert:

Be sure to check the "version" icons and properties seen for FSX (the simulation itself)- and the SDK- ...in:

Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features > Add / Remove Programs


PS: If you un-install the FSX Gold SDK and use the LM-P3Dv1.4x SDK installer, you will have everything from the FSX SDK that a successful install from DVDs has, and your Windows Registry, DLL.XML file etc. will all be auto-configured for you. ;)

https://www.prepar3d.com/support/sdk/


GaryGB
 
Messages
455
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us-florida
Thanks GaryGB

The SDKs from the FSX Deluxe and Acceleration CDs installed successfully, but did not give me a tools menu. What I got an error in was when trying to install the Acceleration expansion pack to FSX (not the SDK, but the simulator).

Now when I go into Add/Remove programs, I see the FSX SP2 (sim). Maybe I didn't see that before. I am uninstalling that now, and then will install the Acceleration expansion pack for the sim and see if that gives me a tools menu.

Thanks.
 
Messages
7,450
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us-illinois
Caleb:

The installation of 'Acceleration expansion pack to FSX' (not the SDK, but the simulator) is totally separate from the SDK.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO AN UN-INSTALL OF FSX (THE SIMULATOR). :alert:

IIRC, by default the entries on the SDK "toolbar" are 'disabled' after the SDK is installed.

They must then be manually and individually enabled after finding the correct 'active" copy of DLL.XML in your Windows user profile 'system' folder chain. :pushpin:

IIRC, during installation of the SDK from the Acceleration DVD if it states that a prior version of the SDK is to be un-installed, you should proceed and allow the SDK installer to do that for you automatically.

PS: If you have installed the Acceleration Expansion Pack (simulator), you should also have installed the SDK from the Acceleration DVD after having first installed the Deluxe DVD SDK and SDK SP1A. ;)

GaryGB
 
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Messages
455
Country
us-florida
Thanks for the reply.

I was installing the Acceleration pack to FSX the sim because of what @F70 said earlier in this thread, that the numbers had to be the same. I'm not exactly sure what the "numbers" are and where to find them, but I was assuming if I was using the Acceleration SDK, I might need to have the Acceleration pack for the simulator installed.

After the SDK reinstallations the DLL.xml file was not changed at all from what it was when I edited it in the first place, and disabled is set to False...

There is still no tools menu. Any more ideas would be greatly appreciated.

If I were to use the P3D v3.4 SDK to make some special effects, as long as they did not have any P3D v3.4+ only features, would the special effects be compatible with FSX and P3D v1-2? Maybe it would be easier to get the tools menu to show up in P3D v3.4...

Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate your time. This is a big mystery to me.
 
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newzealand
I'm not exactly sure what the "numbers" are and where to find them
If I recall correctly, the simulator version number is under Help>About Flight Simulator under the top menu in the simulation window. There should be a version number (10.0.xxxxx.x) followed by something like (FSX-xpack.20070926-1421). The first series is the simulator version number, and the latter is the easy-to-read alternative that corresponds to the first number.

And yes, the SDK version needs to be the same as that of the installed sim. However, effects and that should work in any of the ESP derivatives provided they don't use any unique functions.
 
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7,450
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us-illinois
Hi Caleb:

IIUC, you want to use the FS Special Effects SDK Special Effects Tool by 'enabling' VisualFxTool.DLL in DLL.XML.


Install and use the FSX SDK version for FSX, and the P3D SDK version(s) for P3D. :pushpin:


I suggest making the Effect (aka *.Fx file) in FSX Special Effects SDK, then testing it in P3D to see if it works properly.


I am more familiar with SDK Special Effects Tool, but, Arno's FxEditor utility has also become a useful alternative:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/forums/fxeditor.116/


It believe you may find it helpful to review the following thread (linked above) ...and any threads / Wikis linked therein:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/read-first-fsx-sdk-installation-all-versions.8285/

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=SDK_Installation_(FSX)


PS: I also recommend that you download and use the Flight1 FSX DLL.XML Viewer and Repair Utility

http://www.flight1.com/files/FSXML.zip


...from this web page:

http://www.flight1.com/view.asp?page=library


GaryGB
 
Last edited:
Messages
455
Country
us-florida
If I recall correctly, the simulator version number is under Help>About Flight Simulator under the top menu in the simulation window. There should be a version number (10.0.xxxxx.x) followed by something like (FSX-xpack.20070926-1421). The first series is the simulator version number, and the latter is the easy-to-read alternative that corresponds to the first number.

And yes, the SDK version needs to be the same as that of the installed sim. However, effects and that should work in any of the ESP derivatives provided they don't use any unique functions.

Thanks, I found the numbers. FSX (the sim) and the FSX SDK are the same. So that's not my problem.

IIUC, you want to use the FS Special Effects SDK Special Effects Tool by 'enabling' VisualFxTool.DLL in DLL.XML.

Correct. That is what I want to do, and that's what I did.

I suggest making the Effect (aka *.Fx file) in FSX Special Effects SDK, then testing it in P3D to see if it works properly.

This is what I wanted to do, but I was wondering if using the P3D SDK to make the effects in the first place might be easier than trying to get this tools menu to show up. (As long as the end result would work in FSX.)

PS: I also recommend that you download and use the Flight1 FSX DLL.XML Viewer and Repair Utility

http://www.flight1.com/files/FSXML.zip


...from this web page:

http://www.flight1.com/view.asp?page=library

Thanks, I will try this out.

-----

Any other ideas on the tools menu in FSX?

Thanks
 
Messages
7,450
Country
us-illinois
Hi Caleb:

If your goal is to reduce work-flow, I suggest making the *.Fx file for FSX first, then see if it also works OK in P3D.


FYI: P3D is largely FSX called by a new name, with 'some' changes now enabled (only) via new P3D SDK compilers


BTW: Nearly all default scenery is the same files from FSX Deluxe with Acceleration ...under the name of ESP or P3D.

So most scenery objects / content compiled via the FSX SDKs and/or P3Dv1.4x SDK ...'should' work in P3D.

But, there 'may' be differences when such scenery objects / content are compiled via the P3D version 2.x / 3.x / 4.x SDKs.


Follow every step in the troubleshooting threads / Wikis linked above ...precisely. ;)

NOTE
: The above cited SDK troubleshooting info is genuinely the 'best' I have found on any FS web sites. :pushpin:

GaryGB
 
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Messages
455
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us-florida
Ok. Thanks. I will read go through the troubleshooting steps and I'm sure I will fund a solution there. Might have been nice to find that earlier. :)

Thanks for your help everyone.
 
Messages
455
Country
us-florida
I installed FSUIPC and it is working fine now and I have a tools menu!

Thanks everyone for your help.
 
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