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MSFS20 can ADE2020 be used in MSFS2024
- Thread starter solid
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I am using ADE with MSFS2024 for a new project. I've kept the default folders except for the SDK where the path is the MSFS2024 one.
Initially I had also changed the path of the Community folder to the MSFS2024 one but this creates another Community folder somewhere, and I decided to keep the MSFS2020 one.
When the project is saved/built in the 2020 Community folder, I copy and paste it into the 2024 one.
Initially I had also changed the path of the Community folder to the MSFS2024 one but this creates another Community folder somewhere, and I decided to keep the MSFS2020 one.
When the project is saved/built in the 2020 Community folder, I copy and paste it into the 2024 one.
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I'll defer to the program's author who still visits this thread. I'm not trying to be critical , but I think that you have to ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish by doing this. ADE won't read MSFS 2024 default airport files, even if they were made available on the local PC rather than streamed. This has been verified by using the Virtual File System in the 2024 Developer Mode to download airport BGL files to the local PC. The DLL that ADE uses to read the BGL files has not been updated to ignore the few extra fields that have been added to the airport BGL files that are specific to 2024. So, you must start with a 2020 default airport file which may differ from the equivalent file used in 2024. However, if Asobo ever reopens its World Hub, then it will be possible to modify default 2024 airports by importing the WH airport's XML file with a minor amount of editing to remove any XML code that would cause ADE to fail. It's also remotely possible that someone here will write a replacement DLL which allows ADE to read 2024 BGL files.
But let's say that one starts with a 2020 default airport file and compiles it with the 2024 SDK. If 2024 is truly backwards compatible, the file might be almost identical to that compiled by the 2020 SDK. The exception might be header information in the BGL file which indicates the sim version.
My suggestion is to continue to use ADE with MSFS 2020 and then open the outputted XML file in MSFS 2024 Developer Mode. One advantage to doing so is that one can add apron text markings, which are a new feature in 2024. I've done this and it works correctly.
But let's say that one starts with a 2020 default airport file and compiles it with the 2024 SDK. If 2024 is truly backwards compatible, the file might be almost identical to that compiled by the 2020 SDK. The exception might be header information in the BGL file which indicates the sim version.
My suggestion is to continue to use ADE with MSFS 2020 and then open the outputted XML file in MSFS 2024 Developer Mode. One advantage to doing so is that one can add apron text markings, which are a new feature in 2024. I've done this and it works correctly.
All what you say is true and I concur with you. I know the improvements added with the 2024 SDK and what ADE can or can't do with FS2020/2024, and also that the MSFS SDKs give me headaches because I'm getting old. So I carry on with ADE. As you say the major improvements in the MS2024 SDK are the aprons text markings and the VDGS. I would be delighted to implement that in a future release but for the time being qui va piano va sano...
And so @solid : yes you can!
And so @solid : yes you can!
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I agree with you on the UI for Developer Mode. It's great, if one is doing nothing but working on MSFS projects every day. But if one is just using it occasionally, it's easy to forget things and get all muddled up. I don't think that problem has much to do with the user's age.
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You can't directly open a 2024 airport BGL file in the MSFS 2020 version of ADE. The format of an 2024 airport BGL has additional entry types when compared to the 2020 format and this causes all known BGL to XML translators to fail. The author of the conversion library used by ADE has not posted here in a while and the library is not open source. If Adobo ever reopens their World Hub, then one can download the XML for a default 2024 airport, edit out the offending fields and import the XML to ADE. This is a convoluted workaround, unfortunately.
A better option is to use the 2020 version of ADE, edit the 2020 default airport as needed and then use the MSFS Developer Mode to create a 2024 format BGL file based on the XML that is exported from ADE. But that doesn't seem like what you want to do.
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I can agree with you, but Xavios has released an LFPG addon on fsto and has put in his PDF readme it was done with ADE and also said previously in the thread he was able to use it with MFS2024 airports.
So I'm curious how he can do it because on my side I'm not able at all to open this airport for example and his addon is based on the 2024 version, not a conversion from 2020 because on 2024 we have a dedicated reworked LFPG version.
Hello.
Sorry for the late reply. I was away from my base, and when I got back, I had a problem with my PC. I've lost all my projects in the FS20/24 SDK folders and months of work. If you notice any strange behaviors on your PC, don't make the same stupid mistake I did by formatting, but change the MB CMOS battery instead, believe me.
I started to work with ADE for my first FS20 project and decided to opt for the SDK tools. Initially I simply copy/paste my ADE project folder in the SDK "sample" folder and continued. I had some syntax problems but nothing that I could not solved. The ADE XML is/was read by the SDK compiler. ADE is handling correctly the Airlines assignment which the FS SDK cannot. ADE is not handling the light effects (wig-wag etc...) and ground markings but the SDK yes.
For FS24, I initially did the same thing as before: I put the ADE project folders inside the FS24 SDK and observed what happened. The only thing that the SDK did not parse was the fact that some roads, taxiways and paths were not connected to the airport diagram, so I had to create extra links to connect these orphan networks. In the Asobo FS20 LFPG, there were road links here and there, but in FS24, these were changed to 'lines'. I may not be explaining this very clearly, but please be indulgent with me as I have no means of checking what I'm trying to explain.
Best regards
Sorry for the late reply. I was away from my base, and when I got back, I had a problem with my PC. I've lost all my projects in the FS20/24 SDK folders and months of work. If you notice any strange behaviors on your PC, don't make the same stupid mistake I did by formatting, but change the MB CMOS battery instead, believe me.
I started to work with ADE for my first FS20 project and decided to opt for the SDK tools. Initially I simply copy/paste my ADE project folder in the SDK "sample" folder and continued. I had some syntax problems but nothing that I could not solved. The ADE XML is/was read by the SDK compiler. ADE is handling correctly the Airlines assignment which the FS SDK cannot. ADE is not handling the light effects (wig-wag etc...) and ground markings but the SDK yes.
For FS24, I initially did the same thing as before: I put the ADE project folders inside the FS24 SDK and observed what happened. The only thing that the SDK did not parse was the fact that some roads, taxiways and paths were not connected to the airport diagram, so I had to create extra links to connect these orphan networks. In the Asobo FS20 LFPG, there were road links here and there, but in FS24, these were changed to 'lines'. I may not be explaining this very clearly, but please be indulgent with me as I have no means of checking what I'm trying to explain.
In short It's what I did...
Best regards
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Thanks for your time to reply and sad to heard about your computer issue. I always backup and git important things so I'm always able to restore behind (thanks I am working in IT so I have best practices)
So what I understand from your answer is you have initiated a project from 20 and you were able to work on the lfpg 24 airport configuration with it, but all your work are done in the SDK and not in ADE and some parts needs to be reworked behind like orphans.
They are many changes in the 2024 version, you haven't found some issues like wrong ils alignments etc... ? Because it's pretty a known issue from asobo airports that they don't respect a lot some parts like the taxi line gates are not at the good gps position, ils path are not the true one expected (sometimes below, sometimes above) etc... and I'm guessing that some part are not aligned in the same way between 20 and 24.
You are still inherited all the objects without having possibility to replace them like the bridges right ?
From my side I am able to work with the SDK on the airport without breaking it but ofc I cannot remove objects, cannot touch taxi lines or add new apron missing etc... I can just add things above in fact like for taxi lines I can put some paint lines but by masking the old one by the new one above which sometimes acting really weird (the original taxi lines is shown on some part I have to move pixel by pixel to find the perfect angle for the sdk to show the above one)
This is correct.
Much to my surprise, I discovered that I had made a copy of my FS24 projects on a different PC. My ADE projects are on a separate drive. Ouf!
Each project is different. For LFPG, I focused on PKGs and TWYs. With the FS24 SDK, it's easy to check whether Asobo airports are correct or not because aprons or taxiways can be declared transparent and/or not drawn.
My big problem was (and still is) that some Asobo buildings are not properly positioned, so I decided some weeks ago to moved slightly a part of one terminal to match the correct position. I was happy with the result, but two days later, the building had vanished.
I reported this on the FSDev forum here:
https://devsupport.flightsimulator.com/t/a-object-becomes-invisible-in-msfs2024/15190/7
The answer is: don't do that. Because Asobo may well decide to add a coffee machine inside a Terminal and update its airport with this fundamental change; then its GUID will change in the FS library causing the preceding object to disappear. I only lost several hours of work...
Yes because everything is (cleverly) encrypted inside FS24. But not in FS20! What you can do is to use ADE and open/create a project in FS20, then save and move the project structure in FS24. From there you can edit/add/remove objects within the FS24 SDK.