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MSFS Package Tool and Steam Version

rhumbaflappy

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This works in PowerShell:

Code:
D:\Programs\Steam\steamapps\common\MicrosoftFlightSimulator\FlightSimulator -I ";" BuildAssetPackages "C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\SimpleAerial\SimpleAerialProject.xml" "C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\SimpleAerial\Tmp" "C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\SimpleAerial\Output" Force Console

It's a bit freaky that there is no open console to show progress, but it does work.
 

rhumbaflappy

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REbuildPackages also seems to work, and might be what we'd actually want during testing of our assets? Odd that a BAT or CMD file doesn't work.
 

scruffyduck

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My understanding from the package tool is that rebuild causes all assets to be rebuilt. Otherwise it is an incremental build which leaves unchanged files alone. This is obviously faster but whether it makes any noticeable difference when the bulk of time is activating the sim is moot
 

rhumbaflappy

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I just tried this from the powershell:

Code:
D:\Programs\Microsoft Games\MSFS\SDK\Tools\bin\fspackagetool.exe "C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\SimpleAerial\SimpleAerialProject.xml" -tempdir "C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\SimpleAerial\Tmp" -outputdir "C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\SimpleAerial\Output" -rebuild

It did NOT work.

The solution from Szpike works via powershell or as a .ps1 file which invokes powershell.
 
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Szpike's solution worked for me too and I greatly appreciate it.

Hopefully Asobo will fix fspackagetool to work properly with Steam and eliminate the overhead of it having to launch MSFS. The whole process took 65 seconds on my computer but only 55ms of that was the actual fspackagetool compile (with rebuild). The rest was waiting for it to launch MSFS.
 

scruffyduck

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The package tool in 0.6.0 does not appear to work. It will open the steam version but not initiate a build. There is a new parameter for the package tool in 0.6.0 called -forcestream. This is supposed to direct the build to the steam version if both versions (MS & Steam) are installed on the same computer. It has no effect on getting the steam version to initiate a build. The workaround in this thread still works. This has been reported to Asobo
 
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Slightly revised workaround, which removes the annoying Steam dialog and makes things a lot faster because Steam isn't verifying the initial file distribution!

You will need your path to Steam.exe this time, rather than FlightSimulator.exe.

Again, still needs Powershell due to quoting semantics.

Code:
Steam.exe -noverifyfiles -silent -applaunch 1250410 -I ";" BuildAssetPackages <path to XML> <temp path> <output path> Force Console

e.g.

Code:
Steam.exe -noverifyfiles -silent -applaunch 1250410 -I ";" BuildAssetPackages "E:\msfs\SimpleAirport\AirportProject.xml" "E:\msfs\SimpleAirport\Tmp" "E:\msfs\SimpleAirport\Output" Force Console
 

rhumbaflappy

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Slightly revised workaround, which removes the annoying Steam dialog and makes things a lot faster because Steam isn't verifying the initial file distribution!

You will need your path to Steam.exe this time, rather than FlightSimulator.exe.

Again, still needs Powershell due to quoting semantics.

Code:
Steam.exe -noverifyfiles -silent -applaunch 1250410 -I ";" BuildAssetPackages <path to XML> <temp path> <output path> Force Console

e.g.

Code:
Steam.exe -noverifyfiles -silent -applaunch 1250410 -I ";" BuildAssetPackages "E:\msfs\SimpleAirport\AirportProject.xml" "E:\msfs\SimpleAirport\Tmp" "E:\msfs\SimpleAirport\Output" Force Console
Great solution! This works if Steam is already running or not. Simple solution.
 
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For me, the "FlightSimulator.exe" version works fine, but not the "Steam.exe" one. I do get a brief Steam popup when it starts, but then, nothing happens. It might have to do with the fact that the Steam folder is on a different drive than my package folder, but it doesn't really matter much, as I have at least one version that's working. (Just wanted to post this here, in case somebody else is running into a similar issue.)

Great work, Szpike, either way!
 
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@Kronzky - that's interesting. Steam is indeed on a different drive than my package folder here too. No idea why you're seeing a different behaviour!
 

GHD

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For me, the "FlightSimulator.exe" version works fine, but not the "Steam.exe" one. I do get a brief Steam popup when it starts, but then, nothing happens. It might have to do with the fact that the Steam folder is on a different drive than my package folder, but it doesn't really matter much, as I have at least one version that's working. (Just wanted to post this here, in case somebody else is running into a similar issue.)

Great work, Szpike, either way!
Which operating system do you use? Steam no longer works on Windows XP.
 

rhumbaflappy

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I am able to compile with a batch file (CompilePackage.bat) and double-click it to run, rather than as a powerscript PS1 file.

Code:
SET __COMPAT_LAYER = WINXP
SETLOCAL
SET PATH=%PATH%;D:\Programs\Steam

Steam.exe -noverifyfiles -silent -applaunch 1250410 -I ";" BuildAssetPackages "C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\SimpleAerial\SimpleAerialProject.xml" "C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\SimpleAerial" "C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\SimpleAerial"

ENDLOCAL

SETLOCAL and ENDLOCAL keep the Path addition as temporary, ending when the batch ends. SET __COMPAT_LAYER = WINXP should run the remaining batch commands as WINXP compatibility and avoiding the UAC (perhaps).
 
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Hello:

Sorry if I missed a thread elsewhere, but is there an equivalent workflow for MSFS DVD / MS AppStore installs ? :scratchch

GaryGB
 
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Hello:

Sorry if I missed a thread elsewhere, but is there an equivalent workflow for MSFS DVD / MS AppStore installs ? :scratchch

GaryGB

@GaryGB You can use fspackagetool directly from the SDK - SDK/tools/bin/

Thanks... I'll check that out.

Looks like I did not recall that executable name which was used in these threads: :oops::laughing:

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=LK-CX86CE8WztQbyu4ygBA&q=site:www.fsdeveloper.com+fspackagetool&oq=site:www.fsdeveloper.com+fspackagetool&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQDDoECAAQDToICAAQCBANEB5QuhZYwOABYPnqAWgAcAB4AIAB0QGIAecLkgEFMC45LjGYAQCgAQKgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwjOyLer_avsAhXFWc0KHfIdA0QQ4dUDCAw

GaryGB
 
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I get this:

Code:
C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\Smiley02>D:\Programs\Steam\steamapps\common\MicrosoftFlightSimulator\fspackagetool "C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\Smiley02\SimpleAerialProject.xml" -outputdir "C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\Smiley02" -tempdir "D:\Temp"
Error: Failed to Activate App Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App. hr = 0x80073cf1

It's a simple aerial package that compiles just fine within the sim.
Code:
D:\Programs\Steam\steamapps\common\MicrosoftFlightSimulator\fspackagetool "C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\Smiley02\SimpleAerialProject.xml" -outputdir "C:\Users\dickl\Desktop\Smiley02" -tempdir "D:\Temp"
I haven't got fspackagettoll in microsoftFlightSimulator! I have fspackgetool in SDK.
 
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I must copy bglcomp.xsd, bglcomp_gltfv1_1xsx, fsdevmodelauncher.exe, fspackgettool.exe and fspackagettol_overrideExePath.txt in MicrosoftFlightSimulator?
 
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The error in compilation: PackageToolConfig version is too low in file c:\Users\hp\OneDriver\Desktop\eleonora.xml (got 0, expected 2) Please update the xml file to correct version
Failed to open project XML file
 
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