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Unable to select liveries MSFS

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100
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netherlands
Hi,
Aircraftselection of the base models is going well as well as the liveries that are in the base-folder itself. However. selection of aircraft that are in additional livery-folders will not work, mostly commented with the message that the modelfile cannot be found. In the MSFS aircraftselection menu they are presented well.
How can I manipulate AIFP in order that it sees the liveries?
Piet de Geus
Netherlands
 

gadgets

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For any such aircraft, what is the fully qualified path to the folder containing the aircraft.cfg file? Please send me a screenshot of that folder as well as the the aircraft.cfg file.
 
Messages
100
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netherlands
Hi,
As an example, all add-on liveries have the same problem. Both the original aircraft-folder and the livery-folder are in \Packages\Official\OneStore.
I hope this helps.


With kind regards
Piet de Geus
bandicam 2021-02-06 19-25-54-634.jpg
 

gadgets

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Based on my current knowledge of MSFS, I can see no reason why your add-on aircraft aren't being processed.

However, I notice two significant things about the data you sent:
  • The only file appearing in the folder containing the aircraft.cfg file is the aircraft.cfg file itself (and the model and texture folders). In stock aircraft, there are many more files in that folder.
  • The aircraft.cfg file contains a block entitled "[VARIATION}" for which I can find no documentation. The contents of that section appears to "point" to a stock aircraft.
I am suspicious that add-on aircraft whose aircraft.cfg file contains a [VARIATION] block requires that that add-on aircraft be processed in association with the data of the aircraft "pointed to" by that block. However, AIFP currently "knows" nothing about such a scheme.

I would hope that you, or another knowledgeable MSFS user could confirm my suspicion or otherwise explain the [VARIATION] block. (I've downloaded the latest SDK; there's no reference to that block in it.)

Also, please zip up send me the aircraft.cfg file and Model.Main folder.
 

gadgets

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I have searched a number of forums looking for info on [VARIATION]. I found one, which appears to confirm my earlier suspicion. In particular, that post stated that (in your case) the model.cfg file Model.Main folder must point to the model folder of the aircraft noted under [VARIATION]. If that is the case, then that explains AIFP's current behavior.

Once you send me your Model.Main folder, I will be able to confirm that's what's happening. Fortunately, the fix should be easy.
 

gadgets

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I light of my last post, I have re-examined the listing of the aircraft.cfg file you posted. If my reading of the purpose of the [Variation] block is correct, it appears the folder Livery B747_8i_KLMJAKARTA is meant to be reside in the asobo-aircraft-b7478i\SimObjects\Airplanes folder. I can see no other way the aircraft.cfg file applicable to the repaint can "connect" with base aircraft data or the Model file.

Currently, the livery folder is installed two levels above in the Official/One Store folder.
 

gadgets

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I've now read everything I can find on MSFS2020 liveries. It appears this capability has never been officially documented and that much of the community attempting to use is still "winging it".

I am happy to adapt AIFP to also use this capability. But, to do so, I need to know how the base_container item in the [VARIATION] block in the repaint aircraft.cfg file is meant to link to the base aircraft to which it points - by name only, no path info.

As I noted above, the only mechanism I can envisage to make this link is if the repaints are installed in the base Simobjects folder. But doing so would require a custom installer to handle the associated .json and .manifest files and to strip the repaints out of their AirPlanes folders. Indeed, Some references I found indicated liveries should go into the Community folder. If there, there is absolutely no way to get back to the base folder.
 
Last edited:
Messages
100
Country
netherlands
Hi,
Maybe it gave some confusion, my screenshot shows actually two things, the listing of the Aircraft.cfg and the Explorer showing the location of the folder and the contents of the folder.
Piet
 
Messages
100
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netherlands
Hi,
Would somebody be so kind as to test this construction in one's own environment? having the add-on folder in the same OneStor as the base-model? MSFS itself accepts it
 
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100
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netherlands
Hi, As requested, here a zip of the Model.Main folder and the aircraft.cfg.I hope this will make things clear
regards,
Piet
 

Attachments

  • Asobo_B747_8i-KLMJAKARTA.zip
    1.7 KB · Views: 121

gadgets

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My confusion is with the [VARIATION] block in the livery aircraft.cfg files. It contains a single item base_container = "..\Asobo_A320_NEO" which, of course, is a stock airplane. However, while "..\Asobo_A320_NEO" suggests a relative path to the livery data in the same folder as the stock aircraft, this is not the case. For the liveries to work, I have confirmed they must be installed independent of the stock aircraft. (It doesn't matter to AIFP whether that's the Community folder or One Store.)

So the "..\Asobo_A320_NEO" must only be symbolic, meaning, simply, use the Asobo_321_NEO data.

My hope in making the above post was that someone could explain to me the internal workings of MSFS in this regard which hasn't yet occurred.

Fortunately, it doesn't appear to be a "big deal" to implement a parallel approach in AIFP. I'll do so ASAP.
 

gadgets

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I have just posted AIFP Development Release 3.4.2.5(a) at http://stuff4fs.com. With it, you should be able to select members of liveries and, in the Aircraft Editor, the additional applicable data for the base aircraft will appear.

Please give it a good workout and report any issues.
 
Messages
100
Country
netherlands
Hi,
Just installed the update, as asked for by the AIFP program.
I am sorry to say that this new version still has the problem. The message is: Cannot find the model. The situation: In the OneStore folder I have as example both a file of Asobo with the Bonanza G36 and a livery-file of the KLM-version. The main aircraft shows up but does not list eventual liveries. Then when I select in the livery-folder that KLM-version, the message of not finding the right model-folder appears.
When I have a folder with both basic and add-on-liveries inside, it works well, e.g. the L-19 Bird Dog. Then all liveries are displayed and accepted. Also the MSFS selection window shows the liveries as specified.
 

gadgets

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Piet, you've made a number of general statements whereas, to understand the problem, I need specifics. For example, you state "The main aircraft shows up but does not list eventual liveries.", but I have no idea what dialog you are looking at. And "I have as example both a file of Asobo with the Bonanza G36 and a livery-file of the KLM-version.", but, I have no idea of the file structure. And, you have not identified the version number of the release you are testing.

What I can tell you is if you save the aircraft.cfg and Model folder for KLM you sent me a few days ago in a folder named "KLM" in "Official\One Store\asobo-aircraft-b7478i\SimObjects\Airplanes, - along side Asobo_B747_8i, the latest development release (and, I expect, the last version I sent you) of AIFP will recognize the KLM variant without the "missing model" error message.

It's quite possible FS2020 offers multiple methods of saving variants. But the one I described above is the only one I am aware of. If your file organization is different and acceptable to FS20202, please describe it and I'll be happy to address it.
 
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100
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netherlands
Hi, This method works! Putting texture and the text of the aircraft.cfg into the main aircraft.cfg. Up till now there are two ways that additional liveries are handled in MSFS. As said the provider adds them also directly it the main-folder (like e.g. Black Box with their L-19) or standalone add-ons are supplied in a separate file with (alias)model, texture and aircraft. cfg. This aircraft.cfg refers for many things to the main folder of the type. This then is a separate-folder and can be put in either the OneStore or Communityfolder, both ways are acceptable for MSDFS. My KLM-addon was of this type. Because of the way of referring from add-on to main is very complex, ununderstandablke for me, I could not figure out how to connect it.
Thanks to your solution I now know what to do.
With kind regards.
Piet
 

gadgets

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I don't know about any alternate method. But, if you check the .mdl path definitions in the model.cfg file for KLM, you will see they can only work if your files are configure as I have described.
 
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100
Country
netherlands
Hi,
As far as I can see, the specs are O.K. But I am suspicious about the ....\....\ commandparts. As said, the KLM add-on is in the same One Store folder as the original Asobe-aircraft-b7478i. Can you have a look at the specs then? The relevant KLM-files are attached. Hoping this can make things clear,
Piet
 

Attachments

  • Asobo_B747_8i-KLM_RETRO.zip
    2.9 MB · Views: 122

gadgets

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What is it about which you are suspicious? It works for me. You appear to have reported that it works for you when the files are configured as I described. It's the '..\..\" that makes it all work when so configured.
 
Messages
100
Country
netherlands
Hi,
I checked it again, In my 747 KLM livery there are 3 elements, the folder Model.main with in the model.cfg 2 lines with FORWARD slashes for reference (../../Asobo etc), then there is the KLM.Texture-folder with in its texture.cfg the fall-back references with BACKWARD slashes, some for two elements and some for three elements ..\. In the aircraft.cfg there is only one reference in the sector Variation, but with one one step-element ..\Asobe etx. In MSFS it show up in the Livery-selectionpart, as do others also.
Then when in AIFP Adding a single aircraft: When selecting the base-model, it is accepted, but it does not show the addons to choose from (which is normal). Then when selecting via the add-on folder the add-on can be selected, but when trying to add it to the aircraft-list I get that message of not finding the model.
For a good understanding: I have both the basic folder and the add-ons livery folder in the same One-Store-folder.
I hope this brings some light in the darkness.
With kind regards,
Piet
 
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