SDK Installation (FSX)

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Revision as of 13:40, 8 January 2010 by BASys (talk | contribs) (Prerequisites)
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How to install the SDK for FSX/FSXA.

The Software Development Kit (SDK) is a set of development tools which allow you to develop, create or modify content for the simulation.
The majority of the tools are command-line based, but some are accessible via the in-game Tools menu, (not the GUI).

  • Print out this page, and work from that.
  • Read through thoroughly before commencing installation.
  • Ensure you've followed ALL instructions before you request assistance.


Prerequisites

Availability

  • The SDK is available in the FSX Deluxe package only, (not on FSX Standard).
  • Purchasers of FSX Standard can obtain the SDK by purchasing and installing FSX Acceleration.

Essential Components

.NET 2.0

Several tools require Microsoft .NET Framework Version 2.0 to be installed first.
Download from: Microsoft Downloads - .NET Framework Version 2.0

After installing .NET 2.0, (and rebooting if required).
ensure you then run Windows Update to obtain subsequent patches.

Please note:
.NET 3.0 is supplemental to .NET 2.0, it is not a replacement version !

Vcredist

To install the Flight Simulator X SDK the self-extracting executable file Vcredist must be installed first.
For more information, and a link to download this file, refer to: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/259403

Windows Update

Ensure you then run Windows Update to obtain any subsequent patches,
before attempting to install/reinstall/repair the SDK or apply any Service Packs.

Installation

  • Users must have Administrator privileges to install the SDK, (particularly important on Vista or later).
  • FSX Deluxe users must as a minimum have installed the FSX RTM SDK, before attempting to upgrade to the SDK Service Packs.
  • FSX must not be running whilst installing the SDK, or any Service Packs.
  • FSX must be restarted after editing either fsx.CFG or dll.xml, (as they're only read on FSX launch).
  • Do not copy SDK-DLLs into your FSX modules folder, (it's totally unnescessary).

Versions

Service Packs are available for both the FSX game and FSX SDK.
You must install the appropriate SDK SP version, which corresponds to your FSX game SP version.

Find your installed FSX version in the FSX column, read the matching SDK column/row details.

FSX ID# SDK Availability Installer Location
RTM 10.0.60905 RTM Retail sdk.msi FSX RTM disk 1, SDK sub-folder
SP1 Discontinued N/A Standalone
SP1 10.0.61355
(Russian: 10.0.61357)
SP1A Download (166Mb) * fsx_sdk_sp1a.exe Standalone
SP2 10.0.61472 SP2 Download (211Mb) * sdk.msi Standalone
Acceleration 10.0.61637 SP2/XPack Retail sdk.msi FSX Acceleration disk, SDK sub-folder

* May also be available on magazine cover discs.

RTM FSX Users

To install the SDK for FSX RTM:

  1. FSX must not be running.
  2. Browse the FSX Deluxe Edition disk 1
  3. Open the SDK sub-folder
  4. Double-click the setup.exe
  5. Tell it where to install

Default installation location is C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK

FSX SP1 users

To install the SDK for FSX SP1:

  1. Download FSX SDK SP1A
  2. First install the RTM SDK (see instructions above)
  3. Install the FSX SDK SP1A that you downloaded

FSX SP2 users

If you have FSX Acceleration Pack do not install SP2, see instructions below at FSX Acceleration Pack Users.

To install the SDK for FSX SP2:

  1. Download FSX SDK SP2
  2. First install the RTM SDK and SDK SP1A (see instructions above)
  3. Install the FSX SDK SP2 that you downloaded

FSX Acceleration Pack Users

To install the SDK for FSX Acceleration Pack:

  1. Insert your Acceleration Pack DVD
  2. Open the folder called SDK
  3. First install the RTM SDK and SDK SP1A (see instructions above, SDK SP1A is included on the disk for your convenience)
  4. Install sdk.msi from your disk to install the SDK for the Acceleration Pack

Important

Do not attempt to install the original retail version of the Flight Simulator X SDK over an updated SDK, as unpredictable results can occur.
If for some reason this is required, uninstall all versions of the Flight Simulator X SDK and re-install in chronological order.

Documentation

RTM, SP1 and SP1a documentation is supplied in html format, with each folder containing the relevant html file(s).

SP2 documentation is supplied in chm format, as a single compiled html file, fsxsdk.chm.
Located by default in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK

If your SDK is still in HTML format, rather than the Windows Help File format, (CHM),
then you have not installed SDK SP2.

Configuration

If you had installed both FSX & SDK to their default locations,
a quick indicator that the SDK is correctly installed,
the OPT should now be available from the FSX in-game Tools menu.

If you had installed either FSX, or the SDK, to a non-default location,
you must run configsdk.exe from the SDK's root folder.

N.B.
Running configsdk.exe will only correct the registry paths.
It will not update/correct the user's dll.xml file, (see FSX in-game Tools menu below).

FSX in-game Tools menu

The Tools menu is accessed from within a flight, (not from the main GUI).

The only SDK tools available in-game, are the Object Placement Tool, (OPT), 3 Traffic tools, and the Effects tool.

All other tools are run/started from outside the sim GUI.
Look in the root of where you'd installed the SDK, or in the start menu for documentation,
Click -> Start -> All Programs -> Microsoft Games -> Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK -> Flight Simulator X SDK

If having correctly followed all the above instructions and the Tools menu is still not displaying,
there are three aspects you need to investigate:

  • Addons
  • dll.xml
  • fsx.CFG

All changes must be made with FSX shut down.

Addons

Incorrect addon versions will prevent the in-game Tools menu from loading.

You must install all the appropriate addon updates, (e.g. FSUIPC), to match your SDK Service Pack version.
This is essential when you upgrade FSX to a newer service pack.

If the Tools menu still doesn't load:

  • Remove all addon entries.
  • Ensure the MS SDK tools load.
  • One by one, re-apply your addons, checking FSX each time to confirm the Tools menu is still present.

dll.xml

If the FSX Tools menu option is still not displaying, you may need to edit dll.xml manually, to:

  • include the full paths for the SDK entries.
  • set disabled to false
  • remove all addon entries.

Any changes will not be reflected till next time you start FSX.

Location

There are several example/backup dll.xml files located in the SDK subfolders, (4 example dll.xml), FSX root folder (default dll.xml backup copy).
IGNORE THOSE, they are irrelevant.

There is only one relevant dll.xml and it is located in your %APPDATA% folder, that's the same location as your fsx.cfg.

Depending on your operation system you will find it:

OS dll.xml location
XP C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX\
Vista C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX\
Win7 C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX\

Editing

You must use a text editor, e.g. Notepad, or an XML editor.
You must not use Word or Wordpad, as they will corrupt the file.

Default Installation Location

A relative path e.g.
..\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Mission Creation Kit\object_placement.dll

is relative to the FSX default location
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X

Non-Default Installation Location

If either FSX or the SDK is installed to a non-standard location then use a full path (aka absolute path). e.g.
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Mission Creation Kit\Object_Placement.dll

If you'd installed the SDK to your F: drive, then the full path would be:
F:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Mission Creation Kit\Object_Placement.dll

Disabled

Each of the 3 SDK tools need to be set as follows.

	<Disabled>False</Disabled>
	<ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad>

fsx.CFG

DRAFT SECTION

Trusted

On initial install of the SDK, then subsequent first FSX run, you are prompted whether to trust/allow each of the 3 SDK in-game tools to run. Did you ever say no? Please open your fsx.cfg in a text editor.

Look for the [Trusted] section find the 3 tools entries, these may appear multiple times, (one for each SDK version).

These are the entries for mine:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Mission Creation Kit\Object_Placement.dll.LONGSTRING=1
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Environment Kit\Traffic Toolbox SDK\traffictoolbox.dll.LONGSTRING=1
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Environment Kit\Special Effects SDK\visualfxtool.dll.LONGSTRING=1

Where LONGSTRING is a 'meaningless' alphanumeric string. The final value should be =1

Is it ? If not, change it to =1 Fire up FSX. Do the tools now display ?

Vista users

If that doesn't work, it may possible be that part of your fsx.CFG is corrupted (contains an inappropriate character).

  • Try renaming your fsx.cfg to fsx_TODAYSDATE.cfg
  • Fire up FSX. It'll rebuild the fsx.CFG and prompt for the required permissions.

If the 1's not sticking, it's because Vista treats all .cfg files as being system files. It opens a copy, and then saves your edited/changed file to somewhere else, (personal folders). Next time you open fsx.CFG, Vista is giving you the original.

Still having problems?

You can post a request for assistance to the FSDeveloper forums but before doing so we need some basic information about your system.

Please download Martin Gossman's ADE-Checker

Run ADE-Checker and it will generate an output about your PC configuration allowing us to identify which/if any components are installed/missing.

Please save the report and post your question in the SDK Installation forum.

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