answered Consolidating Orbx Libraries

[Fiddler]

I recently implemented a NAS which is going to house all custom scenery.  Using Orbx Central I created a new library and have downloaded several of the scenery packs I own into that.  I have one TrueEarth scenery pack that is in another Orbx library which I would like to migrate to the new library without re-installing.  Is there a way to do that?  When I poke around the Central app I don't find a way of doing that.  I see that I can edit the location, but I'm assuming that's different than changing the library name and location.  

 

If I can't do that without re-installing I'd like to at least move that library to the NAS for the time being. 

[Jon Clarke]

This is in the Orbx Central User guide

 

Moving a library to another location

Moving a library is painless with Central and can be achieved in a few steps only:

1. Go to Settings > Libraries.

2. Note the directory of the library you’d like to move.

3. Remove the library that you would like to move (remember: this doesn’t delete the actual files).

4. Close Central by right-clicking on the tray and selecting “quit”.

5. Move the directory to the new location in your operating system. This step may take a while depending on your disk speed.

6. Start Central again

7. Open Settings, and then the Libraries page

8. Press ‘Create New Library’

9. Select the new library location, give it a name and then press ‘Save’.

[Nick Cooper]

Hello Fiddler,

If the above method does work for you, please let me know.

In my experience, doing that will just generate an error message, the directory is not empty.

I asked for the instructions to be modified but it seems that they are not going to be.

If you follow them and encounter the Directory is not empty error message, try this instead.

 

 

Quote

1. Go to Settings > Libraries.
2. Note the directory of the library you’d like to move.
3. Remove the Orbx Central library that you would like to move (remember: this doesn’t delete the actual files).
4. Close Central by right-clicking on the tray and selecting “quit”.
5. Create a new and empty directory in the new location.
6. Start Central again
7. Open Settings, and then the Libraries page
8. Press ‘Create New Library’
9. Select the new library location, give it a name and then press ‘Save’.
10. Move the files and folders from your original library into the new location. DO NOT amend the file structure. This step may take a while depending on your disk speed.
11. Delete the original library folder from your disk drive.

 

 

[Fiddler]

2 minutes ago, Nick Cooper said:

Hello Fiddler,

If the above method does work for you, please let me know.

In my experience, doing that will just generate an error message, the directory is not empty.

I asked for the instructions to be modified but it seems that they are not going to be.

If you follow them and encounter the Directory is not empty error message, try this instead.

 

 

 

 

Ok thanks.  I tried something similar to what Jon suggested on something else and got that error message - so I'll just use yours.  So there's no facility to consolidate libraries it sounds like.  

[Fiddler]

42 minutes ago, Nick Cooper said:

Hello Fiddler,

If the above method does work for you, please let me know.

In my experience, doing that will just generate an error message, the directory is not empty.

I asked for the instructions to be modified but it seems that they are not going to be.

If you follow them and encounter the Directory is not empty error message, try this instead.

 

 

 

 

And just to be clear about not modifying the folder or file structure -  I currently have a path of D:\Orbx UK\xp11\TrueEarth Great Britain South\.....folder and files.  Which part of this path needs to be preserved - in other words at what level am I moving this to the new folder that I created for the new library?   The library was defined as D:\Orbx UK. 

[Nick Cooper]

Hello,

 

the name of the Orbx Central Library folder is entirely a matter of choice.

The contents, however are in individual folders, each given the product name.

I had thought that this line was clear:

 

Quote

Move the files and folders from your original library into the new location. DO NOT amend the file structure.

 

but in case it is not, you must move all the folders from your existing folder to your new folder and when doing so,

you must not change any of the folder and file structures at all.

In other words, the content of your new library must be precisely the same as the contents of the original folder.

This is usually achieved by selecting all of the contents at once and either cut and paste or copy and paste.

[Fiddler]

11 hours ago, Nick Cooper said:

Hello,

 

the name of the Orbx Central Library folder is entirely a matter of choice.

The contents, however are in individual folders, each given the product name.

I had thought that this line was clear:

 

 

but in case it is not, you must move all the folders from your existing folder to your new folder and when doing so,

you must not change any of the folder and file structures at all.

In other words, the content of your new library must be precisely the same as the contents of the original folder.

This is usually achieved by selecting all of the contents at once and either cut and paste or copy and paste.

My question wasn't about the name of the library.  It was looking at the path to the folder(s) that contained the scenic pack and determining if I need to move everything over from the XP11 folder level down, or could I move it starting from the 'TrueEarth Great Britain...' level.  I moved it from the xp11 folder down and it's working.  Thanks for your help. 

[GoonerKev]

Nick

When you say the highlighted, do you mean hit the delete button on central please.

Thank you.

 

[Nick Cooper]

Hello,

it means click on delete on the Orbx Central Library in question, in Orbx Central.

This does not delete any files, it simply deletes the path stored by Orbx Central to the folder in Windows Explorer.

[GoonerKev]

Thank you Nick, appreciate your quick reply.

[GoonerKev]

Worked a treat and now have back a lot of HD space, thank you so much.

[neilw]

I'm in the middle of doing this but am wondering what (or how) updates the alias folders/directories back in the actual XP app folder? Followed your instructions but am noticing that the alias folders still point to the old original library location. I have not tried to start XP yet, but in OC the Settings/Libraries is showing the right path to the library and shows the right size. But still not clear how the aliases get updated.

 

Note: I can easily delete the old aliases and create new ones if needed. Just wondering if this is supposed to happen automatically.

[neilw]

Tried to create new aliases but that didn't work. XP rewrote the ini file and put in the full path to the Orbx library, apparently not seeing the newly created aliases as  valid entries. Could reorder the ini file I guess but thinking there must be an easier way to do this. 

 

I also tried deleting my GB South and reinstalling but that apparently requires re-downloading the entire thing, so don't want to have to do that for the others. 

[Nick Cooper]

Hello,

you should be able to just run Sync Simulator.

[neilw]

32 minutes ago, Nick Cooper said:

Hello,

you should be able to just run Sync Simulator.

Tried that previously and it didn't do it. I'm waiting for the GB South to finish installing and will try that again. 

 

Also thinking that I created new aliases (Mac) and likely this needs symbolic links instead??

[neilw]

Okay, finally resolved the problem with moving the library to another drive on a Mac.

1. The Orbx aliases in the XP/custom scenery were not updated and no longer worked.
2. Deleting and reinstalling the various packs such as GB South, Florida, etc. (including having to re-download all files) did not fix it.
3. Running Help/Sync Simulator in O Central did not resolve it.
4. Normal Mac aliases did not work.
5. What finally worked was to delete the existing non-functioning aliases within XP/Custom Scenery.
6. Create new Symbolic Links for each of the TE and Orbx airports (and TerraFlora) within the XP/Custom Scenery folder.

For Mac users, creating "symbolic links" is not too difficult, but just takes a little time using Mac's Terminal app.

Reference for creating these links: https://www.howtogeek.com/297721/how-to-create-and-use-symbolic-links-aka-symlinks-on-a-mac/

Just need to be careful to create all needed links.

 

Luckily I had kept a copy of the original scenery_packs.ini file prior to moving my library, so after creating the new symbolic links, I put a copy of the old file back in the Custom Scenery folder to get the right load order. All seems to work now. 

 

Hope this helps anyone else trying to move their library on a Mac.