resolved Simlinks problem

[gaab]

 

Operating system:  Windows 10 64b 1090

Simulator:  Prepar3D V4

Screenshot:  see text

Issue:  

Hello,

In order to get space for the Orbx sceneries duplicated between p3dv4 and p3dv5, I moved the p3dv4 folder of two of my four libraries to another drive and created simlinks to the actual data.

Since, Central don't see the corresponding sceneries as installed.
When I start the installation of one scenery, it is installed quite quickly (I keep the backups) and displayed as active, BUT as soon as I close and restart Global, it shows as not installed.

Following screen :

1 - start Global, product from simlinked folder are displayed as not installed

2 - EDCG details - installation

3 - Selection of the Library (EU where it is already...)

4 - Installation done

5 - After close and restart of Global
like first image (you will have to trust me)

6 - Folder content

 

central.log

 

Thanks for your assistance (please, don't ask me to move it back...)

And Yes, I am used to simlinks from years.

 

Gérard

[Ben McClintock]

Hi Gérard,

 

None of our code accounts for the <library>\p3dv4 or <library>\p3dv5 folders being symlinks.

 

I would recommend you delete the symlink you created at H:\OrbxEU\p3dv4. Then, create a new library in Central and set the path to be P:\Simulators\HOverflow\ORBXEU.

• P3Dv4 would read your EU scenery from your P: drive.
• P3Dv5 would read your EU scenery from your H: drive.
• Orbx Central will be able to read and manage all of these products.

 

Would this work for you?

[gaab]

10 hours ago, Ben McClintock said:

Hi Gérard,

Would this work for you?

Hi Ben,

 

Not really !

 

- Orbx have very frequently recommanded simlinks to address disk space (and even supplied a link to the "Link Shell Extension" utility)

- that's the first time I read such "not supported" comment, as simlinks are meant to be "transparent"...

- I don't understand how your solution would work, as Global is creating automatically the 2 folders "p3dv4" and "p3dv5" in the Libray declaration

 

To cross-check I run "Resynchronise Simulator", and despite Global claiming the scenery are not installed, they ALL appear in the V4 add-on.cfg as the discovery path is correctly written as one would expect from a simlink...

 

[DiscoveryPath.1]
PATH=H:\OrbxEU\p3dv4
TITLE=Orbx EU
ACTIVE=true
REQUIRED=false

 

 

Gérard

[Ben McClintock]

Hi Gérard,

 

12 hours ago, gaab said:

- Orbx have very frequently recommanded simlinks to address disk space (and even supplied a link to the "Link Shell Extension" utility)

That's true. But we now have libraries, which are intended to replace symlinks. They are much more fault-tolerant, easier for the end user (you don't need any 3rd party tools or to run commands), and easier for us to debug.

 

12 hours ago, gaab said:

- that's the first time I read such "not supported" comment, as simlinks are meant to be "transparent"...

Sure, they're transparent to the end user, but not to all applications. We ask the OS: "is p3dv4 a directory?" and it tells us no. It is not a directory, it is a symlink. That's not to say that we won't ever support it in the future, but you are the first user in 10 months that has come across this use-case.

 

12 hours ago, gaab said:

- I don't understand how your solution would work, as Global is creating automatically the 2 folders "p3dv4" and "p3dv5" in the Libray declaration

Although Central would create those two directories, one of them would be empty in each of your two libraries. An empty folder will not cause any issues in your simulator or Central.

 

 

 

Did you try my suggestion? Please try it, then let me know exactly why it doesn't work for you.

 

I'll be more verbose, just so we do not have any miscommunications:

1. Delete the symlink you created at H:\OrbxEU\p3dv4.
2. Open Orbx Central.
3. Go Settings -> Libraries.
4. Create a new library. You can call it anything you want. Point it to P:\Simulators\HOverflow\ORBXEU.

After completing those steps:

• You will now have two libraries for your EU content.
• The first library will point to your EU content on your H: drive that is p3dv5 compatible.
• The second library will point to your P: drive EU content that is p3dv4 compatible.
• Both libraries will contain a p3dv4 and a p3dv5 directory in them.
• Those directories will be in your add-ons.cfg for both simulators.
• Although both directories exist, the H:\OrbxEU\p3dv4 directory will be empty. The P:\Simulators\HOverflow\ORBXEU\p3dv5 directory will be empty.

[gaab]

Thank you Ben to have taken time to detail the process.

 

Problem solved.

 

Just for the next one asking the same question I had to request "ReSynchronise Simulator", exit and restart Global to get back all my product without the need to "reload" everything.

 

 

Thanks

Gérard

 

 

Never forget Murphy's law : If it can happen, it will happen...