P3Dv4 questions

[Steve Waite]

I've got a new method to load the PMDG class of aircraft in P3D (straight to the cockpit) reduces the load time even more, stay tuned.

[Steve Waite]

Please download and install over with Preview 01.

from the help:

Normally, IF Professional starts the simulator with the flight file passed as an argument in the command line, so that the simulator knows which file to load. If P3D is not running when the command is made, the simulator will start up by loading this file rather than the default flight specified in the config. Not all functions are operative in this mode, so in this case IF10 Professional can start flights in various ways.

P3D can start with a flight file but unfortunately does not invoke several of the flight and navigation systems specified in the flight save file. This can be a problem especially when we hope to load right into a saved flight situation. With IF Professional the same flight file can be loaded again as soon as the simulation is started, and the systems are restored to the settings in the flight file. However, with some very complex aircraft, PMDG for example, the simulator can crash if the aircraft is reloaded in P3D.

We could set LoadDefaultFlight=True, and ensure our default flight features a standard or default stock aircraft with base settings. This way the first aircraft loaded is not the complex aircraft.

For Ideal Flight a way was needed to start aircraft and reload aircraft in the same way that works with all aircraft types, from PMDG complexity to ordinary aircraft. This should not add to load times and should allow repeated loading for time advances and to place the aircraft in the sky on final or approach.

Exclusive to Ideal Flight we can set EnableStartupTerrain=True (default setting). This loads the environment completely before loading the aircraft and ensures all systems are started properly for all aircraft types, without hanging the simulation when starting or reloading.


•EnableStartupTerrain: Setting to False will disable starting the environment before the aircraft when IF Professional starts any flights or advances.

[Steve Waite]

Sorry I forgot to make a setting in the new starting method - anyone got it downloaded should set:

[FSSetup]
EnableStartupTerrain=False
LoadDefaultFlight=True

this way continues using the regular starting procedure until further notice which loads the default flight, otherwise the flight will not start properly.

Config.ini is edited with notepad and can be found in the folder:
C:\Users\All Users\Ideal Flight Professional\Config

I'll be back as soon as possible with that working properly, hoping to be debugged by the weekend...

[Steve Waite]

...I've removed the download link to save further messing around and I'll put it back as soon as possible.

[Steve Waite]

clearer instructions

first set false:
EnableStartupTerrain=False <-set false

Then set one of
LoadDefaultFlight=True for PMDGs OR EnableInternalReset=True for regular planes


LoadDefaultFlight=True <- set true if got to load default flight for PMDGs
Or
EnableInternalReset=True <- set true for regular planes

[Steve Waite]

OK I've uploaded Preview 02 for P3D v4 - New Builds, Preview discussion.

There's a new menu item on the startup page to choose any special sim startup requirements there - "Simulator Startup Behaviour".

The setting starts with Terrain Startup selected. F1 help index, Startup Behaviour for more information.



Any problems with the IFProbe:

Change the IFPro Config.ini, [FSSetup], StartupSimObjectName=IFProbe line to:
StartupSimObjectName=Bucket
If so, I would like to see your C:\Users\All Users\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4\simobjects.cfg contents after re-installing IFPro making sure no programs are open.

[Steve Waite]

...found out the dll packaged has a function switched off while testing so will not install the IFProbe.

if we manually put this in the bottom of our C:\Users\All Users\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4\simobject.cfg (save as Unicode shows in lower part of notepad) gives the sim access to the IFProbe. Internally the app will find another object if it can't find the probe, but for the startup behaviour we need to put in the probe.

I've put entry 10 shown here but if that's occupied just put [Entry.11] or an unoccupied number:

[Entry.10]
Title=IF10SimObjects
Path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Ideal Flight Professional\SimObjects\Misc
Required=True
Active=True

Preview 03 will install the probe correctly...

[Steve Waite]

The proper code I packaged but only puts in the IFProbe from the Windows IF Setup menu item or run

in

C:\Program Files (x86)\Ideal Flight Professional

double-click

iflight10_Setup.exe

and Update will install the IF Probe.

[Steve Waite]

I've uploaded Preview 03 for P3D v4 - New Builds, Preview discussion - Should fix the IFProbe installing.

[Turambar]

Works fine now! P3dV4 starts up in Pause mode though... No problem of course!

KR Theo