New Member questions on the P3D v4.5 Folder Structure for Scenery Install

[Lantz]

Hi everyone! My flight sim group (unofficial Tango Squadron) just discovered your site and couldn't help but join. I'm going through the setup process and I'm not clear on Step 1 (Getting Started) on Folder Naming and Placement. As far as I know, P3D v4.5 allows new scenery to be installed in either the Prepar3Dv4 "Scenery" folder or under "Documents">"Prepar3D v4 Add-ons". I prefer to add scenery into the latter. So please check me on the following folder structure I would add to my "Documents"> "Prepar3D v4 Add-ons" folder:

                    > "RTMM Misty Moorings"
                              >"Misty's Place"
                                      > (Misy's Place Scenery)
                              >(Other RTMM Scenery as needed in separate folders)

                    >"RTMM Libraries"
                              > (RTMM Object Library Folders)

All the ORBX scenery is automatically installed by FTX Central. I'm assuming "Tongass Fjords Area" would be installed in this same area although one of our group as related a manual install requirement. I haven't looked at that yet.

Am I on the right track so far?

Lantz

[Lantz]

Actually, the way I proposed to do it worked. I guess I was the first one to try it.

[nbrich1]

Many have set up RTMM scenery outside the root sim - Most of my add-ons are outside the sim. And in P3Dv4x one can either use the cfg files: IE scenery.cfg or addon.xml files to set up most scenery in the sim, and also be able to set up all of the other folders from the effects to fonts, gauges, simobjects, sound etc outside the sim.   

My RTMM scenery is set up on a separate HDD with main path as follows: 

My RTMM Object Libs Parts 1-2-3-4 are setup as a single consolidated library folder (This is the only consolidated folder). The Lib documentation show how to do this. (Part IV) is the last part and it goes over top 1-2-3 - so when you do Libs Part IV Overwrite ALL. 

My RTMM Libs parts/folders/paths are set up as follows:

L:\RTMM\01-RTMM Object Libraries 1-2-3-4
L:\RTMM\02-RTMM Medical-APP Library
L:\RTMM\03-RTMM BWEP Library
L:\RTMM\04-RTMM Scenery Object Tester                <<   (Scenery tester at Annette Island (PANT)
L:\RTMM\05-RTMM Addon Scenery <<<<<<< All of the rtmm add-on scenery pieces are in sub-folders

So under folder 05-RTMM Addon Scenery:
Paths as follows:

L:\RTMM\05-RTMM Addon Scenery\Aiken Creek Camp
L:\RTMM\05-RTMM Addon Scenery\Alaska Power North
L:\RTMM\05-RTMM Addon Scenery\Alaska Power South 
L:\RTMM\05-RTMM Addon Scenery\Tillei Lake Cabin

and so forth all the way to the last add-on scenery piece which is Yukon Crossing

L:\RTMM\05-RTMM Addon Scenery\Yukon Crossing
------------------------------------

Then Set up in the sim scenery and set ORBX insertion points:
FTX Entries (Orbx Airports and Regions) Inserted below > L:\RTMM\01-RTMM Object Libraries 1-2-3-4  and
ORBX Global openLC inserted below > Tongass Lower Priority.

DONE.

Some other notes:

If you're using add-on xml to set this up and have all the other pieces outside the sim, you also have to setup your effects, gauges, simobjects, sound etc.  (But you can also use the sim's .cfg files to set up or add locations of these folders or use add-on xml.)

(Can use all the .cfg files to set the paths for each piece are located in C:\ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4). IE: Effects.cfg >> point to the effects folders to be read/loaded by the sim on startup. Gauges.cfg for gauges paths, Sound.cfg for sound/folders, scenery.cfg for the scenery folders or one can try to use add-on.xml files to do this but since there are over 240 scenery entries for RTMM scenery the add-on.xml is a bit complex way to do it.

Easiest is to unzip all the files to a temp folder then place them in the correct folders in a master structure then from your master structure to your designated sim location and setup those folders for use in the sim how you want to do it.   

For P3Dv4x users have to make sure to put in the Tongass Fjords revisions to the terrain.cfg and to the AI traffic models as well as the RTMM AI models revisions for use in P3Dv4x).
See site link: https://return.mistymoorings.com/getting_started/index.php#9

Hope something in this long note helps you Lantz?

(Talked to Harry yesterday via Discord.. maybe we should hold a conference call. lol!

Norm

[Lantz]

Norm, thanks so much. It certainly helps explain a few things.

[Har336]

My folder structure is very similar to what Lantz has, except under RTMM Misty Moorings, I combine all RTMM places into two folders named "Scenery" and "Texture"

> "RTMM Misty Moorings"
                              >"Scenery"
                                      > bgl files from RTMM scenery package such as Misty's place and Aiken Creek
                                               Camp
                              >"Texture"
                                      > dds and other files from RTMM scenery package such as Misty's place and Aiken
                                               Creek Camp

In Norm's case, this would be

L:\RTMM\05-RTMM Addon Scenery\Scenery
L:\RTMM\05-RTMM Addon Scenery\Texture

This way I won't have too many layers in my scenery library, and don't have to activate an new installation by adding it as a new layer in scenery library, just a single layer "RTMM Misty Moorings".  So I wonder whether I will encounter problems down the road.

I did not do this in my RTMM libraries, I kept them as separate layers: RTMM obj lib part I, RTMM ob lib part II...etc. There are total of 8.

[nbrich1]

Sure don't recommend having one big massive rtmm add-on scenery and texture folder. And problems down the road, ouch. The only problem is that when the scenery is combined like that you will have scenery files overwriting as well as texture files overwriting each other when copied over into one big folder. And if/when scenery pieces are updated, there is no way to update them cause all of the scenery files are totally mixed up in the same folders! (And the scenery seasonal switcher will have errors/won't work, nor the other control panels). And if you have an issue, no way easy way to identify or fix it. 

If you need a scenery.cfg to set it up in a hurry, I'll send you mine! but don't combine all of the RTMM add-on scenery pieces cause it will surely bring you problems or graphic distortions in your sim!. 

[ualani]

I can't reemphasize Norm's answer enough! Throwing all scenery and texture files into single scenery and texture folders is an absolute recipe for disaster. In fact, I don't recommend doing it with the object library files either. At some point in the future there's a planned restructuring change of the object libraries that may impact combined libraries for those who use them. I highly suggest organizing your scenery and object library files in the way RTMM recommends; those recommendations are made for a reason!

Steve