FSX to Prepar3D Migration Tool

Transcription

1 FSX to Prepar3D Migration Tool Version Developed by NGO Flightsim Estonia Visit us at

2 Developed by NGO Flightsim Estonia Registration no Address MTÜ Lennusimulatsioon Uus Pärnu Estonia Support Last modified: Version

3 Table of Contents Overview...5 Technical Requirements...6 This Page is Really Important...7 Make a Backup...7 Privacy...7 Installation...8 Using the Tool...9 Startup...9 Overview...10 Enabling and Disabling virtual FSX...13 Closing...14 Uninstallation...15 Support...16 Appendix...17 Basic Troubleshooting...17 Backups...18 Side-by-side Configuration...21 Legacy Mode...22 FSInn...23 Orbx Modules...24 Compatibility Information...25 Versioning and updates...25 Change Log...26 Version

4 Note Highlighted text throughout this document denotes changes that have been made since the last version. Version

5 Overview In January 2009, Microsoft decided to axe Flight Simulator's development team. Their new simulator, Microsoft Flight proved to be sub-par and earned general shunning from serious flight simulation community. Fortunately, Lockheed Martin meanwhile picked up the old Flight Simulator and is actively developing it further, now under the name of Prepar3D. In its core, Prepar3D shares many traits with former Flight Simulator X and FSX's addons almost always function properly in Prepar3D. Still, several crucial configuration files have changed their name and location, and so old installation programs written for FSX don't work for Prepar3D. Some development teams have already released updated installers, others have long time ago disbanded and no Prepar3D compatibility updates will ever be released. Migration Tool makes Prepar3D installation look like it is FSX installation instead, and old installers will be able to extract their contents to Prepar3D. This truly is the best of both worlds a wide selection of superb FSX addons combined with new and evolving Prepar3D flight simulator. Version

6 Technical Requirements Lockheed Martin Prepar3D simulator must be installed. Flight Simulator X is not required, but may be installed. Supported operating systems: Windows XP (32 bit only with at least SP2), Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and 8.1. Administrator privileges are required to use the tool. Requires activation (both Internet and offline activation are available). Once installed, the tool uses about 10 megabytes of disk space (excluding optional backups). Version

7 This Page is Really Important Make a Backup Flightsim Estonia cannot guarantee the quality of third party installation programs. Even though we have taken every precaution known to us, an unexpectedly behaving third party installer may still damage your FSX and Prepar3D installations. To lower the risk of data corruption or loss, it is highly recommended that you make regular backups of your computer using tools such as AOMEI Backupper, available for free from Privacy For statistical purposes, Migration Tool transmits the following information to a remote server: installed Windows version, installed Migration Tool version, installed Flight Simulator X version, installed Prepar3D and Prepar3D v2 version. The data is transmitted and stored in encrypted format and used only to determine the extent of tehnical problems. For example, Migration Tool versions prior to crashed on Windows 8. Without knowing the total number of copies being used on Windows 8, it was impossible to determine if these crashes were occuring to all users, or only to some users with certain system configuration and settings. Version

8 Installation Migration Tool comes with an automatic installer. Download it from link ed to you, or from run the program and follow on-screen instructions. If Migration Tool has not previously been used on your computer, or if major hardware change has taken place since the last activation, you will be asked to activate Migration Tool during the installation by entering Activation Code, which can be found on your order receipt. Version

9 Using the Tool You can access the tool and this manual through Start menu Programs list. You will find them under Flightsim Estonia. Startup On the initial run Migration Tool asks if Flight Simulator X is installed. If FSX is installed, it carries out repairs to make sure that Migration Tool and all other software correctly detects FSX from now on. In case FSX is not installed, it removes leftover registry keys to avoid any ambiguity. Next, Migration Tool makes a backup of vital FSX and Prepar3D files. This is carried out on the initial run, and from then on each time Migration Tool detects major changes, such as the addition, removal or updating of FSX or Prepar3D. See pg 18 for details. Version

10 Overview Once Migration Tool has started, a simple window will be shown At the moment, File menu (1) only has Exit. Version

11 Edit menu (2) provides access to Options dialog. From there, backup options can be set, and several extras can be installed as well. Please note that by checking Extended backup in Options dialog, Migration Tool will create a full copy of all configuration files that are unique to the setup. Left unchecked, only a backup of files modified by Migration Tool is made. Tools menu (3) allows to create a backup of FSX and Prepar3D configuration files (see pg 18) and copy FSX default aircraft to Prepar3D. The initial simulator configuration screen can also be accessed. Help menu (4) provides easy access to the manual and version information, and its Check for updates refreshes update availability status (8). Repair function triggers the initial simulator setup screen that allows simulators' paths to be altered, followed by automatic verification and repair of them. Currently selected simulator group displays the simulator you are currently working with, and you can change the simulator also from there (5). In Virtual FSX group, click on Enable (6) to create a mock FSX installation that is synchronized with Prepar3D. Click on Disable (7) to restore your computer back to its original state. Shortcuts group (8) provides an easy way to explore simulators' folders and start the simulators. Status bar (9) displays the result of automatic update checking, Version

12 which is carried out on each startup (see pg 25 for details). Version

13 Enabling and Disabling virtual FSX If you have only Prepar3D installed Keep virtual FSX permanently enabled. Disable it only when installing addons that support both FSX and Prepar3D (like FSDreamTeam GSX) to avoid having FSX version installed to Prepar3D. If you have both FSX and Prepar3D installed Keep virtual FSX disabled when using FSX or installing addons to it. Enable virtual FSX when installing FSX addons to Prepar3D. It is suggested to keep virtual FSX enabled when using Prepar3D, but in most cases, there are no side-effects to not having virtual FSX enabled. See pg 21 for additional information. Note Migration Tool does not copy any addons automatically from FSX to Prepar3D, if both simulators are installed. You are required to run installers once for every simulator with corresponding virtual FSX state. (There is no need to re-install already installed addons.) Version

14 Closing Migration Tool does not have to be running in the background when virtual FSX is enabled. Migration Tools installs a service that takes care of functionality that has to be available at all times. Once virtual FSX has been enabled or disabled, Migration Tool can be closed. It will save its state to configuration file and restore it back to its state next time it is run. Version

15 Uninstallation To uninstall FSX to Prepar3D Migration Tool, click Start, select Control Panel and then click on Uninstall a Program. You will see a list of all installed programs. Look for Migration Tool and double-click on it. A wizard will guide you through uninstallation process. Alternatively, you can start uninstallation from Start menu Programs folder, the uninstaller is located right under Flightsim Estonia > Migration Tool. Version

16 Support For best response time, we suggest that you visit our issue tracker at It allows you to file tickets and add attachment to them. You may follow all of your tickets and responses to them from that single location as well. Our support forum is at If you prefer to communicate via , contact us at Before you contact support we advise you to look through appendix at the end of this document for general advice and remedies for most common issues. Version

17 Appendix Basic Troubleshooting Migration Tool works with files that are frequently accessed and modified by other software, both simulators and their addons. As such, corruptions can easily happen. Migration Tool features built-in maintenance functionality. If there is any problem with Migration Tool or as a result of using it, please follow these steps: 1. Start Migration Tool. 2. Disable virtual FSX. 3. Close Migration Tool. 4. Start Migration Tool again. During startup, Migration Tool carries out many error-checking and maintenance tasks. 5. Cycle virtual FSX by enabling it and then disabling it. These steps are usually enough to solve most problems. Version

18 Backups Backups of vital FSX and Prepar3D files are made: on the initial run of every new version of Migration Tool when Migration Tool detects major changes to FSX and Prepar3D when the time specified in options dialog has elapsed since the last backup. Additional backups can be made manually through Edit > Backup now. By default, backups are located at: C:\Program Files\Flightsim Estonia\Migration Tool\Backups On 64 bit versions of Windows, backups are located at: C:\Program Files (x86)\flightsim Estonia\... Backups folder contains subfolders with FSX or P3D prefix and timestamp in YYYY-MM-DD HH-MM-SS format: Version

19 Each of these folders contains the following subfolders: Refer to the following table for contents of each subfolder. Backup folder contents Folder AppData ProgramData Remarks Copied from: %AppData%\Microsoft\FSX %AppData%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D Most importantly contains dll.xml, exe.xml and fsx.cfg configuration files. Copied from: %ProgramData%\Microsoft\FSX %ProgramData%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D Contains scenery.cfg. MyDocuments Copied from: My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files My Documents\Prepar3D Files Contains saved flights. Version

20 Root Folder Remarks Selected files copied from main FSX and Prepar3D folders. FSX: fsx.exe Prepar3D: Prepar3D.exe, language.dll From both of them: Autogen folder* ShadersHLSL folder* terrain.cfg* lclookup.bgl and magdec.bgl from Scenery/BASE/Scenery* * Only when Extended backup option is checked in Edit > Options. Warning To conserve disk space, no backup is made of My Pictures\Flight Simulator X Files and My Pictures\Prepar3D Files folders, which contain screenshots. Note Migration Tool does not access the contents of Backups folder. You may delete older backups to conserve disk space. Version

21 Side-by-side Configuration Starting with version 1.1, it is possible to have side-by-side installation of FSX and Prepar3D. However, any files installers create in any common system folders (such as Start menu shortcuts) will point to where the addon was last installed. If you installed Digital Aviation Fokker 70 first to FSX and then to Prepar3D, Start menu shortcuts will point to manuals and load manager that are associated with Prepar3D copy of Fokker 70. Similarly, if you uninstall an addon that was installed to both simulators, the uninstaller may accidentally delete files required to have the addon working in the other simulator. In that case, you're going to have to reinstall that second copy. Before you install or uninstall Flight Simulator X or any of its addons or run any FSX utilities, disable virtual FSX. Also disable it before you install any addons such as FSUIPC that already support both FSX and Prepar3D. As long as FSX is detected, the following warning of side-byside configuration is shown: Version

22 Legacy Mode Flight Simulator X runs as process named fsx.exe and Prepar3D runs as Prepar3D.exe. This difference causes some addons to not find the simulator when they are started by Prepar3D. To overcome this limitation, Migration Tool allows starting Prepar3D in additional Legacy Mode, which has better support for older addons. To run Prepar3D in Legacy Mode, navigate to Start menu Programs list, then to Lockheed Martin and Prepar3D, and click on Prepar3D Legacy Mode. Note Legacy Mode shortcut is present only while virtual FSX is enabled. Note Visit flightsim.ee for a list of addons that need Legacy Mode. Version

23 FSInn Since version 2.0.1, Migration Tool adds functionality to fully support FSInn in Prepar3D without any manual tweaking or the need for Legacy Mode to be used. To activate this functionality, disable and enable virtual FSX in Migration Tool after you have installed FSInn. Version

24 Orbx Modules Some Orbx sceneries feature custom modules that enhance the simulator with animations and other advanced features. Their modules are smart enough to ask you on startup if you wish to run them: If clicked Run once, they will usually crash Prepar3D in a few seconds. Fortunately, Orbx has released updated modules for some airports. For example, a patch of CE4J airport is available from Orbx forums: objectflow-patch-for-users-of-p3d-v13/. Please keep an eye on their forums for any other Prepar3Drelated updates. Version

25 Compatibility Information Unfortunately, addons sometimes use hacks to extend their functionality in Flight Simulator X. Such addons may not work with Prepar3D since those hacks may not behave as expected. For up-to-date technical compatibility information, visit our website at or look around on our support forum at Versioning and updates Migration Tool checks for updates on each startup. The check for updates can be manually triggered from Help menu. Result of the check is displayed in Migration Tool's status bar. Announcements are posted to the Internet only when there are features added or critical bugs fixed. Notification about minor changes is available through Migration Tool's Check for update function only. Version

26 Change Log 2015/05/06 Version Full Prepar3D v2.5 compatibility. Much improved stability of the tool. Better cross-drive virtualization when Prepar3D is on a drive other than the system disk. A notification when the number of backup exceeds 30 to avoid piling up old backups. 2015/02/16 Version Added Prepar3D v2.5 path rewriting to make configuration files available in FSX locations. 2015/02/14 Version Prepar3D v2.5 support. Added a warning when backups use more than 1 GB of disk space. 2014/10/01 Version Prepar3D v2.4 support. Version

27 2014/09/25 Version Fixed problem with third party addons that could not establish a connection through SimConnect. Changes to support Active Sky Next under Legacy Mode. 2014/08/13 Version Prepar3D v2.3 supported. Incompatible Aerosoft modules automatically disabled on Prepar3D startup. Sound of Realair Lancair Legacy and Realair Duke V2 fixed. 2014/04/12 Version Supports Prepar3D v2.2 hotfix. Improves handling of Active Sky Next. Improved third party addons' registry key handling. 2014/04/08 Version Extends support of Prepar3D up to version 2.2. FSInn aircraft repository rebuilding now works in normally run Prepar3D (no need for Legacy Mode). Added FSX default aircraft copying functionality to Tools menu. Automatically disables third party modules that are known Version

28 to crash Prepar3D. Fixed bug that caused no backup of Prepar3D v2 files to be made when manually triggered. Added shortcuts to main window. 2014/02/20 Version Multi Crew Experience should not crash the simulator in Legacy Mode anymore. Activation loop fixed. SimConnect SP2 added to installer. Plugin does not show error message on loading flight files in FLT format. Fixed an issue that prevented Ezdok Camera Addon from being used on some Prepar3D setups. 2014/02/12 Version Supports Prepar3D v2.1. Reduced crashing on Windows 8.1. Added more helpful information dialogs for FSInn patching. Fixed a bug in registry information processing. Implemented alternative, significantly better method of avoiding Captain Sim 777 and L-1011 crash Prepar3D. Version

29 2014/01/28 Version FSInn now fully supported. Automatically repairs corruptions caused by Captain Sim aircraft. Captain Sim Boeing 777 does not crash the simulator anymore. If Prepar3D v1 and Prepar3D v2 are installed, the non-targeted one gets virtualized like FSX, too. Automatically kills Prepar3D on closing when 3rd party plugin causes it to crash. Added Extended backup option. New initial setup interface. Changed key parts of the program code to reduce false positives by anti-virus software. Automatic repair can be triggered from Help menu. Many smaller tweaks and optimizations. 2013/11/25 Version Added Prepar3D v2 support. Completely new handling of registry entries. Background integrity check service temporarily disabled. Version

30 2013/10/19 Version Added Windows 8.1 support. 2013/08/25 Version Significant re-engineering to avoid false positives from antivirus software. Redesigned interface with better DPI scaling. Options dialog added. New updater. Windows 8 now supported. Automatic periodic backup of FSX and Prepar3D files now available. Better handling of log files. Dummy FSX program file and Legacy Mode shortcuts don't trigger fallback to Basic Scheme anymore on Windows 7. Windows, Migration Tool, FSX and Prepar3D version information is sent to remote server for statistics. Freeware extras added. Manual redesigned. Added Quick Start Guide. Activation Wizard integrated into installer. Version

31 2013/07/09 Version Offline Activation added if Internet activation fails due to connection error. Oversized text (DPI scaling) now supported. Stand-alone updater removed, replaced with built-in update notifier. Various smaller improvements. 2013/03/11 Version Minor improvements to allow different Activation Code formats. 2013/02/28 Version Several minor tweaks. New activation interface. 2013/01/14 Version Improved backup functionality. Backups can now be manually made from Options > Backups menu. Improved the handling of AppData and ProgramData folders when they are in use by other programs. Migration Tool now leaves dummy FS2000, FS2002, FS2004 and FSX program files permanently to Prepar3D folder. Version

32 2012/12/09 Version AivlaSoft EFB fix still triggered Basic Theme on Windows 7. This has now been finally solved. 2012/12/01 Version AivlaSoft EFB fix for Prepar3D does not trigger Basic Theme anymore on 64 bit systems. 2012/12/01 Version Migration Tool now supports AivlaSoft EFB. Easy to use automatic updating has been implemented. Registry search and analysis functionality has been improved. Added re-activation guide to the manual. 2012/11/19 Version Only one instance of Migration Tool can now be run at a time. Improved background service. Solved freezing problems on some 64 bit Windows 7 systems. Version

33 2012/11/08 Version Improved maintenance and system integrity verification functionality. Virtual links to FSX default aircraft are now created so that addons can reference their sounds, etc. Backups folder can now be relocated. 2012/11/01 Version FSDreamTeam Ground Services X now works out-of-the-box in Legacy Mode. Support of certain A2A installers. Native TrackIR support now optional. Additional verification of path to FSX root folder. Automatic backup of vital FSX and Prepar3D files. Automatic repair of many common problems. Many changes to user interface. Automatic update checking. Better handling of log files. Separate virtual FSX folder no longer required. Dummy FSX program file does not trigger fallback to basic theme. Icons are refreshed each time FSX.exe is replaced with and restored from a dummy. Version

34 Many parts of the manual relocated or rewritten. New versioning convention. 2012/09/30 Version 1.6 Improved handling of leftovers from a certain range of InstallShield installers. 2012/08/28 Version 1.5 TrackIR may now work without the need for EZdok Camera Addon (experimental feature). Better disabling of fsx.exe. Several general improvements in program logic dealing with installation / uninstallation / reinstalls to reduce potential harm from manual tweaking. 2012/06/19 Version 1.4 Windows XP support (32 bit only). Much better handling of installers that halt if uninstall information is already in the registry (from previous installations to FSX). FSUIPC registration information now loaded when running in Legacy Mode. Utilities that work with shader files now supported. FSX.exe relocated when virtual FSX is enabled to keep users Version

35 from running real FSX (causes conflicts). 2012/05/10 Version 1.3 Fixed minor, but still annoying issue with backups of FSX folders that were sometimes not deleted after real FSX installation had been restored in side-by-side mode. Prepar3D Legacy Mode shortcut now automatically created to Start menu Programs list. Increased the number of custom tailored fixes for addons. Increased error checking and the capability of the tool to recover on its own from some errors. SimBase Documents dll.xml and exe.xml now automatically created to both Prepar3D if they do not exist. 2012/05/08 Version 1.2 Check of Prepar3D installation now in main program instead of installer. Program setup wizard no longer requires FSX or Prepar3D installed at the time of installation. FSX registry entries now pointing directly to Prepar3D instead of virtual FSX folder. This previously caused issues with Orbx installers. Custom support for EZ Camera Addon has been added. At this stage, this is considered experimental. Many Captain Sim aircraft can now be installed to both FSX and Prepar3D at the same time. Version

36 Program buttons and messages renamed to give better idea what they do. 2012/05/06 Version 1.1 Now supports installations where Prepar3D is not located on the same drive as Windows itself. Side-by-side installations with FSX present also supported. Added many additional checks to remove leftovers from FSX. 2012/05/04 First release (In hindsight, this release had more bugs than anticipated. Many thanks to all customers who restrained themselves from burning us alive.) Version