Resolved SCENERY.CFG File Error

[Quickmarch 488]

I researched the forum posts here on Mutley's to see if I could find a solution - there are a couple of references, but nothing specific to my problem.

 

I loaded a new 3rd party airport (CYYJ_2011) into FSX yesterdy and started getting the following error:

 

 

So I went looking and found the reference in my ....\FSX\Scenery directory i the Scenery.CFG file - here's what it looks like (note the Area.117 heading):

 

 

I reasoned that all I'd have to do is either:

 

1. Change the line "Active=True" to "Active=False"

2. Remove (comment out) the whole block of code under the [Area.117] heading

 

I copied and pasted Scenery.CFG to the same directory, thus creating a back-up copy of the file to return to if everything went sideways.

 

Then I loaded FSX. All went well initially. The error box did not show on loading the FSX Menu with my default aircraft and my (new) default airport (CYYJ - the one in question here). But, when I hit "Fly Now", FSX crashed, showing a white screen and "FSX Not Responding" in the menu bar.

 

Not to be discouraged, FSX does this "Not Responding" thing often, I shut it all down and started FSX again. This time when I hit "Fly Now" all went swimmingly.

 

Inquiring minds must know...so I tried #2 (commenting out the whole block). Looks like this:

 

 

This time, FSX loaded, but displayed it's "Configuring New Scenery Files" (or something similar - went way too fast to really see it) pop-up box before it went to the FSX Menu. "Fly Now" went without a hitch.

 

I'm going to recommend #2 as the preferrable method of solving this problem. That is, other than NOT installing any 3rd party software in the first place.

 

Maybe this will help someone else in the future.

[brett 2,284]

Hi March, which scenery.CFG file were you working on? The one in your App folder is only the default one, the actual working scenery.cfg file is located in your C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\FSX\Scenry.CFG folder 

 

I usually get that error if I had inadvertently deleted a scenery file without deleting it from the FSX scenery library. It is in effect telling you that the order is no longer correct. I never got that error when installing a new file.

 

You do not state how you installed the scenery, did you manually install the folder and then activate it in FSX or was it a self installer. I tend to send a self installer to a temp folder and install it manually so I know what is going into my computer. 

 

By slashing out the whole block #117 it looks as if that would keep your whole addon scenery folder from working. Am I wrong here?

 

Note: I use the freeware SceneryConfigEditor v1.1.1 to keep any problems in order when and if I get any scenery warnings.

[mutley 4,487]

 

Note: I use the freeware SceneryConfigEditor v1.1.1 to keep any problems in order when and if I get any scenery warnings.

 Me too, it's solved many a scenery query for me.

 

[Quickmarch 488]

Hmmmm..........

 

I installed the file from a local (Vancouver Island - shaw.ca is local) source, using the installer that came with the airport file CYYJ (2011). Here's the info on the author: 

 

Don Grovestine, 

Website: http://members.shaw.ca/cyyj4fs

 

 

It installed fine to my Addon Scenery Directory and I went through the Win7 rigamarole to register the scenery - you know, where you click on the blank space, etc in order to get it to recognize the location.

 

The scenery.cfg file is the one under C:\Program Data\etc...

 

So far I have detected no problems from my slash-and-burn in the scenery.cfg file. There mustn't be anything under the 117 location. Or maybe I'm going to find out the hard way somewhere down the road. There might be a clue in that the file shows "Required=False".

 

I will check into the SceneryConfigEditor that you remark on.

 

I might be wise to set everything back to default and uninstall the airport. Then look into it with the Config Editor.

 

I'll look into this further and report back here. 

[allardjd 1,853]

Nothing's ever as easy as it seems it should be.

John

[britfrog 180]

if I ever get this i just highlight and delete the entry and have never had a problem

[mutley 4,487]

March, you are missing the line " Local=Addon Scenery " in your area 117 section.

 

This is an essential area to have otherwise any scenery addons installed in your Addon Scenery folder will not work.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[brett 2,284]

Hi John, the link you gave didn't work but I did find this one http://stuff4fs.com/open.asp?JS=TRUE and I think it looks like the same author. I download a rather file loaded folder for the airport and after checking through the readme I installed it using the installer(for the PNW option) without using a temp folder, to try and replicate what you had done. I only installed the base scenery w/o the AI and extra library stuff.

 

I could not replicate the scenery error, sorry. 

[Quickmarch 488]

Thanks to all for the work on this problem. Moving the boat today (writing this at 0730 local) so I won't be able to get back to the experiment until later. 

 

I installed the Scenery Editor that was recommended above and changed the location of the scenery file in question after removing the // slashes in area.117. The editor was happy with it, but as I was travelling from Vancouver to the Island, I haven't had an opportunity to check it in FSX.

 

Bback

[brett 2,284]

Happy sailing John and hopefully happy flying when you finally tie up.

[Quickmarch 488]

Ok, boat is successfully tied to the dock in Cowichan Bay. This will be my new home for the foreseeable future. Now I'm back at the computer and ready to deal with this rascal.

 

I think Joe is the winner of the Blue Ribbon. His suggestion that there was something missing in Area.117 was close to the mark. Joe suggested inserting "Local=Addon Scenery". I tried this and it didn't work. But it gave me a clue to the problem:

 

The installer that was written for this software package put CYYJ into a folder called CYYJ (2011) so the real path to the airport would have been .....FSX\Addon Scenery\CYYJ (2011)\CYYJ and the line Joe suggested should have read "Local=Addon Scenery\CYYJ (2011)\CYYJ.

 

This was a bit cumbersome so I moved the Folder CYYJ out of the CYYJ (2011) folder and placed it in Addon Scenery. the path now looks like this:  .....FSX\Addon Scenery\CYYJ and the Scenery.CFG file looks like this:

 

[Area.117]

Title=Addon Scenery

Local=Addon Scenery\CYYJ

Layer=118

Active=TRUE

Required=FALSE

 

This works fine.

 

Given a bit more time, I think that Brett's suggestion has a lot of merit and actually would have given me the same result as the convoluted route I eventually took. 

 

It appears that addon scenery placed in the "Addon Scenery" folder needs to be only one level below the "Addon Scenery" level, not two as was the case with the installer version (I did extract to a TEMP folder on my desktop and installed from there).

 

I welcome the collective wisdom's comments.

[brett 2,284]

Well done John.   I have been caught by the old 'double folder' bug a few times myself, scenery, aircraft and missions. I now make the ingrained habit of clicking into the guts of the folder first and then one click back out before moving anything.

 

Tie the lines tight and enjoy your new homestead.