irritating problem, cant add scenery through scenery library

[ian elliot]

I have what i call a blank install to test stuff. I fired it up, removed some scenery via Settings/scenery library/delete area. Closed sim. Restarted. gone back into Settings/ scenery library, select add area and sim crash's to desk top.
Ive try'd hand editing scenery cfg but no joy.
gone into "user's/my name/appdata/roaming/ect ect to delete scenery cfg and hopfully remake new one but again, no joy again
renamed and replaced the exe just in case, but no joy
any ideas gentlemen

 

[wolfebee89]

I have what i call a blank install to test stuff. I fired it up, removed some scenery via Settings/scenery library/delete area. Closed sim. Restarted. gone back into Settings/ scenery library, select add area and sim crash's to desk top.
Ive try'd hand editing scenery cfg but no joy.
gone into "user's/my name/appdata/roaming/ect ect to delete scenery cfg and hopfully remake new one but again, no joy again
renamed and replaced the exe just in case, but no joy
any ideas gentlemen

How about the scenery.cfg in your root Flight Simulator 9 folder - that ought to be the one to look at / investigate / hand-edit; if the scenery.cfg in your root FS9 folder is missing, corrupt and/or has invalid scenery library entries that are entirely amiss, then the sim will most certainly CTD, and you may have to source an original from a back-up or your install disk. Moreover, given how permissions on your system are setup, validating/deleting the scenery.cfg in C:\Users\...\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FS9 may or may not make a difference.

Do note that the significant cfg file in the C:\Users\...\AppData\Roaming\... is the FS9.cfg - deleting that and restarting - the sim creates a default new one at start-up, and is often the easiest way to reset the sim config to default values

 

[ian elliot]

Ive had a look at the root cfg and everything seems ok, the scenery i removed is not present, which is good, that bit works. But i also try'd to hand edit the new scenery in , and although i saved, it didnt stick.
I have the disk's so i may have a look at your idea about a vanilla cfg

Luckily, its only for the middle east scenery in working on with AVP, so i only have about 6 scenery's and a couple of scenery library's to reinstall.
Its not a if i have to reinstall a whole bunch of scenery

 

[wolfebee89]

Ive had a look at the root cfg and everything seems ok, the scenery i removed is not present, which is good, that bit works. But i also try'd to hand edit the new scenery in , and although i saved, it didnt stick.

consider copying the validated / hand-edited scenery.cfg in your root FS9 folder to your C:\Users\...\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FS9 folder and over-writing as necessary, and thereafter again start the sim and check whether or not the scenery addition sticks...potentially a folder permissions / ownership issue

 

[ian elliot]

Ive actually gone a more drastic route, i have a vanilla install on a portable HD which ive installed and given it the name of Test-1, but no joy, cant install on the either.
Thing is, i have 3 other installs, a standard FS9 which is for my WW2 stuff, a 1946 install and a 1950+ install. The WW2 install works fine and i can add and remove no problem, but the other 2, im having the same problem of CTD when installing stuff

 

[ian elliot]

Ive just copy'd a fresh scenery cfg from disk 4, installed and tested, still getting CTD when i select add scenery. Also try'd right click on exe as "run as admin" still no joy. Im going to sleep on this

 

[Sbob]

I'm staring to think that you've installed some FSX texture files to your main texture folder.
Maybe copy the entire Texture folder from a good install and replace the other?

 

[huub vink]

I hate to say it Ian, but everytime I tried to change something manually in the scenery.cfg, it ended in disaster. I thought syncronising the scenery configuration file in the root directory and in the hidden User/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/FS9 directory would do the trick. But it didn't.

There is one thing I noticed, which might be the key, however I don't know yet how this key works. Like most here, I have several FS9 installs, but in the hidden User/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/FS9 directory there is only on FS9 directory and no directory or configuration files for the other installs. The scenery configuration is automatically updated to the last install, in which changes are made with the scenery.

When you start try to start from an airfield which is not in the configuration file in the hidden folder, the sim will drop you anywhere at the globe. So there is interaction between both configuration files. And my best guess is that this might cause the scenery configuration problems.

I hope the above makes some sense, because it is most probably not my best English. And thinking in Dutch and writing in English gave some shortcircuits in my flu-ish brains this morning........

Cheers,
Huub

 

[ScottishMike1]

I would advise using a scenery config manager such as the free SceneryConfigEditor by Andrew Thornton.

 

[rohan]

This is just an idea based on the results of an original FS9 install from the m$ discs, making several installs for different time periods or regions, and taking Huub’s comments to the next level.

Assuming you have several installs as in this example file structure –
D:\FSGW3\...
D:\FSSW\...
D:\WWone\...
D:\CBI\...

Then I believe there is nothing to stop you from creating a similar structure of folders –
...User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSGW3\...
...User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSSW\...
...User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\WWone\...
...User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\CBI\...

alongside your original folder (if it still exists after making your other installs) –
...User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FS9\...

I have no problems creating new folders within the ...User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\ folder or copying existing data files into the new folders on my system. Granted I am still running Windows 7 SP1 and this system has been running for at least ten years with only some minor tweaks to security and Windows options, but in theory you should be able to do the same things on your Windows / FS9 PC.

Once these folders have been created and a copy of a working scenery.cfg copied into each one, then, again in theory, running each install in your usual way should make FS9 post s copy of that install's scenery.cfg file in the new folder for that install (including any updates from your work in that install) when you shut the install down.

If you want to try this idea, then I strongly suggest that you proceed with one new folder and one install at a time, and having made a backup copy of whichever scenery.cfg file you add to the new folder - just in case something does not work as expected.

Hope this all helps . . .

 

[ian elliot]

Intresting stuff, thanks for your input guy's, although my issue is, i cant use the addon scenery function, so i cant generate new scenery cfg's, and i hear what you say Huub about hand editing these file's, ive slipped up before, but i will have another go just to settle my curiosity.

My main priority is finishing off the last major element in the scenery ive been working on with AVP, and ive thrown it all into my WW2 install to finish testing, so far everthings working fine, after that, i was thinking over the weekend that my installs are getting bloated and are due a cull or reorganising, the good news is, i have'nt lost anything, everything im working on and stuff thats special to me is safe and working fine, but this issue has maybe forced my hand, i will still tweak and tinker, its what we do
cheers ian

 

[Sbob]

i will still tweak and tinker, its what we do
cheers ian

You're not the only one who likes to tweak and tinker.

If it is a .CFG issue, post your scenery.cfg file here (just zip up a copy) and I'll take a look at it.
Sometimes its easy, maybe you're listing the same scenery twice. Sometimes, you need a second of eyes to find the issue.

 

[hawk_sh]

Some more input from my experience:

I have been editing my scenery.cfg manually for the last ten years after migrating to Windows 10 because the in-game scenery adding didn't work properly anymore.
I use a small tool called Scenery_Align to renumber all the entries in the scenery.cfg

My scenery.cfg is in the FS9 installation folder, not somewhere in appdata/roaming.
In appdata/roaming I only found an older version of my scenery.cfg which I suspect was backed up there when I installed some payware addon.

A few years ago I moved all my scenery folders to a SSD for faster loading.
So all my scenery folders are on another drive away from the FS9 installation folder.
I had to change the paths in the scenery.cfg to the new location.

There was on strange thing I encountered:

I had to keep one scenery related folder inside of my FS9 installation folder otherwise it would not work.

It was the BASE folder, it is in e:\Flight Simulator 9\Scenery\BASE\

So I have on BASE folder including the BGL files inside on the new location on the SSD and a duplicate remaining in the FS9 installation folder.
The entry in the scenery.cfg points to the SSD.
And it is on the SSD where the scenery.DAT file is updated when the scenery library is rebuild.
The scenery.DAT file in the original location inside of the FS9 installation folder is not updated aynmore.


These are the first two entries of my scenery.cfg

[Area.001]
Texture_ID=1
Title=Default Terrain
Active=TRUE
Layer=1
Local=c:\1-FS9_scenery\Scenery\World
Required=TRUE
Remote=

[Area.002]
Title=Default Scenery
Active=TRUE
Layer=2
Local=c:\1-FS9_scenery\Scenery\BASE
Required=TRUE
Remote=

 

[hawk_sh]

Another thought:

Could it be that this issue is not caused by FS9 at all?

Was there a recent Windows update on your system that changed something in the background?

Could it be that as soon as you press the ADD AREA button that FS9 tries to check some folders in the background where it suspects scenery files. And that access to one of these potential folders is denied and this then results in the CTD.

You could use the tool Process Monitor to see what happens in the background and where FS9 is looking for stuff.

This tool helped me several times to find causes for CTD, in most cases missing files.

 

[wolfebee89]

Another thought:

Could it be that this issue is not caused by FS9 at all?

Was there a recent Windows update on your system that changed something in the background?

Could it be that as soon as you press the ADD AREA button that FS9 tries to check some folders in the background where it suspects scenery files. And that access to one of these potential folders is denied and this then results in the CTD.

You could use the tool Process Monitor to see what happens in the background and where FS9 is looking for stuff.

This tool helped me several times to find causes for CTD, in most cases missing files.

in that train of thought, something to check: Controlled Folder Access (CFA) https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-endpoint/controlled-folder-access-overview

 

[ian elliot]

Thats intresting, but i can still add/remove scenery from my main FS9 install, and FSX as well

 

[ian elliot]

Progress, sort of. I can move the FS9 exe from my main WW2 install over to my other installs ( deleting the exe thats already there) fire it up and install scenery no problem. Just means i have to move the exe around all the time, its a clumsy work around but it a start.

PS, try'd removing the last Win 11 update, but that didnt improve things

 

[wolfebee89]

Progress, sort of. I can move the FS9 exe from my main WW2 install over to my other installs ( deleting the exe thats already there) fire it up and install scenery no problem. Just means i have to move the exe around all the time, its a clumsy work around but it a start.

PS, try'd removing the last Win 11 update, but that didnt improve things

what about a unique exe and corresponding cfg for each of your multiple FS9 installs - should make things easier, perhaps?
https://forums.simviation.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=179388#p1309536 ---> courtesy of @zswobbie1

Creating, managing, and sharing between multiple installs

There has been many threads on setting up multiple installs of FS9. I myself asked that same question. I thought it would be a good idea to write up an easy to follow HOW TO on setting up multiple installs of FS9. It is really easy, though it does take some time. But it is time well spent as...

sim-outhouse.org

 

[ian elliot]

that doesn't work im afraid. If i copy the exe over to another install and give it a unique name, i can start that install but i have the same problem.
If i cut/paste the original exe into the same install, but keeping its original name, fs9exe, i can install scenery no problem

 

[Shessi]

Hi Ian,
A couple of things. After copying and giving it a unique name, check that file properties are the same as the .exe you just copy over (which works). By renaming it may change the properties. When it works make sure you're changing the scenery in that install and not in the original install where the .exe came from.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but why do you have to rename the Fs9.exe file? Just have an icon on the desktop that points to each separate Fs9.exe install. You know you don't have to 'install' Fs9, unless you need it to interact with the OS, it's so old that it's really stand alone, just copy and paste a whole Fs9 file system to create another version....that's what I do, and works well.

Cheers

Shessi