Author Topic: AI Carriers .NET  (Read 103658 times)

PhantomTweak

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #45 on: June 10, 2016, 07:20:02 am »
Tregarth
That's exactly the same method, and software, that I use for that sort of thing. You just went into a lot more detail on "How To" than I did. Thank you for the help. I guess my laziness overcame me on this one. Sorry about that.
But, you are obviously a man of high intellegence and deep perception, since you and I use the same methodology (big word for the week!), and software.
Kidding :D ;D
That is a very versatile program, the Notepad++. I use it for all kinds of files, and it works great. Best thing is, it doesn't add any extraneous symbols to the file like word processors tend to do, which messes with whatever uses them, usually, in my case, the sim.
Have fun, and I hope Mr. 72westy gets his AICarriers going. It's a great add-on to the sim experience.
Pat☺

Tregarth

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #46 on: June 12, 2016, 08:50:19 pm »
Thank you.

I might have a deep perception but I can't modify the aicarriers.cfg file and save it.

I want to add a new carrier to AIC and have modified the .CFG file but every time I try to save it I am told I can't as I don't have administrator rights.  I am the sole user of the PC so I thought I did.

I am using P3D v3.3 in Win 10 with AIC.NET.  I have set the UAC to never notify, closed and re-started the PC but still can't save.

I have tried dragging the .CFG file into Notepad, modifying it and trying to save it but still can't.  I have tried using both the .TXT format and aicarriers.cfg then using "Save as type" - All Files, but no luck. 

Could you please use your deep perception and extreme talent to tell me where I am going wrong?

Thank you,

Tregarth

Tregarth

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #47 on: June 13, 2016, 04:13:07 pm »
For info the answer is to open the file by right clicking and opening as Administrator.  But if you have Notepad++ the .CFG file can be opened using it.  

When you try to save you will be asked if you want to save as Administrator "Yes"; the file saves and works perfectly.

Tregarth

PhantomTweak

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #48 on: June 13, 2016, 09:01:35 pm »
To make life easier you can do one of two things:
1) copy the file to the desktop, open it there, make your mods, save and close it, then move it back where it came from, overwriting the old one. If you want, a good idea is tto make a backup first in case something goes wrong with the mods.
I suspect your AIC is in C:\Program Files or \Program Files(X86). Bad place to put stuff, as this problem arises. Same for modifying aircraft.cfg, panel.cfg and so on. Much better to place it in C:\, or even a folder on D:\ or E:\ or wherever, just NOT one of those two folders.
2) Make a shortcut to your Notepad or Notepad++ on the desktop, and go to it's Properties>Advanced and click the box for Run As Administrator. That way, it will always open, using that shortcut, as Admin, and you don't have to click the Run As Admin every time you open it. I do this with just about every program I use often.

IMHO, your best bet, though, is to never install any program you use often, or have to edit parts of, into the Program Files or Program Files(X86). It's fine for Windows "stuff" but not at all good for programs users may want to modify in any way. And if you open it from a shortcut, always always always make sure that Run As Admin is checked so it always opens as Admin. It really helps, and I do it out of habit any-more.

Hope that helps a little. I know, I tend to go on sometimes. Sorry if I over-explain sometimes...
Pat☺

Tregarth

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #49 on: June 13, 2016, 09:59:12 pm »
You are right about file location.  I made a mistake during the install and let the program decide where to go.  But I am not that worried since I am practising on my I5 chipped PC before installing P3D on my I7 machine.

Thank you for your valuable advice which I will print and file for future use.

Regards,

Tregarth

Tregarth

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #50 on: June 21, 2016, 05:41:09 pm »
I am using P3D v3.3 with Win 10.  I have installed AI Carriers.NET which does all that it should do but none of the carriers which I use have a wake.

I have turned most of the Scenery settings to their max value, I have tried altering the wake file names in [Effects], all of which have no effects. 

One question I have is:  Does the command "Forward" in the AICarriers menu work?  I can make the carrier turn through 90 etc but even when it does this (it spins round like a spinning top) it shows no wake effects.  In FSX the wake is clearly visible.

Has anyone else had this problem and if so, how have you solved it?  I have checked in

Very odd,

Thank you,

Tregarth

PhantomTweak

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #51 on: June 21, 2016, 08:49:55 pm »
I have FSX, but to the best of my knowledge, yes the Forward command works. Should anyway.
I will look and see, but someplace I found an updated wake set of file for many different ships. Including the carriers used for AICarriers. I will try to dig up the source and post it for you. It really made my wakes work great, carriers and AI ships both.
Pat☺
EDIT: I found this info about the VooDoo wake fix. It's for FSX but I think it's worth a try for your situation, maybe? Anyway, it's in this thread:http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,13221.0.html
Maybe that will give you some help?
Pat☺
« Last Edit: June 21, 2016, 09:17:36 pm by PhantomTweak »

Tregarth

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #52 on: June 22, 2016, 05:34:41 pm »
Thank you for your thoughts, much appreciated.

When I use FSX AIC behaves perfectly.  I have removed AIC from P3D to see if that will make a difference.  But, using the default carrier in P3D is not easy; it appears I need to master SimDirector which is supplied in P3D but needs the use of the SDK.

I understand your thoughts on using the VooDoo wake but it seems to me to be wrong that 3rd party software is needed to make LM's default boats work properly. (But if you look at LM's promotional video neither the carrier nor coast guard boat seems to have a wake.)

I am beginning to think it is wiser to stay with FSX.

Thanks,

Tregarth

Maurice Pratt

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #53 on: August 16, 2016, 08:21:57 pm »
AICarriers appears in the P3D add-on menu when I start P3D but lists only the default ships (see screenshot ). If I select 'single carrier' the default carrier shows up on the water and travels just fine. But I can't get a list of installed AI ships for selection, such as one of the Nimitz variants.

I've installed AICarriers.net and the Nimitz & Eisenhower V2 AI ships, and modified the exe.xml (using the sample file) in P3D v3.3.5's AppData.Roaming>Lockheed Martin>Prepar3D v3 folder to point to the AICarriers.exe file in the P3D main folder. I've placed both the cvn_68_69.cfg and CVN65_Enterprise.cfg files in the conf.d folder.

Checking aicarriers.cfg only the default ships appear there--How can I cause that to include the Nimitz/Eisenhower (and after that the Enterprise)? Or is this problem caused by something else? (I've checked the gauge, effects, and simobject/boats folders; all the expected files are there. And I've confirmed that the contents of both aicarriers.cfg and cvn_68_69.cfg are correct.

Maurice Pratt

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #54 on: August 17, 2016, 01:14:55 am »
<Solved> This is embarrassing . . . AICarriers was working all along! It never occurred to me to drag the bottom edge of the AI Ships screen down (below item 7). Guess what, more ships and "Next page" is there.

Tregarth

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #55 on: August 30, 2016, 05:13:56 pm »
Can someone please help me with adding aicarriers to AICarriers.NET?

I have the file aicarriers.cfg to which I have added the carriers I want i.e. SBD's USS Enterprise and Flying Stations' HMS Ark Royal.

As you can see I have removed the Nimitz from the aicarriers.cfg file. I have the carriers I want in the .cfg file list but if you look at the Shift + J screen grabs (L1 - L3) I still have a fleet of Nimitzes but no Enterprises.  I thought I had a handle on AIC but clearly I do not.  Once I have modified the .cfg file I have closed the PC and re-started it and FSX but this makes no difference.

I cannot understand why I am plagued with Nimitzes but don't have any Enterprises, how can I add them, please?  

Any guidance will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Tregarth
« Last Edit: August 30, 2016, 05:31:30 pm by Tregarth »

PhantomTweak

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #56 on: August 30, 2016, 09:24:55 pm »
I am far from being an expert at this bit of software, but when I looked at the file aicarriers_cfg.txt you provided, under the L2 picture, I noticed you didn't have a [formation.0] entry. Yours started with [formation.1]. I may well be wrong, but I think that you need to start it out with [formation.0] for the program to read the entries subsequent to that. This may be your problem.
Also, you don't need to replace the entries in the aicarriers.cfg . Just create a totally new .cfg file with then entries you want, and place in the conf.d folder, contained within the AICarriers folder, thus: ...\Aicarriers\conf.d\newconfig.cfg
It will read those ALSO. If you DL a new carrier or carrier set, like the Ark Royal, just for example, put it's .cfg file into the conf.d folder and it will read fine. Nimitz, Ark Royal, Enterprise, whatever. IIRC, most of them come with a AICarriers config file.
If you want to use it, add it to the conf.d folder. If you want to have it available, but not in use at that time, just make a new folder under the conf.d folder and place them there. Like ...\Aicarriers\conf.d\NEWCONFIGS .That way, if you decide that this time you want them included, just move a copy into the conf.d folder, if not, take it out of the conf.d folder.
I have found that if I'm not careful, I wind up with 100 different formations available. Can get to be a long process when I hit SHFT+J looking for the one I want to use :)

Hope this helps a little bit.
Pat☺

Tregarth

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #57 on: August 31, 2016, 12:54:27 pm »
Thank you very much for your help.

What I had not realised was that AIC reads the files (carrier formations) in conf.d no matter what the file is called.  Thus I had a file in conf.d labelled XX_CVN_68_69 which was being read, hence all the "unwanted" carriers showed when I pressed Shift + J.  I thought the XX_ would hide it, it doesn't.  Your comment about making a new file named newconfig.cfg and storing it in the conf.d folder was the clue.

Previously I had thought that the AICarriers.cfg file in the main AICarriers folder (AICarriers/AIcarriers.cfg) was the "controlling" file which is wrong, not sure what the AICarriers.cfg file does, maybe a "hangover" from the Java days?  But what is odd is that if you remove Aicarriers.cfg the program won't work.

Formation.0 does seem to be necessary.  In case anyone else is struggling I attach some images which shows the file and the result which may help.

Thanks again,

Tregarth

PhantomTweak

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #58 on: August 31, 2016, 09:15:01 pm »
Glad I could help out, and that you got what you wanted/needed to get done.:D
I've found that the easiest way to "get rid" of unwanted carrier formation sets is to just move them someplace. ANYplace, other than the conf.d folder. I made a folder inside the conf.d folder, I named mine BAXX. Then, any sets, or .cfg files, I don't want to show up when I hit SHFT+J I just move into my BAXX folder. But you can do it any way, as long as they are NOT in the root folder or the conf.d folder. You can even delete them if you like. I do like to make sure I have a copy someplace, so I can use them later if I so choose.
Yes, you DO need the AICarriers.cfg file for the program to work, but as far as I know, and I may well be wrong on this, the only entry you absolutely need in it is the [base] section. After that, you can only have .cfg files in the conf.d folder, and they will be read, whatever their name, as long as they are .cfg files. I think if you rename them to get rid of the .cfg suffix they won't be read either. Like Newcarriers.gfc, or Newcarriers.BAK, vs Newcarriers.cfg. I just move them though. Quicker and easier for me.
Anyway, I'm glad you're up and running :) Have fun with it!
Pat☺

Tregarth

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Re: AI Carriers .NET
« Reply #59 on: September 01, 2016, 12:53:39 pm »
Thank you for the advice.

I was slowly working out how to add/delete formations as required and you have given me some good help.  I had not thought of playing tunes with the extensions; instead, like you I will have a second folder which I will use to store unwanted formations.

Best regards,

Tregarth