GSX in MSFS 2024 FAQ

[trisho0]

I think I've found the formula to get the GSX Ground Services to display its menu correctly, without any hesitation or consistent attempts to stabilize itself, and to make it available to us as we all expect, allowing us to enjoy the benefits the GSX offers. The only problem is that we're waiting for an update, considering my experience and that of everyone else waiting for a solution.
My formula is simple: remove all folders associated with GSX from the Community folder. Then, open the FSDT GSX Library and activate the LINK.
That's it. Now it's time for the FSDT to take action, including the formula I discovered. That is, instead of removing the aforementioned folders and activating the LINK, I think the GSX Installer program should do this automatically, so we wouldn't have to waste time making homemade fixes. These are my two cents of collaboration. Case closed, and comments are welcome. Thanks.

Patricio Valdes

[virtuali]

My formula is simple: remove all folders associated with GSX from the Community folder. Then, open the FSDT GSX Library and activate the LINK.

You mean your issue was JUST because the two GSX packages were real folders instead of links ? If this was what happened, it's clear why you are having problems, and this issue is very well known since a long while, see here:

https://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,32906.0.html

here:
https://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,31590.msg200987.html#msg200987

here:
https://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,32991.msg207487.html#msg207487

here:
https://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,31456.msg200484.html#msg200484

here:
https://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,29755.msg192823.html#msg192823

here:
https://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,32608.msg205787.html#msg205787

Now, this is not usually explained as a first troubleshooting step, because you are not normally supposed to end up with real folders instead of Symbolic links, that's surely not how GSX is installed.

Now, WHY you had real folders instead of links ? There are only two possible reasons for this:

1) If you manually copied the packages in the Community folder, maybe a while ago, maybe trying to "fix" something yourself. I'm sorry but, if you did this, it's all on you.

There are reasons why GSX is installed that way, not only the obvious benefits due to not having to reinstall it if you lose your Community folder or you reinstall the sim clean ( you just RELINK GSX ) or the big space saving if you have both MSFS 2020 and 2024 installed: GSX is installed only once, you only have links in the two Community folders. But those are not even the most important things: the main issue is, if you have a real folder, in the Community folder, the simulator will be stuck with it forever, because the FSDT Update doesn't even touch the Community folder, all that it does, is updating the one single copy in Addon Manager\MSFS, relying on the fact the simulator will use it because it's LINKED to the Community. If you have a real folder in the Community, that's what the simulator will see, so it would be stuck forever with an outdated version, and that includes the code of the menu *itself*, let alone all objects added with updates that GSX *thinks* are available (because they are in the Addon Manager folder), but they aren't in the sim, causing errors when they are called.

2) Before anybody would start the I'm always saying it's the "user's fault" (I'm not), there's another possible reason why you might have ended with real folders instead of links, and it's using a BACKUP SOFTWARE.

This is very easy to miss: not all backup software have the same behavior when Symbolic links are concerned: some might "follow the link" that is making new copies of the files linked which will result in the creation of real folders on restore, some might have an OPTION in the backup that might be enabled or not, to indicate how to handle Symbolic links and that option should be to copy links "as they are", meaning if a folder is a link, only the link should be backed up as a link (not the files inside) and when restoring, only the link should be restored as a link.

The issues is, since many users use External USB drives as backups and those are usually formatted in ExFat and Symbolic links are only supported on NTFS, UNLESS you do your backup on an external disk formatted in NTFS AND your backup software has been configured (assuming it supports that option) to leave Links untouched, you WILL end up in the situation than, when restoring the Community folder from a backup, all your links would be transformed into real folders, which might not be apparent immediately, since GSX would kind "work" (assuming the backup wasn't too old), but it would surely have issues, because the GSX code would act on its own local copy, but the simulator will see a different copy of the packages.

Now it's time for the FSDT to take action, including the formula I discovered. That is, instead of removing the aforementioned folders and activating the LINK, I think the GSX Installer program should do this automatically, so we wouldn't have to waste time making homemade fixes

OF COURSE the installer is programmed to do that: if it finds a real folder during an update, it should remove it and recreate the link automatically. However, creating/removing Symbolic links requires Administrator permissions, since they are not normal folders, so I think this function might have failed in your case. I'll try do some extra testing on it, for sure, but since the problem was known for a while, of course the installer was equipped to deal with it.

But now I'll check it again, because apparently the installer couldn't do it so, at the very least, we should be able to ALERT you of the problem, so you can remove the real folders manually.

[trisho0]

Umberto, I appreciate so much your professional explanation very useful for all GSX community thread and for I as well. Regarding on your questions about real folders or linked my pics speak themselves. The way how they look is as always, I had. So, I never had real GSX folders in Community folders.

Patricio Valdes

[windshear]

is this download issue also the reason for the lack of SEATED passengers in MSFS2024?

[trisho0]

is this download issue also the reason for the lack of SEATED passengers in MSFS2024?

I think it is related with the aircraft configuration, not sure. I have the same pax in cabin issues with PMDG, iFly, IniBuilds, Fenix, basically with all. I will give a try later to find out if I am lucky (lol).

Patricio Valdes

[virtuali]

Regarding on your questions about real folders or linked my pics speak themselves. The way how they look is as always, I had.

I based my reply on your report:

My formula is simple: remove all folders associated with GSX from the Community folder. Then, open the FSDT GSX Library and activate the LINK.

The ONLY possible reason why that solution worked, is that you had real folders. I'm sure you'll realize that, removing links that were already links, and recreating the links again, cannot possibly have made any difference, because if they were already links, there would have been always linked to the SAME files.

[trisho0]

Regarding on your questions about real folders or linked my pics speak themselves. The way how they look is as always, I had.

I based my reply on your report:

My formula is simple: remove all folders associated with GSX from the Community folder. Then, open the FSDT GSX Library and activate the LINK.

The ONLY possible reason why that solution worked, is that you had real folders. I'm sure you'll realize that, removing links that were already links, and recreating the links again, cannot possibly have made any difference, because if they were already links, there would have been always linked to the SAME files.

I should admit my error not to look at the Community folder to find if GSX folders were linked or real ones. Umberto, I apologize about.
But at least I found the solution myself and it worked. Probably GSX folders were real ones, I assume there were, indeed.

Patricio Valdes

[Mandeville]

In MSFS2024, I'm having trouble with GSX at my arrival airport. I reinstalled GSX entirely for use on MSFS2024.

Departure (in the Fenix) works fine. My passengers load, are seated etc, and pushback works as expected.

Upon arrival at my destination, if I open GSX the menu window still shows the, "Confirm good engine start" option (as well as everything else from that state) from during pushback. Nothing I do seems to refresh that view, and even clicking on the "Restart Couatl" option doesn't do anything.

Have others had this issue and know of a solution?

Thanks!

[liketofly]

@Mandeville
I have the same Issue.....

GSX does not seem to realize that I have already flown and landed at the destination airport.....

[virtuali]

I suggest trying the beta version.