New Pilot Hopeing to use P3D

[ronnyeicher]

Hi everyone!
I started my trial membership yesterday after considering PE for some time now. I use both FSX and Prepar3D but really prefer using P3D. I have read this post viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2168 and was able to log on to PE but unable to have the SB widget visible on top while I fly.
I've not used SB before as I have always used FSinn so I'm also not sure which files should be moved to P3D and where. Any help form P3D users whould be awsome. Looking forward to flying at PE and thanks in advance.
Ronny

[Keith Smith]

You should move the SBX and VIP aircraft folders into P3D (or you can rename the PilotEdge\aircraft\vip.sms and PilotEdge\aircraft\sbx.sms files to have a .bak extension so PE won't attempt to use those model sets). Some of the stock aircraft from FSX probably won't be present in P3D due to licensing issues, either, so you will want to have a look at the "pe.smx" file and verify the presence of each of those aircraft within P3D. If they're not there, then you can either copy the aircraft over from FSX or delete them from the pe.smx file. Otherwise, PE will be trying to create aircraft that don't exist.

By "SB widget" I assume you mean the PilotEdge transponder utility (petrans10.dll)? Can you verify that you copied those listed entries from the FSX dll.xml into the P3D file (namely, petrans10 and peaicontrol) ?

Overall, you are looking to:
1) make sure your P3D dll.xml file contains references to those 2 DLL's (one kills the AI traffic while connected to the network, the other is the PilotEdge transponder utility window)

2) ensure that the aircraft that PE is going to try to create are actually available within P3D using the techniques described above.

There will be a P3D option in the installer coming soon, btw.

[ronnyeicher]

Thanks for your quick reply and instructions Keith! I will try to get up and running this afternoon.

[SmallJet]

2) ensure that the aircraft that PE is going to try to create are actually available within P3D using the techniques described above.

Hello Keith,

Can you outline that part a little bit more for me. I'm curious as to why/how PE has to try and "create" aircraft? I was under the impression that you brought the aircraft model to PE, by way of the Flight Simulator you use to connect to the PE server. So, at what point does PE actually get involved in the creation of aircraft that already exist in the Flight Simulator? Do you need two separate aircraft models when using PE?

Lastly, do you know when there will be official support for P3D that won't require making the changes to the file system that are mentioned above with the other files and folders?

Thank you.

[Keith Smith]

Our implementation varies between sims, but for FSX/P3D, PE sends directives to the simulator via SimConnect to tell it to generate instances of aircraft, and then proceeds to drive them around the sky, based on inputs it receives from our server.

PE uses mapping files to map the enormous list of ICAO aircraft codes to aircraft that are actually available in the sim. If those mappings files aren't right, then PE is going to ask the sim to create a plane that it doesn't have.

To augment the relatively limited selection of aircraft that ship with FSX (and to an even greater extent), P3D, PE installs a number of additional aircraft models into the simulator, purely for the purpose of providing a wider range of visual models when flying online.

[SmallJet]

To augment the relatively limited selection of aircraft that ship with FSX (and to an even greater extent), P3D, PE installs a number of additional aircraft models into the simulator, purely for the purpose of providing a wider range of visual models when flying online.

Does that mean that I cannot use the aircraft model of my choosing inside my flight simulator (FSX/P3D/X-Plane) when using PilotEdge, if there is no ICAO mapping for PilotEdge to use for the model I want to use? In other words, when using PilotEdge, am I restricted to only the aircraft that PilotEdge is able to generate inside of SimConnect?

If this is true, it might defeat the purpose of my using PE, because I would not be using PilotEdge as a "game." I'd be using it as a preliminary training environment for instrument procedures and ATC comms. Please clarify, when you get a chance.

Also, when you say, "a wider range of visual models," what aircraft does this refer to? Are you referring to the visual representation of aircraft that I would see sharing the same airspace that I happen to be using at any one particular time? Or, are you referring to the visual representation of AI aircraft operating in the PilotEdge system?

I think this other question might have slipped by in my initial question above:

Lastly, do you know when there will be official support for P3D that won't require making the changes to the file system that are mentioned above with the other files and folders?

[Mark Hargrove]

Keith is referring to the models available to display to the external environment, i.e., what you see out the window when you're close enough to see another airplane that is also flying in the shared PE flight environment.

There is no restriction that I'm aware of as to what you decide to fly on PE. If you're flying something unusual (like an SR-71), PE will not have a model for "your" airplane and will map it to something generic (at least, that's what I think happens). Note that this has no effect whatsoever on your airplane of choice -- it's just what other pilots see when you're close to them.

-M.

[ronnyeicher]

I have been able to log on and fly now with P3D using a small program I found here in the forums (pintodesk?) to keep my transponder on top. Still have not been able to open or look at the file Keith makes mention of below. I did see somewhere a SMS configurator that I might be able to use with my UTrafficX AI set. Havent tried that yet.
[quote="Keith Smith"]you will want to have a look at the "pe.smx" file and verify the presence of each of those aircraft within P3D. quote]
Two questions maybe abit off topic but should I be able to hear other pilots radio calls and is the live map truley live? Many times I can see others on the map but they are not visible to me even when I'm parked very close.
So far all is good and I'm enjoying my time online. V-1 done and hope to take V-2 in the next few days.
Thanks in advance
Ron

[Keith Smith]

I have been able to log on and fly now with P3D using a small program I found here in the forums (pintodesk?) to keep my transponder on top. Still have not been able to open or look at the file Keith makes mention of below. I did see somewhere a SMS configurator that I might be able to use with my UTrafficX AI set. Havent tried that yet.

you will want to have a look at the "pe.smx" file and verify the presence of each of those aircraft within P3D. quote]

As I said above:

PE uses mapping files to map the enormous list of ICAO aircraft codes to aircraft that are actually available in the sim. If those mappings files aren't right, then PE is going to ask the sim to create a plane that it doesn't have.

Ron, that's what's happening to you. You got it working with P3D, but you didn't modify the mapping files, so PE is trying to create aircraft that it thinks you have in your simulator, and they're not there. So, you're not seeing the planes, period.

This mapping system is fairly simple (the relevant part is, at least). The system maps an ICAO code to the actual FSX/P3D aircraft title (replacing the plus character with spaces). Try opening the SMX/SMS/SM9 files in the PE Aircraft folder, it's relatively easy to see what's going on.

SmallJet, you have nothing to worry about. You needn't worry about this being a 'game'. There's a company with a $6MM sim who will be flying on PilotEdge starting midway through next month. Rest assured, he doesn't consider it a game...he considers it a system which will revolutionize flight training. You're drawing potential conclusions based on pieces that you're not yet familiar with. I'd encourage you to not sweat it just yet, especially if you haven't yet selected a sim platform for your training.

[ronnyeicher]

I kinda thought that might be happening Keith, I just have'nt figered out how to open those files. With what program do I open them?
Thanks for your help and BTW I'm thinking about what new call sign I want to use. Sorry