ScruffyDuck

It looks great! Only problem is, you need FSX Deluxe for the SDK. I'm still afraid to install Deluxe 'cause I don't want to lose several gigabytes of downloaded airplanes and scenery. There are probably a few utilities hanging around too. Anyone know of a sure-fire way of dumping Standard and loading Deluxe without losing all that other stuff.
RadarMan seems to think you can just install the SDK from the Deluxe disk, but I'm not sure.
My goal is to build the airstrip at Kaanapali, Maui. It used to be the only way to get to Maui from the other islands. It had a funky little bar, the Windsock Lounge, located above the terminal. The walls were plastered with business cards from people all over the world, and they served the best Bloody Marys.
I was stupid not to buy Deluxe in the first place. Ah, decisions,decisions.

Regards ... Art

I have deluxe and installed the SDK, looking to edit original AI traffic. Never got to edit traffic using the SDK alone because I couldn't understand how to alter FSX config files to recognize SDK modifications.

I agree with RM, the Software Development Kit (SDK) are a seperate set of applications that are started without FSX running, from a command line in the case of the traffic editor! But the SDK(s) are NOT novice user friendly. That creates a need for 3rd party apps to mannipulate the SDKs that novices like me can understand, It's SOoo Microsoft!

I believe the SDKs from a deluxe disk set could be installed and used to edit the standard game.

By the way I achived my desire to edit (increase) general avation traffic by installling the free GA_Traffic download. Now I have lots of yellow cubs flying touch-an-gos or running into me on the apron, (GA_Traffic allows me to select "student" as a pilot type).

Thanks for that reply oldsamer. You have encouraged me enough to go out and pop the fifty bucks for Deluxe. I think there might be a way to back-up the airplane and scenery files (just in case). I don't think that freeware add-ons mess with the registry so why not make copies of those files. At least I'd still have them in case there was a problem. I could copy them into the new installation, one by one, if I had to. I've got too many airplanes anyway, and that would be a way to force me to clean out my files.
Where did you get the free GA_Traffic download? That sounds interesting. I have some that I added with TTools, but it's really a pain to do the schedules. Please let me know if you have the link for it.
Best regards ... Art

Is where I got it;

https://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/1671/fsx-ga-traffic/

The "landing fees" feature of this program will keep the AIs off the majors if you set fee value low. New AIs are aproportioned by number of parking slots at a strip. Only uses default A/C for AIs. Doesn't schedule flights, AIs operate pretty much all the time, (this is GA). My biggest grip is with my GA_Traffic settings, all the new traffic congregates at strips using 122.90 CTAF. After 15 minutes of running there is so much AI chatter on tower freq, I can't break in! And the [New view] [Traffic] list more than doubles so you can't snoop on a particular AI because it's off the page.

Hi oldsamer,
A while ago I downloaded that same program, maybe an earlier version, and it really did a number on my sim. When you have time, I suggest that you do a search for "I screwed up" (without the quotes) in the fsx
add-ons/downloads catagory and read what happened to me. I sure hope you don't run into the same mess that I did. 😞
Best regards ... Art

effieveda said;

The latest thing is that this program generates flying yellow billboards with the message "please register this aircraft".

Wow, I've not seem that, but I only selected FSX default cubs for the program AIs.

effieveda said;

Now I've got traffic alright, but my fps took a big hit. Went from a reasonable 20 to 25 with most settings at medium to about 6 after the install.

I still have an FPS of 30, but I've 0%ed Airline Traffic. See below for rest of my settings and sys specs, current for FSX deluxe w/SP1

GRAPHICS
Target frame rate: 30
Full screen res: 1680x1050x16
Filtering: Anisotropic
Anti-aliasing: on
Global texture resolution: Very high
Lens flare: off
Light bloom: off
Advanced animations: off
Informational text: Continuous
AIRCRAFT
Default cockpit view: 3-D virtual cockpit
Show cockpit ToolTips: on
High-resolution 3-D virtual cockpit: on
2-D panel transparency: 0%
Aircraft cast shadows: on
Aircraft casts shadows on itself: off
Aircraft landing-lights illuminate ground: off
SCENERY
Level of detail radius: Medium
Mesh complexity: 51
Mesh resolution: 19m
Texture resolution: 60 cm
Water effects: High 1.x
Land detail textures: on
Scenery complexity: Extremely dense
Autogen density: Extremely dense
Ground scenery shadows: off
Special effects detail: Low
WEATHER
Cloud draw distanse: 60mi / 96km
Thermal visualization: None
Simple clouds: on
Download winds aloft data with real-world weather: off
Disable turbulence and thermal effects on aircraft: off
Rate at which weather changes over time: Medium
TRAFFIC
Airline traffic density: 0%
General aviation traffic density: 100% GA Traffic addon doubles traffic
Airport vehicle density: 0%
Road vehicles: 51%%
Ships and ferries: 54%
Leasure boats: 100%
Show aircraft labels: off

With this computer:

Intel DP965LT ATX mainboard (P965express chipset)
Intel onboard Azalia sound & 82566c LAN
intel Core2Duo E6600@2.4ghz
Generic intel approved thermally advantaged ATX case
Thermaltake 775D copperbase heatpipe cpu cooling fan
Corsair 4x1gb duel channel DDR2@667mhz
Gigabyte nVida 8800GTX w/768mb DDR3
Memorex DVD-CD R+RW drive
Western Digital 1600YS SATA hardrive
Antec NeoHe 500watt power supply
Samsung 215TW 21" widescreen (1680x1050) DVI LCD
Samsung CX213TW 13" DVI LCD
CH Flightstick Pro usb & Ch control manager V4.2
winXp SP2

Hi oldsamer,
I was sure glad to hear that you are not having any problems with that GA program. As for me, I'll never know what happened because of the hard drive crash. It may very well have been something stupid that I did to cause the mess. I was pretty new to the sim world at the time, and my computer was only a few months old. So it will remain a mystery forever. All I know for sure is that there were an awful lot of really nice people out there who tried their best to help.
Your computer is far superior to mine. It's only a 1.86 gigaHz, but I did upgrade the memory to 4 gigs and the gaphics card to a 7950GT. So I get frame rates from 20 to 24 as long as I stay away from cities. It's good enough for me because I like small air strips and bush flying.
Anyway, watch out for all that traffic, it can get dangerous up there. 🙂
Best regards ... Art

Gentlemen more on the SDK: I didn't know there was an SP1a out -- did you?

If you did, please ignore this post, if you didn't, have a look:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=24910e66-96b0-4543-9b4a-647b7e28f212&DisplayLang=en

No I didn't know. Was it some kind of secret? Is it possible we weren't supposed to know? It was released May fifteenth of this year. Thanks for the info Tailhook.
Best regards ... Art

Ya, I installed it right after putting in the SDK, installed without a hitch. Still can't use the SDK though, quit tryin months ago.

Hi oldsamer,
What seems to be the problem? Why aren't You able to use it?
Regards ... Art

The SDK isn't Novice user friendly, has no instructions or help pages. You can google around the net and find fourms, hints, and tricks from sucessfull users.

I can start the SDK tool (traffic editor) and Xp processes window shows it's running. But I have no user interface, start FSX and nothing new there. I'm guessing there is line or two of instructions needed to be inserted in some FSX config file before a new scroll tab appears in the FSX control pannels that takes you to the SDK user interface.

Admittedly, I've been afraid to persue this agressively since my sim is running well.

I totally agree, if it works, don't mess with it. As mentioned before my interest is in replacing a little airstrip in Maui. It seems as all of the airport design programs I've looked at require the SDK and something called "sim connect". I too have failed to find any understandable instructions on how to use either of these components. Why it is so complicated, I do not know. I'm convinced that there must be a way to learn all this stuff. I'm surprised that there aren't more members of this forum that could offer some assistance. Best regards ... Art