Matrix package updates question

[rav707]

I had a great amount of MAIW packages in the scenery config. When I installed Matrix with the .xml system I removed the ones that where included in the initial release. I have added some of the newer packages and conversions not included in Matrix.
The problem is that as Matrix packages are updated i have a hard time keeping track of what is included and a lot of work trying to keep aircraft and scenery from being duplicated. I Know I have kept the MAIW object libraries that I had in the scenery.cfg and now I also have them in the P3d addons xml. Can that create a conflict? I have encountered some commercial airports where all the traffic has disapeared (civil and Military).
Does Matrix checks for similar items in the scenery config when it installs its components?
I'm I required to wipe clean all the MAIW traffic and scenery leaving only the ones installed by Matrix? (I have hundreds of packages that are still not in Matrix) I'm sure I'm not the only one with this dilemma. Can the potential conflict of scenery/airplanes/traffic "installed vs. new" be resolved by Matrix automatically?
Any advice on how I should proceed will be appreciated.

I'm using P3dv4.4

Sorry for the rambling but there are so many wonderful MAW packages that are coming out that is hard to wait for them to be included in Matrix.

[Greg]

Hi!

The problem is that as Matrix packages are updated i have a hard time keeping track of what is included and a lot of work trying to keep aircraft and scenery from being duplicated.

Every time I update a region, I also update the region's documentation (the PDF that is opened by clicking on the information symbol for a region in Matrix, or found in the documentation thread in this subforum). New airfields and units are marked in green.

I could also upload a complete log of deleted and added files if people would be interested. It's the output from my version control system and looks like this (but then a lot longer):

new file: MAIW_EUROPE_WORLD/Scenery/Traffic_France_DGAEV_AlphaJetE_FSX.bgl
new file: MAIW_EUROPE_WORLD/Scenery/Traffic_German_Tornado_FSX.bgl
new file: MAIW_EUROPE_WORLD/Scenery/Traffic_Irish Air Corps_AW139_FSX.bgl
new file: MAIW_EUROPE_WORLD/Scenery/Traffic_Italian_Tornado_FSX.bgl
deleted: MAIW_EUROPE_WORLD/Scenery/Traffic_MAIW_HAF T-37 Static_FSX.bgl
deleted: MAIW_EUROPE_WORLD/Scenery/Traffic_MAIW_SerbiaAF_MiG-29_FSX.bgl
new file: MAIW_EUROPE_WORLD/Scenery/Traffic_Marham_F35Bs_FSX.bgl
new file: MAIW_EUROPE_WORLD/Scenery/Traffic_Marham_Tornados_FSX.bgl
new file: MAIW_EUROPE_WORLD/Scenery/Traffic_SerbiaAF_MiG-29_FSX.bgl

So if people find that interesting, I can add the output to the changelog notes of every update.

I Know I have kept the MAIW object libraries that I had in the scenery.cfg and now I also have them in the P3d addons xml. Can that create a conflict?

You can safely remove all the bgl files that are also in the Matrix Global Libraries (or rename their extension to .off if you want to play safe) but so far, if you're also using the FSX versions of the standalone Global Scenery Object Libraries then they should not cause any conflicts.

I have encountered some commercial airports where all the traffic has disapeared (civil and Military).

That's an entirely different issue and I don't think it has anything to do with Matrix, or other users would have reported the same for sure. Most probably, you installed an FS9 formatted traffic file.

Does Matrix checks for similar items in the scenery config when it installs its components?

No, Matrix doesn't check anything because it's designed as a completely independent fire-and-forget system.

I'm I required to wipe clean all the MAIW traffic and scenery leaving only the ones installed by Matrix? (I have hundreds of packages that are still not in Matrix) I'm sure I'm not the only one with this dilemma. Can the potential conflict of scenery/airplanes/traffic "installed vs. new" be resolved by Matrix automatically?

You're not required to do a full wipe, but you will have to remove duplicates. It simply can't be avoided if you want to use a simple installer like Matrix with a custom setup. I had to do the same on my system and it took me a couple of hours, but in the end I think it was worth it. It is also impossible to scan the user's system for existing traffic because there are so many variables. What if the user renamed the aircraft titles, for example?

Basically, you'll have to choose between continuing a custom setup without Matrix, or combining your custom setup with Matrix and accepting that it will require a bit of work. I also suggest you take a look at chapter 8 in the manual which explains how to install the Matrix regions to a temporary folder and copying what you like to your custom setup.

[rav707]

Than you Greg for your thorough reply. I guess there is no easy answer.
But if I may, In this circumstances I have one more question.
If I add other traffic files to a region, when Matrix updates the region, does it only add/replace new/modified files and leaves the rest as is? or does it replaces all the files on that region?

[Greg]

Feel free to ask as many questions as you want.

Matrix does two things when updating a region:

1. Download a list of specific files and folders to remove and loop through it. These are the files and folders marked with "deleted" in the log
2. Download a zip file containing only the new and/or modified files and folders and unzip it in the respective Matrix region folder, overwriting if existing

So if you add fltsim sections to an aircraft.cfg in Matrix, there's a chance that file will be overwritten during an update and all your changes will be lost. I advise never to add anything to the Matrix folders but keep your custom setup apart.

[rav707]

Thank you again Greg.