re-installing files

[Ian S]

Hi
Thanks for your great product.
I have just completed a re-install of P3Dv4.5 and in the process moved my Military AI Works folder to a different location. I had to uninstall the files in order to change the pathway to the new location in the MAIW Matrix Settings.
Now I have done that, is there a way to just re-install MAIW into my sim using the existing files, as when I click on install within the Matix it appears to want to download everything afresh and send the files to the Military AI Works folder even though the files are already there?

cheers

Ian

[Firebird]

I shall have to let Greg answer this one as he is the only one with the in depth knowledge to help here.
What you experienced is exactly why the guidelines are to set the Matrix install completely separate from P3D.

I have to ask, from a curiosity point of view, why did you you just not uninstall Matrix and then set it up in the new place? It is not like it involves a lot of work or takes a massive amount of time even if your broadband is really slow.

[Ian S]

I shall have to let Greg answer this one as he is the only one with the in depth knowledge to help here.
What you experienced is exactly why the guidelines are to set the Matrix install completely separate from P3D.

I have to ask, from a curiosity point of view, why did you you just not uninstall Matrix and then set it up in the new place? It is not like it involves a lot of work or takes a massive amount of time even if your broadband is really slow.

Hi Steve

The matrix was installed separately to P3D, however whilst doing a P3D re-install I took the opportunity to move my addons on to a new SSD. As you say there is no big deal if everything has to be re-downloaded but as I have all the files already, wasn't sure if constant downloads were a drain on the MAIW bandwidth? However if that is the way it works, so be it.

Cheers

Ian

[Firebird]

I understand what you are saying and of course it is always preferable not to have to re-install the Matrix.
The thing is that every programmer thinks of his/her use of a program in a certain way. They always try to visualize how a user may try to use it in a different manner to the way that they think, but you will never be perfect in that regards so it is always useful to know how a real user thinks about things.
This is the only reason for asking.

Now I have done some digging and found that you can just alter the installation path but you have to do some digging on your system. Having a tool like Everything will greatly speed things up, but in essence you have to look in your appdata local folder.
The full path, on 10, is:-
'C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\'.
Under this folder there will be a folder called 'Military_AI_Works'
In this folder there will be two or more sub-folders, one called 'Logs' and the other(s) begining 'MATRIX.exe_Url_'

Under the MATRIX.exe_Url_ folder will be several other dub-folders. These will be named after the version installed so you will need to be in the latest folder.
In my case the current full folder name is:-
'C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Military_AI_Works\MATRIX.exe_Url_bponwpd5hjhvh2stp5mhnt5ibbq1etxd\1.4.1.0'

Finally we hit paydirt. In this folder is one file 'user.config'
Now like all good IT professionals if you are going to mince around with anything back it up first.
Now open the user.config file in a text editor.
Currently on the fifth line is the code :-

Code: Select all

[b]<setting name="InstallPath" serializeAs="String">[/b]

On the sixth line is the actual set path, in my case :-

Code: Select all

[b]<value>F:\MATRIX\Military AI Works\</value>[/b]

Now this means that you can do what you originally asked about, HOWEVER if you are in anyway squeamish about getting dirty and messing around in system parms then uninstall and reset up. Greg designed it all to be as simple and user friendly as possible for re-installs.

On the download front you are fine. Of course we have to pay for the service - hence the donate button on the front page.
If things get too much the provider will send Greg a stern email and up the rent.
This is followed by a tearful Greg pleading for more cash for a worthy cause but at the moment it would not cause an issue - unless everybody re-installs every week.

I think that I have exhausted this subject. Let me know if I missed anything.

[Greg]

Hi Ian,

If you say that you uninstalled all regions and the global libraries in Matrix (which you should have indeed to be able to change the path on the Settings tab), then there's no way around reinstalling everything, including downloading the packages again. Disregard Steve's instructions above. That was the old way of changing the installation path before you could do that on the Settings tab, which you already did.

A more user-friendly way to move an entire Matrix setup is on my to-do list, but app development is not really a priority for the moment.

[Firebird]

Another learning opportunity.

[Ian S]

Okay, thanks guys. As I say, no big deal to re-download, just wanted to check I wasn't missing something.