Aircraft.cfg Limits ?

msm8378 · Post by **msm8378** » 03 Feb 2009, 17:41

Could someone be so kind as to explain the technical limits of the Aircraft.cfg file regarding fltsim.x entries?

Some packages I have (e.g., UGA) have 2 folders for same A/C with textures split between the two along with a warning not to combine them...

Just curious about the issue and could not find anything in forums...

Thanks

VulcanDriver · Post by **VulcanDriver** » 03 Feb 2009, 17:56

I've got 239 (!) in an AI F-16 cfg. I think the limit is 255, but I'm most likely wrong.

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 03 Feb 2009, 17:57

I vaguely remember that the limit is somewhere between 200 and 250. Anything over the limit simply "isn't seen" and therefore those aircraft will be missing from the sim.

I honestly don't remember the exact number, but I know I refuse to have more than 200 fltsim.x entries so that it simply easier for me to visually scan.

Edited to add: Timing! Lol! 255 does make Base 2 sense for a limit.

msm8378 · Post by **msm8378** » 03 Feb 2009, 18:01

Thank you both,

It makes sense that there would be a limit of some kind, but not even the SDK has any info...

This leads to another ?...Is there a limit to the number of folders/sub-folders in a directory (MS-XP)?

BadPvtDan · Post by **BadPvtDan** » 03 Feb 2009, 18:05

I have well over 700 F-16 entries (the C model) and they all show up.

msm8378 · Post by **msm8378** » 03 Feb 2009, 18:13

Danny,

WOW!!!

Now this leads to more "gray matter" strain...

Does having that many entries in one file cause a noticeable time lag in FS startup and/or does it allow for faster display of the 700+ A/C in the sim due to all of them being referenced from within a single set of memory sectors within RAM? hmmm....have to ponder/play with this to see if there are any technical benefits to one vs the other...

BadPvtDan · Post by **BadPvtDan** » 03 Feb 2009, 18:15

Who knows? I have an absolute beast of a machine so I don't notice too much of a lag when starting FS9.

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 03 Feb 2009, 18:21

BadPvtDan wrote:I have well over 700 F-16 entries (the C model) and they all show up.

Hmm. Really? I'm impressed.

OTOH, there are posts in the avsim forum archives saying that's not "possible" in a single aircraft.cfg file, but obviously you've disproven those posts if all your entries are in a single file.

AFAIK, there's no limit on entries across aircaft.cfg files (though there's a very vague memory of the 65536 number having been mentioned back in 2005 or so).

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 03 Feb 2009, 18:24

I think he means in all of his F-16 folders combined, correct Danny?

BadPvtDan · Post by **BadPvtDan** » 03 Feb 2009, 18:25

I'm not sure there is anything to be impressed about. I have just been creating military AI for a very long time. I wonder if that "limit" was in place prior to FS9? I know Peter's ACA2005 program had that 255 (?) limit built into it. His next version did away with that restriction.

I was always SO darned confused when I would see in ACA2005 that ALL these planes were not showing up. I would check everything....the cfg, the model...you name it. Finally, I go to the base and find that airplane and voila! there it was!

That's when I discovered that Peter actually had a newer version. So, now when I run those reports in ACA2005 I don't see those entries above 255 as missing.

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 03 Feb 2009, 18:28

So is it 700 [fltsim] entries total or all in one folder??

BadPvtDan · Post by **BadPvtDan** » 03 Feb 2009, 18:30

All in my F16C folder. I'm at work right now and have school this evening but perhaps I can put together a screen shot collage of everything. So, aircraft #500 and then take a SS of that aircraft in the sim, etc.

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 03 Feb 2009, 18:33

Good lord, how big is that one folder alone?? Tell me you don't also have 700 texture folders in it as well.

BadPvtDan · Post by **BadPvtDan** » 03 Feb 2009, 18:35

I don't know

I have several terabytes of space available, though. I am surprised yours isn't pretty big? Or do you have several F16C folders?

I have two F16C folders. One folder (with the 700) is my "production" folder. The other is my "testing" F16C folder. Once those planes are out of testing they go to production.

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 03 Feb 2009, 19:50

"Some" of us.....

have been forced to scale back our folders to keep things running smoothly. Not sure how many F-16 folders I have, multiple ones, that's for sure, but not nearly as many as if I had every single package installed.

theoklahomaaviator · Post by **theoklahomaaviator** » 03 Feb 2009, 20:09

I personally have 16 F-16 folders alone and I have all the American packages installed along with one or two custom packs...

BadPvtDan · Post by **BadPvtDan** » 04 Feb 2009, 03:58

I just picked one at random. This is a shot of a bird at KSSC. You can see that it is #347 in my aircraft.cfg...roughly half of the aircraft. She shows up fine!

msm8378 · Post by **msm8378** » 04 Feb 2009, 04:43

Danny,

It is great to know that the number of entries do not have an obvious low limit.

Quick question for you...is it better to have one traffic.bgl or multiple ones?

I have 60GB of additions and counting and have been contemplating constructing traffic files based on each individual aircraft vs. package or airlines. For me this seems a logical way to keep up with each texture and it's associated flightplan...however, I am also trying to find the most efficient setup as well.

Thanks,

Mat

Firebird · Post by **Firebird** » 04 Feb 2009, 08:23

Mat,
I am not sure that it really matters, although one large traffic may possibly be running into memory issues on loading or it may slow down the initial FS9 load. The truth is that nobody with a really large collection of AI has done any scientific testing.

However there is one area where breaking it down into smaller units does help, updating. Its much easier to be able to find what needs altering deleting if you have smaller units.

Now the best breakdown, I think, is an individual thing. Some people may prefer by type, some by Air Arm, some by base, some by sqn/wing and some by a combination.
I think it comes down to which method sits most comfortably in your mind. After all nobody but you is going to maintain it.

BadPvtDan · Post by **BadPvtDan** » 04 Feb 2009, 12:40

Yes, I have no idea which is most efficient. I only know what works best for me. Now, with so many military aircraft....I *think* it is better for me not to have multiple aircraft folders. I mean, how many folders would I need for my F16C's? That's a lot of duplication when it comes to hard drive space for the models, cfg and air files. Does MS load them all? Who really knows