What's New in this Version?
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Version 6.0.5
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Addon Import Process
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- Improved aircraft loading performance.
- Added an option to avoid importing addons that were previously imported. Check the box called "Do not include previously imported addons" in the Import Options window.
- Rather than showing all addon files bunched together in a single list (which quickly became overwhelming), the Import Addons window is now divided into two parts, an Addon list and an Addon file list much like the Work With Addons window. It's now much easier to locate and modify individual addons.
- Effects (.fx) files are now included in the import process.
- The addon group description is now filled in automatically for aircraft.
Addon Installation Wizard
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- Added "Quick Picks" buttons to all Addon Installation Wizard windows that feature a Change Folder button. Pressing Quick Picks allows access to a list of choices for selecting a folder or name. The items presented are based on the addon's configuration, text files as well as the folder from which you install the addon. For example, if you install a custom sound addon and in the Configure Sound window you select "install to a custom sound folder", then press Quick Picks you will see several possible installation folders.
Set Installation Options Window
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- Two new fields are available to record the names of the addon's authors and pick a default addon rating. Use the Work With Addons window to access or change these fields after installation.
- The addon source folder name will now appear in the list of pre-determined names. Press the button to the right of the Addon Name field to access this list. So if you install an aircraft from, say, a folder called "Focke-Wulf Ta283", this term appears in the name list and you can opt to name your addon based on that term.
Addon Management
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- More information is stored for your addons.
- The Authors field can be used to record the names of the folks responsible for creating the addon.
- The Rating field can be used to rate the addon on a scale from 1-10.
- The Date Installed and Location fields report the date and time the addon was installed and whether it exists in Flight Simulator or in Addit! Pro's File Cabinet.
- Also stored is the addon's source origin (the name of the original zip file or folder), the size of the source origin in bytes, the number of files it contained and the source type (installed or imported).
- Addons are now saved in Addit! Pro's \Addon and \Cabinet folders using their real names combined with a number to make them unique. Renaming an addon updates the folder names accordingly.
- Added support for weather themes.
- Added support for gauge CAB files present within panel folders.
- Addit! Pro now remembers every addon you install. Access to this addon history will be made available in a future release.
- Effects (.fx) files are now considered in several processes.
- Improved installation of effects texture bitmaps.
- Created a means to exclude aircraft from the Edit Aircraft and Import Addons windows. Use "AExclude.txt", located in Addit! Pro's \Settings folder, to specify aircraft to exclude. Aircraft can be excluded by exact folder name or by a prefix or suffix. Access this filter in the Customize window, under Aircraft Options.
- Improved handling of DLL files installed to \Modules.
- Added new items for Quick Picks including the name of the folder used to install the addon and the name of the source zip file.
- Addit! Pro now prevents removal of the aircraft used by the default flight.
Customize Window
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- Added a new section under Aircraft Options called Aircraft Picture Presentation. You can opt to display aircraft and panel pictures:
- Side by side - the panel picture is always shown to the right of the aircraft picture. Use if you prefer larger images.
- One above the other - the panel picture is always shown beneath the aircraft picture. Use if you prefer a wider Aircraft List.
- Automatic - a combination of the above based on the window size. "Side by side" is used until the window is large enough to switch to "One above the other".
- Added the option to exclude MyTraffic aircraft. Visit the Aircraft category and check "Exclude MyTraffic aircraft".
- Added a Customize button to exclude aircraft from the Edit Aircraft and Import Addons windows. Aircraft can be excluded by exact folder name or by a prefix or suffix. Press Customize to open the filter for complete instructions.
Edit Aircraft, Edit Panels, Edit Sounds Windows
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- Redesigned these windows to show more detail, eliminate dead space and to be more functional at higher screen resolutions.
- Aspect ratios on all images are now correct regardless of window size.
- Configuration file validation reporting is now integrated into the window itself, accessible by visiting the Report tab. If you prefer the old pop-up style (or if you want to view only a specific type of report) just click on one of the View Configuration Report buttons.
- Added a Validate option to specifically check the integrity of the selected addon.
Edit Aircraft Window
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- Introduced an aircraft filter bar to the Edit Aircraft window. Use the filter bar to display aircraft by manufacturer, model (type) and variation similar to how Flight Simulator presents aircraft in its Select Aircraft window.
- New options exist to control aircraft and panel pictures positioning. See Customize for details.
- Added validation of aircraft effects (.fx) files.
- Improved aircraft loading performance.
- The right click context menu structure is now better organized.
- You can now always right click on an aircraft or panel image to modify it (before this could only be done if something was shown, preventing you from using it to set an image for the first time).
- Added a new section under Aircraft Options called Aircraft Picture Presentation. You can opt to display aircraft and panel pictures:
- F6 - Change aircraft picture.
- F7 - Change panel picture.
- F9 - Assign new panel.
- F10 - Assign new sound.
Edit Panels Window
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- Added a button in the Edit Panels window to open the selected panel configuration file.
- New options exist to control panel picture positioning. See Customize for details.
- You can now always right click on a panel image to modify it (before this could only be done if something was shown, preventing you from using it to set an image for the first time).
- Added a shortcut key for setting pictures, F7.
Edit Sounds Window
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- Added a button in the Edit Sounds window to open the selected sound configuration file.
Fixes
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- Fixed a problem installing aircraft model files and model configuration files where the aircraft.cfg file specified they be installed to some subfolder beneath the "Model\" folder. Applied the fix to other scenarios involving panels, sounds and textures.
- Sometimes during removal of an addon, some folders were not being deleted properly. This happened only when the folders to be deleted were named a certain way. They are now fully removed regardless of naming.
- Fixed a display problem in Configure A.I. Traffic that reared its head when the option to display the All tab first was enabled.
General
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- Program Information now displays your \Documents and Settings path and your \Application Data path.
- Added a means to work with multiple installations of Flight Simulator using multiple installations of Addit! Pro. Normally, Addit! Pro searches the Windows Registry to discover Flight Simulator's installation folder. Addit! Pro is then tied to that installation. You can override this behavior to force a copy of Addit! Pro to work with a second installation of Flight Simulator. See the new help topic " Using Addit! Pro with Multiple Installations" for details.
- The startup sound event works fine now under Windows XP and is enabled by default.
- Traffic Tools V2.02+ is now supported.
- AFCAD support is forthcoming and will coincide with Lee Swordy's release for Flight Simulator 2004 later this year.
- Under some Windows XP themes the buttons on the bottoms of many forms were too close to the edge of the window. This has been fixed.
- Added an option to the Tools menu called "Clear Default Aircraft and Panel Pictures" to delete all stock aircraft and panel pictures. The previous, seldom used option to clear all pictures was removed.
- Increased the tolerance to zip files that generate recoverable warnings.
- Improved gauge and texture installation.
Work With Addons Window
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- Added a tabbed area displaying the addon files, description and details each on a separate tab.
- The Details tab allows access to several new fields:
- The Authors field, used to record the people responsible for creating the addon.
- The Rating field, used to rate the addon on a scale from 1-10.
- The Date Installed and Location fields report the date and time the addon was installed and whether it exists in Flight Simulator or in Addit! Pro's File Cabinet.
- Also shown is the addon's source origin (the name of the original zip file or folder), the size of the source origin in bytes, the number of files it contained and the source type (installed or imported).
