Autosave and 1444 Fragged Files

[Kinetika]

Hi Pete:

Cross-posting this to both yours and PMDG's Forums at the same time;

Hi Guys:

Prior to starting today's online flight, i ran a quick defrag with Ultimate Defrag 2008 and ended up with 1 fragmented file (its the same one every time, one of the SYS32 Files, cant be helped :) ).

Anyway, after my flight, i just ran ultimate defrag again and there are now 1444 fragmented files.

The flight today was a 747X EGKK/KJFK, and the majority of the fragged files are C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\PMDG\747400\Panel State\Autosave XYZ.FLT.SAV (XYZ Being the Autosave Date and Time)

I get the same after an MD11 Flight.

The Autosave Files themselves;

C:\Documents And Settings\USER\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\Autosave

Know that they are to over-write existing items and so there are only 6 of them, + a WX File each.

I'm not saying it's PMDG. To be honest i suspect that it's more a function of the Autosave Module that FSUIPC4 Registered is including these days, but this is obviously not right and thought that it was worth making both PMDG and Pete Dowson aware of the issue if they were not already.

I am Cross Posting to Pete Dowsons forum at the same time, so hopefully the two companies can bang their heads together and have a look at this.

Cheers

Paul

Many thanks in advance....

[Pete Dowson]

The flight today was a 747X EGKK/KJFK, and the majority of the fragged files are C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\PMDG\747400\Panel State\Autosave XYZ.FLT.SAV (XYZ Being the Autosave Date and Time)

How do they get fragmented? You wouldn't have thought they were big enough.

I'm not saying it's PMDG. To be honest i suspect that it's more a function of the Autosave Module that FSUIPC4 Registered is including these days, but this is obviously not right and thought that it was worth making both PMDG and Pete Dowson aware of the issue if they were not already.

The PMDG software is detecting the saving of flights and automatically saving its own data. If you don't want that to happen I suggest you either look to see if there's a way of turning it off in the PMDG options, or else you'll need to stop using AutoSave. Simply go to FSUIPC's AutoSave tab and disable it -- you must have enabled it there in the first place, as it is off by default.

Alternatively, if you find the Autosave with PMDG data useful, you'll need to remember to go delete them now and then.

Incidentally, 1444 saves in one flight seems a bit over the top. Why don't you think about reducing the frequency a bit. say to once every 2 or 3 minutes? Then you'd need to go on a 2 day flight to accumulate that many! ;-)

Regards

Pete

[Kinetika]

My God your quick :)

Hi Pete.

Thanks for the prompt response as ever.

I shall have a look at the save frequency and lower that a touch. Also shall cross post your response back to the PMDG forum if that's okay with you.

As you say, the PMDG appears to be saving its own set of panel states as well as those that Autosave is creating.

I can't live without AutoSave, as it's saved me from far too many restarted flights. Especially with EGLL08 Installed :? , so it most certainly wont be getting disabled.

Again, many thanks for the prompt, friendly and helpful response.

Cheers

Paul :D

[Pete Dowson]

As you say, the PMDG appears to be saving its own set of panel states as well as those that Autosave is creating.

AutoSave itself creates nothing, it simply calls the same routine in FS that you would do if you pressed the ; key (default assignment) and entered a name. It just does both these things for you, automatically, at intervals.

The extra thing AutoSave does is automatically delete files cyclically according to the number you specify. It actually does this not only for the .FLT, .WX and .FSSAVE files, but for others, saved in the same folder, with filetypes PSS, FMC, ABL, RCD, SPB and (in FSX's case, with the latest FSUIPC 4.333) IPCBIN. These more or less cover what was being saved by both FS and many add-on programs -- including the PSS aircraft and, I think, the original PIC ones (preceding the current Level D range). I'm not sure if it still does -- I don't really use any add-on aircraft myself. "RCD" are Radar Contact data files.

I don't mind extending this as needed, but only for files in the same folder. Unfortunately, PMDGs saved files go into their own area. I can't really start extending AutoSave's operations into other parts of the disk system, though its filetype, ".FLT.SAV" would certainly be easy enough to add to my list for the normal FLTs folder.

On the other hand, maybe an INI file option (only) could be added where you, the user, can provide an additional folder path to be handled, and the fie-type to be deleted. I'll think about that. Shouldn't be too much work ...

Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

On the other hand, maybe an INI file option (only) could be added where you, the user, can provide an additional folder path to be handled, and the fie-type to be deleted. I'll think about that. Shouldn't be too much work ...

Okay. Such a facility will be available in FSUIPC 4.40, which I hope to release within the next few days or so.

You will have to manually add some lines to the [AutoSave] section of the FSUIPC4.INI file. For the PMDG 747X these would be:

AlsoManage1=PMDG\747400\PanelState\*.FLT.sav

AlsoManage2=PMDG\747400\PanelState\*.0.rte

AlsoManage3=PMDG\747400\PanelState\*.1.rte

as the PMDG can save these 3 file types for every saved FLT. The * represents the position where FSUIPC4 will substitute the AutoSave filename part.

You'd need to do something similar I think for the MD11, but I don't know the details. The path given in these lines is WITHIN the main FSX path. If you have anything installed outside the FSX path you'd need to give the complete pathname, from the drive (e.g. C:\ ...) onwards (or the computer name for a Network in the usual form, i.e. \\ ...).

Up to 9 "AlsoManage" lines can be given, numbered 1 to 9.

All FSUIPC4 does is delete the files with those names in those paths when it deletes the related FLT + WX files from the FSX flights folder.

Regards

Pete

[Kinetika]

Hello Pete:

Many, many thanks for your kind assistance on this matter. I am sure that your addition will benefit many of us PMDG Drivers, and look forwarrd to V4.4 with interest.

On the MD11 Front, File Structure is very much the same i think, so that should work perfectly.

Again, many thanks for the prompt response, and the superb after sales service. All very much appreciated!

Cheers

Paul