Support for MSFS 2024

[Zhavok92]

Hello and thank you very much for JoinFS. I am a really big FAN of the tool and wanted to ask if support for msfs2024 is planned?

Best regards!

[omx5o]

Hi. I'm afraid I no longer develop it but perhaps someone will extend the git source for the 2024 version. Best regards, Peter

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On Thu, Nov 21, 2024 at 3:56 PM Zhavok92 ***@***.***> wrote: Hello and thank you very much for JoinFS. I am a really big FAN of the tool and wanted to ask if support for msfs2024 is planned? Best regards! — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#5>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/BG3QSQVC7NCCCUGCBXEJ3N32BX7EDAVCNFSM6AAAAABSHK3UNCVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43ASLTON2WKOZSGY4DAMBRHEYTEMQ> . You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[Zhavok92]

Ahh ok. That is a pity to hear. But thanks for the quick reply anyway ;)

[neoxeo]

Hi,

I will add 2024 support (not before the end of the year) and ask your help @Zhavok92 to made tests, if you are agree.

[Zhavok92]

I'm not a JoinFS pro, I've only used it to host a session for two people. But yes, I can test it

[Mariopilot808]

I've been investigating MSFS-2024 support. Currently compiling a list of all Aviator's Edition aircraft for model matching tables.
Also, I have a modification to move MSFS marketplace add-ons to a text file, instead of them being hardcoded.
Will try to share these soon.

[neoxeo]

@Mariopilot808

Hi, I didn't understand your comment before I install MSFS2024. Now, I see that a lot of "objects" did not installed by default but streamed when you need them. So effectively, it is necessary to have a list of "standard" objects for each version of MSFS2024 and scan Community path to have a complete list of available object.

Perhaps, it is possible folder names present into :

• Steam: %APPDATA%\Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024\StreamedPackages
• MS Store: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.Limitless_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\StreamedPackages
  to get first list even if models didn't downloaded.

Tell me if I can help you.

Thanks.

[Mariopilot808]

@neoxeo ,
As you say, MSFS-2024 only streams objects. Therefore the only way is to have a library of them. This is what I did.
Since I have Aviator's edition, I could see all. Sadly the only way now is to screenshot the DevMode's Aircraft Selector page, create a huge composite image and run this through OCR scanning. 1600+ aircraft variations!!
The good news is that Getting JoinFS to work with FS-2024 proved otherwise quite simple!!
The limitations are:

• Cannot use the new "Modular Simobject" format of FS-2024, hence only the base models for these can be called. This is a SimConnect limitation. MS may expand the functions in the future. Their liveries cannot be. This effectively reduced the number of available aircraft to 510.
• All streamed content must be in a static library. Cannot be scanned.
• If MS updates the FS-2020 aircraft to FS-2024 standard, the static library will need updating.
• Note: I hve placed this in a text file that JoinFS will read. Previously marketplace add-ons were hard-coded. This makes it exceedingly complicated to add new ones.
  The LocalState folder you mention populates if you enable VFS projection from the SDK. We cannot ask users to do this.
  Not sure how Steam will deal with it.

I was planning on creating a Fork and dropping my code there.
I also found out that I could log-in in FS-2024 (MS Store) on one PC and FS-2020 (Steam) in another (old laptop), and JoinFS with myself.

Regard,

Mario

[neoxeo]

@Mariopilot808

Thanks a lot for all these interesting informations !

Regard,
NeoXeo

[Mariopilot808]

@omx5o ,
Is your code signing still active?
In order to do my work I turned code signing OFF.
If we push an updated version for FS-2024 into your repository, will you kindly do the release work on your site?
Note that I am still working on stuff. This is just so to organize how to work on my fork.

Best Regards,

Mario N.

[Mariopilot808]

@tuduce
You seem to be better versed at C# than me.
Feel free to navigate my fork and take any conde snippet you like.
I had this feature where FS2020 add-ons were now residing in a text file.
This avoided re-compiling just to add more. I was also planning a feature for users to insert new ones, but put it on hold as I worked on the New FS/2024 EnumerateSimObjectsAndLiveries function.

[tuduce]

Thanks @Mariopilot808 ! I will take a look at your code and integrate it in my fork.
I just released the first MSFS2024 integration if you are interested.

https://github.com/tuduce/JoinFS/releases/tag/v3.2.20

[geobouimg07]

Thank you all.

Let me introduce myself, I am the administrator of a VA of 35 active pilots using JoinFS very regularly.

I don't really know to what extent this can help, maybe your approach is further along, but just in case.

Here, I have developed a small aircraft.cfg file base for JoinFS 2020 to be able to make valid substitutions in FS2024 considering that now FS2024 aircraft are "streamed".

To help me achieve this, I activated the virtual file system (VFS) and manually when possible I copied the aircrafts files. Because you must have noticed, for a large number of models, the file disappears as soon as you try to open it. I had to manually, inspired by examples for the models I was interested in, modify the "aircraft.cfg" files according to the FS2024 approach and at the same time make them readable correctly by JoinFS and substitutable by FS2024.

The substitutions have all been tested successfully in groups. FS2020 vs FS2024 vs FS2024.

However, in terms of limitation, I have not managed to have more than one livery (default) per aircraft model. I can't find a way to do it. My findings after several attempts, it seems that the aircraft.cfg file variable "Title=" is the major input to call the call of a FS2024 model. The other variables "ui_variation" and "ui_type" are more used to categorize in JoinFS. As there are cases where it is unique and repetitive, this causes a pitfall.

I see that you have really developed a good base, very exhaustive and very well categorized in the JoinFS FS2024 v3.2.20 version. Bravo! Very good work !

Now, the substitution seems to be a big challenge here (v3.2.20), but maybe you are on the way to achieving it.

Hoping very humbly that this can help in the progression of this development.

If you want to take a closer look, here is the download link.

https://imaginairvirtuel.qc.ca/download/AIRCRAFT-SUBSTITUTION-JOINFS.zip

There are 43 models divided into 27 aircraft. They are all in the standard version of FS2020/24, one or two in Deluxe.

I opted as much as possible for aircraft that are often used in my group and for all flight categories.

Ex. Tbm930, Kingair, Pipistrel, Beaver, 737, etc.

Here is the procedure to install, you have to extract the contents of the downloaded zip file and copy only the folder "JOINFS_modeles_FS2024" into the "Community" folder of FS2024.

1 - Then, start FS2024, once on the tarmac, launch JOINFS 2020 v3.2.17 (or v3.2.18) click on the "File" menu, then "Scan for models"

2- Click on the "browse" button to find the location of the FS2024 packages, which is exactly the following path.

Once the path is found, it must be copied into the "Other folders to scan" rectangle for the search to work (v3.2.17) and then you can click on "Search"

3- If in your FS2024 "community" folder, there are no other aircraft installed, you will have as result "43 models"

4- you will be able to make all possible substitutions with all these models in JOINFS 2020.

5 - In "Model Matching", to help JoinFS, we can categorize the substitutions with these aircraft.

If this can help you, I am willing to test any development with my group of JoinFS pilots if necessary.

Thank you very much for this involvement in the development of JoinFS.

geobouimg07
VA ImaginAirvirtuel
https://imaginairvirtuel.qc.ca/

PS. Sorry! If there are any errors in sentence construction, English is not my mother tongue.

[geobouimg07]

Sorry! My addition of information in the previous message is more or less relevant. When I wrote it, I had not seen and checked thoroughly version 3.2.18.

This one works very well, in the "Add-on" section, it allows to make adequate substitutions on all FS2024 aircraft even if it is only on the default livery in most cases.

Version 3.2.20, the aircraft substitution function now seems absent or non-functional with this new integration. This is probably coming soon.

I remain available if you need help to test new versions.

Thank you very much for your involvement. Keep up the excellent work.

Kind regards

geobouimg07
VA ImaginAirvirtuel
https://imaginairvirtuel.qc.ca/

[tuduce]

Hi all

@geobouimg07 : sorry for the substitution bug. I fixed it in the code. Fell free to clone, compile and test before I let out the next release.

If you find further problems, please feel free to report them at https://github.com/tuduce/JoinFS/issues

I am happy to collaborate with other developers to further the product. @Mariopilot808 if you want, you can integrate your changes in my repo. This way, they will be seen as you contributions and credit will go where credit is due.