How do you name your aircraft folders?

[Col7777]

As the titles asks, "How do you label your aircraft folders?"

The reason I ask is I'm now getting a lot of aircraft in the main 'Aircraft' folder in FS, what or how do you label the aircraft within that folder so you can easily find them to either add a texture and/or modify etc?

I found a nice free package that colours the folders ( www.FolderMarker.com ), I am using it for some folders on my desktop but before I use it in FS I thought I would ask you guys what you do first.

[rpjkw11]

Within the aircraft folder, subfolders are listed as type of aircraft, ie Boeing 737-200, Boeing 737-300, Boeing 737-200 ADV, etc. Withing each subfolder, I have the aircraft listed by airline callsign (UAL, AAL, TWA) followed by id# (N12345) then remarks, ie tricolor for the old United paints. The aircraft in the config are not in any order, but I show the textures as mentioned above, that way a quick glance will tell me if I already have a paint scheme or not. POSKY & SGA aircraft are handled a little differently, as their subfolders are listed as follows: POSKY 737-600, SGA MD-88, etc. NOTE: I often show the developer in paratheses next to the manufacturer in the config, ie Boeing (POSKY), Douglas (MAAM), etc.

My system alllows me to easily find details about an aircraft while in the main folder, but helps when FS9 is running. If I want to fly a POSKY jet, for example, I just look for Boeing (POSKY) in the menu and there it is.

Also, many times I move aircraft back and forth from the FS Aircraft folder to another aircraft folder on a separate drive. That way I can easily cull the herd temporarily as needed for faster loading.

Bob

[railrunner130]

I have a bunch of subfolders that are in the main Flight Sim folder. I seperate out as Aircraft (for landplanes only), Amphibs, Floats, Helicopters, AI and Test.

I found the Test folder necessary because some airplanes never seem to work and go unchecked otherwise. This way, it's a memory jogger as to what I've tinkered with to get working. If they work and all is well, they are moved on to the other folders. If I've tried everything and it still doesn't work. the recycle bin gets it.

[strat]

Hi,

B377 - for the Stratocruisers
B377SS - for the Super Stratocruisers (i.e. some Pan Am and all BOAC)- different aircraft.cfg.
C97 - obvious really
KC97e, KC97f,KC97g - again, one for each since they use different aircraft cfg files.

If I download an aircraft with a name I don't immediately recognise, I change it to reflect the aircraft type, e.g. Dash7. Importantly, if I download an aircraft that doesn't cut it, it doesn't stay.

Where there are .mdl variations or panel variations that are the only differences, I use the aircraft.cfg file to make that choice. E.g. The B377 prototype uses mdl.v1, a radar variant might use mdl.v4 and a panel with the radar included( e.g a folder named panel.r). But they're all in the one B377 folder.

In the aircraft.cfg fle, I keep the ui_manufacturer simple, e.g. Boeing, Douglas, and the ui_type a little more definitive e.g. B377 Stratocruiser or B377 Super Stratocruiser. Scrolling through the FS9 menu is therefore very straightforward - Manufacturer>Model>Variant>Livery.

As long as the aircraft in each folder share the same aircraft.cfg, this arrangement works pretty well.

For work in progress, I have a shortcut on the desktop to my gauges folder in FS9, and to the Aircraft folder in FS9. It's a short hop to anywhere else I might need to meddle.

I keep all my development work/repaints/paintshop layered files/reference material outside FS9 in a folder called "Hangar" on the desktop. The only elements that go downstream to FS9 are the final bitmaps or revised .xml files. If I substitute an element with new art, the old stuff is dragged back to another folder on the desktop, just in case I need it later. As for Panel.cfg files, I label them at the top with variation no's and date stamps along with a brief outline of the new stuff, and rename the previous one panelv16.2 etc. They are then kept in a folder in the hangar under the same name as the one in FS9. The principle being: "Work/fix/develop/tweak - in the hangar, fly in FS9."

Good luck.

[Col7777]

Cheers guys,

My aircraft folder is getting a bit large and finding some of them can at times be a bit of a task by itself, I got busy and did a bit of what you all suggested and it has helped thank you.

strat,
Yes as for putting a different aircraft model and using the same config but changing the model= line to reflect it I've done that on a few.
I must admit I forgot about doing that and it has prompted me to give it a try again, thanks.

Col.