Prepar3D UPDATES and GEP3D/UTX UTL - The Easy Way

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GEP3D, UTX, Ultimate Traffic Live and moving to P3Dv4x to v4.x+

This is simple! 
...but I am going to post detailed instructions 
 If you intend to fully update Prepar3D from v4.x to any 4x+ version and wish to assure a clean start be prepared to uninstall v4.0 (client, scenery, content) completely from Programs and Features.

Failure to do this will NOT ensure a stable/clean install of P3D

I can not speak to other addons but I can say that I have never seen nor read a Lockheed Martin developer say that its OK to save old config, XML, DLL files when such a change is required. If this was only a 'CLIENT' or other single feature update, that can be done, but of you are updating Scenery or a full clean upgrade, it can't.

However the outline below will retain and recover your GEP3D and Ultimate Terrain installations without requiring any major uninstall/reinstall of GEP3D or UTX products.

This is for GEP3D and UTX  (UTL list at the bottom).. other addons such as utilities and aircraft will most likely need to be uninstalled/reinstalled clean. Any simplistic scenery that simply lives in its own directory can be re-enabled in the v4.x scenery library without uninstalling/reinstalling it. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: IF YOU ARE UPGRADING FROM P3Dv2-3x to v4.x+ you MUST upgrade GEP3D to v1.10 first. Follow the directions here: http://www.simforums.com/forums/gep3d-content-and-p3dv4-update-released_topic58493.html  

Unfortunately the below outline wont work for P3Dv2-3x to 4.x updates, only P3D v4.x to 4.x+

.. If you already have GEP3D v1.10 and are moving from P3D v4 to 4.x+

1. Open the GEP3D interface and select the bullet next to: GROUND ENVIRONMENT PREPAR3D WORLD EDITION   click DISABLE. Allow the process to complete, close the GEP3D interface. 

2. If you use UTX regions in P3D v4, open each UTX interface product you own, click the TERRAIN menu and select: QUICK ULTIMATE TERRAIN ENABLE/DISABLE   select to disable each region and close the UTX interfaces. 

3. IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THE DIRECTORY WHERE YOUR CURRENT P3Dv4 is installed (the folder and location), USE THE SAME DIRECTORY FOR THE INSTALL OF P3D V4.x+. DO NOT REMOVE IT, REUSE IT NAMED AND LOCATED EXACTLY THE SAME.

4. From Programs and Features, uninstall P3Dv4.0 client, scenery and content completely. Leave the install directory alone.

5. Delete the following directories manually... This will result in many any add-ons being removed/disabled: 

NOTE: AFAIK there were no changes to stars.dat and suneffect.cfg. If you use custom files for these you can retain copies from the directories below before flushing. Be advised, I would not save anything else. Also be advised that if a addon changed the default sun files in prepar3D v4, your custom suneffect.cfg may be worthless until that addon is reinstalled and those textures are restored. 

a. C:\PROGRAMDATA\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4  <--- delete this folder
b. C:\Users\<Your User Name>\AppData\Local\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4<--- delete this folder
c. C:\Users\<Your User Name>\AppData\Roaming\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4<--- delete this folder

6. Perform a full install of Prepar3D v4.x+. When the installer starts, select CUSTOM install and point the P3Dv4.x+ installer to the original Prepad3D v4.x install directory. 

7. Once the installation is complete, start Prepar3D v4.x+. Once it opens completely, close it. All we are doing at this point is generating the files needed to begin the process of restoring GEP3D and UTX.

8. If you use UTX products, open each UTX region interface, select TERRAIN: QUICK ULTIMATE TERRAIN ENABLE/DISABLE   simply verify each region displays as ENABLED.

If you use multiple UTX products, I suggest they be opened in this order:

UTX USA
UTX Canada
UTX Europe
UTX Tropics

If you do not own all of the above, follow the list order and skip the products you don't have.

Note: Simply opening the UTX config interfaces writes the DEFAULT UTX entries to the terrain.cfg and scenery.cfg files. 

9. Once all the UTX region config tools have been opened/closed, start at the top of the list again, open each tool one by one. Once the tool is open click OK and then click

CTRL-SHIFT-R

Follow the directions. If any duplicates or errors are found the interface will correct them. Repeat that for 

UTX USA
UTX Canada
UTX Europe
UTX Tropics

10. Open the GEP3D interface. Place a bullet next to: GROUND ENVIRONMENT PREPAR3D WORLD EDITION   click ENABLE

Once the process is complete, select each UTX region in the GEP3D interface you have installed and click ENABLE one by one.

Once complete, close the GEP3D interface.

LAST: UTX Lighting..  open the UTX light tool for Prepar3D, click to SET LIGHT ASSIGNMENTS

DONE

GEP3D and UTX are now fully installed into the updated Prepar3Dv4.x+ install.

HOWEVER, because the terrain.cfg file was replaced and restored, any CUSTOM CHANGES to UTX must now be re-applied, but here is a shortcut...  you need only make the changes from DROPDOWN menus in ONE UTX region and all others will follow suit.

ie; Waves, Night Lighting Imprint, Road Surfaces, Feature Widths, Feature Flattening - you can make all those changes in the UTX USA config tool and UTX Europe, Canada and Tropics will automatically change without input.

NOTE: Any Texture Mappings must be made per region tool, AND, any custom changes in the 'Feature Tree" side menu must be made in each individual UTX region tool.

3D/4D Road Night Lighting: If you have any custom UTX lighting changes to make, use the UTX Light Tool for Prepar3D to make those. 

Ultimate Traffic Live....  if you have the latest UTL build, all you need do is open the UTL interface and confirm the target location for Prepar3D 4.x+. Make any changes needed from there. No uninstall/reinstall required UTL will find P3Dv4.x+ and make the needed file changes.

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NickN Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Certified Professional Joined: November-21-2007 Points: 21104	Topic: Prepar3D UPDATES and GEP3D/UTX UTL - The Easy Way Posted: October-10-2017 at 3:49pm
	GEP3D, UTX, Ultimate Traffic Live and moving to P3Dv4x to v4.x+ This is simple! ...but I am going to post detailed instructions If you intend to fully update Prepar3D from v4.x to any 4x+ version and wish to assure a clean start be prepared to uninstall v4.0 (client, scenery, content) completely from Programs and Features. Failure to do this will NOT ensure a stable/clean install of P3D I can not speak to other addons but I can say that I have never seen nor read a Lockheed Martin developer say that its OK to save old config, XML, DLL files when such a change is required. If this was only a 'CLIENT' or other single feature update, that can be done, *but of you are updating Scenery or a full clean upgrade, it can't.* However the outline below will retain and recover your GEP3D and Ultimate Terrain installations without requiring *any major* uninstall/reinstall of GEP3D or UTX products. This is for GEP3D and UTX (UTL list at the bottom).. other addons such as utilities and aircraft will most likely need to be uninstalled/reinstalled clean. Any *simplistic scenery* that simply lives in its own directory can be re-enabled in the v4.x scenery library without uninstalling/reinstalling it. IMPORTANT NOTE: IF YOU ARE UPGRADING FROM P3Dv2-3x to v4.x+ you MUST upgrade GEP3D to v1.10 first. Follow the directions here: http://www.simforums.com/forums/gep3d-content-and-p3dv4-update-released_topic58493.html Unfortunately the below outline wont work for P3Dv2-3x to 4.x updates, only P3D v4.x to 4.x+ .. If you already have GEP3D v1.10 and are moving from P3D v4 to 4.x+ 1. Open the GEP3D interface and select the bullet next to: GROUND ENVIRONMENT PREPAR3D WORLD EDITION click DISABLE. Allow the process to complete, close the GEP3D interface. 2. If you use UTX regions in P3D v4, open each UTX interface product you own, click the TERRAIN menu and select: QUICK ULTIMATE TERRAIN ENABLE/DISABLE select to disable each region and close the UTX interfaces. 3. IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THE DIRECTORY WHERE YOUR CURRENT P3Dv4 is installed (the folder and location), USE THE SAME DIRECTORY FOR THE INSTALL OF P3D V4.x+. DO NOT REMOVE IT, REUSE IT NAMED AND LOCATED EXACTLY THE SAME. 4. From Programs and Features, uninstall P3Dv4.0 client, scenery and content completely. Leave the install directory alone. 5. Delete the following directories manually... This will result in many any add-ons being removed/disabled: NOTE: AFAIK there were no changes to stars.dat and suneffect.cfg. If you use custom files for these you can retain copies from the directories below before flushing. Be advised, I would not save anything else. Also be advised that if a addon changed the default sun files in prepar3D v4, your custom suneffect.cfg may be worthless until that addon is reinstalled and those textures are restored. a. C:\PROGRAMDATA\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4 <--- delete this folder b. C:\Users\<Your User Name>\AppData\Local\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4<--- delete this folder c. C:\Users\<Your User Name>\AppData\Roaming\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4<--- delete this folder 6. Perform a full install of Prepar3D v4.x+. When the installer starts, select CUSTOM install and point the P3Dv4.x+ installer to the original Prepad3D v4.x install directory. 7. Once the installation is complete, start Prepar3D v4.x+. Once it opens completely, close it. All we are doing at this point is generating the files needed to begin the process of restoring GEP3D and UTX. 8. If you use UTX products, open each UTX region interface, select TERRAIN: QUICK ULTIMATE TERRAIN ENABLE/DISABLE simply verify each region displays as ENABLED. If you use multiple UTX products, I suggest they be opened in this order: UTX USA UTX Canada UTX Europe UTX Tropics If you do not own all of the above, follow the list order and skip the products you don't have. Note: Simply opening the UTX config interfaces writes the DEFAULT UTX entries to the terrain.cfg and scenery.cfg files. 9. Once all the UTX region config tools have been opened/closed, start at the top of the list again, open each tool one by one. Once the tool is open click OK and then click CTRL-SHIFT-R Follow the directions. If any duplicates or errors are found the interface will correct them. Repeat that for UTX USA UTX Canada UTX Europe UTX Tropics 10. Open the GEP3D interface. Place a bullet next to: GROUND ENVIRONMENT PREPAR3D WORLD EDITION click ENABLE Once the process is complete, select each UTX region in the GEP3D interface you have installed and click ENABLE one by one. Once complete, close the GEP3D interface. LAST: UTX Lighting.. open the UTX light tool for Prepar3D, click to SET LIGHT ASSIGNMENTS DONE GEP3D and UTX are now fully installed into the updated Prepar3Dv4.x+ install. HOWEVER, because the terrain.cfg file was replaced and restored, any CUSTOM CHANGES to UTX must now be re-applied, but here is a shortcut... you need only make the changes from DROPDOWN menus in ONE UTX region and all others will follow suit. ie; Waves, Night Lighting Imprint, Road Surfaces, Feature Widths, Feature Flattening - you can make all those changes in the UTX USA config tool and UTX Europe, Canada and Tropics will automatically change without input. NOTE: Any Texture Mappings must be made per region tool, AND, any custom changes in the 'Feature Tree" side menu must be made in each individual UTX region tool. 3D/4D Road Night Lighting: If you have any custom UTX lighting changes to make, use the UTX Light Tool for Prepar3D to make those. Ultimate Traffic Live.... if you have the latest UTL build, all you need do is open the UTL interface and confirm the target location for Prepar3D 4.x+. Make any changes needed from there. No uninstall/reinstall required UTL will find P3Dv4.x+ and make the needed file changes.