The confusions many Prepar3D users encountered after upgrading to version 2.5 are the result of a mixed subtle to major changes happened to the program’s long-held file structures that was inherited from Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Although many of these issues have been addressed by third-party manufacturers, it’s still useful to know what are the differences.   Following is a list summarizing the changes (but not limited to) made to the new version compared to earlier versions:

Under Prepar3D Program Directory

• Folders REMOVED
  

  Addon Scenery

  categories

  dialogs

  flights

• Files REMOVED
  

  bkg.bmp

  cameras.cfg

  language.exp

  language.lib

  LWcfg.spb

  mpc.ini

  Prepar3D.exe.manifest

  SimDisplay.xml

  System.Windows.Controls.DataVisualization.Toolkit.dll

  ui.dll

  unins000.dat

  unins000.exe

  unins000.msg

  VIConfig.VIC

  VirtualRenderer.dll

  VirtualRenderer.exp

  VirtualRenderer.lib

  WPFToolkit.dll

• Folders RENAMED
  

  3rd Party (for aircraft) –> Ecosystem

  Missions –> Scenarios

• Folders RELOCATED
  

  Licenses and TritonResources folders previously under 3rd Party are now in Program Root Directory

• Files RELOCATED
  

  All *.CFG files under Program Root Directory are moved to the folders of Prepar3D.cfg and scenery.cfg

  default_thumbnail.jpg is moved to the uires folder

• Folders NEWLY created
  

  Countermeasures in SimObjects

  Weapons in SimObjects

 

Under Prepar3D.cfg Directory

• File NEWLY created
  

  LWcfg.xml

• Files MODIFIED
  

  cameras.cfg

  DefaultRecordAndPlayback.xml

  fdr.dat

  Standard.xml

  WaterConstants.xml

• Changes in Prepar3D.cfg
  

  Default Flight RELOCATEDFrom SITUATION=FLIGHTS\OTHER\Prepar3D (P3D Root Directory) To SITUATION=C:\Users\Tom\AppData\Local\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v2\Prepar3D_Default (where Shaders folder is located)Note the name of the default flight also changed from Prepar3D to Prepar3D_Default

  All SimObject Paths previously used as shown below REMOVED SimObjectPaths.0=SimObjects\Airplanes SimObjectPaths.1=SimObjects\Rotorcraft SimObjectPaths.2=SimObjects\GroundVehicles SimObjectPaths.3=SimObjects\Boats SimObjectPaths.4=SimObjects\Animals SimObjectPaths.5=SimObjects\Misc SimObjectPaths.6=SimObjects\Submersible SimObjectPaths.7=SimObjects\Weapons SimObjectPaths.8=SimObjects\Countermeasures

  New Entry ADDEDUseGlobalTerrainView=False

 

Under scenery.cfg Directory

• CFG Files RELOCATED from P3D Root Directory
  

  airlines.cfg

  display.cfg

  effects.cfg

  fonts.cfg

  scenarios.cfg

  shadersHLSL.cfg

  simobjects.cfg

  suneffect.cfg

  terrain.cfg

• DAT File RELOCATED from P3D Root Directory
  

  stars.dat

• XML Files RELOCATED from P3D Root Directory
  

  AirObjectVisuals.xml

  license_academic.xml

  license_professional.xml

  license_professional_plus.xml

  SimObjectsDlls.xml

  ThermalDescriptions.xml

• Changes in scenery.cfg
  

  Addon Scenery Entry REMOVED from scenery.cfg