Installation Multiple "installations" of Orbiter

[Generis]

Hi folks, I have a question if I may ask...

The version of Orbiter which is unpacked rather than installed, allows for multiple "folders" of Orbiters. So I was wondering.. would it be possible to have a fresh "Orbiter" folder for each main space vehicle that you wish to use. I was thinking that it might help solve incompatibility with lots of mods being unpacked within the "Orbiter" folder.

So, just wondering if anyone had tried this. Obviously you'd have to have space enough for each "Orbiter" folder, and also add the required MFD mods (and various other addons.)

Thanks,

Karl :thumbup:

 

[garyw]

Yes.

I still have a 2006 edition of orbiter, a 2010P1 for testing and a 'live' install

 

[fireballs619]

Not only is it possible, but it is done very frequently! I currently have 3 installs; My main one, a AMSO/NASSP one, and a beta testing one.

 

[agentgonzo]

Yes, it's very common for people to have different 'installs' of orbiter for different setups (Apollo missions, shuttle missions etc).

There has been quite a bit of talk of how to get a sensible method of doing this (as you normally end up with a lot of duplicates of large items (textures, etc) across the different 'installations', but nothing that has stuck as a de-facto standard. This includes moving texture directories and replacing them with symlinks or simlinking to config folders.

The geekier of us have even used Subversion/Git to have different orbiter installations under different 'branches' to allow switching between different configs for different reasons without the need to duplicate lots of large files.

 

[ky]

I have one for shuttle fleet(2010P1),one for USC(2010P1),one for just playing around(2006P1),and the oldest version of Orbiter on the hanger(010503).

 

[RisingFury]

I have two '10 installations. One for general use and one for development that's except for a few addons, clean.

 

[Tychonaut]

I have two '10 installations. One for general use and one for development that's except for a few addons, clean.

I like to keep two installs around as well. One that I actually use, and another with a minimum of essential addons installed, used as a spare. (Orbiter sound, UMMU and the like.) Not that I have the skills for development, but if I pile on a bunch of addons and break something that can't be readily diagnosed, the working install can be easily blown away and replaced with a copy of the 'master.' It saves a bit of time, and with disk space to spare, why not?

 

[Saturn V]

I've had as many as 7 installations at any given time...specifically to avoid the incompatibilities you mentioned.

I've also burned individual installations to discs (once I'm satisfied that they are set up & running properly) in the event I need to remove any of them from my drive. That way I don't have to start all over...just copy the disc's files back to the drive and presto! You're good to go.

 

[Chub777]

Currently, I have 6 - the normal Orbiter installation, one for station building, one for OFSS III, one for OMP, a clean version and version 010503. All of my installations are 2010 P1 (besides "010503").

 

[Ripley]

...This includes moving texture directories and replacing them with symlinks or simlinking to config folders...

To do that, create 2 extra folders.
Then edit your orbiter.cfg file and add these 2 lines under "Subdirectory locations" section

; === Subdirectory locations
TextureDir = X:\folder1\
HightexDir = X:\folder2\

Then move the content of your Orbiter texture folders into your new folders:
"Textures" into folder1
"Textures2" into folder2

For any other Orbiter install, you have to make the same changes to orbiter.cfg.
This way, each install will point to one (common) texture "repository", saving more and more Gigs of HD space as your number of installs increase.

 

[Kendo]

Ripley, when you install new addons, I presume you move them into the new folders manually ?

 

[Ripley]

Sorry I forgot!
I don't personally use this method, but yes of course when you install a new add-on containing one (or both) of those texture folders, you have to move its textures into its relative new folder...

 

[astrosammy]

I'm using symbolic links for that. That way you don't need to move any files. I don't know why, but the thread explaining it seems to be deleted... Well, here's the program I use.

 

[orb]

II don't know why, but the thread explaining it seems to be deleted...

No such thread has been deleted. Do you mean "Saving space with multiple orbiter installations" thread?