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Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK

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Introduction

The Flight Simulator X SDK can be used to create add-on components for Flight Simulator X. These components can be new or replacement aircraft, instrumentation, missions, scenery, terrain, airport ground vehicles, airport runways and buildings, special effects, camera views, and many other elements in the simulated world. It must be pointed out, though, that some of these tasks, such as creating new aircraft, are very involved, demand a considerable amount of skill and knowledge, and are time consuming. Other tasks, though requiring patience and close attention to detail, can be completed in a few hours - such as designing and adding a simple gauge to an existing aircraft, configuring a new camera, creating a new graphical special effect, or completing a fairly simple new mission. (For more detail on creating missions, see Mission Creation SDK).

Unless the default installation directory is changed, the SDK installs to:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\[1]

Details

The SDK is divided into four kits:

Core Utilities Kit:

This kit covers the new SimConnect SDK - the programmers interface to Flight Simulator X, Camera Configuration, and also tables of variables that can be used by client applications written for SimConnect, and other components of the overall SDK.

Environment Kit:

This kit covers terrain, scenery, modeling, aircraft and boat traffic, and special effects.

Mission Creation Kit:

This kit covers the creation of missions (tutorials, directed challenges and adventures).

SimObject Creation Kit:

This kit covers the creation of aircraft, panels and gauges, and also all the other simulation objects that can appear (ground vehicles, boats, animals, trains, and so on).

Installation (FSX Deluxe Edition)

The SDK is not installed by default, so it is necessary to manually install the package. To do this in Windows, follow these steps: (you must be logged into an Administrator account)

  1. Insert Microsoft Flight Simulator X disk.
  2. Open the E Drive(removable disk drive in File explorer.
  3. Open SDK sub-folder.
  4. Double click 'setup.exe'.
  5. Tell the program where to install and run the application. (Default locations is: C:\Program Files(x86)\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK)[2]
  6. Browse to the Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK folder: C:\<user name>\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX\
  7. Search for and open dll.xml
  8. Edit the file so that each <Launch.Addon> section reads as follows:
<Launch.Addon>
<Name>Name Of Tool</Name>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad>
<Path>C:\\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Mission Creation Kit\Object_Placement.dll</Path>
</Launch.Addon>

Opening in-flight SDK tools in FSX

Some of the tools that the SDK contains can be opened during flight to open these tools, follow these steps:

  1. Open FSX and start a flight.
  2. Select 'Tools' from the in-flight toolbar.
  3. Select the tool you want to use. (One of three: FX Tool, Object Placement Tool, and Traffic Toolbox)

Creating Missions Using the SDK

Missions are structured flights that have a setting, plot, and often special scenery and sound effects. There are loads of default missions that come with FSX, but it's possible to make your own using the Object Placement Tool.

The Object Placement Tool has a large catalogue of 'objects' that can be added to Missions. Some of these objects are There are two types of these objects, scenery objects, and program objects.

Scenery Objects

Scenery objects

Scenery Objects are objects such as people, buildings, bridges, or vehicles that appear in a Mission's scenery. Scenery objects created using the Object Placement Tool only appear in Missions, so they won't change the appearance of a location in free flight. There is an enormous library of scenery objects that come with FSX, and any of these objects, as well as objects created by the programmer, can be added to the Mission.

Mobile scenery objects

Mobile Scenery Objects are essentially scenery objects that have a series of programmed waypoints that allow them to move around. Note: For moving vehicles, ships, and aircraft, it is more appropriate to create AI program objects with waypoint lists.

Program Objects

There are many different types of program objects. They are arranged in groups:

  • Actions
  • AI Objects
  • Area Definition Objects
  • Group Objects
  • Mission Objects
  • Spawn Lists
  • Triggers
  • Goal Object
  • Disabled Traffic Airport Object
  1. ^ {{cite web|url=https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc526948.aspx}Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK official documentation}
  2. ^ http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=SDK_Installation_(FSX)
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