Please forgive me if I ask something stupid, or if I post in the wrong place. I am just starting, and this is my very first post here. Please also forgive the length of this – but it’s a detailed situation.
PRELIMINARY TECH STUFF:
As a preliminary: I am running an up-to-date version of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, which I purchased through Steam. It is running on a strong desktop computer, under Windows 10.
The Flight simulator itself is to be found, almost entirely, ALONE on my G:\ drive, which is a plug in, 1 terrabyte SSD drive. I say “almost” entirely, because there are also Flight Simulator files to be found on my C:\ drive – under C:\users\myname\AppData\Roaming\MicrosoftFlightSimulator. Indeed, it is here on the C:\ where my UserCFG.opt file is to be found. (An important file that POINTS to where the FlightSimulator’s bulk is located. That UserCFG file points, correctly, to where, ultmately, Microsoft\Packages is to be found.
The two Navigraph Installations I’ve been able to find are also on the C:\ drive, and there is a separate folder for the DataCenter installation, and a separate folder for the Charts installation. I’ve found NO folder for Simlink, even though it shows up and I’ve signed into it, as noted below!
I HAVE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED THESE THINGS, with some details:
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I have sent two different emails to Navigraph, and gotten two prompt, well-written responses from somebody named Ian. He did an excellent, patient, job of getting me as far as getting the following steps 2 and 3 completed. He writes well, he is prompt, and I commend him. But I felt I should now switch to this forum to keep asking questions – for the sake of being fair and not taxing any one person’s patience too much.
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I created a Navigraph Account for myself. Although I want to do so, I have not yet “subscribed” (i.e. paid), because I want to make sure I can get everything working well before I do. Unfortunately, so far I have not been able to get it all working well with my installation of Microsoft FS 2020 (“MFS”). I hope with help here, I eventually will be able to make it all work.
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Before Ian’s help, it was not at first obvious to me that I could use my navigraph email and password to sign into “simbrief.” It was also not obvious to me that “simbrief” was web-based, and didn’t need to be downloaded and then started from my desk top. Indeed, i had no idea what DID or SHOULD need to be installed and downloaded (the navigraph and simbrief websites seem to assume a level of understanding that I, as a new user, simply didn’t have). But, after Ian’s kind help, I have successfully downloaded and installed these programs:
… Navigraph NavData (it now appears an icon on my desktop)
… Navigraph Charts (it now appears as an icon on my desktop)
… Navigraph Simlink (its icon appears if I click on the litte ^ symbol at the lower right of my desktop)
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I have started Simbrief, and managed to create and load a very simple simbrief flight plan into my simulator. However, aside from showing up on the Simulator’s Flight Planner, NOTHING ELSE has worked. I’ll give more detail of that in a minute.
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I have entered my Navigraph email and password, after clicking on the icons for the DataCenter, for Charts, and for Simlink. The FIRST TWO of those warned me that they wouldn’t work unless I had a “subscription.” YET, despite this, they accepted my email and password and they SHOW UP as apparently “running” when I go to Navigraph.com (which shows me logged on), and click “devices.” On that list of “devices” shown, it shows for me that Charts Desktop, Navigraph Desktop, Navigraph Simlink, Navigraph website, and Simbrief are ALL running for me, right now!
BUT HERE ARE THE 2 PROBLEMS
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Even though I’ve installed the DataCenter and Charts, and have apparently successfully signed into them since they show up as active and “signed in” under “devices” running for me on the Navigraph website, they don’t seem to let me do ANYTHING. Indeed, they appear non-functional – no buttons can be pressed. I can do nothing with them at all. I understand that I shouldn’t be able to update data with them – BUT I can’t do ANYTHING with them.
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It appears that Charts, NavData, and Simlink cannot find, and will not interact with my flight simulator. They do not seem to know it exists.
Here’s how I know that:
a) When flying in the sim, the menu bar that can be shown with the tab key DOES NOT show a little Navigraph icon, as I’m informed that it should.
b) The airports ZBAD and LTFM do NOT show up on the world map, and so have not been added to the sim by Navigraph
c) Since no Navigraph Icon shows up, I can bring up no “moving map.”
Now, when installing the Navigraph programs, I was told that a “plug-in” had been installed for the old Microsoft FS X – but, aside from a couple old, left-over folders, I had UNINSTALLED that program, long ago. I have since deleted even those left over folders.
However, it’s my understanding that MSFS 2020 doesn’t NEED a plug in, and that simlink can simply work with it. Except, in my case, it doesn’t.
IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE ARRANGEMENT FOR NEW USERS SIMPLY WRONG?
From reading and talking to others, I am under the impression that using Simbrief and all the lovely features like the moving map are FREE – and that a Navigraph subscription is necessary ONLY if one wants to keep the data cycle up to date.
For that reason, I thought I’d first get everything running right, using the free “default” (older) data – – to make sure I COULD do that – and THEN subscribe (pay). I don’t want to freeload, and I’m likely to end up a happy customer, but ONLY if I can get this stuff to work. If it doesn’t work, that’s not necessarily the software’s fault – maybe it’s my own fault. But I’m trying.
So – is it no longer true, or ever true, that the “moving map” and use of the NavCenter and Charts (but with the older, default data) is NOT possible unless you pay first? That’s unfortunate, if so, since I’d like to be reassured that I can get this working before I sign up to a big yearly hit.
So – if they ARE supposed to be working, why isn’t any of the software recognizing my flight simulator? The UserCFG is pointing correctly to it. Is there any way to simply open the programs and TELL them where some crucial simulator file or folder is located? If not, wouldn’t that make things easier?
In Conclusion
I sense that this software is wonderful for most. I’d love to join those who can get it to work. I don’t know if anybody has the patience to read and answer this, and if you don’t, I can’t blame you. However, I want to keep trying in any event. My health is not good at the moment, and the Flight Sim has become my dearest hobby. And the posts here seem pretty well informed and helpful, generally. I read a lot before posting this, I promise.
Thanks.
