Delete the contents of fxo and metashaders folder

[Dallas88B]

Does DCS automatically delete the contents of fxo and metashaders folder on update?

(specifically C:\Users\<user_name>\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\fxo and C:\Users\<user_name>\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\metashaders2)

 

There are some statements that says that DCS app does https://forum.dcs.world/topic/170893-dcs-world-changelog-and-updates-of-open-beta/?do=findComment&comment=4392356  "Added removing of precompiled shaders from previous version of dcs on Update."

and https://forum.dcs.world/topic/212958-requests-for-info-deleting-shader-folders/?do=findComment&comment=4567069 "now shaders are removed when update is done"

But there are several posts that say it still needs to be done manually https://forum.dcs.world/topic/184338-what-folders-again-to-empty-when-updating/?do=findComment&comment=4410019 . There is no clarification to these posts by ED so I thought I would ask specifically. Sorry if this is something that everyone knows... but I don't.

update: after 2.8 I looked the these folders. I made copies then deleted them from save games. Restarted dcs. Restarted my usual module. The content of the two folders is different. So in this case at least, DCS did not delete the contents of these folders as part of the update process. 
 

I still would like a response from ED since the ED patch notes and ED posts say that DCS delete the content and it would be good to be sure. 

 

Edited November 5, 2022 by Dallas88B
Information about 2.8

[Northstar98]

So far whenever I've updated DCS but haven't actually run it yet, the fxo and metashaders2 folders are filled from the previous version and I always need to manually delete them.

Edited November 5, 2022 by Northstar98

[Mr_sukebe]

I vaguely remember one of the patch notes suggesting that the file deletions would be automatic at the point of new patches being applied.

As per NorthS, I've always manually done it.

[silverdevil]

i too always do it manually. automation if it is enabled could be faulty so why not. it takes 5 minutes. the old version shader files could cause problems. have a look at this utility by @Bailey https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3315428/

[Art-J]

The auto-delete was implemented indeed at one point, and used to work for a short while... until it got into "broken until further notice" category :D. Oh well, purging these folders manually became a long-time habit anyway.

[GrEaSeLiTeNiN]

Wow how difficult could it be for the update to delete it.

[Boosterdog]

2 minutes ago, GrEaSeLiTeNiN said:

Wow how difficult could it be for the update to delete it.

More than it is for us to do apparently

[Mr_sukebe]

I usually do it whilst a patch is being installed.  Gives me something to do whilst waiting, and it's hardly as though it requires a lot of effort.

[USA_Recon]

Can we get some clarification on this please ?

[Mr_sukebe]

5 hours ago, USA_Recon said:

Can we get some clarification on this please ?

Clarification on what?

It’s good practice to empty them after a patch and dead easy to do yourself.

 

[Hiob]

5 hours ago, USA_Recon said:

Can we get some clarification on this please ?

 

4 minutes ago, Mr_sukebe said:

Clarification on what?

It’s good practice to empty them after a patch and dead easy to do yourself.

 

To be honest, I tend to forget it half the time and it didn't seem to cause any trouble when I do. It's probably a placebo anyway and that't likely the reason the updater doesn't mess with it (DCS updates in general don't mess with the savegames/dcs folder unless it doesn't exist).

If anything, it's more important to delete it and let the shaders re-compile after an update of the GPU-drivers. But even then.....

Since it is close to zero effort - there's really no harm in deleting them manually (or do it by powershell script if you're feeling fancy).

[sirrah]

On 11/7/2022 at 12:54 PM, Art-J said:

The auto-delete was implemented indeed at one point, and used to work for a short while... until it got into "broken until further notice" category :D. Oh well, purging these folders manually became a long-time habit anyway.

iirc that only worked for one of the folders (can't remember which one. I think it was FXO). So, we still had to manually remove the files from the other folder.

 

2 hours ago, Mr_sukebe said:

Clarification on what?

It’s good practice to empty them after a patch and dead easy to do yourself.

 

 I do agree with most of your posts @Mr_sukebe, but this time I share a different opinion

 

Although I agree, it's not much work, it's definitely a bit strange that (anno 2022) manual action/folder cleaning is "needed" after a software update. I'm not entirely sure what all these shader files do (or do not do) exactly, and why it is advisable to delete 'em after each update, but even the ED community managers sometimes bring it up as potential solution in a response to people having gfx issues after an update.

Many DCS customers never visit this forum and won't even know that deleting these folders is wise. It would definitely make more sense if ED were able to perform this action automatically as part of the update.

(I suppose it's maybe an issue for them to implement force deleting files from user pc's. I'm a layman on this, but I can imagine that there are maybe administrator right issues. Then again, as @Art-J also mentioned, ED did manage it for one of the folders though.. so it should be feasible)

 

 

EDIT:

This thread actually belongs in the wish-list section, as technically this is not a bug.

Edited November 8, 2022 by sirrah

[Dangerzone]

14 hours ago, Mr_sukebe said:

Clarification on what?

I thought he meant it would be good to have clarification from ED as to whether this is something that still needs to do, or whether DCS's internal delete/refresh is working as expected.

I for one have no problems manually deleting these if it's still good practice, but I prefer not to continue doing things if it's placebo, and likewise telling other new DCS users that it's an 'extra step' for them as well if it's unnecessary. 

[silverdevil]

1 hour ago, Dangerzone said:

I thought he meant it would be good to have clarification from ED as to whether this is something that still needs to do, or whether DCS's internal delete/refresh is working as expected.

I for one have no problems manually deleting these if it's still good practice, but I prefer not to continue doing things if it's placebo, and likewise telling other new DCS users that it's an 'extra step' for them as well if it's unnecessary. 

deleting can make a difference. i have a auto-update log viewer on my dcs.log. each step of the shader compile is evident in the log. first run takes longer than the subsequent compiling. but each update of either dcs or the gfx driver needs to have the folders cleared and then the process starts from scratch. for my rig i estimate first run of compiling can take about 8 minutes per map. otherwise no more than 3 minutes. some people get errors or even crashes when there is a mismatch. though as @Hiob stated some computers do not have problems and the shaders get recompiled automatically without the manual delete.

Edited November 9, 2022 by silverdevil

[Dallas88B]

17 hours ago, sirrah said:

This thread actually belongs in the wish-list section, as technically this is not a bug.

When ED's previous posts say that these files are deleted on update and that is demonstrably, at least at 2.8, not the case, so maybe it is a bug, maybe its a new undocumented DCS feature. There are some statements that says that DCS app does https://forum.dcs.world/topic/170893-dcs-world-changelog-and-updates-of-open-beta/?do=findComment&comment=4392356  "Added removing of precompiled shaders from previous version of dcs on Update."  

and 

https://forum.dcs.world/topic/212958-requests-for-info-deleting-shader-folders/?do=findComment&comment=4567069 

"now shaders are removed when update is done"

A response from ED would be useful since the ED patch notes and ED posts say that DCS delete the content on update. It didn't delete in 2.8 - maybe by mistake. Maybe they have not deleted on update for ages and these ED posts are now incorrect. Maybe seeking a reply is too much to ask.

Edited November 9, 2022 by Dallas88B

[QuiGon]

@c0ff Can you clarify, if the updater is now supposed to delete the content of metashader2 and fxo, because it doesn't seem to do so?

[Dallas88B]

@Urbi Thank you for your detailed post.

On 11/9/2022 at 9:01 PM, Urbi said:

You can confidently delete these two folders completely in Saved Games.

Agreed. I have done this.

 

On 11/9/2022 at 9:01 PM, Urbi said:

when you start the same miz, it starts faster.

Agreed. I am pleased that you confirm my findings, and comments from other posters on the forums, that its faster.  Thank you.

 

 

Still, I don't know why its so hard to get a reply from ED to this simple question.

On 11/6/2022 at 6:42 AM, Dallas88B said:

Does DCS automatically delete the contents of fxo and metashaders folder on update?

 If it should be deleted by the user say so. If its automatically addressed by the DCS update process then I wont bother deleting after every update.

 

Why

When ED's previous posts say that these files are deleted on update and that is demonstrably, at least at 2.8, not the case, so maybe it is a bug, maybe its a new undocumented DCS feature. There are some statements that says that DCS app does https://forum.dcs.world/topic/170893-dcs-world-changelog-and-updates-of-open-beta/?do=findComment&comment=4392356  "Added removing of precompiled shaders from previous version of dcs on Update."  

and 

https://forum.dcs.world/topic/212958-requests-for-info-deleting-shader-folders/?do=findComment&comment=4567069 

"now shaders are removed when update is done"

A response from ED would be useful since the ED patch notes and ED posts say that DCS delete the content on update. It didn't delete in 2.8 - maybe by mistake. Maybe they have not deleted on update for ages and these ED posts are now incorrect. Maybe seeking a reply is too much to ask.

 

 

[USA_Recon]

Guess just clear them since we don’t know 

[GrEaSeLiTeNiN]

Did a simple batch file to delete those 2 folders

@RD /S /Q "C:\Users\username\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\fxo"
@RD /S /Q "C:\Users\username\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\metashaders2"