One folder for a squadron

[mangotango]

MangoTango here.
 

I have a small issue and wanted to check if someone might have an answer.

I’m currently working on a skin for a squadron. Every member will have their own custom nose number and personalized graphic element. 

My problem is that I would like to only create 1 folder for all members where they would choose their texture and it would select the correct nose texture.
I’m absolutely not an expert in .lua editing, but I have a clear vision of what I want.

Selected personal texture needs also to be visible for every squadron member.
How would you go about this?
Creating a default texture folder and reference only a nose art folder to use default for the rest?
Creating a decal set to be used for the default folder?

How would you write the ”description” file to make it work?

Main task is to save disk space for the members. 
I would be glad if anyone could guide me. 

Thank in advance 
Magnus ”MangoTango” Almgren

[Mach3DS]

You can't do what you're describing.  You must have separate folders for different liveries as they all have to have their own description.lua file.  However what you can do is put ALL the textures in the same folder and just call out that folder as the "common" folder.  In each description.lua file instead of putting the common texture name, you call out the specific texture for each members specific texture.  

For example:

If this was the F-16, I can use the above lua callout to tell the sim to look at this folder for these textures.  You would just do this for every single texture entry.  If you were wanting to only change the MAIN_1 texture for example, that's where you put the name and number you wanted for your members, then you could simply put an _THEIRNAMEHERE at the end of the texture, like I did above for me.  You would do this for every member and that is how you would call out the textures for your individual squadron members in each of the lua files for each livery folder.  No textures would be in the livery folders.  Just a lua file that calls out the common folder like you see above.  

The problem with doing it this way is that now you have a massive folder that constantly needs to be updated every time you add a member.  So if you just place all the custom files in the specific livery folder, for this example.  Just he MAIN_1 texture.  then All you need to do is leave that first entry without the folder path in front, and you don't need to even add the name at the end, unless that helps you keep track of things.  Everything else gets the folder path as it's calling on the textures from the common folder for everything else which should be the same for all the jets.

Below is an example of how it actually looks in the real situation where I'm using this method for my squad.  You can see that the normal is the same for all jets.  The MAIN 1 and the MAIN 1 Roughmet are custom for each jet.  So those don't get the common folder callout.  Only the Normal does.  And I don't need to rename anything.  Keeps it simple.  These custom textures are placed in the custom livery folder for each squadron member and the specific description.lua file.  This keeps file sizes much lower.  All you have to do is give the livery name in the description.lua the correct member name and name the folder as well.  That's it. Keeps it really simple.

The common folder WILL NOT look like this.  The common folder will reference the actual location of the textures.  and Either FALSE or TRUE if you want to use your custom textures or the default ones.

Make sense?

Edited April 6 by Mach3DS

[mangotango]

Thank you Mach3ds for the extensive rundown. Very much appreciated!!!

I think to keep the size down I would probably in my case try to do a ”common” folder. Using a specific ”member” folder and refer the rest of textures to ”common” folder.

I will try your suggestions and I’m sure you have guided me to a correct solution.

Thanks a bunch!!!