Preserve the museum

[Cyborg71]

Simple question, with a no doubt complex answer.

 Is there a way to have 2 versions of my dcs account at different update points on the same pc?

Is it possible to have (for example) version 2.9 on one ssd "frozen in time" whilst on another, version 3.xxx continues with updates.

With some modules appearing to have lost 3rd party support, I have no doubt that in time they will begin to break and I'm looking for a way to preserve aircraft I paid for and wish to continue the use of, whilst simultaneously having access to newer updates that do not impact the unsupported.

If possible could it be explained how this would be achieved.

With thanks........

 

[MAXsenna]

@Cyborg71 

Yes, you can have as many instances/installations/versions of DCS as you want on the same computer. Some might need different Saved Games though, and that's very easy to achieve. Just add a file called dcs_variant.txt in the root folder of the installation and add a string, can be anything, and DCS will make a new Saved Games folder. 

IE. Add 2.9.xyz in the file, and DCS will make the Saved Games Folder DCS.2.9.xyz.

This file was added automatically when installing OpenBeta, and the file contained openbeta, hence why a DCS.openbeta folder was created in Saved Games. 

Cheers! 

[Cyborg71]

5 hours ago, MAXsenna said:

@Cyborg71 

Yes, you can have as many instances/installations/versions of DCS as you want on the same computer. Some might need different Saved Games though, and that's very easy to achieve. Just add a file called dcs_variant.txt in the root folder of the installation and add a string, can be anything, and DCS will make a new Saved Games folder. 

Thank you Maxsenna.

I will try that. I'm a little fearful with digging around in files. I'm a techno idiot.

Are you saying that if I have 2 identical copies of Dcs installed, one on drive C, the other on drive D, that I would add the variant file to the version on D to prevent conflicts with C.

 

[MAXsenna]

Thank you Maxsenna.
I will try that. I'm a little fearful with digging around in files. I'm a techno idiot.
Are you saying that if I have 2 identical copies of Dcs installed, one on drive C, the other on drive D, that I would add the variant file to the version on D to prevent conflicts with C.
 

Correct! And I forgot to explicitly say that if you want one instance to only have "DCS" as the folder, you just don't add the file.
Anyway, you can safely test this, as it never deletes any folders, and if one wants to revert, one just deletes the file.

Cheers!

EDIT: I seem to not be specifically accurate. No matter how many instances of DCS you install. They will never ever interfere with each other, as long as you obviously install them in/on separate folders/drives. The only "interference" will be incompatible versions of files in the Saved Games. Inputs, ME, log file, pilot log files, missions, campaigns etc. So, if you use the same DCS Saved Games folder. Corruption can occur.

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[Art-J]

It might be obvious, but I'd also make sure to create a separate shortcut directly to dcs.exe of that "preserved" install (bypassing dcs_updater.exe completely) just to avoid any risk of updating it to the latest version by simple mistake.

[draconus]

13 hours ago, Cyborg71 said:

Is there a way to have 2 versions of my dcs account at different update points on the same pc?

Just to be clear - you'll be using one and the same DCS account on all your DCS installations.

[MAXsenna]

It might be obvious, but I'd also make sure to create a separate shortcut directly to dcs.exe of that "preserved" install (bypassing dcs_updater.exe completely) just to avoid any risk of updating it to the latest version by simple mistake.

Excellent point! I use Skatezilla's excellent GUI Updater/Launcher app for this. And in it I simply name the different installations so I have full control of what to launch and update.
That said, you bring up something important. When the "last" version, well latest version I want to keep before updating to a version that might not have compatibility with older versions. I will make an offline backup copy I will store on the shelf, just in case. Storage is peanuts these days. And in the event that someone else need it, I will have a prefect mod free copy.

Cheers!

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