Creating a separate DCS install

[Cyborg71]

Hi all,

My apologies, I have tried to follow advice, there is some, but I am having trouble getting a second install of DCS on a second SSD.

The purpose is to have a copy frozen in time before the arrival of 3.0 and the likely loss of favoured modules.

I have a regular updated install of openbeta on drive C.

I've copied this to drive D. 

I understood that if I edit the variant.txt file on D to a new name (from 'openbeta' to 'test', that should create a new (different/separate) saved games folder? I don't seem to be creating a new saved folder anywhere?.

I expected it would appear under saved games in the C drive as 'test'. The only folder I see is the original users\me\saved games\openbeta

The install runs ok from the D drive, but any changes to settings are replicated across both installs. I'm doing something wrong, aren't I?

Please assume I have just crawled out of a cave and advise me how to resolve this in the simplest terms.

Thank you kindly.

[Rudel_chw]

1 hour ago, Cyborg71 said:

… I am having trouble getting a second install of DCS on a second SSD.

The purpose is to have a copy frozen in time before the arrival of 3.0 and the likely loss of favoured modules.

I have a regular updated install of openbeta on drive C.

I've copied this to drive D. 
 

 

ok, you now have two separate DCS installs, both sharing a single settings folder at /saved games/ .. you only need to create a windows shortcut for your second install, so that you can start both DCS with their own shortcut.

 

1 hour ago, Cyborg71 said:

I understood that if I edit the variant.txt file on D to a new name (from 'openbeta' to 'test', that should create a new (different/separate) saved games folder? I don't seem to be creating a new saved folder anywhere?.

 

yes, this is done when you want separate settings for each DCS install, in my experience this is not really needed and allow you to share the same control bindings, missions, custom liveries, etc, between both installs.

 

if you really prefer go have separate settings, then use the variant.txt file to provide DCS with a name for such folder, be aware that you will need to create control bindings for the new DCS install. The procedure to follow is this:

 

The dcs_variant.txt file in the root directory of the installed simulator, this file is processed by both executable DCS.exe and dcs_updater.exe. The file should contain only the name of the future recording directory, which is then preceded by DCS through a period, for example:

 

test

 

The recording directory will be as follows:

 

\ Users \% USERNAME% \ Saved Games \ DCS.test

 

(spaces in the dcs_variant.txt file are ignored, so the name of the form 'test 15' will be converted to the recording directory \ Users \% USERNAME% \ Saved Games \ DCS.test15)

 

 

PS Transfer of the DCS recording directory to an arbitrary place by means of a simulator is impossible and is not planned.

 

 

1 hour ago, Cyborg71 said:

I expected it would appear under saved games in the C drive as 'test'.
 

 

no, it would be DCS.test

 

1 hour ago, Cyborg71 said:

The only folder I see is the original users\me\saved games\openbeta

 

then you are still starting DCS from its original windows shortcut maybe?

 

1 hour ago, Cyborg71 said:

The install runs ok from the D drive, but any changes to settings are replicated across both installs. I'm doing something wrong, aren't I?

 

You are not wrong, both installs are making use of the same settings folder at /saved games/

[Cyborg71]

25 minutes ago, Rudel_chw said:

yes, this is done when you want separate settings for each DCS install, in my experience this is not really needed and allow you to share the same control bindings, missions, custom liveries, etc, between both installs

I think this might answer my concerns. Can I assume that setting, liveries, controls etc will work seamlessly in the future? I've had a second install running ok for a few months - but was always worried about the conflicts that may occur when Vulkan/3.0 arrive.

If the answer is yes, then, as you suggest, there's no need for an entirely separate save games folder. 

Thank you for responding so quickly.

[Rudel_chw]

16 minutes ago, Cyborg71 said:

 Can I assume that setting, liveries, controls etc will work seamlessly in the future?

 

I have had two DCS installs several time in the past, both with and without sharing settings and never ran into any problems, but I’ve seen module updates that make changes to their control bindings which can force you to re-create yours, but never encountered any serious issue. 
 

16 minutes ago, Cyborg71 said:

I've had a second install running ok for a few months - but was always worried about the conflicts that may occur when Vulkan/3.0 arrive.

well, only ED can be sure about conflicts or lack of them, if you want to be 100% safe then use the variant file technique, just be aware that both dcs will have totally separate settings, separate logbooks, user mods, etc.

[Cyborg71]

Thank you again for helping me out.