Landscapes don't load

[George McLaughlin]

I have a problem with some landscapes not being install correctly. The ones with install programs work just fine, the ones I unzip and then try to use give me an error (Condor Program) Connot open file landscapes\xxx\xxx.trn, (SOH) file not found or corrupted. How should I unzip the files to have them work correctly?
Thanks

[Andy1248]

Check this link and also the one within it:

http://forum.condorsoaring.com/viewtopi ... =2&t=13195

I suspect you may have an incorrect landscape directory structure, this is what usually causes this error.

make sure you do not have the scenery name directory twice (i.e. one within the other).

[Geoff L]

Hi

• I now consistently get an error message in the Free Flight tab which says “Cannot create Landscapes\Slovenia\Slovenia.cup.” (I don’t get this in the Flight School tab, which works fine).
• This happens after clicking/Free Flight/Task/Load/Default Flightplan, and selecting a flightplan. For example: ‘Lesce 100 triangle’ then /Start Flight: before hitting Start Flight, the scenery/landscape for that task, including the Start/Takeoff/Finish and the 2 turnpoints, are showing in the Task window….but the landscape won’t load to start the flight. This applies whatever Default Flightplan is selected - I get the same message every time after Start Flight: “ Cannot create Landscapes\Slovenia\Slovenia.cup. ”
• It also applies with the other landscape I’ve downloaded, where I made up a task, I get the error message: “Cannot create Landscapes\South_UK_V2\South_UK_V2”.cup” (And yes, part of that path is repeated).
• In Program Files (x86) I see that CUP file is only 37 KB. Is this what is causing the problem?
• I think this all started since I upgraded to Windows 8.1 from XP, but not sure on this.
• I have looked at other ‘fixes’ in this thread, but they don’t help.
• I have re-installed Condor entirely, several times over, but that doesn’t help.

So, currently I can only use Flight School, nothing in Free Flight. Can anyone provide a fix please?

Thanks,

Geoff L

[Korben63]

Hello,

Old topic but the “Cannot create Landscapes\Slovenia\Slovenia.cup.” happens on one of my computers. I can use the Flight School, but not the Free Flight mode. Re-installing Condor in another directory solved the problem. So instead of C:\Program Files\Condor, do for example C:\Condor.

[Geoff L]

Hi
Uros gave me a workaround for this problem back in September 2015. His suggestion was "Please try running Condor as administrator. Locate Condor.exe, right click, run as administrator." Unless I'm using the Flight School tab only, I have used this method for opening Condor ever since then, as it did the trick. (Thanks again Uros).
Geoff L.

[congo]

Re-installing Condor in another directory solved the problem. So instead of C:\Program Files\Condor, do for example C:\Condor.

+1

It's wise to create a custom folder for games as modern Windows OS's monitor and intervene in native system folders like "Program Files" etc.

Windows may flag unexpected files created by the game or user added files as malware/suspect etc.

I've been practicing this method of game install since Windows Vista as it was the first OS to feature the new system folder security.
Consider custom folders essential for games that get modded.

A really good trick for an easy migration of your old Condor game to a new game folder is to create the new game folder, then install a new Condor quickly to that new folder, make sure you do all the activations for Plane packs etc. before you take the next step.
Next, simply rename the new "Condor" folder to "Condor.new", and then MOVE your old Condor folder to the new location beside Condor.new.
The OS will now think the old Condor is the new one, and you'll have all your old settings and addons completely as if nothing had changed.

Condor is "semi portable" in this fashion and that is a great thing, allowing flexibility while maintain license integrity.
Some newer games are more difficult or impossible to achieve this method of directory change, you usually need to start afresh.

As for installing your scenery, you can avoid errors only if you understand what you are doing when you unzip the files.

Windows default compression utility shows compressed file folders almost as normal folders. In my opinion it's better to use a third party program like WinZip, WinRAR or 7zip so you know you are working with file compression.

With condor scenery, the different parts usually have the same folder name when you open them in a compression utility, so you simply drag out that folder to any location, and it decompresses there.
You do the same with all the parts, and they simply add all the files together, overwriting the folder containing the files, but seldom overwriting anything else.
You should ALWAYS get an overwrite warning, if you don't, something went wrong, so start again!

Example:
Open a downloaded scenery zip file by clicking on it, this opens it in the 7zip window (or what ever compression utility you installed).
Move the decompression window to the side then open the Condor folder beside it.
Install the parts in order. The first one, let's call it "NewScene" for this explanation, where NewScene is substituted for your new scenery's name.

Now, Left Click Hold the NewScene folder (inside the zip folder window) and drag it onto the Landscapes folder directly if you wish, taking care NOT to drop it on top of another folder, just drop it onto the Landscapes folder and it will decompress there automatically.

Repeat this exactly for all parts of the scenery, repeatedly dragging the compressed "NewScene" from each part onto the Landscapes folder, thus repeatedly overwriting the NewSene folder within Landscapes. (In reality, it's just adding more files into the NewScene folder until they are all done.)

The reason you get an overwrite warning is because you are only overwriting the Container Folder called NewScene.
Scenery patches, however, often overwrite the files within the scenery folder, not just the containing folder.
Extra care needs to taken when dealing with patches, to make sure the "pathname" (folder structure) is correct.

Common Errors:
If you drop the NewScene folder on top of the existing NewScene folder, that's BAD !
If you drop the NewScene folder on top of any other folder within Landscapes, that's BAD !
If you open the NewScene folder within the archive (the archive is the compressed folder) and you drag out it's contents to anywhere, That's BAD !

In practice, I simply unzip the scenery parts to my desktop, that way I don't corrupt my Landscapes folder if I make some error. After I am certain it all unzipped and combined correctly, I then move the completed scenery to my Landscapes folder. It's an extra step, and it's not required to do this. It's a habit born of a thousand mistakes is all

Also consider that if you have made several installation Errors while unzipping scenery or other addons, your Condor game could be corrupted, and a complete re-install, though painful, may be a prudent task for a cold rainy day. Symptoms of game corruption include missing/blank textures and odd game behaviour or functionality.