How to make your scenery compatible with SCINST

SCINST.SCI file

It is easy to make your scenery compatible with SCINST. Write SCI file which is text file and have 'scinst.sci' file name, and include this file in your scenery distribution files.

scinst.sci file has following informations:

Name of the scenery
Install directory name of the scenery.
Name of the BGL files.
Name of the texture files.
Name of the flight files.
Name of the document files.
Flatten/Exclude switch (for FS2000 only)

How to write scinst.sci file

See following sample of the scinst.sci file

;;; scinst.sci example

NAME	= Nagoya City Scenery
DIR 	= nagcity
SCENERY	= nagcity.bgl
TEXTURE = *.r8
FLIGHT  = *.FLT
DOC	= readme-j.html readme.html
REGLIB	= 1
EXCLUDE = N35 11.25,E136 52.79, N35 10.27,E136 53.78,objects

Syntax of the scinst.sci file

SCI file must be created as text file, and must have 'scinst.sci' file name.

Syntax of the scinst.sci file are followings:

Line which starts with ';' is recognized as comment.
Null line is skipped.
Each lines have ' = ...' style.
You can use space and tab character for the delimiter between keywords, '=' and entries. Also, you can use comma between entries.
Keywords are all case insensitive.
You can use '\' character as continuous lines.

Scenery name

Use 'NAME' keyword for scenery name.

NAME = Nagoya City Scenery

This name is displayed on the dialog of SCINST. It is also used as the name of scenery library entry.

Directory name

Use 'DIR' keyword for default install directory of the scenery.

DIR = nagcity

Default install directory will be

<Directory of the MSFS>\Scenery\<Name specified as DIR keyword>

Scenery files

Use 'SCENERY' keywords to specify scenery files (BGL files).

SCENERY = nagcity.bgl

You can specify one or more files. You can use relative path and wildcard. For example:

SCENERY = scenery\*.bgl

Texture files

Use 'TEXTURE' keywords to specify texture files (.R8/.BMP files).

TEXTURE = *.bmp

You can specify one or more files. You can use relative path and wildcard.

Flight files

Use 'FLIGHT' keywords to specify flight files (.FLT files).

TEXTURE = *.FLT

You can specify one or more files. You can use relative path and wildcard.

Document files

Use 'DOC' keywords to specify documents files

DOC    = readme-j.html readme.html

You can specify one or more files. You can use relative path and wildcard.

Registration to scenery library of MSFS

Use 'REGLIB' keyword to register your scenery to Scenery Library of MSFS.

REGLIB  = 1

Other then zero means 'Do register', and zero means 'Do not register'.

Flatten/Exclude switch

SCINST supports 'Flatten/Exclude' switches. For more information about these switches, see the readme.txt file in FS2000 directory.

Note: REGLIB keyword must be enabled to use these switches.

How to installation process works?

Actual process of the installation is following:

Default install direcotry is decided from 'DIR' keyword.
All files specified by 'SCENERY' keyword are copied to <Install directory>\Scenery directory.
All files specified by 'TEXTURE' keyword are copied to <Install directory>\Texture directory.
All files specified by 'FLIGHT' keyword are copied to My Documents\Flight Simulator Files\scenery_name directory for FS2004, copied to flight\scenery_name directory for FS2002, otherwise PILOTS directory.
All files specified by 'DOC' keyword are copied to <Install directory> directory.
If REGLIB keyword value is not zero, the entry is added to scenery library. The entry
- Has highest layer.
- Has the name which specified by NAME keyword.
- is active and local.

BGL files and Texture files will be searched from same directory of the scinst.sci file.

If same entry (i.e. have same path name) is exist in the scenery library, library registration process is not executed, but the entry become active by force.

Distribution

To distribute your scenery, include scinst.sci and setup.exe file in your scenery files.