In game Addon Marketplace

Thanks for your idea. Building an in game marketplace place is a huge task.

For example X-Plane announced it in game marketplace more than a year ago, they have been working hard on it and still they are not ready to launch it. It was supposed that it will.be ready soon.

How much return did Just Flight get on their Aerofly planes when suddenly incompatible FS4 got released and all development on FS2 stopped dead? Who wants to buy the Just Flight FS2 Hawk jet trainer today?
The same goes for ORBX and Aerosoft FS2 scenery.

The updates for Aerofly FS4 could have been a simple formality, with those who owned those models, and who would certainly have contributed to it. But the fallout from JustFlight was a considerable loss with FS2. One of the reasons that the authors moved on to a more lucrative market, if you know what I mean.

Quote from Overloaded

...
The same goes for ORBX and Aerosoft FS2 scenery.

In my experience, it is not a big effort to update the FS 2 Scenerien of ORBX and Aerosoft for the FS 4. In my view, both companies could have done this.

Would it be possible build a guide to do it, so if we buy the scenery we can update it buy ourselves?

Quote from Jugac64

Would it be possible build a guide to do it, so if we buy the scenery we can update it buy ourselves?

Here are some links to it, partly it is about the instructions, partly about the implementation:

• RE: Still Using FS2 more than FS4?
• RE: KEGE, KMRY, and LOWI (ORBX version)
• RE: New custom airports

In Flight-Sim.org:

• https://flight-sim.org/filebase/index…s-4-2025-04-04/
• https://flight-sim.org/filebase/index…s-4-2024-08-19/
• https://flight-sim.org/filebase/index…s-4-2025-04-01/
• https://flight-sim.org/filebase/index…s-4-2025-04-02/

That is not my point, would any new outside software publishers have confidence that their investment would not be totally undermined by some arbitrary action?

Thanks Michael!

Oh, I didn’t know this. There was a lot of DLC for Aerofly FS2:

Steam DLC for AFS2

Does anyone have tried to convert any of them th FS4? Of course for private us. Just to know if this is possible.

Oh! I want this

PA28r Turbo Arrow III and IV

Quote from Overloaded

That is not my point, would any new outside software publishers have confidence that their investment would not be totally undermined by some arbitrary action?

I think that commercial third-party providers see the market of FS 4 and FS Global as too small to make money there. Therefore, we only get what is created as a hobby from the community and published, for example, at Flight-Sim.org.

Quote from Jugac64

Thanks Michael!

Oh, I didn’t know this. There was a lot of DLC for Aerofly FS2:

Steam DLC for AFS2

Does anyone have tried to convert any of them th FS4? Of course for private us. Just to know if this is possible.

...

I like to try to convert FS 2 versions for the FS 4 - and so far I have succeeded.

It is easy for me with the products that I have myself, because I have converted them for myself and then made the additions available to the community - always in such a way that the original product is needed.

For products that I don't have myself, I just need an original version from someone. Otherwise, the continuation is the same, I create an addition and publish it.

Quote

...

Oh! I want this

PA28r Turbo Arrow III and IV

These models are already available by someone adapted for the FS 4 - but unfortunately the models no longer work with the current version of FS 4.

Thanks Michael for your complete answer.

If your still there where is the user folders in Linux? Where to add custom scenery and d aircraft?

Found it! .config/Aerofly FS4/

There it is an external_dll folder there, just like in Windows.

I wonder if there it is some hope to build a dll version for Mac and Linux

Only the devs can confirm.

I would love to activate the external_dll for Mac users as well 🙏. The pathname it with me:

• '/Users/USERNAME/Library/Application Support/Aerofly FS 4/external_dll'

Do you use Xcode or CLion? We need a Mac volunteer to compile and test. I would like to try a simple test, just to see if a very basic version of the DLL works on Mac (the equivalent).

In theory, the header file included in the official SDK example should be cross platform, but the cpp source code of the DLL should be a little modified.

(Poor Jan, the mess he will find here when he come back to work tomorrow, we are trying to buid a DLL for Mac and Linux, this is a sort of community revolution )

Even if I now feel fit in the area of TAP files with the results TMB, TOC, TSC and WAD as well as TSL and also TMC, I am still an IT layman - but an inquisitive one.

And I have Xcode on my Mac.

So: let's try it, unless there are more competent Mac users.

Hi Michael, here there it is the AI generated instructions and code. The file tm_external_message.h is from the official IPACS SDK example. Thanks for trying!

Aerofly FS4 Mac External Plugin Compatibility Test

Overview

This test verifies that Aerofly FS4 on Mac supports external plugins using the same IPACS protocol as Windows. If successful, this will confirm that cross-platform plugin development is feasible.

Required Files

You need TWO FILES to perform this test:

1. tm_external_message.h - Official IPACS SDK header (provided separately)
2. aerofly_mac_test.cpp - Test plugin source code (provided separately)

Prerequisites

• macOS 10.15+ (Catalina or newer)
• Aerofly FS4 installed on Mac
• Xcode Command Line Tools

Install Xcode Command Line Tools (if not already installed):

xcode-select --install

Verify installation:

clang --version
# Should show: Apple clang version X.X.X

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare Files

Create a test directory and place both files:

mkdir ~/aerofly_mac_test
cd ~/aerofly_mac_test

# Place both files here:
# - tm_external_message.h
# - aerofly_mac_test.cpp

Verify both files are present:

ls -la
# Should show both files with proper names

2. Compile the Plugin

clang++ -shared -fPIC -std=c++17 -o libAeroflyTest.dylib aerofly_mac_test.cpp

Expected result: No compilation errors, creates libAeroflyTest.dylib

If compilation fails, check:

• Both files are in the same directory
• File names are exactly correct (case-sensitive)
• Xcode Command Line Tools are properly installed

3. Deploy to Aerofly

Copy the compiled plugin to Aerofly's external plugin directory:

cp libAeroflyTest.dylib ~/Documents/Aerofly\ FS\ 4/external_dll/

Verify deployment:

ls -la ~/Documents/Aerofly\ FS\ 4/external_dll/
# Should show libAeroflyTest.dylib in the list

4. Test the Plugin

Start Monitoring (in Terminal):

# Monitor log file:
tail -f /Users/Shared/aerofly_mac_test.log

Launch Aerofly FS4:

1. Start Aerofly FS4 normally
2. Load any aircraft and location
3. Let it run for 30-60 seconds

5. Check Results

A. Check Log File:

The terminal running tail -f should show messages like:

[TIMESTAMP] === AEROFLY MAC TEST PLUGIN INITIALIZED ===
[TIMESTAMP] Platform: macOS detected
[TIMESTAMP] 🎉 FIRST MESSAGE RECEIVED! Mac external plugin working with IPACS protocol!
[TIMESTAMP] Messages received: 100
[TIMESTAMP] Messages received: 200

B. Check Console.app (Mac System Logs):

1. Open Console.app (Applications > Utilities)
2. Search for: AEROFLY_MAC_TEST
3. Should see similar messages as in the log file

C. Check for System-Level Issues:

In Console.app, also search for:

• Aerofly FS
• external_dll
• dylib

Look for any error messages related to plugin loading.

Expected Success Indicators

✅ SUCCESS - Plugin Working:

• Log file shows initialization message
• Message count increases continuously
• Console.app shows AEROFLY_MAC_TEST entries
• No error messages in system logs

⚠️ PARTIAL SUCCESS - Plugin Loads but No Messages:

• Initialization message appears
• But no "FIRST MESSAGE RECEIVED" or message counts
• Indicates plugin loading works but message protocol might differ

❌ FAILURE - Plugin Not Loading:

• No log file created or empty log file
• No Console.app messages
• Possible system errors about dylib loading

Troubleshooting

Plugin Not Loading:

# Check file permissions:
ls -la ~/Documents/Aerofly\ FS\ 4/external_dll/libAeroflyTest.dylib

# Should show readable/executable permissions
# If not, fix with:
chmod 755 ~/Documents/Aerofly\ FS\ 4/external_dll/libAeroflyTest.dylib

No Messages Received:

• Try different aircraft (some might not send telemetry immediately)
• Ensure flight is active (not paused)
• Check that external_dll folder path is correct

Compilation Issues:

# Verify both files exist and have content:
wc -l tm_external_message.h aerofly_mac_test.cpp
# Should show significant line counts for both files

# Check for hidden characters or encoding issues:
file tm_external_message.h aerofly_mac_test.cpp
# Should show "ASCII text" or "UTF-8 text"

What to Report Back

Please provide the following information:

1. Compilation Results:

# Run and share output:
clang++ -shared -fPIC -std=c++17 -o libAeroflyTest.dylib aerofly_mac_test.cpp
echo "Exit code: $?"
ls -la libAeroflyTest.dylib

2. Plugin Loading Results:

# Share contents of log file:
cat /Users/Shared/aerofly_mac_test.log

3. System Information:

# Share system details:
sw_vers
clang --version
ls -la ~/Documents/Aerofly\ FS\ 4/external_dll/

4. Console.app Messages:

• Screenshot or copy any AEROFLY_MAC_TEST messages
• Any error messages related to Aerofly or dylib loading

5. Any Error Messages:

• Compilation errors
• Runtime errors
• System log errors

Why This Test Matters

This test will definitively answer:

• ✅ Can Mac load external plugins? (like Windows .dll files)
• ✅ Does Mac use the same IPACS message protocol?
• ✅ Are message formats binary-compatible across platforms?
• ✅ Is cross-platform plugin development feasible?

Success means we can proceed with full cross-platform bridge development for Mac and Linux!

Clean Up (Optional)

After testing, you can remove the test files:

rm ~/Documents/Aerofly\ FS\ 4/external_dll/libAeroflyTest.dylib
rm /Users/Shared/aerofly_mac_test.log
rm -rf ~/aerofly_mac_test

Thank you for helping test cross-platform compatibility! 🚀

Unfortunately, I fail at point "4. Test the plugin".

The compiled plugin has this path for me:

• '/Users/01user/Library/Application Support/Aerofly FS 4/external_dll/libAeroflyTest.dylib'

I can't find the file "aerofly_mac_test.log" anywhere?

Hi, Michael, please check:

Apple Silicon Fix - ARM64 Compilation

Problem Identified ✅

Your MacBook Pro M4 Max uses Apple Silicon (ARM64) architecture, but the plugin was compiled for Intel x86_64. This causes a complete incompatibility.

Solution: Compile for Apple Silicon

Step 1: Verify Current Architecture

# Check what you compiled before:
cd "/Users/01user/Library/Application Support/Aerofly FS 4/external_dll/"
file libAeroflyTest.dylib

Expected current result: Mach-O 64-bit dynamically linked shared library x86_64 What we need: Mach-O 64-bit dynamically linked shared library arm64

Step 2: Recompile for Apple Silicon (ARM64)

cd ~/aerofly_mac_test

# Compile specifically for Apple Silicon:
clang++ -shared -fPIC -std=c++17 -arch arm64 -o libAeroflyTest.dylib aerofly_mac_test.cpp

Step 3: Verify ARM64 Compilation

file libAeroflyTest.dylib
# Should now show: Mach-O 64-bit dynamically linked shared library arm64

Step 4: Deploy ARM64 Version

cp libAeroflyTest.dylib "/Users/01user/Library/Application Support/Aerofly FS 4/external_dll/"

Step 5: Test Again

Now launch Aerofly FS4 and check for the log file:

tail -f /Users/Shared/aerofly_mac_test.log

Alternative: Universal Binary (Both Architectures)

If you want to create a plugin that works on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs:

# Compile for both architectures:
clang++ -shared -fPIC -std=c++17 -arch x86_64 -o libAeroflyTest_x86.dylib aerofly_mac_test.cpp
clang++ -shared -fPIC -std=c++17 -arch arm64 -o libAeroflyTest_arm.dylib aerofly_mac_test.cpp

# Create universal binary:
lipo -create libAeroflyTest_x86.dylib libAeroflyTest_arm.dylib -output libAeroflyTest.dylib

# Verify universal binary:
lipo -info libAeroflyTest.dylib
# Should show: Architectures in the fat file: libAeroflyTest.dylib are: x86_64 arm64

What This Means for Cross-Platform Development

✅ Great News:

• Apple Silicon compilation works! This confirms macOS supports external plugins
• Same source code works across architectures
• IPACS protocol is truly cross-platform

🎯 For Future Development:

• Linux: Will be x86_64 (like current compilation)
• Mac Intel: x86_64 (like current compilation)
• Mac Apple Silicon: ARM64 (new compilation)
• Windows: x86_64 (current working version)

📊 Cross-Platform Build Matrix:

Platform          Architecture    Compiler
Windows          x86_64          MSVC (cl.exe)
Linux            x86_64          GCC/Clang
Mac Intel        x86_64          Clang
Mac Apple Silicon ARM64           Clang

Expected Results After ARM64 Recompilation

You should now see:

[TIMESTAMP] === AEROFLY MAC TEST PLUGIN INITIALIZED ===
[TIMESTAMP] Platform: macOS detected
[TIMESTAMP] 🎉 FIRST MESSAGE RECEIVED! Mac external plugin working with IPACS protocol!

Implications for Main Bridge

When we port the full Aerofly Bridge to Mac, we'll need:

1. Platform detection in build system
2. Architecture-specific compilation
3. Universal binaries for broad compatibility
4. Same networking code (BSD sockets work on both architectures)

This discovery is HUGE for cross-platform development! 🚀

Next Steps

1. Try the ARM64 compilation above
2. Report results - we should see plugin loading successfully
3. If successful - we can proceed with full bridge port to Mac
4. If still issues - we'll investigate Aerofly version compatibility

Thank you for providing the crucial system information! 🍎⚡

I can't find the file "aerofly_mac_test.log"