PMDG 737 - How this Works Behind the Scenes (for Sim Techs and Nerds!)

0.00.56 PMDG 737
INTRODUCTION
NOVEMBER 2022 DO NOT DUPLICATE For Simulator Use Only
How this works behind the scenes (For sim techs and nerds!):
You don’t need to read this section to use the AIRCRAFT menu, but we
are including it for those who want to know details about how the
AIRCRAFT menu system works.
Each livery comes with a pre-defined definition ini file that defines all of
the options related to that particular airplane. The file is fully editable.
The definition file is named to match the tail number on the livery and gets
copied to the <MSFS root> \Packages\pmdg-aircraft-
737\work\Aircraft\ folder by the livery installer. A backup original copy is
left in the texture folder so that you can use the AIRCRAFT menu to
revert to the original configuration file if you make changes that you no
longer wish to keep.
When you select a livery, and then launch the simulator, the PMDG 737
will determine what equipment in installed on the airplane by reading the
definition file for that livery’s tail number. When the sim launches your
cockpit will be set up according to that definition.
If you make changes to the cockpit layout and save the definition file
using the AIRCRAFT menu, those changes will be present in the airplane
any time you load that livery.
Therefore, the key thing to remember is that each aircraft should be
viewed in terms of its tail number. When you load a livery, the definition
file matching the airplane’s tail number will be used to populate your
cockpit, display and maintenance options.
If desired, you can save multiple definitions for the same airplane in order
to simulate changes in the equipment carried over time. For example you
could set one set of options for the N738SW setting, then manually make
changes and save the file as N738SW2.ini Then, if you desire to use the
second configuration, simply select it from the menus as will be described
below.
NOTE: The livery number displayed in the AIRCRAFT menu will always
match the tail number installed with the livery. This is because the
maintenance and flight time tracking must be tracked for that individual
tail number!
Do not manually change the tail number in the DETAILS pane of the
aircraft select screen in MSFS. This will mess up or otherwise disable the
livery options.