Install X-Plane scenery libraries in Custom Scenery, verify library.txt and scenery_packs.ini, and fix missing-object errors.
To install a scenery library in X-Plane 11 or 12, quit the simulator, extract the downloaded archive, and place the library’s top-level folder directly inside X-Plane/Custom Scenery. Restart X-Plane once, then check Log.txt for missing-resource errors. Do not leave the library zipped or buried inside an extra folder.
A scenery library is a shared collection of objects, textures and other assets used by airports or regional scenery. Its library.txt file maps those assets to paths that scenery packages can request. The library itself usually adds no airport and will not appear in an aircraft or plug-in menu.
How do I install an X-Plane scenery library?
The installation procedure is the same in X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12 unless the library’s documentation gives package-specific instructions.
- Quit X-Plane. Copying or updating scenery while the simulator is running can leave the loaded version unchanged until the next restart.
- Download the required library. Use the exact dependency named by the airport or scenery documentation. Our catalogue of downloadable X-Plane scenery libraries covers many commonly requested packages.
- Extract the archive. X-Plane cannot load a library from a ZIP, RAR or similar archive. The extracted download may contain documentation alongside the actual library folder.
- Find the package root. The correct folder normally contains
library.txtnear its top level, together with folders holding objects and textures. Read any included installation notes before moving it. - Copy that folder into Custom Scenery. The usual result is
X-Plane 12/Custom Scenery/Library Name/library.txt. X-Plane 11 uses the equivalent location inside its own installation folder. - Start X-Plane once. The simulator scans
Custom Sceneryand adds an enabledSCENERY_PACKentry toCustom Scenery/scenery_packs.ini. - Load the scenery that requires it. Afterwards, inspect
X-Plane/Log.txtif objects are absent or X-Plane reports a scenery loading error.
A mistake we see constantly is an extra directory level, such as Custom Scenery/Library Name/Library Name/library.txt. Move the inner package folder up one level. Do not merge several libraries into one folder, and never place them under Resources/plugins.
Does scenery_packs.ini order matter for libraries?
A pure scenery library normally does not need to sit above the airports that use it. Unlike airports, overlays and mesh, its assets are requested through virtual library paths rather than displayed as a scenery layer.
Leave the automatically created entry enabled. If it begins with SCENERY_PACK_DISABLED, change it to SCENERY_PACK while X-Plane is closed. Order can matter when two packages export the same virtual resource or when a download is actually an overlay or replacement rather than a pure library; follow that package’s instructions in those cases. Our guide to X-Plane package folders and scenery ordering explains the broader layering rules.
How can I tell whether the library installed correctly?
A working library has an enabled entry in scenery_packs.ini and produces no related missing-resource errors when its dependent scenery loads. It does not need to appear in X-Plane’s menus or add anything visible by itself.
Open Log.txt after visiting the affected airport and search for the library name, Failed to find resource, or wording stating that an art asset could not be found. The missing virtual path often identifies which dependency or asset family is involved.
Why does X-Plane still report missing library objects?
Persistent missing-object errors usually mean the package is nested incorrectly, disabled, incomplete or not the exact dependency requested by the scenery.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
No entry in scenery_packs.ini | The folder is too deeply nested or cannot be read | Locate the folder containing library.txt, move it directly under Custom Scenery, check permissions and restart X-Plane |
SCENERY_PACK_DISABLED entry | The package has been disabled | Change the entry to SCENERY_PACK while the simulator is closed |
| Only some objects are missing | The airport needs several libraries, or the installed copy lacks required assets | Check every dependency named by the scenery and install the required release of each |
| Errors began after an update | Old and new folders coexist, or files were merged incorrectly | Keep one complete copy and reinstall it according to the package instructions rather than combining folders |
| The logged path is not recognised | The scenery itself may contain a broken or obsolete asset reference | Confirm all listed dependencies first; if they are present, the airport package may need correction |
Do I need to install every X-Plane scenery library?
No. Install the libraries explicitly required by the scenery you use; there is no single master package that substitutes for all the others. OpenSceneryX and The Handy Objects Library, for example, expose different assets and are not interchangeable.
If an airport requires OpenSceneryX, follow our OpenSceneryX setup instructions. If its documentation names Handy Objects instead, install the required Handy Objects Library package. One successfully installed library does not satisfy references to another.