I always try to set up programs to suit the way I work. Windows is no different from any other program in this respect.

Setting the My Computer/Windows Explorer folder options correctly should make it much easier to identify & manage files. Settings will vary slightly depending on which version of Windows you have. I'm using WinMe.

Open the PANEL folder of a default aircraft in My Computer/Windows Explorer. Does it look something like this?

The above pic shows how a typical folder displays using the Windows default View setting.
I suspect this explains most problems people experience importing, managing & modifying files in CFS2 or any other sim. Two files appear to have the same name & none show the file extensions so you have no idea of the file format..
Changing the folder options to display files with their full names & extensions will make things so much easier.

If your folders display as above I strongly recommend resetting the Folder Options before thinking about downloading & installing any 3rd party files. It's very simple.

• Open any folder in My Computer or Windows Explorer & right-click in an empty space.
• Select View/List from the drop-down menu.
• From Tools/Folder Options on the Menu Bar, click the View tab & make sure the options are set like those in the shot below. Disable the Hide file extensions for known file types option by unchecking the box.

This will change your display to show the full file names complete with file extensions. Click the Like Current Folder button before clicking OK to make all folders display in the same way. The default PANEL folder should now look like the pic below. The file previously named panel now displays as panel.cfg.

Note I have also chosen the Standard Buttons & Address Bar options from View/Toolbars which opens up many useful features including the Folders button which opens the folder tree window on the left.
These are my own preferred settings. You can change them or return to the default settings if you're happy with them.

Associating File Extensions

Associating CFG files with Notepad will make editing them much easier.

• Right-click on the file icon & select "Open With" from the drop-down menu.
• Choose Notepad from the list & check the "Always open files of this type with this program" box.
• Click OK to open the file.

Next time you wish to edit any CFG file, a double-click on the icon will open the file in Notepad.

Other file extensions can be associated with commonly used programs & utilities in the same way.

For file extensions already associated with another program, holding down the Shift key while right-clicking the file icon will give the extra Open With option in some versions of Windows.