265
edits
ATC-pie FAQ: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
v1.3.0 released
Mickybadia (talk | contribs) (Version update (1.1.2)) |
Mickybadia (talk | contribs) (v1.3.0 released) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{forum|83|ATC-Pie support & development}} | {{forum|83|ATC-Pie support & development}} | ||
This page is a collection of questions | This page is a collection of questions asked at least twice about [[ATC-pie]]. It is a good idea to search through it before repeating a question on the forum or anywhere. | ||
== Things "not working" == | == Things "not working" == | ||
=== Why am I not seeing this aircraft on my radar? === | === Why am I not seeing this aircraft on my radar? === | ||
Connected to FGMS: '''I know it is there: the pilot is sending chat messages and/or is visible on the online live map...''' | Connected to FGMS: '''I know it is there: the pilot is sending chat messages and/or is visible on the online live map...''' | ||
| Line 13: | Line 12: | ||
* Its onboard transponder is turned off; see [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpPzRiwzx9Q&list=PL1EQKKHhDVJvvWpcX_BqeOIsmeW2A_8Yb&index=1 ATC-pie video tutorial 1]. You should tell the pilot to switch it on. Alternatively, you can switch on the primary radar system if you want to see all aircraft's positions, or activate the "radar cheat mode" if you want to go the radical way ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSyH88HR-4w&index=3&list=PL1EQKKHhDVJvvWpcX_BqeOIsmeW2A_8Yb tutorial 3]). | * Its onboard transponder is turned off; see [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpPzRiwzx9Q&list=PL1EQKKHhDVJvvWpcX_BqeOIsmeW2A_8Yb&index=1 ATC-pie video tutorial 1]. You should tell the pilot to switch it on. Alternatively, you can switch on the primary radar system if you want to see all aircraft's positions, or activate the "radar cheat mode" if you want to go the radical way ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSyH88HR-4w&index=3&list=PL1EQKKHhDVJvvWpcX_BqeOIsmeW2A_8Yb tutorial 3]). | ||
NB: If the aircraft model does not support the transponder feature, it will be simulated by ATC-pie according to the fallback mode you have selected in the | NB: If the aircraft model does not support the transponder feature, it will be simulated by ATC-pie according to the fallback mode you have selected in the FlightGear system configuration tab. A non-equipped aircraft and a zero fallback mode will therefore make the aircraft invisible as well. | ||
=== | === Connected pilots do not receive my text messages. === | ||
This happens with pre-2017.2 clients if you are using the latest protocol to encode properties. Tick the FGMS system option to "use the legacy protocol". It will come at the expense of network throughput, but everybody should be able to read you. | |||
=== FGCom radio is not working. === | |||
If you are using external clients, i.e. FGCom instances running outside of ATC-pie, you must troubleshoot them there. This section assumes you are trying with '''internal''' radio boxes. If you do not understand this distinction, the latter case is yours and you should read on. | If you are using external clients, i.e. FGCom instances running outside of ATC-pie, you must troubleshoot them there. This section assumes you are trying with '''internal''' radio boxes. If you do not understand this distinction, the latter case is yours and you should read on. | ||
| Line 32: | Line 33: | ||
#: If the server is up (responding to ping), check for errors in the logged FGCom output files in the <code>output</code> directory. | #: If the server is up (responding to ping), check for errors in the logged FGCom output files in the <code>output</code> directory. | ||
# Port mess-up on your side | # Port mess-up on your side | ||
#: If you are running multiple instances of ATC-pie, make sure you have no more than one radio box on every port. To check what port a radio box is using, see its "on/off" button tooltip. You can change your FGCom settings from the system | #: If you are running multiple instances of ATC-pie, make sure you have no more than one radio box on every port. To check what port a radio box is using, see its "on/off" button tooltip. You can change your FGCom settings from the system set-up dialog. In any case, you should only choose available ports, not reserved by your operating system. Typically, ports from 16661 and counting up work fine. | ||
=== I cannot record an ATIS. === | |||
Assuming FGCom is working otherwise (confirm this with an echo test before reading on), but no beep is heard after pressing "record"... | |||
Due to FGCom design, you may only record an ATIS if the requested frequency is enlisted as recordable on the distant server's "phone book" for the base airport (or the nearest one in CTR mode). The one for <code>fgcom.flightgear.org</code> was compiled a while ago, based on the latest <code>apt.dat</code> at the time. It filtered the frequencies through the two following conditions: | |||
# it is of the "recorded" type (row code 50); | |||
# its name contains the uppercase string "ATIS". | |||
Unless you have updated or edited the frequency data yourself, check against the airport <code>.dat</code> file sourced on your side, as it is probably still similar. One of those conditions is probably not met, or the frequency missing all together. NB: the frequencies in the ATIS drop-down list of ATC-pie are matched against the same condition (1), but not against the somewhat restrictive condition (2). | |||
=== Tower view is not starting. === | === Tower view is not starting. === | ||
Ruling out that FlightGear is not installed at all, your system path settings are probably wrong. From a terminal, find the right command to start FlightGear and enter it as ''FlightGear executable'' from the system settings. Do not add options of any kind; they will be taken care of internally. You may have to enter a ''FlightGear root directory'' as well, especially if you have the program files installed somewhere unexpected. | Ruling out that FlightGear is not installed at all, your system path settings are probably wrong. From a terminal, find the right command to start FlightGear and enter it as ''FlightGear executable'' from the system settings. Do not add options of any kind; they will be taken care of internally. You may have to enter a ''FlightGear root directory'' as well, especially if you have the program files installed somewhere unexpected. | ||
=== My tower is in the middle of the sea, and aircraft floating/landing on water! === | === My tower is in the middle of the sea, and aircraft floating/landing on water! === | ||
You are missing the FlightGear scenery data for your location, or ATC-pie does not know where it is. Check out the ''Tower viewing'' [[ATC-pie_user_guide#Tower viewing|feature note]] in the user guide. | |||
You are missing the FlightGear scenery data for your location, or ATC-pie does not know where it is. Check out the ''Tower viewing'' feature note in | |||
=== Simulated aircraft appear to dip underground or levitate over taxiways. === | === Simulated aircraft appear to dip underground or levitate over taxiways. === | ||
You must be missing a ground elevation map for the location. Quoting from <code>resources/elev/Notice</code>: "''When no elevation map is found for an airport, the field elevation value is used everywhere on the ground. This should be OK for a rough approximation on flat terrain, but ground traffic will not follow any slopes, thus may appear as floating above the ground, or digging into it.''" | |||
Read the full file for instructions on how to build your elevation map. Once you have or if you decide that your field is flat enough, a last possible altitude adjustment is available from the location options: "Altitude adjustment for FlightGear views". It applies the given offset to all traffic rendered by the views. | |||
Read the full file for instructions on how to build your elevation map. Once you have or if you decide that your field is flat enough, a last possible altitude adjustment is available from the | |||
=== I cannot connect to my teacher as a student. === | === I cannot connect to my teacher as a student. === | ||
Using IPv4 addresses, this typically happens when the teacher is in a local area network behind a router. It is a common setup for home internet, in which the teacher's actual host address is not publicly accessible from outside his private network. | Using IPv4 addresses, this typically happens when the teacher is in a local area network behind a router. It is a common setup for home internet, in which the teacher's actual host address is not publicly accessible from outside his private network. | ||
| Line 59: | Line 65: | ||
=== What is the FlightGear strip exchange server? Which one to use? === | === What is the FlightGear strip exchange server? Which one to use? === | ||
In FlightGear games, the strip exchange feature allows you to hand over strips to ATCs who are connected to the same server and within 180 NM from your position. The public server currently open for general multi-player use is <code>http://h2281805.stratoserver.net/FgFpServer</code>. To hand over a strip, drag it from its rack and drop it on the chosen callsign in the ATC handover list. Publicise your frequency so that ATCs around know what to tell pilots for them to contact you! | In FlightGear games, the strip exchange feature allows you to hand over strips to ATCs who are connected to the same server and within 180 NM from your position. The public server currently open for general multi-player use is <code>http://h2281805.stratoserver.net/FgFpServer</code>. To hand over a strip, drag it from its rack and drop it on the chosen callsign in the ATC handover list. Publicise your frequency so that ATCs around know what to tell pilots for them to contact you! | ||
=== What nickname should I use for FlightGear multi-player? === | === What nickname should I use for FlightGear multi-player? === | ||
Choose any name you would like to be recognised by on the network. In ATC-pie, it will appear in the tooltip over your callsign for connected ATCs who see you. In a sense, this feature is more social than technical, but makes sense as typical ATC callsigns (e.g. "VHHHtwr") remain mostly anonymous over MP. Use this field so that other players can identify you. | |||
=== Are the vector headings true or magnetic? === | |||
Heading displays in ATC-pie are mostly magnetic so they can be read out to pilots. The only exceptions are the navigator and handover list tooltips, for easier human identification on the scope because true North is at the top of the map. | |||
Also note: all directions are geodesic, i.e. initial headings to take on a great circle. | |||
=== What is the purpose of the flat "strip shelf" button in the strip panes? === | === What is the purpose of the flat "strip shelf" button in the strip panes? === | ||
More than a button, the strip shelf is where you should drop the contacts you release without a handover, e.g. parked traffic shutting down, VFR traffic flying out of your airspace, etc. Clicking on the shelf allows to browse the previously shelved strips, and to recall one (or more), for example shelved inadvertently. | |||
More than a button, the strip shelf is where you should drop the contacts you release without a handover, e.g. parked traffic shutting down, VFR traffic flying out of your airspace, etc. Clicking on the shelf | |||
=== Why do I keep getting runway incursion alarms? === | === Why do I keep getting runway incursion alarms? === | ||
You are most probably not using your runway boxes properly. The alarm sounds when the radar detects traffic stepping on a runway in either of the following situations: | You are most probably not using your runway boxes properly. The alarm sounds when the radar detects traffic stepping on a runway in either of the following situations: | ||
* the runway is active (marked in use) and no strip is boxed for it; | * the runway is active (marked in use) and no strip is boxed for it; | ||
| Line 79: | Line 86: | ||
If you are not interested in this feature, you can turn the runway occupation monitor off completely from the ''Options'' menu. This will deactivate all radar warnings regarding runways. Alternatively, if you are only bothered by the alarm but want to keep the visual runway highlighting system, you can mute the sound notification by unticking it in the notification dock pull-down menu. | If you are not interested in this feature, you can turn the runway occupation monitor off completely from the ''Options'' menu. This will deactivate all radar warnings regarding runways. Alternatively, if you are only bothered by the alarm but want to keep the visual runway highlighting system, you can mute the sound notification by unticking it in the notification dock pull-down menu. | ||
== Where is ...? How to ...? == | == Where is ...? Can I ...? How to ...? == | ||
=== Can I draw SID and STAR procedures on the radar? === | === Can I draw SID and STAR procedures on the radar? === | ||
Yes, and virtually anything else, using background images. To learn about those: | Yes, and virtually anything else, using background images. To learn about those: | ||
* see the corresponding | * see the corresponding [[ATC-pie_user_guide#Background images|user guide section]]; | ||
* read the <code>resources/bg-img/Notice</code> file; | * read the <code>resources/bg-img/Notice</code> file; | ||
* examine the (otherwise useless) packaged KSFO example. | * examine the (otherwise useless) packaged KSFO example. | ||
| Line 107: | Line 113: | ||
=== How do I assign SIDs and STARs to aircraft? === | === How do I assign SIDs and STARs to aircraft? === | ||
This question is asked quite a lot more than it is relevant to a real controller's task... | |||
What people seem to be after when asking this question is a way to organise inbound traffic '''on arrival''', using STARs to manage multiple approach paths. If you like to do so and want a way to visualise and distinguish them, the best thing to do is to stack your inbound strips on racks named after your STARs. Racks are indeed not only a way of categorising traffic, but above all meant for efficient traffic sequencing. Every rack represents its own sequence of ordered aircraft, which is perfectly suited to control separate approach paths in parallel. With this technique, placing a strip on a STAR-named rack basically serves as the "assignment" itself, like one could use runway-specific racks at large airports to keep track of separate landing sequences. You can set a colour to each rack for quick identification on the scope. Besides, turning on the approach spacing hints will help you optimise the separation times in the sequence all the way to touchdown. | |||
If you otherwise meant to '''plan routes''' before they are flown, you are looking for something you should not be doing. Routes are lists of waypoints and instructions to follow between the two end airfields. Normally pulled straight from properly filed flight plans, routes are copied onto strips prior to departure, then modified as the flights progress and passed along with handovers. Standard departure and arrival procedures (SIDs and STARs) can be referred to in those routes, but only by their entry or exit navpoints. They should not contain full procedure names like FUBAR1A since those depend on the active runways and might change any time before flying the corresponding leg. For example, routes ending with a STAR should end with "FUBAR STAR", which means that waypoint FUBAR is an entry point from which a published STAR must be followed. The keyword "STAR" is in fact a mere specification for the last route leg. Similarly, routes of the form "SID DUMMY ..." specify their first leg as a standard departure to the first waypoint DUMMY. "SID" and "STAR" keywords are recognised by ATC-pie and accounted for in the second line of the radar contact info box when appropriate (see feature note on routes). | |||
One meaningful wish regarding this question is for easy '''reference in text chat''' messages. Firstly, using racks in the way suggested above, you can use the <code>$rack</code> alias which is substituted by the name of the rack on which the current strip selection is stacked. Otherwise, if the selected strip's route is found to contain "SID"/"STAR" keywords placed in the first/last route leg specifications, text aliases <code>$wpsid</code> and <code>$wpstar</code> will respectively expand to the first/last en-route waypoints of that route. For example, assuming route "SID DUMMY more route spec FUBAR STAR" in the selection, <code>$wpsid</code> will be replaced with "DUMMY" and <code>$wpstar</code> with "FUBAR". Now if you specifically want to assign a full procedure name like FUBAR1A to a contact and refer to it in a generic text chat message, include a line "sid=FUBAR1A" in your strip comments. It will pop up with the strip mouse-over tooltip, and create a custom <code>$sid</code> alias that will automatically be expanded in your sent messages when that strip is selected. | |||
=== How to set the transition level? === | |||
You do not. You can however set the transition altitude from the location settings. | |||
The transition level displayed in the weather analysis is the lowest flight level that is still above the transition altitude. This does not mean the lowest to be expected in ATC clearances, which may be higher, e.g. for more vertical separation on either side of the transition layer or due to coordination with neighbouring zones and fields. | |||
=== Can I look up ILS frequencies? === | |||
Not with built-in features. But if you want a quick and integrated reading of ILS frequencies, you can look them up once and write them in the local notepad which will be saved when you close ATC-pie. Using the following format one runway per line will even create local text aliases for convenient shortcuts in chat messages: <code>ils05=111.11 MHz</code>. See [[ATC-pie_user_guide#Text chat|custom text aliases]] for more. | Not with built-in features. But if you want a quick and integrated reading of ILS frequencies, you can look them up once and write them in the local notepad which will be saved when you close ATC-pie. Using the following format one runway per line will even create local text aliases for convenient shortcuts in chat messages: <code>ils05=111.11 MHz</code>. See [[ATC-pie_user_guide#Text chat|custom text aliases]] for more. | ||
=== How do I customise the GUI and colours? === | === How do I customise the GUI and colours? === | ||
To change the '''radar or strip colours''', edit the <code>settings/colours.ini</code> file. Each line holds the paint colour for the corresponding object type in a typical <code>#RRGGBB</code> (red-green-blue) format. While you are working on your colours, use the "reload colour configuration" menu option to avoid restarting after every change. | To change the '''radar or strip colours''', edit the <code>settings/colours.ini</code> file. Each line holds the paint colour for the corresponding object type in a typical <code>#RRGGBB</code> (red-green-blue) format. While you are working on your colours, use the "reload colour configuration" menu option to avoid restarting after every change. | ||
| Line 133: | Line 141: | ||
=== What's with the funny name? === | === What's with the funny name? === | ||
ATC-pie is written in Python, and I reckoned that the ''pyXXX'' naming habit was becoming a little dull, so I merely switched things around. You can surely do the rest of the math in terms of spelling, and later impact on the logo. | ATC-pie is written in Python, and I reckoned that the ''pyXXX'' naming habit was becoming a little dull, so I merely switched things around. You can surely do the rest of the math in terms of spelling, and later impact on the logo. | ||
=== Why is the learning curve so steep? People would use your program more if you did/provided [...] === | === Why is the learning curve so steep? People would use your program more if you did/provided [...] === | ||
Often followed with: '''(you must understand that) this is not VATSIM!''' | Often followed with: '''(you must understand that) this is not VATSIM!''' | ||