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ATC-pie FAQ: Difference between revisions
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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...''' | ||
You only see an aircraft on your | You only see an aircraft on your scopes if a radar contact is established, i.e. if it is visible to the primary radar or if the secondary radar (SSR) picks up a transponder signal from it. | ||
NB: | The following cases will therefore prevent you from seeing a connected aircraft: | ||
* The radars are turned off. Primary radar can be switched from the ''Options'' menu; SSR capability adjusted from the ''General settings'' dialog. | |||
* The aircraft is out of radar range. It can be under the radar floor (minimum signal pick-up height) or too far out. In the general settings, check the horizontal range and set the floor to "SFC" to pick up all signals down to the ground. Note that both radars share the same range in ATC-pie. | |||
* Its onboard transponder is turned off (and primary is 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. NB for FlightGear games: if the player's aircraft model does not implement a transponder, ATC-pie will simulate one according to the fallback mode you have selected in the FlightGear system configuration tab. If that setting is "off", a non-equipped aircraft will be invisible like in real life. | |||
Alternatively, you can 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]). | |||
=== Connected pilots do not receive my text messages. === | === Connected pilots do not receive my text messages. === | ||
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# its name contains the uppercase string "ATIS". | # 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 | Unless you have updated or edited the frequency data yourself, check against the airport <code>.dat</code> file sourced on your side, as it should still be similar. One of the two 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 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 or a file system navigator, 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. | You are missing the FlightGear scenery data for your location, or ATC-pie does not know where it is. If you have downloaded scenery and saved it somewhere, have you tried filling the scenery directory with that location in the system settings? Also check out the ''Tower viewing'' [[ATC-pie_user_guide#Tower_view_window|feature note]] in the user guide. | ||
=== Simulated aircraft appear to dip underground or levitate over taxiways. === | === Simulated aircraft appear to dip underground or levitate over taxiways. === | ||
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=== 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 | In FlightGear games, the strip exchange feature allows you to hand over strips to ATCs who are connected to the same server. 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? === | ||
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=== Are the vector headings true or magnetic? === | === 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 | Heading displays in ATC-pie are mostly magnetic so they can be read out to pilots. The only exceptions are for easier human identification, because true North is at the top of the map. For example, navigator and handover list tool tips are true radial headings from the radar position. | ||
Also note: all directions are geodesic, i.e. initial headings to take on a great circle. | Also note: all directions are geodesic, i.e. initial headings to take on a great circle. | ||
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=== Why do I keep getting runway incursion alarms? === | === Why do I keep getting runway incursion alarms? === | ||
You are | You are not using your runway boxes. 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; | ||
* it is reserved but there is already traffic on the runway; | * it is reserved but there is already traffic on the runway; | ||
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#:* <code>extract.err</code>, a log of the errors detected in your sector file (do not be alarmed as they often contain many). | #:* <code>extract.err</code>, a log of the errors detected in your sector file (do not be alarmed as they often contain many). | ||
# Import the results: | # Import the results: | ||
#* rename the .lst file to <code>resources/bg-img/ICAO.lst</code>, replacing ''ICAO'' with the location code of where to import the drawings; | #* rename the <code>.lst</code> file to <code>resources/bg-img/ICAO.lst</code>, replacing ''ICAO'' with the location code of where to import the drawings; | ||
#* move the drawing files under <code>resources/bg-img</code>, adjusting the paths in <code> | #* move the drawing files under <code>resources/bg-img</code>, adjusting the paths in the <code>.lst</code> if you create subdirectories. | ||
# Post-editing (cleaning) | # Post-editing (cleaning) | ||
#: ATC-pie does its best to understand the objects in the sector and to group things together depending on their type. But not everything can be guessed automatically, so you get a lot of files and useless things. This last step is where you merge, split, delete objects, rename points, change colours, etc. to your liking. | #: ATC-pie does its best to understand the objects in the sector file and to group things together depending on their type. But not everything can be guessed automatically, so you get a lot of files and useless things. This last step is where you merge, split, delete objects, rename points, change colours, etc. to your liking. | ||
#: Each generated drawing block (point list under a colour) is automatically given a label, ending with the line number it was sourced from in the sector file so you can easily trace it (<code>@nnn</code>). A tool like ''sed'' will help you get rid of all these unwanted suffixes once you have sorted and renamed your objects: | #: Each generated drawing block (point list under a colour) is automatically given a label, ending with the line number it was sourced from in the sector file so you can easily trace it (<code>@nnn</code>). A tool like ''sed'' will help you get rid of all these unwanted suffixes once you have sorted and renamed your objects: | ||
#:: <code>sed -ri 's/ @[0-9]+$//' file_to_clean</code> | #:: <code>sed -ri 's/ @[0-9]+$//' file_to_clean</code> | ||
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This question is asked quite a lot more than it is relevant to a real controller's task... | 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. | 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. The way to handle this is to stack your inbound strips on racks named after your STARs. Racks are indeed 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. Similarly, runway-specific racks can keep track of separate landing sequences at large airports. Then 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 tag when appropriate (see feature note on routes). | 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 tag when appropriate (see feature note on routes). | ||
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=== How to set the transition level? === | === How to set the transition level? === | ||
You do not. You can however set the transition altitude | You do not. You can however set the transition altitude in 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. | 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? === | === Can I look up ILS frequencies? === | ||
Yes, in the ''environment info'' dialog. | |||
Besides, you can create aliases with the local notepad for a quick and integrated way of sending them through text chat, which will be saved when you close ATC-pie. For example, use the following format, one runway per line: <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? === | ||
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=== 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 | Often continued with: '''(you must understand that) this is not VATSIM!''' | ||
We do have a [https://sourceforge.net/p/atc-pie/wiki/Wishlist wish list] and will consider any feature or help request. However, though it has a few cheats, ATC-pie has always choosen realism as a criterion for implementation and design, over the mere incentive of converting otherwise happy users of other programs. It is a good thing that different philosophies and work flows are available out there, and there would be much less interest in having them all copy each other, fighting over users instead of understanding that not all of them wish for the same game experience. If serious simulation or learning new skills sound like threats to fun for you, you have a perfectly valid reason not to opt for ATC-pie. | We do have a [https://sourceforge.net/p/atc-pie/wiki/Wishlist wish list] and will consider any feature or help request. However, though it has a few cheats, ATC-pie has always choosen realism as a criterion for implementation and design, over the mere incentive of converting otherwise happy users of other programs. It is a good thing that different philosophies and work flows are available out there, and there would be much less interest in having them all copy each other, fighting over users instead of understanding that not all of them wish for the same game experience. If serious simulation or learning new skills sound like threats to fun for you, you have a perfectly valid reason not to opt for ATC-pie. | ||
[[Category:ATC-pie]] | [[Category:ATC-pie]] | ||