ATC-pie FAQ: Difference between revisions

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The following cases will therefore prevent you from seeing a connected aircraft:
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 radars are turned off. Primary radar can be switched from the ''Options'' menu; SSR capability adjusted from the ''Radar'' tab in the ''Local 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.
* The aircraft is out of radar range. It can be under the radar floor (minimum signal pick-up alt.) or too far out. In the radar settings, check the horizontal range and set the floor to "SFC" to pick up all signals down to the ground. Note that both primary and secondary 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.
* 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 multi-player: 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]).
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]).
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== What is ...? Why is ...? What value/setting for ...? ==
== What is ...? Why is ...? What value/setting for ...? ==


=== What is the FlightGear strip exchange server? Which one to use? ===
=== What nickname should I use in the FlightGear multi-player system settings? ===
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? ===
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.
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.


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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.
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 printed on 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).


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.
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.
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Often continued with: '''(you must understand that) this is not VATSIM!'''
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 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]]
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