ATC-pie user guide: Difference between revisions

This article is a guide to '''[[ATC-pie]]''', describing some of its major features. A more exhaustive list can be found in the main article. For download and installation help, refer to the [[ATC-pie installation guide]].

'''Running internally''' only requires FlightGear installed on your computer. A basic installation is enough, but you will need the [[scenery]] for your airport if you want anything exciting to see (and not sea!). Also, aircraft will only be drawn properly if the appropriate [[Aircraft|models]] are available. In multi-player, the models required are those flown by the players. For solo-simulated (AI) traffic and teacher-controlled aircraft, read about <code>icao2fgfs</code> in <code>CONFIG/acft/Notice</code> to understand how ATC-pie chooses models and liveries for its viewers. Aircraft and scenery locations can be filled in the ''System'' settings dialog if they are not in your [[$FG_ROOT|FlightGear root directory]].

NB: In multi-player sessions, an appropriate text chat instruction is suggested for every registered vector. This allows you to send it easily, for example to pilots whose communications are limited to text chat.

=== Coexisting sub-systems in multi-player ===

On multi-player session start, there are two "sub-systems" that can be activated. They differ in terms of provided features and interoperability with other clients:

* the '''IRC sub-system''' allows full flexibility with other ATC-pie clients, but does not currently operate with other software;

Detail note: wake turbulance category does not show in OpenRadar, but is preserved and visible to ATC-pie instances later receiving the strip.

# Located in the ''System'' menu, the "image positioning helper" allows to move and resize imported pictures, adjusting the corners visually rather than programmatically if you have no specification for them. All visible pixmap images will be moved simultaneously, so you can work with several at a time if you want to. On dialog box close, a file is generated in the <code>output</code> directory for you to copy from.

=== Public text chat ===

ATC-pie has a powerful text chat system for those who use the keyboard extensively to interact with pilots in multi-player sessions, though of course voice radio communications should be encouraged for realism, whenever possible.

All other aliases will be considered custom, in other words to take values specified by you. You can define text aliases and replacements on three different levels:

* world (program user), in the general notes (notepad dock);

* location (airport/centre), in the local notes;

* individual (selected strip), in your strip comments.

The ATC text messaging system allows to talk to other ATCs in channels that are separate from the public one that pilots read. It offers '''private channels''' simulating one-to-one landline conversations, and a '''general ATC chat room''' in multi-player sessions, readable by all connected ATCs.

To '''set up a session''', the student must connect to the teacher, so make sure the teacher's session is running first. Only one student can connect to a teacher at a time. To communicate via voice during the session, the two parties may use nearby FGCom frequencies, but a private channel on [[Mumble]] is also an option to avoid interfering with multi-player users sharing the same server. The best choice is probably to tune into unused (guard or secondary) FGCom frequencies for in-simulation transmissions, and to open a separate channel for teacher–student conversations.