8,571
edits
FlightGear Newsletter May 2013: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Prepare for publishing
m (→Transponder) |
(Prepare for publishing) |
||
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
== Development news == | == Development news == | ||
=== Release preparations === | === Release preparations === | ||
Following the [[release plan]], the FlightGear repositories will close for major changes on June 17. In this "frozen" state, no new features or major changes shall be pushed onto the development streams (neither source nor data). This period is for preparing the code for the release and make sure there are no major issues. It lasts for four weeks until creation of the release branches on July 17. | Following the [[release plan]], the FlightGear repositories will close for major changes on June 17. In this "frozen" state, no new features or major changes shall be pushed onto the development streams (neither source nor data). This period is for preparing the code for the release and make sure there are no major issues. It lasts for four weeks until creation of the release branches on July 17. | ||
| Line 13: | Line 11: | ||
=== Aircraft Checklists === | === Aircraft Checklists === | ||
Stuart has pushed a further enhancement to the checklist feature. Aircraft authors may now add one or more <binding> elements to a checklist | {{Main article|Aircraft Checklists}} | ||
<item>. | Stuart has pushed a further enhancement to the [[Aircraft checklists|checklist feature]]. Aircraft authors may now add one or more [[Bindings|<binding>]] elements to a checklist <item>. Conceptually, these are the actions that the user should execute to complete the item. The checklist GUI displays items with such <binding> elements with an additional [>] button. Clicking on the button executes the bindings, allowing the user to watch as the computer/co-pilot/instructor executes the checklist item. Due to the power of Nasal and properties, this feature only required 13 lines of code to write, most of which is displaying the button! | ||
elements with an additional [>] button. | |||
computer/co-pilot/instructor executes the checklist item. | |||
Due to the power of Nasal and properties, this feature only required 13 lines of code to write, most of which is displaying the button! | |||
The <binding> element is exactly as you would expect - so property-assign, nasal etc. works. It's a good moment to highlight the property-interpolate command which provides a very convenient way to interpolate a property to a new value. See <tt>[[$FG_ROOT]]/Docs/README.commands</tt> if you were unaware of this. | |||
The [[Cessna 172P]] has been updated to use this feature, including some rather cute interpolations of the throttle, mixture and trim controls. | |||
Stuart is planning to extend this function so that checklists with one or more items containing a <binding> element can have an (optional) button to execute the entire checklist. | |||
=== Transponder === | === Transponder === | ||
{{Main article|Transponder}} | |||
Clement (with some help from Vivian and large contribution from James) has overhauled the [[Transponder|transponder]] instrument, making it easier to use from panels, supporting Mode-S altitude encoding, and sending the important properties over multi-player. This will allow more realistic ATC interactions, since id (squawk) codes now matter! | |||
See [[Transponder|this wiki page]] for more information on installing / updating the transponder installation in aircraft. The common panel-mounted KT-70 instrument has gotten an overhaul to use the updated C++ code. You can adjust the transponder settings for any aircraft via the Equipment > Radio Settings dialog. | |||
You can | |||
[[OpenRadar|OpenRadar]] has been updated in order to manage the new transponder code. | [[OpenRadar|OpenRadar]] has been updated in order to manage the new transponder code. | ||
=== Project Rembrandt === | === Project Rembrandt === | ||
| Line 49: | Line 33: | ||
=== Tutorial: Porting custom PUI widgets to Canvas === | === Tutorial: Porting custom PUI widgets to Canvas === | ||
[[File:Nasal-console-with-canvas-loglist-widget-prototype.png|thumb|canvas based loglist widget]] | [[File:Nasal-console-with-canvas-loglist-widget-prototype.png|thumb|canvas based loglist widget]] | ||
The shortcomings of our old PUI-based GUI have been repeatedly brought up on the mailing list over the years. | |||
In order to eventually phase out PUI completely, we need to stop adding PUI dependencies to the source tree. We now have the Canvas system, and there's a formal decision to modernize the GUI using the Canvas, and completely replace PUI sooner rather than later. | |||
In order to eventually phase out PUI completely, we need to stop adding PUI dependencies to the source tree. We now have the Canvas system, and | |||
It was a lot of work to get rid of hard-coded PUI dialogs, and we still have a bunch of hard-coded PUI widgets – as long as we have those, getting totally rid of PUI will be increasingly difficult, because each hard-coded widget will either need to be phased out or manually ported. | It was a lot of work to get rid of hard-coded PUI dialogs, and we still have a bunch of hard-coded PUI widgets – as long as we have those, getting totally rid of PUI will be increasingly difficult, because each hard-coded widget will either need to be phased out or manually ported. | ||
| Line 65: | Line 48: | ||
If you have been wanting to play around with the new [[Canvas]] system, make sure to check out the [[Howto:Adding a canvas to a GUI dialog]] tutorial, which demonstrates how to easily add a canvas rendering region to a conventional FlightGear dialog. Using the combination of Nasal scripting, standard FlightGear GUI dialogs and embedded canvas regions for 2D rendering, you can even create standalone "FlightGear applications" in the form of self-contained FlightGear XML dialogs that you can easily share with fellow FlightGear users. | If you have been wanting to play around with the new [[Canvas]] system, make sure to check out the [[Howto:Adding a canvas to a GUI dialog]] tutorial, which demonstrates how to easily add a canvas rendering region to a conventional FlightGear dialog. Using the combination of Nasal scripting, standard FlightGear GUI dialogs and embedded canvas regions for 2D rendering, you can even create standalone "FlightGear applications" in the form of self-contained FlightGear XML dialogs that you can easily share with fellow FlightGear users. | ||
This can for example be used to create a plotting application like FGPlot, which would look to FlightGear like a conventional dialog. | This can for example be used to create a plotting application like FGPlot (see below), which would look to FlightGear like a conventional dialog. | ||
=== FGPlot === | === FGPlot === | ||
kuifje09 has started a little Linux project creating a plotter program for use with creating/tuning the autopilot in | [[File:Fgplot-canvas.png|thumb|FGPlot]] | ||
kuifje09 has started a little Linux project creating a plotter program for use with creating/tuning the autopilot in FlightGear. See [[FGPlot]] for more infomration and a download link. | |||
=== Getting involved as a programmer === | === Getting involved as a programmer === | ||
Unfortunately, most of the active FG developers are currently very overstretched in terms of the areas that they have ownership of, which is affecting how much can actually be done. | Unfortunately, most of the active FG developers are currently very overstretched in terms of the areas that they have ownership of, which is affecting how much can actually be done. Fundamentally we need more core devs. | ||
If you are interested in contributing as a core developer, please see [[Howto:Start core development]]. | If you are interested in contributing as a core developer, please see [[Howto:Start core development]]. | ||
== International FlightGear websites == | |||
== International FlightGear | |||
Enjoy the awesome international FlightGear community and experiment the dream to fly with the best Free Flight Simulation Software ever built. With more than 15 years of experience FlightGear has a wide user community, from professionals to normal users from all around the world. For sure you'll find good friends in this amazing virtual community. | Enjoy the awesome international FlightGear community and experiment the dream to fly with the best Free Flight Simulation Software ever built. With more than 15 years of experience FlightGear has a wide user community, from professionals to normal users from all around the world. For sure you'll find good friends in this amazing virtual community. | ||
Please visit FlightGear websites in other languages: | Please visit FlightGear websites in other languages: | ||
*[http://www.flightgear.org.cn/portal.php 中文] | *[http://www.flightgear.org.cn/portal.php 中文] | ||
*[http://www.flightgear.org English] | *[http://www.flightgear.org English] | ||
| Line 135: | Line 85: | ||
|La FlightGear wiki todavía necesita ayuda para traducirla a varios lenguajes. Si estás interesado en hacer la FlightGear wiki multilingüe, entonces comienza en [[:es:Help:Traducir|Help:Traducir]]. | |La FlightGear wiki todavía necesita ayuda para traducirla a varios lenguajes. Si estás interesado en hacer la FlightGear wiki multilingüe, entonces comienza en [[:es:Help:Traducir|Help:Traducir]]. | ||
|} | |} | ||
== New software tools and projects == | == New software tools and projects == | ||
| Line 149: | Line 97: | ||
== FlightGear addons and mods == | == FlightGear addons and mods == | ||
== Scenery corner == | == Scenery corner == | ||
| Line 172: | Line 113: | ||
=== Pittsburgh Development === | === Pittsburgh Development === | ||
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is one of the most iconic places in American history. Rick Ace has started modeling parts of city, and Pittsburgh International Airport. The Frick Building has almost been completed too. You can watch his progress in the [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19994 flightgear forums]. | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is one of the most iconic places in American history. Rick Ace has started modeling parts of city, and Pittsburgh International Airport. The Frick Building has almost been completed too. You can watch his progress in the [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19994 flightgear forums]. | ||
== Community news == | == Community news == | ||
=== Virtual airlines === | === Virtual airlines === | ||
FlightGear Virtual Aviation Organization - www.flightgearvao.org - We are an organization that has multiplayer events, ATC service and training for both pilots and ATC alike! We are currently seeking staff members and pilots, so join today! | FlightGear Virtual Aviation Organization - www.flightgearvao.org - We are an organization that has multiplayer events, ATC service and training for both pilots and ATC alike! We are currently seeking staff members and pilots, so join today! | ||
=== Web tools for ATC sessions in Europe === | === Web tools for ATC sessions in Europe === | ||
| Line 231: | Line 139: | ||
* Paris Orly Airport (LFPO) * | * Paris Orly Airport (LFPO) * | ||
== And finally ... == | == And finally ... == | ||
=== Contributing === | === Contributing === | ||
| Line 245: | Line 152: | ||
* The [[FGFSPM]] (FlightGear Package Manager) is looking for a new maintainer. | * The [[FGFSPM]] (FlightGear Package Manager) is looking for a new maintainer. | ||
[[Category:Changes after 2.10]] | [[Category:Changes after 2.10]] | ||
[[Category:FlightGear Newsletter|2013 05]] | |||