ATC-pie FAQ: Difference between revisions

'''I know it is there: the pilot is sending chat messages and/or is visible on the online live map...'''

* 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 settings dialog. A non-equipped aircraft and a zero fallback mode will therefore make the aircraft invisible as well.

=== Why is my tower in the middle of the sea, and aircraft floating/landing on water? ===

Choose any name you would like to be recognised by as playing the ATC. It will appear in a tooltip over your callsign in the ATC neighbours list of those connecting near enough to 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.

'''If you have a sector file''' of the ".sct" format used in VATSIM/IVAO, you should try the included <code>sectorExtract.py</code> script. Probably your best solution if you know your procedures are included. Here is how to use it:

# Choose an output directory

#: It is where you want the output files to be generated. You can create your own target directory, or choose the <code>output</code> directory of ATC-pie but mind that it is probably not empty (NB: the <code>cleanUp.sh</code> script will clean it nicely). It is ''not'' recommended to choose <code>resources/bg-img</code> directly.

# Run the script: <code>sectorExtract.py sector_file centre:radius output_dir</code> where ''centre'' (Earth coordinates) and ''radius'' (range in nautical miles) specify the wanted coverage of the input sector file, centred on a point.

#:* <code>extract.err</code>, a log of the errors detected in your sector file (do not be alarmed as they often have many).

#* move the drawing files under <code>resources/bg-img</code> and adjust the paths in <code>extract.lst</code> if you create subdirectories;

#* rename the latter to <code>resources/bg-img/ICAO.lst</code> replacing ''ICAO'' by the location code where to draw the imported files.

# Post-editing

#: Each drawing block (point list under a colour) is labelled automatically with something that describes it best, and contains the line number it was sourced from in the sector file. ATC-pie does its best to understand the objects that are in the sector and to group things together depending on their type. But not everything can be guessed automatically, so you get a lot a files and useless things. This last step is now where you must merge, split, delete objects, rename points, change colours, etc. to your liking.

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 rather than 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.