ATC-pie FAQ: Difference between revisions

417 bytes removed ,  22 March 2020
v1.6.4
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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 ''Radar'' tab in the ''Local settings'' dialog.
* The radars are turned off. Turn on at least a primary radar from the ''Options'' menu, or an SSR capability from the ''Radar'' tab in the ''Local settings'' dialog (any setting other than "none" will pick up contacts).
* 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.
* 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 floor ("SFC" will pick up all signals down to the ground) and horizontal range. Primary and secondary radars share the same range.
* 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.
* 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. Otherwise if you accept cheating, you can activate the "radar cheat mode" which will simulate a mode S transponder for all aircraft in horizontal range; see [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]).


=== Connected pilots do not receive my text messages. ===
=== Connected pilots do not receive my text messages. ===
This happens with pre-2017.2 clients if you are using the latest protocol to encode properties. Tick the FGMS system option to "use the legacy protocol" for property encoding. It will come at the expense of network throughput, but everybody should be able to read you. Tell those pilots to upgrade their client as well.
This happens with pre-2017.2 clients if you are using the latest protocol to encode properties. Tick the FGMS system option to "use the legacy protocol" for property encoding. Everybody should be able to read you, but it will come at the expense of network throughput. Tell those pilots to upgrade their client.


=== FGCom radio is not working. ===
=== FGCom radio is not working. ===
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If you hear yourself when you speak, you may skip directly to item 3 below. Otherwise start with 1.
If you hear yourself when you speak, you may skip directly to item 3 below. Otherwise start with 1.
# Bad FGCom version/path setting
# Bad FGCom version/path setting
#: Verify the path to your FGCom executable in the system settings. It should point to the right executable file under <code>resources/fgcom</code> and suit your operating system (see <code>Notice</code> file there). All three Linux, Mac and Windows versions are initially packaged with the program.
#: Verify the path to your FGCom executable in the system settings. It should point to the right executable file. Linux, Mac and Windows versions are initially packaged with the program under <code>resources/fgcom</code>, but you can use your own or FlightGear's if you have it installed.
# FGCom server down
# FGCom server down
#: This can happen, unfortunately even for up to a few days. Check for responses from the server, e.g. with <code>ping fgcom.flightgear.org</code>.
#: This can happen, unfortunately even for up to a few days. Check for responses from the server, e.g. with <code>ping fgcom.flightgear.org</code>.
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#: If the server is up (responding to ping), check for errors in the logged FGCom output files in the <code>output</code> directory.
#: If the server is up (responding to ping), check for errors in the logged FGCom output files in the <code>output</code> directory.
# Port mess-up on your side
# Port mess-up on your side
#: If you are running multiple instances of ATC-pie, make sure you have no more than one radio box on every port. To check what port a radio box is using, see its "on/off" button tooltip. You can change your FGCom settings from the system set-up dialog. In any case, you should only choose available ports, not reserved by your operating system. Typically, ports from 16661 and counting up work fine.
#: If you are running multiple instances of ATC-pie, make sure you have no more than one radio box on every port. To check what port a radio box is using, see its "on/off" button tooltip. You can change your FGCom settings from the system settings dialog. In any case, you should only choose available ports, not reserved by your operating system. Typically, ports from 16661 and counting up work fine.


=== I cannot record an ATIS. ===
=== I cannot record an ATIS. ===
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=== Simulated aircraft appear to dip underground or levitate over taxiways. ===
=== Simulated aircraft appear to dip underground or levitate over taxiways. ===
Do you have a ground elevation map for the location? Quoting from <code>resources/elev/Notice</code>: "''When no elevation map is found for an airport, the field elevation value is used everywhere on the ground. This should be OK for a rough approximation on flat terrain, but ground traffic will not follow any slopes, thus may appear as floating above the ground, or digging into it.''"
Do you have a ground elevation map for the location? Quoting from <code>CONFIG/elev/Notice</code>: "''When no elevation map is found for an airport, the field elevation value is used everywhere on the ground. This should be OK for a rough approximation on flat terrain, but ground traffic will not follow any slopes, thus may appear as floating above the ground, or digging into it.''"


Read the full notice for instructions on how to build your elevation map. Once you have one or decide that your field is flat enough, the next focus is on the FlightGear aircraft models. Each model has its own coordinate system chosen at developer's discretion. ATC-pie must be given the height difference between each model's origin and the aircraft touch-down point (gear wheels) to position aircraft more accurately. You can do this on a per-model basis with ":height" specifications in <code>resources/acft/icao2fgfs</code>. Read the associated <code>Notice</code> file for more information.
Read the full notice for instructions on how to build your elevation map. Once you have one or decide that your field is flat enough, the next focus is on the FlightGear aircraft models. Each model has its own coordinate system chosen at developer's discretion. ATC-pie must be given the height difference between each model's origin and the aircraft touch-down point (gear wheels) to position aircraft more accurately. You can do this on a per-model basis with ":height" specifications in <code>CONFIG/acft/icao2fgfs</code>. Read the associated <code>Notice</code> file for more information.


A last possible altitude adjustment is available from the location options: "Altitude adjustment for FlightGear views". It applies the given offset to all traffic rendered by the views.
A last possible altitude adjustment is available from the location options: "Altitude adjustment for FlightGear views". It applies the given offset to all traffic rendered by the views.
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=== Why do I keep getting runway incursion alarms? ===
=== Why do I keep getting runway incursion alarms? ===
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:
Because you have the runway occupation monitor turned on (''Options'' menu), while not using your runway boxes. The alarm triggers 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;
* it is reserved for a different aircraft: the boxed strip is linked to a contact that is not the entering aircraft, or the aircraft is linked to a strip different to the one boxed.
* it is reserved for a different aircraft: the boxed strip is linked to a contact that is not the entering aircraft, or the aircraft is linked to a strip different to the one boxed.


If you are not interested in this feature, you can turn the runway occupation monitor off completely from the ''Options'' menu. This will deactivate all radar warnings regarding runways. Alternatively, if you are only bothered by the alarm but want to keep the visual runway highlighting system, you can mute the sound notification by unticking it in the notification dock pull-down menu.
Turning the runway occupation monitor off will deactivate all radar warnings regarding runways. If you are interested in the strip boxing and visual runway highlighting system but bothered by the alarm sound, you can mute the sound notification by unticking it in the notification dock pull-down menu.


== Where is ...? Can I ...? How to ...? ==
== Where is ...? Can I ...? How to ...? ==
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Yes, and virtually anything else, using background images. To learn about those:
Yes, and virtually anything else, using background images. To learn about those:
* see the corresponding [[ATC-pie_user_guide#Background images|user guide section]];
* see the corresponding [[ATC-pie_user_guide#Background images|user guide section]];
* read the <code>resources/bg-img/Notice</code> file;
* read the <code>CONFIG/bg-img/Notice</code> file;
* examine the (otherwise useless) packaged KSFO example.
* examine the (otherwise useless) packaged KSFO example.


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#* <code>bg-extract.err</code>, a log of the errors detected in your sector file (do not be alarmed as they often contain many).
#* <code>bg-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:
#* move or copy-paste lines from <code>ICAO.lst.extract</code> to <code>resources/bg-img/ICAO.lst</code>;
#* move or copy-paste lines from <code>ICAO.lst.extract</code> to <code>CONFIG/bg-img/ICAO.lst</code>;
#* move the desired drawing files under <code>resources/bg-img</code>, adjusting the paths in the <code>.lst</code> menu as you organise subdirectories.
#* move the desired drawing files under <code>CONFIG/bg-img</code>, adjusting the paths in the <code>.lst</code> menu as you organise subdirectories.
# Post-editing (cleaning)
# Post-editing (cleaning)
#: 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. This last step is where you filter, merge and split 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. This last step is where you filter, merge and split objects, rename points, change colours, etc. to your liking.
#: Each generated drawing section (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 section (point list under a colour) is automatically labelled with the line number where 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>


Tip: You can check your image configuration without restarting the program, by reloading from the ''System'' menu or pressing <code>Shift+Alt+F12</code>.
Tip: You can check your image configuration without restarting the program, by reloading from the ''System'' menu or pressing <code>Shift+Alt+F12</code>.
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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#Public text chat|custom text aliases]] for more.
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#Public text chat|custom text aliases]] for more.


=== The data is outdated. How can I upgrade navpoint names or frequencies/taxiways/etc. for my airport? ===
=== The navigation/airport data is outdated. How can I update it? ===


For '''navigation aids and fixes''', ATC-pie normally includes the latest X-plane data cycle. If not, please report! In any case you may override it with your own as explained in <code>resources/nav/Notice</code>. Do avoid editing the packaged X-plane sources directly.
For '''airport data''' (taxiways, parking positions, frequencies, etc.), the included source is the last world-wide <code>apt.dat</code> compiled before it became too large to maintain as one huge file. We keep it there because it allows to run ATC-pie anywhere in the world without requiring external data, but its contents grows out of date with time. You should check for more recent sources on the [http://gateway.x-plane.com/airports/page X-plane airport gateway], directly accessible from the ''System'' menu, on a per-airport basis. Extract the <code>apt.dat</code> file from the download, rename it after the airport's ICAO code (keeping the extension, e.g. <code>KJFK.dat</code>), and place it in <code>CONFIG/ad</code> (also see the <code>Notice</code> there). Alternatively, for a quick manual touch-up of the included data, you can move and edit extracted files as explained in <code>resources/x-plane.extract/Notice</code>.


For '''airport data''', the included source is the last world-wide <code>apt.dat</code> compiled before it became too large to maintain as one huge file. We keep it there because it allows to run ATC-pie anywhere in the world without requiring external data, but its contents will grow out of date with time. For better results, you should download maintained versions of airport specifications from the [http://gateway.x-plane.com/airports/page X-plane airport gateway], directly accessible from the ''System'' menu. Extract the <code>.dat</code> file from the download, name it after the airport's code (keeping the extension, e.g. <code>KJFK.dat</code>), and place it in <code>resources/apt</code>. Alternatively, for a quick manual touch-up of the included data, you can move and edit extracted files as explained in <code>resources/apt.extract/Notice</code>.
For '''navigation data''' (navaids, fixes, airways, etc.), the included data is the latest version of each file that was seen released as GPL, which makes some of it date back to 2013! You should provide more recent navigation data, as explained in <code>CONFIG/nav/Notice</code>.


=== How do I customise the GUI and colours? ===
=== How do I customise the GUI and colours? ===
To change the '''radar or strip colours''', edit the <code>settings/colours.ini</code> file. Each line holds the paint colour for the corresponding object type in a typical <code>#RRGGBB</code> (red-green-blue) format. While you are working on your colours, use the "reload colour configuration" menu option to avoid restarting after every change.
To change the '''radar or strip drawing colours''', edit the <code>CONFIG/colours.ini</code> file. Each line holds the paint colour for the corresponding object type in a typical <code>#RRGGBB</code> (red-green-blue) format. To customise the '''main session window''', place a ''Qt stylesheet'' named <code>main-stylesheet.qss</code> in the <code>CONFIG</code> directory. ATC-pie will apply it to every session window. While you are working on your look and feel, use the reload feature from the "System" menu to avoid restarting after every change (<code>Shift+Alt+F12</code>).
 
Besides, ATC-pie is a Qt application and therefore allows you to customise all '''pieces of the GUI''' with ''stylesheets''. To change the general GUI looks, you may (either or both):
* change your Qt platform defaults for system-wide effect on all Qt applications;
* add a <code>-stylesheet=...</code> option with a [http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/stylesheet.html Qt stylesheet] file name on the command line to affect ATC-pie only.


Send us screenshots and share your settings if you find a setup looking really cool! :-)
Send us screenshots and share your files if you find a setup looking really cool! :-)


== Miscellaneous ==
== Miscellaneous ==
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