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{{forum|83|ATC-Pie support & development}} | {{forum|83|ATC-Pie support & development}} | ||
This article is a guide to | This article is a guide to using '''[[ATC-pie]]''', describing some of its major features. A more exhaustive list can be found in the main article. | ||
Other sources to learn the program are: | |||
* the [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1EQKKHhDVJvvWpcX_BqeOIsmeW2A_8Yb online] '''video tutorial'''; | * the [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1EQKKHhDVJvvWpcX_BqeOIsmeW2A_8Yb online] '''video tutorial'''; | ||
* the in-app '''quick reference''' available from the ''Help'' menu (summary of mouse/keyboard gestures, display conventions...); | * the in-app '''quick reference''' available from the ''Help'' menu (summary of mouse/keyboard gestures, display conventions...); | ||
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Anyone motivated to write a full user guide is obviously welcome to contact the developer, or improve this article. For support and troubleshooting, the [[ATC-pie FAQ]] might get you an answer first. Otherwise kindly ask on the FlightGear forum, where we have a dedicated sub-forum, so the discussion is public and its contents shared. | Anyone motivated to write a full user guide is obviously welcome to contact the developer, or improve this article. For support and troubleshooting, the [[ATC-pie FAQ]] might get you an answer first. Otherwise kindly ask on the FlightGear forum, where we have a dedicated sub-forum, so the discussion is public and its contents shared. | ||
== | == Flight strips == | ||
Whether dematerialised or on physical paper, printed out or filled by hand, the '''flight progress strip''' is the essential piece of air and ground traffic control. Every aircraft in contact is represented by a unique strip, and every strip represents a contact. This helps to ensure that no aircraft is ever forgotten about. Strip positioning and updating then enable to monitor the aircraft's status, sequence number, position, intentions, etc. | |||
=== Filling details and linking === | |||
A click on the "new strip" button (shortcut F2) or double click on an existing flight strip opens a dialog to edit the flight details. | |||
If providing radar service, strips should be '''linked''' to identified contacts to inform the radar display with the filled details and enable joint selection. To link a strip to a radar contact, select one and middle-click on the other. Conflicts between the strip details and the values squawked by the linked transponder contact are reported: the strip displays a "!!XPDR" warning and the strip dialog labels the conflicting details. | |||
A strip can also be linked to a filed flight plan (FPL) to merge the information. The strip dialog also shows the mismatching information between the two, though this is rather common because the strip typically gets updated with the flight progress. | |||
All together, a selection can involve up to three linked elements: strip, radar contact, flight plan. You can pull details from linked elements to strips (strip panel bottom menu), and push strip details to their linked flight plan if necessary (strip dialog bottom tick box). Unlinking is possible with SHIFT+middle-click. If you use linking carefully, auto-fill options are available from the general settings, to fill blank strip details with newly-linked information. | |||
For fast and efficient service, every initial contact by a pilot should basically make you hit F2 and type the callsign announced. You should then soon figure out if: | |||
* | * a flight plan is already filed: if the matching FPL count displays a non-zero value near the callsign field as you type, you can select a flight plan to link to the strip on save; | ||
* | * a flight plan must be filed (e.g. IFR departure not filed by lazy pilot): select "new FPL" from the bottom line to open a fresh FPL detail sheet to link to the strip; | ||
* he was asked to contact you by a previous ATC, in which case you may have a strip handed over to you already; | |||
* etc. | |||
=== Strip placeholders === | |||
ATC-pie provides with various placeholders for flight strips, namely ''racks'', ''loose strip bays'' and ''runway boxes''. According to your ATC position and local facilities, you should choose and arrange your placeholders for optimal control. Strips can then be moved between them using mouse drag and drop. | |||
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-stripRacks.png|thumbnail|Strip rack panel]] | |||
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot- | A '''strip rack''' is the preferred way of keeping track of a sequence, e.g. a departure queue at a runway threshold. You can create as many racks as you wish and name them appropriately. Racks can be viewed in the main window and in their own docked or floating panel. The column views show all racked strips at once; the tabbed view avoids spreading the window horizontally. The "default" rack is permanent. It collects strips recovered or received when no other rack is defined. | ||
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-runwayReserved.png|thumbnail|Reserved runway marked in yellow]] | |||
In the same panel, above the racks or in their own tab (resp. column or tabbed view), you can opt to show the '''runway boxes'''. A runway box is a placeholder for a single strip, named after a runway in use and denoting a clearence to use it (enter, cross, land...). Thorough use of runways boxes will help you never clear an aircraft to land over lined up traffic for example. When freed, runway boxes display a timer since last use together with the wake turbulance category of the last contained strip, to help with separation. What is more, if you use radar, a filled runway box marks the runway as ''reserved'' on the scope. | |||
The ''' | The third placeholder type available is the '''loose strip bay''', allowing free-hand positioning of strips in its reserved space. Such bays can be useful for any kind of unsequenced traffic, or to map out relative positions when controlling without a radar. You may also import background images, e.g. a ground chart to keep visual track of taxiing aircraft and vehicles. See <code>resources/bg-img/Notice</code> to learn how. | ||
Besides, there are two other places a strip can be dropped on, usually when releasing a contact: | |||
* a connected ATC (if accepting strip exchange), to initiate a handover; | |||
* the '''strip shelf''' (visible in the bottom right-hand corner of every strip panel), which removes the strip from your work bench and stores it as shelved. | |||
== Tower viewing == | |||
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-towerViewing.png|thumbnail|Tower viewing, following a departing aircraft]] | |||
This feature allows you to overlook your airport and the connected (multi-player games) or simulated (solo and teaching sessions) traffic, like a controller from a tower viewpoint. It allows to choose from the tower positions specified in the source data if any, otherwise defaults to somewhere over the airport to allow towering of all available airports. It is disabled in CTR mode. | |||
There are two ways of activating a tower view. You may let ATC-pie start its own suitably configured FlightGear process, or have it connect to an external viewer, manually set up and accepting connections. | |||
'''Running internally''' only requires FlightGear installed on your computer. A basic installation is enough, but: | |||
* aircraft will only be drawn properly if you have the corresponding [[Aircraft|models]] installed—read the notice in <code>resources/acft</code> and check out the <code>icao2fgfs</code> file to understand how ATC-pie chooses models for FlightGear (initially included are a few ugly substitutions like B772 for A320 to avoid the lighter installations to miss out on planes, but you can edit the file and use your own models); | |||
* more importantly, you will need the [[scenery]] for your airport if you want anything exciting to see (and not sea!)—add it to your [[$FG_ROOT|FlightGear root directory]] or enter the directory in the ''System'' settings dialog (ATC-pie will pass it on to FlightGear). | |||
Connecting to an '''external viewer''' allows to run FlightGear on a different machine and thereby relieve your session from the CPU load a local instance induces. If you want to do so, get a hint of the required positioning options you should start your viewer with, from the tower view tab in the system settings dialog. More options should also be considered, e.g. <code>--fdm=null</code>. Of course, scenery, models and liveries must also be available to the running process. | |||
In either case, once activated from the ''View'' menu, the tower view controller pane is enabled, from which you can turn to runway points, follow selected aircraft... Direct FlightGear input in the view window is also possible: right click and drag allows to look around, <code>x</code>/<code>X</code> keys change the zoom level, etc. | |||
You can connect '''additional viewers''' to your session, for example placed around your airport for exciting camera footage of challenging landings. You will not be able to control those viewers from ATC-pie like the tower viewer, but you will be able to activate/stop the connection with a switch in the application ''View'' menu. Additional viewers are registered by their host+port address, from the ''View'' menu at run-time or from a custom settings file (see <code>settings/Notice</code>), read at start-up and on explicit reload (''System'' menu). | |||
Every additional viewer registered on host ''XXX'' and port ''YYY'' should be running on ''XXX'' and started with options <code>--multiplay=out,TTT,HHH,PPP</code> and <code>--multiplay=in,TTT,,YYY</code>, where: | |||
* ''HHH'' is the host on which ATC-pie is running; | |||
* ''PPP'' is the default 5009, or the chosen port number if ATC-pie was started with <code>--views-send-from</code>; | |||
* ''TTT'' is the network polling frequency (100 is common practice; change as desired if you know what you are doing). | |||
== Routes and conflict warnings == | |||
ATC-pie analyses routes and assigned vectors to anticipate conflicts between controlled aircraft. This feature is essential in centre mode. | |||
ATC-pie analyses routes and assigned vectors to | |||
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-routeDetailsView.png|thumbnail|Route details dialog with world path drawn, available when both end airfields are recognised]] | [[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-routeDetailsView.png|thumbnail|Route details dialog with world path drawn, available when both end airfields are recognised]] | ||
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* other tokens are kept as route leg specifications to the following waypoint (allows for airway or procedure names for example). | * other tokens are kept as route leg specifications to the following waypoint (allows for airway or procedure names for example). | ||
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-routeDrawing.png|thumbnail|Assigned routes are drawn as | [[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-routeDrawing.png|thumbnail|Assigned routes are drawn as dashed lines on the radar scope when linked to contacts]] | ||
Routes on flight plans and strips are viewable in a route dialog, showing leg details and the geodesic paths on a world map. Also, when a specified route is linked to a radar contact, ATC-pie works out its current leg based on distance to destination, and: | Routes on flight plans and strips are viewable in a route dialog, showing leg details and the geodesic paths on a world map. Also, when a specified route is linked to a radar contact, ATC-pie works out its current leg based on distance to destination, and: | ||
* the route to go is drawn as a | * the route to go is drawn as a dashed line on the radar scope (according to scope "show" options); | ||
* details of the current leg are displayed in the selection info pane, and the route dialog enabled for full route viewing; | * details of the current leg are displayed in the selection info pane, and the route dialog enabled for full route viewing; | ||
* the strip shows only the remainder of the route for this contact; | * the strip shows only the remainder of the route for this contact; | ||
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|} | |} | ||
== Playing solo == | |||
In solo games, you control virtual IFR planes, receiving and handing over strips to virtual ATCs depending on your position and the aircraft's intentions. ATC-pie allows to train in different situations: | In solo games, you control virtual IFR planes, receiving and handing over strips to virtual ATCs depending on your position and the aircraft's intentions. ATC-pie allows to train in different situations: | ||
* as an en-route controller (CTR) if started in centre mode; | * as an en-route controller (CTR) if started in centre mode; | ||
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** approach (APP), to vector arrivals onto final. | ** approach (APP), to vector arrivals onto final. | ||
=== Objectives === | |||
When '''playing CTR''', your task is to transit the aircraft across your airspace, always ensuring separation, and to hand each of them over to the most appropriate neighbouring centre North, South, East or West of your sector. You can specify local navpoints in the location settings so that the system includes them as turning points in the randomised aircraft's routes. | When '''playing CTR''', your task is to transit the aircraft across your airspace, always ensuring separation, and to hand each of them over to the most appropriate neighbouring centre North, South, East or West of your sector. You can specify local navpoints in the location settings so that the system includes them as turning points in the randomised aircraft's routes. | ||
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|} | |} | ||
=== Instructing aircraft === | |||
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-taxiInstructionTool.png|thumbnail|Click&drag taxi instruction tool at OMDB ground]] | [[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-taxiInstructionTool.png|thumbnail|Click&drag taxi instruction tool at OMDB ground]] | ||
'''Instructions''' are given through different means: | '''Instructions''' are given through different means: | ||
* provided the speech recognition modules are installed, you can turn on voice instructions from the solo game settings | * provided the speech recognition modules are installed, you can turn on voice instructions from the solo game settings dialog and instruct aircraft through your microphone, using the <code>Ctrl</code> key as push-to-talk and standard phraseology (see the quick reference tab about it); | ||
* if voice instructions are turned off: | * if voice instructions are turned off: | ||
** the mouse vector assignment tool will issue the corresponding instructions: click&drag out of a radar contact for heading, hold SHIFT and drag for altitude/FL vertically and speed horizontally (see [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvA3MRlGJjU video 5] of the tutorial); | ** the mouse vector assignment tool will issue the corresponding instructions: click&drag out of a radar contact for heading, hold SHIFT and drag for altitude/FL vertically and speed horizontally (see [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvA3MRlGJjU video 5] of the tutorial); | ||
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Things you can train for: | Things you can train for: | ||
* towering a single runway with mixed traffic: select TWR position and an equal balance of departures and arrivals; | |||
* towering a single runway | * optimising approach spacing in dense traffic: select APP position only, increase traffic density, turn on spacing hints and try to stabilise them all at "3:00" for example; | ||
* change of runways (e.g. irl after wind direction change): start with APP+TWR and select a runway for arrivals at least, play for a while and | * change of runways (e.g. irl after wind direction change): start with APP+TWR and select a runway for arrivals at least, play for a while and change for opposite runway use; | ||
* CTR mode with a low ceiling to increase the number of conflicts to resolve; | * CTR mode with a low ceiling to increase the number of conflicts to resolve; | ||
* etc. | * etc. | ||
== Teacher & student connections (ATC tutoring) == | |||
This connection type is made to bring an ATC student and a teacher together for tutorial | |||
This connection type is made to bring an ATC student and a teacher together for tutorial sessions. The teacher creates and manipulates traffic for the student to work with, controls the weather and decides on the ATC neighbours. | |||
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. | 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. | ||
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* The teaching console dock is enabled, which you should keep visible for efficient control of the student's environment. | * The teaching console dock is enabled, which you should keep visible for efficient control of the student's environment. | ||
* New traffic can be created at any time with a simple SHIFT+click&drag on the radar, specifying the place and face heading of the wanted traffic. A dialog pops up and allows you to choose a callsign (one is initially generated), altitude and other details. If near a parking position or runway threshold, you can place it on the ground instead, ready to taxi or for departure. | * New traffic can be created at any time with a simple SHIFT+click&drag on the radar, specifying the place and face heading of the wanted traffic. A dialog pops up and allows you to choose a callsign (one is initially generated), altitude and other details. If near a parking position or runway threshold, you can place it on the ground instead, ready to taxi or for departure. | ||
* Traffic is initially created in an "unspawned" state, in other words visible to you (marked "?") but not to the student. This allows you to change | * Traffic is initially created in an "unspawned" state, in other words visible to you (marked "?") but not to the student. This allows you to change its transponder mode or get it into a certain state before spawning it into the student's world. | ||
* Controlling the traffic is done in the same way as in solo sessions without voice, i.e. with the click&drag vector and taxi tools and through the instruction dock. The only difference is that you control the selected aircraft directly, regardless of your strip links and details. You therefore do not need a strip and a correctly filled callsign to instruct a pilot, though it is a good idea to have one linked if you want your vectors drawn on the radar. The traffic creation dialog offers to create a linked strip with every new aircraft. | * Controlling the traffic is done in the same way as in solo sessions without voice, i.e. with the click&drag vector and taxi tools and through the instruction dock. The only difference is that you control the selected aircraft directly, regardless of your strip links and details. You therefore do not need a strip and a correctly filled callsign to instruct a pilot, though it is a good idea to have one linked if you want your vectors drawn on the radar. The traffic creation dialog offers to create a linked strip with every new aircraft. | ||
* You may pause the whole simulation, or freeze each aircraft individually. Frozen aircraft result in stationary flights on radars. | * You may pause the whole simulation, or freeze each aircraft individually. Frozen aircraft result in stationary flights on radars. | ||
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NB: Unlike in FlightGear games where limitations apply (see section further down), all strips are exchangeable in tutorial sessions. | NB: Unlike in FlightGear games where limitations apply (see section further down), all strips are exchangeable in tutorial sessions. | ||
== | == ATC strip exchange (handovers) == | ||
=== Sending and receiving strips === | |||
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-receivedStrip.png|thumbnail|Example of a strip received from "DEL"]] | |||
To hand a strip over, drag it and drop it on the recipient in the list of connected controllers. Note that some ATCs may not be capable of strip exchange. Check [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQIud-cAlT4 tutorial video 6] for a presentation of the feature. | |||
Received strips appear unlinked on their collecting rack (if defined), with an identification of the sender which disappears as soon as the strip is clicked on. Double-click on the rack tab or column header to add an ATC callsign from which to collect strips. | |||
=== OpenRadar interoperability === | |||
The handover feature in FlightGear multi-player games is based on [[OpenRadar]]'s exchange server to enable ATC coordination between users of both software programs. However, it is to note that their philosophies differ in several ways: | The handover feature in FlightGear multi-player games is based on [[OpenRadar]]'s exchange server to enable ATC coordination between users of both software programs. However, it is to note that their philosophies differ in several ways: | ||
* OpenRadar's basic processing unit is the FGMS callsign, whereas ATC-pie's is the strip; | * OpenRadar's basic processing unit is the FGMS callsign, whereas ATC-pie's is the strip; | ||
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Detail note: wake turbulance category does not show in OpenRadar, but is preserved and visible to ATC-pie instances later receiving the strip. | Detail note: wake turbulance category does not show in OpenRadar, but is preserved and visible to ATC-pie instances later receiving the strip. | ||
== Background images == | |||
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-backgroundPixmapDrawing.png|thumbnail|Pixmap image example with a topographic map shot around LIMW (Aosta, Italy)]] | [[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-backgroundPixmapDrawing.png|thumbnail|Pixmap image example with a topographic map shot around LIMW (Aosta, Italy)]] | ||
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-backgroundHandDrawing.png|thumbnail|Hand drawing example with procedures for LSGG (Geneva, Switzerland)]] | [[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-backgroundHandDrawing.png|thumbnail|Hand drawing example with procedures for LSGG (Geneva, Switzerland)]] | ||
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# The "download OSM background" option facilitates map retrieval from the [[OpenStreetMap]] still image server. After specifying corners and a scale, a PNG map will be generated in the <code>output</code> directory for you to import. Caution: downloads can fail for large images; try reducing the requested size or resolution in such case. Also, the server is rather limited so make parsimonious use of it. | # The "download OSM background" option facilitates map retrieval from the [[OpenStreetMap]] still image server. After specifying corners and a scale, a PNG map will be generated in the <code>output</code> directory for you to import. Caution: downloads can fail for large images; try reducing the requested size or resolution in such case. Also, the server is rather limited so make parsimonious use of it. | ||
# If you have a sector file for your area (.sct), the <code>sectorExtract.py</code> script will translate the contained diagrams into ATC-pie drawings. While the generated files always require some post-editing, it is generally the best option for things like SID/STAR diagrams. See the <code>README</code> file for a description. | # If you have a sector file for your area (.sct), the <code>sectorExtract.py</code> script will translate the contained diagrams into ATC-pie drawings. While the generated files always require some post-editing, it is generally the best option for things like SID/STAR diagrams. See the <code>README</code> file for a description. | ||
== Communications == | |||
=== FGCom radio === | |||
'''Multiple radios''' can be opened and tuned in at once, and you can talk on either one by holding the PTT mouse button down for the chosen radio box. The <code>left-Ctrl</code> keyboard key will also let you PTT on selected frequencies. You can transmit on several at once, for example to service GND+TWR frequencies in view of splitting them seemlessly again if a controller is expected soon to fill one of the two positions. Tick the ''Kbd PTT'' option in the radio boxes of the frequencies to merge. Your keyboard PTT key will then transmit on them all simultaneously. Note that while you will be broadcasting on, and hearing incoming transmissions from, all frequencies, pilots will not be hearing each other across frequencies. | |||
Say you are TWR coordinating with GND at your airport, and you want to '''monitor both radio frequencies''' while you are only in charge of TWR. To set this up, start your radio box on TWR frequency and turn on a second one to monitor GND. Tick "Kbd PTT" only for TWR so that you only transmit to your frequency and don't interfere with the other, and set the volume to "soft" on the latter so that you can tell the radio you are hearing the messages from, and know if it is for you to answer. | |||
The '''''PTT turns off sounds''''' option is recommended for those of you who do not wear headsets, as it will avoid GUI sound notifications being picked up by your microphone while transmitting on frequencies. | |||
=== Text chat === | === Text chat === | ||
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Lastly, if a troll or angry user is polluting your session with undesired messages, click and hold the ''Dest.'' tool button in the text chat dock to add their callsign to the '''senders blacklist'''. All messages from the user will then be filtered out from the message pane. You can view and clear this list at any time during the game. | Lastly, if a troll or angry user is polluting your session with undesired messages, click and hold the ''Dest.'' tool button in the text chat dock to add their callsign to the '''senders blacklist'''. All messages from the user will then be filtered out from the message pane. You can view and clear this list at any time during the game. | ||
[[Category:ATC-pie]] | [[Category:ATC-pie]] |
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