FlightGear Newsletter October 2016: Difference between revisions

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[[#Scenery/LOD experiments|Scenery/LOD experiments]]<br>

{{Newsletter-cover-header|Community News}}<br>

[[LSZH]] (Zürich) has been chosen as the FlightGear v2016.4 default airport.

For all git repositories on SourceForge, Edward d'Auvergne has updated the git-multimail repository hook script to 1.5-dev (the current master branch) from 1.2-dev, with a few customisations/simplifications for our commitlogs ML [1,2]. If you see any error messages when committing, please report these. A failure of the git-multimail Python script will only result in a failure of the sending of an email to the ML, as this is a post-receive hook - the commit will have been successfully pushed/etc.<ref>{{cite web

  |url    = https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/35435904/  

  |title  = <nowiki> Re: [Flightgear-devel] Git-multimail repository hook script

merge-request bug (was Re: apt.dat - add local version ?) </nowiki>  

  |author =  <nowiki> Edward d'Auvergne </nowiki>  

  |date  = Oct 18th, 2016  

  |added  = Oct 18th, 2016  

  |script_version = 0.40  

  }}</ref>

=== Local apt.dat versions support ===

apt.dat now supports local versions:

It is now possible to have one or more local apt.dat files each containing data for one or more airfields.  The airfields in the local apt.dat files take precedence over the contents of the apt.dat.g file that is distributed as part of fgdata. - in much the same way as local custom scenery takes preference over terragear scenery.

If you are using WED, the apt.dat output by that program is suitable.

To use it add a folder NavData/apt in your fg-scenery and place your private files in that folder. <ref>{{cite web

Of course, your apt.dat changes should continue to be submitted to the Xplane gateway so that they will eventually be included in the main distribution.<ref>{{cite web

  |title  =  <nowiki> apt.dat - local version(s) </nowiki>

No need for any command-line option. As I wrote in <https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/35424973/>;, you have to put your apt.dat files (any name ending with .dat or .dat.g is OK) in a structure like the following:

<pre>

|   |  ├── vrmg.dat

|   |   ├── vrmh.dat

|  |   ├── vrmk.dat

        ├── vrmo.dat.gz

</pre>

where "Scenery path" can be any of you scenery paths (e.g., any component of --fg-scenery/$FG_SCENERY; the path given to --terrasync-dir is also one). The files read are all NavData/apt/*.dat[.gz] files inside each scenery path, followed by the default $FG_ROOT/Airports/apt.dat.gz (last in precedence order, thus allowing your custom sceneries to override airports already present in $FG_ROOT/Airports/apt.dat.gz). In the typical case, just put your apt.dat files(*) in the NavData/apt subdirectory of your custom scenery and they will be picked up automatically. In each of these files, you may include as many airport definitions as you want. (*) Actually, any name ending with .dat or .dat.gz---but the syntax inside, of course, must be valid "apt.dat syntax". And if the file name ends in .gz, of course the contents must be gzipped-compressed. <ref>{{cite web

  |url    = https://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/message/35432391/  

  |title  = <nowiki> Re: [Flightgear-devel] apt.dat - add local version ? </nowiki>  

  |author = <nowiki> Florent Rougon </nowiki>

  |date  = Oct 17th, 2016

  |added  = Oct 17th, 2016

  |script_version = 0.40  

  }}</ref>

[[User:HHS|HHS]], the author of the [[Eurocopter EC135|Eurocopter EC 135 P2]], [[EC130|EC 130 B4]] and [[Cessna 182S|Cessna 182 S]] will try again to get the [[MBB Bk 117|MBB BK 117]] model ready for FGAddon. Unfortunately time is limited, so he will need help.

When you have some spare time left, interested in heliopters and always wished to improve things, you might want to apply to this job. More informations on: [[MBB Bk 117|MBB Bk 117 wiki-page]]

Auskunst is currently seeking help to improve the handling of his 2016 Camaro SS and another future automobile project.  If you have experience of tweaking YASIM FDM, you can apply the job by clicking [https://bulldogrs.wordpress.com/2016/10/16/help-request-1-0-yasim-fdm-expert/ here]

== Scenery corner ==

=== Scenery/LOD experiments ===

psadro_gm has the normal calculations, now.  Everything is being generated on the fly.  psadro_gm sees very little CPU usage.

Still lot's to do - e.g. need to sample 1 extra pixel in the DEM so edges of tiles get correct normals ( you can see the edges )

Also, psadro_gm hasn't created skirts, yet, so there are gaps between levels.

Note: the texture is just 1 4096x4096 sheet for the whole planet. It'll be nice to see what we can do with procedural texturing.<ref>{{cite web

  |url    =  https://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?p=295882#p295882

  |title  =  <nowiki> Re: Next-generation scenery generating? </nowiki>

  |author =  <nowiki> psadro_gm </nowiki>

  |script_version = 0.40

To learn more, see [[Experimental terrain engine]]

Entries for this month's best screenshot can be submitted to [https://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=30579 this] forum topic. Be sure to see the [https://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=30579#p295961 first post] for participation rules. For purposes of convenience and organization, after all the entries have been submitted, a new forum topic will be started containing all shots in an easy-to-view layout. The voting will then take place there. Once the voting has finished, the best screenshot will be presented on this page.