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== Developer Documentation ==
{{Main page/Header
  |title=Welcome to the developer portal
  |introduction=Please visit [http://forum.flightgear.org our forum] if you cannot find what you're looking for.
  |rightbox=
<!-------------------------------------------------------------
                    Portal overview
-------------------------------------------------------------->
  |rightcolumn1= </div>
<span style="font-size:105%; font-weight:bold">[[FlightGear and Git|Development repository status]]</span><br />
<center style="padding-top:.9em;">{{GitStatus}}</center>


=== Latest Organizational Issues ===
  |rightcolumn2= </div>
* [[ Project Infrastructure Enhancements ]]
<span style="font-size:105%; font-weight:bold">Getting started</span><br />
<span style="font-style:italic;">
[[How the FlightGear project works]] <br/>
[[Howto: Understand the FlightGear development process|The development process]] · [[Release plan]]<br/>
[[Building FlightGear]] · [[FlightGear and Git|Git]] · [[FlightGear Build Server|Build server]]<br/>
[[Property tree]] · [[File formats]] · [[Tools of the Trade]]</span>


=== Background Info ===
  |rightcolumn3= </div>
* [[Resources]]
<span style="font-size:105%; font-weight:bold">General</span><br />
<span style="font-style:italic;">
[[Long Term Goals|Long term goals]] · [[:Category:Popular Community Requests|Popular Ideas]] · [[Google Summer of Code]]<br/>
[[Project Infrastructure Enhancements|Project infrastructure enhancements]]<br/>
[[Improving Glider Realism|Improving glider realism]] / [[Improving Helicopter Realism|helicopter realism]]<br/>
[[Howto:Set up a multiplayer server|Setting up a multiplayer server]] · [[FlightGear Expo Checklist|Expo checklist]]</span>


=== Current Efforts/Branches & Work in Progress===
  |rightcolumn4= [[File:Portal aircraft.png|40px]]</div>
<span style="font-size:105%; font-weight:bold">[[Portal:Developer/Aircraft|Aircraft]]</span><br />
<span style="font-style:italic;">
[[Howto:Troubleshooting Aircraft Performance Issues]]·
[[Howto: Make an aircraft|Making an aircraft]] · [[Flight Dynamics Model|Flight dynamics model]]<br/>
[[Howto: 3D Aircraft Models|3D aircraft models]] · [[Howto: Edit a livery|Liveries]] · [[:Category:Aircraft resources|Resources]]<br/>
[[Soaring instrumentation sdk]]  · [[Creating instruments for FG|Creating instruments]] · [[System dependent instruments|System dependent instruments]]<br/>
[[Howto: Design an autopilot|Designing an autopilot]]</span>


TODO: use to document and keep track of official branches (i.e. plib/OSG) and local efforts/projects of individual contributors.
  |rightcolumn5= [[File:Nuvola apps kaboodle.png|40px]] </div>
<span style="font-size:105%; font-weight:bold">Animations</span><br />
<span style="font-style:italic;">
[[Howto: Animate models|Animate models]] · [[Howto: Illuminate faces|Illuminate objects]]<br/>
[[Howto: Animate gear scissors|Gear scissors]] · [[Tracking animation]]<br/>
[[Howto: Make a clickable panel|Clickable panels]] · [[Knob / slider animation]]</span>


* [http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg15494.html XML Particles]
|rightcolumn6=  [[File:Portal developer.png|40px]] </div>
* [http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg15388.html Random Trees for FlightGear]
<span style="font-size:105%; font-weight:bold">Core</span><br />
*[http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg15286.html ATC Enhancements]
<span style="font-style:italic;">
* [http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg15275.html Leak Reduction]
[[:Category:FlightGear Core developers|List of Core Developers]] · [[:Category:Developer Plans|Developer Plans]] · [[:Category:Core development projects|Projects]] <br/>
* [http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg13123.html  TileProxy for FlightGear?]
[[Howto: Start core development|Getting started]] · [[Programming resources]] · [[Nasal/CppBind|Adding scripting bindings]]<br/>
* [http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg13280.html TerraGear fork]
[[Howto:Add new fgcommands to FlightGear|Adding fgcommands]] · [[Howto:Create new subsystems|Creating subsystems]] <br/>
* [http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg15160.html FlightGear 1.0 Live CD]
[[Built-in Profiler]] · [[Howto:Extend Nasal]] · [[Howto:Using Ada in FlightGear]] <small>(<font color="red">updated!</font>)</small><br/>
* [http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=printer_friendly&forum=198&topic_id=2436&mesg_id=2436 Complete FlightGear Scenery on one DVD]
[[Howto:Use Property Tree Objects]] · [[Code cleanup]] <br/>
=== Compiling  ===
[[FlightGear-Points of Interest]] · [[Request for comments]] <br/>
* [[ Building Flightgear ]]
[[OpenSceneGraph]] · [[Rendering system improvements]]</span>
* [[ Building Flightgear - Windows]]
* [[ Building Terragear ]]
* [[ OpenSceneGraph ]]
* [[ Building FlightGear Launch Control ]]


=== HowTos ===
  |rightcolumn7= [[File:Portal scenery.png|40px]] </div>
* [[FlightGear-Points of Interest]]
<span style="font-size:105%; font-weight:bold">[[Portal:Developer/Scenery|Scenery]]</span><br />
* [[Adding features]]
<span style="font-style:italic;">
[[Procedural Texturing]]<br/>
[[Howto: Place 3D objects with the UFO|Placing objects]] · [[Signs|Airport signs]]<br/>
[[Howto: Convert objects from X-Plane|Converting from X-Plane/MSFS]]<br/>
[[Howto: Make an airport|Making an airport]] · [[Using TerraGear|Generating terrain]]<br/>
[[AI Traffic]]</span>


=== Contributing ===
  |rightcolumn8= [[File:Nasallogo3.png|40px]] </div>
* [[ Submitting Patches ]]  
<span style="font-size:105%; font-weight:bold">[[Nasal|Scripting]]</span><br />
* [[ Code Cleanup ]]  
<span style="font-style:italic;">
* [[ Development Resources ]]
[[Nasal FAQ|Frequently asked questions]] · [[Howto:Write simple scripts in Nasal|Writing simple scripts]] <br />
* [[ Extension Support ]]
[[Nasal for C++ programmers]] · [[Nasal Variables|Variables and their types]] <br />
* [[ Technical Reports ]]
[[Nasal Conditionals|Conditionals]] · [[Nasal Loops|Loops]] · [[Nasal Operators|Operators]] · [[Nasal Console|In-sim console]]</span>


=== Code Internals ===
  |rightcolumn9= [[File:Animation Icon.png|40px]] </div>
* [[ Property Tree ]]
<span style="font-size:105%; font-weight:bold">Effects and shaders</span><br />
* [[ Subsystems ]]  
<span style="font-style:italic;">
* [[ UML Diagrams ]]
[[Shaders]] · [[Project Rembrandt]]<br/>
* [[ Commands ]]  
[[Howto:Shader Programming in FlightGear|Shader programming in FlightGear]]<br/>
* [[ FDM API ]]
[[Shader Coding - Best Practices|Best Practices]] · [[GLSL Shader Programming Resources|GLSL resources]]</span>
* [[ Nasal scripting language ]]
 
* [[ File Formats ]]
<!-------------------------------------------------------------
* [[ Initialization Sequence ]]
                    Main sections
-------------------------------------------------------------->
  |sections=


=== Todo ===
{{Main page/Leftbox|title=Put a piece of yourself into FlightGear!
* [[ Long Term Goals ]]
  |contents=In FlightGear, "development" is [[Howto:Understand the FlightGear development process|anything that improves the project]]. So, it's not just code-related [[Howto:Start core development|core development]]. There's also [[Portal:Developer/Scenery|scenery development]], [[Portal:Developer/Aircraft|aircraft development]] and all the stuff you can see in the column here on the left. If you want an extended overview, check out the [[Volunteer]] page.
* [[ Bugs ]]
* [[ FGFS Todo ]]
* [[ Feature Requests / Proposals / Ideas ]]
* [[ FlightGear Expo Checklist ]]


=== Done ===
Actually that's not all you can contribute. There's also documentation, with the [[FlightGear Manual]]... and this wiki of course! To contribute to the wiki, head off to the [[Portal:Wiki|Wiki Portal]]. There's a lot to do there too.
* [[ Changes since 0.9.10 ]]


If you want to get in touch with other developers, register an account at the [http://forum.flightgear.org/viewforum.php?f=18 forum], and for core development subscribe to the [[mailing list]] too and consider visiting the {{tickets|issue tracker}}.


=== RFC Topics ===
Remember: we might call it volunteering, but what should drive you is [[How the FlightGear project works|the fun of doing something]].
'''Clarification:'''In its current form, the RFC section is exclusively based on and covered by previous mailing list and forum discussions (as well as various wiki entries), as such it is not supposed to reflect work in progress (RFC="Request For Comments" and not WIP), but is rather to be seen as an attempt to provide comprehensive analyses and summaries of key issues identified in various FlightGear related discussions and feature requests (which are to be linked to in the corresponding resource sections, if that didn't yet take place, it's because of most of these RFCs being indeed WIP).
}}
Thus, RFC entries are not meant to imply anyone "working" on any of these issues, in fact only because an RFC entry is listed here doesn't necessarily mean that work on that particular issue is endorsed by the FlightGear community.


* [[Next Generation Scenery ]] - revamping the FG scenery engine
{{Main page/Leftbox|title=For core developers
* [[Keyboard function priority list]] - reorganizing FlightGear keybindings
  |contents=Visit [[:Category:Core development projects]] to see a list of currently ongoing projects!
* [[FlightGear Sessions]] - discussing possible steps to finally allow aircraft to be reliably switched at runtime
See [[:Category:Developer Plans]] to see a list of developer plans for the upcoming release.
* [[Formalizing Aircraft Status]] - discussing suggestions about how to more properly describe aircraft development status
See [[request for comments]] for a list of long-standing issues and challenges affecting FlightGear's evolution and overall development progress (admittedly a little outdated meanwhile).
* [[Simplifying Aircraft Deployment]] - identifying potential steps to simplify deployment of FlightGear aircraft
* [[FDM engine feature standardization]] - discussing possible steps to standardize feature support of mainstream FlightGear FDM engines
* [[FlightGear Glass Cockpits]] - discussing required infrastructure changes to enable non-developers to easily access FlightGear-internals in order to enable them to model complex glass cockpit-type aircraft instrumentation systems
* [[Recommended Property Tree Enhancements]] - discussing possible property tree enhancements to help ensure integrity of crucial runtime state


'''Help needed:'''


=== Miscellaneous ===
The [[YASim]] FDM is looking for a new maintainer:
* [[ Glass Cockpit Projects ]]
* [[ Copyright Inquiry ]]
* [http://www.cafepress.com/fgfs_gear FlightGear - Gear]
* [[ Sign Specification Proposal ]]


== Middleware & Base Package Development ==
{{cquote|There are some pending merge requests[http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/mailman/flightgear-devel/thread/533DBD01.9040802%40sol2500.net/#msg32183541] to add some YASim features, but we have an issue that since none of the current C++ developers own, or are experts in YASim, we're reluctant to be the person who merges such changes, and potentially introduces subtle regressions.


* [[:Category:Aircraft TODO]]
Obviously this is chicken-and-egg, since no one can become expert enough in the  code to become a maintainer :)


=== Tutorials ===
So, I'm more than happy to apply patches *providing* I can be convinced they are sane+reasonable from a pure code perspective (happy to help with that, too,
* Suggestions for new Tutorials:
if people are new to C++), and providing we have some assurance that a representative sample of YASim aircraft are unchanged or improved by the patch.
Suggestions for that means in practice, are most welcome!


Otherwise I worry, given the nature of the solver, we'll keep optimising the solver for some aircraft, and making other existing aircraft worse - until someone tests them, and announced that they're no longer working.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg23986.html
|title=YASim and documentation
|author=James Turner |date= Fri, 05 Oct 2012 03:54:43 -0700}}</ref>|James Turner}}


=== Instrumentation ===
{{cquote|I am still broadly happy to answer questions if posed (as long as I remember enough to come up with a meaningful answer).  Just cc: me if you do, because my latencies here are measured in weeks.Bugs can always be fixed.  What YASim needs is a maintainer, not really expertise per se.  The latter comes from the former.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg23986.html
* [[ Creating instruments for FG ]]
|title=YASim and documentation
|author=Andy Ross |date= Fri, 05 Oct 2012 03:54:43 -0700}}</ref>|Andy Ross}}


=== Nasal Scripting ===
<references/>
* [[ Writing simple scripts in %22nasal%22 ]]
* [[ Nasal scripting language ]]


=== Autopilot Configuration ===
}}
* [[http://www.flightgear.org/Docs/XMLAutopilot/]]
* [[ Autopilot Tuning Resources ]]


=== 3D Modeling ===
{{Main page/Leftbox|title=Coding Help Needed! (Updated 06/2020)
* [[ Modeling - Getting Started ]]
  |contents=
* [[ Modelling - FAQ ]]
* {{Progressbar|70}} [[Compositor#TODO|Compositor roadmap]]
* [http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D:_Noob_to_Pro Blender3D Modeling]
* {{Progressbar|40}} [[Deboosting FlightGear|Replacing boost]]
* [[ Modelling - SketchUp]]
* {{Pending}} [[CompositeViewer Support|Switching to osgViewer::CompositeViewer]] (multiple scenery cameras and moving maps)
* [[ Model Import and Export ]]
* {{Pending}} [[World Scenery 3.0 roadmap]]  
* [[ Modeling Resources ]]
* {{Pending}} [[Reset & re-init]]  
* [[ Aircraft Information Resources ]]
* {{Pending}} [[Canvas Development]] - discusses possible future Canvas additions
* [[ Normals and Transparency Tutorial ]]
* {{Pending}} [[Canvas Properties#Planned Features|Canvas Project (Planned Features)]] (fully scriptable 2D rendering API)
* {{Pending}} [[Canvas Widgets#Missing_.2F_Todo|Canvas Widgets (Missing Features)]] (Canvas GUI layer for scriptable widgets)
* {{Pending}} [[Howto:Use Property Tree Objects|Depreciate tied properties and use PropertyObjects instead]]


=== Scenery ===
}}
* [[ Blender Ground Signs Tutorial]]
* [[Signs]] (placing and explenation)


=== Conventions & Guidelines ===


=== Misc ===
{{Main page/Leftbox|title=Wanted: interview candidates
* [[FGSD- How to make a airport]]
  |contents=Every month we try to include an interview with a contributor in the [[FlightGear Newsletter]]. Anyone contributing to FlightGear, in whatever way, is welcome to answer a few questions and write his/her own interview.
 
More info at [[FlightGear Newsletter: Interview]].
}}
}}
 
[[Category:Portals]]
 
[[ca:Portal:Desenvolupador]]
[[es:Portal:Desarrollo]]
[[de:Portal:Entiwcklung]]
[[fr:Portal:Développeur]]
[[sr:Portal:Razvoj]]
[[zh:Portal:Developer]]

Revision as of 03:38, 6 September 2020

Welcome to the developer portal

Please visit our forum if you cannot find what you're looking for.
 
 

Put a piece of yourself into FlightGear!

In FlightGear, "development" is anything that improves the project. So, it's not just code-related core development. There's also scenery development, aircraft development and all the stuff you can see in the column here on the left. If you want an extended overview, check out the Volunteer page.

Actually that's not all you can contribute. There's also documentation, with the FlightGear Manual... and this wiki of course! To contribute to the wiki, head off to the Wiki Portal. There's a lot to do there too.

If you want to get in touch with other developers, register an account at the forum, and for core development subscribe to the mailing list too and consider visiting the issue tracker.

Remember: we might call it volunteering, but what should drive you is the fun of doing something.
 
 

For core developers

Visit Category:Core development projects to see a list of currently ongoing projects! See Category:Developer Plans to see a list of developer plans for the upcoming release. See request for comments for a list of long-standing issues and challenges affecting FlightGear's evolution and overall development progress (admittedly a little outdated meanwhile).

Help needed:

The YASim FDM is looking for a new maintainer:

Cquote1.png There are some pending merge requests[1] to add some YASim features, but we have an issue that since none of the current C++ developers own, or are experts in YASim, we're reluctant to be the person who merges such changes, and potentially introduces subtle regressions.

Obviously this is chicken-and-egg, since no one can become expert enough in the code to become a maintainer :)

So, I'm more than happy to apply patches *providing* I can be convinced they are sane+reasonable from a pure code perspective (happy to help with that, too, if people are new to C++), and providing we have some assurance that a representative sample of YASim aircraft are unchanged or improved by the patch. Suggestions for that means in practice, are most welcome!

Otherwise I worry, given the nature of the solver, we'll keep optimising the solver for some aircraft, and making other existing aircraft worse - until someone tests them, and announced that they're no longer working.[1]
— James Turner
Cquote2.png
Cquote1.png I am still broadly happy to answer questions if posed (as long as I remember enough to come up with a meaningful answer). Just cc: me if you do, because my latencies here are measured in weeks.Bugs can always be fixed. What YASim needs is a maintainer, not really expertise per se. The latter comes from the former.[2]
— Andy Ross
Cquote2.png
  1. James Turner (Fri, 05 Oct 2012 03:54:43 -0700). YASim and documentation.
  2. Andy Ross (Fri, 05 Oct 2012 03:54:43 -0700). YASim and documentation.
 
 

Coding Help Needed! (Updated 06/2020)


 
 

Wanted: interview candidates

Every month we try to include an interview with a contributor in the FlightGear Newsletter. Anyone contributing to FlightGear, in whatever way, is welcome to answer a few questions and write his/her own interview.

More info at FlightGear Newsletter: Interview.

Development repository status

Current release: 2020.3.19 (18 Oct 2023)
Next release: 2020.3.20
See release plan for details.

Getting started
How the FlightGear project works
The development process · Release plan
Building FlightGear · Git · Build server
Property tree · File formats · Tools of the Trade

General
Long term goals · Popular Ideas · Google Summer of Code
Project infrastructure enhancements
Improving glider realism / helicopter realism
Setting up a multiplayer server · Expo checklist

Portal aircraft.png

Aircraft
Howto:Troubleshooting Aircraft Performance Issues· Making an aircraft · Flight dynamics model
3D aircraft models · Liveries · Resources
Soaring instrumentation sdk · Creating instruments · System dependent instruments
Designing an autopilot

Nuvola apps kaboodle.png

Animations
Animate models · Illuminate objects
Gear scissors · Tracking animation
Clickable panels · Knob / slider animation

Portal developer.png

Core
List of Core Developers · Developer Plans · Projects
Getting started · Programming resources · Adding scripting bindings
Adding fgcommands · Creating subsystems
Built-in Profiler · Howto:Extend Nasal · Howto:Using Ada in FlightGear (updated!)
Howto:Use Property Tree Objects · Code cleanup
FlightGear-Points of Interest · Request for comments
OpenSceneGraph · Rendering system improvements

Portal scenery.png

Scenery
Procedural Texturing
Placing objects · Airport signs
Converting from X-Plane/MSFS
Making an airport · Generating terrain
AI Traffic

Nasallogo3.png

Scripting
Frequently asked questions · Writing simple scripts
Nasal for C++ programmers · Variables and their types
Conditionals · Loops · Operators · In-sim console

Animation Icon.png

Effects and shaders
Shaders · Project Rembrandt
Shader programming in FlightGear
Best Practices · GLSL resources