Post by Travis on Apr 1, 2021 19:25:09 GMT -5
Captains,
It is still April 1st here in the US, but this is no joke.
We're releasing this Alpha Test version of FSCaptain 1.8.3 to the Public, as we've beat on it over the past few months enough to have good confidence in it.
So if you like being an early adopter, please take a few minutes to read this post (it's a long one) and follow the steps we've outlined. We want to keep your flying environment clean and fun.
Reporting Problems
=================
We're not self-important enough not to think there may be new problems in this build, or old problems may have taken on a new shape. If something goes wrong and you want to continue testing, make the notes you feel would help us find the problem, take any screenshots that would help illuminate things, and supply any new Admin, FCDU and FSCaptain logfiles. The logs are a key element in our ability to triage problems.
You can either post here in the forum, or by email (see the link in my signature below for clues on how to email us).
Our log files capture such things as your "username on your computer" as well as your "computer's name" so if you don't want that to appear in public, we're happy to receive bug reports by email. (Most of our support is done via email, for whatever reason.)
This is a Refresh Build
==================
You MUST also install this on top of the most recent public release of FSCaptain - that's 1.8.2. This Alpha Release build only contains the files which have changed since the prior public release.
A Full Backup is Necessary
======================
For your own convenience, we strongly urge Captains to back up your entire FSCaptain installation prior to installing this! It takes less than a minute, and can guarantee you a stress-free ability to 'roll back' the changes.
I recommend going into Windows Explorer and copying your entire FSCaptain folder from your simulator and pasting it on your Desktop. That's what I do, because it keeps my backup in my "line of sight" in case I need to revert to a previous version.
If something contained in this Alpha Release build is "unhelpful" to your flying habits, you will need to restore your backup over your simulator's FSCaptain folder. (Don't bother with the "Uninstall Program." I've never used it, and I likely never will....)
To restore, first delete everything in your active \FSCaptain\ folder, and copy the contents of your backup \FSCaptain\ folder into the active folder.
If you use the FCDU or FCOM gauges, look inside your restored \FSCaptain\ folder for a folder named \Simulator-Gauges\. Copy the GAU files from that folder into your simulator's \Gauges\ folder.
If you are an FS9/FS2004 Captain, look inside the \FSCaptain\ folder for a folder named \Simulator-Modules\. Copy the FSCaptain.DLL from that folder into your simulator's \Modules\ folder.
Okay... let's look at the new stuff!
General Things
======================================
-- The new SceneryScanner supports changes in MakeRunways 5.126 - which is included in the SC-32 and SC-64 Installers. The FS9 Installer includes MakeRunways 4.700 - as advised by the Dowsons.
-- If you are asked by the Installer to overwrite any files, you must allow that to occur. We've updated some Config files, and some of these are normally read-only.
-- The User Guide has been updated, but the updates are not yet completed. A dozen or so options that previously only editable directly in the options.cfg file can now be changed on the Administrator's Profile & Settings and Weather & Hazards dialogs. Not all of these options have been fully explained, but they will be... in time for the Alpha 2 release.
-- A change to the flight save structure means that flights made before 1.8.3 Alpha 1 cannot be loaded into 1.8.3 Alpha 1. Please finish all important flights before updating!!
New Features
============
-- Initial work in supporting an out-of-simulator installation is in place, including new values for profile.cfg:
+ FSROOT is now deemed to be the folder into which \FSCaptain\ is installed.
* E.g., if your FCDU.EXE is located at "E:\FSCaptain\bin\FCDU.EXE", then FSROOT should be "E:\".
+ SOROOT is the primary root folder where SimObjects (fixed-wing, rotary and vehicles) are found.
+ MRROOT is the folder where MakeRunways generates its output files (runways.txt, f5.csv, g5.csv, r5.csv).
(For in-simulator installations, these ROOT values will be identical to one another.)
+ SUPPORTS is a value which determines which simulator is being supported:
* The value for FS9 is 1.
* The value for FSX (boxed) is 10.
* The value for FSX (Steam) is 11.
* The value for Prepar3D v2 is 20.
* The value for Prepar3D v3 is 21.
* The value for Prepar3D v4 is 22.
* The value for Prepar3D v5 is 23.
The FSCaptain installer should write the correct values itself, but for now these values may need to be manually edited.
If you want to feel extra secure, check the value of SUPPORTS after installing but before running FSCaptain or your simulator. Also, please let us know if you need to correct that value... including the incorrect value!
-- A new set of Configuration files to help match aircraft types to non-standard type usage are in play - Type_Aliases_fsc.txt and Type_Aliases_user.txt.
Documentation will be forthcoming. Otherwise, ignore this for now....
-- The Flight's Cruise Altitude can be changed before TOD. Doing so can prevent a Service Stop... which would normally occur soon after a call for TOD. This change can occur from the PLN Overview screen (#16) and from the Dispatch Request Screen (#65).
-- A new options.cfg item - "VELOCITY_TO_GO_OUT" - can set the groundspeed at which any aircraft is considered as OUT. (Valid values are 1 to 10kts, and the default value is 1.)
This item is to support Pushback services which do not make themselves known to FSCaptain. Some pushback services move the aircraft greater than our original value.
This item can be edited in the Administrator's Profile & Settings tab.
-- A new Aircraft Configuration item - "OUT_Velocity" - can set the groundspeed at which an aircraft is considered as OUT. (Valid values are 1 to 10kts, and the default value is 1.)
This item is to support Pushback services which do not make themselves known to FSCaptain. Some pushback services move the aircraft greater than our original value.
The Administrator cannot edit this item's value, as the item is in testing. This item may be temporary, and thus may be removed in a future build.
-- A new Airline Award - "Busy Beaver" - will increase Captains' Quality Points if a Captain makes at least one flight per day for at least seven consecutive days.
Copies of the changes to existing Config files can be found in the Config.zip file inside the \Config\ folder.
Changes
========
-- The Administrator can now display hundreds of scheduled flights for an airline. (It may take a few extra seconds after the first few hundred flights are processed.)
-- Clicking the FCDU's DISP key in P3D4 & P3D5 now does nothing - so there's no FCDU scratch pad message to clean up.
-- Various changes (and fixes!) in the VSpeed/Weight/Flap logic. A new parameter to the SPEEDCALL data lines allows Captains to add the aircraft's visible Flap Setting Value to be displayed.
-- Added a checkbox to the Media Control dialog to allow music to be played either sequentially or randomly. Previously, this was a 'text editor-only' change.
-- 3-character Airline Codes will now also match a 4-character Parking Code if the fourth character is "X". Example: Airline Code "DAL" will now match both "DAL" and "DALX" parking spots.
-- 4-character Airline Codes that end in "X", will now also match a 3-character Parking Code if the first three characters match. Example: Airline Code "ACAX" will now match both "ACA" and "ACAX" parking spots.
-- General FO Announcements to PAX (such as a welcoming announcement) cannot occur after the flight has been Cleared for Takeoff, until having passed through 2000AGL. The cockpit is very busy during that time, and the FO should devote their time to callouts for their Captain.
-- Once your loading has completed (on the Load Progress screen #21)) when you call for GSX pushback, the FCDU will automatically advance to the "Ready for Departure" screen.
-- GSX Catering and Fueling will no longer inhibit the FSCaptain Loading process. So you can load Football Fans, Fuel, and Food all at the same time - as long as GSX allows.
-- Your Dispatch Release will now include the TAF (if available) for your Departure airport. This could be of benefit if you feel you may miss your intended departure time and want to know if the local weather might be worsening!
-- The FCDU Installer will no longer complain that it can't write a log file... only to then write a log file. It will complain if it well and truly cannot write a log file, and give you the option to proceed or to cancel operations.
-- The FO's comment to the Captain about the landing (Was it good? Was it bad?) will occur after slowing down past 40kts - hopefully not interrupting the speed callouts.
-- The FA's "Landing Soon" call to PAX cannot occur after the FA's call to "Prepare for Landing".
-- The message in Dispatch Releases concerning the length of an "average snack service" has been reworded so it should be less ambiguous. (It references the LENGTH of the service... not the time after takeoff at when the initial service should BEGIN.)
-- Once a Captain calls for a Weather Hold Release, no further Weather Release calls can be made for that flight leg.
-- Ferry flights are now automatically considered as Priority flights, so there is no Early Arrival Penalty.
-- If a GROUP is on a flight, or if a flight is a Ferry flight, the "Percent chance to ZAP an AI aircraft" in the designated parking spot will increase to 100%. The thought behind this is that a special Group or ferry mission could have a dedicated parking assignment, which should try to be honored.
-- The aircraft signal for MASTER AVIONICS is now displayed alongside the signal for MASTER BATTERY on the SYSTEMS screen in the FCDU. Only the default signal is used, there currently is no interface.
Bugs
=====
-- Aircraft that were configured as PAX-only or Cargo-only could have been made the offer to make non-configured flights in both the FCDU and the Administrator.
-- Flights with Special PAX (VIPs or Groups) may not have had their Priority flag always set.
-- Either being in a holding pattern - or just flying in a near-circle - could have caused the Next Waypoint value to stop advancing!
-- Calling TOC when lower than 90% of the initial flight plan altitude might have triggered a check that would silently set the flight back into CLIMB mode within seconds.
-- Approach Clearance text may have mentioned that the runways at your Destination were "BELOW FAIR" braking conditions, when they were actually better than "FAIR".
-- SNOWTAR detection has been cleaned up. Some (modern) Runway Visibility values were being read as SNOWTAR values.
-- Ground Ice Contamination Checks were not always available. Now, you must have Parking Brakes applied, and with the ambient temperature from -30C to +15C (that's the range where ground ice could form, including Cold Soaked Wings).
-- LANDING SOON announcements can only be made once per flight - after TOD - unless a Missed Approach is made, at which point when you should repeat the message when appropriate. (That is, within 15 minutes of landing.)
-- In certain conditions, some Saved flights could not have been properly Restored.
-- When creating a "New Pilot" - the Administrator could allow entry of an Employee ID which was too large, and incompatible with the airline's Company Log. The core effect of this would be that such Captains could never make a Dispatched Flight.
-- At times, starting Passenger Boarding using GSX Level 2 might not synchronize GSX and FSCaptain Passenger loading values. (FSCaptain could have loaded several passengers before GSX.)
-- Faux "PAX Comments" after a flight could have inflated Ferry Flight scores in the FCDU, while (accurately) not reflected in the Company Log.
-- Certain conditions would have caused a No-Load / Sim-Load flight to not simulate loading!
-- On-Stand deicing trucks might not have always deployed in the correct positions around an aircraft.
Interfaces
=========
-- The Cabin Temperature for the VirtualCol CRJ series has been slightly adjusted.
-- The Milviz KA350 interface now also recognizes the Recognition Lights as "Landing Lights."
Download Links
=============
If you skipped any section of this post just to get to the links, please reconsider and read everything before installing!
You only need one of these downloads for your simulator:
-- Prepar3D 4 takes the SimConnect 64 download.
-- FS2004/FS9 takes the FS2004 download.
-- All others (FSX, P3D2 & P3D3) take the SimConnect 32 download.
12.8 MB - SimConnect 64-bit Refresh Install - only for existing P3D4 & P3D5 installations
www.fscaptain.net/downloads/0Aj92OlZ/FSCaptain_Refresh_183_SC-64.zip
13.0 MB - SimConnect 32-bit Refresh Install - only for existing FSX, FSX-SE, and P3D2 & P3D3 installations
www.fscaptain.net/downloads/0Aj92OlZ/FSCaptain_Refresh_183_SC-32.zip
11.3 MB - FS2004 Refresh Install - only for existing FS2004 installations
www.fscaptain.net/downloads/0Aj92OlZ/FSCaptain_Refresh_183_FS9.zip
That's all for now. Happy flying with ACME!
It is still April 1st here in the US, but this is no joke.
We're releasing this Alpha Test version of FSCaptain 1.8.3 to the Public, as we've beat on it over the past few months enough to have good confidence in it.
So if you like being an early adopter, please take a few minutes to read this post (it's a long one) and follow the steps we've outlined. We want to keep your flying environment clean and fun.
Reporting Problems
=================
We're not self-important enough not to think there may be new problems in this build, or old problems may have taken on a new shape. If something goes wrong and you want to continue testing, make the notes you feel would help us find the problem, take any screenshots that would help illuminate things, and supply any new Admin, FCDU and FSCaptain logfiles. The logs are a key element in our ability to triage problems.
You can either post here in the forum, or by email (see the link in my signature below for clues on how to email us).
Our log files capture such things as your "username on your computer" as well as your "computer's name" so if you don't want that to appear in public, we're happy to receive bug reports by email. (Most of our support is done via email, for whatever reason.)
This is a Refresh Build
==================
You MUST also install this on top of the most recent public release of FSCaptain - that's 1.8.2. This Alpha Release build only contains the files which have changed since the prior public release.
A Full Backup is Necessary
======================
For your own convenience, we strongly urge Captains to back up your entire FSCaptain installation prior to installing this! It takes less than a minute, and can guarantee you a stress-free ability to 'roll back' the changes.
I recommend going into Windows Explorer and copying your entire FSCaptain folder from your simulator and pasting it on your Desktop. That's what I do, because it keeps my backup in my "line of sight" in case I need to revert to a previous version.
If something contained in this Alpha Release build is "unhelpful" to your flying habits, you will need to restore your backup over your simulator's FSCaptain folder. (Don't bother with the "Uninstall Program." I've never used it, and I likely never will....)
To restore, first delete everything in your active \FSCaptain\ folder, and copy the contents of your backup \FSCaptain\ folder into the active folder.
If you use the FCDU or FCOM gauges, look inside your restored \FSCaptain\ folder for a folder named \Simulator-Gauges\. Copy the GAU files from that folder into your simulator's \Gauges\ folder.
If you are an FS9/FS2004 Captain, look inside the \FSCaptain\ folder for a folder named \Simulator-Modules\. Copy the FSCaptain.DLL from that folder into your simulator's \Modules\ folder.
Okay... let's look at the new stuff!
General Things
======================================
-- The new SceneryScanner supports changes in MakeRunways 5.126 - which is included in the SC-32 and SC-64 Installers. The FS9 Installer includes MakeRunways 4.700 - as advised by the Dowsons.
-- If you are asked by the Installer to overwrite any files, you must allow that to occur. We've updated some Config files, and some of these are normally read-only.
-- The User Guide has been updated, but the updates are not yet completed. A dozen or so options that previously only editable directly in the options.cfg file can now be changed on the Administrator's Profile & Settings and Weather & Hazards dialogs. Not all of these options have been fully explained, but they will be... in time for the Alpha 2 release.
-- A change to the flight save structure means that flights made before 1.8.3 Alpha 1 cannot be loaded into 1.8.3 Alpha 1. Please finish all important flights before updating!!
New Features
============
-- Initial work in supporting an out-of-simulator installation is in place, including new values for profile.cfg:
+ FSROOT is now deemed to be the folder into which \FSCaptain\ is installed.
* E.g., if your FCDU.EXE is located at "E:\FSCaptain\bin\FCDU.EXE", then FSROOT should be "E:\".
+ SOROOT is the primary root folder where SimObjects (fixed-wing, rotary and vehicles) are found.
+ MRROOT is the folder where MakeRunways generates its output files (runways.txt, f5.csv, g5.csv, r5.csv).
(For in-simulator installations, these ROOT values will be identical to one another.)
+ SUPPORTS is a value which determines which simulator is being supported:
* The value for FS9 is 1.
* The value for FSX (boxed) is 10.
* The value for FSX (Steam) is 11.
* The value for Prepar3D v2 is 20.
* The value for Prepar3D v3 is 21.
* The value for Prepar3D v4 is 22.
* The value for Prepar3D v5 is 23.
The FSCaptain installer should write the correct values itself, but for now these values may need to be manually edited.
If you want to feel extra secure, check the value of SUPPORTS after installing but before running FSCaptain or your simulator. Also, please let us know if you need to correct that value... including the incorrect value!
Let me be clear - this Refresh version needs to be installed into your current in-simulator installation of FSCaptain. But you will be testing the mechanism that will ensure future versions of FSCaptain can be installed outside of supported simulators!
-- A new set of Configuration files to help match aircraft types to non-standard type usage are in play - Type_Aliases_fsc.txt and Type_Aliases_user.txt.
Documentation will be forthcoming. Otherwise, ignore this for now....
-- The Flight's Cruise Altitude can be changed before TOD. Doing so can prevent a Service Stop... which would normally occur soon after a call for TOD. This change can occur from the PLN Overview screen (#16) and from the Dispatch Request Screen (#65).
-- A new options.cfg item - "VELOCITY_TO_GO_OUT" - can set the groundspeed at which any aircraft is considered as OUT. (Valid values are 1 to 10kts, and the default value is 1.)
This item is to support Pushback services which do not make themselves known to FSCaptain. Some pushback services move the aircraft greater than our original value.
This item can be edited in the Administrator's Profile & Settings tab.
-- A new Aircraft Configuration item - "OUT_Velocity" - can set the groundspeed at which an aircraft is considered as OUT. (Valid values are 1 to 10kts, and the default value is 1.)
This item is to support Pushback services which do not make themselves known to FSCaptain. Some pushback services move the aircraft greater than our original value.
The Administrator cannot edit this item's value, as the item is in testing. This item may be temporary, and thus may be removed in a future build.
-- A new Airline Award - "Busy Beaver" - will increase Captains' Quality Points if a Captain makes at least one flight per day for at least seven consecutive days.
Copies of the changes to existing Config files can be found in the Config.zip file inside the \Config\ folder.
Changes
========
-- The Administrator can now display hundreds of scheduled flights for an airline. (It may take a few extra seconds after the first few hundred flights are processed.)
-- Clicking the FCDU's DISP key in P3D4 & P3D5 now does nothing - so there's no FCDU scratch pad message to clean up.
-- Various changes (and fixes!) in the VSpeed/Weight/Flap logic. A new parameter to the SPEEDCALL data lines allows Captains to add the aircraft's visible Flap Setting Value to be displayed.
-- Added a checkbox to the Media Control dialog to allow music to be played either sequentially or randomly. Previously, this was a 'text editor-only' change.
-- 3-character Airline Codes will now also match a 4-character Parking Code if the fourth character is "X". Example: Airline Code "DAL" will now match both "DAL" and "DALX" parking spots.
-- 4-character Airline Codes that end in "X", will now also match a 3-character Parking Code if the first three characters match. Example: Airline Code "ACAX" will now match both "ACA" and "ACAX" parking spots.
-- General FO Announcements to PAX (such as a welcoming announcement) cannot occur after the flight has been Cleared for Takeoff, until having passed through 2000AGL. The cockpit is very busy during that time, and the FO should devote their time to callouts for their Captain.
-- Once your loading has completed (on the Load Progress screen #21)) when you call for GSX pushback, the FCDU will automatically advance to the "Ready for Departure" screen.
-- GSX Catering and Fueling will no longer inhibit the FSCaptain Loading process. So you can load Football Fans, Fuel, and Food all at the same time - as long as GSX allows.
-- Your Dispatch Release will now include the TAF (if available) for your Departure airport. This could be of benefit if you feel you may miss your intended departure time and want to know if the local weather might be worsening!
-- The FCDU Installer will no longer complain that it can't write a log file... only to then write a log file. It will complain if it well and truly cannot write a log file, and give you the option to proceed or to cancel operations.
-- The FO's comment to the Captain about the landing (Was it good? Was it bad?) will occur after slowing down past 40kts - hopefully not interrupting the speed callouts.
-- The FA's "Landing Soon" call to PAX cannot occur after the FA's call to "Prepare for Landing".
-- The message in Dispatch Releases concerning the length of an "average snack service" has been reworded so it should be less ambiguous. (It references the LENGTH of the service... not the time after takeoff at when the initial service should BEGIN.)
-- Once a Captain calls for a Weather Hold Release, no further Weather Release calls can be made for that flight leg.
-- Ferry flights are now automatically considered as Priority flights, so there is no Early Arrival Penalty.
-- If a GROUP is on a flight, or if a flight is a Ferry flight, the "Percent chance to ZAP an AI aircraft" in the designated parking spot will increase to 100%. The thought behind this is that a special Group or ferry mission could have a dedicated parking assignment, which should try to be honored.
-- The aircraft signal for MASTER AVIONICS is now displayed alongside the signal for MASTER BATTERY on the SYSTEMS screen in the FCDU. Only the default signal is used, there currently is no interface.
Bugs
=====
-- Aircraft that were configured as PAX-only or Cargo-only could have been made the offer to make non-configured flights in both the FCDU and the Administrator.
-- Flights with Special PAX (VIPs or Groups) may not have had their Priority flag always set.
-- Either being in a holding pattern - or just flying in a near-circle - could have caused the Next Waypoint value to stop advancing!
-- Calling TOC when lower than 90% of the initial flight plan altitude might have triggered a check that would silently set the flight back into CLIMB mode within seconds.
-- Approach Clearance text may have mentioned that the runways at your Destination were "BELOW FAIR" braking conditions, when they were actually better than "FAIR".
-- SNOWTAR detection has been cleaned up. Some (modern) Runway Visibility values were being read as SNOWTAR values.
-- Ground Ice Contamination Checks were not always available. Now, you must have Parking Brakes applied, and with the ambient temperature from -30C to +15C (that's the range where ground ice could form, including Cold Soaked Wings).
-- LANDING SOON announcements can only be made once per flight - after TOD - unless a Missed Approach is made, at which point when you should repeat the message when appropriate. (That is, within 15 minutes of landing.)
-- In certain conditions, some Saved flights could not have been properly Restored.
-- When creating a "New Pilot" - the Administrator could allow entry of an Employee ID which was too large, and incompatible with the airline's Company Log. The core effect of this would be that such Captains could never make a Dispatched Flight.
-- At times, starting Passenger Boarding using GSX Level 2 might not synchronize GSX and FSCaptain Passenger loading values. (FSCaptain could have loaded several passengers before GSX.)
-- Faux "PAX Comments" after a flight could have inflated Ferry Flight scores in the FCDU, while (accurately) not reflected in the Company Log.
-- Certain conditions would have caused a No-Load / Sim-Load flight to not simulate loading!
-- On-Stand deicing trucks might not have always deployed in the correct positions around an aircraft.
Interfaces
=========
-- The Cabin Temperature for the VirtualCol CRJ series has been slightly adjusted.
-- The Milviz KA350 interface now also recognizes the Recognition Lights as "Landing Lights."
Download Links
=============
If you skipped any section of this post just to get to the links, please reconsider and read everything before installing!
You only need one of these downloads for your simulator:
-- Prepar3D 4 takes the SimConnect 64 download.
-- FS2004/FS9 takes the FS2004 download.
-- All others (FSX, P3D2 & P3D3) take the SimConnect 32 download.
12.8 MB - SimConnect 64-bit Refresh Install - only for existing P3D4 & P3D5 installations
www.fscaptain.net/downloads/0Aj92OlZ/FSCaptain_Refresh_183_SC-64.zip
13.0 MB - SimConnect 32-bit Refresh Install - only for existing FSX, FSX-SE, and P3D2 & P3D3 installations
www.fscaptain.net/downloads/0Aj92OlZ/FSCaptain_Refresh_183_SC-32.zip
11.3 MB - FS2004 Refresh Install - only for existing FS2004 installations
www.fscaptain.net/downloads/0Aj92OlZ/FSCaptain_Refresh_183_FS9.zip
That's all for now. Happy flying with ACME!
