[Quick Query Lat/Long]

Thanks - here is my modified code.

 

This is a simple one button form that gets the lat/lon from the a/c and offers to open a chart web site.

 

I used your format string but it had some non-numeric'ness to the returned string. I resorted to the deprciated, but handy, Val() to clean it up. The code is verbose, I didn't want to string a bunch of operations together for the post.

 

Is there an elegant way to check to see if Open() was called and we're still connected?

 

What's the check that the a/c is "ready?" (loaded by FSX/P3D and ready to respond)

 

In the code sample I Open() once then error out on other calls. I close the conenction when the form closes. Bad technique?  If the form made other calls to other offsets would things get balled up? GetLatLongString() below should probably have some busy logic to avoid a second call from wherever.

 

I couldn't find a good list of offsets - is FSUIPC4 Offsets Status.pdf the best available?

Option Explicit On
Imports FSUIPC 
' Project Reference to FSUIPCClient.dll
Public Class frmACLocation
    Private Sub btnGetLatLong_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnGetLatLong.Click
        Try
            Dim sLatLon As String = GetLatLongString()
            If sLatLon <> "error" Then
                If MsgBox("a/c Lat/Lon: " & sLatLon & vbCrLf & "Open Chart?", MsgBoxStyle.YesNo) = MsgBoxResult.Yes Then 
                     Process.Start("http:\\skyvector.com/?ll=" & sLatLon & "&zoom=3")
                End If
            End If
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox(ex.Message, , "btnGetLatLong_Click")
        End Try
    End Sub
    Function GetLatLongString() As String
        Dim ofsLatitude As Offset(Of Long) = New Offset(Of Long)(&H560)
        Dim ofsLongitude As Offset(Of Long) = New Offset(Of Long)(&H568)
        Dim mlat As FsLatitude
        Dim mlon As FsLongitude
        Dim sLat As String = ""
        Dim sLon As String = ""
        Try             
            Try 
                ' is there a better test to see if Open() has happened and we're connected
                FSUIPCConnection.Open()
            Catch ex As Exception
                ' assume already Open
                ' next call with throw an error if that was not the case
            End Try
            FSUIPCConnection.Process()
            mlat = New FsLatitude(ofsLatitude.Value)
            mlon = New FsLongitude(ofsLongitude.Value)
            sLat = mlat.ToString(False, "d", 6)
            sLon = mlon.ToString(False, "d", 6)
            sLat = Val(sLat) ' strip off leading zeros and * symbol
            sLon = Val(sLon)
            Return sLat & "," & sLon
        Catch ex As Exception
            ' Badness occurred - show the error message
            MsgBox(ex.Message, , "GetLatLongString")
            Return "error"
        End Try
    End Function
    Private Sub frmACLocation_FormClosing(sender As Object, e As FormClosingEventArgs) Handles Me.FormClosing
        Try
            FSUIPCConnection.Close()
        Catch ex As Exception

        End Try
    End Sub
End Class

[Quick Query Lat/Long]

Great tool! My BeattlesBlog connection stopped working after I installed P3D and I started looking around for solutions - this one is great!

 

I think I did look at it ages ago via the old FSUIPC VB.Net demo but I think it required treading which is a huge pain. This tool (is there a short name?) seems to do the trick w/o any serious hoop jumping.

 

In the VB.Net code below (VS2013 Express, .Net 4.0, FSX) is a minimal proof of concept of opening a connection on demand and getting the curretn lat/long and closing the connection - seems to work OK.

 

How about garbage collection? This code would run in a "moving map" type tool that would stay open. The app has a button to "Center on the a/c" that gets clicked every once in awhile - it does not try to track the a/c. Can I call GetLatLongString() using the garabge collection code shown - or is it overkill, or?

 

Also - for the latlong class - how to I get a decimal string instead of DDHHMMSS?

 

Thanks!

 

Option Explicit On
Imports FSUIPC
Public Class frmACLocation
    Dim ofsLatitude As Offset(Of Long) = New Offset(Of Long)(&H560)
    Dim ofsLongitude As Offset(Of Long) = New Offset(Of Long)(&H568)
    Dim mlat As FsLatitude
    Dim mlon As FsLongitude
    Dim mlatlon As New FsLatLonPoint

    Private Sub btnGetLatLong_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnGetLatLong.Click
        Try
            MsgBox(GetLatLongString)
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox(ex.Message, , "btnGetLatLong_Click")
        End Try
    End Sub

    Function GetLatLongString() As String
        Try
            FSUIPCConnection.Open()
            FSUIPCConnection.Process()
            mlat = New FsLatitude(ofsLatitude.Value)
            mlon = New FsLongitude(ofsLongitude.Value)
            mlatlon = New FsLatLonPoint(mlat, mlon)
            Return mlatlon.ToString ' how to get decimal lat/lon?
            FSUIPCConnection.Close()
        Catch ex As Exception
            ' Badness occurred - show the error message
            MsgBox(ex.Message, , "OpenFSUIPC")
            Return "error"
        Finally
            ' cleanup required?
        '    ofsLatitude = Nothing
         '   ofsLongitude = Nothing
            mlat = Nothing
            mlon = Nothing
            mlatlon = Nothing
        End Try
    End Function
End Class

[Adding to airspace.txt]

Got some points to sho wuop but not lines around an area.

Any ideas on how to plot lines/polygons?

[Adding to airspace.txt]

Has anybody sucessfully adding an area to airspace.txt?

I'm trying to add Special Use Airspace and have the points. I copied the existing format and rebuilt the DB but they new area does not show up.

Any ideas?

I used a '3' in column 1 - not sure of its purpose. Lines are number10,20, etc. as other areas. I added the trailing tabs.

Here's a typical line:

3 W228 W228 H H A 10 26.95 -96.37 26.95 -96.37 H HOUSTON CENTER 126.625 M

[New user - downloads fsnavss8.zip and AIRAC]

I'm really surprised no one has replied to this post.

Maybe the answer is to simple for you old hands but for a new-be they are critical.

I figured out the AIRAC was an executable and after some confusing word in the installer the patch is applied.

I eventually found .....\Flight Simulator 9\Modules\FSNavigator\SidStar\readme.txt

That described how to install the fsnavss8 files. I had already unzipped the files into the directory without deleting the old files. After finding the readme.txt I deleted all the .ss files and replacing them with the download. This process destroyed my user created SIDs.

If anyone sees a problem with my procedure above (besides losing a couple of hours work on some SIDs) please reply.

[New user - downloads fsnavss8.zip and AIRAC]

I see two downloads I think I need on the web site : fsnavss8.zip and AIRAC

Fine - what do I do with them after I download them? I can't find either file mentioned in help.

Also - the Options, Download SIDs/STARs

Tried that several times and always disconnects before it finishes. What am I downloading and does one of the above replace it?

TIA

PS Download of SID/STARs finally went to completion when I tried it at 0200Z

[Tcas don't work]

AIBridge is not required for FS2004/SB3 or FSInn integration...

Maybe... but it seems to be required for TCAS - at least the one I'm using in an F16 on a private network(Apollo). FSInn was working fine, just the TCAS didn't have the "targets" it should have.

I remove the beta FSInn and TCAS stopped working (slight possibility it wasn't working before I removed the beta - lots of other issues). I moved back to the beta which I believe installed/ran AIBridge (I assume it was FSInn, caus' I didn't run it but it shows up on the icon tray). In any case my TCAS is now working on the private nework. Mileage may vary on VATSIM, offline, etc.

[Tcas don't work]

in the 2002 flight sim we had AI bridge which made it work but i can't seem to find one for 2004. Keep in mind that i only fly -online or not at all.

There's a link for AIBridge on the web page I just gave you...

The AIBridge link on the "Official" site leads to a dead end.

Is version 1 from here: a good choice?

http://www.simradar.com/File/Online_ATC/index.html

... didn't appear to work too well - seems to be looking for FS2002.

[Tcas don't work]

in the 2002 flight sim we had AI bridge which made it work but i can't seem to find one for 2004. Keep in mind that i only fly -online or not at all.

There's a link for AIBridge on the web page I just gave you...

The AIBridge link on the "Official" site leads to a dead end.

Is version 1 from here: a good choice?

http://www.simradar.com/File/Online_ATC/index.html

[Importing SimRoutes Suggested Plan]

What's the best way to adopt flight plans as suggested on SimRoutes.com? Or to just quickly create a new plan based on a cut/paste string like that below?

e.g.

KLAX BRDR5 JLI TRM J134 DRK J6 LIT J66 MEM ERLIN2 KATL

[SIDs & STARs in self created flightplans]

Suppose you are inbound with no STAR on your filed plan and you are requested to fly a published arrival.

How can you in a busy cockpit deal with that request?

How about the case of: you have a STAR on your plan but it isn't the one ATC wants you to use. How can you easily drop an existing STAR and add a different one?

I assume the answer would be applicable to SIDs as well.