Create AI Traffic?

[JohnMueller]

Hi!

I'm looking for a way to push AI-Aircraft from an external program into the FS. I tried to do this with FSUIPC, but it doesn't seem to work (however, the new planes are shown in TrafficLook). The FSUIPC-Docs say I can't create planes but can generate the Data for AI-Traffic; what exactly does this mean? Are the new AI-Planes only internal in FSUIPC or are they 'really' in the FS albeit not visible?

Is there any way to generate AI-Traffic otherwise, without setting a fix AFCAD-File for them? Or can I at least take traffic from my AFCAD-Files and modify them with FSUIPC? Or am I completely on the wrong track and need to create a multiplayer server :-( ?

(Please excuse me if this is something that has been covered - the forum ignores short queries like "AI"...)

Thanks for your help!

John

[Pete Dowson]

I'm looking for a way to push AI-Aircraft from an external program into the FS.

It cannot be done. Even Microsoft was asked and said there was no way at present. The closest you can get it to use the Multiplayer interface and create MP aircraft that way.

I tried to do this with FSUIPC, but it doesn't seem to work (however, the new planes are shown in TrafficLook). The FSUIPC-Docs say I can't create planes but can generate the Data for AI-Traffic; what exactly does this mean?

Actually you are not reading it or quoting it correctly. It certainly does NOT say you can generate data for AI-traffic. Here is the relevant paragraph:

FSUIPC can accept data to be placed into the TCAS table (airborne only), as described above, from programs interfacing via IPC. This can be used to supply MultiPlayer aircraft data, for instance. [NOTE the word “data”. This is simply a data passing facility. It is NOT a replacement for the FS multiplayer interface and does NOT generate aircraft!]

As it exactly says, it exactly means that you can enter data into the TCAS tables for aircraft created by Multiplayer. The "AIBridge" program by Jose Oliveira uses this facility to allow multiplayer aircraft to be seen on TCAS when flying on-line with Squawkbox.

Are the new AI-Planes only internal in FSUIPC or are they 'really' in the FS albeit not visible?

Neither, there are no new AI planes, you cannot create them. All the facility does is put data in the table, exactly as it says. This is so that TCAS gauges reading the table will plot the aircraft.

Is there any way to generate AI-Traffic otherwise, without setting a fix AFCAD-File for them?

I don't think you can generate AI traffic except by creating an AI traffic BGL. AFCADs are airport and gate details, not AI traffic files.

Or can I at least take traffic from my AFCAD-Files

There's no traffic defined in AFCAD files. AFCAD stands for "Airport Facilities Computer Aided Design". It is a program with which you can define airport runway, taxiway and gate layouts. There is no traffic at all in AFD files.

and modify them with FSUIPC?

FSUIPC is not a file editor not a traffic compiler. To make or modify AFCAD files use AFCAD.

Or am I completely on the wrong track and need to create a multiplayer server :-( ?

If you want controllable traffic Multiplayer is the only way. AI isn't easily controllable (though FSUIPC does provide a way of sending them commands).

Regards,

Pete

[JohnMueller]

Hi Pete,

thanks for the clarifications!

Just a small question, it's not really important but who knows, maybe I'll need it one day:

...All the facility does is put data in the table, exactly as it says. This is so that TCAS gauges reading the table will plot the aircraft.

I'm still not sure if the data in the table is in the FS directly (i.e. something Microsoft could use, maybe one day....) or if it's just stored in a FSUPIC-Cache (i.e. for guages also using FSUIPC)? I guess from the current standpoint it doesn't make much difference, it's just nice to have a look behind the wall :-).

...though FSUIPC does provide a way of sending them commands.

Sorry, I couldn't find this in the docs, could you give me a tip where to look?

Also, I haven't tried it, but is it possible to read the multiplayer positions from within FSUIPC? I imagine it might be similar to the AI-positions, or maybe I'm wrong... That would open up an easier mapping via FS-Navigator (or what I'm working on).

I guess I'll be off learning the multiplayer SDK in that case, thanks for the quick infos!

cheers,

John

[Pete Dowson]

I'm still not sure if the data in the table is in the FS directly (i.e. something Microsoft could use, maybe one day....) or if it's just stored in a FSUPIC-Cache (i.e. for guages also using FSUIPC)?

You write the data to FSUIPC and it pretends it came from FS and puts it into the TCAS tables for others to read, just as if it was real AI data. That's it. Nothing very clever.

I only provided this facility because I didn't know of a way to get data for multiplayer aircraft internally from FS. Those folks who know how to program Multiplayer can, of course, also get the very data TCAS gauges and the like need --- hence this facility.

Actually, since MS recently produced the traffic data part of the panels SDK I could probably rewrite this to get the MP data internally now, although this does assume that users download the SDK and install the extra MS DLL module this requires. So, I think I'd rather stick with it as it stands.

I really cannot see this ever being the way to "create" AI aircraft in FS even if anyone knew how. There's just not enough information, no reference to aircraft files for the graphics or performance, and so on. Furthermore, AI aircraft are supposed to be "artificially intelligent" in that they fly themselves, completely unlike MP aircraft which are images generated inside FS which move according to the MP position and other data. The two concepts are rather different.

...though FSUIPC does provide a way of sending them commands.

Sorry, I couldn't find this in the docs, could you give me a tip where to look?

Offset 2900 in the table of offsets.

To find things in the document, with no index, try using the search facility in your word processor. Searching for "traffic" would have found it, eventually, for instance.

Also, I haven't tried it, but is it possible to read the multiplayer positions from within FSUIPC?

Please read my comments above. It was precisely because I could find no way to access MP data from inside FS that I added the facility you first asked about!

Regards,

Pete