Problems with FStarRC 1.86

[westes]

I'm sorry for not getting it, but in spite of reading the documentation I cannot get FStarRC to work with Flitestar 8.5. I load Flitestar by selecting the FstarRC EXE, but no matter what I do it never creates any additional files in my PATHS directories.

What is most unclear to me is what explicit sequence is supposed to trigger creating those files? The documentation says printing the flight plan will save the files (which is quite weird, but okay I did it and no files are created). I also tried Save and Save As, and neither of those actions creates files either.

[Pete Dowson]

I'm sorry for not getting it, but in spite of reading the documentation I cannot get FStarRC to work with Flitestar 8.5. I load Flitestar by selecting the FstarRC EXE, but no matter what I do it never creates any additional files in my PATHS directories.

It certainly works okay with 8.5.

What is most unclear to me is what explicit sequence is supposed to trigger creating those files? The documentation says printing the flight plan will save the files (which is quite weird

Why weird? I can't get at the Jeppesen plans or data directly because it is encoded. I have two possibilities, one is trying to decode the graphics in the window when the flight plan is displayed (optical character recognition? Ugh!), or getting the data sent to the printer and intercepting it on the way. How would you do it then?

Anyway, it isn't the printing of the "flight plan" (how do you do that?), but the Navigation Log-- the DOC is quite explicit. It says this:

FstarRC processes the FliteStar plan only when you print the Navigation Log. For it to work properly you must select FliteStar’s “Expanded Log” format (select the ‘Report’ tab and ‘Nav Log’, right click on the Log itself and make sure “Expanded Log” is checked).

I did it and no files are created

Not even the INI file? As the DOC says

When you first run FstarRC it will generate a file called FstarRC.ini, in the same folder. You will want to edit this, at least to set the Paths to which FstarRC will send the resulting plans.

I also tried Save and Save As, and neither of those actions creates files either.

Well, you have a faulty FliteStar then, as those functions are nothing to do with FStarRC, but used by FliteStar to save the plans in its own formet. You need to report this to Jeppesen, because it isn't much use if you can save the plans, unless you always intend to fly new ones?

Get back to me after you get FliteStar itself working correctly, if you still can't use FStarRC, but please be much more specific about exactly what you are doing. Vague terms like "print the plan" aren't sufficient, sorry.

Regards,

Pete

[westes]

I got it working, and thanks for your help.

The key insight, which I didn't understand because I haven't used Flitestar very much, is that the Navigation Log is located on the Reports tab. I should have read your document more carefully. You may want to put the section you quoted in bold, if it isn't already.

My Save and Save As work fine. What I meant was that I had hoped those actions would trigger your program.

I do see the problem you have to deal with in capturing this data. Perhaps a command line utility to take a Flitestar file as input and create various outputs from that would be useful as well.

[westes]

Pete, the first flight plan I modeled was from Auburn, California (KAUN) to Lakeview, Oregon (KLKV). The plan I produced has placed the coordinates of KLKV at all values set to 0. When you load it into the FS2004 flight planner, the destination ends up being the ocean somewhere around South Africa. :)

I will try to figure out a way to post a file here, otherwise I will send you the plan in Flitestar and FS2004 formats by e-mail.

[Pete Dowson]

Perhaps a command line utility to take a Flitestar file as input and create various outputs from that would be useful as well.

Yes, of course. You think I didn't think of that? :roll:

You are very welcome to try to work the format out. When you have it all well decoded and documented please let me know.

Regards,

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

Pete, the first flight plan I modeled was from Auburn, California (KAUN) to Lakeview, Oregon (KLKV). The plan I produced has placed the coordinates of KLKV at all values set to 0. When you load it into the FS2004 flight planner, the destination ends up being the ocean somewhere around South Africa. :)

Because the plan doesn't get as far as KLKV. Check it yourself. The last place it gets to is LMT. Also the plan you sent (the fcf file) is different to the PLN -- looks like you changed it or sent the wrong files. The PLN goes via KAGYE (?) not LMT.

Either way, you certainly need to have both departure and arrival airports in the plan.

Pete

[westes]

I see what happened. Sorry, still learning Flitestar.

By the way, do you know of a good video or tutorial for Flitestar / Flitemap. There are a large number of densely packed features in there!

[Pete Dowson]

By the way, do you know of a good video or tutorial for Flitestar / Flitemap. There are a large number of densely packed features in there!

Sorry, no. Let me know if you come across anything!

Regards,

Pete