Zap Cylinder range

[Shleprock]

I wonder if you could help me understand the Zap Cylinder operation a little better. Is it possible to adjust the height and range of the Cylinder function and if not could you confirm what the pre-set values are? I have read that these are 1.5nm and 500ft but I am not clear how these relate to the value '=n' as configured against the relevant entries in the .ini file. Is 'n' defined somewhere and if so can it be altered?

Like other users I find the Cylinder very useful for removing AI traffic encroaching in the late stages of an approach but I could really do with it being set to a range of 2.5 to 3nm to be sure of a clear run on short finals and to avoid being distracted by frantic last minute zapping when I should be concentrating on landing.

I have read and re-read the relevant sections of the Advanced Users Manual and the comments posted here but I remain baffled. My .ini entries read ZapAirRange=n and ZapCylinderAltDiff=n however I do not seem to have an entry labelled ZapGroundRange as referenced in the Manual. Should there be one? (Version 3.998 and FS2004 by the way).

I'd be most grateful for any advice, thanks.

Gary

[Pete Dowson]

I wonder if you could help me understand the Zap Cylinder operation a little better. Is it possible to adjust the height and range of the Cylinder function and if not could you confirm what the pre-set values are?

Exactly as documented, 1.5 nm air range, 0.25 nm ground range, with optional cyclinder altitude difference in feet.

I have read that these are 1.5nm and 500ft

Where do you read 500 feet?

but I am not clear how these relate to the value '=n' as configured against the relevant entries in the .ini file. Is 'n' defined somewhere and if so can it be altered?

What 'n' are you talking about? The ZapCyclinderAltDiff is optional. It isn't normally present. The cyclinder mode is not operating unless you insert this parameter, and as it CEARLY says, you give n in FEET. It is all clearly written.

I have read and re-read the relevant sections of the Advanced Users Manual and the comments posted here but I remain baffled.

Why? I cannot explain any clearer here than the way it is explained in the documentation. It tells you the units and what to insert. What is the problem?

My .ini entries read ZapAirRange=n and ZapCylinderAltDiff=n

Well, you inserted these. They are not present by defalut. And 'n' should be a number as explained in the documentation. Sorry, but it is rather evident that you've not really read the documents, else how could you not see where it says "where n is the maximum altitude difference". Please, please try reading it again! :-(

however I do not seem to have an entry labelled ZapGroundRange as referenced in the Manual. Should there be one?

Only if you add one. All three are options which don't normally appear in the INI. You add them to change them.

(Version 3.998 and FS2004 by the way).

3.999 is the minimum supported version. Please update. Currently we are on 3.999s.

Pete

[Shleprock]

Thank you for explaining this. I had read the documentation over and over but obviously I had misunderstood the point. If no-one else has had similar problems with interpreting the section about the cylinder I guess it must be down to me.

[Shleprock]

Dear Mr Dowson,

Sorry to come back to you on this as my original question was clearly an irritation to you. I think I now understand the way this is set up and my previous confusion was due to my having conflated the instructions in the Advanced User Guide with some discussion about settings on the forum. I am now using version 3.999s as required and the entries in my INI file read ZapAirRange=1.50, ZapGroundRange=0.25, ZapCylinderAltDiff=500.

I remain puzzled though as to whether it is possible to increase the Air Range to make a larger cylinder. I see that in a recent answer to a related forum question you said "The assigned traffic zapper controls take no parameters so any provided will be ignored".

However the wording in the User Guide seems to imply that it that it may be possible to adjust the range (at least in my reading of it). When describing ZapAirRange and ZapGroundRange the Guide states "These control the range of operation...." and a bit later with regard to the acceptance angle the Guide says "It is adjusted automatically, in linear inverse proportion to the change in the range so with a larger range you would need to point the aircraft nose etc......."

Certainly I have not succeeded in enlarging the range by adjusting the ZapAirRange setting but if it could be done I'd be pleased to know how. My problem is that I find again and again that an AI conflict will position itself around two miles behind me on the glideslope, just too far behind to be out of zapping range but close enough still to be forced to go around after I land. A cylinder with a range of 2.5 to 3 miles would resolve this. With apologies in advance if you find the question tedious or if I have misunderstood something but I hope you will recognise that wording in the Guide may be slightly ambiguous on the matter.

Thanks,

Gary

[Andydigital]

I was under the impression that the Traffic Zapper in FSUIPC only works to the front of the user aircraft, it doesn't care about traffic behind.

There is a payware program called Super Traffic Board, its primary purpose is to show a departures and arrivals board for AI and User traffic at an airport and it also has many other things you can do too related to AI traffic. One feature you might find useful is that it has the ability to clear traffic that is following behind you and you can configure how close it is allowed to get to you before its zapped (deleted) or warped instantly to its arrival stand. You can also select an aircraft from the arrival or departure board and right click on it and delete it or warp it form there. This is my preferred method of removing traffic as its more clinical, I tend to use the FSUIPC zapper more often on the ground when FS ATC has you on a collision course with traffic going the opposite way on a taxiway..

[Shleprock]

Thanks but I think that's for FSX only isn't it? I'm FS2004.

Gary

[Pete Dowson]

Sorry to come back to you on this as my original question was clearly an irritation to you.

No, not at all. You must be reading something in my replies which is not there.

I am now using version 3.999s as required and the entries in my INI file read ZapAirRange=1.50, ZapGroundRange=0.25, ZapCylinderAltDiff=500.

I remain puzzled though as to whether it is possible to increase the Air Range to make a larger cylinder.

You need to increase the ZapAirRange parameter.

However the wording in the User Guide seems to imply that it that it may be possible to adjust the range (at least in my reading of it). When describing ZapAirRange and ZapGroundRange the Guide states "These control the range of operation...." and a bit later with regard to the acceptance angle the Guide says "It is adjusted automatically, in linear inverse proportion to the change in the range so with a larger range you would need to point the aircraft nose etc......."

The acceptance angle is not relevant in Cylinder mode -- for that you must delete the ZapCylinderAltDiff parameter so that FSUIPC reverts to its normal "target shooting" in front of your aircraft. In cylinder mode the defining factors are the range (=diameter of the cylinder) and the alltitude difference (=half cylinder height, centred at the aircraft in all three dimensions.

Certainly I have not succeeded in enlarging the range by adjusting the ZapAirRange setting but if it could be done I'd be pleased to know how.

With those parameters. Are you saying you think it does not work? It always has here!

My problem is that I find again and again that an AI conflict will position itself around two miles behind me on the glideslope, just too far behind to be out of zapping range but close enough still to be forced to go around after I land.

Er, if it isn't a conflict with you I don't see the problem. You think it better to Zap an aircraft rather than see a Go Around? How odd.

You could also investigate programs like AISmooth and AISeparation which adjust AI positions rather than murder them out of hand.

A cylinder with a range of 2.5 to 3 miles would resolve this. With apologies in advance if you find the question tedious or if I have misunderstood something but I hope you will recognise that wording in the Guide may be slightly ambiguous on the matter.

i don't see how it is ambiguous. You seem to be mixing up the two modes. The cylinder mode is not the "shoot the guy in front" mode! But as it says, the ranges still apply.

BTW, you still actually have to use the Zap control to do the zapping. You do realize that, I hope? FSUIPC doesn't operate a "auto-kill anything in range" policy! ;-)

Pete

[Shleprock]

Thank you and I'm relieved to hear I'm not annoying you with this!

I'm sure I'm not mixing the modes but perhaps I quoted the Guide somewhat out of context.The cylinder works exactly as it should with 1.5nm set against the ZapAirRange entry but if I increase the figure to say, 2.5 it makes no difference, the cylinder range remains at 1.5nm (or as near as I can judge it). Should increasing the ZapAirRange enlarge the cylinder and if it should do so have you any idea why it might not be happening for me?

I suppose it's just a matter of preference but I prefer not to see the go around because in the real world the offending aircraft probably would not have been vectored onto the ILS quite so close behind me. So if I could knock him out it would feel more natural to me although I can understand why not everyone would see it that way.

I use AI Separation which is excellent but it doesn't recognise the user aircraft. They say AI Smooth does but I have never been able to get that function to work so it isn't a solution for me.

Not unreasonable of you to ask whether I know to hit the zap button but that daft I'm not!

Thanks,

Gary

[Andydigital]

Like I said before Super Traffic Board will do what you want automatically, it's another option at least.

[Shleprock]

Again thank you Andy but can you tell me if it's available for FS2004 and if so where?. As far as I can see it's an FSX program only.

Gary

[Andydigital]

Sorry Gary, I now realise why you said that already, I misunderstood and thought you meant there were differences in the zapping facility between FS versions. You are correct traffic board is FSX only, sorry for the confusion.

[Pete Dowson]

I'm sure I'm not mixing the modes but perhaps I quoted the Guide somewhat out of context.The cylinder works exactly as it should with 1.5nm set against the ZapAirRange entry but if I increase the figure to say, 2.5 it makes no difference, the cylinder range remains at 1.5nm (or as near as I can judge it). Should increasing the ZapAirRange enlarge the cylinder and if it should do so have you any idea why it might not be happening for me?

It should certainly be. are you changing the parameter BEFORE running FS? It won't change whilst FS is running. Check the parameter in the INI to be sure you've changed it, THEN run FS. The value FSUIPC is using is read from there.

Just as a test, to be sure you are not just misjudging the dstances a little, try a much larger radius, say 10 -- and also increase the vertical difference. a 500 foot difference might be noticeable for something 1 nm away, but less so for 2 and so on. Try 1000 feet. Obviously if these aircraft are on the same approach as you they are descending, like you, and will be higher the further behind you they are.

Let me know if increasing both factors doesn't seem to delete more aircraft. I'm using FSX and can't easily test with FS9 these days, but the code is the same in both FSUIPC3 and FSUIPC4.

Regards

Pete

[Shleprock]

MarvellousI Thank you very much, that seems to have done it. I had tried similar combinations before but without success so I must accept that I may have made the alterations with FS open. In any event I'm very grateful for your help, it will make my approaches much more enjoyable.

Thanks again,

Gary