Ground elevation at arbitrary lat/lng position

[KWB]

Moved to Main Forum. Please ask questions related to FSUIPC always in Main Forum!

Is there a way to get the ground elevation for a given latitude/longitude position. I need to get the current ground elevation (representing the scenery) at a given position, which is NOT my own aircraft's position and NOT the position of another AI aircraft.

I know how to do it with FSX and P3d/simConnect, but need a similar function for FS9.
Any hint how I can do it (if possible)?

[Pete Dowson]

On 4/17/2018 at 1:29 AM, KWB said:

I know how to do it with FSX and P3d/simConnect, but need a similar function for FS9.
Any hint how I can do it (if possible)?

How are you doing it with FSX and P3D? Just via SimConnect?

I'm afraid I don't know a way with FS9. If it is possible with SimConnect in FSX then it could probably be hacked with FS9, but I'm afraid I no longer develop for FS9 at all. It is nearly 15 years old, after all!

Pete

 

[KWB]

On P3D there is a function for that (SimConnect_RequestGroundInfo, not compatible with FSX), new P3D API. For FSX I create a bogus AI object and query the position at its position (kind of hack but working). For the later I still search a way to create an invisible AI object https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/invisible-or-very-small-ai-object.442575/

[Pete Dowson]

4 hours ago, KWB said:

On P3D there is a function for that (SimConnect_RequestGroundInfo, not compatible with FSX), new P3D API

I honestly hadn't noticed that! Was that in the original 4.0 or one of 4.1 / 4.2. I'll need to check back through my SDK collection.

In that case I will consider adding a facility in FSUIPC5 to also access such data through the FSUIPC interface.

Pete

 

[KWB]

I can not exactly say, but there are already question about the function back in 2012: http://prepar3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7290

[Pete Dowson]

8 hours ago, KWB said:

I can not exactly say, but there are already question about the function back in 2012: http://prepar3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7290

Checking back the function seems to have been added some time in the life of P3D3, or perhaps even earlier (I no longer have older SDKs).

I see the function returns a grid. For the basic purpose of returning altitude at a single point, do you specify a grid of 1 x 1 point? Min altitude 0, max, what, 30000 ft+? (I'm not really sure of the purpose of specifying min and max altitudes).

I'd just like to clarify this as it would be useful to have a simple FSUIPC function for the altitude at a specific point. I don't really foresee implementing an arbitrary matrix -- such a return doesn't suit the offset methods and there really isn't any flexible offset space available to suit the size of matrix which would be needed for something like the Boeing ND terrain displays.  Those are usually generated from databases in any case.

Oh, and back to your real question, sorry, but I'm only talking about FSUIPC5 and P3D4 here. I'm afraid I've no idea about FS9.

Pete

 

[Pete Dowson]

I've now implemented an FSUIPC5 offset method of getting the altitude at a given point. It also returns the surface type, condition, and whether its a platform, moving or not moving.

It'll be in the next interim release.

Pete

 

[KWB]

Cool. Just to confirm the above, we are using also just a single point grid.

[Pete Dowson]

3 hours ago, KWB said:

Cool. Just to confirm the above, we are using also just a single point grid.

Yes, that's what I tried first and was pleased when it worked well!

Pete