tower!3d pro Schedule Builder Tool - create your own schedules

[EliGrim]

2 hours ago, OneNothing said:

maybe have the toggle include airlines that have ceased operation?

I like the idea very much, but at this stage it will not be so easy to implement. I would have to rewrite a lot of the code and in the near future my spare time will be less rather than more.
Airports where there are several airlines that have stopped the operation, I could possibly add them as an additional airport, so that the airport appears twice. I will try to find a solution within the next weeks.

[Ripskin]

13 hours ago, EliGrim said:

You use Google Chrome, right? In addition to the module based cache control I will now use meta-tags for the pages. I have no idea if this will help, but it's worth a try. If it has no effect, I would have to consult the hosting provider to possibly change the server configuration. I'm not sure that's possible, though. I have chosen an extremely inexpensive hosting package that actually excludes such changes in the conditions. So I can't make any promises.

That's an idea. I'll try to include it in the next update.

I'll do that. This tool is not gonna win any beauty pageant anyway. 😉

Could also be because I'm still running Windows 7 lol.  But I can always clear the cache.  We'll see next time you update I'll refresh first before trying to reuse the older page.  That may have also had something to do with it. 

[EliGrim]

On 3/7/2020 at 1:33 AM, Ripskin said:

Could also be because I'm still running Windows 7 lol.

I would say still using Win 7, after MS has stopped supporting it, is a general problem. 😉 But it should not have anything to do with the fact that you had to refresh the site several times before the new files were loaded from the server. The new files should be fetched from the server daily. If you have visited the website shortly before the update, then this mechanism obviously couldn't work yet, because I don't overwrite all the files during the update and thus give them a new timestamp. But I will do this in the future and also announce updates with one day delay. Then this issue should hopefully no longer occur.

[blacklabelbraai]

I have only one thing to add to this overly long thread:

Thank you @EliGrimfor all your hard work, dedication and patience, giving of your free time to make playing this sim more enjoyable.

Regards,

Peter (BLB)

[EliGrim]

Update v0.33b

• Slider turned into a drop-down list to select the airport
• Added realism/variety slider
• With the variety option the tool can also process airlines that have ceased operations, as long as they are included in the respective Real Color Pack
• Small bug fixes and changes that are not exciting enough to list them here

There is a small chance that I will not be able to be online for the next two days due to maintenance work by the cable provider. Therefore this post does not come as announced, with a one day delay. If the website does not show version 0.33b, please clear your browser cache and restart the browser.

If the realism/variety slider is set to realism, this does not mean that real flight data is loaded. This is about the selection and distribution of the airlines. The individual flights are still generated based on key data such as real destinations, credible flight numbers, and aircraft models that have liveries included in the RC Pack.

It is planned to add KLAX this weekend with the help of a few (few!!) community members. This is the plan, no promise, it depends on my time available! I will edit this post as soon as KLAX is available.

EDIT: KLAX should be online by tomorrow (Sunday). Especially this airport, which has a lot of airlines in the RC Pack, is extremely time-consuming to implement and currently turns out to be a bit bitchy concerning a reasonable distribution of the airlines. Now I need a break of a few hours and then I will get back to work.

Edited March 14, 2020 by EliGrim

[Ripskin]

Looks good, displayed the .33b when loading this time as well. 
Good work!

[EliGrim]

It is in the realm of the possible that I have tamed the beast.

Update v0.35b

• KLAX added
• KPHL bug fix

Please test KLAX to the limit and report on all inconsistencies. I am now taking a week off as far as working on the Schedule Builder is concerned. But of course I will continue to observe this thread closely.
It is planned that the tool will leave the beta next week and then to focus on the implementation of further airports.

[Zatris]

On 3/15/2020 at 9:47 PM, EliGrim said:

It is in the realm of the possible that I have tamed the beast.

Update v0.35b

• KLAX added
• KPHL bug fix

Please test KLAX to the limit and report on all inconsistencies. I am now taking a week off as far as working on the Schedule Builder is concerned. But of course I will continue to observe this thread closely.
It is planned that the tool will leave the beta next week and then to focus on the implementation of further airports.

I played KLAX by your Schedule Builder Tool. I have two AAL flights from RJAA in 2 minutes interval and one flight was with 738 plane. The next thing is with the same RJAA and now with Delta. Delta wanted flight with a 717 plane.  If you can fix that bugs.  

[EliGrim]

4 hours ago, Zatris said:

If you can fix that bugs.

Thanks for your report, I appreciate that.

It is on my list for next week, not to have two close flights of one airline to the same destination. (Edit: This will not be possible for small airports like TIST.)

However, there will be no selection of aircraft models in correlation to the flight destination. The calculation of distances and fuel consumption is too time consuming for this leisure project. I can't do that in my spare time. Theoretically it would be possible to include it over a weekend, but only if I would not submit to the restrictions of the RC Packs. It would be extremely complex to integrate it with relatively few available models, if at the same time a freely selectable traffic volume per hour should remain allowed. That would be something for a paid full-time project.
Furthermore, since the basis for this schedule creation are the corresponding RC Packs, such restrictions would lead to the fact that not always new schedules would be created, but only variations of the same ones. I would like to prevent this at all costs.
If I start with the flight ranges, next, departure time frames would follow, then, to be realistic, aircraft models outside the RC Pack would have to be used for the airport, then periodic flight routes and seasonal destinations would have to be involved - and in the end we would basically end up with a database of real flights from which the schedules would be compiled. And this is exactly the path I don't want to go down, because it has already been done.
If possible, playable and entertaining schedules should be generated. For this purpose, in example, the Schedule Builder will always give priority to the reusability of aircraft models within a session, even at the expense of an accurate, percentage-based distribution of airlines.

There is no question that the automatic generation of schedules will be compromised if the random factor is to be maintained (within certain limits).
I would like to emphasize once again that this Schedule Builder does not aim to replace realistic, custom schedules. Neither should it, nor will it ever be able to do so.

Even though I would like to be as realistic as possible with the Schedule Builder, I have to disregard the flight ranges of the aircraft types.

Just imagine it would be a multi-stop flight. Of course the ATC would not have the final destination on its console but I think you understand what I'm trying to say. 😉

Edited March 17, 2020 by EliGrim

[EliGrim]

Due to the current "situation" I spend more time at home than I would like to, to put it mildly. Thus the update comes earlier than planned.

Update v0.38b

• The incidence of an airline going to (or coming from) the same destination in a row has been drastically reduced. (See notes.)
• Intercontinental flights are now served by long-haul aircraft only, if possible. (See notes.)
• Minor code changes that are not worth being specified.

Notes:
- The tool now checks, during the creation, if there are identical destinations directly after each other and replaces them accordingly. Especially for small airports such as TIST, where most airlines only fly to one or two destinations, the more flights per hour are created, the more identical destinations can (and will) continue to be used in a row. At larger airports and airports with airlines serving many destinations, it can still happen, even if only sporadically. Just look at it as if one (or more) of the flights is delayed due to a technical defect, weather or something similar, which in the real world, unfortunately, is not uncommon.
- Even if I now have unexpectedly more time, it will not happen, as mentioned in the previous post, that the Schedule Builder selects specific aircraft models for specific destinations based on target distances and aircraft ranges. But at least I can now provide you with a "light version". For this purpose, all, no matter if cargo or not, A300, A330, A340, A350, A380, MD11, B747, B767, B777 and B787 are designated as long-haul aircraft. If a flight crosses continental borders and there is one of these aircraft types in the RC Pack for the selected airport, for the airline in question, it will be used for the flight. If more than one model is available, the choice will be made randomly. To check if a continent is left, I have distributed approx. 2,800 of the most important destinations to 6 (!) continents. For a better result the Middle East has become a virtual continent of its own. The mechanism takes effect if the target (destination) is not found on the same continent where the operated airport is located, both for arrivals and departures. I try to include new local airports, that are possibly added with a release of a new DLC, as soon as possible.
It should be noted that the reusability of aircraft models for schedules with high traffic volume should continue to be ensured. Possibly more heavy jets (even for domestic destinations) will now be used in the schedules. It would be important to get a report from you to make sure that the playability of the schedules is not affected.

A further objective is the option to include local traffic if wanted. However, implementation is not planned within the next few weeks.

Edited March 21, 2020 by EliGrim
changes are in italics

[EliGrim]

Update v0.42

• Selection of aircraft models for GA flights refined to prevent unwanted gaps on arriving flights.
• The Schedule Builder has passed the beta phase.

No new features/options for the Schedule Builder are planned after leaving the beta. The only exception is the implementation of local air traffic, which is still on the agenda for a later date. In the course of this week the implementation of additional airports will be started. Which airports will come next and when exactly these are available, I don't dare to determine. The plan is that at least two more airports will be included this month.

From now on a contact form is available, where you can report praise, criticism and especially bugs, inconsistencies and abnormalities, which you have found playing the game. I am a private person and not a company - therefore there is no department for data protection available. The contact form can be used without providing any personal or private information such as name, email address, etc. and I encourage everyone not to disclose any personal information unless absolutely necessary. (E.g. an email address if an answer is absolutely needed).

At this point I would like to thank everyone who helped me create the tool, find bugs and collect information.
Especially I would like to thank @Ripskin for the many gameplay tests and @OneNothing, who did and still does a lot of the research on destinations, flight numbers, terminals, etc. so that I can focus on integrating the airports into the tool. But in general I want to thank everyone who was and is active in and outside of this thread. You all are truly awesome! 👍

[Ripskin]

Happy to help, thank you for a fun and easy to use tool! 

Will be doing LAX for next weeks test.  (Did MCO for this week unrelated to this tool). 

[EliGrim]

Update v0.44

• KBOS added
• KJFK added

[Ianthius]

@EliGrim Thanks for the time you are putting into this website, I haven't played Tower3D for a while but am going to with some of your schedules for a change of pace.  Many thanks!

[EliGrim]

Update v0.45

• KPHX added

Note: When I created the Schedule Builder I did not consider the possibility that in the future airlines might cease their flight operations. In order to be able to react to this, I will rework the code in the next 2 weeks (at most) to be able to react to such incidents. As soon as the work is finished, I will continue to implement more airports into the tool.

This post has been revised because my previous wording obviously irritated someone, according to the emoji at the bottom right.

Edit 2: I have found a quick way to solve the problem so that new airports should be available next week.

Edited April 3, 2020 by EliGrim

[EliGrim]

NOTE

Currently the Schedule Builder is not available. The hosting provider is maintaining the server. In the worst case, a total shutdown or sporadic downtimes may occur until Wednesday. It is more likely, however, that the work will be completed within the next 3 hours and the Schedule Builder will then be again fully available.

[EliGrim]

- TESTING NEEDED -

Update v0.49

• YMML added
• EDDS added
• KSAN added
• Code adaptations to generate GA flights for non-US airports

Note: I don't own any of these 3 airports. Therefore it is not possible for me to check if generated schedules load without errors. For this reason I strongly need your feedback, either here in the forum or via the contact form on https://builder.eligrim.de.
It doesn't matter if a schedule doesn't load at all, if the distribution of the airlines seems strange to you, or if it is some other little thing. Every feedback is helpful, even if there are no problems, it is important to know.

Many thanks for your assistance in advance!

[EliGrim]

Update v0.50

• KLGA added

Note: CYVR and KSFO (possibly also KRDU) will follow within the next days.
These and all upcoming implementations will be in a pre-COVID-19 state. Even if some airlines have stopped or ceased their flight operations it is possible that one or the other airline will come back directly or in some other form or shape. At the moment there are a lot of unanswered questions. By the end of this year at the latest, if things have returned to normal, the airport implementations will be finally adjusted to the situation then present.

Schedule Builder Website

Edited April 30, 2020 by EliGrim

[scoobflight]

2 hours ago, EliGrim said:

end of this year at the latest, when things have returned to normal

What do you know we don't know? 😆

[EliGrim]

6 hours ago, scoobflight said:

What do you know we don't know? 😆

Oops! 🤣

My mistake. Sometimes I do not know better, but here I did not revise the translation carefully enough. For if, when, whether, by the time, etc. the word "wenn" can be used in German. This can sometimes confuse a translation software when translating from German. My fault; post has already been edited!

Kudos to you for paying attention. Love it, even if I look like a fool now! Or... Maybe I actually do know things!?! 🤔

Edit: I have thought about the sentence and find it not cleverly phrased in general. What I want to say is that if the situation normalizes this year, I will make the adjustments by the end of the year at the latest. If the situation has not returned to normal by then, the changes will be made at a later date, as soon as "normal" air traffic is re-established.

Edited April 30, 2020 by EliGrim

[Roelofb]

I can't get LAX to load after i put your files in @EliGrim. with normal real traffic schedules and some other schedules i have no problems, but with your lax schedules it only loads till 63%.

i got no problems with the jfk and bos schedules from you.

[DeltaVII]

Can you take a look at the output_log.txt in the "tower3d_Data" folder or could you post the file here, so we can troubleshoot? It's probably a missing plane type.

[Roelofb]

where should i look for in the file, file is to big to place here

[DeltaVII]

At the end of it. Look for a line saying "NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object". The line above shows the missing plane type.

[EliGrim]

Hi @Roelofb,

can you zip the schedule files and your output_log.txt, upload it to e.g. workupload.com and then send me a PM with the link?

(To write a PM hold your mouse cursor over my profile picture and then click on Message.)