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Atlas path help

Atlas is an addon that lets FlightGear users display a real-time "moving-map" of their flight.

Atlas path help

Postby WannabeaPilot » Mon Jan 23, 2012 5:57 pm

Hello,

I am new to FG & Atlas. I love it. I installed it once already, had a blast, uninstalled it and reinstalled it with a better understanding of what it is and how it all works. I thought. The reason I reinstalled is because I wanted my Scenery files in another location. I had all of the U.S. Scenery working fine.

I am running Ubuntu 11.10 on a loptop with plenty of beefyness.

Re-installation:
I installed FG...runs great. All stock right now.
Path to FG is usr/share/games/FlightGear

I installed Atlas, it opens fine, but I cannot see the Bay Area around San Francisco. All ariports and Nav. aids are displayed. Just no Scenery. Again all stock no add-ons yet. I'm thinking I need to set the environment variables so Atlas knows where to find the data. Is this correct?

Question: In Ubuntu/Linux how do I check my environment variables? After that, how do I add-to or change them? I am relatively new to Linux and the more I research this issue I find myself getting more confused. Also where would I put these changes so when I turn on my laptop these variables are loaded on start-up.

When I start FG I use command line: fgfs --nmea=socket,out,0.5,localhost,5500,udp

When I start Atlas I use command line: Atlas --path=usr/share/games/FlightGear --udp=5500

This worked perfect on the first install. (again I reinstalled ONLY to re-due my custom scenery, and to designate a separate file for this data)
I've been all over these forums and read the manual, I'm not asking because I'm lazy, I just cannot figure this part out.

All help will be greatly appreciated!

Update:
I re-installed Atlas again. Same issue. This is the Warning message I get when loading Atlas.
Warning: path usr/share/games/FlightGear/ doesn't exist. Maps won't be loaded!
Please wait while loading databases...done.


Hmmmm...any suggestions?
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Re: Atlas path help

Postby AndersG » Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:08 pm

Add a '/' before usr/... .

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Re: Atlas path help

Postby WannabeaPilot » Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:07 pm

I did try that, will try it again and post back. Have some things to-do first so might not be till later tonight. Thanks for the replay!
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Re: Atlas path help

Postby chrisr » Tue Jan 24, 2012 8:55 am

I agree with AndersG about the initial '/' character. It is a unix thing. You generally have two alternative ways to specify a path:
    An absolute path is one starting with a slash. It specifies a file or directory, doing so with respect to the root of the file system hierarchy.
    A relative path is one that does not start with a slash. It also specifies a file or directory, but does so with respect to whatever is your current directory. (Paths that begin with '.' or '..' are also relative, and make this fact more explicit.)

In addition to the above, I also want to point out that '--path' is not a legal command line option for Atlas.

In my case I start Atlas by specifying three (relative) paths:

Code: Select all
Atlas --atlas=install/fgfs/fgdata/Atlas --fg-scenery=install/fgfs/fgdata/Scenery --fg-root=install/fgfs/fgdata --udp=5500


--atlas The specified directory contains subdirectories Palettes, Fonts, 4,6,8,9,and 10. These hold palettes, fonts and all the background maps (as jpg or png files).

--fg-scenery The specified directory contains subdirectories Objects, Airports, and Terrain. These hold certain decorations, such as runway descriptions, and landmarks like power-lines.

--fg-root The specified directory contains subdirectories Airports and Navaids (amongst others), which provide further decorations to the Atlas maps.

The paths in your case will be different, but I hope that the descriptions above help you determine the paths that are relevant for your installation.

Once it is working you will want to take the final step to Atlas bliss by using terrasync as well. Terrasync is a program that runs in the background, and that downloads the scenery relevant to wherever you are flying in the world. As well as running terrasync you will need to augment the '--fg-scenery' option with a second path, and master the companion program 'Map'.

Final aside: you may find other advice that suggests the use of environment variables, or that some of the above three command line options are redundant/optional. True. But I reckon that the recipe above provides that clearest starting point.

Later edit....
In the light of subsequent posts on this thread it seems that all the above is irrelevant to the original post. His version of Atlas (ver 0.3.1) has different command line options: different from version 0.4.0 of Atlas that I downloaded on 2012-01-25. However my comments still stand for people who have the newer version of Atlas, so I shall not try to erase or alter this post!
Last edited by chrisr on Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:01 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Atlas path help

Postby WannabeaPilot » Tue Jan 24, 2012 5:26 pm

Hello,

Thanks for the replay, that goes to both of you. I'm not having much luck here.
Chrisr, I tried what you suggested, this is what I got as a message:

Atlas --atlas=/usr/share/games/FlightGear/Atlas --fg-scenery=/usr/share/games/FlightGear/Scenery --fg-root=/usr/share/games/FlightGear --udp=5500

ATLAS - A map browsing utility for FlightGear

Usage:
--lat=x Start browsing at latitude xx (deg. south i neg.)
--lon=x Start browsing at longitude xx (deg. west i neg.)
--airport=icao Start browsing at an airport specified by ICAO code icao
--path=xxx Set path for map images
--fg-root=path Overrides FG_ROOT environment variable
--glutfonts Use GLUT bitmap fonts (fast for software rendering)
--geometry=[width]x[height] Set initial window size
--softcursor Draw mouse cursor using OpenGL (for fullscreen Voodoo cards)

--udp=x Input read from UDP socket at specified port (defaults to 5500)
--serial=dev Input read from serial port with specified device
--baud=x Set serial port baud rate (defaults to 4800)
--square Set square mode ( map 1x1 degree area on the whole image )
to be compatible with images retrieved by GetMap
Atlas: unknown flag "--atlas=usr/share/games/FlightGear/Atlas".


This is saying that the flags --atlas, --fg-scenery and --fg-root are not supported by Atlas. Confusing.

I tried to put these in my .fgfsrc file also, but not luck. This is what I get when i did that:

Base package check failed ... Found version [none] at: usr/share/games/FlightGear
Please upgrade to version: 2.0.0

FG runs fine by itself. Atlas runs but wont load the scenery. The database seems to load just fine, I can see airports nav aids and the like. I also used / to designating an absolute path as you instructed. I also tried the relative path. Lost here really. I look in my FlightGear folder and my Atlas folder is empty. Is that normal? You mentioned it contains subdirectories, I have none. I install the package from the Ubuntu package manager Synaptic. The first time I installed this it worked. Why not this time? :? Don't expect you to reply on this last question, just my digression I guess.

Another bit of info is when I start FG and run Atlas with Atlas --path=usr/share/games/FlightGear --udp=5500 as I have before, Atlas seems to work just fine, it is tracking my flight path and, well, seems fine. I just don't get ANY scenery. Perplexing I tell you.

Please let me know what you think. And this is open for anyone, all suggestion welcome.

Thanks.
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Re: Atlas path help

Postby Johan G » Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:18 pm

WannabeaPilot wrote in Tue Jan 24, 2012 5:26 pm:I just don't get ANY scenery. Perplexing I tell you.

Short question, have you run the Map utility yet? In essence, the one that prepares the scenery for Atlas.
Last edited by Johan G on Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Atlas path help

Postby WannabeaPilot » Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:18 pm

Ok update,

Full re-installation. Just to rule out a bad install.
FG installed to usr/share/games/FlightGear
Ran it, runs fine.

Installed Atlas, it is sitting in the usr/games folder.
Everything is stock right now.
Ran Atlas just by itself, starts up I see airports, Nav aids and all other info, but no scenery again.

I started FG with: fgfs --nmea=socket,out,0.5,localhost,5500,udp
I then started Atlas with: Atlas --path=usr/share/games/FlightGear --udp=5500

I get the same thing, I see all airports ect. Atlas is also tracking my flights perfect. BUT No scenery. I also tried various versions of:

Atlas --atlas=/usr/share/games/FlightGear/Atlas --fg-scenery=/usr/share/games/FlightGear/Scenery --fg-root=/usr/share/games/FlightGear --udp=5500

This was suggested on the post above.
All I get from Atlas is:

Atlas --fg-scenery=usr/share/games/FlightGear/Scenery --udp=5500
ATLAS - A map browsing utility for FlightGear

Usage:
--lat=x Start browsing at latitude xx (deg. south i neg.)
--lon=x Start browsing at longitude xx (deg. west i neg.)
--airport=icao Start browsing at an airport specified by ICAO code icao
--path=xxx Set path for map images
--fg-root=path Overrides FG_ROOT environment variable
--glutfonts Use GLUT bitmap fonts (fast for software rendering)
--geometry=[width]x[height] Set initial window size
--softcursor Draw mouse cursor using OpenGL (for fullscreen Voodoo cards)

--udp=x Input read from UDP socket at specified port (defaults to 5500)
--serial=dev Input read from serial port with specified device
--baud=x Set serial port baud rate (defaults to 4800)
--square Set square mode ( map 1x1 degree area on the whole image )
to be compatible with images retrieved by GetMap
Atlas: unknown flag "--fg-scenery=usr/share/games/FlightGear/Scenery".


Seems to me Atlas doesn't know were to look for the usr/share/games/FlightGear folder. What am I missing here? When I very first install FG and Atlas, the very first time, it worked just fine right off the bat. Hmmm, don't know what other information to put on here, really need some help, as I do like this FS alot. I want to use it as a demo at a transportation workshop for middle schoolers. Eventualy networking a few machines and a control box to let the students experiance it.

Any and all information would help. Well as long as it pertains to this situation. :mrgreen:
I will add-on and update my situation as I proceed with this project.
Again I am running Ubuntu 11.10 on a beefy laptop. So open GL or any of that mess is not a prob.
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Re: Atlas path help

Postby WannabeaPilot » Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:25 pm

Short question, have you run the Map utility yet? In essence, the one that prepares the terrain for Atlas.


Johan G,

No I havn't ran MAP yet. I was waiting on this to make sure everything was working. But you know what, I think I did miss a step here. I am sapost to run MAP right of the bat so Atlas can create the tiles it needs and uses right? Even for the Bay Area. Ha! I will do this, I think that is the rub here. Can't believe I forgot that. :roll: Thanks buddy. If this works the kids will love ya. 8)

Update:
I might not get to this right away, I will post my results when i do tho.....thx!
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Re: Atlas path help

Postby WannabeaPilot » Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:34 pm

Ok update!

Installed and running, scenery built and stored in its own folder. Just how I wanted it.
My own goof here, forgot to build the maps. :roll: Thanks for the reminder Johan G. :lol:


Later edit....
In the light of subsequent posts on this thread it seems that all the above is irrelevant to the original post. His version of Atlas has different command line options: different from the version of Atlas that I downloaded on 2012-01-25. However my comments still stand for people who have the same version of Atlas as I have, so I shall not try to erase or alter this post!


Chrisr, thanks for the input! Is that a newer version of Atlas then? Does it have to be built? I just downloaded the one from the synaptic download manager build 0.3.1-2build1.
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Re: Atlas path help

Postby Johan G » Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:37 pm

WannabeaPilot wrote in Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:34 pm:Thanks for the reminder Johan G. :lol:

You're welcome. :D
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Re: Atlas path help

Postby chrisr » Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:24 pm

WannabeaPilot wrote in Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:34 pm:
Chrisr, thanks for the input! Is that a newer version of Atlas then? Does it have to be built? I just downloaded the one from the synaptic download manager build 0.3.1-2build1.


Ah, that explains it! I was referring to version 0.4.0. This newer version contains a lot of tweaks, including different command line options.

If you ever have a go at building FlightGear from source (using Brisa's script, download_and_compile.sh) then you will get the new version of Atlas.

C
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