Using OpenRadar for some months I realized that I tried to order the flightstrips in approaching, departing and pattern flights. But there were ATCs "flightstrips" between the aircraft flightstrips. I also used them as separation markers. Then I searched the Internet how a flightstrip bay would look like in real life. And I found images that showed section markers between the flightstrips, e.g. altitudes. So I tried to get them into OR.
In the image you can see the current flightstrip bay on the right below the runways panel. In the box below the current flightstrip bay is a new flightstrip bay with section separators. I combined it with the column design in a variable way. You can have only 1 column (see ATC section at the bottom) or 2, 3, 4, ... columns. a section with its flightstrips can be dragged up or down with the mouse to rearrange the order of the sections.
I've implemented a rule system in which can be defined into which section and column a flightstrip should go, so flightstrips can move "magically" from one section/column to another. For a rule almost any of the contact's or its flightplan's information can be used. A flightstrip can be moved by mouse to another column or within a section up or down.
I've also redesigned the flightstrips to be able to enter assigned flight parameters like assigned altitude and heading. This also creates the corresponding text message in the chat input field.
This image shows a slightly different configuration of the sections and a filled 3rd row with ICAO of departure airport, assigned runway, assigned route, assigned flightlevel 3 waypoints, ICAO of destination airport and direction to destination airport. There can be a 4th row with an edit field for public comments and a 5th row with an edit field for private notes. I think filling in flightstrips this way is more like real flightstrips are used.
if anyone wants to try it: http://freie-ressourcen.de/openradar
Please give me feedback, suggestions, ...
My own plan is to implement
... user defined colors for contacts in the radar screen, which can be defined separately for each column in each section.
... user defined actions like un/control, send message, ...