Board index FlightGear Support Tools ATC-pie

NEW RELEASE! v1.5: incl. ATC text chat and coordination

ATC-pie is a radar air traffic control simulation program for the FlightGear multi-player network.

NEW RELEASE! v1.5: incl. ATC text chat and coordination

Postby mickybadia » Tue Jun 05, 2018 11:07 pm

Hello everybody,

Here comes a new ATC-pie release (v1.5.0), with the major addition being an extended set of ATC coordination features for multi-player, in particular an integrated ATC text chat system, allowing to communicate off the public channels. ATCs can now coordinate with other controllers without mixing with the radio chat every pilot can read.

A new "ATC text chat" dock panel (SHIFT+F8) now allows:
- private text chat with any other ATC callsign, easily accessible by double-clicking on the ATC callsign in the usual ATC dock
- general ATC chatroom, for open discussions, accessible through the "select" button, leaving the field blank
- icon notifications of unread messages...


The good thing about it is that it uses IRC, which means that anybody without ATC-pie can still open an IRC client and take part in the chats. The precious interoperability with OpenRadar is therefore preserved again (also read the updated wiki user guide section on "strip exchange"). The default channel proposed is #atc on the FlightGear IRC server, which a while ago already hosted ATC communication but has been deserted since.

A new dependency for this feature is the Python3 IRC library, but like the speech synth/recog ones you may install it later. The program will still run, only the added features mentioned here will be disabled. See README and wiki installation guide.


Further extensions in this version:
- strip auto-print option from filed FPLs, for due departures from base airport, or arrivals --> see new options in local settings dialog
- ATC-pie clients (if both using this feature) may now exchange *ALL* strips regardless of the limitations of the historic service
- "Who has" requests to ask the ATC network who is controlling a specific callsign
- "!!dup" warning on strips when a callsign appears on more than one strip
mickybadia
 
Posts: 475
Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2013 10:12 am

Re: NEW RELEASE! v1.5: incl. ATC text chat and coordination

Postby mickybadia » Tue Jun 05, 2018 11:12 pm

and by the way, the new private text chat system is also possible in the teacher-student connection mode: teacher can pretend to be any ATC and interact through it with the student as them.
mickybadia
 
Posts: 475
Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2013 10:12 am

Re: NEW RELEASE! v1.5: incl. ATC text chat and coordination

Postby Progman » Sat Jun 16, 2018 9:32 pm

I have tried to use/see the "Who has?" feature but I'm not sure how it works. When I use it and enter a call sign, all I get is a new small window with a white content and a title bar with something like "Claiming at {UTCdate}". How exactly is this feature working and when is it working (what is required by other ATC-pie and openradar instances) ?

Is it possible to integrate the openradar controlled contacts information somehow in this window/feature?
Progman
 
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2017 8:12 pm

Re: NEW RELEASE! v1.5: incl. ATC text chat and coordination

Postby mickybadia » Sat Jun 16, 2018 9:50 pm

Hi,
That is what it is meant to do. When you ask "who has X?", the window should list:
* if you have activated the new ATC-pie IRC sub-system (1st in connect dialog): callsigns of ATCs who have a strip with callsign matching X, unless it is on a rack marked "private" --- of course they must have activated the sub-system too
* if you are connected to the OpenRadar sub-system (2nd in connect dialog): the callsign of the ATC who owns the contact (box to the left in OpenRadar), if any

If everybody is coordinating well, there should only be one ATC callsign popping up in that window.
mickybadia
 
Posts: 475
Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2013 10:12 am

Re: NEW RELEASE! v1.5: incl. ATC text chat and coordination

Postby mickybadia » Sun Jul 08, 2018 8:13 am

Hi,
As often after a release, I noticed a few bugs or annoyances introduced by the changes, so an update follows suit, topped with a bonus feature as an apology :-)
So yeah: the navpoints could no more be pinned, which was a problem. The 1.5.1 update is now available, the bonus feature being a quick conversion tool for most aviation units for distances, altitudes, speeds, temperatures, pressure. Kbd shortcut F4 (EDIT: with SHIFT). It synchronises with weather change and manual input, selection and radar measurements.
mickybadia
 
Posts: 475
Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2013 10:12 am


Return to ATC-pie

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest