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Introducing Development Release 3.4.3.14(b)

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gadgets

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Users of the Traffic and Parking Analyser may wish to update Development Release 3.2.01(b), which I have just uploaded to http://stuff4fs.com. It fixes the Traffic and Parking Analyser parking type counters which were not being initialized when a new airport was selected. This was a "Day 1" problem. It also fixes a problem which prevented selection of an add-on airport for analysis when that airport was in a \scenery folder with other airports.

It's unfortunate these issues weren't noted prior to general release. They would have been evident in several earlier development releases and, had they been reported earlier, would have been fixed in the general release.

It seems each new general release prompts a flurry of local testing activity by users. There seems to be a phobia about using development releases other than by those who first experience the difficulty fixed by the development release. Development releases should not be viewed as experimental. They are seldom that. They should, instead, be viewed as candidates for general release and, while not always the case, usually, are as stable as the preceding general release.

When a bug is reported and isolated - whether in a development release or a general release - it is usually fixed in a development release within 24 hours. So, if you use development releases, you get almost immediate support. If you use only general releases, it may be weeks before a bug fix is available because I only make general releases after a period of stability of the last development release. Any bug that is discovered in a general release could have been found in a development release - and fixed earlier - prior to the general release.

You can be advised of development releases as they occur by checking the Check for Updates at Startup - Development Releases item in Options menu. Whether or not you install them is up to you. I would hope that a few more of you power-users would do so.

Don
 

gadgets

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I have just uploaded AIFP General Release 3.2.02 to http://stuff4fs.com. It contains an eclectic collection of fixes. The enclosed Version History provided further detail. The new release should be detected automatically the next time you run AIFP. If not, it can be downloaded directly from the website.

Don
 

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An issue with General release 3.2.02 has been discovered. If you use the Traffic and Parking Analyser with other than local time selected, the listing of Parking Assignments will report a time interval of 00:00 - 00:00 for all aircraft.

This problem has been fixed in Development Release 3.2.02(a), now available from http://stuff4fs.com.

Don
 

gadgets

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I have just uploaded AIFP Development Release 3.2.02(c) to http://stuff4fs.com.

If fixes a semi-critical bug (if an aircraft has a comment in its Title line in the aircraft.cfg file, it may not be recognized for certain functions.) As well, this development release contains extensively-reworked code for the printing and saving of timetables and other list- or listview-based messages.

If either of these functions interest you, please give it a try.

Don
 

gadgets

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I have just finished reworking/simplifying the code for the Create FPs from Timetable feature. The result is Development Release 3.2.02(l), now available at http://stuff4fs.com.

I have always been disappointed that this feature generated many more flight plans than the old MRAI compiler - despite the fact that their methods were similar. That's now a thing of the past. If the standard sit-time is the same for both, AIFP generates the same number of (or only slightly more) flight plans. The difference (if any) is due to some extra things that AIFP does, such as ensuring that the final leg returns to the starting airport or leaving sufficient time for a deadhead leg.

As a consequence, I have dispensed with the "balanced" mode. To help you select the most beneficial (to minimizing the number of FPs) sit time, I have also reworked the test sit-times capability to generate a simpler and more meaningful report.

If you use this feature, please give the new version a try. Even if you don't use this feature, there are a few other improvements in the latest development release (please see the included version History).

I welcome your comments.

Don
 

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I have just uploaded Development Release 3.2.02(u). It resolves all outstanding issues that I am aware of and contains a couple new "goodies" in the Traffic Parking Analyser.

This is a candidate for general release.

Don
 

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I have just released AIFP 3.2.03 at http://stuff4fs.com. It should be automatically "discovered" the next time you run AIFP.

This new general release includes a host of minor fixes (many esoteric) as well as enhancements to the Traffic and Parking Analyser, creating FPs from timetables and several other areas. The enclosed Version History contains a full list of changes.

Don
 

gadgets

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As seems invariably to happen, a user has discovered a serious problem in 3.2.03 - actually two problems, one of which existed prior to release but wasn't noticed.

If you use the Traffic & Parking Analyser with FS9 aircraft, you may be told the parking radius for some of the aircraft cannot be determined - which affects the analysis. As well, for all Flightsim versions, the currently loaded flightplans are not automatically carried over into the TP&A at startup.

If you are troubled by either of these problems, you may wish to download Development Release 3.2.03(a) from http://stuff4fs.com.

Don
 

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I have just uploaded Development Release 3.2.03(e), which addresses all the issues recently raised in this and the FS Developer forums including a couple critical fixes for the most recent general release. Once again, this is a candidate for general release if it survives until the weekend.

Don
 

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As promised, I have just generally released 3.2.04 at http://stuff4fs.com. It is Development Release 3.2.03(e) with two additional fixes:
  • sometime recently, I inadvertently precluded the installation from the Files menu of repaints from archives containing only a single repaint, which is now fixed; and
  • in response to a difficulty reported in this forum yesterday, now when you right-click on an item in the Missing ACs list, any special criteria (i.e., from the [FLTSIM] block of the aifp.cfg file) is also displayed.
Enjoy

Don
 

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It never fails. Within minutes of a new general release, someone always reports a bug that existed in the previous release but was never reported. Release 3.2.04 is no different. It seems that collection of add-on airports hasn't worked for some time. It does now, in Development Release 3.2.04(a), just uploaded to http://stuff4fs.com.

Don
 

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MERRY CHRISTMAS

I have just uploaded Development Release 3.2.04(e). Heavy users of the Traffic and parking Analyser will be pleased to learn that:
  • selection of multiple traffic files has been made even easier. A new item under the Files menu, All Files accessible in ___ allows you to select with a single click all the traffic files enabled in the Scenery Library of the currently selected version of Flightsim as well as in Scenery\World\scenery
  • while making the changes earlier this week to address arrival and departure conflicts, it occurred to me that a graphical display of hourly arrivals and departures may be beneficial; there is now a button on that dialog labelled Operations, which will display for any airport: arrivals, departures or both. To avoid using any more "real-estate", I used the Dump/Print Timetable button. That function is now accomplished by right-clicking the Timetable button. A new message on the screen so instructs the user.
  • the graphical display will now be automatically updated to reflect any change in timezone made from the Main Panel.
In making all this available, I "fiddled" with a lot of code - not major changes but enough that a few idiosyncrasies may have been introduced. So, it would be helpful if a few of you power users gave the TP&A a good workout and reported any issues - which are most likely to be failure to update the graphical display when the TP&A has been left and re-activated.

Don
 

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I have just posted General Release 3.2.05 to http://stuff4fs.com. It contains an number of improvements as well as a few esoteric fixes. (Please refer to the included Version History for details.)

The new release should be discovered automatically the next time you run AIFP.

Don
 

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I have just uploaded General Release 3.2.06. It is a re-release of Development Release 3.2.05(g), which contained an eclectic combination of minor fixes.

That out of the way, I will now begin work on P3Dv4 compatibility.

Don
 

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I have just uploaded Development Release 3.2.06(a) which, based on available information, I believe to be P3Dv4-ready.

EDIT: Do not use this development release with P3Dv4. It will crash on startup. It's OK for all other versions. I'll make another development release shortly.

With the release of yet another version of P3D - and potentially further releases in future, it has become impractical from both real-estate and support perspectives to continue to show all P3D releases as potential target versions - i.e., with each new release adding another radiobutton. This new version of AIFP replaces the P3dv1, v2 and v3 radiobuttons with a single radiobutton labelled for the "active" P3D version. If you only have one version of P3D installed, that version will be designated. If you have two or more versions installed, there is now a P3D Version Select button on the Main Panel which allows you to specify any installed version of P3D as "active", with the radiobutton being labelled accordingly. If you don't have P3D, then the radiobutton will be disabled and the P3D Version Select button will not be displayed.

Where Flightsim version selection is provided from other than the Main Panel (e.g., on the Traffic and Parking Analyser), only the single P3D button is available. If you wish to change the "active" P3D version, you'll have to return to the Main Panel.

This may be a little inconvenient for a few power users, but is better than the alternatives.

So long as Lockheed Martin uses the same registration "mechanism" for future releases, this new version of AIFP will support 6 new versions of P3D without further change.

Don
 
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gadgets

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Development Release 3.2.06(b) uploaded to http://stuff4fs.com.

In reworking the P3Dv4 stuff, I realized a better way to handle the "real-estate" issue. This new release now displays under Target Version all the installed FlightSim versions, but only those that are installed. Gone are the disabled uninstalled version radiobuttons - an obvious solution but not so easy to implement.

I'd appreciate feedback on P3Dv4 compatibility as soon as possible. Once I do get some feedback, I plan to implement the same solution on my other utilities.

Don

EDIT:
The latest development release, 3.2.06(c), was prompted by the need for compatibility with P3Dv4, tentatively to be released tomorrow. However, with the adoption of new methodology for handling target version selection, comes the risk for inadvertent changes to existing features used in conjunction with existing Flightsim versions.

Therefore, I hope some of you install the latest development release whether or not you install P3Dv4. By validating this new release with current versions of Flightsim, you will make diagnosis of any new issues related to P3Dv4 much easier. The only change you should notice is that, instead of the radiobuttons for uninstalled versions of Flightsim being disabled, they are no longer displayed. Incidentally, so long as LM doesn't change the basic structure of P3D and continues to use the same registry entries, AIFP will self-adapt to further new releases of P3D.
 
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Just installed P3Dv4. LM changed the registry entries from the earlier pattern. Hence, the development release I uploaded earlier in anticipation of P3Dv4 release doesn't work (for P3Dv4).

Development Release 3.2.06(d), just uploaded, resolves the issue.

Don
 

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Turns out LM also modified the structure of the v4 SDK. Development Release 3.2.06(e) just uploaded to address that issue. Also, it was necessary to update the application from NET 3.5 to Net 4.5 - which isn't likely to create any difficulties, but who knows.

Please report any unusual situations.

Don.
 

gadgets

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I have just uploaded Development Release 3.2.06(g). It (hopefully) resolves the issue reported earlier.

That issue was caused by PV4 making an entry in both the 32bit Registry and the 64bit Registry - using different subkeys ("AppPath" in the case of 32bit; "SetupPath" in the case of 64bit.) Initially, I only found the former, so that's what I was checking for. AIFP v3.2.06(g) checks for both, with the 64bit version being given priority.

Keep it up Guys. We'll get it right sooner or later.

Don
 
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