Hi everyone !Before I take the plunge, I'm very interested in the offline possibilities of the software (no internet connection at home, only at my office). Is it possible to download a METAR file (.txt format) on the NOAA site, and transfer it on a floppy into my home PC, where it can be converted into a .wxd file ?In the documentation, an "offline file reference chapter" is mentioned, but I haven't found it. Any help or information will be welcome !Thx alot !Henri

Hi Henri, there is some basic information available in the readme.txt file.. I will be adding more documentation on this soon as well, but for now here is a quick run-down:Go to the NOAA site www.aviationweather.govGo to Standard BriefFirst, go to METARsFind the cycle file link (for the hour) you want, click it.Save the document in the activesky (or configured offline) folder, call it something like custmetarXXZ.met. You have now saved the metar file that ASwxRE can read.Now go back to standard brief page and go to TAFsAgain find the cycle and click it, then save it this time as custtafXXZ.taf.For the winds, if you are outside the US just use the defwinds02z. Inside the US you can get current winds like this:First take a look at the existing defwinds02z.fd for how the file format should be.Go back to standard brief, select FD winds (0-6 hour)Select the area you will be flying in on the mapCut and paste the actual text report lines into a new text document, call if custwindsXXZ.fd.If you have more than one area you will be flying in you can go to that area on the FD winds map and do the same for each area, appending the reports to the custwindsXXZ.fd file.Now that you have all your offline files, create a new .wxd (look at an existing one or copy it for reference). The files should point to the 3 files for metar, taf and winds.Make sure all of these files stay in your configured ActiveSky wxRE folder (by default this is the wxRE installation folder).Let me know if you have any more questions on this or run into any snags and I'll be glad to help you out... I am making this an anchored topic so all can see. Thanks Henri!-Damian[table border=0" cellspacing="30" cellpadding="0][tr][td align = "left"]Damian ClarkHiFi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSkyThe next-generation weather environment simulation for FS2002!http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky[/td][td]http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/images/wxrebeta.jpg][/td][/tr][/table://http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/ima...][/tr][/table

Thank you very much for your answer, Damian ! I'm going to try this tonight. Just unsure about the new .wxd file creation method, but I think I'll find it more clear with the program on my screen...Thanks againHenri

Hi Damian and a happy new year to you and your family !After several trials, following the method you suggested me, I have'nt been able to create one valid wxd file : the program keeps telling me to try and download valid metar, taf, and wind files. The only wxd file I can use is the default one. What I do is : go to the NOAA site, then to standard brief, then to METARSclick on the cycle file link (I generally select it one or two hours before the actual one)save the document (text file) as something like custmetar03Z.metgo to TAFSfind the active cycle and download it, save it as custtaf00Z.taf use the defwinds02Z.fd as I fly outside the USsave the 3 files in the active sky folder and create a .wxd file, using the default one as reference.And then, when I select the new .wxd file, the program rejects it. What am I doing wrong ? What I do is download the weather files on my laptop at work (Macintosh iBook), then transfer them on my home PC via a zip disk. Thnks for your help !Henri R.

sorry, henri, I cannot help you, instead, I want to know what nomenclatre to use if I want to archive weather files. so far - as mentioned in the manual - every 23 hours the respective cycle will be replaced by the new one. now, how can I save the old one? every time I rename it - i.e. all 4 files - to e.g. 01JAN03.met, 02JAN03.wx, 02JAN03.taf and 02JAN03.wxd then wxRE gives error messages reading and processing those files... any idea?CheersPhilCome to DAD!http://www.dangerous-airports.com/images/dad_logo.jpg

Phil,The .wxd file is actually an index file, and tells ActiveSky which weather file is being used for metar, winds, etc. This being said, when you rename the files as you state, it is also necessary to edit the .wxd file so it "points" to the newly renamed files. In the example you mention, open the 02JAN03.wxd file with Notepad and enter:METAR = 02JAN03.metTAF = 02JAN03.tafWINDS = 02JAN03.fdAfter re-reading your message I've also noticed that you have a file with the .wx extension. Might be worth taking a look in it to see what it contains, but I'm pretty sure .wx is used by "the other" weather add-on. Good luck!Andy