Possible feature/enhancement??

[netshadoe 144]

Hi,I had an idea for a possible ActiveSky feature if its possible...I know ActiveSky has the capability to download older weather files for xx/xx/xxxx date and UTCxx:xx for past dates, but we have to manually retrieve them.If I wanted to create a flight in flight simulator for, say, June 4th, 2004 (a date in the past) would it be possible to have an option in ActiveSky to auto-detect the date and UTC time within FS2004 and automatically download the appropriate hourly information file for that date and time?This way, if I wanted to fly an 8hr flight on a spring day from last year, ActiveSky would pick up the date from FS2004 and download the proper UTC file for that date and time, and continue to update to the next hour as the UTC time progresses within FS2004.Do you know what i mean?? It's hard to explain!!Let me know what you think. I think it would be a neat and unique option!Thanks,DevinCYOW

[Guest Erups]

In the options, there is one called "Use System Time".My guess is that, disabling this option, AS will read the time of FS and download the necessary weather set.

[Damian Clark 1,040]

Hi,AS does not currently automatically download offline wx synchronized to your FS time. You must download the appropriate wx first. Something better is planned for the next version.. thanks for the feedback!

[jordanal 70]

Adding to the feature/enhancement list, is there anything that can be done by the AS developers (Damian) and/or Pete Dowson to pause the ATC and AI subsystems until AS2004 weather is fully set at the beginning of a flight? I know you can't pause the sim or weather will not load correctly. Currently we have to trick FS9, either by time or location, after the weather is fully set to get the AI and ATC to properly reocognize the wind headings and set the respective actives. If this isn't set in what seems to be the first five seconds of the simulation, the AI and ATC will usually be wrong. I do have "ignore FS status" checked but it's still too slow. Perhaps in your next conversations with Pete you could discuss any possibilites around this area of anoyance? Thanks again for a great product and support.Al

[JSkorna 137]

Hi Al,We now know it is possible to refresh AI through FSUIPC. Maybe this will be added in the future.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004proudsupporter.jpg

[ronzie 21]

OK, that's two requests for this now.If you look on Pete's forum I asked about this but while he ddid reply he did not give any positive indication. I think you already read this thread. Have things changed?

[Damian Clark 1,040]

Hi,I'm sure we'll be able to figure something out for the next version :)

[ronzie 21]

I did find (as pointed to by Ray Proudfoot) on the FSUIPC fully registered version I have (3.40) on the key assignment page a function to toggle traffic density between the FS set value and one set in FSUIPC. By just leaving the FSUIPC density value at 0 pushing the assigned key(s) once toggles AI off and pushing it again reloads AI to the FS set value therefore effectively a refresh.I tested it tonight and that method works nicely.It'll do as a work around until AS has that built in on its initial refresh completion (after a slight delay of course for the FS weather engine to do its thing).Anyway, I guess it means the hook is there.

[jordanal 70]

Cool; Does it also refresh ATC/(ATIS) when restoring the FS AI value?Al

[ronzie 21]

I can say it matched after the AI refresh but as I recall ATIS had changed quite soon after the weather writes on its own. Remember that AS interpolates over time so what you get on ATIS (and matching AI with this method) matches the METAR interpretation at that time. My experience has been it is very close. The important thing is to allow ATIS to catch up to the last weather write and then refresh AI. They all match this way.You might also want to recheck the info regarding whether to use FS time for reference or system time.Look for a thread here on FS time vs. system time.

[ronzie 21]

On a test flight last night the FS ATIS did NOT agree with the METAR write. As soon as I refreshed the AI as described FS ATIS updated correctly.Weird FS mechanism.