Changing Waypoint Names, ect....

[Orlaam 306]

I'm seeing what looks like the ability to change or enter waypoint data as well as other info. Is there a reason why most people say you can't change the default data, like Unicom Frequencies, Waypoint names, or other similar data??In the library I noticed a file that claimed to give the sim the new fixes (intersections/waypoints) for revised approach plates in to a couple airports. It made it seem like this was data you'd get in the GPS and flight planner. Upon inspection, it seems all this data is in BGL format mostly, and that can be extracted and recompiled to reflect new data. I've looked at a few BGLs with airport info including approaches, and waypoint information for various locations. Am I wrong to assume that I could extract an airport BGL, rename changed data (Unicom freqs, waypoint names), then recompile it back to the original file name and have it work??I'd really like to know if this can be done and if so, how can I find the info to do it properly. I kinda want to add some new waypoints for areas that are missing them too. I realize trying to create actual IAPs would be beyond my abilities and time, but some of this would be nice, especially if it can be done down the road for FSX.Thanks.

[scott967 62]

You need to obtain the FS9 bglcomp SDK. It will explain how to change waypoints. There is no way to remove waypoints, but if you compile a new file with the same waypoint name, it will update the waypoint. You can add new waypoints the same way.There are two types of waypoints. The magenta displayed waypoints are part of the enroute air traffic structure and are in the default NV9 files, along with enroute VORs and NDBs. The blue displayed waypoints are terminal waypoints which must be compiled as part of an airport xml element and are in the AP9 files. Unfortunately, programs such as AFCAD2 can see these airport elements in files, but can't do anything with the terminal waypoints.The enroute waypoints can be linked into airway routes. See the SDK for info on how.There is a freeware flight planner for FS9 called Super flight Planner v3. As part of this utility are a couple of tools. One of these is a database tool which will parse all the scenery files and extract all the default waypoints (it can extract other stuff too if desired). A second tool will dump the database into a delimited text file that can be loaded in a spreadsheet. I've done compares of this spreadsheet against updated nav data (such as AIRAC data for LDS or PMDG FMS) to find missing waypoints. But I haven't found or developed any automated way of finding the missing waypionts and addiing them in the correct format for bglcomp. I do it just cut and paste, which is slow.If you look at procedures in the GPS, you will see many waypoints with "nonstandard" names. These are so-called "unnamed" waypoints which exist for the development of IAPs but aren't published fixes. FS9 will also provide waypoints at the runway thresholds automatically for use in procedures, without having to create them as waypoints. scott s..

[Orlaam 306]

Thanks a lot of the info. I'll be looking into this in the next few days hopefully. I kinda wonder why no has changed this data, although I think Jim Vile has done a few of these types of changes. I need to look when I get home what his file are.I was looking at one AP file last night for Adak, Alaska, and I noticed one waypoint for example was a CF** name, but in the newer procedures it had an actual name. It would be nice to be able to change that kind of stuff too. Also, in a flight from KBLF to KMHE yesterday, when planning the flight using my paper chart (July 2007), I found three waypoints that weren't in the sim. Out of the three I found, one was used to intersect two Victor airways, so it would be nice to have that entered too since you can't plan a flight in MS without it.Why can't you remove certain things? Like the NDB from KSDL that's no longer there.

[Guest wji]

The waypoint names that show up in the GPS and Navlog can be changed simply by editing the flightplan names using Notepad.Example:departure_name=Stevens Anchorage Intldestination_name=Nomewaypoint.0=PANC, A, N61* 11.97', W150* 0.87', +000144.00,waypoint.1=PABV, A, N61* 24.97', W149* 30.53', +000096.00,waypoint.2=71AK, A, N61* 31.70', W149* 29.67', +000110.00,waypoint.3=WASILLA, A, N61* 29.97', W149* 37.13', +000180.00,waypoint.4=KNIK, A, N61* 23.67', W149* 50.73', +000078.00,waypoint.5=SUSITNA, A, N61* 22.32', W150* 15.73', +000070.00,waypoint.6=SWENTNA, A, N61* 57.92', W151* 11.48', +000148.00,waypoint.7=FINGER, I, N61* 57.09', W152* 7.64', +001900.00,waypoint.8=HAPPY, I, N62* 2.47', W152* 36.34', +001900.00,waypoint.9=PUNTILA, A, N62* 5.05', W152* 43.05', +001900.00,Any seven characters will work.