How to configure ASA with FSBuild?

[RPRIEVER 52]

Greetings all,I seem to be having problems getting FSBuild to work with ASA. Under the FSB options/export directories page, line 30 shows (in each column) "Active sky 6"...."AS6"...."C:\\PROGRAM FILES\HIFI\ASA".......I've started ASA, then built a route on FSB. However, it doesnt seem to be adding the enroute winds. And yes, I do have "apply enroute winds data" checked in the "build oprions" menu. I'm probably missing something simple and obvious. Any ideas?Many thanks

[hodge001 15]

Hi RonIf you have a look in the FSBuild config file, which is located in the main FSBuild folder and called fsbuild2.cfg, you should have an entry similar to below, just replace the user name with your user name, this particular entry is for a Vista machine with a default ASA installation location, [MS-FLIGHTSIMULATOR]FS_HOME=D:\MICROSOFT GAMES\MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR XAS6=C:\USERS\JIM\APPDATA\ROAMING\HIFI\ASA\WEATHERThe above config file entry does allow me to have the winds aloft data in the FSBuild flightplan.Under XP I think that the folder you want to point FSBuild to would be for FSX in the Documents and Settings\YOUR USERNAME\Application Data\HiFi\ASA\Weather folder.One thing to be aware of is that FSBuild has a limitation on the number of characters that the config file will handle, so if you have as I used to a user name that is a little bit on the long side, which was James Hodkinson, then FSBuild will truncate the entry in the config file dropping off the last characters, so that you end up with something along the lines of ASA\WEATH at the end of the entry, which will not work.I hope it helps.Jim Hodkinson

[RPRIEVER 52]

Thanks, JimI changed the FSB config file and it now seems to pick up the enroute winds. Now for the next issue....how do I get ASA to import the route that FSB has built? After I build a route in FSB for KIAH-MMUN, I get a pop-up that says "results", and the following: (I abbreviated a bit, but you'll get the gist of it)Created LDS file c:\progfiles\MSgames\MSFSX\Level-D sim\navdata\fltplans\KIAHMMUN.rteError: unable to create PMDG 777/757 filecreated C:\progfiles\MSgames\MSFSX\PMDG\fltplans\KIAHMMUN.rteAfter I start up FSX and the PMDG MD11, the MCDU is able to find the route after I type in the city pairs. No problems there. However, I can't seem to import that same route into ASA. I'm going to the Briefing page, then "change flight plan", entering the city pair/speed/altitude, then pressing "import", but the only item that comes up is another route (KATL-KLAX.PLN). Where did my KIAH-MMUN route go? It's obviously there somewhere, as the MD11 MCDU was able to find it. Again, appreciate your help (or anyone elses)

[hodge001 15]

Hi RonI

[RPRIEVER 52]

Jim,Once again, your advice worked like a charm. Everything now seems to be configured correctly, or at least as far as I can tell. I even unchecked the "PMDG 757/777" option (which I don't think I need, as I only have their 747 and MD11 planes), and added the "Squawkbox 3" option which hopefully will allow me to send flight plans to SB. I owe you one!!

[hodge001 15]

Hi Ron Good to hear everything is up and running, I know what it

[mtbparker 1]

I know you already found your answer. I also figure that a lot of people have perhaps found the solution to integrating FSBuild winds aloft. But a spent a lot of time experimenting with the FSBuild / ASA, ASX, ASv6.5 combination and wrote up (what I think is) a fairly comprehensive explanation of the issues. I figure I'd put it up here for anyone who wants to keep it in their archives. Integrating winds aloft in FSBuildIf you read the instructions in FSBuild, it will tell you to enter the path to your ActiveSky installation. That's somewhat, but not entirely true anymore. FSBuild reads a weather data file named current_wx_snapshot.txt. That file is created by Active Sky. More precisely, the FSBuild instructions *should* say you need to enter the path to that file. Active Sky has changed the location where they keep it. ASX and ASA both keep that file in your AppData directory instead of along side the ActiveSky executable. As a result, simply pointing FSBuild to your ActiveSky installation isn't true anymore. Below is a snippet from my FSBuild2.cfg file that has the paths setup properly.For my remote laptop where I've installed Active Sky, the current_wx_snapshot.txt file is located in the following locations:ASV6.5 - D:\Program Files\HiFi\Modules\ASv6 {or whatever your path to ASv65 is}ASX - C:\Users\Tom\AppData\Roaming\HiFi\XEngine\ASX\WeatherASA - C:\Users\Tom\AppData\Roaming\HiFi\ASA\Weather

[FSBUILD]AUTOREFRESH_DELAY=1MAGYEAR=2002AIRCRAFT=B737-800 w/ CFM56-7B26SBPC_SERVER=www.vatsim.netROUTELINE=1NATRAKURL=www.natroutes.glideslope.de/html/nats.php3WEATHERPROG=AS6[MS-FLIGHTSIMULATOR]FS_HOME=\\blue\Flight Simulator 9FSINN_FP=\\blue\Program Files\FSFDT\FSCOPILOT\FLIGHTPLANSVASFMC_FMC=\\blue\Program Files\VASFMCAS6=C:\USERS\TOM\APPDATA\ROAMING\HIFI\ASA\WEATHER {or whatever weather snapshot file you want to pull from ASv6, ASX, or ASA}

Another thing about the WEATHERPROG entry that I highlighted above. The FSBuild instructions say that variable is used to select which weather program to use. Two of the options are ACTIVESKY and AS6. It appears that FSBuild v2.3 doesn't recognize ACTIVESKY as an option anymore. When I set WEATHERPROG=ACTIVESKY and ACTIVESKY={some path}, it didn't load the winds aloft data. Only the use of AS6 and setting an AS6 path will work. You can, however, use that AS6 path to point to the location of your current_wx_snapshot.txt for ASA and ASX.Generating the current_wx_snapshot.txt fileAs I mentioned above, this file is created by Active Sky when it downloads weather data from the internet. Also, I mentioned above that each version of Active Sky keeps that file in a different location. Those locations, again, are:ASV6.5 - D:\Program Files\HiFi\Modules\ASv6ASX - C:\Users\Tom\AppData\Roaming\HiFi\XEngine\ASX\WeatherASA - C:\Users\Tom\AppData\Roaming\HiFi\ASA\WeatherIf you use ASA, it will generate and place a copy of the latest current_wx_snapshot.txt file in both the ASA and ASv6.5 directories listed above. (I don't know why is doesn't also place one in the ASX directory.) That has an interesting implication. If you are using ASv6.5 and upgrade to ASA, FSBuild will still integrate the winds aloft without any change. However, if you later uninstall ASv6.5, FSBuild will be left hanging. My recommendation is that when you upgrade from ASv6.5 to ASA, you also go into FSBuild2.cfg and change the AS6 path to point to ASA's location.It also implies that if you upgrade from ASX to ASA and don't change your FSBuild2.cfg, that you will *appear* to get winds aloft data in FSBuild. BUT, this file contains stale data as it contains the data from the last time you ran ASX. Again, the recommendation here is to update your FSBuild2.cfg file when you upgrade to ASA.

[mtbparker 1]

update: The path to the new ASE current_wx_snapshot.txt is:C:\Users\{your account}\AppData\Roaming\HiFi\ASE\Weather Of course, the path will vary based on your user account. And this path is for Vista. XP users AppData is in a different location.

[Dingo383 0]

ASV6.5 - D:\Program Files\HiFi\Modules\ASv6ASX - C:\Users\Tom\AppData\Roaming\HiFi\XEngine\ASX\WeatherASA - C:\Users\Tom\AppData\Roaming\HiFi\ASA\WeatherIf you use ASA, it will generate and place a copy of the latest current_wx_snapshot.txt file in both the ASA and ASv6.5 directories listed above. (I don't know why is doesn't also place one in the ASX directory.) That has an interesting implication. If you are using ASv6.5 and upgrade to ASA, FSBuild will still integrate the winds aloft without any change. However, if you later uninstall ASv6.5, FSBuild will be left hanging. My recommendation is that when you upgrade from ASv6.5 to ASA, you also go into FSBuild2.cfg and change the AS6 path to point to ASA's location.It also implies that if you upgrade from ASX to ASA and don't change your FSBuild2.cfg, that you will *appear* to get winds aloft data in FSBuild. BUT, this file contains stale data as it contains the data from the last time you ran ASX. Again, the recommendation here is to update your FSBuild2.cfg file when you upgrade to ASA.

Hi. Just so I understand, with both ASA and ASV6.5 installed, ASA will update BOTH snapshots? I have the problem mentioned earlier where FS Build truncates the snapshot directory for ASA. Far as I can tell, I'd have to create a new user account and essentially start from scratch with everything on my client machine. But if I can just have FS Build use the ASV6.5 snapshot, problem solved, right?I hope?Thanks,Matt

[mtbparker 1]

Hi. Just so I understand, with both ASA and ASV6.5 installed, ASA will update BOTH snapshots? I have the problem mentioned earlier where FS Build truncates the snapshot directory for ASA. Far as I can tell, I'd have to create a new user account and essentially start from scratch with everything on my client machine. But if I can just have FS Build use the ASV6.5 snapshot, problem solved, right?I hope?Thanks,Matt

Yes. That is correct. Additionally, I just checked it with the ASE upgrade and it does the same thing.Tom

[psolk 2,928]

Yes. That is correct. Additionally, I just checked it with the ASE upgrade and it does the same thing.Tom

Thanks Tom,Funny thing is I didn't change anything, just installed ASE, launched FSBuild and I had winds aloft... Not sure where it got them from LOL

[Dingo383 0]

Yes. That is correct. Additionally, I just checked it with the ASE upgrade and it does the same thing.Tom

Thanks very much for checking on that. I just got the upgrade; it's nice to know I can make it work either way :)Matt