FS2k4METAR new thread about bugs and features

[Guest in_04]

Hi Allen,the programm only updates the station which are 150 miles around youre plane position at startup. If you travel or change youre airport when FS2k4METAR is running the programm should update again. So if you fly from KLAX to KSEA it will update the whole west coast of the US but didn't update europe. I must do this because setting of every station would take more time.The box update is for online update of new METAR files. I didn't know if this working like expected it is still under development.The download update function is one function I didn't like very much, because I did not find a way to update the weather in FS2004 without visibil cloud change. There is no smooth transition from one cloud set to another it is a fast change and didn't lock good.I prefer the one time download and let the dynamic engine do the rest.The "Get update" is a manual update function. It is nearly the same as "Get current weather" but it start the updated weather too. So no need to press "Start".Youd didn't need the full version of FSUIPC, but i recommend it. In the full version you have some nice visibility features. On change the visibility only after several seconds and the other one give you gradual visibility from ground to higher altitude. Both features are missed in FS9. The visibility will change instantly from 100 miles to 1 mile if the station report say this. The other one give you clear sky if you fly high. ByeMarkus

[Guest in_04]

Hi,the "weather loaded" message should be gone with the last version. So the panel flashing should be gone too. If the panel still flash it could only be a problem with FSUIP or FS9 weather update. The current version of FS2k4METAR didn't show anything in FS9.ByeMarkus

[Guest in_04]

Hi Vassilis,yes that would be possible. Do you think of a METAR of the current location or the METAR of the nearest station which reports METAR?I ask this because both would be possible, also the METAR must be dynamic generated (FS9 has a dynamic weather engine).Maybe you should make a poll for this feature?Should the message only appears if you select a special frequency on COM1? Or should the message only appear at startup? Or a time intervall (like every 5 minutes)?I think we should discuss this feature more, so please lets start.ByeMarkus

[Guest Rach]

Hi Markus.I downloaded yesterday the last update of fs2k4metar and worked fine. But today it crash when i push "get current weather". No error message, simply crash! Its a server problem? Anyone have the same problem today?Really I love this program (thanks Markus)and I want to use it. Sorry for my englishBest regards from Malaga (SPAIN)Rafa.

[Guest Rach]

At now i can download the metars but i obtein this error:"Error 2 at reading Winds aloft.":(:-zhelpRafa.

[Guest byoung]

Finally Ms did a great job with fs2004 weather overall to increase realism and many clouds type, environment and most bugs fixed in fs2004 and 10x much more open architectureBut none of the Weather Add-on developers can figure it out :)Barry

[Chris Willis 8]

Hi Barry, "But none of the Weather Add-on developers can figure it out"About what? I can't see all f2k2 wrong implementation from above in fs2k4 anymore, as well for the environement/sky/sun/light environement on clouds, ground, and the cloud type available in fs2k4 = clouds type will change shape from the altitude they are automaticly change with any weather addons or default= weather learning center in fs2004. As well for others things I can't talk. There is many thing I was unable in fs2k2 to do compare to fs2k4Wait for active sky 2.0 for a weather specialy made for fs2004 not a weather patch tansition from fs2k2 to fs2004. ThanksChris Willis[link:fsw.simflight.com/FSWMenuFsSim.html]Clouds And Addons For MsFs

[Guest vassilis]

Markus,Concerning the metar scrolling message, as a pilot I would like to see:1. The metar of the current weather station any time I like (if it is possible). This feature is usefull for departure information.2. During the flight, I would like to see the metar of the weather station in command in order to monitor enroute weather changes.3. I would like to have an option to see the metar of the destination airport for approach planning purposes.Is it possible to obtain such kind of information not only as a scrolling message but as a permanent window in your utility??Vassilis

[Guest liebowa]

If you are going to display any text to the screen - I BEG YOU to make it an OPTION, rather than a rule. To me, there is nothing more ANNOYING than a message appearing on the screen. If we're all about realism, text on my windscreen is not realistic...!

[Guest in_04]

>Finally Ms did a great job with fs2004 weather overall to>increase realism and many clouds type, environment and most>bugs fixed in fs2004 and 10x much more open architecture>>But none of the Weather Add-on developers can figure it out>:)>>BarryHi Barry,did you know more than I? What FS2004 weather features did you mean?I use the FSUIPC Interface and more isn't available there.ByeMarkus

[Guest in_04]

>Hi Barry,> "But none of the Weather Add-on developers can figure>it out">>>About what? I can't see all f2k2 wrong implementation from>above in fs2k4 anymore, as well for the>environement/sky/sun/light environement on clouds, ground, and>the cloud type available in fs2k4 = clouds type will change>shape from the altitude they are automaticly change with any>weather addons or default= weather learning center in fs2004.>As well for others things I can't talk. There is many thing I>was unable in fs2k2 to do compare to fs2k4>>Wait for active sky 2.0 for a weather specialy made for fs2004>not a weather patch tansition from fs2k2 to fs2004.>>>> >Thanks>Chris WillisHi Chris,I also wait for ActiveSky 2.0 but how should they archive more? Did you have internal information about the internals of FS2004 weather?I only have FSUIPC as interface and more options aren't there.If ActiveSky 2.0 have internal information they could probably make better weather. Esp. if they can use the fronts.bin data which MS send to FS9 but nobody know why? (Only for displaying?)I hope to be a better tester of ActiveSky 2.0, but heard nothing from them about the start of the Beta test.They have run the best weather server already and I have high hopes for the programm.ByeMarkus

[Guest in_04]

So maybe the server is down or youre connection is broken.Try it again later.One big problem with FS2k4METAR are the use of public Servers. I can't do anything if they are down, deliver wrong data or something else.Sorry for that info, I hope that the upcoming ActiveSky 2.0 is comming soon. They have a own Server so they can manage the data better than I.ByeMarkus

[Guest DonaldS]

>To me, there is nothing more ANNOYING than a message appearing>on the screen. If we're all about realism, text on my>windscreen is not realistic...!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Perhaps; but, neither is viewing the aircraft from outside while in flight, flying a heavy without a F.O., using the little red aircraft titles and other things which I have forgotten.But I do agree, leave the display as an option. My hearing was the big reason why I did not pass a medical which resulted in a "No SEL ticket for you, bud" action.Yep, I use headsets when flying MS FS2004, but I still rely heavily on the scrolling ATC (and other) messages.Regards,DonaldS

[plutonio 0]

Hi Markus,after one week without internet connection, due to a problem of italian telephone company, I'm back, and I think I've discovered a bug in your METAR decoding.I see you are waiting for the upcoming release of ActiveSky 2.0, so I don't know if you are gonna improving your application, which looks to me anyway very good and perhaps enough for people like me very tight on budget.back to the bug, tonight here in north Italy there's much fog, except in FS9 meteo driven by FS2k4METAR. Why? I think italian METAR place in a position you don't expect RVR data.Let me show an excerpt from METAR file FS2k4METAR downloaded tonight (20031118_2100Z.TXT)LIRA 182115Z 03003KT 7000 SKC 14/14 Q1025=LIML 182120Z 00000KT 0100 R36R/0650N FG OVC001 09/08 Q1027 NOSIG=LIMF 182120Z 00000KT 0100 R36/0275N FG OVC001 03/02 Q1028=LIMJ 182120Z 06010KT CAVOK 14/12 Q1026=LIME 182120Z VRB02KT 0300 R29/0325N FG VV001 09/08 Q1027=LIMC 182120Z 00000KT 0050 R35R/0300N R35L/0300N FG OVC001 07/06 Q1027=If you go to LIRA it's OK with some haze and no clouds, but the same apply if you go to LIML or LIMC, where visibility should be almost null.If you need it I can send you the whole METAR file.CiaoFrancesco

[Guest in_04]

Hi Francesco,I just downloaded the METAR file and will test it later today.Did you try to press 'End' and after that 'Start' to get the weather for LIMC?I will report back with new infos later.The improvement of the programm will be made until ActiveSky 2.0 is released and proved to be better than my progamm. I don't know when ActiveSky 2.0 will be released and guess it would be later this year or maybe next year. So there is plenty of time to get FS2k4METAR better. I also plan to release the complete source code of the programm, so any other programmer can make further enhancements.I have some improvement ready to test, one is the use of a second winds aloft server, the other one is a better cloud generation, the third is better temperature aloft and maybe the download of older METAR and winds aloft data via the programm. Also the use of METAR scrolling messages as option should be build into.So you see there several features comming.ByeMarkus