Logger is a FS9 and FSX module that provides file read and write capability for XML gauges. Using Logger, up to several hundred different number or string variables of any type (A:, E:, P:, G:, L:, or fs9gps) can be written to or read from hard disk file each gauge update cycle. The module enables the XML user to write flight data recorder gauges, save and load flight plans, save and load initial values for XML gauges that cannot otherwise be saved with Flight Sim’s Save Flight, and record flights for subsequent playback as Google Earth Tracks and Tours ("video").The Logger module, installation and help file, file read and write format guide, and example XML applications can be downloaded here http://www.robbiemce...lackbox/?logger. Additionally, several visually interesting Google Earth Tour and Track files as well as an Excel 2003 application that generates Google Earth .kml files are available.Logger was written by Robbie McElrath, author of BlackBox. Also in the pipeline for release soon is BlackBox3 which will integrate Logger file write capability into BlackBox.Feedback is solicited and welcome.Cheers,Bob

Thanks very much!JanDo we need Flight??

Yes!!!Just what i was looking for!I will give this a try when the time comes to create gauges for my current project.ThanksgrtWillem

Thankyou very much Bob! :(

Thanks very much!JanDo we need Flight??

Thanks Jan, Willem and Ed! Credit, of course, goes to Robbie.Jan, I know there are those of us who still question FSX.Nonetheless, we would certainly appreciate it if someone would run Logger in FSX and report whether or not there are any difficulties. The majority of development was using FS9 and a split between WinXP and Win7, but the FSX testing was limited to checking whether or not it loaded correctly.Bob

Nonetheless, we would certainly appreciate it if someone would run Logger in FSX and report whether or not there are any difficulties. The majority of development was using FS9 and a split between WinXP and Win7, but the FSX testing was limited to checking whether or not it loaded correctly.Bob

Bob, I'll certainly give it a workout over the next few weeks with my latest FSX project. It will save me the time of coding my own C++ module during development. I'll still wind up writing my own because it will be a commercial release, and I don't want to force the customer to seek out, download and install a "helper module" to get it functioning... ;)

Bob, I'll certainly give it a workout over the next few weeks with my latest FSX project. It will save me the time of coding my own C++ module during development. I'll still wind up writing my own because it will be a commercial release, and I don't want to force the customer to seek out, download and install a "helper module" to get it functioning... ;)

Hey Bill - Many thanks. I presume your commercial project is C++, not xml, so you wouldn't need Logger anyway as you would handle the file read/write with your own C++, as you indicate.Of course, Logger is aimed at those, like me, stuck in xml orbit. We need the helper module solution and its easy to install and use and the price is right. At the same time, Logger is comprehensive and flexible in terms of file I/O (number and string, line, csv and append format, eof, newline, and delete commands, etc) so it can be used by developers in flight data recorder mode to check interactions and dependencies between FS variables as the aircraft flies. That's Logger's origin. It's a developers tool like its stablemates in the Blackbox site: Blackbox and GPS Guide.Incidentally, Blackbox3 might be the last product in the line. I have an informal arrangement with Robbie. I pay his university bills, and he flips me a FS tool every New Years break. He graduates in June.Bob

Bob,Just curious, what study?Jan

Bob,Just curious, what study?Jan

Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon U.

Edited January 9, 201214 yr by Propwash

Hey Bill - Many thanks. I presume your commercial project is C++, not xml, so you wouldn't need Logger anyway as you would handle the file read/write with your own C++, as you indicate.

Actually it is a mixture of both XML and C++. The entire vc is XML driven 3d objects. I have quite a few persistent values that will need to be saved to file so when the a/c is reloaded they will be reset to the last saved values. These include such things as engine hours, generator hours, APU hours, decision height setting, et cetera.I'll use Logger while continuing development to make my life simpler. Once I've gotten all of the logic and everthing else finalized, then I will know for sure which variables I want to save, and then can write the I/O into my one C++ gauge which contains among other things the F1 licensing routines.

Bob,Let me think, cannot test because of grandpa tour of duty next weeks far away from FS.Just an example: after 12 hours of flying hydraulic fluid quantity lowers to a critical value so failures could occur.But who is flying more than 12 hours.....Tested this a few times (VHHH-NZAA vv, flew that one in reality 3 times) and the failures do occur.Starting fs9 next time normalizes the L:Var's of all aircraft systems via INIT or presiing GND when on the ground.Using your Logger.dll could mean that i start with the amount of hyd. fluid left from the last flight?If so, some interesting things will going to happen and ground maintainance becomes more mandatory.It will certainly result in a lot of coding!Jan

Edited January 10, 201214 yr by phjvh

Using your Logger.dll could mean that i start with the amount of hyd. fluid left from the last flight?

Hello Jan,Yes, that's right. I can think of two ways to approach saving the fluid level from the last flight. One is that you run a shutdown routine that saves the hydraulic fluid level L:Var right at shutdown. That would be:

@Path 'HydFluidLevel.txt' scat (>C:LOGGER:openWrite)(L:HydFluidLevel, number) (>C:LOGGER:number)1 (>C:LOGGER:closeWrite)

where the macro for the file path is something like

<Macro Name="Path">'C:Documents and SettingsusernameDesktopLOGGER'</Macro>

Alternatively, you might time that (>C:LOGGER:openWrite), (L:HydFluidLevel, number) (>C:LOGGER:number), (>C:LOGGER:closeWrite) sequence to automatically occur every, say, 30 seconds in your Update section. There will be no hit on performance or frame rate with that, the hydraulic fluid level will be saved to file every 30 seconds, so you won't need to remember to run the save to file routine at shutdown.Bob

Bob,(Didn't have time to explore things up until now)That sounds really exiting!It does mean a total overhaul of all aircraft systems and the fmc/gps.Could it mean also that you can load/read existing flightplans in the format of others, like level-d or pmdg?Anyway, reasons enough to not get bored the coming years with fs9!Jan

Bob, Works like a charm using WIN7 & FSX Accel... It is the perfect tool to figure out what's going on.. Right now we have semi-proved that the atmosphere between FSX SP2 & FSX ACCEL are different.. MACH --> IAS is different between the 2 versions, Engine thrust is wayyy off between the 2 versions etc... My partner has SP2 & I have ACCEL & we have been scratching our heads why his performance does not match mine, not even close, same test params.. We are using the same air file and aircraft.cfg.. We are just trying to find a nice medium for engine performance for the 2 versions.. With your new module I have brand new headache !!! LOL !!! Using it to set up a spreadsheet to find the differences. Thanks again, your tools have been invaluable.Roman

Could it mean also that you can load/read existing flightplans in the format of others, like level-d or pmdg?

Jan,Conceivably, yes, if those FP files are text files. Can you open them up at read them in WordPad or NotePad?Use of Logger requires that the user knows the structure of the file being read. So, you need to know, or be able to determine, where the waypoint records are located. Even if that can be done, in the xml world we are then limited to loading flight plans through the fs9gps module. Limitations with that include the inability of the gps module to write (set) Flight Plan Type (VFR or IFR), Route Type (Direct, VOR, Low Alt or High Alt Airways), Cruising Altitude and automatic engagement of Flight Sim’s ATC module. Flight Simulator’s Flight Planner (or perhaps a third party app that is not xml) is still required to set those variables. Having said that, I regularly save and load waypoint-only flight plans, SIDs and STARs using Logger and the gps module.But, I certainly agree with you that the ability to save L:Vars and initialize a panel when FS is loaded opens up a lot of opportunity to update our xml gauges.Incidentally, I also find that I really enjoy recording some FS flights with Logger and then re-playing them as tours in Google Earth. They can be pretty spectacular, at least, in my opinion.Cheers,Bob

Thanks again, your tools have been invaluable.

Hey Roman,Thanks to YOU for testing the Logger prototype. You pointed out the conflict when using RELOAD_PANELS, so I was able to make the Help file much more informative. Thanks a million for the great Q/C!BY THE WAY - Robbie will release BlackBox3 in a few hours. BB3 incorporates Logger. Now, values of any FS system A:Var, P:Var, E:Var or any L:Var in the panel can be written to .csv file instead of displaying the values on the screen. The BB interface makes it trivial to click which variables you want to record.Regards,Bob

Edited January 11, 201214 yr by Propwash