Flight Monitor v1.0 - a moving map for MS Flight

[cyberix 4]

Flight Monitor is a moving map application for use with Microsoft Flight (not FS9 or FSX). I created this after being frustrated by the limitations of FSWidget's "GMap for Flight". The things I wanted to add were:

 

1. Allow the window to be resized or maximised.

2. Don't require Flight to be in Hawaii or Alaska on startup.

3. Don't require the HUD displayed to be displayed in Flight to show the aircraft heading.

4. Allow loading of flight plans created using Plan-G.

5. Add "direct-to" functionality.

 

Although I created Flight Monitor primarily for my own use, since it builds on stonelance's Flight Toolkit and may be of use to the diminishing Flight community, I thought I would make it available for all to play with!

 

Thanks to stonelance for the Flight Toolkit, and for the help he gave me when I first started this project.

 

If you'd like to take a look, I have made it available for all (I hope!) at:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dso3u20i1n2tchz/AAAp-iVyX_eAMCfExKpzsn4Qa?dl=0

 

Note: Flight Monitor requires the Flight Toolkit by stonelance (http://flighttoolkit.com), and also the .NET framework 4.6.1 or later, available from https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=49981

 

It also requires an internet connection to download the maps.

 

Regards,

 

Mike

 

[EzRyder 35]

Looks like something I have been looking for thanks I will try it out.

[EzRyder 35]

program doesn't run for me, just exits on start.

copied 3 files to toolkit program files directory and

using Win10 - net framework states "already installed"

[cyberix 4]

Sorry about that AirWayMan.

 

Was there any error message before it exited? There may be one hidden in the Windows Application event log. I haven't tested on Windows 10 yet, I'm afraid. If Flight Toolkit is installed in your program files folder, then you may need to run Flight Monitor as administrator.

[jandjfrench 3]

Sounds great.  I'm looking forward to trying it but need to get my system in order first.

Jim F. 

[EzRyder 35]

No Error message other than windows telling me that "FlightMonitor has stopped working"

"A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Please close the program"

 

I tried running the program as admin before my above post and again but ... , also added the readme to directory but no help there either.

 

I will be happy to look through the "Windows Application event log" if you can tell me where that file might be found 

[cyberix 4]

AirWayMan, I have now tested on both Windows 10 Home 32-bit and Windows 10 Professional 64-bit. In both cases, I get no errors, and FlightMonitor runs correctly. Could you confirm the following, please:

 

1. You have the latest version of FlightToolkit installed (v1.1.12).

2. SimDataEditor.exe (part of the toolkit) runs without errors?

 

The windows event logs are available by pressing the Windows key and R, and then entering eventvwr.exe into the "Run" window that will appear. Click on "Windows Logs" then "Application" and look in the list of events for lines that start with "Error" and have a "Source" of ".NET runtime. Click that line, and post a copy of the message in the "General" tab at the bottom of the window... it may look something like this...

 

Application: FlightMonitor.exe

Framework Version: v4.0.30319

Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.

Exception Info: System.IO.FileNotFoundException

   at FlightMonitor.frmMain..ctor()

   at FlightMonitor.Program.Main() 

[EzRyder 35]

hmm, SimDataEditor works fine BUT I'm using the 'latest' version of the tools posted here on the forum which is version 1.1.22 NOT 1.1.12

 

the error from Win Event log .NET is exactly what you posted (I cant get it to paste to this forum but its an exact duplicate)

 

Under 'Source' Application it shows 'Faulting module as KERNELBASE.dll, version 10.0.10586.162'

 

I would install an older version of toolkit if it might help but the toolkit homepage doesn't show a version 1.1.12 - it has 1.1.22, 1.1.6, 1.1.2, and 1.1.1 only (hopefully 1.1.12 was just a typo)

 

BTW I'm using Win 10 Home version 10.0.10586

ok I figured out what I was doing wrong, added the files using "open file location" from the shortcut NOT the actual file so added the files to the wrong location. Sorry for the trouble, I figured this out browsing to the correct program location to start SimDataEditor, and realized the files where NOT there.

 

Now I just need to try it out some     Again I apologize for the trouble and thank you for your work and effort.

[EzRyder 35]

Wow, great stuff, having the ability load a flight plan and follow the route in a similar manner to a gps is a big move for me.

 

While I couldn't seem to load FSX flight plans without an error this is no concern at all since its a simple matter to load them in Plan-G and convert them to that format which works perfectly.

 

The only thing I could even ask for is the ability to connect via something like Simconnect (since I don't have dual monitors) but hey that's not really a problem, it's a big help for me to enjoy flight.

 

I have just tried it a couple times but will be using it a lot I'm sure.

 

Thank You very much for sharing this excellent program.

[cyberix 4]

No problem, glad it's working for you now. BTW, me putting 1.1.12 was a typo - I did mean 1.1.22!

 

Sorry about the FSX flightplan problem - I don't tend to use them myself, so it was a bit of an afterthought. I'll have another look at that. My main problem with them is that they contain a lot less information than Plan-G ones do.

 

There will be a new release in the not too distant future with a few new features (flightplan following and some GPS-like displays at least). Other suggestions welcomed. We'd need to get Stonelance to look at the connectivity to make it work across a network - I'm just using what he provides.

[diederik1 4]

Nice program, works fine! Thanks.

[EzRyder 35]

I completely agree with you on not using FSX flight plans so not sure that's even worth spending time on - for those that want they can open them and export from Plan-G and all is well, its a much better planner for sure.

 

Another suggestion would be to move/change the options menu so it doesn't get 'lost' when you shrink the screen. Although this is not a big deal, I just get it all set up before shrinking it down to an 'inflight' usable size. With that and maybe an option to keep it "Always on Top" it might be usable in Full Screen. But please don't do any extra work on my suggestions, I'm no programmer and have no idea what might be involved. All in all its a great program and I will likely be using it practically all the time.

 

Great Work 

[mibmab 6]

Great program - works well! And it shows what could have been if DTG might have built on the Flight core...

[cyberix 4]

Now that the new version of the Flight Toolkit is available, I have released version 1.1 of Flight Monitor at https://www.dropbox....ExKpzsn4Qa?dl=0

 

Change notes:

 

1. Updated to use v1.1.28 of the Flight Toolkit.

2. Changed from Google Maps to Open Streetmaps (better coverage of airports - can now search for ICAO codes).

3. Added automatic connection/disconnection to Flight.

4. Several minor UI changes (including Options button now located on the left, not right side).

5. Improved incorporation of magnetic variance to headings.

6. Added flight parameters display to top of window (toggleable).

7. Added "always on top" functionality (available from options menu).

8. Added switch between Flight and Flight Monitor hotkey (Ctrl-Alt-F).

9. Added global hotkeys for almost all Flight Monitor commands (add Alt to the shortcut listed on the Options menu).

10. Fixed FSX flight plan import.

 

The new global shortcut keys work even when Flight has focus.

 

Regards,

 

Mike

[cyberix 4]

Version 1.2 released (same download link as above). The only change is to use Bing Maps rather than Open Streetmaps, due to changes in the Open Streetmaps terms of use.