AIG OCI vs Regcodes

[DLH7LA 3]

Hey,

I recently started switching from FLAI to AIGs OCI since my modified liveries.xml is now obsolete 😄

But I discovered, that if I update the ATC_ID entries of the AIG OCI aircraft, the second I install another livery with the same model, the AIG Manager will check an rearange the aircraft.cfg, deleting my manual entries...
There are plenty of aircraft with the same aircraft type and airline, for example for old color vs new color, several special liveries (Emirates Expo stickers), alliance liveres, different engines etc.

Maybe I am overthinking this and there is already an easy solution (other then the SPECIALS parameter) to this but maybe it could be possible to create a file (similar to the old liveries.xml) with only those aircraft with more then one entry for same airline + type? My SPECIALS parameter is also filling up very quickly, making it a super long line...

The idea in my head is for PSXT to create a file like this:

Spoiler

MULTIPLE OPTIONS 

<liveries detected>
  <livery airline="CFG" type="B763" folder="1" title="FLAi_B763_CFG-Condor NC" atc_id="" special="" />
  <livery airline="CFG" type="B763" folder="1" title="FLAi_B763_CFG-Condor OC" atc_id="" special="" />
  <livery airline="CFG" type="B763" folder="1" title="FLAi_B763_CFG-Condor Retro" atc_id="D-ABUM" special="" />

<liveries edited>
[...]

So the users can edit this file to something like this, where PSXT sorts it after unedited and edited, the edited part should never get automatically changed, for example when OCI releases an update

Spoiler

<liveries detected>
[...]

<liveries edited>
   <livery airline="CFG" type="B763" folder="1" cargo="false" title="FLAi_B763_CFG-Condor NC" atc_id="D-ABUA,D-ABUB,D-ABUD,D-ABUE,D-ABUF,D-ABUH,D-ABUL,D-ABUO,D-ABUP,D-ABUS,D-ABUT,D-ABUZ" special="" />
   <livery airline="CFG" type="B763" folder="1" cargo="false" title="FLAi_B763_CFG-Condor OC" atc_id="D-ABUC,D-ABUI,D-ABUK" special="" />
   <livery airline="CFG" type="B763" folder="1" cargo="false" title="FLAi_B763_CFG-Condor Retro" atc_id="D-ABUM" special="1" />

I realise that there wont be many users using this, so maybe it could be optional to activate with a hidden parameter?

With the OCI there are plenty of PVT and GOV fixes already, but I still have some on my list, mostly its USAF and USN, which should be fixed to GOV.

And my last suggestion for this year (😄), maybe you could add some "opf" info for DHL and Amazon to the regionals as well? There are plenty of airlines that fly on behalf of DHL and Amazon with different colors then there housecolors.

Thank you as always for your support!!

[kiek 1,229]

2 hours ago, DLH7LA said:

I recently started switching from FLAI to AIGs OCI since my modified liveries.xml is now obsolete 😄

The AI_liveries.xml file was never meant for users making changes... I've always warned users not to do so ...

It is used to pass information from one phase (liveries search) to the next phase (aircraft matching). In former days we had AILGenerator for the first phase, so the file was visible. Now it is only visible if it is needed in a Client Server situation. 

 

2 hours ago, DLH7LA said:

But I discovered, that if I update the ATC_ID entries of the AIG OCI aircraft, the second I install another livery with the same model, the AIG Manager will check an rearange the aircraft.cfg, deleting my manual entries...
There are plenty of aircraft with the same aircraft type and airline, for example for old color vs new color, several special liveries (Emirates Expo stickers), alliance liveres, different engines etc.Ma

Well, then you better not use the AIG Manager. Or use it at a different PC or at another disk and copy (only the new) aircraft models and liveries to your Simulator.

This way you can control it does not overwrite the already existing [fltsim.x] sections, and you can keep on using multiple regcodes to differentiate, groups of differences within an airline + type combination (One-worls vs normal, Sharklets/ No Sharklets, etc ..).

 

2 hours ago, DLH7LA said:

With the OCI there are plenty of PVT and GOV fixes already, but I still have some on my list, mostly its USAF and USN, which should be fixed to GOV.

USAF and USN are added in version 30.0

 

2 hours ago, DLH7LA said:

And my last suggestion for this year (😄), maybe you could add some "opf" info for DHL and Amazon to the regionals as well? There are plenty of airlines that fly on behalf of DHL and Amazon with different colors then there housecolors.

I will do that if you give me the list of airlines and aircraft that fly on behalf of other operators, with their regcodes.  Be aware that this is only usefull if they fly in real live (and therefore in RealTraffic too)  under a different airline code then DHL or Amazon.  Although it is yet a mystery to mee what the airline code for Amazon would be...) 

Cheers,

Nico

[DLH7LA 3]

18 hours ago, kiek said:

The AI_liveries.xml file was never meant for users making changes... I've always warned users not to do so ...

Yep you did, and with the recent changes to PSXT I needed to change my way of editing so I wanted to start fresh with the whole AIG package with way more airlines and special liveries, it was just so much easier to edit one sorted file instead of over 350 files with the need to scroll and search a lot more...

18 hours ago, kiek said:

Well, then you better not use the AIG Manager. Or use it at a different PC or at another disk and copy (only the new) aircraft models and liveries to your Simulator.

This way you can control it does not overwrite the already existing [fltsim.x] sections, and you can keep on using multiple regcodes to differentiate, groups of differences within an airline + type combination (One-worls vs normal, Sharklets/ No Sharklets, etc ..).

Thats what I was afraid of, this will make AIG updates fairly complicated, as there are too many AIG planes without any reg at all, including special liveries. But it seems like this is the only way to get them working correctly with PSXT. Im glad i still got some space on my SSD left 😄
Unfortunatly AIG decidided to stick to their own offline AI options, only opening up a little bit for VATSIM matchmaking. I always hoped for a simple one-click downloader of all liveries without all the flightplans and those many small flightplan updates, like the FLAI pack, but this will probably never happen.

18 hours ago, kiek said:

USAF and USN are added in version 30.0

Thanks!

18 hours ago, kiek said:

I will do that if you give me the list of airlines and aircraft that fly on behalf of other operators, with their regcodes.  Be aware that this is only usefull if they fly in real live (and therefore in RealTraffic too)  under a different airline code then DHL or Amazon.  Although it is yet a mystery to mee what the airline code for Amazon would be...) 

Will share those to when I get there! They all operate with their original airline codes, so no differentiation to the 'operated for' flights The problem is not the live matching, I can control those with the regs easily as those fleets are fairly small. The problem is the static aircraft created, for example on several airports an original Atlas Air parks at different stands / ramps then the Atlas Air - operated for DHL flights. Other airports maybe served only with their original colors and they never see the 'operated for' colors.

Thanks and happy new year!

[DLH7LA 3]

On 12/31/2021 at 5:09 PM, kiek said:

I will do that if you give me the list of airlines and aircraft that fly on behalf of other operators, with their regcodes.  Be aware that this is only usefull if they fly in real live (and therefore in RealTraffic too)  under a different airline code then DHL or Amazon.  Although it is yet a mystery to mee what the airline code for Amazon would be...) 

I just figured out that planespotters.net lists all aircraft of DHL and Amazon including all operated by aircraft, DHL has many own aircraft or operator that exclusivly fly for DHL but for Amazon it is quite easy as they dont have any own aircraft (for now).

https://www.planespotters.net/airline/DHL

https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Amazon-Prime-Air

AIG already uses AMZ as a fakecode for Amazon, this code has been used last in 1998 so it should be safe to use 😄

Are those lists of good use for you?

[kiek 1,229]

27 minutes ago, DLH7LA said:

I just figured out that planespotters.net lists all aircraft of DHL and Amazon including all operated by aircraft, DHL has many own aircraft or operator that exclusivly fly for DHL but for Amazon it is quite easy as they dont have any own aircraft (for now).

https://www.planespotters.net/airline/DHL

https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Amazon-Prime-Air

AIG already uses AMZ as a fakecode for Amazon, this code has been used last in 1998 so it should be safe to use 😄

Are those lists of good use for you?

Yes I know these lists, I've used them to find the US regional carriers and some opf DHL airlines ... It is still a lot of work.

AMZ is the ICAO code for an airline in Nigeria. I think PRM for Prime Air is better.

 

Edited January 3, 2022 by kiek

[DLH7LA 3]

And some more GOV (to be-) fixes from the OCI:
201AS
73AS
MIL
USA
USM
VMR1
VR57
VR59
VR61

Slowely the PSXT errorlist gets shorter... 🙂

[kiek 1,229]

2 hours ago, DLH7LA said:

And some more GOV (to be-) fixes from the OCI:
201AS
73AS
MIL
USA
USM
VMR1
VR57
VR59
VR61

Slowely the PSXT errorlist gets shorter... 🙂

Copied.

FYI: I already have add 85 cargo aircraft operating for Amazon to the dbase.xml, and quite a lot of aircraft operating for DHL. Will become available in 30.1

Edited January 4, 2022 by kiek