Little Navmap 3.0.1.beta released

[albar965]

17 hours ago, Gason71 said:

After using it for a while, I can say that version 3.0.1 seems more stable than 3.0.0 (the latter did crash a couple of times).
Here the same environment as usual - Fedora Linux (F39 now) with the latest kernel.

Thanks. Good to know. 3.0.2.beta which I wanted to publish some time ago already should be more stable

 

17 hours ago, Gason71 said:

PS: I've changed the name of the account because I am unifying the names of my accounts on different sites, but it's still the same person

I did not even notice since you sign your posts.🙃
BTW: Do not ever unify passwords on different accounts. Biggest security breach ever.

Alex

[Gason71]

2 hours ago, albar965 said:

BTW: Do not ever unify passwords on different accounts. Biggest security breach ever.

I'm sysadmin and using Bitwarden with strong passwords, even don't try to memorize these ... 🙃

Regards,
Piotr

[Mike7777]

Thank you for the latest version!  

I'd like to run the beta version side-by-side with the stable version (in Portable mode).  Tried to follow the steps from the Release screen and link.  Just can't get it right.

I'm on Windows 11 and want to install/run from my main SSD (not from a USB, etc). Can you point me towards some detailed instructions? 

Thank you, greatly appreciated!

EDIT: I made progress... now I have an error message from LNM.  Caught exception in file ..\littlenavmap\src\main.cpp line 422.  Tried to upload a screenshot but no go.  I'll try again shortly.

 

Edited February 2 by Mike7777
more detail

[albar965]

53 minutes ago, Mike7777 said:

I'd like to run the beta version side-by-side with the stable version (in Portable mode).  Tried to follow the steps from the Release screen and link.  Just can't get it right.

normally not a big deal but I forgot in my instructions that you have to download one of the Zip archives.😑

Download here (https://github.com/albar965/littlenavmap/releases/download/v3.0.1.beta/LittleNavmap-win64-3.0.1.beta.zip) for MSFS/X-Plane or here (https://github.com/albar965/littlenavmap/releases/download/v3.0.1.beta/LittleNavmap-win32-3.0.1.beta.zip) for FSX/P3D.

Unzip to any place and double click on "Little Navmap Portable.cmd". That's it. The program will start from scratch with all the welcome dialog windows. All settings and databases are stored in the extracted folder besides the "littlenavmap.exe". Keep this in mind when installing a new version that you have to copy the folders "Little Navmap Cache", "Little Navmap Logs" and "Little Navmap Settings" over to the new installation after updating.

If you still see an exception send me the log file or even better an issue report (menu Tools -> "Create an issue report"). The following dialog window explains the rest.

Alex

[FederFlyer]

I updated to 3.0.1 beta and am loving the improved search function. I create sightseeing flight plans and it is now much easier to find airports and points of interest. Little Navmap continues to be an amazing application.

I wanted to report an issue: Often when loading a .pln file, the cruising altitude is displayed as 11,500 feet, regardless of what the cruising altitude is in the .pln file. If I then save the plan with the correct altitude, it correctly saves it. But the next time I open the file, it once again displays 11,500.

I cannot find a setting that is causing this behavior. This behavior only began after I updated the version.

My flight plans are low and slow. When I load a plan that is low-altitude (example: 1,000 feet), is LNM determining that the route is violating flight restrictions and defaulting to 11,500 feet? If so, how do I stop the behavior?

Thanks!

 

[albar965]

1 hour ago, FederFlyer said:

I wanted to report an issue: Often when loading a .pln file, the cruising altitude is displayed as 11,500 feet, regardless of what the cruising altitude is in the .pln file. If I then save the plan with the correct altitude, it correctly saves it. But the next time I open the file, it once again displays 11,500.

I don't see this here. Can you paste the contents of such a file into a post here? Does these PLN files contain airways or procedures which might affect the altitude?

Glad you like the improved search function.🙂

Alex

[FederFlyer]

This is one of the misbehaving flight plans. This is only happening with some flight plans, not all. The misbehaving files consistently misbehave, and the unaffected files remain unaffected. So it appears to be specific to the route. These are strictly visual routes. I don't use any airways info.

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="AceXML" version="1,0">
    <Descr>AceXML Document</Descr>
    <FlightPlan.FlightPlan>
        <Title>VCCS to VCCS</Title>
        <FPType>VFR</FPType>
        <RouteType>Direct</RouteType>
        <CruisingAlt>2000</CruisingAlt>
        <DepartureID>VCCS</DepartureID>
        <DepartureLLA>N7° 57' 28.31",E80° 43' 47.05",+000643.00</DepartureLLA>
        <DestinationID>VCCS</DestinationID>
        <DestinationLLA>N7° 57' 28.31",E80° 43' 47.05",+000643.00</DestinationLLA>
        <Descr>VCCS, VCCS created by Little Navmap 3.0.1.beta</Descr>
        <DepartureName>Sigiriya</DepartureName>
        <DestinationName>Sigiriya</DestinationName>
        <AppVersion>
            <AppVersionMajor>11</AppVersionMajor>
            <AppVersionBuild>282174</AppVersionBuild>
        </AppVersion>
        <ATCWaypoint id="VCCS">
            <ATCWaypointType>Airport</ATCWaypointType>
            <WorldPosition>N7° 57' 28.31",E80° 43' 47.05",+000643.00</WorldPosition>
            <ICAO>
                <ICAOIdent>VCCS</ICAOIdent>
            </ICAO>
        </ATCWaypoint>
        <ATCWaypoint id="Sigiriya Fortress (bear left here)">
            <ATCWaypointType>User</ATCWaypointType>
            <WorldPosition>N7° 57' 25.57",E80° 45' 34.96",+002000.00</WorldPosition>
            <ICAO>
                <ICAOIdent>Sigiriya Fortress (bear left here)</ICAOIdent>
            </ICAO>
        </ATCWaypoint>
        <ATCWaypoint id="Sigiriya Fortress (bear left here)">
            <ATCWaypointType>User</ATCWaypointType>
            <WorldPosition>N7° 57' 25.55",E80° 45' 35.90",+002000.00</WorldPosition>
            <ICAO>
                <ICAOIdent>Sigiriya Fortress (bear left here)</ICAOIdent>
            </ICAO>
        </ATCWaypoint>
        <ATCWaypoint id="Turn left here">
            <ATCWaypointType>User</ATCWaypointType>
            <WorldPosition>N7° 58' 18.56",E80° 46' 8.47",+002000.00</WorldPosition>
            <ICAO>
                <ICAOIdent>Turn left here</ICAOIdent>
            </ICAO>
        </ATCWaypoint>
        <ATCWaypoint id="Turn left here">
            <ATCWaypointType>User</ATCWaypointType>
            <WorldPosition>N7° 58' 19.20",E80° 46' 8.83",+002000.00</WorldPosition>
            <ICAO>
                <ICAOIdent>Turn left here</ICAOIdent>
            </ICAO>
        </ATCWaypoint>
        <ATCWaypoint id="Turn left here">
            <ATCWaypointType>User</ATCWaypointType>
            <WorldPosition>N7° 58' 51.66",E80° 45' 2.80",+002000.00</WorldPosition>
            <ICAO>
                <ICAOIdent>Turn left here</ICAOIdent>
            </ICAO>
        </ATCWaypoint>
        <ATCWaypoint id="Turn left here">
            <ATCWaypointType>User</ATCWaypointType>
            <WorldPosition>N7° 58' 52.23",E80° 45' 1.57",+002000.00</WorldPosition>
            <ICAO>
                <ICAOIdent>Turn left here</ICAOIdent>
            </ICAO>
        </ATCWaypoint>
        <ATCWaypoint id="Sigiriya (VCCS) land here">
            <ATCWaypointType>User</ATCWaypointType>
            <WorldPosition>N7° 57' 45.85",E80° 44' 1.64",+002000.00</WorldPosition>
            <ICAO>
                <ICAOIdent>Sigiriya (VCCS) land here</ICAOIdent>
            </ICAO>
        </ATCWaypoint>
        <ATCWaypoint id="Sigiriya (VCCS) land here">
            <ATCWaypointType>User</ATCWaypointType>
            <WorldPosition>N7° 57' 45.14",E80° 44' 0.98",+002000.00</WorldPosition>
            <ICAO>
                <ICAOIdent>Sigiriya (VCCS) land here</ICAOIdent>
            </ICAO>
        </ATCWaypoint>
        <ATCWaypoint id="VCCS">
            <ATCWaypointType>Airport</ATCWaypointType>
            <WorldPosition>N7° 57' 28.31",E80° 43' 47.05",+000643.00</WorldPosition>
            <ICAO>
                <ICAOIdent>VCCS</ICAOIdent>
            </ICAO>
        </ATCWaypoint>
    </FlightPlan.FlightPlan>
</SimBase.Document>

 

Edited February 3 by FederFlyer

[FederFlyer]

To clarify, the flight plans are for beginners and casual flyers who just want to take off, see something, and land. The flight plan instructions include turning off ATC features and to not use the autopilot or copilot, to avoid having MSFS override the specific waypoint locations.

Additional info: the double-waypoints are intentional. They prevent MSFS from prematurely moving to the next waypoint during slow flights. This technique has not been an issue with previous versions of LNM flight plans.

 

 

Edited February 3 by FederFlyer

[FederFlyer]

FYI, in case it provides a clue: I saved the plan as IFR with a cruising altitude of 2,000 feet. I opened the saved IFR file in Notepad and verified the cruising altitude was 2,000 feet. I then opened the IFR plan in LNM and the cruising altitude was displayed as 23,000 feet (2x the erroneous 11,500 feet when I saved it as VFR).

 

[Gason71]

A moment ago I've made some experiments, and I think it's caused by performance parameters in the aircraft profile, so it means the chosen aircraft isn't able to perform this leg.
It's because the whole route is only ~6NM long, aircraft has to climb ~1400" up and descent ~1400" down (airport altitude is ~629"),
LNM calculates climbing and descending distances based on aircraft performance profile and when isn't able to calculate TOC and TOD, it gives default altitude, in this case 11500" on my side. 
If you make a fake profile for very slow aircraft with good climbing rate, everything should be OK. 

Example aircraft performance profile that I've made for these experiments: 
SUPER ULM - average climb speed: 60kts, avg. vertical climb speed: 600fpm, cruise speed 90kts, avg. desc. speed: 60kts, avg. vert. desc. speed: -600fpm

When you set such an aircraft as above** (before importing flight plan from PLN file), your flight plan will be read correctly in LNM with correct altitude 2000ft  
I hope it helps you 🙂


Regards,
Piotr

ps. **of course, any other aircraft will be also OK if only will be able to perform this leg 😛

 

Edited February 3 by Gason71

[albar965]

@FederFlyer Thanks you a lot for the file. The plan is a bit too short for a cruising altitude at 2000 ft. LNM cannot calculate the elevation profile therefore (using default C172 performance) and tries a best guess when loading. This again fails because of the short plan.

Maybe try a modified aircraft profile which has a higher average climb rate for lower altitudes? 1500 ft cruise work too here reloading the PLN.

BTW: LNM can load MSFS PLN files and tries its best to restore all information but keep in mind that you save the files in LNMPLN format before exporting to PLN. Something always gets lost when saving and reloading in other formats (like remarks, for example).

LNM can deal with roundtrip plans. It can even deal with one airport only in the plan for pattern work (to see progress and distance for the set airport).

Alex

 

 

[Mike7777]

On 2/2/2024 at 9:32 AM, albar965 said:

normally not a big deal but I forgot in my instructions that you have to download one of the Zip archives.😑

Thank you!  I'm just glad it wasn't me overlooking something simple. 

Good to know that there's an Issue Report function built-in.  Very cool   

Thanks again, I sure do appreciate it!

Michael Roberts

Baltimore, MD.  USA

Edited February 4 by Mike7777
Spacing

[FederFlyer]

Alex and Piotr - thank you very much for your time and the information. It makes sense, but I would have never figured that out on my own.

Creating low, slow flight plans is challenging because MSFS waypoint management is not designed to accommodate closely-placed points, with short legs, frequent turns, and persistent display of points until the aircraft actually passes them. I have discovered a variety of techniques and workarounds that overcome these limitations. Adding a fake performance file is an easy addition to my tool box.

Thank you!

Rick

P.S. I just tried a fake aircraft performance profile and it worked great!

 

Edited February 4 by FederFlyer