Build 14 of FSX Planner is now available (June 2)

[LuisFelizTirado 33]

Hello Russell,XP with all the automatic updates. Could it be that I am missing some Java element? I have both 1.4 and the latest release 6 installed.Best regards.Luis

[Guest rf360m]

>Hello Russell,>>XP with all the automatic updates. Could it be that I am>missing some Java element? I have both 1.4 and the latest>release 6 installed.>>Best regards.>>LuisDo you know which version of java, 1.4 or 6, is actually being used? To find out open a command window and type 'java -version' (without the quotes).The recent file list is stored here:C:Documents and SettingsApplication DatazBlueSoftwareFSXPlannerIs there a recent files xml file in there on your machine?-Russell

[LuisFelizTirado 33]

Hello Russell,I am using the latest Java:java version "1.6.0_02"Java SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_02-b06)Java HotSpot Client VM (build 1.6.0_02-b06, mixed mode, sharing)And here are the contents of the xml files:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/175995.jpgI have already worked on a half dozen airports, but only one shows up in each file:Here is the Recent Files menu:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/175996.jpgAnd the airport that should have coordinates saved shows this when checking background images:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/175997.jpgNothing there.I was not even aware of the existence of these xml files, but I shall try deleting them and see what happens.Thank you.Best regards.Luis

[Guest rf360m]

Hi all,Release 22 of FSX Planne is now available. This one was aimed at fixing several bugs. Some new functionality was added, but mostly bug fixes and small improvements.What's new:* An error check has been added to check for altitudes that do not corrispond with the airport altitude.* ILS Hold Short Lines are now displayed at the appropriate taxiway nodes.* There is now an option which allows the user to set the diameter of a vertex point. This is five feet by default but can be changed under the Defaults tab of the Preferences dialog.* There is now a series of set up screens that are displayed the first time FSX Planner is run. These are intended to show the various configuration options available within FSX Planner, and to allow the user to set them to their preference. These options can be set in the set up screens, or at any time in the future.Bug fixes:* Fixed a bug that caused the New Airport functionality to fail.* Fixed a bug that caused background images to be displayed incorrectly at certain zoom levels.* Fixed a bug that caused single digit runway numbers to be read incorrectly and not display properly.* Fixed a bug that prevented the tower scenery object from being recorded when clicking the Display Tower Scenery Object checkbox in the Tower Data display.* Fixed a bug that caused a copied scsnery object to be pasted as a tower.* Fixed a bug that prevented certain values from being recorded if the user entered a new value for an object and then clicked on a different object before hitting return.* Apron and Fuel Trigger vertices are now highlighted when they are selected.The FSX Planner home page is here: www.zbluesoftware.com/fsxplannerFSX Planner can be downloaded here: www.zbluesoftware.com/fsxplanner/download.cfmThanks and enjoy!-Russell

[Guest rf360m]

Hi all,Release 23 of FSX Planner is now available. This release only contains one update, but it is a big one. BGL files can now be opened directly, eliminating the need to to use programs that convert bgl files to xml files in order to work with airports in FSX Planner.There are two ways FSX Planner lets you open BGL file:1) File -> Open Airport BGL - This option should be used if you know the exact BGL file you wish to open. You will have to navigate to the file, select it, and then it will be decompiled and opened. If the file contains more than one airport, then you will be presented with a list of the airports it contains, allowing you to choose the one you want to open.2) File -> Find Airport - This option should be used if you want to open a default FSX airport, and don't know where it is located. This dialog can search the airports by scanning the scenery files themselves, or by using the SDK's fs10.Airports.dat file. The latter is only necessary if you are using FSX Planner on a machine that does not have FSX installed. (If this is the case, then you won't be able to open the airport after finding it.)Scanning the airports is the easiest way to go. Before searching for an airport for the first time you must scan all the airports. Click the Scan Airports button to do this. After this one time scan, you can search for an airport by either ICAO code or by name. A list of airports that partially or fully match the entered ICAO code or name will be displayed. To open an airport double click on its name in the table.There is also an installer for FSX Planner now. It can be downloaded from the website here: www.zbluesoftware.com/fsxplannerThis release took a lot of work, and we will probably take a short break from development over the next week to recharge. I'll still be on the forums regularly though.Thanks, and enjoy!-Russell

[Guest]

I've been talking up this great product. I'm wondering why you are collecting personal information now in order to download?

[Guest rf360m]

>I've been talking up this great product. I'm wondering why>you are collecting personal information now in order to>download?So we can keep in contact with our users and let them know when new updates are available, as well as knowing how many people are actually downloading it. Just standard practices. :)-Russell

[Guest]

Actually, I think standard practice is to give email updates as an option.Thanks,Paul Dahlen

[Guest rf360m]

There is an opt-out option for those who do not want to receive any information.-Russell

[Guest rf360m]

Hi all,FSX Planner release 24 is now available. This one contains numerous bug fixes as well as some new functionality. The main new peice of functionality is a built in updater so that future updates can be downloaded and installed from within the application removing the need to have to redownload and reinstall the entire application.Updates in Release 24:* An update feature has been incorporated into FSX Planner. This is available by selecting File -> Check For Updates. This allows you to download and install future updates without having to redownload and install the entire FSX Planner application.* Synchronizing the tower scenery object to the tower viewpoint now only tracks the latitude and longitude. This allows for different altitudes between the viewpoint and scenery object.* When opening xml files, both the airport icao code and the file name are now used to see if the airport is already open. This allows for multiple versions of the same airport to be open simultaneously as long as they are saved in different files.* A button labeled 'add names' has been added next to the name field of the taxiway path properties display. This button is a shortcut to the add taxiway path names dialog.* When FSX Planner is closed a dialog will be displayed for each open airport asking whether or not you want to save the airport.* Moving an apron or a fuel trigger is now an undoable event.* The type and size of the plane used to represent the simulator plane is now remembered between sessions.* Background images can now be turned on or off individually. This lets you have multiple images associated with an airport, but only have certain ones displayed at one time.Bug fixes:* Fixed a bug which prevented runway taxiway path numbers for runways between 1 and 9 from being displayed in the properties display after an airport had been decompiled form a bgl file.* Fixed a bug which caused the approach leg fix type to be occassionally incorrectly read.* Fixed a bug that caused certain jetway scenery objects to be read inccorectly, resulting in errors when trying to compile the airport to a bgl file.* Fixed a bug that caused FSX Planner to hang while certain airports, such as PAWD, were being decompiled if the runway contained certain objects.* Fixed a bug that was due to rounding errors causing incorrect altitude warnings when running error checking.* Fixed a bug that caused Tower altitude checks to be calculated as above sea level instead of above ground level.* Fixed some bugs associated with object locking that allowed aprons and fuel triggers to still be moved even if they were locked.* Scenery objects did not have the display name set when an xml file was opened. This resulted in blank display names for all scenery objects until the scenery object's properties were displayed. This bug has been fixed.* Fixed a bug that caused GUIDs to be decompiled incorrectly.As usual FSX Planner can be downloaded from the website here: www.zbluesoftware.com/fsxplanner-Russell

[Guest rf360m]

Hi all,Release 25 of FSX Planner is now available. This features some new functionality, as well as several bug fixes. You can download it at the usual website here, www.zbluesoftware.com/fsxplanner, or you can use the update functionality to download the update, by selecting File -> Check For Updates.Updates in Build 25* Exclusion rectangles can now be drawn as just outlines, by selecting the Display Border Only checkbox in the Exclusion Rectangle Data display. This allows you to have multiple exclusion rectangles over each other and still be able to select and work with all of them.* There is now an option to display the lighting of the airport. This is available by selecting Navigation -> Display Lighting. All taxiway and runway lighting will then be displayed.* Approach Transition Legs can now be edited. Transitions are displayed in a third table in the Approach Editing Dialog. You can double click on a transition to edit it in a similar fashion to editing an approach.* Moving an exclusion rectangle is now an undoable event.* Improved the display of Helipads to properly show closed, transparency, circles, H, medical and square helipad markings.* Adding a fuel trigger, scenery object or ILS beam using the buttons in the object data display now sets the display option for the items (ie fuel triggers, scenery objects or ils beams) to be turned on to ensure you can see the newly created object.* After exiting the Background Images dialog, the display flag for background images is now turned on the ensure you can see the background images.* FSX Planner now checks for background images in a folder called FSXPlanner located within your My Pictures folder. Note that FSX Planner does not automatically put images in this folder, instead it leaves them in their original location. However, if they are not found in their original location, then FSX Planner checkes the above folder for them.Bug Fixes:* Fixed some bugs associated with the selection and dragging of the vertices of exclusion rectangles.* Fixed a bug that caused the helipad closed flag to be incorrectly decompiled from bgl files.* Fixed a bug that prevented Runway Fixed Distance marks from being correctly read from and written to the xml files.* Fixed a bug that caused meter or feet measurements to be incorrectly changed if you selected Meters from a combobox that was already set to Meters; or Feet from a combobox that wa already set to Feet.* Fixed a bug that caused measurements to be incremented by varying multiples of 3.28 if more than one airport was open at a time, or if more than one airport had been open at any time since FSX Planner was opened.* Fixed a bug that caused some VASI types to be incorrectly decompiled form bgl files. This could result in compile time errors stating that the VASI did not have a valid type assignment.Also, we have several how-to-guide available here http://www.zbluesoftware.com/fsxplanner/features.cfm, as well as under the new Help menu within FSX Planner: This list of guides will continue to grow over time.-Russell

[Guest odog1999]

Hi Russell,Thanks for the ability to edit transitions from within the editor :)There appears to be a bug in the dialog for the localizer/DME, where modifying the lat/lon for the DME or G/S reverts to the respective latitude or longitude of the localizer. For example, if the localizer is at 44.1094238667, -123.2187533131 and the DME/glide slope is at 44.1328322000, -123.2206386532, and I change the latitude of the DME to 44.132800000, as soon as I tab out or select something else it changes to 44.1094238667, -123.2187533131Thanks,Owen

[Guest rf360m]

>Hi Russell,>>Thanks for the ability to edit transitions from within the>editor :)>>There appears to be a bug in the dialog for the localizer/DME,>where modifying the lat/lon for the DME or G/S reverts to the>respective latitude or longitude of the localizer. For>example, if the localizer is at 44.1094238667, -123.2187533131>and the DME/glide slope is at 44.1328322000, -123.2206386532,>and I change the latitude of the DME to 44.132800000, as soon>as I tab out or select something else it changes to>44.1094238667, -123.2187533131>>Thanks,>OwenI will check it out and have it fixed as appropriate. Thanks for pointing it out. :)-Russell

[Guest rf360m]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hi all,Release 26 of FSX Planner is now available. This release is mainly aimed at two improvements in FSX Planner. The first is to do with the bgl file decompile process, and the second is to do with simconnect.Hopefully these changes will make FSX Planner faster and easier for everyone.Here are the changes:* The SimConnect functionality has been improved. When connecting to FSX runnning on the same computer as FSX Planneer, the SimConnect.xml file is no longer necessary. FSX Planner will determine the correct port and automatically connect on that port. To use this option, select the Local Connection radio button in the FSX Connection Status dialog, and make sure the Specify Port checkbox is not ticked.NOTE:You still have the choice to use the SimConnect.xml file if you prefer, or if FSX Planner is unable to locate the correct port. Remote connections still require the use of the SimConnect.xml file.VISTA USERS:Note that Vista users will need to run FSX Planner using the Run As Administrator option in order for this new option to work properly.* Improved handling of memory during the decompiling process so that less memory is required to decompile the file.* Significantly increased the speed with which stock airports are opened through the Find Airport dialog.* Parking locations now display the gate name and number, parking location type and airline codes when you zoom in close enough. This make it easy to quickly see if the parking location is assigned correctly without having to select it.Bug fixes:* Fixed a bug that prevented certain navigation aids, such as NDBs and VORs, as well as certain scenery items such as windsocks, from being properly displayed at some airport.* Fixed bug which caused memory not to be reclaimed after opening large bgl files.You can update to the latest version, by using the built in updater, or by downloading the update here: www.zbluesoftware.com/fsxplanner/FSXPlanner.zip-Russell

[Guest rf360m]

Hi all,It's been a while since we've had an updated release of FSX Planner. This has been due to a lot of work having to be done on other projects, as well as some significant improvements to FSX Planner. We have also started work on our next major project for FSX which will build upon FSX Planner, and create a platform which will go far beyond an airport editor. As this is still in the basic stages we can't reveal too much, but look for more information on this in the coming months.Also, thanks to everyone I met at DevCon this past month for your kind words and great ideas!So, here's what's new in release 27:Updates:* Improved the graphics engine to provide for better performance when scrolling. This varies from about 2x to 10x faster than the previous versions, and is much more apparent at big airports.* Improved the graphics engine to allow for clip rectangles to be used when dragging certain items. This provides for approximately a 2x to 4x improvement when dragging these items. This is more apparent when multiple items are displayed on the screen at once.* Taxiway paths can now be highlighted by clicking on the Highlight Taxiway Path button in the Taxiway Path properties display. This option will highlight every taxiway path that has the same name as the currently selected taxiway path.* The open dialog displayed when opening BGL files now returns to the last directory used when it is displayed.* The text area in the compile dialog now displays which elements of the airport were included in the BGL file so that you can easily ensure the BGL file contains the appropriate elements.* There is now an option in the Compile Dialog to create an additional airport elevation bgl file. This small bgl file is necessary if you change the elevation of the airport. If you select this option, FSX Planner will automatically create the BGL file and place it in the specified folder, which by default is the SceneryWorldscenery folder within your FSX installation directory.* A new object count display is now available. Selecting Edit -> Display Counts will show a window that displays the current totals of each type of object (aprons, runways, etc). This window is constantly updated whenever a new object is added or removed from the airport, allowing you to easily see the total number of objects being used.* Fonts can now be customized by the user via the Fonts tab in the Preferenmces Dialog. Fonts for the following items can be specified: Menus; the Latitude and Longitude coordinates drawn on the map; the Parking Location descriptions; the Jetway descriptions; the ILS ICAO codes; the Scenery descriptions; the VOR ICAO codes; and the NDB ICAO codes. Note that font sizes are scaled up or down based upon the current scale of the map. Data is not displayed if the resulting font size is less than 6 point.* Object locking can now be controlled from the object properties display as well as the Object Locking dialog. Clicking the padlock icon will lock or unlock the object. If the padlock is locked then the object cannot be moved. If the padlock is unlocked then the object can be moved.* Parking locations are now color coded to their airline code. If no airline code is associated with the parking location then the default green color is used. If more than one airline code is associated with a parking location, then the color of the first airline code is used. A new 'Select' button is now included next to the airline code text field. Clicking this button displays the airline code chooser. This chooser can be used to easily select the airline code associated with over 6,000 different airlines.* Right click popup menus have been added to all text fields. The popup menu allows you to cut, copy, paste and select all text in the text field.* Exclusion Rectangles now save whether or not they should be displayed as a border only or as a full rectangle.Bug Fixes:* Fixed a bug which created duplicate scenery objects, windsocks, etc, when saving a file that had been created from either decompiling a bgl file that contained more than one airport, or from opening an xml file that contained more than one airport. This bug would manifest itself in xml files that would double in size every time you saved the airport.* Fixed a bug that caused negative altitudes to be incorrectly read from bgl files.The updates are avilable through the automatic updater, or by downloading the new installer here: http://www.zbluesoftware.com/fsxplanner/FSXPlanner.zipEnjoy and thanks for everyone's support!-Russell