Coming soon: new RAW/ACT -> BMP -> RAW/ACT utility

[Guest DSandberg]

After reading about one person's recent travails with RAW/ACT files of undeterminant size in the Fly! general forum a week or two back, I decided to write a little freeware conversion utility to provide some visual feedback and help to ease RAW/ACT to BMP conversions, particularly in cases where the exact dimensions of the RAW file are not known. (I also put in BMP to RAW/ACT conversions as well, just so everything would be available in the one utility.)I figured it would take me just a few days to complete, but sure enough various matters (illness, career stuff, and the most fun part, feature creep!) got into the act and stretched that timeframe out to a few weeks. But I'm now getting close enough to completing the thing that I thought I would go ahead and announce it here so people will be ready for it when it arrives. (I prefer not to announce things until I'm pretty sure that they will get quickly finished, and this afternoon I've reached the point of being pretty comfortable that the thing will soon be ready.)Before I make an official release of it to the AvSim file library, I'd like to do a short beta test in which Fly! developers (and anyone needing to do RAW/ACT file conversions) can hopefully throw a variety of RAW/ACT files (and BMPs, for that matter) at the utility, just to make sure I haven't overlooked something. Anyone who'd like to participate in that testing can drop me a message (via the AvSim message system) with your email address, and I'll send you a copy when I'm ready to beta-test the thing.[table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0][tr][td width=320]http://www.usinternet.com/users/mystic/infomsig.gif[/td][/table]

[Guest Fly II Pilot]

David,I'm really happy to see that you've found the time, mood and inspiration to write something new for Fly!II. Hope things are going well and are starting to line up.Did you get your computer stuff sorted out?Take care,Alejandro AmigorenaCheshire, CTFly! II Beta Team MemberAthlon XP 1800ABIT KR7A-RAID768Mb RAMMSI GeForce4 Ti4600 8xAGP 128MBSB Audigy GamerCH Flight Yoke USBCH Pro Pedals USBhttp://www.avsim.com/hangar/fly/dfdg/banneraa.jpg

[Guest DSandberg]

Unfortunately the computer stuff remains unsorted at the moment (and probably will remain so until my employment situation improves). The reason I've done this utility and not a new version of InfoMETAR are:1) The time required will probably end up having been around 30 hours, rather than the approximately 800 hours I've estimated for a new version of InfoMETAR. (My development time on the original release of InfoMETAR ran about 1200 hours.)2) I've been able to test this new utility during development simply by feeding RAW/ACT and BMP files to it, without having to actually install or run Fly. (This would not be possible with InfoMETAR.) I've been fortunate enough to have several people send me various RAW/ACT files which I've been using during the development process.[table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0][tr][td width=320]http://www.usinternet.com/users/mystic/infomsig.gif[/td][/tr][/table]

[Guest Fly II Pilot]

David,I didn't even mention InfoMETAR... ;-) But I do hope that some day you find the time, resources and energy to develop a new version.I totally understand, it would be next to impossible to develop something for Fly!II without having it installed in your own computer.Hope things get better, especially the employment part.Regarding your computer problems, what exactly is or are the problem(s)? Myself and others may be able to help...Take care,Alejandro AmigorenaCheshire, CTFly! II Beta Team MemberAthlon XP 1800ABIT KR7A-RAID768Mb RAMMSI GeForce4 Ti4600 8xAGP 128MBSB Audigy GamerCH Flight Yoke USBCH Pro Pedals USBhttp://www.avsim.com/hangar/fly/dfdg/banneraa.jpg

[Guest DSandberg]

>I didn't even mention InfoMETAR... ;-)Actually I was very much aware that you didn't mention it. :) But I figured it would be in someone's mind out there, so I thought I'd head it off at the pass. :)Seriously, the big "I" even came to my own mind once again when I first got the idea for this RAW utility. I certainly haven't forgotten about my little weather program, and almost daily wish I was in a position to do the type of things with it that I'd like to be doing. I figured that at least the RAW utility was a relatively quick project, and right when I thought I could set aside a few hours to do it.>But I do hope that some day you find the time, resources and>energy to develop a new version.Me too! If I win the lottery, for example, you can be assured a new InfoMETAR will follow. ;)>Regarding your computer problems, what exactly is or are the>problem(s)? Myself and others may be able to help...Just not having enough computer power to run Fly II in a useful way (P3-450, older videocard, etc, very much an aging system compared to most these days). Even though some very thoughtful people here have already done a lot to give me a "boost" toward that end, I'm still stuck with a system with far too many parts that aren't up to running Fly II (or FS2004, or any number of other recent programs) until money becomes plentiful again so I can start replacing parts en masse. (I.e., a new motherboard can't be used without compatible RAM, a new videocard won't help if the old power supply can't feed it enough juice, etc.) And to be honest, right now I'm too consumed from day to day with trying to scrape together the basics of living to be giving much thought to rebuilding my computer system (or buying new flight sims). I continue to hope that one of these days I'll receive a phone call that will change that, but then again I seem to have been holding out that hope for an awfully long time now. :(One upside is that my efforts to optimize this RAW utility to where it runs nicely on my lowly machine means that it should positively blaze through image files on newer, better machines. :)[table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0][tr][td width=320]http://www.usinternet.com/users/mystic/infomsig.gif[/td][/tr][/table]

[Guest pilotsim7828]

Hi DSandburg;Do Not Give up on getting a new computer, I remember that someone else had a computer burn up , And soon he was up and running again . If it would help you out, There are ways of getting older systems to run compatably with fly! II , Maybe not with MFS9( Hungry little Devil ).But for sure Fly! II.Let me know what you needJeffaka;PilotsimI have got my father, A Brand new computer for his birthday, for under $150.00, His Specs P4B400FL P4 2.4 GHZ. Via Motherboard, 120 GB HDD ,512DDR Ram . ( Not bad HUH ) I have 3 hard drives, I would be happy to give you , Just did a Low Level format On one of them ( Recertified, And PASSED ALL TESTS ) And just to let you Know there are people out there to help.........Me for one! If there is anything I could help you with , Let me know Anything to get you back in the saddle, to get your GREAT Programs to Fly! II Agian!:-jumpy Write me and let me know exactly what your wishes are, I can get these and more parts Cheaper than most ...Yes these are NEW IN BOX NON REFURBISHED PARTS @ discount prices ( MY SECERT )..jaakins@charter.net

[Guest DSandberg]

As it happens, hard drive space is the one place where I'm already in excellent shape. :)I do appreciate the thought. This is just a really tough time for me to consider spending any money on my computer (or much of anything else other than necessities). I'm not comfortable talking about it too much (this is a public forum that anyone can access, after all), but things took another "downturn" today. On the positive side, it does mean that I once again have lots of free time this week to finish my RAW conversion utility. 1/2 :)[table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0][tr][td width=320]http://www.usinternet.com/users/mystic/infomsig.gif[/td][/tr][/table]

[Guest DSandberg]

Getting closer every day. Here's a little preview image of the UI. This is a screenshot from a functional build, not a mockup ... I'm still chasing bugs though, so it's not quite ready for primetime yet. It's already fun to play with, though. ;)[table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0][tr][td width=320]http://www.usinternet.com/users/mystic/infomsig.gif[/td][/tr][/table]

[Pascal_LSGC 298]

Hi David!I can't wait for your nice converter! A lot of time and hair will be saved!Thanks a lot !Hope you see the end of the hard pass soon !Pascal

[Guest Colins2]

DavidLooking good :-)Colin

[Guest DSandberg]

Just wanted to let you guys know that this utility hasn't been forgotten about or anything. I've just had some new stuff crop up in the last week or two that have been commanding pretty much all of my time. (Never fear ... for the first time in awhile it is actually positive stuff!) Hopefully things will settle down a bit in another week or two, and I can then put the finishing touches on the much-heralded RAW Caliper.[table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0][tr][td width=320]http://www.usinternet.com/users/mystic/infomsig.gif[/td][/tr][/table]

[Guest tonyc]

:-)tony