L0stS0ul

The Steam version of FSX was released today and I'm pleased to say that FlightConnect, the application that FlightMap and FlightGauge rely on for simulator data, fully supports the Steam version of FSX right out of the box without any modification or patches. I purchased and installed the Steam version and tested all of the functionality of the apps and everything looks to be working great.

A few days ago I released updates to FlightMap and FlightGauge. There were no major features in either other than bugs fixes, performance improvements, and better compatibility with really cheap tablets. I believe I fixed the font issue that some people were having with the new menu overlays as well. Make sure to check the play store for updates. I'm actively working on the next major feature versions for both applications. FlightMap will be getting a waypoint list for the GPS and Adhoc modes and I'm looking to see if I can tie into the built in GPS to control it some. FlightGauge will be getting interactive settings to the existing gauges and an option to switch out the ADF gauge for Nav2 gauge. Any other feature suggestions please send them on. - Eric

Tomorrow is the 1 year anniversary of the release of FlightMap. I really want to say thank you to all of you for the support over the last year. It has really helped me make FlightMap what it is today and has really helped teach me so much about aviation that I had no idea I did not know. I am very thankful. I have written up a little retrospective on my blog if you care to read it. http://vineripesoftware.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/one-year-of-flightmap/ Thank you Eric

Would you like to try out new versions of FlightMap and FlightGauge and help determine what features get into the software? I value my beta testers highly and I'm looking for 5 more people to help with testing the apps. All I ask is that you install and use the software when I release a beta build and provide feedback. If you are interested in helping fill out the form on my site here: http://vineripesoftware.wordpress.com/2014/02/26/beta-testers-wanted/

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Hello, I'm building an app that shows the airports, ndb, and vor within the area around the aircraft. I'm having a problem that some random airports are missing and I can't figure out why. I compiled the code from Microsoft's sample here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc730341.aspx and I am seeing the same behavior. It looks like the NDB's and VOR's are accurate when I request them. I found a similar thread from 2007 but there were no replies http://forum.avsim.net/topic/224183-simconnect-airports-missing-from-list/ and I'm just wondering if there is any way to get around this issue and return all airports. Clearing the cache is not working for me. Here is an example from one of my customers: It does look like this issue still exists in Prepar3D v2. I'm hoping there is some magic incantation that can fix this. Thanks

I think I am getting close to releasing FlightGauge and I'm in need of 2 beta testers. One with a 7 inch tablet and one with a 10 inch tablet. FlightGauge is a cockpit panel replacement for almost any of your Flight Simulator aircraft. FlightGauge works on Android 4.0+ tablets between 7 and 10 inches and is designed to work with Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) and Prepar3D. If you are interested and you have a tablet in that size range please PM me or message me over at my blog at http://vineripesoftware.wordpress.com. In particular I am interested in 8 and 10 inch high res tablets. Here is some more information on FlightGauge.

Yes, FlightMap functions on tablets 7 inches and above. This includes 8 and 9 inch tablets. The free trial version is available to confirm compatibility with your tablet before purchase.

I've tried several of the sub $100 tablets and most are complete and total junk. The best "cheap" tablet I have found is the Asus MemoPad HD which is a 7 inch tablet for around $150. You can find my review of this tablet here: http://vineripesoftware.wordpress.com/2013/08/17/asus-memo-pad-hd-7-review/ It's very fast and has a great screen with micro-sd support. http://www.amazon.com/MeMOPad-HD-7-Inch-White-ME173X-A1-WH/dp/B00E0FDYLI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1376772506&sr=8-4&keywords=memo+pad+hd

Thanks to everyone that has voted in the FlightMap feature poll. Right now a complete flight plan display overlay is the top vote getter. I'll be closing the poll in a few days so if you have not voted please do so soon. http://vineripesoftware.wordpress.com/2013/11/03/im-interested-to-know-what-features-you-are-interested-in/

I've added a poll to my website asking users what feature they are most interested in seeing in FlightMap. I'm very interested in feedback so if you all could take a moment to vote that would be excellent. http://vineripesoftware.wordpress.com/2013/11/03/im-interested-to-know-what-features-you-are-interested-in/

I've got 5 tablets right now for the work on FlightMap and now I want more. I use the nexus 7 the most but all of them have a different use Somehow it's addicting buying them. I've also got chromecast, some android tv dongles, and other stuff like that. Now that the things are so cheap it's easy. Now to figure out how to add all of this stuff to my simpit and create apps for them With FlightGauge I'll have covered 2, I guess a radio panel and something else...

I am really glad to hear that. I've only been able to simulate 8 inch tablets at this point so it's great to hear it's working. I really want to get one as I find the 7 inch tablets to small for me and the 10 inch ones to big. I bet that is a perfect size.

FlightMap does not work on the kindle because the kindle family of tablets do not have access to the Google Api's that FlightMap uses to do the mapping. There are not a lot of mapping options for android outside of Google's offering. My new application called FlightGauge does not use any platform specific api's so I am hoping to make it available on the kindle fire. If I an find an alternative to Google maps to use for FlightMap I may be able to eventually bring it over but it would be quite a bit of work. I'm not sure when I would have the ability to do that. Thanks, I do appreciate it. Been a rough few months but getting better.

I've been meaning to do some new videos with the new features and new tablet support. I'm still recovering from surgery so hopefully I'll be able to do some new ones soon. I think I really need to beef up my documentation as a whole. Just take a ton of time :-)

There were some reports of FlightMap crashing with the latest release version if the "gps" button is selected when FlightConnect does not have the complete flight plan from the simulator. This can happen if FlightConnect is not running when the flight plan is loaded. This issue is now fixed. If users want to see the full flight plan mapped in FlightMap, FlightConnect must be running when the flight plan is loaded in the simulator. FlightConnect is written to function as a service so it can remain running at all times. It uses very little memory. More info on this update can be found here: http://vineripesoftware.wordpress.com/2013/10/18/flightmap-2-6-1-release-to-the-play-store/ The update should be pushed to your tablet automatically but if it does not just click this link on the tablet to load up the play store and click update. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vrs.flightmap I am sorry to any users that were inconvenienced by this issue.

I'm still working on finalizing the new Gauge drop down. My beta testers don't like how much space it eats up when it is down so I've been playing with different ideas to resolve it like sliding the map down, using transparencies, tilting the map, etc. None of the changes worked very well due to such a small amount of area for the map view when the gauges are visible. One of my beta testers has a really good idea that I'm going to try tho. Will see how that works out. Over all the beta tests are going really well and as soon as I work out the design for the gauge drop down I should be releasing the update. The next release is a huge release from a bug fix and device support standpoint. I have completely rewritten all of the networking code from the launch page. I finally have it a way that I like and it should be much more user friendly. I have also completely redone every single screen layout that FlightMap supports. This was a huge undertaking and is taking a while to test but this change will make FlightMap far more resilient to custom roms and different device hardware. It really is amazing how many configurations there are out there for android tablets.

That's a great idea. I'll keep that in mind. What other information would you like to see on that screen along with the legs of the flight plan? That feature would fit in great in one of the open spots

Android API's do support an alpha channel on that level of view. I have not tested it yet but it does look doable. There are only 2 spaces unused right now. I have a few ideas for mapping features that those buttons could be utilized for but I have not made specific plans for them yet.

FlightMap uses the wifi network to handle the communication. There is a PC client called FlightConnect that must be installed on the flight sim pc that handles the communication of data from the simulator to FlightMap so the update speed is really fast. For the gauges it's over 10 times a second and the map is updated several times a second. I had to slow down map updates as the google map component was having trouble keeping up. I do still need one more beta tester for the 10 inch tablets. There is a form on my blog that you can fill out to apply. http://vineripesoftware.wordpress.com/2013/09/16/beta-testers-for-flightmap-and-flightgauge-needed/ I'll see if there is a level of transparency I can apply to it or make an option. I don't know if Android supports that or not. I tried bringing it up from the bottom but with all of the other controls and stuff it made it really difficult to open and close. The top works really nicely. My 3 year old son has been having fun sitting on my lap opening and closing the gauges as I fly lol.

I'm glad you saw the update with the info. I've been struggling to find a way to add the gauges but I thought at least having the info as text would be helpful. The gauges have been a really popular request and I've been working hard on finding a way to add the gauges to the 7 inch tablet version of FlightMap. After a lot of trial and mostly error I think I've finally figured out a really good way to do it and after doing a few flights I'm really pleased with how it's coming along. It's still really preliminary but I thought I would share some info and screenshots. Check out my blog for all the screens and stuff http://vineripesoftware.wordpress.com/2013/09/27/i-think-i-found-a-way-to-add-gauges-to-7-inch-tablets/ I'm sorry I didn't get notified that there were posts on the thread. FlightConnect attempts to detect the ipaddress and it is generally correct but some services like VMWare and stuff can make it find the wrong address. When this happens you can enter the ip address for the computer directly into FlightMap. Here's a microsoft help page on how to find your current ip address http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/find-your-computers-ip-address I will be adding a configuration dialog to FlightConnect in the future that will show all of the detected ip addresses and allow you to over ride it so that FlightMap can do the discovery. 99% of the time the discovery just works but there are always fringe cases.

I am still looking for Beta testers as well as anyone with some time to help with translation. Check my blog for more info http://vineripesoftware.wordpress.com/ Beta Testers Apply here: http://vineripesoftware.wordpress.com/2013/09/16/beta-testers-for-flightmap-and-flightgauge-needed/ Have some time to help with translations? Apply here. Thanks so much to those who have already helped. http://vineripesoftware.wordpress.com/2013/09/16/flightmap-looking-for-help-with-translations/

I am in need of beta testers for both FlightMap and FlightGauge. I'm looking for 7 inch tablet users and 10 inch tablet users. If you are interested please fill out the form on my blog here: http://vineripesoftware.wordpress.com/2013/09/16/beta-testers-for-flightmap-and-flightgauge-needed/ Thanks so much.

I will take a look and see what I can come up with as far as the data goes. The more I look at it the gauges in the app looks less useful as I can't fit all of them. Your idea may work a lot better as I can fit more data on the screen which would be more useful even if it's not as pretty. I have been contemplating how to support viewing over the internet. I'm not sure if I am going to make FlightMap support it or build a different app so that expectations are different. An app relaying info over the internet would not be updating as fast as FlightMap currently does. I also can't use the existing networking code over the internet but to make it easier I have been considering a cloud service that would relay the information from the server to the app. It would probably update once every 2-5 seconds instead of 10 times a second like FlightMap does. Since a server would be involved I was also thinking I could store flight data and allow you to view back your flights. If I go with a different application for this I am thinking of calling the app FlightHistory or something like that. I could build all of this into FlightConnect so it would be completely transparent to the user. Just log into FlightConnect and it starts logging the data. I would need to find a decent cheap place to host the service like this. I'd rather not charge subscriptions fees if I can at all help it.

The 7 inch version does not include the gauges at this time. I believe it's pretty clear from the screenshots on the play store as well as the description that this is the case. If it is not I am sorry about that. This is the first version for the 7 inch form factor and I am continuing to work on it. I am looking for ways to bring the gauges to the 7 inch version in a future update but it's quite hard to make the gauges usable at this size given the limited screen availability. One option I am looking at is possibly a selection you will have to make on the launch screen to show the gauges or not. If you choose to show the gauges then some functionality for the map view will have to be sacrificed. Options like auto zoom, track mode, airport toggle, and compass rose at a minimum will have to be removed. I can't make the buttons any smaller for the map modes or they will be completely non functional. At the current size I can only fit one large gauge and one small gauge so I will likely have to have a selection there as well. I am building a separate application called FlightGauge which is just the gauges. That will hopefully be going into beta soon.