Flightplan Visualizer 1.8.0 available for download

[pellelil 59]

The latest version of Flightplan Visualizer (1.8.0) is now available for download (link below). Probably the biggest highlights in this version is the traffic-charts added to the Airport Info form, and the introduction of "Favorite" airports. But these two additions meant a lot of surrounding steps were taken to make it even more easy to use these features. In this release both the full manual and the quick manual was updated. For existing users the quick manual will be automatically fired the first time you start up the software.

 

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Regarding the Traffic charts (on the "Traffic" tab-sheet of the Airport Info form), these will always be generated based on the currently selected flightplan or active search. So in order to see all traffic in- and out- of a specific airport you must first execute a "Search legs" where you activly choose to search for traffic in- and out- of this airport. However in version 1.8 you now have a function of doing just this. Pressing "CTRL+Q" you will execute the main-menu item called "Quick search legs". When you fire this menu the "Search Airport" browser will be opened (you will see it now have a bunch of extra filter-options). When you select an airport (by pressing Enter, or double-clicking), a leg-search will be executed to find all flights in- and out- of this airport. The charts are described on page 33 of the full manual, and the "Search Airport" browser on page 51.

 

As mentioned you are now able to mark individual airports as your favorites. One usage might be you want to mark all the airports you own as 3rd party scenery as your "favorite". Because of this new map-markers were designed for versions 1.8 (the markers for favorite-airports now appear with a "star" inside the marker). In previous versions you could also rank your airports and the describe traffic-density at these (choosing one of six values). In previous versions this info was only used with the hint-window displayed when you hoovered the mouse over a marker. However in version 1.8 you can now filter your search-results both by size, favorite, rank and traffic-density. This filtering can use when using the "Search Airport" browser or using the "Search legs" function. It goes without saying that to use this, you first have to mark your airports and favorites and dial in the appropriate values of Rank and Traffic-density (these are highly subjective, hence you have to do it yourself). You could start double-clicking airport markers on the map in order pick these values (that is one way to do it). But these values can now also be set from the "Search Airport" browser (CTRL+A or CTRL+Q). In the "Search Airport" browser you can now left-click and airport and in the menu that appears you can see the currently selected values, and change these if you want to (described on page 53 of the full manual).

 

Here below is a full change-log of the things added, changed and fixed in version 1.8 (don't forget the version history is available in the About form in the "Help" menu):

• The first time version 1.8 is run (after updating from a previous version) the user will be asked if he/she want to change the default setting for time to show as Local-time (from version 1.8 onwards this is the default value, but previous versions defaulted to UTC-time).
• Added a Traffic tab-sheet to the Airport Info form, where various charts can be displayed (e.g. number of inbound/outbound -flights on an hourly basis, percentage of aircraft types, airline- carrier/operator and so on). All charts are based on the currently selected flightplan, or active search (basically all the legs shown on the previous tab-sheet).
• Airports can now be marked as Favorites (using the Airport Info form). The search airport browser (e.g. CTRL+A/CTRL+Q from the main-map) can be filtered to only show favorite airports in the browser.
• Added a new set of map-markers, so you can see which airports are marked as favorites (displayed with a star). Changing the value of the new "UseOldMapMarkers" setting, you can revert back to the old markers if you prefer, however then you cannot see which airports are favorites.
• Added laywer for favorite airports to the main-map. This layer is controlled by new checkbox (re-positioned all check boxes in lower/left corner of main form).
• Various Airport info (Favorite, Size, Rank and Traffic-density) can now be set directly from the Search Airport Browser, by using the (right-click) context-menu.
• If you hold SHIFT down when opening the context-menu of the main-map (right-click the main-map), the 2 Leg Search short-cuts introduced in verion 1.7 can now be executed directly from the main-map, without opening the Leg-Search form (to find/display all flights to/from an airport or between two airports).
• Pressing CTRL+Q on the main-map will open the Airport search browser. If you select an airport, a Leg-search will be executed (without opening the Leg-Search form) and all flights to/from that airport will be displayed.
• The Airport- and Airline- search browsers now contains a "Show max" combo-box where you can limit the number of results shown (as showing all items will degrade performance). These browsers still search through all items, but only the first 2000 results are shown when searching.
• Enhanced map-performance, so the map can better handle many routes being shown at the same time (e.g. using adaptive route-segment lengths to reduce the total number of route-segments).
• Addressed the Z-order of Markers for the selected flightplan/active search. Favorites are on top of non-favorites, and then ordered by size ("bigger on top of smaller").
• Added Route tool-tip to the main-map.
• With a highlighted route, hovering the mouse over the Aircraf/Airline-text-boxes in the lower/right corner of the main-map, will now show a tool-tip with the full names (the text-boxes only show a list of codes).
• Added a list-view to the Route-info form, that shows the calculated flight-time (incl. taxi) for all Aircraft-types that - based on their info (range and Rwy-requirements) - are able to fly the same route.
• FV now tracks the last used version, so it can detect from which version/to which version FV have been upgraded. In version 1.8 the quick manual will be displayed the first time the user runs version 1.8 (if upgraded from a previous version). For new users the quick manual will stil be shown 3 times.
• Changed the logic/position of the buttons on the Search Leg form.
• Updated all libraries that FV is using internally, to the latest released versions.
• Fixed: Some GUI elements were not disabled/enabled during/after leg-search.
• Fixed: The Leg info form always opened with "Show local-times" unchecked, no matter the value of the setting.
• Fixed: Minor issue where map-markeres were not updated e.g. if the airport-size was changed via the Route Info- or Leg Info- form, in which case the map-markers should "change color".

Flightplan Visualizer 1.8.0 can be downloaded from AVSIM via this link:

https://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=p3dutil&DLID=208219

[Julien H 10]

Hello there,

I have barely discovered Flightplan Visualizer when misclicking a link, but I am so glad I did! It gives me a very simple, quick and graphical way to explore real airlines schedules. It is extremely useful and I get to discover new destinations I wouldn't have flown to before. From now on I'm going to use it as a pre-planner tool.

Thank you for this and keep up the great work, it's awesome!

 

Have a great day and of course happy new year 2019 to you !

[pellelil 59]

Thanks for the kind words Julien. Both glad you like it and mis-clicked  Happy news year to you as well.