Aerofly FS airport creation tool ( early alpha version, work in progress )

  • I have given some more thought to how the airfields from the FS AirportCreationTool can be made available to the general public for download.

    My concrete suggestion is:

    IPACS sets up a database where a zip file of the ICAO.zip pattern can be stored for each airfield, and this database is linked to the FS AirportCreationTool.

    Then the process would be:

    • IPACS and/or a small group of dedicated users (I would join) look up daily in the FS AirportCreationTool which airfields have been newly created or added.
    • their ICAO.tap files are downloaded and converted
    • the resulting ICAO.tmb-, ICAO.toc-, ICAO.tsc- and ICAO.wad-files as well as the ICAO.tap-file are compressed into an ICAO.zip-file
    • the ICAO.zip file is uploaded to the database
    • the menu in FS AirportCreationTool at each airport is extended by the item "Export airport", which automatically contains a link to an ICAO.zip file


    Voila - that's it 8)

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • So, now I have tried out whether the current 112 airfields can be converted "in one go". It works and is ready for download:

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • I am currently making do with the addition "- IN PROGRESS", but this can only be an interim solution.

    The flag should then be designed so that there are two positions:

    - RED -- visible only to participating authors

    - GREEN -- visible and downloadable for all users

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • The status option for an airport is indeed a good idea. This way it is more clear what airports are done or which ones need work.

    The main advantage of using and sticking with the TAP files ( and not the converted ones! ) is that the TAP files can be converted as airports for various platforms and not just PC. So in theory the TAP file can now be used to create airports for mobile users as well. ( however this is only for advanced ndroid users at this point ).

  • admin

    Yesterday I found a simple way (see my contribution in this post) to export and convert the tap files of the airfields with a few clicks and make the result available again as a zip file in Flight-Sim.org to everyone (!). :/

    Since the test is successful, I am creating a better page than the test page. :)

    If there are any objections from IPACS to this, please let me know. Otherwise I would put the page online tomorrow. 8)

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • It is done, the new page

    is in operation. 8)

    We salute all the authors of these airports - and hope, that these marvels will find their way into Aerofly Core for all platforms. Until then: thank you for making these airports publicly available.

    Given that the main simulator is so big, some more megabytes for some hundred airports is a very small price to pay.

  • Very nice, thank you. :)

    Unfortunately, as always after an update, I have the "For development purpuse only" ads again: :(


    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • It now works again without the hint - and even without clearing the cache. :/ :thumbup: :)

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • I took a look at what the tm.log registers for the airports from the tool:

    --------------------

    (1) ERROR messages:

    I have ERROR messages for these three airports.

    Code
    2.42-tmsimulator: ERROR: (airport invalid icao='N14' tsc='/Users/username/Library/Application Support/Aerofly FS 4/scenery/airports/act_airports_all/N14/N14.tsc')
    2.42-tmsimulator: ERROR: (airport invalid icao='S40' tsc='/Users/username/Library/Application Support/Aerofly FS 4/scenery/airports/act_airports_all/S40/S40.tsc')
    2.42-tmsimulator: ERROR: (airport invalid icao='U70' tsc='/Users/username/Library/Application Support/Aerofly FS 4/scenery/airports/act_airports_all/U70/U70.tsc')

    FS4 also has a bug with an airfield:

    Code
    2.80-tmsimulator: ERROR: (airport invalid icao='L05' tsc='scenery/airports/custom/us/l05/l05.tsc')

    My question now is what can be automated in the tool to prevent errors from occurring, and what needs to be included in the instructions to avoid errors on the user side?

    --------------------

    (2) SKIPPING airports

    I found the SKIPPING notice at three airfields:

    Code
    2.72-tmsimulator: skipping duplicate place 'scenery/airports/be/ebbl/ebbl.tsc'. icao='EBBL' using '/Users/username/Library/Application Support/Aerofly FS 4/scenery/airports/act_airports_all/EBBL/EBBL.tsc'
    2.72-tmsimulator: skipping duplicate place 'scenery/airports/be/ebkt/ebkt.tsc'. icao='EBKT' using '/Users/username/Library/Application Support/Aerofly FS 4/scenery/airports/act_airports_all/EBKT/EBKT.tsc'
    2.72-tmsimulator: skipping duplicate place 'scenery/airports/be/ebos/ebos.tsc'. icao='EBOS' using '/Users/username/Library/Application Support/Aerofly FS 4/scenery/airports/act_airports_all/EBOS/EBOS.tsc'

    My question is whether FS4 automatically prefers user airports to FS4 airports, so that one does not have to delete existing airports in FS4 if one wants to create them oneself?

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries