The RTW-Duenna, Rev 44 ================================================================= February 2005 This is a small utility to enforce the rules for the Round the World Race FlightSim vs Avsim vs Sim-Outhouse. It will protocol many things from the start to the landing, checking to make sure the rules are not broken. After the landing it will create and display a full protocol as a text-file and as a JPEG-Graphic suitable for uploading to a forum. Requirements ------------ You will need the current FSUIPC to use this utility. I tested it running FSUIPC v3.450 on MSFS 2004. I suppose it should work on FS2002 and possibly with older FSUIPCs, if anyone has any feedback about the functionality on other setups, please send me a mail. Remember, older FSUIPCs are not supported by the author of FSUIPC. Links: http://www.schiratti.com/dowson http://forums.simflight.com/viewforum.php?f=54 This utility was written in VB6, the required runtime files are included in the full installation. A full installation is required before installing the update-files. For more information about the VB6 runtime, please see: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7b9ba261-7a9c-43e7-9117-f673077ffb3c&displaylang=en (I hope this link works for a few hours :-). Otherwise search Microsoft for "Visual Basic 6.0 Run-Time" and take the newest version.) For the charting the program relys on the Great Circly Mapper from Karl Swartz (http://gc.kls2.com) - thanks Karl! For this reason an open internet connection is required when the graphic is generated (at the end of a flight). For some practical reasons, you also need a Microsoft Flight simulator 2002 or 2004. I haven't tested FS 2002, but I've heard from users that it works. I'm not a beta-tester for FS10 (Note to Microsoft: I'm willing to change that, I am a professional programmer + betatester :)). When installing this program, you will need administrator rights to register the required DLLs. Installation of the ZIP-Version ------------------------------- This version is only recommended for experienced users. - The VB6-Runtime is required but not included - Extract all the files into their subdirectories - Copy the files in the folder "sys" into your system32-folder - Register the files using the enclosed reg_dll.bat - Create a shortcut to the desktop to the DUENNA.EXE Caution: when copying files into your system32-folder, make sure you don't overwrite existing, newer files. That's it :). If you have problems getting it to run like this, please use the installer-version. When you are done, you should have the following setup: ...\Duenna.exe \shelexec.exe \readme.txt (this file) \reg_dll.bat \data\airports.dat \data\gcm_dummy.gif \sys\(lots of files) When running the Duenna, it will create the following paths: \output\(date)\ (your log files here) \output\temp\ (temp files here, can be deleted if desired) Usage ----- Simplest usage: 1) Start MSFS, use 'create a flight' to position your aircraft on any runway. 2) Start the tool. It will display the current status. 3) When you are ready, on-ground, all on-ground-tests are green, you can grab the baton by clicking on the big button on top. This will activate the protocols. 4) As soon as you take off, then en-route tests are enforced. 5) After sucessfully landing you can drop the baton. 6) The program then displays a text file with the full protocoll and a graphic suitable for uploading to a forum. The full path to the graphic is displayed in the text file so you can just copy-&-paste the file with the path into the upload/attachment-field of the forum. If rules were broken en-route, it will display the issues in the text log file and note that the route was not valid in the graphic. 7) Pressing Reset returns you to the start functions and lets you take another leg. - If you manually abort a flight, it will also display the prococols and graphic. - If you crash the flight will abort and it will display the protocols and graphic. On-Ground-Tests --------------- The following on-ground-tests are done and enforced: * "On-Ground" This is a flag set by the FS to notify that the aircraft is currently on the ground. * "Slew off" The slew-mode must be turned off. If you want to be sure you don't accidentially activate the slew mode, you can set a different button-combination for this in your FS Configuration (i.e. Ctrl-Y instead of Y). * "GS<50kts" The current ground speed must be less than 50 knots. This way you can press the button when on the starting roll, if you are not going too fast. * "Rate 1x" The simulation rate must be set to 1x. * "not crashed" Seems logical :) * "A/C type ok" No, not your airconditioning: the aircraft must have piston or turboprop engines or be a helicopter. * "Realism" The following realism settings must be set: - "Unlimited fuel": unchecked - "Detect crashes": checked - "Stress causes damage": checked * "Real W/X" The following weather settings must be set: - "Real Weather": either static or with 15 min. updates - "Download winds aloft": checked - "Disable turbulence effect on aircraft": unchecked Only when all tests are positive the whole field will turn green and you are cleared for take-off. You may take off with the wrong Aircraft-type, as many aircraft are indicated incorrectly. You can also take off with the wrong realism or weather-settings, however this will invalidate the flight. En-Route Tests -------------- The following en-route tests are done and enforced: * "Same A/C" Is green as long as you don't change aircraft. * "Slew off" The slew-mode must be turned off. If you want to be sure you don't accidentially activate the slew mode, you can set a different button-combination for this in your FS Configuration (i.e. Ctrl-Y instead of Y). * "no jump" Checks if the movement between two data-points more or less matches the current speeds. To test this, you can use my PlanePlacer (see FlightSim or Avsim). * "Rate 1x" The simulation rate must be set to 1x. * "not overspeed" Checks the overspeed-flag in the FS. Note: Overspeed does not invalidate a flight! However, the total time spent in overspeed is logged in the protocoll along with all times the overspeed toggled. * "not crashed" Seems logical :) * "FS available" Checks to see if FS is still running, i.e. hasn't crashed the system, etc.. Arrrggghhhh! * "Refueled" Checks to see if your aircraft is burning or generating fuel - inflight refueling will invalidate your flight. You may however dump your fuel inflight. Only when all tests are positive (except overspeed), the whole field will turn green and your flight stays validated. All rule exceptions are logged with information about the time, position and state when it occured and was resolved. If you feel that a rule was unfairly logged as an exception, you can use this data to help state your case. Summary ------- In the summary you can find the total distance between the take-off and landing airports, the average ground speed you used, the maximum groundspeed, IAS and altitude you attained. This information can be used to check for invalid or "tuned" aircraft (i.e. Mach-2 Cessnas :)). Full status ----------- The "full status" takes you to a window showing the current data points as they arrive from your FS. Here you can check each setting to see that it is coming correctly, you could also use it as an information screen while on a long flight :). Leaving it open will of course cause a longer time spent in the loop, i.e. it will use more CPU-ressources than when closed. Settings ======== The program runs in an interval specified under Settings. This interval defaults to 1000ms = 1 second. You can change this interval higher if you system is not so fast, or change it lower if you want a faster response-time from the program. If you set the interval to more than 2 seconds, the program will do the crash-checks every 2 seconds and do the other checks in the given interval. The airports database comes from FS9, exported using TrafficTools. You cannot change the airport-file yourself. Validation ========== The text log-file and the graphic both have a Validation-ID imbedded. This is a 9-digit hexadecimal (number 0-9, letters A-F) code which validates the following information: - Takeoff + Landing System UTC time - Takeoff + Landing location latitude / longitude - Aircraft type and name - Max / Average GS - Max altitude - Travelled distance - Error count / Validity of flight This Validation-ID helps to guard against "creative flights". Everyone can check the validation of another users flight by using the "Test a validation" function in the Settings- Window. Here you need to copy + paste (or retype, if from a graphic) the information needed, every letter is important, case, symbols, everything must be exactly correct. Additionally you enter the Validation-ID and the Revision-Nr of the validation (so that you can also validate older systems, should this system change). The program will then either tell you the validation is correct or incorrect. If it is incorrect, first make sure that you have everything EXACTLY correct, each symbol counts (those degree-signs "°" might be hard to get on all keyboards - you can type these using ALT+0176 (numberpad) or use CHARMAP). The information contained in the fields may change from version to version of this program - however you will always be able to validate the given Validation-ID as this is based on the information shown in THAT log, not the information shown in your log. ======================================================================= Copyright: This program and documentation is freeware. They may not be used for commercial purpose or sold, resold or repackaged in any way. Free distribution is allowed with the author's written consent. Any changes in this archive are prohibited. Any duplication, reproduction, partial or complete of any material made by the author is totally forbidden without prior authorization from the author. The copyright for this program and the documentation remains with the author, Johannes Mueller. Thanks for helping develop the ideas to this program go out to the great organizers of the 2005 RTW-Race: Ian Dale (TornadoWilkes), Michael MacKuen and Matt Smith! Without your encouragement this would have remained just a "neat idea", thanks guys! ======================================================================= Disclaimer: The program(s) and/or file(s) are supplied as is. The author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. The author assumes no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of these program(s) and/or file(s). However it is inconceivable that these program(s) and/or file(s) will do any harm to your computer. ======================================================================= Johannes Mueller, Zug / Switzerland, February 2005 Version 0.610 Please contact me at jm@johannesmueller.com for your constructive feedback! Please let me know if you use this program outside of the "official" RTW-Race, it's always nice to hear when something is put to real use! =======================================================================