ACS-GPS gauges family for FS98/FS2000/FS2002
By Alain Capt / [email protected] / Switzerland
URL: http://www.acsoft.ch ("Produits" chapter)
-----------------------------------------------

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* VERSION 2.00 / November - 2001 *
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PRELIMINARY REMARKS
-------------------

This readme only describe how work the "ACS-GPS Data Manager". For full
GPS gauges references, please read "readme.txt".

All copyrights and remarks into "readme.txt" apply obviously also to this
program extension and is not repeated here.

Version 2.00 and upper recover 6 NEW ADDITIONNAL FREE CUSTOM BUTTON. Version
1.80 and 1.90 were using custom buttons for FS2000 database and this didn't
allow anymore users to implement custom database, almost not without loosing
some standard database access.

Developers will found interesting information's in "FINAL REMARK" section.


DESCRIPTION
-----------

ACS-GPS Data Manager is an extension of ACS-GPS gauges. It consist of two
files: "ACSGPSda.exe", the external launcher, and "ACSGPSda.dll" the
Manager extension itself.

The external launcher let you run ACS-GPS Data Manager extension outside
FS and WITHOUT the need to have FS running. If you have respected
installation instructions, you can use the launcher with the shortcut
you have created.

ACS-GPS Data Manager will let you create, modify etc... "Program files"
(*.prg) for ACS-GPS gauges.  These programs can be then loaded into GPS
memory, directly from the Manager.

Data Manager include a database of all Airports and Navaids of FS98 you can
use to create your GPS Program's. This database is made of a set of text
files. Therefore, user should be able to extend this database with a simple
text editor or more powerful programs like Access or Excel.



USAGE
-----

ACS-GPS Data Manager window is divided into four parts.

First, in the upper part of the window, you will found the "FS98/FS2K Airports &
NavAids database". It consist of a multi columns list to display database items,
a toggle pair of radio buttons for switching between Airports & Navaids, and
finaly, two set of six region selection radio buttons to display different region
of the world.

The button "Settings" call the buttons configuration setting window, which let
you customize all 12 region buttons. In this window, you can edit the button
name and the database filename key. See chapter "CUSTOMIZATION" for more
details.

Second, in the lower left part of the window, you will found the "Waypoint Editor".
It consist of several input fields needed to create a GPS waypoint item (Ident,
Name, Longitude, Latitude).

Third, in the lower right part of the window, you will found the "Program
Manager". It consist of a multi columns list which display the current program
and four buttons: "Add", "Insert", "Update" and "Delete" which let you manage
the program you are working on.

Finally, just under the "Waypoint Editor", you will find the "Files Manager". It
consist of four buttons: "Load Program", "New Program", "Save Program",
"Load to GPS", and a "Status display" rectangle.

How work all this stuff together ?

When started, ACS-GPS Data Manager will show you in the "Program Manager"
list the actual program loaded into GPS memory. The Status display will
indicate this, with the mention "ACTUAL GPS MEMORY".

The "FS98/FS2K Airports & NavAids database" is not already activated. This way,
the Data Manager can be loaded lightning fast and the heavy demanding work,
in terms of memory and processing, for database management is activated only
when needed by the user.

To activate the database, you simply first select between "Airports" or
"NavAids". This will immediately activate the set of "Regions" buttons. Then
You click on a region button and this part of the database will be displayed
into the multi column list. The button you just clicked will remain pushed to
let you always know, which part of the database is actually displayed. Now
you can select other regions or toggle between "Airports" or "NavAids".

!!! ATTENTION !!! Switching from a database list to an other one, may take
some time, especially for a specific file which is really big (see chapter
KNOWN PROBLEMS for more details).

To seek in the list you can use the scroll bar. You can also select an item
into the list (to select: click on the name, other columns don't select) and
then press a letter key to go straight forward to the first item with name
starting with the pressed letter. Further same letter key press will advance
to next item of the selected letter range.

When you found the item you need, simply double-click on the name of this
item. This will automatically copy needed data of item into fields of the
"Waypoint Editor". If you wish, you can now edit these fields.

Now you have a waypoint ready to be included into your program. If this waypoint
must simply be added to the program, click on the button "Add" of "Program
Manager" and your waypoint will be added at the end of the program list. You
can also insert the waypoint in the list. Therefore, you must select the item
in the "Program Manager" list, where you wish to insert (insert will take place
just BEFORE the selected item). To replace a program waypoint with this new
waypoint, select in "Program Manager" list the item to be replaced and click
on "Update" button.

Datas transfer to "Waypoint editor" also work with the "Program Manager" list.
Suppose you want to modify one waypoint of the program you have in the "Program
Manager" list. To do so, double click on this waypoint. This will bring the
waypoint into "Waypoint Editor". You can now modify it as you wish. To return
the waypoint, use the "Update" button. Be sure, before to update, the correct
waypoint is still selected into program list.

To move a waypoint, simply bring it into "Waypoint editor" and insert it in the
new place with "Insert" button. Finally select the initial misplaced waypoint
and use the "Delete" button to suppress this not anymore needed waypoint.

In brief, you can accomplish all needed tasks with a combination of waypoint
transfer to "Waypoint Editor" and buttons of "Program Manager".

You can, of course, also create waypoints from scratch, by typing it directly
into the input fields of "Waypoint editor".

Now you need maybe to save or use your work. For this purpose, use the "Files
Manager" buttons. The "Save Program" button will bring a standard MS dialog
box to choose the name and location where you will save you GPS program.
The "Load to GPS" button will replace the GPS memory file "ACS-GPS.dat" with
the listed program. The "Load Program" button bring also a standard MS dialog
which let you found the GPS program you want to load in the "Program Manager"
list. Finally, the "New Program" button also bring a standard MS dialog to
let you choose name and location of a future new GPS program. When done, the
"Program Manager" list will be cleared and you are ready to build a new
program from scratch (REMARK: The dialog will in fact not already create
the new file, but just preset name and location for the "Save Program" button
dialog).

The "Status display" rectangle let you know about the state of your actual
program. As you already know, "ACTUAL GPS MEMORY" indicate that the program
in the list is the GPS memory program. When "NEW OR MODIFIED DATA" appear,
this mean the program into list has been modified. Finally, when "Status
display" rectangle show a GPS program file name, this indicate the "Program
Manager" list contain this program unmodified.

Finally, you will remark that ACS-GPS Data Manager is built in a way to
enable or disable buttons, according with the circumstances. For example,
with an empty program list, "Insert", "Update" and "Delete" buttons will
be disabled. The "Waypoint Editor" has a full fields validity checker. If you
enter an illegal value for a field, the program will immediately refocus
on it with a warning beep. Until you correct the field, it will be impossible
to do other tasks in exception of database switching.



CUSTOMIZATION
-------------

With the help of the "Setting" button you can open a windows which let you
customize all 12 region buttons. In this window, you can edit the button
name and the database filename key.

This make possible to allocate to any buttons any pairs of database files (one
for Airports, one for Navaids). In other words, user can reorganize the whole
database to its personal taste, if he want to. He can simply just rename region
buttons or even allocate different database pair of files.

Database files must be inside "fsdtb" sub-directory of "ACS-GPS" directory
(itself placed into FS installation directory). Database filename key you
specify into "Setting" is used to construct both filename for each pair
of files the following way:

a prefix "A_" is added to filename key for Airports file.
a prefix "N_" is added to filename key for Navaids file.

Then, the postfix ".DTB" (file extension) is added.

Therefore, if you set a database filename key to "TOTO", region button which
receive this key will seek for files named: "A_TOTO.DTB" and "N_TOTO.DTB"
using the already mentioned path.

Settings are saved into a new file "ACSGPSda.ini" which will be created inside
your FS98 instalation directory.



KNOWN PROBLEMS
--------------

File "A_NAM-2K.dtb" of FS2000 database has a size which is really big, in
regard of the internal technical design of the Data Manager. Therefore, when
you quit this file. Time required to remove the list created is relatively
long. You may think the first time that the program is crashed BUT IT IS NOT
THE CASE, JUST BE PATIENT !!! I appologize for this, but avoiding this
would require to deeply change the internal design of the program and I had
no time to do it. Maybe later !!!

When used directly from the GPS gauge and if 3DFX full screen mode is used,
You may have to wait 2 or 3 seconds before FS98 switch again to 3DFX mode,
when you exit from ACS-GPS Data Manager. If this happen, PLEASE DO NOTHING
ELSE THAN WAITING FOR FS98 TO RETURN TO 3DFX MODE. (see also FINAL REMARKS
about the matter of 3DFX mode for more details).

You can use empty field for all fields, EXCEPT "ident" field in both Airports
and navaids database. Empty "ident" field will crash program, if such item is
transfered into waypoint editor (double-clicked). If you don't use this field,
please almost include a SPACE character to avoid this crash.



FINAL REMARKS
-------------

All FS98/FS2K database files are in text format for database. This mean one
item per line and each fields of item separated with a semi-colon character.
This format is compatible with all database programs which are able to import
text format.

Please use included database files as a reference for your own database built.
Both Airport and Navaids file have a different layout. For both layout, you
must simply respect the rule: each record line ALWAYS have the same number
of field separator (7 char ";" for airports database, 6 for navaids). Don't
miss the remark under "KNOWN PROBLEMS" about empty fields. Empty lines,
comments lines of any kind are simply NOT ALLOWED. Your database file MUST be
a collection of lines (RECORDS) with record-fields separated by ";".

In order to obtain the best possible performance, when building the database
list, every file is already sorted by name field. This mean, internal building
of list DO NOT sort the list. Therefore, if the user wants to add items to some
of the database files, it would be a good idea to insert them at the right
alphabetical place in the file.

Also for performance purpose, the program assume that database files are free
of syntax error, like missing field separator or so on. Therefore don't be
astonished if "Database Manager" crash all the program with inconsistent
modified database files. This is the reason you should better always keep a
copy of original file somewhere and to be very careful, when editing these
database files.

If for some reasons, someone don't want to adopt this Data Manager extension,
he can simply remove from FS directory the two files: "ACSGPSda.exe" and
"ACSGPSda.dll". In this case, GPS Gauges will simply react like in initial
version and just reload "ACS-GPS.dat", instead of launching the Data Manager.



AUTHOR
------

Alain Capt
35 ch. des Passiaux
CH-1008 PRILLY
SWITZERLAND
Tel + Fax: 41-21/ 648 38 37
E-Mail: [email protected]
URL: http://www.acsoft.ch  (look on "Produits" chapter to found FS98 pages)


Have nice GPS flight with ACS-GPS !!!