Christopher Collins Posted June 24, 2015 at 02:16 AM Posted June 24, 2015 at 02:16 AM (edited) UPDATE: I'm not accepting any new Beta applications. Update at the end of the thread. Rest of message left for information. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Hi All, I've recently stepped in to take over XSquawkBox maintenance from Wade. As I'm sure most of you are aware, it's been over a year since XSquawkBox 1.2 was released, and some rather unpleasant bugs have since been discovered in with the way it behaves with XPlane 10. I've spent a couple of days getting things in order, and I believe we'll have release 1.3 within a month. There's already a beta, and I need your help testing it! The main goal of the 1.3 release is just to fix bugs and get XSquawkBox back into a stable, reliable state for all users. Got questions? feel free to post them in reply ---- Applying to Help Out With This XSB Beta --- The XSB 1.3 release is a maintenance release with aims to: Correct the rendering issues with HDR + global shadows Fix random crashes on launch on Windows systems If you are affected by either of the above, I really want to hear from you, but even if you aren't, I still need hands on the beta to make sure nothing else has broken! The beta for 1.3 only supports Windows and OS X 10.8+ at this time. The main target is 64bit X-Plane users, but 32-bit only users are welcome to apply too. There is currently no Linux version yet - if you are using Linux, do feel free to apply and I will let you know once a Linux version is available. I am currently working on the Linux build, but did not want to hold up the Windows and OSX users. If you wish to help with the XSB beta, please make sure that: You have have experience flying on VATSIM under air traffic control That you fly regularly in areas with other traffic, under voice capable controllers You are correctly set up for voice on VATSIM and have tested it with older versions of XSB or with other pilot clients (on other simulators) That you are capable of testing on X-Plane 10 or newer That you are using a Mac or Windows system I will not validate VATSIM experience unless I get an overwhelming number of beta applications. The expectation is that you are sufficiently aware of how voice works on VATSIM, have a working voice set-up that you have used and tested and will not need hand-holding through the initial set-up of XSquawkBox. If you qualify for the above, please send an email to with "XSB 1.3Beta1" in the subject and provide the following information: Your preferred contact email address (if not the one you're emailing me on) Operating System & Version (eg: OS X 10.10, or Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit) X-Plane Version Number and, for 10.20 or newer, if you're using the 32bit or 64bit executable Version of XSquawkBox you're currently using/have previously used or any other pilot clients you have experience with using That you understand that, as this is a beta, that there will most likely be bugs and that you accept the [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ociated risks The information you provide will only be used to produce rough demographics of systems used for testing so I can work out what is and isn't getting tested. [Mod - Happy Thoughts]uming I'm not overwhelmed with offers, I should be able to get a link out to you within 24 hours that has the beta release and instructions for reporting issues during the Beta testing period. For privacy reasons, please ensure that you ONLY send the above via email to the nominated address - do not post to the forum. Edited July 8, 2015 at 03:50 AM by Guest XSquawkBox - Developer/Maintainer Please post any support related questions to the XSquawkBox support forum rather than private messaging me, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Collins Posted June 25, 2015 at 12:42 AM Author Posted June 25, 2015 at 12:42 AM Just an update on the Beta, I have plenty of Windows testers, thanks. I could do with more MacOS and Linux based testers. And for the Linux based users, I have a preliminary Linux build working as of 5 minutes ago which is working fine on my test system except for audio device select (can only use PulseAudio right now) - this is the home stretch for an updated 64bit Linux plugin and I should hopefully have this ready shortly. XSquawkBox - Developer/Maintainer Please post any support related questions to the XSquawkBox support forum rather than private messaging me, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wycliffe Barrett Posted June 25, 2015 at 05:39 PM Posted June 25, 2015 at 05:39 PM hi I would be interested in being a beta tester for Xplane. I know you have a enough windows testers but I have only just managed to get to this as I have been rather busy today. Wycliffe Barrett Wycliffe Barrett: C3 Controller "if god meant for us to fly, he would have given us tickets" Mel Brooks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Drummond 1166519 Posted June 26, 2015 at 03:16 PM Posted June 26, 2015 at 03:16 PM I would like to test for MAC OS.. thanks, Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branko Gojkovic 1074685 Posted July 1, 2015 at 11:12 AM Posted July 1, 2015 at 11:12 AM test for windows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommi Karkkainen 1322309 Posted July 2, 2015 at 04:41 PM Posted July 2, 2015 at 04:41 PM I sent you an email on June 26th saying I'd like to test on OSX. No reply as of yet. Do you still need testers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Collins Posted July 8, 2015 at 04:00 AM Author Posted July 8, 2015 at 04:00 AM An update on the beta! Sorry to everybody who has applied but I haven't responded to yet - I had to take a brief break, fell behind by about 20 applications and I haven't had any time free to spend on XSB since then. I'm closing beta applications because I have plenty of testers now, but won't have enough time to process the backlog until I have the next "official" 1.3 beta ready. If you sent me an email and haven't yet received a reply, you will most likely get an email when the next beta release goes out. As for that, I've received mostly good news about the beta from the testers so far, so I think we're on track to have a 1.3 final along shortly if we can get Linux under wraps. For the Linux users, the good news is that we have a plugin that works (mostly) with 64bit X-Plane 10. The bad news is that it still has a reproducible crash-to-desktop bug in it. We're still working on it and hope to have it fixed soon. XSquawkBox - Developer/Maintainer Please post any support related questions to the XSquawkBox support forum rather than private messaging me, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Sutcliffe Posted July 8, 2015 at 12:39 PM Posted July 8, 2015 at 12:39 PM The bad news is that it still has a reproducible crash-to-desktop bug in it. That's better news than if it were an intermittent bug! swift - Developer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Collins Posted July 8, 2015 at 09:45 PM Author Posted July 8, 2015 at 09:45 PM The bad news is that it still has a reproducible crash-to-desktop bug in it. That's better news than if it were an intermittent bug! Sure - it's good news for us developers - doesn't help the users much XSquawkBox - Developer/Maintainer Please post any support related questions to the XSquawkBox support forum rather than private messaging me, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Drewing Posted July 15, 2015 at 07:43 AM Posted July 15, 2015 at 07:43 AM Thank you, Christopher, for your contribution especially to the Linux community. Your efforts are one of the few positive signals (besides of the Swift Client). I have been grounded for over two years now, due to the lack of support for X-Plane 10 (64-bit) under Linux. May you do well and be persistent enough to eventually provide access for the Linux community to VATSIM again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrzej Borysewicz Posted July 22, 2015 at 11:10 AM Posted July 22, 2015 at 11:10 AM Hi Christopher, If I understood right, you will not release anything for Windows/Mac until you have Linux problems sorted out? Thank you for working on that project, it is so much needed and anticipated. Cheers, AJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Doloughty 810086 Posted July 24, 2015 at 01:21 AM Posted July 24, 2015 at 01:21 AM I second the comment by Thomas. I've been grounded for a couple of years now after discovering the XP/Linux combination. Thank you for your efforts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Collins Posted July 27, 2015 at 02:15 PM Author Posted July 27, 2015 at 02:15 PM Another update! The 1.3.0 release for Windows and OS X is imminent - I'll be preparing the release build(s) in the next 48 hours. Linux should get a 1.3.0b2 release to the testers who applied within the same time-frame. I made a fairly significant breakthrough in the past 2 hours and I will be executing a closed beta with it to see if it's stable enough for release. Unfortunately, it's past midnight here, so there'll be no further progress for another 18 or so hours - but keep your eyes peeled for good news soon! XSquawkBox - Developer/Maintainer Please post any support related questions to the XSquawkBox support forum rather than private messaging me, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Drewing Posted July 27, 2015 at 10:13 PM Posted July 27, 2015 at 10:13 PM That is superb news, Christopher! I can hardly wait to get my hands on the Linux XSB. F I N A L L Y ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Rizzi 810637 Posted July 27, 2015 at 10:57 PM Posted July 27, 2015 at 10:57 PM Thank you. Looking forward to being able to fly VATSIM again. Charles Rizzi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrzej Borysewicz Posted August 1, 2015 at 03:37 PM Posted August 1, 2015 at 03:37 PM Another update! The 1.3.0 release for Windows and OS X is imminent - I'll be preparing the release build(s) in the next 48 hours. Hi Chris, Did you run on any additional problems? I can hardly wait to try the 1.3 without crashes. Good luck and thank you for your work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan White Posted August 2, 2015 at 01:15 AM Posted August 2, 2015 at 01:15 AM Andrzej, Its was released on the 28th of July. See : http://www.xsquawkbox.net/xsb/2015/07/presenting-xsquawkbox-1-3-0/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrzej Borysewicz Posted August 2, 2015 at 01:23 AM Posted August 2, 2015 at 01:23 AM Thank you Duncan. Since there was an announcement in this thread, I was expecting the info HERE. Going there NOW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Drewing Posted August 3, 2015 at 08:38 AM Posted August 3, 2015 at 08:38 AM Any news/ progress on the 64-bit Linux release? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrzej Borysewicz Posted August 3, 2015 at 10:50 AM Posted August 3, 2015 at 10:50 AM Any news/ progress on the 64-bit Linux release? http://www.xsquawkbox.net/xsb/2015/07/presenting-xsquawkbox-1-3-0/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Drewing Posted August 3, 2015 at 11:15 AM Posted August 3, 2015 at 11:15 AM Any news/ progress on the 64-bit Linux release? http://www.xsquawkbox.net/xsb/2015/07/presenting-xsquawkbox-1-3-0/ The posted link is known and already six days old. It does not answer my question for news/ progress of the 64-bit Linux client. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrzej Borysewicz Posted August 3, 2015 at 11:19 AM Posted August 3, 2015 at 11:19 AM Wasn't known to me as I expected the updates here. And it answers your question by using word "shortly". If anything new comes up, i am sure it will be announced in the old posted link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Collins Posted August 10, 2015 at 09:24 PM Author Posted August 10, 2015 at 09:24 PM A closed beta has been running for XSB 1.3 Linux with the people who had applied during the original 1.3 beta. Unfortunately, real life flying and study along with an event I'm involved with have been eating my time the past few weeks . I should finally have some time again this week. On the good news front: Linux got some major bug fixes last time I worked on the code (some of this the closed beta testers don't have hands on yet). Audio device selection now works. dsnoop/dmix now works. Optimum sampling rate selection improved This means it's possible to use XSquawkBox without pulseaudio, and more importantly, you can actually pick which audio device you want to use. There's a few stability related changes I want to get in before we have a final release (we still CTD on a whole slew of audio related problems that we shouldn't crash on), but as the audio code is now working well enough to be considered usable, I'm hoping that this will be a much faster process than it was to get to this point in the first place. XSquawkBox - Developer/Maintainer Please post any support related questions to the XSquawkBox support forum rather than private messaging me, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Doloughty 810086 Posted August 10, 2015 at 10:53 PM Posted August 10, 2015 at 10:53 PM Thanks for the update and great news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Drewing 978335 Posted August 31, 2015 at 04:32 PM Posted August 31, 2015 at 04:32 PM It's the end of the month and I am wondering if there are any news on the linux client? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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