Euroscope compatibility with FSD Server FSD V3.000 draft 9

[Peter Story]

A question for Gergely,

I am using Euroscope V3.2 on a private FSD network based on FSD V3.000 draft 9 code. On the FSX side, a simconnect program interfaces with the FSD server supporting the packet comms to and from the server.

 

FSX aircraft connected to the private FSD network appear on the Euroscope screen as they would in VATSIM with the position data matching that sent from FSX via the simconnect program. All the Euroscope functions I need work perfectly until I use the "flags" field in the @N or @S packet. The format of this packet for FSD V3.0 is

::::::: ::

 

It appears that Euroscope uses the flags field. Once I start using this field to send information, the altitude readout on Euroscope shows erroneous information for altitudes above 10,000ft, but below 10,000 the readouts are working correctly. I'm using my own format for the flags data.

 

I'd appreciate any advice on what bit positions in this field I should avoid.

 

Thanks for your help

[Ross Carlson]

In VATSIM's FSD (and in the freeware ones I've seen) that field is used for the delta between true altitude and pressure altitude. If you're using it for something else, that would be why it's messing with the altitude above the transition level in ES. (I'm [Mod - Happy Thoughts]uming you have 10,000 set as the transition level.)

[Peter Story]

Thanks very much for the quick reply Ross. Yes that explains it, I was using 10,000' as the transition altitude.

 

I couldn't find any information on the flags field format, so unfortunately am working in the dark. Do you know if the complete field is used for the delta altitude or if a bit mask is used to extract this info once the field is converted from a string?

 

I can send up to 64bits (unsigned int converted to a string) via the FSD server and some quick testing shows that I can use the upper 32 bits without impacting Euroscope.

 

I'd really appreciate any information on the flags field format to avoid any future compatibility issues.

 

A really big thanks to Gergely for not only developing Euroscope, but also allowing it to connect to FSD networks other than VATSIM.

 

As background, the application is to provide AEW&C radar coverage that includes non VATSIM traffic, broader than the 120nm limit imposed by FSX when retrieving AI data.

[David Zhong]

That field is not used for "flags" in any client conforming to the VATSIM protocol spec. Using your notation: the field is pressure altitude; the field is simply the delta as an integer; true altitude (i.e. above MSL) is given by + .

[Peter Story]

Thanks David, clearly I have misinterpreted the minimal docomeentation that I have. I will look at the $CQ packets as these seem to be used for client data.

[Ross Carlson]

clearly I have misinterpreted the minimal docomeentation that I have

 

Or, VATSIM doesn't follow the same protocol as the FSD you're working with.

[Peter Story]

Thanks Ross, I've tested the $CQ packets with my own command and data fields and these are faithfully resent by the FSD server and ignored by Euroscope, so fortunately an easy change to achieve what I was after.

 

Thanks to all respondents, I appreciate the help.