new vATIS: Don't make multiple profiles

[Jim Rosado 896019]

So, I tried creating multiple profiles in vATIS, and I was successful in creating them in the "outer opening main menu". I provide ATC in ZAN, so I created each of the profiles that are purportedly listed as downloads under the "vATIS" section of our ZAN Files page (our predefined profiles are useless to me, because I can never extract or save the needed ".gz" file from their zip file after downloading them; they do not show as ".gz" files after downloading, just plain files of unknown type).

 

Anyhow . . . I did not try opening each profile I built and then using "CTRL + F" to save each profile with the respective 4-digit ICAO or anything else. That is because after I built those profiles, vATIS then started generating connection error messages (a series of 4 of them) when trying to open any profile (even my original profile). Those error messages pop up rapid-fire after clicking the "Connect" button.

 

The only "fix" to this was to use the "Uninstall" inside my vATIS folder to uninstall it. Then I downloaded it again and reinstalled it. Then I opened it, and of course, had to do the "setup" again (typing my VATSIIM login ID and PW, etc.) At first, there was no "list" to select from in the "server" drop-down box. I then started looking for such a reported issue in this forum and could not see anything (that took 10-15 minutes). Then I looked at the "setup" menu I still had open for vATIS again, and the "server" drop-down then allowed me to finally select from a list of VATSIM servers. It had apparently timed out (according to 2 popup messages stating that) and then allowed the server list to be accessible.

 

So I selected a server, and then "imported" the backup I'd exported earlier way before I uninstalled vATIS. Then, vATIS started working again without any issues.

 

My conclusion: you can setup only a single profile in the new vATIS, apparently. More than one profile risks the need to do an uninstall and a reinstall from scratch.

 

Oh: and I finally learned to click the actual words "ARPT COND" and "NOTAM MSG" to see the list of predefined options (that I set up myself) for my airport and to double-click on any of them to select or deselect them as needed. I'd [Mod - Happy Thoughts]umed clicking anywhere in the those huge boxes would do it, but Mike Fries told me how to do it by clicking on the "title" for each of those boxes. Wish the online docomeentation (help guide) could have pointed that out in that kind of detail. And, I learned to use a "period" after each clickable option I set up in those boxes, or they won't work correctly, if at all. Again, wish the docomeentation more clearly pointed that out.

 

Finally: I absolutely love the "English alternate male voice" in the new vATIS. It sounds better than any vATIS I've ever heard!

 

Many thanks to the vATIS developers for such a great new vATIS program, though the docomeentation could have been just a bit more detailed, in my opinion.

 

I have also learned to keep both vATIS and AFV windows visible at all times on my second monitor, because I never know whey they are going to disconnect themselves.

 

Cheers!

[Justin Shannon]

So, I tried creating multiple profiles in vATIS, and I was successful in creating them in the "outer opening main menu". I provide ATC in ZAN, so I created each of the profiles that are purportedly listed as downloads under the "vATIS" section of our ZAN Files page (our predefined profiles are useless to me, because I can never extract or save the needed ".gz" file from their zip file after downloading them; they do not show as ".gz" files after downloading, just plain files of unknown type).

Sounds like there's something funky going on with your Windows instance and filetypes. When you export a facility, it should export as a .gz which you can then use your favorite file archiver tool to open it (I personally like 7zip).

Anyhow . . . I did not try opening each profile I built and then using "CTRL + F" to save each profile with the respective 4-digit ICAO or anything else. That is because after I built those profiles, vATIS then started generating connection error messages (a series of 4 of them) when trying to open any profile (even my original profile). Those error messages pop up rapid-fire after clicking the "Connect" button.

It sounds like you're confused about the difference between "Facilities" and "Profiles". A "facility" is the geographical location of the ATIS (e.g. KLAX). A facility may have one ore more "profiles". These profiles are used to quickly change the configuration of the facility. For example, you could have a "West Ops" and an "East Ops" profile for a facility.

Oh: and I finally learned to click the actual words "ARPT COND" and "NOTAM MSG" to see the list of predefined options (that I set up myself) for my airport and to double-click on any of them to select or deselect them as needed. I'd [Mod - Happy Thoughts]umed clicking anywhere in the those huge boxes would do it, but Mike Fries told me how to do it by clicking on the "title" for each of those boxes. Wish the online docomeentation (help guide) could have pointed that out in that kind of detail. And, I learned to use a "period" after each clickable option I set up in those boxes, or they won't work correctly, if at all. Again, wish the docomeentation more clearly pointed that out.

The docomeentation explains how to use pre-defined ATIS messages...

...

To create a new pre-defined message, click on either the ARPT COND or NOTAM MSG labels. A popup dialog will show allowing you to toggle existing messages on or off, modify existing messages or add new ones.

 

To toggle an existing message, simple check or uncheck the checkbox next to the appropriate message. After you do this, the Apply button will become active. Please note that even though you may have messages toggled on, they will not be included in the ARPT COND or NOTAM MSG free form textboxes.

...

[Jim Rosado 896019]

Thanks, Justin, for that detailed reply; I certainly appreciate it!

 

I'm able to export profiles just fine. But on our ZAN website, if I download any of the pre-defined profiles on our ZAN "Files" page, they seem to download fine. But when I use WinZip to try and unzip or open them, the result is a single file with no file extension; so no ".gz" file is observed, just the funky "plain" file with a generic blank-page icon. If I try to import that file into vATIS, vATIS doesn't "see" it because it is not a ".gz" file. If I manually rename the file to add a .gz extension, it renames the file. But, vATIS still does not import the file.

 

I am familiar with having different profiles for a single facility. However, if I create more than one facility in vATIS, it makes it unusable. I can go into the newly-created facility and create a profile for that new facility. But the moment I click "Connect" for either the new facility and one its profiles, or open the original facility and one of its profiles, I get a 4-popup barrage that I have to click to close. I cannot even see the popups (except for the one in front that I cannot click on). I have to click the "OK" that is almost completely hidden on the rear 3 popups. That closes all 4 of the popups, as well as vATIS. As I said, uninstalling and reinstalling (and then keeping only the single PANC facility loaded) fixed those issues.

 

I also formerly used different profiles. But with the newfound ability to load all options in the "ARPT INFO" box and then select the ones in use (the same for "NOTAM MSGS"), I only need to keep a single "PANC" profile in-place. Then the vATIS does a great job at playing the exact ATIS needed. So I have pretty much abandoned the use of different profiles, unless I am advised to return to them; there is no longer a need for them, with the new and persistent functionality of the contents of the ARPT COND and NOTAM MSGS functions.

 

I did read thru the docomeentation a few times about pre-defined messages. What I was trying to say there is that until Mike Fries told me to click on the actual title headings ("ARPT COND" and "NOTAM MSGS"), they never worked for me. The boxes those headings reside in are not clickable for me (except for using "CTRL + F" in them to view the internal settings, etc. of vATIS). Only the actual words (the title phrases of those boxes) are clickable for me. Also, I am still unable to see or click "Preview" to preview the vATIS. Instead, I always have to "add" it to my AFV control panel as a separate freq each time I start a controlling session wherein I setup a vATIS. Then I can monitor it.

 

Again, none of this is criticism, not in the least. I was and am just trying to be helpful in case anyone else has any of these issues. I do use W7 on an older computer (7 years old), and I realize that (like AFV) vATIS might be "optimized" for newer computers and faster connections (I am stuck with having HughesNet satellite internet as my only option -- its latency killed my voice readability during the recent WorldFlight into Portland. I started on APP and had to finally jump on DEP because of that issue).

 

Note: I have since found and implemented a few tweaks and techniques that have eliminated "most" of my former "poor voice quality issues" during my use of AFV during heavy traffic.

 

I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving, and thanks for all that you continue for us poor saps who continue to battle with older age, older computers and "less than desired" internet connections. Cheers!