Reports / Requests for Plug-In Library

[Jonas Kuster]

I've slowly made my first steps with coding Plug-Ins for EuroScope. While learning and improving my skills, I had also to learn the limitations and bugs of the interface provided to plugin developers. Especially the latest beta releases cause a number of functions (events) to be called twice, which eventually cause unintended/other results and require the implementation of work-arounds in the plugin code to create the same desired output for all ES versions.

I would like to dedicate this topic to all plug-in developers and invite everyone to share and collect his thoughts and ideas, and keep an continuous overview of open reports / requests. I hope this could help Gergely to take some of the points on board to hopefully bring an update to the plug-in library at some point.

I start with a few points.

Functions called twice

This issue is present approximately since the removal of the old audio coded has started. Known functions affected are: OnFunctionCall in connection with OpenPopupEdit, OnNewMetarReceived

 

Wish list of additional functions

The following functions would help to make plug-in development simpler:

• int CController::GetCID(void) 
  To ensure an alpha/beta version only works for a selected group of controllers, and such plugin versions are not shared with other members when they shouldn't.
• const char * CController::GetRadioname(void)
  To use the controllers radio call sign (from the ese, = built-in function $radioname).
• bool CFlightPlan::setGroundState(int)
  To change the ground state.
• CPlugIn::CompileCommand(const char * sCommandLine)
  To send out text messages composed by the plugin (possibly using alias and built-in commands), and variants for the same in a specific frequency or a private chat.

[Mateusz Zymla]

On 11/6/2021 at 3:03 PM, Jonas Kuster said:

CPlugIn::CompileCommand(const char * sCommandLine)
To send out text messages composed by the plugin (possibly using alias and built-in commands), and variants for the same in a specific frequency or a private chat.

I pointed out Gergely in recent email about this, and he refused to add it to "avoid spamming over the network"... 

Also, I requested a possibility to force point-out (.point) by plugin, but no luck. I wanted to program sort of ROF functionality (Request on Frequency), so I could couple pointout as well as automated private message with this.

By the way, anybody has any idea how to do a controller-controller communication (WebSocketing?) for functions like these? I was thinking also of utilizing FlightStripAnnotations to push some additional infos between controllers (STAR clearance received, HOLDING, AFK reported, force EMERG state, etc...), and I can't seem what would be the best way to do it.

[Jonas Kuster]

On 11/12/2021 at 9:12 AM, Mateusz Zymla said:

I pointed out Gergely in recent email about this, and he refused to add it to "avoid spamming over the network"... 

Ok, I can see that argument. Well at least I would like to have the same options as some default tag items, to generate autotext messages in the chat (not send them). That would enable plugin tag items to work similar to the default items.

 

On 11/12/2021 at 9:12 AM, Mateusz Zymla said:

By the way, anybody has any idea how to do a controller-controller communication (WebSocketing?) for functions like these? I was thinking also of utilizing FlightStripAnnotations to push some additional infos between controllers (STAR clearance received, HOLDING, AFK reported, force EMERG state, etc...), and I can't seem what would be the best way to do it.

I think, this can all be done by using the scratch pad string. I know @Juha Holopainen uses this as a primary means to exchange information between ES clients (https://vatsim-scandinavia.org/forums/topic/3879-publish-gate-assignment/?do=findComment&comment=28037), flight trip annotations then only serve as an alternative way. Maybe he can bring some light and details on how this can be done in a nice way.

[Jonas Kuster]

6 minutes ago, Jonas Kuster said:

Well at least I would like to have the same options as some default tag items, to generate autotext messages in the chat (not send them). That would enable plugin tag items to work similar to the default items.

It would then be something like this:

• CFlightPlan::SendAutotextMessage(int ItemCode)
  To put autotext messages into the chat box.

The defined autotext messages should then be declared as const int values, possibly something like AUTOTEXT_MSG_...