Craig Farrell Posted May 30, 2022 at 04:44 PM Posted May 30, 2022 at 04:44 PM Hmm.. looks pretty straight forward. I have a plugin running already and logging things 🙂 Now to figure out how to communicate with an FS window and we are in business (maybe text files to start with.. yuck). Thanks Ross! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Padley Posted May 30, 2022 at 05:00 PM Posted May 30, 2022 at 05:00 PM Very promising guys....fingers crossed you can work through this- there will be a lot of VERY grateful VR pilots 🙂 BIll P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Carlson Posted May 30, 2022 at 05:16 PM Posted May 30, 2022 at 05:16 PM The plugin stuff is not documented, but I do have some brief notes to get you started: https://vpilot.rosscarlson.dev/PluginInstructions.txt Developer: vPilot, VRC, vSTARS, vERAM, VAT-Spy Senior Controller, Boston Virtual ARTCC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Farrell Posted May 30, 2022 at 06:10 PM Posted May 30, 2022 at 06:10 PM Thanks Ross, yeah, I found that, followed it and have a plugin working. I'm just not sure how I'm going to communicate with an html window in MSFS (initiated from the toolbar). A work in progress 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Pool Posted May 30, 2022 at 09:22 PM Posted May 30, 2022 at 09:22 PM Guys, hit me up if you need a tester regardless how raw the plugin is. I can 't write code anymore, but I have been in software dev for more than I'd like disclaim here. So I can run tests and report findings. I have an Oculus Quest 2, 19-9900k, RTX3080 Ti.... I can say if someone can get this working, it will make flying on the network with MSFS in VR do-able. I am a daily VATSIM user with X-Plane, but this would be amazing to use MSFS with aircraft like the FBW with a vPilot window pulled in native via the toolbar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Black Posted June 3, 2022 at 09:03 AM Posted June 3, 2022 at 09:03 AM FYI I have built an app for MSFs VR that talks to the. API and presents frequencies and controllers. It shows what stations are online and allows one click frequency changes still testing but happy to share an early release 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Asberg Posted June 3, 2022 at 09:52 AM Posted June 3, 2022 at 09:52 AM 47 minutes ago, David Black said: FYI I have built an app for MSFs VR that talks to the. API and presents frequencies and controllers. It shows what stations are online and allows one click frequency changes still testing but happy to share an early release Absolutely amazing news David, can't thank you enough for the time and effort you've invested in developing this tool for us!! Already commented over in the linked thread above but if you need more testers, do let me know 👍 Richard Åsberg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Black Posted June 3, 2022 at 11:12 AM Posted June 3, 2022 at 11:12 AM Here are a few screenshots of the toolbar app, happy to share discord link if anyone else wants to test VSR help pages.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Pool Posted June 3, 2022 at 12:34 PM Posted June 3, 2022 at 12:34 PM Can verify that David's tool is absolutely epic! Used it last night from KATL - KDCA full ATC coverage in VR and it worked flawlessly. This plus the free-draw canvas toolbar I downloaded for copying clearances in VR makes flying on VATSIM in VR with MSFS a reality. Now I just need to figure out how to get vPIlot messages/notifications pulled in to VR, but for now I just pop open the VR desktop window to peek if I hear the message notification tone. Anyway, thanks, David. Your plugin is amazing! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Asberg Posted June 3, 2022 at 01:16 PM Posted June 3, 2022 at 01:16 PM 40 minutes ago, John Pool said: Can verify that David's tool is absolutely epic! Used it last night from KATL - KDCA full ATC coverage in VR and it worked flawlessly. This plus the free-draw canvas toolbar I downloaded for copying clearances in VR makes flying on VATSIM in VR with MSFS a reality. Now I just need to figure out how to get vPIlot messages/notifications pulled in to VR, but for now I just pop open the VR desktop window to peek if I hear the message notification tone. Anyway, thanks, David. Your plugin is amazing! Great to hear! What is that free-draw canvas toolbar you mention? Richard Åsberg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Pool Posted June 3, 2022 at 01:47 PM Posted June 3, 2022 at 01:47 PM 27 minutes ago, Richard Asberg said: What is that free-draw canvas toolbar you mention? I bought this one: https://store.flightsim.com/product/flightsimulator-me-ingamepanels-pack-for-msfs/ It actually comes with a bunch of different panels, but the only one I care about (and the only one I installed) is the canvas. It works very very well. I have been an XPlane AviTab user for years, and I find drawing with the Oculus manipulator much easier and natural on the canvas in MSFS than AviTab.... Really great for copying clearances. I haven't done this yet, but it is transparent so you could theoretically overlay it on top of a navigraph taxi diagram and highlight the route (like you can do in ForeFlight IRL). Will have to play around with that... but, for now, it is great to copy down clearances. Or just doodle while in the cruise 🤣 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Asberg Posted June 3, 2022 at 03:09 PM Posted June 3, 2022 at 03:09 PM Thanks, will check it out 👍 Richard Åsberg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Padley Posted June 3, 2022 at 04:35 PM Posted June 3, 2022 at 04:35 PM 5 hours ago, David Black said: Here are a few screenshots of the toolbar app, happy to share discord link if anyone else wants to test VSR help pages.pdf 1.12 MB · 6 downloads Great stuff. Would love to take a look David if you have a link ! Bill P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Black Posted June 4, 2022 at 12:34 PM Posted June 4, 2022 at 12:34 PM 23 hours ago, John Pool said: Can verify that David's tool is absolutely epic! Used it last night from KATL - KDCA full ATC coverage in VR and it worked flawlessly. This plus the free-draw canvas toolbar I downloaded for copying clearances in VR makes flying on VATSIM in VR with MSFS a reality. Now I just need to figure out how to get vPIlot messages/notifications pulled in to VR, but for now I just pop open the VR desktop window to peek if I hear the message notification tone. Anyway, thanks, David. Your plugin is amazing! Thanks for the feedback John, I hope to get the 1st official release out via Flightsim.to in the next few days. I have looked at messages and a read only function should be possible using a vPilot plugin,; the plug-in would subscribe to messages and then make them available (possibly via a restful API) so I can get them via my server and present them in the U/I. My c# is not too good, but hopefully I can partner with somebody who would be prepared to build and support the plug-in and I would take care of the presentation layer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Pool Posted June 5, 2022 at 07:35 AM Posted June 5, 2022 at 07:35 AM 18 hours ago, David Black said: I have looked at messages and a read only function should be possible using a vPilot plugin,; the plug-in would subscribe to messages and then make them available (possibly via a restful API) so I can get them via my server and present them in the U/I. Oh, that would be amazing! Yes, I think read only would be amazing. Just the ability to see when a controller pings you when you enter their airspace or if you get a PDC (this happens frequently in the US, not so much when I fly in EU).... yes that would be like a dream come true. Having said that, I used your plugin tonight on a flight from KDCA - KJAX with full ATC and then again from KSFO - KSEA where I only had ground from the departure airport... the map feature was great to show me when I was close to Seattle Center (granted, I had the OFP up that showed me when I was crossing their FIR anyway)... Sorry I wish I could help with the C#... the only thing I can offer is testing. Thanks again! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Black Posted June 5, 2022 at 09:13 AM Posted June 5, 2022 at 09:13 AM 1 hour ago, John Pool said: Oh, that would be amazing! Yes, I think read only would be amazing. Just the ability to see when a controller pings you when you enter their airspace or if you get a PDC (this happens frequently in the US, not so much when I fly in EU).... yes that would be like a dream come true. Having said that, I used your plugin tonight on a flight from KDCA - KJAX with full ATC and then again from KSFO - KSEA where I only had ground from the departure airport... the map feature was great to show me when I was close to Seattle Center (granted, I had the OFP up that showed me when I was crossing their FIR anyway)... Sorry I wish I could help with the C#... the only thing I can offer is testing. Thanks again! John, thanks for the further feedback, good the hear map is working as designed too, Hopefully I have a great resource for the c# development, watch this space ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Asberg Posted June 5, 2022 at 10:01 AM Posted June 5, 2022 at 10:01 AM Truly great to see what's happening here! Sorry I haven't been able to try it out myself yet. Been a few busy days but hope to have some time in the near future. Richard Åsberg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Black Posted June 5, 2022 at 02:47 PM Posted June 5, 2022 at 02:47 PM for those who have commented regards VATSIM messages; I've build in the front end & middleware server capability which will eventually talk to a vPilot plugin to get the messages. It is presented as a table which is updated every 3 seconds from the server, this means historical messages are held in the presentation layer. There doesn't seem to be any performance issues with this polling frequency. The message is clickable, that exposes a clickable frequency if embedded in the original message. I've left room at the bottom of the map to display the messages. It will cater for different types of messages, with different icons, at present I just have system messages, it will also show debug messages if debug is on Ways to go, hopefully this design will hopefully some idea of where this is heading Now to get the vPilot plugin integrated (thanks to Craig's offer of help) /DB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Pool Posted June 5, 2022 at 06:06 PM Posted June 5, 2022 at 06:06 PM 3 hours ago, David Black said: for those who have commented regards VATSIM messages; I've build in the front end & middleware server capability which will eventually talk to a vPilot plugin to get the messages. It is presented as a table which is updated every 3 seconds from the server, this means historical messages are held in the presentation layer. There doesn't seem to be any performance issues with this polling frequency. The message is clickable, that exposes a clickable frequency if embedded in the original message. I've left room at the bottom of the map to display the messages. David, this is becoming epic!! The idea of somehow parsing out a frequency in a message that you can click and tune is simply brilliant. Imagine - you cross a FIR boundary and the controller sends you a "Please contact me on 134.50" message. That shows up in that message table and you click it and it tunes com1... is that what you are thinking, here? Because that would be brilliant!!! Also, quick question, in that map picture, it looks like you are displaying a bunch of different ATC... in my map, I can only see the ATC that I have clicked the map icon for.... how are you getting your map to show center/control, approach/director, tower, atis, ground etc all on the same map? That is simply amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Padley Posted June 6, 2022 at 06:23 AM Posted June 6, 2022 at 06:23 AM Have to agree with John...we have gone from nothing to arguably a way better solution than we have in X plane with X pilot. !! great work David Bill P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Black Posted June 7, 2022 at 03:33 AM Posted June 7, 2022 at 03:33 AM On 6/5/2022 at 7:06 PM, John Pool said: David, this is becoming epic!! The idea of somehow parsing out a frequency in a message that you can click and tune is simply brilliant. Imagine - you cross a FIR boundary and the controller sends you a "Please contact me on 134.50" message. That shows up in that message table and you click it and it tunes com1... is that what you are thinking, here? Because that would be brilliant!!! Also, quick question, in that map picture, it looks like you are displaying a bunch of different ATC... in my map, I can only see the ATC that I have clicked the map icon for.... how are you getting your map to show center/control, approach/director, tower, atis, ground etc all on the same map? That is simply amazing! John the clickable frequencies work as you describe, in fact it’s a.ready implemented ; if you have a frequency in an ATIS or station description it’s clickable now. I have build this into messaging in the same way - get message notification, click on it to open full message, click on frequency and radio changes. regards maps, the global map is accessible by clicking map icon in the header row Regards /DB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Black Posted June 8, 2022 at 08:45 AM Posted June 8, 2022 at 08:45 AM All, Exciting news thanks to fantastic work from Craig Farrell in developing a vPilot plug-in, we now have a connection between the front end and VATSIM direct messages via vPilot Early days but the proof of concept works with clickable frequencies too - more to come 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Padley Posted June 8, 2022 at 09:51 AM Posted June 8, 2022 at 09:51 AM Exciting news indeed!..well done to all involved- the community are grateful for your efforts on this project . ! Bill P 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Pool Posted June 8, 2022 at 03:07 PM Posted June 8, 2022 at 03:07 PM 6 hours ago, David Black said: thanks to fantastic work from Craig Farrell in developing a vPilot plug-in, we now have a connection between the front end and VATSIM direct messages via vPilot Simply amazing! this has already been a complete game-changer for me. I have now completely shifted to MSFS for VR + VATSIM flying thanks to this plugin. David, as always, please reach out if you need early access testing on this. And thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Black Posted June 8, 2022 at 07:09 PM Posted June 8, 2022 at 07:09 PM 4 hours ago, John Pool said: Simply amazing! this has already been a complete game-changer for me. I have now completely shifted to MSFS for VR + VATSIM flying thanks to this plugin. David, as always, please reach out if you need early access testing on this. And thanks!! Thanks John, much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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