FlightSim.Com/Train-Sim.Com
Developer's Release Tips

If you have never released a file publicly before please carefully read the tips in the sections below.

Please note: It is never necessary to login first before uploading! Just follow the links here.

We offer two methods of uploading. Please use whichever one is more convenient for you:

1) Use our anonymous FTP site: ftp.flightsim.com. Note: Works with Netscape (any version) or Internet Explorer version 5.5 or later. A better way is to use an FTP client; see below.

2) Upload using just your browser by going to http://ftp.flightsim.com/uploads/fsupload.htm Note: maximum file size is 100 megs for this upload method.

Please remember: our file library can only accept files whose names have 8 letters or less before the ".zip". Please name your files appropriately!

f you've developed a flight simulator or train simulator add-on (whether scenery, a panel, aircraft or whatever) that you'd like to share with others or if you have photos you would like included in our Aviation Gallery you may be wondering what is the best way to do this? We at FlightSim.Com and Train-Sim.Com would like to offer some tips to help you do it the right way the first time (and not incidentally make things easier for our file librarian when he deals with your work!).

First thing to consider is how you want it released, as a paid for product ("shareware"), as something you own the rights to but don't charge for ("freeware") or something you completely and freely give away ("public domain"). Let's define the terms:

Shareware: Something distributed by the shareware method is a commercial product for which the developer expects to get paid. The developer holds the copyright and all other rights to the product, but allows some form of it (possibly limited in some way) to be freely distributed so that potential customers can evaluate it.

Freeware: Something designated as freeware is given away at no charge by the designer, however the designer retains the copyright and other rights. In the flightsim realm some people use the term freeware to also mean that no one may charge for copying, distributing or otherwise making available (i.e., through an online system of some sort); this extension to the actual meaning is contrary to usage outside the flightsim world and has been the cause of some confusion. A designer, as copyright holder, can include additional terms and conditions beyond those implied by the term "freeware" but should not assume that "freeware" means more than it actually does. For a sample freeware legal notice, click here.

Copyleft: A distribution concept developed by The GNU Project. Applying a "copyleft" to a release puts it somewhere between freeware and public domain. The legal terms allow the file to be improved on, but the source code must always be available for free. The standard legal notice that must be included provides strong protection for your release, much better than the legal mumbo jumbo that many hobbyists use. For the full details of copyleft visit the General Public License page at www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html. You can also download the license in text form here.

Public Domain: For something to be public domain the designer must specifically give up all rights to it and declare that it is public domain. By doing so anyone else can do anything they want with the item so designated. Note that anything you create is automatically given copyright protection, whether you remember to say so or not; it only becomes public domain by specifically saying so.

WHOSE WORK IS IT?

ome files are completely new work, developed from scratch. But many people base their work on someone else's earlier development. Repainted aircraft are a prime example but other improved or modified files are common. If your release is not 100% your own work, consider the following carefully.

Unless the original developer has specifically given up all rights to his work by declaring it public domain he still owns the work and all rights to it. You cannot use or modify any such item without following the original designer's terms. Some designers include usage terms in the release documentation, but more often than not these terms are unclear so to be safe it would be strongly advised to directly contact the original author before releasing any modified works.

In freeware, copying other peoples textures, gauges, etc., whether you do or don't hack the internal names, or using even pieces of other peoples bitmaps, or any component without the written permission of the original author is breaking International Copyright Law. Just giving the original author a "Credit" is not sufficient.

It is never legal to modify and release as your own work anything based on commercial software, whether shareware or store bought. Just don't do it.

If you are uploading photos for our Aviation Gallery we can only accept them if you are the photographer or if you have obtained explicit permission from the photographer for us to use them.

Special Requirements For American Airlines: Please note that American Airlines companies (including American Airlines itself, plus Air Cal, TWA, TWE, BEX and Reno Air) have special requirements that must be met before you create and upload any of their aircraft. Full details can be found here.

DOCUMENTATION

hatever you release you need to include some documentation with it. How involved the documentation is will generally depend on what it is you're releasing. For example, if you do a large scenery area you'll probably want to have an included airport list, navaid frequencies and so on.

When writing your documentation remember not to assume anything! Your audience does not have your background and skills and may not have the software and other tools that you do. It doesn't hurt to include extra detail, especially on how to install. It also makes sense to make your docs a plain ASCII text file, not a Word or other word processor file (what if the recipient doesn't have the right word processor?). Be careful with file names too...if you're making files for FS5 remember that it's a DOS program and can't handle those long Win95 file names.

SCREEN SHOTS

aking screen shots is easier than most people think--because the function is a standard feature built right into Windows itself. To take a screen shot of the active window all you need to do is hit the Alt key and the Print Screen key simultaneously. An image of the active window is then copied to the clipboard and from there you can paste the image into any program capable of handling graphics--including the Paint program that comes with Windows. Then, just save it as a file and you've got your screen shot.

Of course, that's just the absolute basics. You really should consider why you are taking a screen shot and how to make it come out looking as good as possible. For a picture that will end up as a tiny thumbnail image you should keep things simple. For example, if you're doing a screen shot of an airplane put it in front of a very simple background so the plane really stands out. You also need to consider the same things that photographers do such as where the sun is located. It really makes a difference! You should take your screen shot so the sun is shining directly on the side of the object you are looking at as otherwise you tend to get a dull, gray image instead of a nice bright one. Put some thought and time into it and make your screen shot really look good!

RELEASE CHECKLIST

eady to release? Here's a checklist to help keep you from forgetting anything:

FS2004 Piper Archer II PA-28-181.
A four seat single engine 180 hp light
airplane with fixed landing gear and low
mounted wings. Painted in a standard factory
paint scheme with red stripes on a white
background. Includes aircraft and sound
package. By Nels Anderson.

UPLOADING

hen you have everything ready, upload your .zip file (and screen shot if you have one) to the FlightSim.Com anonymous ftp server or use the browser based uploader. If you choose to use FTP your browser may be able to handle uploading using this method, however many people seem to have trouble doing this so we recommend that you use a true ftp client such as WS_FTP (from Ipswitch) or CuteFTP (from GlobalScape). Please note that if you are using a firewall you may have to turn it off in order to upload.

For many people the easiest way to upload is with Netscape. Connect to the URL ftp://ftp.flightsim.com/pub and then use the Upload File function in the File menu.

FTP Uploading Using Internet Explorer

IE version 5.5 and later can do ftp uploads, though this may not be obvious. Connect to ftp://ftp.flightsim.com/pub and and then drag the file you want to upload from your desktop to your browser window ("drag and drop") and the file will upload.

If your connection to the ftp site is denied, you may need to change your browser settings. Go into the Tools menu, then Internet Options, then Advanced. Look for a setting for "Passive FTP" and turn that setting on.

Uploading Using An FTP Client

If you can't upload with your browser you can upload using an FTP client. In that case you should do an anonymous connect (which usually means a separate setting on the ftp client setup and if not requires that you literally use the word "anonymous" as the login name and your email address as the password) to ftp.flightsim.com and then change to the pub directory and upload there. Make sure to switch to binary mode before starting your upload.

The most common problem that people have using FTP is a simple failure to follow the instructions. The single biggest problem is entering the host name wrong. The host name must be entered as just ftp.flightsim.com. People frequently make the mistake of adding to this, using things like "ftp://ftp.flightsim.com" or "ftp://ftp.flightsim.com/pub". Those are URL's that will work with a browser, but they will not work as an ftp client host name.

If you need an FTP client, try WS_FTP which you can download here. See the box at the right for detailed instructions on setting up WS_FTP.

Uploading Using Our Browser Based Uploader

If your have trouble using FTP you can also use our browser based uploading system. This should work with any standard browser; no add-ons required. Just fill in the form and wait for your upload to complete. To use this system go to http://ftp.flightsim.com/uploads/fsupload.htm

All done! We'll take it from there and have your file online in a day or so.

WHAT WE DO WITH YOUR FILE

he file you upload is not immediately added to our main file library. For the safety of our users and to catch as many technical and legal problems as possible all files are manually checked first. This means that it will usually be one or two days after you upload before your file appears on our new files lists (may be longer if you upload on a weekend).

Once a day all uploaded files are removed from the upload area. They are then checked for:

• File integrity (does the file unzip properly)
• Presence of a virus
• Proper description/documentation
• Legal problems

If any problems are found the file will be held or deleted. Please note, though, that no testing is perfect and we do not guarantee the safety or usability of files in our library.

Once our testing is complete the file will be made publicly available in our download library. It will be dated with the day that we added it to the library, not the day you uploaded it or originally created the file.

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