An App / Program to develop for FSX - Ideas?

Hi everyone. Not quite sure which section this post should go in to, so have placed it here.

Got to do a "computing project" involving programming this year at school for an A-Level. And in order to make it somewhat enjoyable for myself, thought I would make something related to FS that may ultimately be useful for myself and others in the hobby. But unfortunately am a little short of ideas and imagination currently.

So wondered if anyone has an idea for an app or piece of software, whatever device it be run on (I can ask for any required equipment within reason to be provided), relating to FSX and flight simulation, that they'd want and doesn't yet exist, that I could attempt to make for this project. Bearing in mind it would need to be relatively simple and not massively advanced.

Many thanks.

Hi,

how would you describe your current knowledge in software development? What methods, languages and platforms are you familiar with?

And what is expected of you, is the programming part the most important aspect or is it the "project" part (how did you go about it).

Edit: most important: how much time do you have? Not only until the project has to be completed, but how much time do you actually have on your hands to work on this?

Before you think about cross platform development (like apps on an iPad hooking into FSX...), you IMHO should start with the basics. Depending on the requirements this could be a gauge you use in an airplane or an application running on the same computer doing something for, with or to the sim.

Assuming that the programming part is the core of your project, I suggest you write an external application or DLL using C++.

If you want to do this, you start out like this:

1. Get your developement enviroment in place. You will need

- The FSX SDK (obviously)

- Microsoft Visual Studio Express (that one is freeware, use whatever version is current)

- A vanilla/"pure" FSX installation you can quickly test stuff with

2. Check out the example programs in the SDK for implementing DLLs, especially those with SimConnect. See that you get a VSE project going with these, compile them, get them to run.

3. Then decide on an specific implementation you want to do. Maybe you have some ideas of your own by then. I think there is a lot you can do with the basic concept of moving 3D objects around in the sim. Like for example an app for visually boarding 3D passengers. A sea rescue package, where you can save people from drowning. A configurable snow plough simulation for a runway. An icing/snow app that continuously makes your plane heavier on the ground so that you cannot even take off unless you deice it. And so on.

The SDK documentation on DLL development is pretty good, and sites like FSDeveloper.com are a great help too.

And of ocurse, if you need help with setting up the IDE or anything, just ask - there are subforums here too for developers/designers.

Hi, thanks for your interest and very helpful reply!

I have a couple of years' experience "playing around" with python and C# in addition to knowledge of C# and techniques for the exam a few months ago.

Programming is about as important as the write-up and analysis of how I completed the task.

I have the rest of this week of summer holiday, then two terms of lessons before it has to be completed with probably an hour each evening I could designate to both the programming and analysis. Not under too much time pressure.

I believe something like a guage for an aircraft would be a little too "dull" or "specific" for the examiner. Although more complicated, I generally like the idea of a mobile app interacting with FSX.

Got an "environment" planned, intend to install copy onto personal PC, already have Visual and some practice with it, and will look into FSX SDK.

Those are some very interesting ideas, thanks, particularly interested in something related to passenger movement and/or visualisation.

Once again, thanks. And I may well take you up on the offer for further help!

So wondered if anyone has an idea for an app or piece of software, whatever device it be run on (I can ask for any required equipment within reason to be provided), relating to FSX and flight simulation, that they'd want and doesn't yet exist, that I could attempt to make for this project

Okay, yes. I have no idea to what level A-level computing is taught, so this might be off base. However, I can see at least two possible approaches, one of which will be less challenging than the other. Perhaps one will suit.

Here's the deal: make a gauge that works like a variometer but for yawing. In other words, you get variometer-like audible feedback for when you are flying out of balance.

One way you could do this would be to write an FSX gauge from scratch in C++ and using a suitable sound API. It may be possible to do this with an XML gauge, although I don't know if/how you can get sound in an XML gauge.

There is an alternative way that I think will be pitched more at your level (apologies if you are already an awesome hobby programmer), which is to get a copy of Air Manager and create your gauge in that. AM makes it easy to create 2D gauges, although they have to run in AM. This usually involves some programming and some graphic design, although if you made a sound-only gauge you may not need any graphics unless you made some kind of user-config dialog. Air Manager has a rudimentary sound API, so it will easily be possible to get something working. I haven't played with it so I don't know how well it works in practice. Programming is in Lua 5.1, which is an accessible if somewhat messy language to work with.

If you this and it worked well, I'd use it.

As you have some experience with coding, it shouldnt take too long to figure out the SDK examples. You could do a real software development MO, by the book. Just abbreviated, plan and research what you want to do (30%), code it (30%), document, test and run it (30%). If you look at some of the professional best practices and copy them, you should do fine on the procedural part. Just be aware that as a rule of thumb you only have 30% of the allocated time for actual coding, if you do not want to skimp. From what you write I guesstimate you have about 200 hours for this, maybe less. That would mean about 60-80 hours for coding, these are about 2 full weeks. Not much, when you come to think of it.

The beast with mobile apps is the bridging to the FSX (Windows) system. You will have to do a lot of research how this even works, see if you can get ported SimConnect clients or write a bridge of your own (your own client-server process that interfaces with FSX locally). You may get a SimConnect client working on a Windows tablet, but Android or IOS will make your hair turn grey. Well, a little. To be honest, I dont think this is doable in your time frame.

It's difficult to think of something new. So much has been made already, and often the fs2004 programs/gauges still work as well.

If time is an issue, maybe take an existing idea and recreate it in your own way. Without looking to much at the existing product. (If the teacher allows this.)

As far as I can see this is a test of your programming skill. Not of your creativity.

Interested to see how it turns out,

il88pp.

I would pay good money for a new ATC voice pack that WASNT american voices. It really gets on my nerves when ATC is talking like an American while landing in Cairo, or asking for clearance in Moscow.

I still want English language mind you, just not US accents for every single one.

If you could swing that............you could make a tidy profit and pass your course.

Hi Mark, thanks for your reply (fan of your videos too, were very useful and interesting!)

I really like your idea, and at the moment, is probably favourite to do. By sounds of it, on this thread, it would be best to aim to produce something that runs on the same system as fsx as opposed to a mobile device.

Will look into "Air manager" as it seems ideal to use. You have given me a great deal of helpful information, thanks ever so much!

It's difficult to think of something new. So much has been made already, and often the fs2004 programs/gauges still work as well.

 

If time is an issue, maybe take an existing idea and recreate it in your own way. Without looking to much at the existing product. (If the teacher allows this.)

As far as I can see this is a test of your programming skill. Not of your creativity.

 

Interested to see how it turns out,

il88pp.

Thanks for input, have certainly considered that tactic. It very much is about programming.

I would pay good money for a new ATC voice pack that WASNT american voices. It really gets on my nerves when ATC is talking like an American while landing in Cairo, or asking for clearance in Moscow.

 

I still want English language mind you, just not US accents for every single one.

 

 

If you could swing that............you could make a tidy profit and pass your course.

Will consider, I completely understand your point. Though I have feeling this would be a little too "dull" for my course perhaps.

As you have some experience with coding, it shouldnt take too long to figure out the SDK examples. You could do a real software development MO, by the book. Just abbreviated, plan and research what you want to do (30%), code it (30%), document, test and run it (30%). If you look at some of the professional best practices and copy them, you should do fine on the procedural part. Just be aware that as a rule of thumb you only have 30% of the allocated time for actual coding, if you do not want to skimp. From what you write I guesstimate you have about 200 hours for this, maybe less. That would mean about 60-80 hours for coding, these are about 2 full weeks. Not much, when you come to think of it.

 

The beast with mobile apps is the bridging to the FSX (Windows) system. You will have to do a lot of research how this even works, see if you can get ported SimConnect clients or write a bridge of your own (your own client-server process that interfaces with FSX locally). You may get a SimConnect client working on a Windows tablet, but Android or IOS will make your hair turn grey. Well, a little. To be honest, I dont think this is doable in your time frame.

Your point about time management is very true and obviously something must consider. It looks like I best avoid something that runs between multiple devices then? Only knowledge I have of "simConnect" is setting up ASN to run on my personal PC, then connected to FSX machine.

Your point about time management is very true and obviously something must consider. It looks like I best avoid something that runs between multiple devices then? Only knowledge I have of "simConnect" is setting up ASN to run on my personal PC, then connected to FSX machine.

SimConnect is the API you use when you want to "do something" with FSX in a reasonable time frame.

(The only other way is to hack directly into its data and code segments when FSX runs and modify the sim variables (like FSUIPC does). You won't be able to pull anything like that off, it requires advanced knowledge not only about FSX, but about how Windows executables work, in detail.)

So, IMHO SimConnect it is. Read up on it in the SDK documentation, what it is and how it works. For a remote/mobile app to use SimConnect, you need a client program that knows how to communicate with the SimConnect server process running alongside FSX. Microsoft conveniently delivered one of these, you installed it when setting up networked ASN. But this client only works on Windows machines, no dice with Android or iOS. So you would have to write your own client just for the communication- and this alone would probably max out your time budget. Or you build your own client/server setup. The server process runs on the FSX machine and talks to SimConnect, and your client can use a protocol of your own design to speak to your server. But for this you have to write two pieces of software, the Windows server process and an Android/whatever client. And some knowledge about data communication protocols is required. You could do this with web technology, using a local Apache Tomcat install and a web client, or do it the easy way with open socket communication of your own invention. Using web tech has the great benefit that it runs on any web browser, so you do not need individual clients for Android etc. But it lacks a bit in what you can actually do on the client compared to a "fat" program you wrote yourself. If you know a bit about web development, you might be able to slap something basic together. The really hard part will be the server side, especially how you make your web application (Java or PHP probably) running inside Tomcat talk to SimConnect.

Do some research first, look into the SDK and the C-type examples for SimConnect addons. Get them to run. Then decide not only what you want to do but also what you can do...

Edit: there actually is a third way to "do something" with FSX. You could use FSUIPC as an intermediary. There is an SDK for FSUIPC too, supporting several programming languages. But that would imply that you force potential users to have FSUIPC as well, if they want to use your software. Not a big deal, if you only use it for your project.

Hi everyone, going to reignite this.

Thanks oce again for all your help. I'm now at the point of doing the programming, and am intending to produce a program, in C++, to display on some gauges, a live feed of aircraft data from the sim. If and when an aircraft exceeds a safety limit then the pilot is given a warning message of 3 possible severities. Additionally, if the setting for it is on, it can issue advice messages as to how to correct the safety problem - over the gauges.

I'm hoping to include graphs of data as a feature.

I've set up a dev. environment on a laptop with FSX and have thoroughly studied the SDK guide. Considering the advice I've already been given here, I think I'm well set to begin this, but may well be in contact with you for further help over next few months.

Cheers!

If I knew programming I would build a 'Fuel Flow/Fuel Amt/TtoE/Range' gauge that will work in FSX (ie: XML?). You could incorporate it into panel or make it as a window. Either way would be nice. Of course there would have to be a guage for each of prop, jet, and turboprop. Cheers.

Chuck B

...I would build a 'Fuel Flow/Fuel Amt/TtoE/Range' gauge that will work in FSX (ie: XML?).

The ever famous RKG Fuel Stat gauge (RKG_fuelstat.gau) works just fine in FSX. I use it all the time.

It has all that good data, and in 2 different units of measure for each stat.

Does this help, at all?

Pat☺

I use it all the time, too, in my favorite panel. But it is dated 2005/2006 and FSX will ask if it should run it, and if it can be trusted. I click 'yes' and 'ok'. But it does this everytime and I use my favorite panel with a lot of the 3rd party AC I install.

Chuck B