Copied from my post on x-plane.org:
Ben and I are in the process of moving the XSB website to a Content Management System so that I can directly edit the VERY outdated FAQ and other documents. It also will allow me to post new releases without having to take away from Ben's X-plane development time.
The problem is, Ben and I are both programmers, and are absolutely awful as web designers.
So here's your chance to contribute. We're looking for someone who either has experience working with the Drupal content management system, or just has high-quality CSS skills. Additionally the person needs to have good design sense too. Just knowing how to install a web server and MySQL isn't what we're looking for. We're looking for someone who considers themselves an actual web designer and can do crazy things like match colors.
This will likely be a one-time time commitment. That is, once the site is designed and up, there likely won't be anything left for the site designer to do. So it will not require a long-term time commitment. Additionally, we're only talking about a few templates/pages. This is NOT a major design project.
Anyone that's interested, please email me at wade@dogwatchsw.com
http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?showtopic=39623
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Some work on the Mac ATC client
After many months of having no time to devote to the Mac radar client, I had a little bit of time over the weekend.
To properly set expectations on where things stand, right now it's just loading the sector file and drawing it. I had been having problems with zooming and panning that were bugging me, but those have been resolved.
However, despite my warnings of the rudimentary state at which we're at, I can't resist a small teaser:
That boys and girls, is KLAX from the ZLA sector file. (Only airports, runways and geo's are being drawn in this example.) The colors no doubt need adjusting, but any ZLA controller will certainly feel at home looking at that diagram.
So what's up next?
Before I get too far, I need to optimize the drawing routines, so that's probably next. Then I'll start wiring up the interface to allow the enabling / disabling of drawing of all the various sector file elements without having to change code. After that I'll start working on the text system (chat windows and such). Once all that is done, we'll be ready to start delving into networking and making planes move.
To properly set expectations on where things stand, right now it's just loading the sector file and drawing it. I had been having problems with zooming and panning that were bugging me, but those have been resolved.
However, despite my warnings of the rudimentary state at which we're at, I can't resist a small teaser:
That boys and girls, is KLAX from the ZLA sector file. (Only airports, runways and geo's are being drawn in this example.) The colors no doubt need adjusting, but any ZLA controller will certainly feel at home looking at that diagram.
So what's up next?
Before I get too far, I need to optimize the drawing routines, so that's probably next. Then I'll start wiring up the interface to allow the enabling / disabling of drawing of all the various sector file elements without having to change code. After that I'll start working on the text system (chat windows and such). Once all that is done, we'll be ready to start delving into networking and making planes move.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Hope for the Linux Sound Bug
I'm traveling to visit some family next week, and when I return, I should have a spare PC in my possession. My intent is to use that PC to install Linux and hopefully track down the Linux sound bug.
I won't return with the PC until June 11th and it will probably take some time after that to find the bug, but at least there's a glimmer of hope on the horizon.
I won't return with the PC until June 11th and it will probably take some time after that to find the bug, but at least there's a glimmer of hope on the horizon.
Friday, May 15, 2009
One known fact about the future VATSIM Mac radar client
I announced a few weeks ago on the VATSIM forums that I do have a Mac radar client for VATSIM in development.
In still in the early stages and I don't know whether it will take 3 months, 6 months, a year, or two to finish. There's always the possibility that I never finish it. Now, before I depress you too much, I do think there's a very good chance I will finish it and probably sooner rather than later.
One thing I do know is when published, it will require OS X 10.5 or later. I originally started the project targeting 10.4, but there's just too much nice stuff in 10.5 of which I think I'm going to be able to take advantage - if not in the first version, than in a later version. Things like CoreData for persistent data storage (such as aircraft details), CoreAnimation for creating various layers, fast enumeration and probably garbage collection.
So I want to go ahead and get the word out now, rather than later. Let me say it again - 10.5 will be the minimum.
If you don't have 10.5, you don't have to run out and buy it right now. In fact, I wouldn't. I'd wait and buy 10.6 when it comes out.
But heads up now - requests to make the radar client run on 10.4 and 10.3 will fall on deaf ears.
In still in the early stages and I don't know whether it will take 3 months, 6 months, a year, or two to finish. There's always the possibility that I never finish it. Now, before I depress you too much, I do think there's a very good chance I will finish it and probably sooner rather than later.
One thing I do know is when published, it will require OS X 10.5 or later. I originally started the project targeting 10.4, but there's just too much nice stuff in 10.5 of which I think I'm going to be able to take advantage - if not in the first version, than in a later version. Things like CoreData for persistent data storage (such as aircraft details), CoreAnimation for creating various layers, fast enumeration and probably garbage collection.
So I want to go ahead and get the word out now, rather than later. Let me say it again - 10.5 will be the minimum.
If you don't have 10.5, you don't have to run out and buy it right now. In fact, I wouldn't. I'd wait and buy 10.6 when it comes out.
But heads up now - requests to make the radar client run on 10.4 and 10.3 will fall on deaf ears.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Delay in posting Linux test version
So, the promised test version has not yet appeared. I did the required coding, but I've been completely unable to test. With no OpenGL support in my VMWare environment, X-plane is just killing my Ubuntu VM.
If you want, you can download and try:
Linux Test Version
However, to be very clear, I'm not at all confident it will work correctly. If it succeeds, it will create a file called XSBLinSoundDebug.txt in your home directory.
I'm working on some angles to get some sort of real Ubuntu machine setup so I can do actual debugging.
If you want, you can download and try:
Linux Test Version
However, to be very clear, I'm not at all confident it will work correctly. If it succeeds, it will create a file called XSBLinSoundDebug.txt in your home directory.
I'm working on some angles to get some sort of real Ubuntu machine setup so I can do actual debugging.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
New Windows Temporary "Beep of Death" fix
(Whoops - if you downloaded this patch already and the Connect menu was disabled, download it again - I have corrected the mistake.)
The temporary patch I had out for the "Windows Beep of Death" has expired. A new version is posted at:
Windows Voice Fix
The next regular release of XSB will contain this fix.
The temporary patch I had out for the "Windows Beep of Death" has expired. A new version is posted at:
Windows Voice Fix
The next regular release of XSB will contain this fix.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Linux test version by the end of the weekend
I was hoping to combine the latest XSB update with the additional Linux sound logging code. However, it's taking longer than I wanted to get the next version out.
It's taking longer because I decided to add an additional preference window for a new setting, which allows the user to specify the width of the text window and chat bar. This is especially handy for those using the Matrox triple-head solution, because X-plane sees that as one screen and thus would stretch the text box all the way across all three screens.
The reason a simple dialog box is taking a bit of time is because it's more complex than you might think. Each coordinate of each element in the dialog box must be specified manually. Try to place some things, compile, launch X-plane, test. Move them a little bit, compile, launch X-plane, test. Wash, rinse repeat.
And of course the biggest time consumer is that real-life things are getting in the way, like my seven-year-old son's baseball season.
However, I know Linux users are tired of waiting, so I'm going to go ahead and put up a private download by the end of the weekend for Linux users. It will contain only additional logging code for sound - no other new features.
It's taking longer because I decided to add an additional preference window for a new setting, which allows the user to specify the width of the text window and chat bar. This is especially handy for those using the Matrox triple-head solution, because X-plane sees that as one screen and thus would stretch the text box all the way across all three screens.
The reason a simple dialog box is taking a bit of time is because it's more complex than you might think. Each coordinate of each element in the dialog box must be specified manually. Try to place some things, compile, launch X-plane, test. Move them a little bit, compile, launch X-plane, test. Wash, rinse repeat.
And of course the biggest time consumer is that real-life things are getting in the way, like my seven-year-old son's baseball season.
However, I know Linux users are tired of waiting, so I'm going to go ahead and put up a private download by the end of the weekend for Linux users. It will contain only additional logging code for sound - no other new features.
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