Tacview – Understand what happened during your last flight! (alternative ACMI viewer)
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Naktakala=NikNak 1st VFW
Real-time telemetry is possible although falcon writes the .flt every 0.2 seconds so its not particularly smooth (5 fps). Once can interpolate pretty easily though which is what the code does when generating the VHS.
The .flt file is ever growing and different from VHS tapes but the file can be read. Currently I have been unsuccessful in memory mapping the file since it grows with varying size datablocks (i.e. Events vs GenPosdata) but you can have a single process read the file and obtain latest positions after which you can seek forward to not read the file from the start. Anyone interested in how to do this can contact me anytime, I am very willing to handover my research.
Below is a picture of the current capabilities, it includes the following:
Reading falcon shared memory
Reading class tables
Reading the vehicle database
Reading the .flt file
Shows friendlies locking enemies (technically enemies locking friendlies too but I removed that for realism)
Has a ruler
Has bulls-eye and raw coordinates
Reads the datacard and displays ppts stpt-lines and steerpoints
Can show a blue arc line for ILS approaches (not seen in the pic)
Updates other aircraft positions every 3 seconds -
Below is a picture of the current capabilities, it includes the following:
Reading falcon shared memory
Reading class tables
Reading the vehicle database
Reading the .flt file
Shows friendlies locking enemies (technically enemies locking friendlies too but I removed that for realism)
Has a ruler
Has bulls-eye and raw coordinates
Reads the datacard and displays ppts stpt-lines and steerpoints
Can show a blue arc line for ILS approaches (not seen in the pic)
Updates other aircraft positions every 3 secondsBit off-topic to Tacview, but that sounds / looks like a great project for a new and improved ATC / GCI tool. Are you working on that idea, and if so, would it be publicly available someday?
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Good question… I am developing it under the 1st VFW and I want the wing to be the owner of it first, so consequently I want the wing to decide that. I am wary though because if it is available, then basically people will have a much better view of the world than others. The fact is, although it is close to realistic, its still a kind-of Hack IMHO. More than welcome to discuss opinions.
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Niknak(Naktakala)'s work (see above) is the reason why I asked the question as I figured maybe his discoveries could be beneficial for Tacview and possible real time info from BMS to be used as GCI etc. Maybe you guys should talk haha
Its been a long time since I have worked with VHS files and their brothers the FLT files. I am suspecting that it is not possible to read FLT files for two reasons:
- I think that they contain dynamic data which can be interpreted only by Falcon 4.
- They may be locked or not flushed on regular basis which would prevent from reading data fast enough.
I hope it is possible to read F4 telemetry data in real-time, but this will require a lot of investigation and work to do so. This is why I prefer to focus first on other features which are much faster to develop.
I think there is an ATC program for Falcon 4. I forgot its name, but, maybe its developer can help us to know how to read F4 telemetry in real-time over a network connection or something similar.
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Nice work Naktakala!
This is definitively bumping up the task about Falcon 4 real-time telemetry
I will come back to you as soon as I have the time to work on a prototype.
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Tacview 1.6.1 is available!
Download: http://tacview.net/download
Before everything else: The online debriefing is working again! My apologies for the delay and the inconvenience. This feature was broken because of a change introduced by the real-time telemetry. This is now fixed and everything should work as expected. You may even combine the real-time telemetry and online debriefing to oversee with other officers a battle in progress!
This intermediate version also introduces several fixes and improvements to make the whole debriefing experience smoother:
- The long-awaited fuel telemetry is here! You can now review the fuel quantity and flow in most of the flight simulators and even in real-life (with the Garmin G1000 for example).
- Terrain colors have been modified to match the ones used in US VFR charts. It is an experiment with the idea of Tacview 2.0 being able to auto generate virtual VFR/IFR charts for the ground textures. Which should give a final result to the one you can see on Skyvector.
- Preliminary support has been added of IL-2 Sturmovik: Soon, you should be able to see proper 3d models for the aircraft (some may remain generic because Tacview library is growing up slowly), colors, coalitions, bullets, bombs and everything you can expect from a Tacview debriefing. IL-2 terrains should follow in Tacview 1.6.2.
- Talking about WWII: The famous DCS: Normandy 1944 Map has been added to Tacview.
- It is now possible to display full 3D earth without ocean surface to see submarines. In a future revision, a translucent ocean surface should be visible too.
What’s next?
In the coming revisions of Tacview:
- All the major IL-2 terrains will be added to Tacview.
- Because of lack of time, Falcon 4.0 real-time telemetry is still a project. But, be assured that I will do my best to offer you this feature if it is possible to do so.
- You will get a brand-new static-objects engine with its integrated editor! Handy to easily and quickly add runways, nav-aids and any other objects you would like to see in the world of Tacview.
- Native support for Open Street Map and Bing Map tiles.
FEATURES & CHANGES
• Added fuel quantity and flow for DCS World, X-Plane, FSX, and Garmin G1000
• Added support for custom raw elevation maps with arbitrary coordinates
• Added Pegase and Duo Discus 3d models donated by Benoit ’Windblow’ Wingedsky
• Added terrain high-contrast mode for video projector use
• Added most of IL2 aircraft to Tacview database
• Added support for DCS: Normandy 1944 Map
• Added an option to automatically reconnect the real-time telemetry
• Added Eject & Respawn commands to the remote controls
• Added a status bar icon when real-time telemetry is active
• It is now possible to display 3D oceans to see submarines
• New FAA VFR style terrain color schemeFIXES
• Fixed a crash in charts when some options where selected
• Online debriefing was not working anymore with Tacview 1.6 final
• It was not possible to change the online debriefing port
• Left ALT was not working properly (e.g. ALT+F4 was not closing Tacview)
• DCS World exporter was not always active and compressing files in zip on a fresh install
• Charts were updated even when not displayed
• X-Plane main aircraft pilot name and importance are now properly exported -
Tacview 1.6.1 is available!
Hi,
One type of functionality that, personally, I’ve been missing and what keeps me from using Tacview regularly is the ability to focus on one object, and track another object simultaneously without having to constantly work with the mouse to pan around the action of two objects simultaneously.
This functionality doesn’t fully exist from what I’ve been able to find. What it does have of course, is a simultaneous track “between” two different objects, rather than being able to “focus” on one object, while you constantly track another object in the background.
In Falcon BMS’ ACMI viewer, there is a camera option called “Tracking” that provides “Focus” and “Track” options on two different objects of interest. Additionally, the telemetry of each object is placed near the object with enough scaling to read the telemetry constantly, while not obscuring the object of interest.
If this already exists within Tacview, my apologies because I’m not very up to speed with all of your great work. If it’s absent, take this as a humble whining to an otherwise fantastic program.
Respectfully,
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Sorry, just to expound a bit more on the desire for focus and track camera options between two objects of interest is the relative motion of the ‘tracked’ object in relation to the ‘focused’ object (as noted in BMS ACMI viewer).
The ‘tracked’ object moves with the rendered 3d world around the ‘focused’ object of interest.
This type of functionality gives a much stronger feel for a few key aspects of analysis in my opinion.
Such as increased reference of momentum, inertia, plane of motion, relative to the focused object of interest.
The whole world moves with the ‘tracked’ object of interest in the background of the ‘focused’ object of interest. This removes the static feel of Tacview in looking a fixed world that you’re free to move around in, but can’t make it move around you.
Thanks again for a wonderful program, and if I’m missing this capability forgive me.
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Errr… Any of those wonderful features and fixes are for Falcon BMS?
They are general and mostly for other simulators as I understood?sent from my mi5 using Tapatalk
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[Shift] + says “Attract viewers´attention to a specific object”
but it seems to be doing nothing - at least for me.
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It is true that this version does not offer new features related to BMS. However, I am quite sure that you will appreciate most of the fixes, especially the one concerning the online debriefing.
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I see what you mean KidVicious. I am going to add a “tracking” camera mode in the coming releases which will be like the one in BMS.
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I see what you mean KidVicious. I am going to add a “tracking” camera mode in the coming releases which will be like the one in BMS.
Good man
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The summer sale is on,
From Jun 23rd to Jul 9th: 40% off all Tacview editions!
Time to try the real-time telemetry and all the great features offered by the advanced edition of Tacview!
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Last chance to get Tacview at 40% off, or up to 70% off on group orders!
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@__Vytruoz__
you know what would be AWESOME !!! ??
if you could implement a “drawing and markings” feature for online debriefings, similar to what you can see here…
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Indeed! I have planned to add such tool for the online debriefing in a coming update.
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You rock !
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Tacview 1.6.2 is now available to everyone!
Download: http://tacview.net/download
This update brings numerous fixes, plus the following improvements:
The instructors are going to like the upgraded remote controls: You can now assign custom keyboard and joystick controls to remotely controls and assist the aircraft of your trainees flying in DCS World, FSX, Prepar3D and X-Plane. Remote controls can also be used to trigger special features (flags) in your DCS World mission.
The DCS World exporter has been improved to fully record and playback network flights when playing back the corresponding track files in DCS World. The next update will bring an improved anti-cheat system which will enable you to playback any network flight as long as you wait enough time before reviewing it in Tacview.
New command line options have been introduced so administrators can silently and remotely install and update Tacview using the command line.
FEATURES & CHANGES
• Integrated BMS Balkans 4.33.3.5 terrain and database
• Integrated BMS Ikaros 4.1.0 terrain and database
• Acmi files saved from Tacview are now as compact as they are with the latest universal exporter
• Added /ConfigSet command line option to separately store user preferences for each specific instance of Tacview
• Added /ProductKey:“xxx” command line option to register Tacview from the installer
• Added /InstallFolder:“xxx” command line option for the installer
• Added /Quiet command line option for the installer
• Added support for custom and animated explosions and smoke radius
• Added support for AGL altitude advanced telemetry data
• Remote controls will now automatically attempt to re-establish the connection with the host sim
• Remote controls are now displaying big icons easier to use with touch screens
• It is now possible to use keyboard and joystick inputs to remote control simulators
• Added remote control command to toggle wing tip smoke
• Eject and respawn now requires a double click in the remote controls
• Added /ConnectRealTimeTelemetry command line option to auto connect real-time telemetry at startup
• Added /ConnectRemoteControl[:*] command line option to auto connect specified remote control at startup
• Real-time telemetry now keeps the current camera mode when connecting to a new session
• Remote controls are now distinctively colored depending on the simulator host name
• It is now possible to trigger the flags 1001 to 1004 in DCS World with Tacview remote controlFIXES
• Cockpit camera keyboard controls were inverted
• Pitch value was inverted in the charts
• Screen-saver will not be active anymore while watching real-time telemetry
• Network flights recorded using DCS World track player can now be reviewed up to the end depending on the playback duration
• DCS World exporter logic has been rewritten to fix rare remote control and real-time telemetry issues
• Fixed several connection bugs concerning the remote control and real-time telemetry in Tacview
• It was not possible to pause X-Plane with the remote control -
All sorted now - many thanks