Sky Dolly 0.12.0

This release brings the architecture one huge step closer to the final picture: modules are now also implemented as plugins, reducing the memory (RAM) usage even a bit further. The modules are sorted in topological order, based on their defined dependencies (order).

New features:

• A new Location module is introduced, allowing to teleport the aircraft to the selected coordinate
• The current aircraft location can be captured and edited
• A set of default Locations (currently non-editable by design) is provided
• GPS coordinates in various formats (decimals, various DMS notations) can be pasted into the Location module with CTRL + V
• Various attributes such as country and location type can be defined

A few bug fixes and improvements are also included, also refer to the full CHANGELOG. Sky Dolly now also compiles with the Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 compiler and is code-scanned automatically with the Microsoft C++ Code Analysis Action.

Sky Dolly 0.11.1

This release fixes the following issues:

• The replay timer is properly updated after recording (replay time is updated again during replay)
• The aircraft is positioned relative to the reference aircraft again when "Fly with formation" is selected and the new "Set relative position" option is enabled (also when not recording)

Sky Dolly 0.11.0

This release focuses on "quality of life" improvements, both "under the hood" as well as usability and existing feature improvements:

New Features

• A truly minimal user interface mode, configurable in the settings
• The Formation module features a new Set relative position option which - when unchecked - allows to keep the aircraft to be recorded at its current location
• Improved AI object resource management, causing less aircraft flickering when e.g. changing the user aircraft in the Formation module
• Columns in tables can now be moved
• Less RAM usage, that is resources are released as soon as e.g. a dialog is closed
• Additional tooltips, consistent dialog titles, alternating table row colours, confirmation dialogs before and after logbook optimisation
• Architecture / code refactoring

The newly introduced GeographicLib (third party, open source) converts between WGS84 reference ellipsoid and EGM2008 geoid altitudes ("undulation"), specifically in:

• The GPX import/export plugins
• The IGC import/export plugins

Note that while especially the IGC format specification requires that GNSS altitudes are in relatin to the WGS84 reference ellipsoid not every IGC format may adhere to this specification. That's why for both the IGC and GPX import the altitude conversion is optional.

Various bug fixes are also included, mostly of "cosmetic nature", but also usability related issues.

Sky Dolly 0.10.0

This release further improves the plugin import/export architecture and supports new import/export formats.

New plugins

• GeoJSON export, including style properties (interpreted e.g by https://geojson.io)
• GPX export plugin, including the possibility to export real-world timestamps (useful for GPX "photo tagging" of screenshots taken during flight recording)

Improvements

• Import
  • All files (of the same format) can now be imported from the selected directory
  • Imported aircraft can be added to the same (formation) flight, or into distinct flights
• Export:
  • File existence is now checked before overwriting existing files
  • The entire flight formation may now be exported, into separate files or - if supported - into a single file (e.g. KML and GPX)
  • All export plugins support data resampling (1 Hz, 2 Hz, 5 Hz, original data, ...)
• The CSV plugin now supports export in flightradar24.com CSV format
• The IGC plugin now exports "K records" (every 20 seconds), including true heading (HDT) and indicated airspeed (IAS)
• The KML export plugin does not have any line segment size limitation anymore
• Miscellaneous
  • Various usability improvements (button shortcuts, consistent title-case for push buttons)
  • Additional selectable aircraft (selectable in file import) from the sim update 7 (F/A 18, PC-6, Pitts Special, NX Cub, Volocity)
  • Initial online help (very much work in progress)

Bug fixes

• The flight cereation time is now properly updated upon start of flight recording (not at the end when the flight is persisted)
• The logbook now properly shows simulation start- and end times (not local times)
• The IGC export plugin now properly exports simulation timestamps (not local timestamps)

Sky Dolly 0.9.0

This release provides new import and export formats and minor usability improvements.

New Features

• New IGC (International Gliding Commission) export plugin
• New GPX (GPS exchange format) import plugin
• The CSV import plugin now also parses Flight Recorder and flightradar24.com CSV files
• The KML import plugin now also parses flightradar24.com and generic KML files (having at least one <gx:Track> element)
• The IGC import plugin now detects the "first significant movement" (minimising "erratic movements" on the ground) and turns on/off the engine (propeller) according to the environmental noise level (ENL), given a selectable noise threshold value
• Import:
  • the aircraft selection is now editable, with autocompletion support
  • the selected aircraft is now stored in the settings
• Logbook: the default "Delete" key now deletes the selected flight
• Replay: a "loop replay" toggle option has been added

Bug fixes:

• The spoiler position is now properly displayed as percent value (in the simulation variables dialog)
• The leading and trailing flaps are now positioned with a higher degree of precision, doing away with the "stuttering flaps noise" (especially audible in the A320neo cockpit)

Sky Dolly 0.8.6

Sky Dolly "Drop Bear" Edition 🐨 - in appreciation of the MSFS Australia World Update!

A new IGC import plugin is provided. The IGC (International Gliding Commission) file format is mostly used by flight recorders in gliders.

This release also fixes the following issues:

• KML import: a simple error message is shown if no position data could be extracted from the KML file (*)
• Stability improvements in the "flight augmentation" (reconstructing flight events, such as raising/lowering gears etc.) of imported flights

Sky Dolly 0.8.5

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FLIGHT SIMULATOR 2020!

The Flight Simulator 2020 turns one year old.

• As a present to the community this bug fix release contains a new KML import plugin which allows to import flight data from https://flightaware.com, in order to visualise real-world flights

This release also fixes the following issues:

• The dates in the logbook are now properly formated ("localisation"); they are now properly sorted, too
• The dates in the "date selection widget" are now properly resized according to their content (month names)

Sky Dolly 0.8.4

This release fixes the following issues:

• The initial velocity when recording a new formation aircraft is now properly set
• Export
  • Illegal file path characters are replaced by _ in the initially suggested file path
  • KML export: exported character data (title, description) is properly enclosed in a CDATA tag
• Properly update AI aircrafts when deleting the user aircraft during replay

Sky Dolly 0.8.3

This release fixes the following issues:

• The main window is now made a "parent" of the KML export dialog, making sure that the export dialog is always centered and on top of the main window
  • Especially when the "Stay on Top" option is enabled for the main window
• The initial velocity in "fly with formation" replay mode is now properly set

Sky Dolly 0.8.2

This release fixes the following issues:

• The aircraft is not immediately "teleported" anymore to the North Pole (0.0/0.0 lon/lat) when initial recording of the first aircraft is started in the Formation module