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Design your own VAC maps in Fly! by Gilles Guesnel (ROTW) Articles |
Here is a small tutorial which will be useful to design your own library of VAC maps integrated into Fly! II in the same way as VFR and IFR maps available on Fly.Simvol.
The difference is that for the VAC maps we can use the same file ***.map, as we can ignore the part "plane location".
Note :
- these software run only with Windows, sorry for Mac Users !
But Mac Users will be lucky enough, when using Preview (a part of OSX)
to be able to export to image formats, the pdf files protected by password ;
sometimes, it is very useful to run both environments :-)
- This complete tutorial (with pictures) is available on Fly.Simvol site
(.doc file of 1.96 Mb).
To realize these VAC maps, you need :
- The compression software ER mapper, the viewer ECW, and for those having a Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro version notice that you can also download some plugins.
You will find them at this address :
http://www.ermapper.com/downloads/
Chapter ECW, paragraph Imagery software, choose ER Viewer v2.0e and ECW Compressor v2.6. They are free.
For the plugins, refer to paragraph ECW native support & Application plugins; then download Photoshop® 4.0, 7.0 Plug-in v2.2 for Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro ECW plug-in v1.3 for Paint Shop Pro.
(Information valid on August 2004).
All are free, you only need to register.
- For VAC maps, links (notably SIA ones for France) are here.
- And finally, you need the file ***.map that you will find here.
Well, we start !
Download a VAC map :
I recover the LFRN VAC on SIA site, to please "Pacha" ;-)
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I paste the map in a new page with dimensions of 600 pixels more in height and in width.
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Two methods : - Either we create a blank page with 600 pixels moreover in height and width. - Or we increase the size of the "aera work" for those who know Photoshop. |
That's all, the map is ready :
It will take about 15 minutes for the slowest ones !
Record the size of your picture (X and Y) and try, in order to have a good visibility, to always respect this size.
BEFORE USING THE FILE ***.map, PASTE A COPY OF IT on the desktop and rename it with the new name of your future VAC map.
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With Notepad, open the file ***.map you put on the desktop, and modify the following elements :
- the name of the map you want to create: fields "map name"
- the dimensions Width / Height: fields "size in pixels"
- the name of the file ***.ecw to be loaded: fields "ECW file"
- the field type map corresponds to the various map uses, there are nine values. For VAC maps, the value is 5
The following values must not be changed.
Once you end, click the window lock cross, and say yes to save it (I say that because if you use the function "Save as" you will save it in text format and/or lose the formatting of the text).
Now we have to compress the image from VAC into ECW. For that, I drag and drop the file on the ECW compressor icon which is on the desktop.
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Do not modify the compression ratio set at 20 %. I tried with 1 % (because the purpose is to obtain an ecw file) but the file size is enormous if we compare with the visual gain.
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Well, now it is finished, 10 seconds to wait !!
Check the names of the ecw file called in the file ****.map as well as the sizes.
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Paste both files in Fly! II/maps directory.
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Start Fly! II.
For example, I am at LFNA and I want to plan a flight to LFRN.
I open the menu "View / select maps".
Then in the field "type" I select "airport diagram".
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Surprise, I have the map of Rennes while I am at LFNA ! For the purists they can remove the plane which inevitably is not on its place: Menu "Option / Show aircraft".
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I can also modify the size ratio (25, 50, 75 or 100 %) for a better view.
For the VAC maps, it's interesting to zoom in 100 % and to move, even on the bottom tables, by means of keys "Shift + click" and drag.
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That's all, I hope that all was clear.
Have fun !
New: we thought that you should like to constitute your own "Library" of maps, not only "VAC's", go to next page.