[Flightgear-devel] Chat menu preset phrases, another update to try...

[Rob S. Jr. <rm...@ya...>]

Hello all --

I've been continuing to tweak my preset phrases in the chat menu to my liking and I think I have a set that is pretty useful now.  I'm releasing it below under the GNU GPL so feel free to look at it, comment on it, commit it to FG CVS as-is or modified, or even completely ignore it as you see fit, hehehe...

The key features I feel I have improved since my last attempt are:
(1) no more "Flightgear Approach", which were taken out of the CVS commit version anyway.  All phrases either exist as a generic self-announce or are specific to the closest airfield.

(2) Every phrase has two versions -- one for use when the detected airport and runway are consistent with your intentions, and one "generic" version of each phrase with no specified airport and runway, for when the detected one does not match your intentions.

(3) No subgroups.  Options 2-9 give you the class of phrase you wish to use, and then options 2-9 are your phrases -- so, after activating the chat menu, all phrases are available in exactly two keystrokes.

(4) "Roger" with callsign is option number nine on almost all of the menus.  In addition, the keyphrase [-] [9] [9] is easy to remember as a quick way to answer "Roger."

The drawback is that limiting messages to eight groups of eight, in order to keep everything at one level of submenus, means eliminating some of the preset messages such as those associated with formation flying.  My personal experience with multiplayer is that those are not often used anyway... however, opinions may differ, of course.

So as I said -- use or don't use, commit or don't commit, your choice.  But hopefully someone will get some use out of them besides me :)

Cheers,
-R.

Robert M. Shearman, Jr.
Transit Operations Supervisor,
University of Maryland Department of Transportation
also known as rm...@um...

------------------------------------------------------------
c:\Program Files\Flightgear\data\ATC\chat-menu-entries.xml
------------------------------------------------------------

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<PropertyList>

<config>

<menu><name>[Generic Left Traffic Pattern]</name>
      <menu><name>% # departing.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>% # turning left crosswind.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>% # turning left downwind.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>% # turning left base.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>% # turning final.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>% # short final.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>% # clear of the runway.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>Roger, #.</name></menu>
</menu>

<menu><name>[Left Traffic Pattern, * runway (]</name>
      <menu><name>*, % # departing runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # turning left crosswind runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # turning left downwind runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # turning ^ mile left base runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # turning ^ mile final runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # short final runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # clear of runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>Roger, #.</name></menu>
</menu>

<menu><name>[Right Traffic Pattern, * runway (]</name>
      <menu><name>*, % # departing runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # turning right crosswind runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # turning right downwind runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # turning ^ mile right base runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # turning ^ mile final runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # short final runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # clear of runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>Roger, #.</name></menu>
</menu>

<menu><name>[* Approach]</name>
      <menu><name>*, % # VFR $ feet ^ miles ! of the airfield.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # IFR $ feet ^ miles ! of the airfield.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # $ feet ^ miles ! of the airfield requesting transition across your airspace.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # $ feet ^ miles ! of the airfield inbound for visual approach.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # $ feet ^ miles ! of the airfield inbound for visual approach runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # $ feet ^ miles ! of the airfield inbound for ILS approach.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # $ feet ^ miles ! of the airfield inbound for ILS approach runway (.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>Roger, #.</name></menu>
</menu>

<menu><name>[* Departures VFR]</name>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short for VFR Northbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short for VFR Eastbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short for VFR Southbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short for VFR Westbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short runway ( for VFR Northbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short runway ( for VFR Eastbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short runway ( for VFR Southbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short runway ( for VFR Westbound departure.</name></menu>
</menu>

<menu><name>[* Departures IFR]</name>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short for IFR Northbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short for IFR Eastbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short for IFR Southbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short for IFR Westbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short runway ( for IFR Northbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short runway ( for IFR Eastbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short runway ( for IFR Southbound departure.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>*, % # holding short runway ( for IFR Westbound departure.</name></menu>
</menu>

<menu><name>[Visual Contact Advisories]</name>
      <menu><name># looking for the traffic.</name></menu>
      <menu><name># negative contact with the traffic.</name></menu>
      <menu><name># has the traffic in sight.</name></menu>
      <menu><name># will maintain visual separation.</name></menu>
      <menu><name># looking for the airfield.</name></menu>
      <menu><name># negative contact with the airfield.</name></menu>
      <menu><name># has the airfield in sight.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>Roger, #.</name></menu>
</menu>

<menu><name>[Roger]</name>
      <menu><name>Roger, holding short, #.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>Roger, position and hold, #.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>Roger, clear for takeoff, #.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>Roger, cleared to land, #.</name></menu>
      <menu><name># aborting takeoff.</name></menu>
      <menu><name># going around.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>Roger, # switching, good day.</name></menu>
      <menu><name>Roger, #.</name></menu>
</menu>

</config>
</PropertyList>