File size 1.4Mb
02-Apr-2008 19:24Z
The Flight Data Recorder is a straightforward Broker data stream recorder.
It records the data available to the Broker into a file on disk, which can
subsequently be played back to drive the same instruments and visual
generators as during the original recording.
The FDR is not meant to provide a full PS1 video replacement. It
cannot record internal PS1 events such as exact malfunctions. Only the data
elements available to the Broker will be captured. In practice, this means
all information required to drive Markus' External PFD and ND, Standby
Instruments, and Garry's VisualPS1. Funny effects may appear on the MCDUs
connected to the system.
Installation
Download the .ZIP file and unzip it somewhere, for example in C:\fdr. Take care that you unzip the paths, too. You need to see three directories: bin, lib, and etc, the last one initially empty (your preferences file appears here after the first run).You may create a shortcut for the bin\fdr.exe program if you wish.
You may let Windows know that .fdr files belong to the flight data recorder:
Open a Windows Explorer window (My Documents is fine)
View > Folder Options
Tab "File Types"
New Type
Description: FDR file
Associated extension: fdr
New action
Action: open
Application for action: (browse to bin\fdr.exe)
Finished!
Operation
Will be extended shortlyPretty straightforward. You can press buttons or select menus to operate the flight data recorder just as you would operate a video recorder. After you stop a recording, you will be asked to provide a file name. Cancel means 'throw away the recording'. Playback can be paused and rewound to the beginning.
With especially VisualPS1 needing some time to reposition, the FDR will pause after you load a new playback file or rewind the current file. If you don't want to have to press the Play button yourself, you can switch the FDR to Autostart mode. With Autostart, the FDR will wait 5 seconds for VisualPS1 to reposition and then start the playback.
Warning
The Flight Data Recorder can just be connected to the Broker and used for
recording the current data stream without any further action. Except for a
bit more load on the Broker, no further effects are expected. However, in
playback mode, the FDR obviously wants to take over the functions of
PS1 in terms of data source. This means that you should not run PS1
together with a FDR playback.
At this moment (2005-12-28), the latest Broker (1.6) has a feature to switch off PS1 updates while the FDR plays back. This is automatic and means that you do not have to stop PS1 at all if you run Broker 1.6. However, IPC does not listen to this command yet! And with IPC and FDR both fighting over bus mastering, you can expect very, very weird effects.
So, until IPC listens to the update enable/disable commands, do not run IPC or WinPS1 together with the FDR in playback mode.