LK8000 version 2.2 (April, 15th 2011)

Changes from version 2.0 (January, 15th 2011)


NEW FEATURES

Contest Calculation Engine "GMAT" version 1 by Mateusz Pusz.

Calculation in realtime for:

• OLC classic
• FAI triangle,
• FAI 3 turnpoints
• OLC sprint league
• OLC Plus

In addition, also the same paths are recalculated assuming the pilot can make it back to the starting point, thus PREDICTING the final results.  
All values updated in realtime, automatically. Very light CPU load, will allow also very slow CPU to use the new engine.
Powerful, flexible, expandable!

The CCE Engine is available only to GLIDERS and will not currently calculate anything for Paragliders, GA and CAR modes.

New infoboxes (21) available for all contest values.

THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN IBOX MODE.
These new infoboxes are all named starting with OLC, to have them grouped:

OLC Classic Distance
OLC Classic Score (based on configured handicap)
OLC Classic Speed

OLC Classic Predicted Distance
OLC Classic Predicted Score
OLC Classic Predicted Speed

OLC FAI 3 TPs Distance
OLC FAI 3 TPs Speed

OLC FAI 3 TPs Predicted Distance
OLC FAI 3 TPs Predicted Speed

OLC FAI triangle Distance
OLC FAI triangle Score
OLC FAI triangle Speed

OLC FAI triangle Predicted Distance
OLC FAI triangle Predicted Score
OLC FAI triangle Predicted Speed

OLC League Distance
OLC League Score
OLC League Speed

OLC Plus Score
OLC Plus Predicted Score

Total 21 new values. On display, Predicted values have an asterics "*".

• OLC Plus is only a score value, the sum of OLC classic score and FAI triangle score
• Predicted Speed is calculated using average speed so far

With all of these infoboxes you can create custom page or bottom bar stripes.
However, there is no need to configure anything because......

New CONTEST infopage 1.5 (the TRI becomes 1.6).

This page appears only for GLIDER mode, not for paragliders, GA, CAR etc.
The new infopage is showing all necessary values, updated in real time.

New Info -> Analysis -> Contest   page.

Here you can view graphical representation of selected contest, with all
values as well. To change contest, rotating all of them, simply press
on the "Change" button.

In the picture, OLC Classic "Predicted": what if we get back to the starting point, from the place we are now?

Bottom bar stripe  STA3  has no more ODOmeter displayed, if Contest is in use.

In place of ODO, the  OLC Distance is shown.
ODO is now available in the TRI infopage 1.6

OLC dis is updated in real time. Of course you may configure to show any other OLC value, or all of them.

Variobar indicating Netto or Sollfart (dolphin speed indicator)

System Config menu 13 Map Overlays has a new box "VarioBar Mode".

It is possible to have the Variometer bar displaying:

• Vario in thermal and cruise mode, as before
• Vario in thermal, Netto in cruise
• Vario in thermal, Dolphin speed indicator in cruise (aka Sollfart)

Due to the estimated nettovario, which is based on gps altitude differences,
obtained every second (with a possible GPS error, also), the overall result
may be of little use. Also, no total energy is used, to make it even worst.
However, as many have claimed, in old gliders it is much better than the
MacCready speed ring. Maybe. Or maybe not.

In the picture, we chose Netto (NT) to be shown and painted in the bar during cruise.

Free flight start detection.

This is a very important feature for Contest calculations, and generally for all flight statistics, expecially altitude min and max.
Previously, we were assuming the freeflight would start after takeoff, which is wrong for gliders of course.
The new FF engine is detecting both Winch and Tow takeoffs, and it will reset flight stats after the real free flight has started.

New polar for Dimona motorglider

New Setup Setting for Font Smoothing

System Page 11 choose from None, Default, Antialiasing and Cleartype.
On some devices/resolution/orientation sometimes one choice is better than the other.

New SCREEN LOCKING system for paragliders.

This feature is available only in Para/Hang Gliding mode.
A new menu button is available in Config 1/3 page:  LOCK SCREEN.

This feature is available only while not flying, and thus no takeoff was detected,
otherwise it is blanked and you cannot click on it.
Locking the screen will help paragliders not to have LK react to keypresses during the
takeoff , when the pilot is in a critical phase.

Screen will report "SCREEN IS LOCKED", and will remain locked until 10 SECONDS AFTER TAKEOFF.
After 10 seconds from takeoff detected, the screen will be AUTOMATICALLY unlocked.

If the pilot for any reason wants to unlock the screen, he can double-click on screen any
time to do it.
When the screen is locked, no function can be used on the touch screen, but hardware keys
are still operational.

New SIM pan mode

you can now position the aircraft in pan mode during simulations in any point of the screen, and not only in the sight-centered, with a long click on the map.
Example: start SIM mode, enter PAN mode, move the map where you want, choose a point on the map where you want to position the aircraft, and press with your finger for a couple of seconds on that point.
Basically, earlier you could only long-click on the center, and it was complicated to position the map center exactly on the point selected for the new aircraft desired reposition. Now it is very easy.

Transparent Variometer Bar (options selectable inside variometer bar color config)

New custom device LK8EX1 for external instruments sending baro and vario to LK

Logger fields "Competition Class" and "Competition ID".

Airspace Class G supported

Semi-transparent airspace area configuration. This will also fix problems on HTC D2 .

Using semitransparent will slow down a bit other devices, but only a bit.

Transparent bottom bar!

configurable inside system config menu 11 "Appearance".
Using 0% or 100% opacity will make no impact on drawing speed because alphablending will not
be used in these two cases, and by default 60% is used.

Defines how much transparent (->0%) / opaque (->100%) will be the bottom bar area on the map .

Normally the bar is black with white text, and can be reverted to white with black text on it.
Setting <30% opacity the bottom bar will be very transparent, and text color will be forced reversed.
Some combinations of opacity and reverse colors may not be suitable to navigation, but there are
infinite combinations to choose from.

Using 0% or 100%  (full transparency  or full opacity) will speed up the software a bit.
Another famous 8000 instrument is using 75% opacity.
Default is 60%.

Notice: not all devices support transparency.

Task declaration supported for new device DSX logger

Task declaration supported for LX Nano and LX Colibri

New device Flytec FLYSEN protocol, supporting firmware 3.31 and 3.32

New Com message "GPS data error " when using wrong baud rate on a com port

New Auto Zoom

Old autozoom problems:

- Changing zoom in Circling Zoom disables AutoZoom
- Changing zoom in PAN mode disables AutoZoom
- Enabling AutoZoom in PAN mode disables PAN mode
- Panorama Zoom not working when AutoZoom is enabled
- Enabling AutoZoom in Panorama Zoom destroys Panorama Zoom behavior
- AutoZoom corrupts circling and cruise zoom if waypoint switched during circling mode
- Changing ZOOM in PAN mode changes fly zoom
- Panorama Zoom corrupts fly zoom if fly mode (circling/cruise) change in the meantime
- Panorama Zoom changes PAN zoom when expired
- Opening TargetPan during Panorama Zoom destroys Panorama Zoom
- Pan Mode while Panorama Zoom expiration destroys fly zoom level
- PANORAMA zoom does not remember its zoom value

NEW AUTOZOOM DESIGN:

• Provides separate zoom levels for each of the following:

- CRUISE
- CIRCLING (if CirclingZoom is enabled in SystemSetup)
- PANORAMA
- AUTO_ZOOM
- PAN
- TARGET_PAN

• Zoom is switched together with a switch of flight mode, and a zoom for previous mode is always remembered and restored.

Exception here is:

- AUTO_ZOOM - that when switched on will always calculate the best zoom for the next waypoint (CRUISE zoom if a waypoint is far away
or calculated zoom if closer)
- PAN - that when switched on will init with the the zoom factor of previous mode (current zoom factor)
- TARGET_PAN - that when switched on will always calculate the best zoom for the presentation of the waypoint in subject

• AutoZoom will be turned off on pilot's manual zoom change action only if CRUISE_ZOOM is currently used.

That means that a pilot can freely adjust the zoom for circling, panorama or pan without worrying about disabling and then a need to enable AutoZoom.

• Advancing a waypoint to the next one when AutoZoom is enabled will always adjust CRUISE_ZOOM only (even if not active at that moment)

CHANGES

• IBOX mode is still available, but no more supported for new features.

• Enlarged all topology lines on big screen resolutions

• Introduced UTF-8 encoding for language files

• Change WinPilot File to Custom Polar File in configuration

• Fix SIM mode PAN mode airspace display with long click on moving map.

Using PAN mode during SIM mode, long click on a visible airspace will produce as usual the airspace details.

If there is no airspace underlying, either because not existing in that position, or because Airspace display OFF was selected in menu DISPLAY 1/3, then long click on the moving map will result in reposition the aircraft there.
In any case, to maintain compatibility with old version, long click on center map screen will always reposition the aircraft and will not recall airspace details.

• Task Edit is now available even when no waypoint files are configured.

It is thus possible to load a task even when no waypoints are in use, because the task will load its own waypoints of course

• GA and CAR mode will not enter thermalling mode in any case anymore.

• AAT permanently ON for paragliders in configuration.

With non-AAT looking settings, though.

• Outlined thermal circle also for paragliders

• Center area for nearest pages selection is enlarged

• Startup sequence will issue more detailed messages if directories are missing, pointing the user to the real problem and solution

• Faster topology painting when huge topo maps were used.

• Waypoint Out of Terrain selection back in configuration page 1

Use "exclude" if you are loading big continental waypoint file databases

• McCready Overlay choice in Engineering menu 1 is now saved to profile

• Very fast loading of big waypoint files at startup

• Faster response of user interface when using big waypoint files

It is now possible to load over 8000 waypoints while still keeping good user interface response

• Task declaration messages are more detailed
  

• Progress and error messages added for EW Microrecorder task declaration

• Automatic com port reset will apply after 30 seconds, previously 15 seconds, when no nmea source feed is found.

• BestAlternate is back available also for Paragliders/Hang Gliders.

Previously it was not calculated any more, and disabled by rotary multitargets.  
Para/Hang gliders disabling BestAlternate Warning inside safety config will also make it disappear from rotary multitarget selection.

• Inside InfoPages it is possible to flip previous/next page simply clicking on left and right of the screen.

Gestures are still working of course, but this is much faster. Fully compatible.

• Virtual keys moved to engineering menu, being useless and complicated nowadays.

• MapLock moved to engineering menu. This modality is obsoleted by the new screen locking facility available for paragliders in Config menu 1/3.

• Basic/Expert mode in configuration permanently removed

BUG FIXES

Critical:

THERE WERE NO CRITICAL PROBLEMS IN 2.0 version!
Critical problems are those leading to critical malfunctions after the takeoff.

Important but not critical:

• Baro altitude fed by two Devices at the same time will be accepted without mixing them.

Only the first non-generic device in configuration will be used for Baro altitude.
Previously, two baro altitude could not be sent to LK, because their values were overlapping.

• National characters problem fixed.

On some devices waypoints files, airspaces files, map files were not loaded.

They could be selected in the file list, but wouldn't load, and they would disappear from configuration immediately after.

Also some flash cards were named by devices using internal unicode national characters and would not allow anything to work at all within LK8000.

• Fix bug not saving new WP is waypoint file was empty

• Fix UCS-8 encoding of COMPEgps WPT file not loading waypoints

• Bugfix Home Waypoint on multitarget not updated when unreachable and not the same as a task point, or an alternate itself.

• Bugfix finish line or sector not appearing when a task had only 2 turnpoints including start.

• Bugfix Waypoint parser loading unusual CUP files may crash the software while loading configuration

• Bugfix task restart was advancing to second turnpoint after start, if previously had passed first turnpoint after start!  This problem was here since ever.

• Bugfix loading airspaces, with faulty files might crash the software

• Lklanguage problem with incompatible language pack may crash the software on startup

• Airspaces filtering too restrictive fixed

• When an aircraft was inside airspace's boundary and the Anlysis dialog airspaces draw line did not cross that boundary (because airspace is too big) the airspace was not printed in the Analysis Airspace dialog.

• Various communication problems solved.

Sometimes a device after disconnection was no more seen until a port reset.

Minor problems:

• Fixed a problem of 0m obstacle warning
• Fix bug making appearing target unit when half overlay and clock selected.
• Fix bug not loading terrain when first .lkm selected without terrain file set and then .xcm selected with terrain inside OAT Outside Air Temperature not shown below 1 C degree. Now valid from -50 to 99C
• Altitude Required (AltReqD) flipping two different values, one correct and the other wrong
• Topology labels were not correctly printed using special character sets for some languages. They may result truncated.
• Volkslogger declaration possible problem
• Wrong polar for Ventus 2cT
• Some topology/terrain shapes may not be printed (expecially water areas such as small lakes)
• Choosing Waypoint Out of Terrain as "ask" would not save correctly the choice inside profile

... and many other minor changes/fixes, expecially in menu dialogs.