Fsbuild-2 Flight Planner

Greetings all,

I recently did some configuring of FSB (version 2.3.1) to allow it to export flight plans. Before, it wasn't doing anything. Now, it correctly exports them to my PMDG and Level-D planes. However, I can't figure out how to export them to Squawkbox (verson 4). After I build a flight plan and press the "build" button, I get a pop-up that says (I'll abbreviate, but you'll get the idea):

Created SB file c:\progfiles\SB\KATL-KCLT.SBP
Created FSX.pln (XML) file C:\users\ron\docs\fsxfiles\KATL-KCLT.PLN

There are also items referring to PMDG and Level D, but that's not an issue right now.

Here's what the fsbuild.cfg file looks like:

[FSBUILD]
AUTOREFRESH_DELAY=1
MAGYEAR=2002
SBPC_SERVER=www.vatsim.net
ROUTELINE=1
NATRAKURL=www.natroutes.glideslope.de/html/nats.php3
WEATHERPROG=AS6


[MS-FLIGHTSIMULATOR]
FS_HOME=C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT GAMES\MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR X
SB_FMS=C:\PROGRAM FILES\SQUAWKBOX
SB3_FP=C:\PROGRAM FILES\SQUAWKBOX
AS6=C:\USERS\RON\APPDATA\ROAMING\HIFI\ASA\WEATHER

[FLY!]

[PS1]

[X-PLANE]

[STARTUP]
STEP_CLIMB
TOC_TOD
CLEARMAP_BEFORE_BUILD
DISPRTEWPTSONMAP
INCL_NL_PLTINP_HDRS
WINDS_ALOFT
LDS767
PMDG737NG
SQUAWKBOX
FSX_GPS
AUTOREFRESH_ON


It's probably just a line or 2 or code that needs to be added. Appreciate anyone's help.

Regards,
Ron

Ron,

FSBuild does not know SB4

so cheat!

SB_FMS=C:\PROGRAM FILES\SQUAWKBOX
SB3_FP=C:\PROGRAM FILES\SQUAWKBOX

Change these paths, just this part =C:\.... to your path.

And save the file.
Test it.

_________________
Vaughan

Hi Von,

I'm not exactly sure what I need to change. My Squawkbox file path is already C:\program files\Squawkbox.......within that folder are subfolders for aircraft/networks/sound/weather......then a lot of files (airlines, csl_legacy, equipment, etc). Among those files is a flight plan from FSbuild (KATL-KCLT.SBP). Then at the end are the green "squawkbox" icons, which are the .exe files. I do have 3 of those files....squawkbox_fs.exe, and squawkbox_fsx.exe. There's also a squawkbox.ico file, but I think that's just a logo item.

However....when I go to the actual Squawkbox program and click on "START....FLIGHT PLAN....LOAD", that's where the confusion is. I get a pop-up box "load flight plan" and near the bottom the file name is blank, and next to that is a tab that says "SquawkBox flight plan files". In the area above that I see the 4 folders (aircraft/networks/sound/weather) but nothing else. I then change that tab to read "all files", and I see all of the folders and files, including KATL-KCLT.SBP........when I click on that flight plan, the response is "no flight plan data was found in file".

So, in layman's terms (ie: talk to me like I'm a 5 year old), exactly what do I need to change?

Thanks again,
Ron

Ok,
Lets try this:

On my computer here is SB4:
C:\Squawkbox

Here is where SB4 will look for plans on my PC:
C:\Users\Owner\Documents\SQ_PLANS

Here is the line in my fsbuild2cfg file:
SB3_FP=C:\USERS\OWNER\DOCUMENTS\SQ_PLANS


Change these paths, just this part =C:\........ to your path.
Where you want the plan to go.

_________________
Vaughan

Hi again,

Still no luck. I changed a few things around (per your post) but it still doesnt seem to work.

On my computer, SB4 is located at:
C:\program files\squawkbox

My flight plans (created on FSBuild) are here:
C:\Users\Ron\Documents\Flight Simulator X Files
(I can see the KATL-KCLT.PLN file listed there)

I changed the fsbuild2.cfg file to read as follows:
SB3_FP=C:\USERS\RON\DOCUMENTS\FLIGHT SIMULATOR X FILES

I closed and saved the .cfg file and started Squawkbox. Again, after going to "START....FLIGHT PLAN....LOAD", the same thing happens (per my earlier post).

On that fsbuild2.cfg file, do I also have to change the "SB_FMS..." line? I only changed the one that starts with "SB3_FP".

Ron

Ron,

On that fsbuild2.cfg file, do I also have to change the "SB_FMS..." line? I only changed the one that starts with "SB3_FP".

I would.
Then test it.
See if you are ok.

I do not have it ...something put it there.

What does the SB4 manual say about the Path and FMS?

_________________
Vaughan

_________________
Vaughan

Vaughn,

I have Vista....and no, it's not a new setup (neither Vista, FSB, nor SB)

1)
[FSBUILD]
AUTOREFRESH_DELAY=1
MAGYEAR=2002
SBPC_SERVER=www.vatsim.net
ROUTELINE=1
NATRAKURL=www.natroutes.glideslope.de/html/nats.php3
WEATHERPROG=AS6


[MS-FLIGHTSIMULATOR]
FS_HOME=C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT GAMES\MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR X
SB_FMS=C:\PROGRAM FILES\SQUAWKBOX
SB3_FP=C:\PROGRAM FILES\SQUAWKBOX
AS6=C:\USERS\RON\APPDATA\ROAMING\HIFI\ASA\WEATHER

[FLY!]

[PS1]

[X-PLANE]

[STARTUP]
STEP_CLIMB
TOC_TOD
CLEARMAP_BEFORE_BUILD
DISPRTEWPTSONMAP
INCL_NL_PLTINP_HDRS
WINDS_ALOFT
LDS767
PMDG737NG
SQUAWKBOX
FSX_GPS
AUTOREFRESH_ON

2) ok, I built KORD-KDEN
3) Created SquawkBox file C:\program files\squawkbox\KORD-KDEN.SBP

(also):
Created FSX.pln (XML) file C:\users\Ron\documents\Flight Simulator X files
KORD-KDEN.pln

In addition.....it created files for PMDG and Level D

4) C:\program files\squawkbox

5) Not sure how to answer this....I want it sent to wherever SB needs it to go in order for it to "load" a FSB-created flight plan. I don't have a particular folder at this time, but I notice that FSB sends them to the (as mentioned above) ......documents\FSX files. Perhaps this is the cause/solution to the problem?

I'll try removing that SB_FMS line from the .cfg file and see what happens.

Ron

I just created a folder called test in my C:\
So it the path = C:\test

Then I put this in the config file:
sb3_fp=c:\test

saved it

Built a plan and the SB plan went to folder TEST ok!

_________________
Vaughan

And to answer your other question....yes, I did have a previous version of SB. If you recall, SB3 wasnt working with FSX...I (along with everyone else) had to wait for SB4, which was compatible with FSX.

The way it works is;

You create a folder where you want FSbuild to send the SB plan
Then you tell fsbuild the path to it via the cfg file

Edit: Now, use fsbuild to build a plan.

Then when you start SB you tell SB what folder to fetch the plan from.

Edit: in SB, select LOAD flight plan button, then navigate to the folder you set up for the SB plans.

_________________
Vaughan

The SB version 2 had the FMS per this info:

SquawkBox 2.x had an FMC and a TCAS. Where have those gone?
SquawkBox 3 was a complete rewrite. It was designed to provide core functionality related to getting you connected to online air traffic control networks.

This line mentions it:
An in-cockpit FMC and TCAS are peripheral to this purpose and so were "not included. "

So, I was thinking you had ver 2 !

You previously asked me about the FMC line so I went looking for it and found it in the SB manual .. FAQ area.

_________________
Vaughan

Ron,
You said:And to answer your other question....yes, I did have a previous version of SB. If you recall, SB3 wasnt working with FSX...I (along with everyone else) had to wait for SB4, which was compatible with FSX.

I went back an looked at the posts here and could not find it!

_________________
Vaughan

Hmmm...this just gets better and better...

I removed that "SB_FMS" line from the fsbuild.cfg file. I then went to C:\users\ron\documents\flight sim x files, and created a folder that I named "FSBuild flight plans". I then took all of the .pln files in the FSX folder and moved them to the .pln folder.

However.....isnt SB looking for .SBP files? This is what FSB seems to be creating after I build the flight plan....the pop-up box says it created (for example) squawkbox file C:\program files\squawkbox\KORD-KDEN.SBP

When I search for .sbp files on my computer (by going to SEARCH, and entering *.sbp), I'm only coming up with ONE item.....a KATL-KCLT plan that I created yesterday. So where are the other ones that I created today? KORD-KDEN?.....KATL-KMIA? They seem to be gone.

On a semi-related note...after I start Squawkbox and try to load a flight plan, I'm getting a big pop-up box ("Load flight plan"). Near the bottom of that box is a tab where you can choose between "Squawkbox flight plan files .sfp", and ALL FILES. What's the difference between a .sbp file and a .sfp file?

This gets better by the minute. I'm getting close to renaming the "flight simulator X files" to simply "X files", because that's how this seems to be going.

Ron