12/24/97

   Here's a little utility that creates simple dynamic and static scenery
objects for FS98, FS95 or FS5.1.  


INSTALLATION AND USAGE:

   The program creates small BGL files that, to work properly, need to be in
a special subdirectory.  In FS98 I call mine C:\FS98\SCENERY\DYN\SCENERY.
Your FS98 folder may have a different name, but you should create a similar
directory structure.  It must be under the existing \SCENERY subfolder and
the final subfolder must also be called \SCENERY.  FS95 and FS5.1 have some
similar restrictions on naming scenery directories.  After you have created
this directory structure, place a BGL file in the final subdirectory so that
it will be recognized by the scenery library.  Then, upon running FS, you
must go into the scenery library, add the new scenery path and make it active.
TIP:  As with any scenery, once you have installed it in FS98, you may tell
FS95 and/or FS5 where it is and they will find it there.

   IMPORTANT:  You must also make sure that the Dynamic Scenery option is
turned on.

   With this version, you should probably NOT put DYNGEN.EXE in the dynamic
scenery subdirectory mentioned above.  Instead, you should put it in a
separate directory and run it there.  The reason is that you don't want too
many BGL files in the dynamic scenery directory.  Unless dynamic objects are
linked together into the same file, they will conflict with each other if
they occupy the same geographic area.  DYNGEN now creates linked files and,
in the process, creates a bunch of small BGLs that you DON'T want in your
scenery path.

   The simplest strategy is to use a separate directory for creating all the
little files.  After creating an object, you should copy it to the dynamic
scenery subdirectory and go test it in FS.  After it has been tested, you
must remove it from the dynamic scenery subdirectory before testing another.
When you have tested all your objects individually, then go back to the
DYNGEN directory and link them together.  Finally, copy ONLY the linked file
back into the dynamic scenery subdirectory.
   
   When the program is run, you will be presented with a screen containing
ten "buttons:"  TAKE-OFF, LAND, PATTERN, CUSTOM, STATIC, LINK, ADD LINK, COPY,
EDIT and EXIT.  Choosing the first allows you to create a dynamic aircraft in
a take-off cycle.  The second allows creation of a landing cycle.  The third
creates a take-off and landing pattern.  The fourth allows you to create your
own pattern.  The fifth allows creation of static scenery objects.  The sixth
allows you to link several files made with the first five options into a
single BGL so that they may all be visible at once.  The seventh allows you
to add a single object to an existing linked file.  The eighth allows you to
copy existing files to new names without leaving the program.  The ninth
allows limited editing of existing objects.  The EXIT button ends the program.
Each of these options is described in greater detail below.



   TAKE-OFF:

   Selecting this option will present the user with a screen which contains
eleven text-entry boxes, six list boxes and four "buttons."  Each of these is
discussed in greater detail below.  The plane will start at a location you
choose, then take-off and fly straight ahead at a heading of your choosing.
After it has flown for a while, it will disappear and reappear at the start
location.  The effect is that you will have a plane taking-off from a
particular runway at regular intervals.  You may re-run the program to create
other planes, on other runways, at other intervals.  Jet aircraft will fly
about five nautical miles to about 1500 ft AGL before recycling.  To avoid
long delays between take-offs, the Cessna will only fly about 2.5 miles.


FILE NAME:

   Since version 1.4 has come the ability to name each BGL file before it is
created.  These names must follow DOS file-naming conventions, including a
maximum of EIGHT characters to the name.  Also, you must be sure to include
the .BGL extension at the end of the file name.  This is very important
because the LINK option will only list BGL files in the current directory.
If you just created a file and it doesn't appear in the BGL list under the
LINK option, exit to DOS and list all the files in the directory.  It may
just be that you forgot the .BGL extension (I've done it <G>).  If so, just
rename the file to give it the extension.


GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES:

   The first six text-entry boxes on the screen allow you to enter the
exact starting location for the aircraft.  The simplest way to determine
the location is to SLEW there in FS and, while still in SLEW mode, read
the red coordinates at the top of the screen.  When entering coordinates,
DO NOT ENTER LETTERS SUCH AS N OR W.  Aside from that restriction, the
coordinates may be entered in different ways.  For example, 30 deg 30 min
may be entered as degrees and minutes or as 30.5 degrees.  When entering
South or East coordinates, only the DEGREE box should contain a negative
number.


AIRCRAFT:

   The first list box lists the four aircraft from which you can choose.
To choose an aircraft, simply highlight its name in BLACK by using your mouse
or the down-arrow key.  If no plane is highlighted, the Cessna is the default.


COLOR:

   The remaining five list boxes allow a choice of certain colors for three
of the aircraft (the Cessna, Lear and 727).  The other dynamic objects (the
F-18, Gas Truck and Sailboat) cannot be colored.  Clicking the COLOR HELP
button will provide detailed information about the three colorable planes. 
If no colors are highlighted, the default will be a white fuselage with red
trim.


ELEVATION:

   This text-entry box is for the local ground elevation at the spot where
you wish to place the aircraft's starting point.  Like the geographic
coordinates, the elevation can be read from SLEW mode.  Elevation must be
entered in FEET.


HEADING:

   This box is for the direction in which the aircraft will travel, and it
may be entered in either integer or decimal degrees.  If the aircraft will be
positioned on a runway, you must remember to correct for the local magnetic
declination.  To find magdec, SLEW to the spot and, while still in SLEW mode,
hit the SPACEBAR.  This will point you toward true north.  Your compass will
tell you how far off magnetic north is from true north at that spot.  For
example, at Oakland, CA the spacebar puts your compass at 344 degrees.  That
means magnetic north is about 16 degrees off from true north.  If a runway
is oriented to true north, you will have to add about 16 or 17 degrees to the
runway's published heading.  Then enter the adjusted heading in the box.  You
may have to do some trial-and-error. 


T-O KNOTS:

   In this box you will enter the aircraft's take-off speed in knots.  The
aircraft will begin its run at 60% of this speed, then will accelerate to
this speed for take-off.  At gear-up, the speed will increase to 140% of
take-off speed and will continue at that speed to the end of the cycle.


PAUSE:

   If nothing is entered in this box, the plane begins its take-off run as
soon as FS is started.  If the plane is visible in your start-up STN, you
will see it appear and start to move at start-up.  If this is not what you
desire, you may enter in this box the number of seconds to wait before the
plane appears.  The maximum number of seconds is 32767 (over 9 hours).  


DONE:

   When all the above-mentioned parameters have been entered or chosen,
clicking the DONE button causes the new BGL file to be generated.  A message
will appear indicating that the process is complete.  Clicking the OK button
resets the option so that you may create another take-off BGL.


RETURN:

   This button will take you back to the opening screen without creating a
BGL file.


EXIT:

   This button will end the program without creating a BGL file.



   LAND:

   This option functions very much like the TAKE-OFF option (see above) with
a few important differences.  In this case, the aircraft starts about five
miles (2.5 for the Cessna) from the landing point indicated by the geographic
coordinates.  LND Knots indicates the landing speed.  The aircraft will
approach the landing point at 130% of the landing speed.  It will slow to
landing speed and put gear down about 1000 meters before touchdown.  This
option may require some fiddling with the coordinates to get the landing
point correct.



   PATTERN:

   This option causes the chosen aircraft to take-off, fly around in a
simple pattern, and land at the starting spot.  The default is a left-hand
(counterclockwise) pattern.  Clicking the RIGHT button before clicking the
DONE button will create a right-hand pattern.  It can be great flying
practice to chase the aircraft around the "patch."



   CUSTOM:

   This option allows creation of unique dynamic cycles of your own design.
To achieve satisfactory results, however, you must carefully plan the cycle
before running the program.  It will be helpful to draw a detailed diagram
and refer to it as you enter parameters.

   The interface screen is very similar to those discussed above, except that
there is no input for an initial speed.  This screen simply defines a scenery
object at a particular location, altitude and heading.  When this initial
"position" has been entered, you will click the NEXT button.  This takes you
to the next screen, wherein you will enter all subsequent positions.



SUBSEQUENT POSITIONS:


   From the starting position (defined at the previous screen), you may
input a chain of later positions from the following five essential choices.


   GEAR UP - Causes the landing gear to disappear at a specified point,


   GEAR DN - Causes the gear to reappear,


   GO STRAIGHT TO: - Causes the object to move in a straight line from the
      last input point to a new point depending on the chosen Speed, Distance
      and Altitude Change.  Entering a number in the Altitude Change box will
      cause the object to ASCEND during its travel.  Placing a minus sign in
      front of the number causes the object to DESCEND, and skipping the box
      will keep the object at the same altitude.  Entering a negative number
      in the Distance box will cause the object to move in reverse.


   FLAT TURN TO: - Causes the object to move in a curved line, without
      banking, depending on the chosen Speed, Turn Radius and New Heading.
      The object will begin the turn at its last input heading and continue
      to the New Heading.

**TURNS**

      The turn will always be in the direction that is less than 180 degrees.
      For example, if the object is presently at a heading of 0 degrees and
      is instructed to turn to 270 degrees, it will turn left.  If you MUST
      make a 180 degree turn, it's a little complicated.  If your previous
      heading is less than 180, a 180 turn will be made to the right.  If the
      previous heading is 180 or more, it will be a left turn.  To make a
      LEFT 180 turn from a less-than-180 heading, you must SUBTRACT 360 from
      your desired New Heading.  For example, to turn left from 70 to 250,
      enter -110 (250 minus 360) as the New Heading.  To make a RIGHT 180
      turn from a 180-or-greater heading, you must ADD 360 to the desired New
      Heading.  For example, to turn right from 250 to 70, enter 430 (70 plus
      360) as the New Heading.  DO NOT ENTER HEADINGS GREATER THAN 539 OR
      LESS THAN -180.  Also, NEVER USE 360 AS A HEADING, USE 0 INSTEAD
      (unless you want to turn right from 180 to 0 <G>).

      These flat turns work well with objects that will be moving on the
      ground or on water.


   BANKED TURN TO: - Causes the object to move in a curved line, with a 30
      degree bank, depending on Speed, Radius and New Heading.  Banked turns
      obey the same rules as flat turns (see TURNS above).


   When all subsequent positions have been entered, you will click the STOP
button.  A message will inform you that the new BGL has been created.
Clicking the OK button will end the program, at which point you may go test
your creation.

IMPORTANT:  You must end your series of positions with a GO STRAIGHT TO.  If
a turn is not followed by a straight line, it will not be executed.  When the
object has traveled to its final position, it will begin again at the
starting point.  Its landing gear will be in the same configuration it was in
at the end of the cycle.



   STATIC:

   All this option does is to take you to the CUSTOM screen mentioned above.
The CUSTOM option has been modified to allow creation of static (non-moving)
objects.  Simply enter the information about your object and, rather than the
NEXT button, click the STATIC button instead.  This will automatically create
the stationary object without taking you to another screen.  A message will
inform you that the process is complete.  Clicking the OK button under the
message will refresh the CUSTOM/STATIC screen.  You may then create another
custom or static object, return to the main menu, or exit the program.

   When creating static objects, you may wish to line-up a number of them in
a neat row.  This can be a problem because the FS coordinate system causes
the relationship between feet and seconds to change with latitude.  It is 
even more complicated if you want to line-up objects neatly along a runway
that is NOT at a heading of 90, 180, 270 or 360 degrees.  To make such a task
easier, a CALCULATOR button has been included on the CUSTOM/STATIC screen.
Upon clicking the button, the calculator screen asks you to input three
parameters:  1) the distance you want to place a new object from a given
point (such as the position of an existing object), 2) the heading away
from that point upon which you want the new object to lie, and 3) the local
latitude.  The calculator automatically computes the number of seconds you
must add (or subtract) to the North and West coordinates of the original
point.  For example, if you wish to place an object 100 feet from another at
a heading of 45 degrees from it (at a local latitude of 30 degrees), you
would add about .7 seconds to the North coordinate (of the previous object)
and subtract about .8 seconds from the West coordinate.  All the calculator
does is convert the heading to radians, convert the feet to seconds, multiply
the seconds by the cosine of the heading (for North), then multiply the
seconds by the sine of the heading multiplied by the reciprocal of the cosine
of the local latitude (for West).  What could be simpler <G>?



   LINK:

   This screen asks for a new name for the linked file, and the number of
files to be linked.  After these are input, clicking the START button brings
up a list of the BGL files in the current directory.  THIS OPTION WILL NOT
WORK CORRECTLY WITH ANY FILES BUT THOSE CREATED BY DYNGEN.  Attempting to
link other BGL files will probably lock-up your computer when you run FS5
or FS95 with the linked file.  Also, you may not link previously-linked files
together.  You must only attempt to link files that have not been previously
linked.  Attempting to link a linked file will result in only its first
object being included in the new linked file.

   Choose the first file to link by either highlighting it in black and
pressing ENTER, or by using your mouse to Double-Click the file name.  After
the first file is chosen, the rest of the files are chosen from the list in
the same way.  A counter will inform you of how many files you have already
chosen.  When you have selected the number of files you indicated at the
opening screen, the program informs you that the new linked file has been
created.  After clicking the OK button, you may create another linked file,
return to the main screen, or exit.

   THE CHOICE OF THE FIRST FILE IS FAIRLY IMPORTANT, because the location and
range info for the entire linked file is taken from this first BGL.  Ideally,
you should try to choose the first object so that it is roughly in the center
of any group of objects that will be widely dispersed.  If all objects will
be moving around in the same general area, the choice of the first file is
not so crucial.  The range of the scenery area for the entire linked file is
about a 2.5 nautical mile radius around the position of the first object.  If
you desire a larger radius, it can be changed with EDIT (see below).

   In order that linked files not conflict with each other, there should be
at least 5 nautical miles between their central objects.  In fact, other
dynamic scenery files from 3rd-party scenery might easily conflict with these
files, so be aware of that possibility.  Also, I imagine that there must be
some limit to the number of objects that can be successfully linked and still
appear together.  As of this date, however, I have no idea what that limit
might be.  Please let me know what your experience is.



   ADD LINK:

   Suppose you already have several objects linked into a file but would like
to add another object or two.  It might be a real pain to start over and link
all of the previous objects along with the new ones.  Therefore, this option
allows you to add new objects (only those made with DYNGEN) one at a time to
a previously-linked file.  The screen presents a RED list of all the BGL
files in the current directory.  Choose the already LINKED file from this
list.  The list then turns BLACK and you will choose the file to ADD.  A
message tells you the object has been added and that the linked file has kept
the same name.  At this point the option resets.  If you wish to add another
object, you must first select the LINKED file again from the RED list.

BECAUSE THE LINKED FILE IS WRITTEN-OVER, YOU MIGHT WANT TO BACK IT UP FIRST.



   COPY:

   This is a very straightforward option that allows you to make copies of
existing files without leaving the program.  The screen presents you with a
list of ALL files in the current directory.  The list is not limited to BGL
files in order that you may make back-up copies or otherwise use a variety of
file names.  To copy a file, simply highlight its name in the file list,
enter a new name in the text box and click the COPY button.  Don't forget to
add any desired extension to the file name.  After the file is copied, you
may copy another, RETURN to the main menu or EXIT the program.



   EDIT:

   Although this screen looks complicated, it allows only a limited amount of
editing of an existing object (it will only edit the first object in a linked
file).  To edit an object, you must first highlight its file name in the
small file list box in the upper left corner of the screen.  Then you may
edit any of eleven object parameters:  the object type, the five colors, the
geographic coordinates, the runway elevation, the initial heading, the number
of seconds to pause, and the scenery radius.  Each of these has one or more
boxes to select or enter new values and a DONE button to write the changes to
the file.  There is also a general HELP button and a COLOR HELP button.

   Please be advised that when changing geographic coordinates, you must
enter both North and West coordinates.  Even if one of these will remain the
same as it was before, you must still enter it.  Also be advised that the
heading should probably only be changed for static objects.  Changing heading
for moving objects will not change their direction of motion.  For example,
if you have a plane taking off at a heading of 250 degrees and you change its
heading to 200, it will still take-off at 250 degrees but will be moving sort
of sideways.  This is one of the limits of this option.

   What the EDIT option does best is to help you create multiple copies of a
favorite pattern and make small changes to each without having to create each
from scratch.  For example, it can help you create a bunch of static objects
with different colors and/or at different headings and/or locations.  It can
also help in quickly changing the type of an object that is otherwise nicely
situated.  It might also assist in making a group of objects fly or move on
the ground in formation.  Please let me know if you find this helpful and if
you have suggestions for future versions.



******************************************************************************


   This program is freeware.  Please feel free to share it far and wide.  It
should not harm your computer in any way but, if you imagine it has, I accept
no liability.  


Chuck Dome
CIS 72723,734


VERSION HISTORY:

1.0  - Original version, take-off option only

1.1  - Added landing cycle option

1.2  - Added left/right pattern options and a couple of Easter eggs

1.3  - Added custom option, increased color choices and raised jet aircraft
      altitude to 2000 ft under the pattern option

1.4  - Added link and add link options and ability to specify file names

1.5  - Added static option and calculator

1.51 - Added copy and edit options
       Modified the custom option so that objects can be made to back-up
       Reduced the default scenery radius to 2.5 NM (5 NM for jets in
       Take-off or Landing cycles)
       Modified the landing cycle option for better approach slopes
       Many thanks to Kenneth Quinn for suggestions and beta testing.

1.51 - Corrected a bug in the STATIC option