MIT - Maintenance and Income Tool

[mjahn]

Bjoern:

Try "pixel_size" for constant panel dimensions across all types of display screens.

Thus:

[WindowXX]
background_color=0,0,0
position=8
size_mm=200,600
pixel_size=200,600
alpha_blend=0.8
visible=0

gauge00=MI_Tool!MI_Tool, 0,0,200,600

[Bjoern]

The most current revision should already have that in its .cfg. Or at least it already scales well with the parent panel.


- Edit:
Oooooh, I see what you mean! Well, I'll keep it in mind and change it later.

[Bjoern]

People who only got their MIT news fix through SOH should check the document linked in the first post here as it will reveal whole bunch of fixes and some additions made to the tool in the past year.

Today's update only deals with a small bug regarding failures and reputation penalties.

[Bjoern]

New release.

Bug fixes:
- Fixed the unit of the purchase requirement variable
- Fixed display unit of best landing vertical speed
- Landing light reputation penalties should now clear correctly
- Fixed a fuel usage bug

Additions:
- Added MIT configuration overview page
- Added optional structural payload limit for aircraft
- Added gradual loss of power with increasing engine wear by limiting throttle

Changes:
- Best landing vertical speed now tracked per aircraft
- Purged some unused variables from the save files
- Overhauled failure generation system with realistic base probabilities


This update affects MI_Tool_Aircraft.xml, so keep in mind to carry over and review your settings.
Since there were changes to the save files, edit them as per the instructions below or start over!

Save file editing before running the updated MIT for the first time:
1.) Delete lines #38 to (and including) #44 from the aircraft save file. The resulting file should have 61 lines with numbers in it.
2.) CUT line #3 from company save file and PASTE to end of aircraft save file.

Documentation and download:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...YluTYIPMk/edit

[Bjoern]

It's done. This may be the most comprehensive update to MIT in ages. I've also overhauled the documentation a bit to reflect the changes.


Bug fixes:
- Fixed a bug/exploit that made earning money by idling on the ground possible
- Landing vertical speed is now correctly treated as a negative value
- Aircraft value calculation now working as it should
- Reputation can not go above 100 anymore
- Flight comfort grading uses negative vertical speed instead of positive

Additions:
- Added a help overlay to every page that will highlight all available clickspots
- A basic contract system generates random payload demand and payload rates every flight based on company reputation. Contracts can be renegotiated at the cost of reputation
- Calculation of payload demand uses maximum structural payload as a baseline when a value for such a limit is defined in the aircraft settings file

Changes:
- Landing light altitude restrictions now depend on the departure and destination airport altitudes
- Rewrote the user interface gauge, cutting the lines of code by more than 50% and reducing file size almost by half
- Polished the UI gauge here and there, changing orders and terms in some places
- Proper double-headed arrow bitmap
- A/B/C-Check and repair cost now scales with aircraft empty weight
- Total aircraft time decreases aircraft value
- Flight time is only tracked when airborne
- Overhauled the entire documentation


This update affects MI_Tool_Aircraft.xml, so keep in mind to carry over and review your settings.


Documentation and download:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...YluTYIPMk/edit

[Bjoern]

Quick and small update:

Bug fixes:
- Fixed a bug that prevented tracking of the landing vertical speed
- Engine power limitation due to engine wear works correctly now


Only MI_Tool_System.xml is affected, so no need for aircraft and save file config mumbo jumbo.


Documentation and download:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...YluTYIPMk/edit

[AusWilko]

I'm taking my yearly break from fsx, been about 9 weeks since I last bothered firing it up but thanks for this, when I get back again this will come in handy to getme going, can see me setting up a buisness in my corner of West Aussie and seehow I go

[Bjoern]

I haven't used MIT on a small scale yet, but since you can tweak it, it might just work for a "rags to riches" scenario. If not, it's at east very easy to cheat (in between flights).

[AusWilko]

Way I see it, got a lot of rich folk who have fancy holiday houses down here and show up couple of times a year so I can be ferrying them and the stuff they need around, in the mean time with all the different projects on the go I can use it to be bringing in and out all the managers plus a DC3 would be cool to haul different goods that are needed urgent, and yeah I can always pad the figures as needed

[Astoroth]

Can you have more than 1 aircraft in the same company, or is it a per aircraft type of thing? Just wondering since you set the company name in the MI_Tool_Aircraft.xml for each aircraft?

[Bjoern]

Can you have more than 1 aircraft in the same company, or is it a per aircraft type of thing? Just wondering since you set the company name in the MI_Tool_Aircraft.xml for each aircraft?

You can have 1, 20 or 3428932534589345425 aircraft per company. Same company save file name = same company.

[Bjoern]

Another small update:

Bug fixes:
- Landing vertical speed should finally be displayed and treated correctly
- Landing gear wear is only calculated when the aircraft is actually moving

Changes:
- Flight quality ratings are only computed when airborne
- Flight comfort now tracks g force instead of vertical speed

Additions:
- An offset parameter to adjust both min and max allowable flight g force in MI_Tool_Aircraft.xml


This update affects MI_Tool_Aircraft.xml, so keep in mind to carry over and review your settings!


Documentation and download:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...YluTYIPMk/edit

[Bjoern]

This update is of particular interest for Majestic Dash 8 users and bookworms keeping track of their exploits in spreadsheets.


Bug fixes:
- Fixed missing indication for total landing gear failure in message window


Changes:



Additions:
- An optional "force engine running" function for users of Majestic's Dash 8 (see debug settings in MI_Tool_Aircraft.xml).
- The flight result may optionally be exported in .csv formatting as "ZZZ_MIT_LastFlight.txt", located in the FSX main folder. The feature is off by default and has to be enabled in MI_Tool_Aircraft.xml.



This update affects MI_Tool_Aircraft.xml, so keep in mind to carry over and review your settings.



Documentation and download:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...YluTYIPMk/edit

[Bjoern]

Another week, another update

Changes:
- Contract revenue is calulated before takeoff based on estimated instead of actual flight time now
- Actual flight time is tracked from engine startup to shutdown again, as it was a few revisions before
- Rearranged some parameters in MI_Tool_Aircraft into a "Basic Settings" category
- The net result will only be displayed at the end of a flight


Additions:
- Flight plan analysis to estimate flight duration based on true cruise speed in aircraft.cfg or indicated cruise speed and flight plan cruise altitude in MI_Tool_Aircraft.xml
- Broadened the range for payload scale values a bit to make things more interesting
- Estimated flight time is exported to the flight log file
- Last flight's net result will be exported to the flight log file

This update affects MI_Tool_Aircraft.xml, so keep in mind to carry over and review your settings.

Documentation and download:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...YluTYIPMk/edit

[Bjoern]

Small update.


Bug fixes:
- Landing light reputation penalties are now properly reset


Changes:
- The absolute minimal payload rate is 0.1 Funds/lbs/hr (regardless of reputation and randomness)


This update DOES NOT affect MI_Tool_Aircraft.xml.


Documentation and download:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...YluTYIPMk/edit

[simtech]

I've used MIT in FSX for about two weeks and really enjoy it. (Small time, two a/c, C-45 and AN-2) I have some config. questions.
Where and how is best way to address these. I've been to FSDS, but unable to post. Yes, I've RTM several times. Thank you for any assistance.

[Bjoern]

Well, you're in the right place for support. What's up?

[simtech]

Bjoern, thank you very much. I really admire all of your contributions to the community. We have been blessed to be able to benefit from your talents. Regarding MIT; I think I've finally figured how to edit the .xml as I'm now flying with one crew member in the AN-2. Question: I never see the "Contract Payload" ever change. what am I doing wrong? It's always zero. Also, is there a quicker way to set up max payload to be carried without having to resort to trial and error to get the numbers from "Red" to "Green". I also learned that as one's reputation increases, so does the allowable payload capacity, but is there a quicker way to determine what that capacity is?

Thank you again for a very fine product. I'm just beginning, (have about ten hours in it) but having a blast. Thank you very much.

[Bjoern]

To fly contract payloads, you'll need to have a flight plan loaded in FSX. The type of flight plan (direct, high, low, VOR to VOR) or altitude doesn't matter, you only need a destination and arrive there whenever you like. Otherwise, you'll only burn money.

I can't make MIT smart enough to know the payload station setup (every aircraft add-on is different), so loading your plane is entirely up to you, even if it involves some degree of trial & error. Unintended realism, I guess.

Payload contracts do involve a bit of randomness, so you can't predict how heavy your next payload will be. The color coding, however, should tell you about the quality of the deal. If you don't like it, you can renegotiate (and peeve off your client in the process).
You can increase or decrease your general revenue and the "Tweaking Revenue" chapter of the manual shows how. It also links to a spreadsheet at the end, which, when downloaded and opened in Excel, automates the calculations for you. You still need to make assumptions regarding your input parameters.

Hope this helps.

[simtech]

Bjoern, thank you for the clarification. I was afraid the payload loading exercise was going to be T&E. As far as a "Contract load", I have a flight plan loaded in the flight planner before I start. It gives me an estimate on what the "payout" might be while the expense counter is still running. It just never changes unless it's yellow and then it states "non-revenue flight". I was just wondering if I had missed loading something or not. Looking forward to "tweaking" the income portion.

Thanks again, for your help and a nifty tool that is sure to become a huge time sink.

[Bjoern]

Bjoern, thank you for the clarification. I was afraid the payload loading exercise was going to be T&E. As far as a "Contract load", I have a flight plan loaded in the flight planner before I start. It gives me an estimate on what the "payout" might be while the expense counter is still running. It just never changes unless it's yellow and then it states "non-revenue flight". I was just wondering if I had missed loading something or not. Looking forward to "tweaking" the income portion.

Thanks again, for your help and a nifty tool that is sure to become a huge time sink.

Ah, so the expenses thing is a bug after all. Was wondering since it happened to me, too. Will look into it.

Have you tried resetting MIT's current state (see help overlay and manual for the clickspot location) with a flight plan loaded?

Revenue mode will only initialize when your engines are running, there's a flight plan loaded, payload is lower than the payload limit and you're stationary. So check that as well.

[simtech]

I'll jump on it and get back to you. Off hand, I can't say that I, in fact, did reset it. give me 12 hours and I'll be back. Thank you for your reply.

[Bjoern]

I think I know where in the code things may go south, but I have yet to figure out how to fix it without breaking anything else.

[simtech]

Ok, I tried it again. I normally load up with engine off, (minimize fuel expense), once I get a green payload, I start the engine with a flight plan loaded. Contract income is green, but Contract Payload never changes. When I reset and reload, suddenly the default payload is loaded into MIT, even though the a/c payload in the a/c drop down remains unchanged. I have to zero out a/c payload from drop down and reconfigure the a/c payload, then MIT recognizes the new load. A/c payload in MIT changes numerically, but contract payload only changes color, never numerically..remains zero. Contract income seems to work ok. I can live with it, was just wondering if I had missed something in the setup process. Again, thank you for all that you do for the community and I appreciate your attention. I'm quite sure you have bigger fish to fry than this. I can live with this as it is. Thank you. /Terry

[Bjoern]

That's really not supposed to happen and you're the second user to report this (the other one was on Avsim) and the tool's operation didn't feel very solid to me lately as well, so basically I HAVE to look into it.