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Text File | 1992-11-24 | 49KB | 1,160 lines

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ ║ ║ FalcCalc 2.0 ║ ║ ║ ║ The Falcon 3.01 Mission Planning Assistant ║ ║ ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ Contents New in Version 2.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Who should use FalcCalc?.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 System requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Using FalcCalc in Batch Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Auto-Load Previous Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 FalcCalc Menu Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Files menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Save Report to File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Load Saved Report File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Print file. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Print "Knee Board Sheet". . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Default pilot's names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 "Knee Board Sheet" and Red Flag Template Missions . 7 Analysis menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Campaign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Red Flag. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 SQUAD vs. TEMPLATE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Manual Mission Entry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Report Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Changing Report types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Summary Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Detailed Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Waypoint Timing Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Mission Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Waypoint Arrival Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Waypoint Timing by Flight. . . . . . . . . . . 10 Utilities Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Run Falcon, Run Falconer, Run F3Maps. . . . . . . . 10 Backup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 "File Not Found" messages. . . . . . . . . . . 11 Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 "File Not Found" messages. . . . . . . . . . . 11 The Data Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Model Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Changing Flight Models. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Fuel Efficiency Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 ------------------------------------------------------------ 1 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ FalcCalc Command Line Switches. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Registration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Reason to Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Future features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Falcon Data Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Different Versions of FALCON3.EXE. . . . . . . . . 17 The FalcCalc Configuration file. . . . . . . . . . 17 Bug hunters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Error Checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Interface excuses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 If the program doesn't work. . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Getting in touch with the author . . . . . . . . . 18 Legal stuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Have you ever wondered, before taking off into the wild blue, whether you're going to have enough fuel to get home again? Does it bother you that you don't know whether your wingmen are going to arrive at the target when you want them to? Do you ever hear a desperate cry of "I'm hit! I'm hit!" from a pilot, and suddenly realize you don't remember what aspect of the mission that he or she was supposed to accomplish? Or do you ever land after a mission, thinking you've accomplished the entire thing, only to find an enigmatic "Mission Failure"? That's why there's FalcCalc. It is automatic--it reads your Falcon data files and does all the fuel and timing calculations for you. You can also use it manually for fuel calculations, to test how changing weights, drags, altitudes, speeds, distances, and flight models will affect your fuel usage. With Version 2.0, FalcCalc has been expanded to include: * A Waypoint Timing Report. * A Backup and Restore utility for Falcon 3.01 data files. * The capability to shell to Falcon, F3Maps, or Falconer. * "Knee Board Sheet" printing, so you can have pertinent ------------------------------------------------------------ 2 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ mission information at your fingertips during flight. * Several data screens to aid in planning your Falcon missions. * Automatic reloading of the file you were most recently examining. * Ability to toggle between report types with a single keypress. * Clarified Fuel Usage reports -- now there's a bar chart to indicate fuel required/fuel loaded. * A user-configurable fuel efficiency setting which allows you to adjust FalcCalc's calculations for the way you fly. All of these changes are aimed at taking FalcCalc away from its humble beginnings as a fuel calculator; they're aimed at making it the Falcon 3.0 "Mission Planning Assistant." Who should use FalcCalc? FalcCalc (as well as most of the Falcon 3.0 add-on utilities) has one major shortcoming: you have to exit and then reenter Falcon to use it. The new "shelling" capability of FalcCalc helps, but an add-on can't speed up Falcon (not this add-on, at least)! (See ""ALT-X" exiting from Falcon," below.) If you're a serious campaigner, then you spend a lot of time working with those mission planning screens: laying out waypoints, reconning target areas, choosing weapons, etc. It is not unusual to spend more time planning a mission than flying it. If this describes you, then FalcCalc will make your job easier. It will be worth your while to examine the timing and fuel use screens. The "Knee Board Sheet" alone is probably worth the trouble of exiting and reentering Falcon! But if you're an "Instant Action" or "use the default settings and go" type of flier, then you may find this program more trouble than it's worth. USING FALCCALC -System requirements: Any computer which can handle Falcon 3.01 can handle FalcCalc. FalcCalc works with both Falcon ------------------------------------------------------------ 3 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ 3.01 and 3.01.1, but will not work with any other version. -Setup: Just copy FALCCALC.EXE into your "\FALCON3" subdirectory (or wherever you keep your Falcon files). Type "FalcCalc" at the DOS prompt. IMPORTANT!!! Using FalcCalc in Batch Files! If you put the FalcCalc command into a batch file and if you are planning to use the shelling functions in FalcCalc (and they're quite convenient, so why not?) then the "FalcCalc" invocation must be the last command in the batch file, or the shelling features will not work properly. This is because FalcCalc is not (and never will be) a TSR. (Falcon 3.0 doesn't care much for TSRs.) FalcCalc handles all shelling by generating its own batch file, stuffing the keyboard buffer, then exiting and running the batch file it created (which is always named "FalcTemp.bat"). By working in this way it takes no memory away from Falcon. However, just so you're not left out in the cold, murky waters of the "\FALCON3" subdirectory (or wherever) when FalcCalc and its batch files are all done, there is a way to invoke a command upon final exit. You do this by starting FalcCalc with your desired batch file or program as a parameter. For example, "FalcCalc /menu.bat" as a command line would execute FalcCalc, but upon final exit the "menu.bat" batch file would run. My own Falcon/FalcCalc startup batch file looks like this: Falcon.Bat (in root directory of C:): @echo off c: cd\falcon3 FalcCalc /menu.bat Menu.Bat (also in root directory of C:, which of course is in the path): @echo off c: cd\ cls ------------------------------------------------------------ 4 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ type menu.scr Of course, when you include "cls," you don't get time to read FalcCalc's cute little taglines. Auto-Load Previous Mission: By default, on startup FalcCalc 2.0 will load a report of the most recent Squadron or Red Flag Mission you were examining. If, for some reason, you do not want it to do this (perhaps you're just using its shell capabilities), you can suppress the auto-load by using the "/S" switch. "ALT-X" exiting from Falcon: If you tend to use the "Alt-X" key combo to exit Falcon from any of the Mission Planning screens, you should be aware that Falcon does NOT always save your most current changes to data files before it exits. What this means is you may lose some of your waypoint changes. The surest way to avoid this is to back out of the program a screen at a time (or go forward into the cockpit and then exit). Many times you can get your changes saved just by advancing or retreating one screen, and *then* hitting "ALT-X." I haven't looked far enough into this to see which "screen changes" save what. A QUICK START if you're used to "User-Friendly" types of programs: pull down the "Analysis" menu and choose your Mission type. The FalcCalc Menu Options FILES menu: -Save Report to File: Will save the current report to a disk file. You will be prompted with an unused file name. If you override the suggested name, you must use the extension "SAV" ("*.SAV") for your filename. If you leave off an extension, then FalcCalc will automatically add it (as long as your filename isn't longer than 8 letters; if it's longer than that, FalcCalc will unceremoniously dump you right back to its originally suggested filename). -Load Saved Report File: Will bring up a list of the files you've previously saved (see above). As you scroll over ------------------------------------------------------------ 5 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ them, the status bar will tell you when they were saved. A CAMPAIGN OR RED FLAG REPORT FILE LOADED FROM DISK IS "READ- ONLY." This means that changing the Report and/or Flight Model menu selections will have no effect on it. (This only makes sense; there are no direct links to the original mission data file--you are just viewing an ASCII text file.) However, loading a saved Manual Mission file (file mask "MAN*.SAV") will read in data which *can* be manipulated. You will be taken directly to the Manual Mission Entry Screen (see Manual Mission Entry). Important: You should not try to load anything else but FalcCalc "*.SAV" files with this option, and you should not change the first line of a "*.SAV" file. It may help to explain how FalcCalc checks its files. First, it looks for the word "Mission" in the first line of the "*.SAV" file. If it finds this word, it will load the file as Campaign or Red Flag mission. If it doesn't find "Mission," it makes the assumption that it must be looking at a saved Manual Mission Entry array, and (with version 2.0) checks the value of the first number for a proper value. If this number doesn't fit its parameters, it'll give you a red message to that effect. Also, a saved file may be no longer than 400 lines (which is significantly longer than anything FalcCalc itself would produce), or you'll get another nastygram. -Print file: Will print the currently loaded report. -Print "Knee Board Sheet:" New to Version 2.0 of FalcCalc is the ability to print out a Mission Assignment sheet for your squadron. This is a list that has spaces for each pilot's name, call sign, and duties. It also has convenient check boxes where you can indicate whether they've been hit or if they've reported "Fuel Low." On the second part of the sheet are the assigned altitudes, speeds, actions, and distances for each flight's waypoints. Then there's room for you to pencil in any notes (Bingo fields, wife's divorce attorney's phone number, etc.). "Use default pilot's names?": When you print a knee Board Sheet, FalcCalc will ask you if you want to use the default pilot's names. This means that instead of blanks for the pilot's names and call signs, FalcCalc will fill in the same names that Falcon will suggest for the mission's pilots. ------------------------------------------------------------ 6 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ (If you're interested, for Falcon to suggest a pilot, his fatigue level must be above 68 and his "Fatigue Flag" in the "*.SQU" file must not be set.) Falcon does not save changed pilot's assignments to any files if you exit the sim, so the best FalcCalc can do is offer the default names. If you frequently change all or most of your pilot names, then you should answer "N" to this question, and you'll have to fill in all the blanks by hand. If you usually only change a couple pilots, this option still might save you some effort, because you can easily cross out a default name or two and fit in the new name on the sheet. The "Knee Board Sheet" and Red Flag Template Missions: When you print out a knee Board Sheet for a Red Flag Template mission (mask "*.?fm"), FalcCalc will not offer to fill in the pilot's names for you. This is because a TEMPLATE file is not explicitly tagged to a particular squadron. If you want pilot's names to print, assign a squad to the template and then choose the proper SQUAD ("*.FLA") mission. (See "Red Flag Missions--SQUAD vs. TEMPLATE," above.) -Print Blank Data Sheet: Really served no useful purpose and has been deleted from Version 2.0. (If this distresses you, let me know; I aim to please.) ANALYSIS menu: -Campaign: You will be presented with a list of your currently active Falcon campaigns. How do you know which is which? Just KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE STATUS BAR at the bottom of the screen. It will tell you the squadron's name, its current leader's name, and the theater where it's fighting. Select the one you want and a report will be instantly generated. By default, you'll be looking at a SUMMARY report that uses the COMPLEX/HI-FI flight model for its calculations. If you change these settings, FalcCalc will remember the changes next time you start it. The most important thing that this report will tell you is whether your planes have the minimum fuel onboard to reach all their waypoints. You can scroll around to examine each plane. To activate the menu again, hit either ENTER, Esc, or a mouse button. To switch report types, hit "F2" or "F3" as desired. ------------------------------------------------------------ 7 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ -Red Flag: The report is similar to the Campaign report, except that you are given a choice of the current Red Flag missions. Red Flag Missions--SQUAD vs. TEMPLATE: Which is which? Any time you build or generate your own mission, whether manually or with Greg Prete's F3MAPS utility, you are making a TEMPLATE mission. When you arm and provision your F-16s, your selections are permanently made to the template when you save the mission. If you're *building* your own mission (rather than *generating* it via F3MAPS), then you have also made a SQUAD mission at the same time-- since you had to choose a particular squad before you entered Red Flag. In this case, the SQUAD mission is the same as the TEMPLATE mission. When you actually want to fly any Red Flag mission, whether "built" or "generated," you must assign a squad to it (or else you can't enter Red Flag). As soon as you do this, Falcon copies all the data from whichever TEMPLATE mission ("*.?FM") you choose into the currently selected SQUAD's mission ("*.FLA") file. At this point, the TEMPLATE and SQUAD files are again identical--at least as far as the supplies on the planes are concerned. BUT, if you change the outlay of the squad's F-16s and DON'T SAVE THE CHANGES, then the SQUAD mission changes, but the TEMPLATE stays the same. The upshot of all this is that most of the time, the SQUAD and TEMPLATE missions will be identical--especially if you always save any changes to your Red Flag missions. If you don't save them, only the SQUAD files change. That's the reason it is suggested that you look at SQUAD missions first; they're always updated. Of course, all this is moot if you only have one of the types of file on your disk; FalcCalc will only list the available files. -Manual Mission Entry: This will bring up a screen where you can enter data for a single flight and see how much fuel it will require. There are fields for Takeoff and 8 waypoints. On first entry, most of these screens will be filled with default values (which you can change); the only blank fields will be the ones for distance. As you enter your waypoint data, FalcCalc will determine the fuel needs for that waypoint and will also keep a running total of all fuel ------------------------------------------------------------ 8 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ required. For obscure fuel calculation reasons (which I'd be happy to discuss), you are limited to a maximum of 225 miles per waypoint in this screen. At the bottom of the screen, FalcCalc will place an "X" in the boxes next to the appropriate tanks required onboard to satisfy the total fuel requirement. It will also indicate how much fuel will be supplied by loading these tanks, so you can tell how closely you need to stick to your flight plan. If you exit this screen to look at another report and then reenter it, FalcCalc will ask you if you want to put the previous data back in the cells. Changing Flight Models will recalculate the fuel totals using the new model; "Report Type" has no effect. REPORT Menu: -Changing Report types: Simply change the selection in the "Report" menu, or hit "F2" or "F3" as appropriate (use the Status Bar at the bottom of the screen to decide). If a "live" report (vs. viewing a saved file) is currently active, it will change to the newly selected type; if there is no report active, then the next time you open one it will be in the selected format. (Report Type has no effect on Manual Mission Entry.) FalcCalc will remember your Report Type from session to session. -Summary Report: This gives you a quick glance at your mission's predicted fuel usage. The essential information here is whether each plane has enough fuel. A bar graph has been added which gives you a visual cue of how close you are to needing extra fuel. -Detailed Report: This breaks down your mission into each plane's waypoints and indicates the fuel required to reach each one. Also, the mission assignment is read from the appropriate data file and printed at the top of the report. -Waypoint Timing Report: New to Version 2.0 of FalcCalc is the Waypoint Timing Report, which analyzes your data files and figures out the time between waypoints, using a simple ------------------------------------------------------------ 9 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ Time = Distance/Speed formula. (Since this is all the formula does, it would be in the best interest of your squadron if you put some thought into any time-consuming trouble that they might meet along the way.) At the top of the report is the "Mission Timeline," which shows (in as much resolution as an 80-column screen can muster) how your different flights' waypoints line up, timewise. This is useful to get a general idea on where everyone will be and when. Next is the "Waypoint Arrival Groups" section, which uses a convoluted algorithm to determine the groupings of waypoint arrivals. Actually, it's pretty simple: If a waypoint event occurs within 75 seconds of a previous waypoint, then the previous waypoint begins the group, and any subsequent waypoints that occur within the initial 75 seconds will be added to the group. In addition, a waypoint that occurs within 50 seconds of any immediately preceding waypoint will be grouped with that waypoint, regardless of the lapse from the first waypoint in that group. Also, regardless of timing, no flight will ever have more than one waypoint in a particular Waypoint Arrival Group. Confused? So am I. But you should realize that you can get some very strange groupings. After that is the "Waypoint Timing by Flight" section, which simply breaks down each flight into its various times between waypoints. UTILITIES Menu: The "Utilities Menu" is new to Version 2.0 and consists of the following items: -Run Falcon, Run Falconer, Run F3Maps: Selecting any of these items will cause FalcCalc to exit and will invoke the appropriate .EXE file, as long as it is present in the current directory. How this works is explained above in the "Using FalcCalc in Batch Files" section, which you really should read if you haven't already. -Backup...: All right, now we're leaving the stated purpose of FalcCalc behind: it is nominally billed as a "Mission Planner Assistant," not as a "Mission Cheater Assistant." ------------------------------------------------------------ 10 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ However, this feature is included because I personally have been burned by too many missions (at least in earlier versions of Falcon) that I felt were successful. I mean, sure, you can abort a mission if you get blown off the runway or lose all your wingies before you even make it to the target, but what do you do if you land, end the mission, and are confronted with a surprise "Mission Failure"? I'll tell you what you do: you restore to your conveniently saved data files. The files that FalcCalc backs up: occupy.map squad?.* j*.bin tem*.dat t*.bin *.tmp *.fla The files that AREN'T backed up: Red Flag Missions ("*.?FM") It is fastest to keep your backup files in "\Falcon3\Backup," or anywhere on your hard disk, rather than on a floppy, but do whatever you want. FalcCalc will remember your backup/restore directory from session to session. "File Not Found" messages: It's quite normal for FalcCalc not to find a couple files, especially "*.tmp" ones. Don't worry about this message if it flashes by. If FalcCalc has trouble with an important file, e.g., "*.CAM" or "*.SQU," it will let you know in no uncertain terms. -Restore...: Well, geez. Read the above backward. "File Not Found" messages: (Same as above.) It's quite normal for FalcCalc not to find a couple files, especially "*.tmp" ones. Don't worry about this message if it just flashes by. If FalcCalc has trouble with an important file, e.g., "*.CAM" or "*.SQU," it will let you know in no uncertain terms. DATA Menu: ------------------------------------------------------------ 11 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ The reason these four screens are here is to aid registered owners of Falcon 3.0 and Operation: Fighting Tiger in mission planning. They ARE NOT intended to replace what you will learn by reading the Falcon manuals. (I did check with SpecHolo before adding them.) I decided to incorporate them because, during FalcCalc testing and between Falcon Missions, I found myself referring to them quite often, and I realized having them as close as the keyboard increases the play value of the simulation enough to justify their inclusion. MODEL Menu: -Changing Flight Models: As you probably know, there are four distinct flight models used in Falcon: Simplified, Moderate, Complex, and Hi-Fi. FalcCalc can determine fuel requirements for any of these. Simply pull down the "Model" menu and select the one you want. If a Campaign or Red Flag report is currently active, it will be recalculated with the newly selected model; if there is no report active, then next time you open one it will use the newly selected model. Manual Mission Entry will also be automatically updated with the newly selected model. -Fuel Efficiency Setting: New to version 2.0 is the fuel efficiency adjustment. You can use this feature to adjust FalcCalc's calculations if you find yourself or your wingmen running out of fuel when FalcCalc has previously predicted you would have enough. It can be set from 1 to 10, with 5 being the default (no correction). If you set it higher, FalcCalc will assume you use your throttle better and will predict your fuel consumption at a lesser rate. If you set it lower, FalcCalc will do the opposite. Set it to 1 to predict a "Worst-Case Scenario." (If you're interested in particulars, each increment in the setting changes fuel predictions by one percent.) FalcCalc Command Line Switches: All of the following information is contained in the ------------------------------------------------------------ 12 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ appropriate section but will be repeated here so it can be referred to quickly: "/S": "Suppress." This will cause FalcCalc to start up with a blank screen, by suppressing the "Auto-Load Previous Squadron" feature. "/O": "Override." This will make the program override the FALCON3.EXE veracity check. You should only use this switch if you know you have Falcon 3.01.1 installed but FalcCalc doesn't like the version it finds. "/ProgramName": Use this if you want FalcCalc to run another program upon final exit. It is intended primarily to allow the shelling functions to work in batch files (see "Using FalcCalc in Batch Files" above). Note: All switches must have a blank space before the slash. Registration: Here's the business end of it all. FalcCalc is shareware; if you want to use it, you must register. However, REGISTRATION IS ABSOLUTELY FREE! (well, it will cost you a stamp). Why, you may ask, would someone want to make that much more work for himself--tracking registration info--when he does not get anything for it? Well, even more ideas for enhancements to this program are under consideration, but I can't see incorporating them unless there's substantial interest. By registering, you're ensuring future support for FalcCalc, including updated versions to meet the needs of future versions of Falcon itself. So you could call it mutual support. (Hey, if I get enough of these things, I might even write a "FalcCalc" for A-10 when it shows up. Or would that be "WartCalc"?) If you have registered a previous version, there is no need to do so again. How do you register? Just fill in the info below, print out the coupon, and mail it to the address given. (If someone has already cut the coupon out of your copy of FalcCalc, the address is:) ------------------------------------------------------------ 13 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FalcCalc Registration c/o William White P.O. Box 1297 New London, CT 06320 Please register my copy of FalcCalc v.2.0. Name: Company (opt.): Street Address 1: Street Address 2: City: State: Zip Code: Phone number(opt.): Registration Number (see below): I got my copy of FalcCalc from (CompuServe, BBS (Name), Friend, etc.): In future versions, I would like to see: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - After you send in the coupon, you can register. Here's how: During the intro screen, before you press "Enter," hit the "F1" key. Then just type: "I honestly have registered, really" exactly as it's spelled out here (without the quotation marks), and then press "Enter." You're all set. And when you register, why not suggest a new FalcCalc exit tagline? Future features: As I said above, by registering you're guaranteeing future support and added features. Some of the features under consideration: --Include an "Intelligence" menu option that will tell you exactly what a mission has in store for you. I considered this for Version 2.0, but decided against it because of the way Falcon generates its "*.MIS" files (where at least some ------------------------------------------------------------ 14 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ of the necessary data is kept). Specifically, Falcon doesn't generate this file until you hit the "Takeoff" button in the last Mission Planning screen. I felt it would be too confusing to gray out the FalcCalc menu selections and try to explain to the user what he/she had to do to make the option work. If I get enough requests for it, though, I might give it a whirl. --Make the calculations more intelligent by taking into account the action at each waypoint. For instance, if a CAS or BOMB waypoint is reached, FalcCalc would figure the remaining distances after calculating the weight and drag of the remaining armament on your wings. Currently it "assumes" that you land in the same configuration as when you took off. --Make the "Manual Mission Entry" feature able to directly read and fill with campaign data so you can more easily see what changing different mission parameters would do for you. --Incorporate an updated calculation formula based entirely on experimental data, not the Falcon 3.0 manuals. (This is a time- consuming task; if you care to help me compile the data, let me know when you register.) --Make the Flight Model choice automatically read from your Falcon config file. If you would like to see these features or others, then register and tell me. In fact, two of the best new features in Version 2.0 came from user suggestions. John J. Sample of Vandling, PA. suggested Waypoint Timing, and Victor Sacco of Santa Barbara, CA. came up with the Shelling feature. Thank you, gentlemen. Also, the "Knee Board Sheet" layout was inspired by the file "DUTYFO.ZIP" from Julian "NOMAD" Thomas. -Some notes for technical types: Fuel Calculations: Listen, lean real close and I'll let you in on a little secret closer. (Furtive glance both ways.) "This is not an exact science." There, I said it. A few people have been after Spectrum Holobyte for a cut and dried formula for fuel use, but that formula has not been forthcoming. I think the reason is that no such formula exists. I've developed the closest approximation to it that I can. (And let me assure you, this is no simple beast.) ------------------------------------------------------------ 15 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ I *can* tell you that (as of this version) the formula used in FalcCalc is still derived ONLY from the Falcon 3.0 and OFT manuals, NOT EXPERIMENTAL DATA. What this means is the numbers FalcCalc gives you could be wrong and it ISN'T MY FAULT. Let me give you an example. I set up an F-16 in such a way that it should have flown approximately 460 nautical miles. I was at an altitude of 3500 feet and using the Hi-Fi flight model. After carefully laying out the course, I discovered that the engines did not start sucking air until I had covered 630 nm! Now, I admit, I was babying the hell out of it and things would have changed drastically had there been any threat at all in the area (once you start maneuvering in Hi-Fi, AB5 is a virtual "must"), but I haven't told you the best part yet: after I ran out of gas I "glided" for another 120 nm! This is from 3500 feet with a slight nose down attitude. As long as I kept flaps in and gear up, and did not turn or pull back on the stick, I could keep above stall speed with very little loss of altitude. I could've made another 100 nm easily except I ran into an inconveniently placed mountain! The reason? Who knows--maybe I just found some killer thermals! -A few more notes for those who care: --Falcon isn't too good about cleaning up after itself. It leaves "*.FLA" and "*.CAM" files all over your Falcon directory even if you disband the squad to which they belong. This created a few headaches when writing FalcCalc, and some problems still exist. FalcCalc does its best to determine which Red Flag squad (*.FLA) files are active and which aren't, and will only allow you to load active ones. For example, if you disband SQUAD1, so it no longer has a proper tag to tie it to a squad name, then you won't be able to load any SQUAD1.* files in FalcCalc. However, if you create a new SQUAD1, FalcCalc sees that it's again a valid squad, and now will allow you to load the old Red Flag SQUAD1.FLA file, even though your *new* SQUAD1 has never been assigned to Red Flag! Keep in mind that nothing FalcCalc does can damage your ------------------------------------------------------------ 16 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ files--it only reads and then immediately closes them--but it can be confusing to see SQUAD1.FLA listed when you know you've never assigned it to Red Flag. --DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF FALCON3.EXE: I understand there is a subtle difference between the U.S. and U.K. versions of the executable file for Falcon 3.01.1. I have no idea what this difference is, but I doubt it changes the layout of the data files. If you KNOW that you have either version 3.01 or 3.01.1 of Falcon, you can override the FALCON3.EXE veracity check by using the "/O" (override) switch, i.e., "FalcCalc /O." If you have trouble with the data files and want to send me some sample ones to me (anything that fits the SQUAD*.* mask), I'll gladly try to nuke it out. --The FalcCalc Configuration file: The things that FalcCalc "remembers" from session to session are kept in its config file (FlacCalc.CFG). One of these things is your Registration number. If you delete the config file then you'll have to go through the horrendous registration process all over again. (And, hey, if FalcCalc gives you the *exact same* registration number more than once, you might want to try those numbers in your local lottery!) Some of the other items in the config file are your report settings, flight model, most recent Campaign or Red Flag file, and fuel efficiency setting. So if you lose this file, you'll have to reset these from their defaults. --Here's something for all you bug hunters: Go into a Kurile Island Campaign and get into arming a plane. Toggle through until you reach the Harpoons. Before you load one, look at the weight given for the missile, and look at the weight of the plane. Now load the missile. Compare the plane's weight change. Notice anything strange? --Error Checking: FalcCalc is a damned poorly written program. Well, maybe that's a little harsh, and although error checking has been improved from the previous version it is still not overly *extensive*. For FALCON3.EXE, it checks the version number. For data files, it looks only at their length and it makes sure they're active. Again, keep in mind that nothing FalcCalc does can damage your files. --Also, I realize the interface isn't quite standard. Among other things, the ALT key won't help out in pulling down menus, and the mouse, while it is operational, is hardly a boon. For my excuse, I have to blame the limitations of the programming libraries I own. But I wasn't about to buy new ------------------------------------------------------------ 17 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ ones to write a free program! IF THE PROGRAM DOESN'T WORK: 1) Check that you are in the proper directory for the Falcon 3.0 files (normally C:\FALCON3) and that a copy of "FALCCALC.EXE" is also in this directory. FalcCalc will not chase down paths, and if it can not find a file it wants, it will quit without hesitation. 2) If it still doesn't work, bear in mind that the program was written for Falcon version 3.01 and 3.01.1. It will not work with other versions. If you're using a newer version of Falcon, keep your eye on the boards for an upgraded version of FalcCalc. If you're using an older version, upgrade! 3) During testing, there were intermittent problems (which are, of course, the worst kind) whenever the total amount of files in the \Falcon3 subdirectory got close to about 520. This may sound like a lot of files, but take a look! Falcon puts a *ton* of files in its own directory, and when you start adding Red Flag missions and "*.SAV" files, it can add up real quick. If you're having problems, try moving some of these types of files to a different directory. 4) There were also intermittent (lockup) problems if more than one key was pressed while scrolling through a report, or (inexplicably) if a report was left untouched on the screen for several minutes! I realize this sounds bogus, but try keeping your keypresses "distinct." I don't know what to tell you about the "sleeper" bug. 5) If it doesn't work after that, I don't know what to tell you. -Getting in touch with the author: Probably the most dependable way to get ahold of me is through snailmail at the address above. Or you can leave me a message on any PCRelay (RelayNet) board (Flight Sim Section), or a message to Ken White (70322,1577) in the Compuserve FSFORUM. *I will soon break down and get an account there*, but until then, my brother keeps me posted. Comments, bug reports, and suggestions are very welcome. -Legal stuff: This program is shareware. If you continue to use it, you must register. It may be copied freely and distributed as long as no payment is collected, and as long ------------------------------------------------------------ 18 _///FalcCalc 2.0\\\_ ------------------------------------------------------------ as it is not modified in any way. This documentation file must be kept with the FALCCALC program. You may not sell FALCCALC for profit nor may you copy and/or distribute it if *any* form of payment is accepted for such copying or distribution. In the sole exception to the above, FALCCALC may be uploaded to BBSs which charge a reasonable subscription fee, especially if the uploader gets some sort of break for making the upload. No guarantees are made as to the utility of this program with Falcon. FALCCALC will NOT work with any Falcon version other than 3.01 or 3.01.1 and won't work with any future upgrades until it is modified. I will evaluate new versions of Falcon 3.0 and, if there is sufficient user interest, make updates to FALCCALC as necessary. FALCCALC checks your version of Falcon and, if the "/O" switch is not specified, will dump you back to DOS if it finds anything but 3.01. or 3.01.1. And now, if there's nothing else, I will return to fighting the communists in Korea. Working on FalcCalc for the past three months has allowed the powers of evil to expand all over the globe, and I have to make up for lost time! ------------------------------------------------------------ 19