The HeliPort support thread

[redbird300]

Originally Posted by gr8taz nitro

Yep, I'm currently using firefox for my browser. I really should switch back to IE, yours isn't the first website I've had problems with using firefox.

On a different note, I got the update put on the phone and showed it to my buddy with his IPhone and he was absolutely floored by it. Now he's looking hard for an app he can use that is close to this one.

I told him shoulda went windows!

Firefox is a nice browser, I like it myself. But I didn't test the site with it by lack of time, my mistake. It is true though that many sites are optimised for IE, but that doesn't mean that IE does respect html standards better. It's only more widely used, if we like it or not.

As for your friend, I looked for the same thing a few months ago, but didn't found it at that time, not for Iphone and not for Win Mobile, so I decided to write something myself. I would gladly have spend some money to buy such a thing, what I do now cost me a lot more, both in time, effort and money. I also intend to continue the development intensively next winter, I imagine it could easily become double or triple as big. The first part is always the hardest one, but it took about 2 months and I'm not even a professional, so more should be possible. Depends on how many people are willing to give a hand by sending me data and tips to include in the program.
I sincerely hope you enjoy it.

[JWLaRue]

Very nice tool!

I seem to be getting the bottom of the head speed display cut off...and unlike the other tool displays, there are no window sliders. Is there a way to expand the size of the window?

-many thanks,

Jeff

[sutty]

Hi Jeff

Glad you like the tool. Raf will be asleep now, but I'm sure he will answer you tomorrow. In order to help him understand your issue a little better, perhaps you could provide us with a few additional details of which version you are using, presumably 0.17, but desktop or mobile, and perhaps the resolution at which you are running it, if that might be relevant. I'm sure any additional information you can provide will help Raf to better understand your issue.

I have helped Raf with some testing, but only on the desktop version, since I don't have a suitable mobile device, and I have not seen your issue before, so I am sure Raf would be pleased to help you and maybe others get to the bottom of the problem.

Regards

Sutty

[redbird300]

+1. I need this info to help you. Could be an easy fix, just let me know. A picture would be very nice, if you have that possibility.

And it is the tachometer or the head speed calculator you mean ? Both have a head speed indication at the bottom.

[sutty]

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together. I never really bothered about head speed in the past, well I did, but I never knew the values. If I thought I could do with a bit more, then I changed something to get a bit more. At least now I can do it a little more scientifically. I just love the tachometer, and the ease of use.

I have just put my Belt-CP back together, and have just done a test hover to check it out. It went well, apart from the tail being a little twitchy, and drifting a tad, but I can iron that out tomorrow. Anyway, that aside, I thought I wonder what the headspeed is? It sounds really fast to me. So I set a 30 second delay in HeliPort, got myself up into the hover and waiting for the fog horn to confirm I could land. I didn't even move my laptop, just turned it so the microphone was more in line, and got my results.

2503 RPM

So I thought, is that right, can that really be right, stock motor, stock maingear, stock pinion, it seems a little fast, being ignorant of what should really be expected I couldn't really know. Anyway I plumbed in the details into the headspeed calculator. Simplicity itself, Belt-CP V2, 10 tooth pinion, stock motor, and 3S lipo, 85% efficiency. And the answer?

2560 RPM

One tool, two methods, same answer. I guess just one more Heli to add to the list for those that have received a successful result from the tachometer.

So pleased I never spent the £50 I was gonna do some time ago on a tachometer, when this one works a treat for free. Nice one Raf, great job, thanks.

Cheers

Sutty

[JWLaRue]

Originally Posted by redbird300

+1. I need this info to help you. Could be an easy fix, just let me know. A picture would be very nice, if you have that possibility.

And it is the tachometer or the head speed calculator you mean ? Both have a head speed indication at the bottom.

Good point....my bad for not including that information!

I am using v0.17 desktop.

It's the headspeed calculator that's being cut off and with no window sliders to 'compensate'. Is there a way to make the default, fixed window size larger?

-tnx,

Jeff

[redbird300]

Originally Posted by JWLaRue

Good point....my bad for not including that information!

I am using v0.17 desktop.

It's the headspeed calculator that's being cut off and with no window sliders to 'compensate'. Is there a way to make the default, fixed window size larger?

-tnx,

Jeff

OK, thanks. So it must be the last line of this pic that is cut off.
I would understand on a PDA with some weird screen resolution, but it is strange it happens on a desktop version. Or maybe nobdoy ever bothered to report this.
Anyway, there is no way to make the window larger, but I have another solution: I can rearrange the interface a bit so that the text at the bottom is a little higher, and not cut off anymore. I will gladly do that for you, just tell me how much of the text is missing: half of it, or just a very small piece, like a millimeter or so ?
You could also take a screenshot with alt-printscreen, copy it in Paint and save, and send it to info@helisoftware.com. Or post it here.
I'm a bit curious to know which version of windows and which screen resolution you use, so I could try to imitate that behavior at my place. Best regards.

Here is how it should look:

[JWLaRue]

...e-mail sent!

-many thanks,

Jeff

[redbird300]

Originally Posted by JWLaRue

...e-mail sent!

-many thanks,

Jeff

OK, thanks Jeff !

Sorry you had to do so much effort, but I found the so called problem.
Have been stupid, it has nothing to do with your OS and screen resolution.
I found that I could reproduce the same screenshots that you sent me by simply going to the Windows configuration screen, and set the default Windows font size to 125 %, some people do this for better visibility. But in the tiny user-interface of HeliPort, there is no room for that. So this is what I got, it looks exactly like your screenshots:




Obvious solution is to set the font size at 100% again, the default setting.
If you don't like to do that, I would need to automatically resize the window when it is used on a PC, and there are ways indeed, but it will take some work. And it should still look nice when used with a 100% font. So I'm afraid I can't do it right now, but I will sure keep it in mind for later. Remember that this programming language is ment to be used on a PDA, with non-resizable windows, but there are ways around that. I can't let the user resize the windows, but I could instruct HeliPort to enlarge all its Windows when it "feels" that it is used on a PC for example.
To develop HeliPort as fast as possible, I figured that the small user-interface would be large enough for the tools included. Let me know if you tested with a 100% font, and if that would suit you or not, meanwhile I will think about the best solution.
And thanks a whole lot for the feedback.

Best regards, Raf

[JWLaRue]

Hi Raf,

...much appreciate the quick research into this. For me, it's not really an option to change the font size.....so I'll look forward to one of the updates where the desktop version can adjust the window size.

-tnx!

Jeff

[Jonnyheli]

Hey Raf, this is a great idea. Nice one!

Just to let you know that if you need help with the website, I would be more than happy to help.

-Jonny

[redbird300]

Originally Posted by Jonnyheli

Hey Raf, this is a great idea. Nice one!

Just to let you know that if you need help with the website, I would be more than happy to help.

-Jonny

Thanks Jonny, I would sure like some help !!
I don't really focus on HeliPort right now, will work on it next winter again, and only do minor upgrades this summer. But any help is welcome.
Planned to do a lot more flying now, went to the field yesterday and put 7 packs in the Beam, and 6 in the Atom, all in a row, and I intend to continue to do so whole summer.

[Jonnyheli]

Carry on flying that many packs and you'll be a pro at the end of the summer

Visually, would you want any changes to the website? The content is fine of course.

-Jonny

[blunight]

Raf,
I was entering data in the battery logger and wanted to add a note (one cell in this battery looks like it's going bad) but the logger required a numeric value; any way around this?

I attempted to add the information to the .CVS file with Open Office spreadsheet, I was able to add my note but now HeliPort can not open it.
Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Trent

[redbird300]

Originally Posted by blunight

Raf,
I was entering data in the battery logger and wanted to add a note (one cell in this battery looks like it's going bad) but the logger required a numeric value; any way around this?

I attempted to add the information to the .CVS file with Open Office spreadsheet, I was able to add my note but now HeliPort can not open it.
Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Trent

The battery logger has no field for notes. Only min/sec/mAh used, which should all be numeric values, to be able to do the stats later on. If you like, I can add a note field in a next release, yes, just like the flightlogger has. That would make it possible to fill in random characters, like text. I never figured people would like to add a personal note about a pack, but now that you say it, yes, makes sense.

[blunight]

Thanks! I have 2 chargers and lots of packs so being able to make notes on specific packs and what charger charged them will help me narrow down possible problems.

[whbell]

Originally Posted by redbird300

Indeed guys, it is possible. Let's say a simple 2D graph of the flight will be easy to realise. A real 3D map, that's another thing, but not impossible. HeliPort already uses the coördinates internally to make calculations, it's just a matter of using these to plot the flight, and optionally put the right satellite map underneath that drawing.
Anyway, these are all possible ideas I keep in mind. These could be realised after HeliPort version 1.00 will be relased. For now, I focus on basic fonctionality off all the promised tools, and only after that, I'll start doing such stuff, probably next winter. Keep the ideas coming ! I keep track of all of these, and the list is growing.

I have not read the entire thread so perhaps this has already been asked or is already included in the .17 version. If not, how about an output file (2D or 3D) that could be imported directly into Google Maps?

[redbird300]

Originally Posted by whbell

I have not read the entire thread so perhaps this has already been asked or is already included in the .17 version. If not, how about an output file (2D or 3D) that could be imported directly into Google Maps?

Indeed, we are thinking about that. The Google Maps KML format is in fact very similar to the XML format, and very well documented. Making such an output file from a recorderd GPS log in HeliPort shouldn't be very hard to do, as the file format is very simple and HeliPort already uses the necessary coordinates for its own internal calculations, it's a matter of saving them and copying them in an empty KML file.This is on the to-do list for next winter.

[redbird300]

For those that would be interested: there's a 20 minute interview about HeliPort with yours truly in episode 4 of RC Heli Nation.

You can listen to it at http://www.rchelination.com/
Or download it as a MP3 file and listen to it later http://www.rchelination.com/wp-content/show/rchn4.mp3 (use "save target as")

show notes:

Whats been happenin 00:00 - 20:20
Ode to Wilma from Bob 09:08 - 11:26
Listener email 20:20 - 27:50
News 30:45 - 38:30
Newbee Klaus 38:30 - 41:40
Web info 41:40 - 44:35
Info about supporters/giveaway 44:35 - 50:30
Events 50:54 - 52:30
$25 gift certificate 52:30 - 53:40
Bobby Watts interview 53:40 - 01:26
Kasama funfly 01:27 - 01:30
Caller 01:30 - 01:36
Redbird Heliport review 01:36 - 01:57
Caller with sk720/fbl chat 01:58 - END
Inside heli 02:09 - END
General BS + more callers 02:13 - END
New RJX Gasser 02:15 - END

My sincere thanks to Asid and Dan for this.

[redbird300]

Well, it's a long time since I posted here, but HeliPort is alive and kicking.
We will release version 1.00 next winter, that's a sure thing now. No time left at the moment, sorry. But numerous testimonies have now proven that HeliPort is as free from bugs as one can expect, and you could consider the actual relase 0.17 as the first final one, number 1.00. I will try to add a nice bonus with release 1.00 though, after all, people should have a bit of a motivation to download it.

In the mean time, we had visitors from all over the world, even Russia this week.
The website runs very well, visitors keep coming, and the webcounter registered thousands of downloads, so we're happy. Keep spreading the word, please, it really helps. HeliPort is in fact only costing me money, I might consider sponsorship though next year, not to make any money, but at least to pay for a part of the hosting and programming tools.

And emails like this one today for example make it all worthwhile:


Subject: Supplying HeliPort to Customers
From: "Sales" <Sales@HeliFlightCenter.com>
Date: Wed, July 07, 2010 7:03 pm
To: <info@helisoftware.com>

Greetings,

I am from HeliFlightCenter. We sell RC helicopters and accessories.
I think what you guys are doing is great. I have tried the HeliPort on my WM phone and on a laptop and it works great.
I would like to recommend this to my customers overtly on our site and in some cases send this to them via email.
Always with acknowledgement to you and your site. Let me know if this is OK

We will also add a link to your site form our site under our industry links.

I have also submitted your site to some of the sites showing rc heli sites. Spread the word!

Please let me know your thought on our promoting and supplying your work to customers. I don’t want to do anything you do not agree to.

Best Regards

Joseph S. Gordon
Heli Flight Center, LLC.
www.HeliFlightCenter.com