Maybe some of you can use this thing I wrote (Kneeboard generator)

SixPapaCharlie said:
I've been in IT for almost 20 years. "This is buggy and sucks" just means people are using it. It will improve.
that's actually an Easter egg
Click to expand...

"This is buggy" usually points at an error msg or invalid data.

"This sucks" usually points to "I can't figure out how to do something or this version isn't 100% like the old version therefore it sucks". Perfect example, when PoA switched to xenforo.

But your software is buggy and does suck, so maybe I'm wrong*


*I'm never wrong.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I've been in IT for almost 20 years. "This is buggy and sucks" just means people are using it. It will improve.
that's actually an Easter egg
Click to expand...

I've seen plenty of systems that didn't improve at all in 20 years. :)

Buggy, means it doesn't do what it's supposed to.
Sucks, is subjective.
Improvement, happens if bugs are fixed or someone declares the bugs "works as designed", with or without a design document. :)
 
fixing_problems.png
 
I use the AOPA kneeboard format for the airports and layer them on my board. In a very tight cockpit it's fine and has space for enroute handoff frqs. that I jot down so I usually know what to expect next time. Course and stuff is all GPS these days...
 
I'm still waiting for that generator that fits on my kneeboard. Altho I think I would prefer an alternator.... :D
 
So I realize what happened. When I started building this I got totally frustrated with the FAA database. It is a pitch to navigate and find any information in. So I use some third-party mom-and-pop company that does their best to try to get FAA data from the database and Consolidated into something cleaner. They tend to drop some things along the way. I am now getting the data directly from the FAA database so hopefully I can get that put together in the next few days and it will be far more accurate
 
that's what you get for sharing...if it had runways depictions and traffic, and a few other things I'd pay for that.
 
I got a bit bored tonight and updated this.
I added pdf generation functionality, and I added AWOS phone numbers and now I am pulling from the NASR database (FAA updated every 56 days) so the frequency issues some pointed out should no longer be an issue.

Again, I am totally aware there are a number of other apps that do this.
This is a personal tool I built to get me my kneeboard generated in the fewest number of clicks w/ no subscriptions or fees.
I like to write software to make my life more efficient. Just sharing in case you might also benefit from this.

I am working on ARTCC frequencies to call up and get flight following.
I am working on sorting frequencies in order of logical use (ATIS, Ground, Tower, ARTCC)
I am going to add a more complex solution for multi-leg trips versus just a there and back so you could enter 3 or 4 different airports and get kneeboards for each leg.

Link: http://preflightdata.com/
 
KSEZ
Helipad H1
Dimensions: 50 x 50 feet / 15 x 15 meters
Surface: Concrete
Edge Lighting: FLD

KTOA:
Runway HI
Dimensions: 110 x 110 feet / 34 x 34 meters

Maybe I should flag them differently so it is more clear.
 
Just to make things more complicated for you...
  • Think you could come up with a "Nearest AWOS" for fields that don't have AWOS??
  • On the "Generate Kneeboard" button, would be nice if I can have it open in another tab. Don't have that option now.
  • And I get a chuckle that the "Fold Here" line is at the top of the page.
Regardless of my nitpicking, good job!
 
Hey....I want that for my IFR clearance. :eek:

and I do that but, my fold is different (fold in half at the vertical midpoint then rotate 90 deg) and....I want space to doodle. :D
 
Anymouse said:
Just to make things more complicated for you...
  • Think you could come up with a "Nearest AWOS" for fields that don't have AWOS??
  • On the "Generate Kneeboard" button, would be nice if I can have it open in another tab. Don't have that option now.
  • And I get a chuckle that the "Fold Here" line is at the top of the page.
Regardless of my nitpicking, good job!
Click to expand...

The whole thing is just a human perspective issue certainly it would make more sense to have the text you up and down and be in the middle. I will try to correct that. Opening in a new page, I think I can do that pretty quickly. Lastly I will see if I can come up with an algorithm for finding the weather of servation service nearby. I'm not sure exactly how to do that but I will see if there is a logical way to get the next closest one
 
Here's what I'm seeing in regards to the "Fold Here" line.

As far as figuring out the nearest thing goes, that's gonna be complicated I would think. But once done, a simple, If FIELD has AWOS = True, then print AWOS, Else For FIELDS Within X miles, SORT If NEAREST has AWOS=True, then print NEAREST AWOS, Else NEXT, Else NULL.

Been a while since I did code.
 

Attachments

  • 2a27m21492406464810.9.pdf
    2.3 KB · Views: 10
Last edited:
I think I'm seeing what you're trying to do with the Fold Here line. It's not actually the line you want us to fold on, you're just pointing out that it should be folded in the middle. You could probably eliminate that entirely and most folks would be able to figure out where they wanted to fold the fool thing.

Eman might have issues with it though. Sixie too.
 
yup....I'm so confused. I'm having difficulty being compliant with that instruction. o_O
 
I think it's a very cool tool, and I thank you for sharing it!
 
One thing you change, that I suspect would be simple, is to add the field elevation, along with the traffic pattern altitude.
 
I can put that in there Spike. I already have the field in my record set I'm just not displaying it. I'll get that on there this morning
 
Great idea. Keep it simple...

I have two suggestions. I would rather see field elevation than pattern altitude, and somewhere on there you might add the following prompts to be filled out. ATIS: WIND: APP: which would be the current ATIS code, winds, and the expected approach if one is given on the ATIS
 
dell30rb said:
Great idea. Keep it simple...

I have two suggestions. I would rather see field elevation than pattern altitude, and somewhere on there you might add the following prompts to be filled out. ATIS: WIND: APP: which would be the current ATIS code, winds, and the expected approach if one is given on the ATIS
Click to expand...
Interesting. I do have code in there that detects if there is an ATIS and it provides a spot for you to write the code but it is not showing up. I will check on that
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Interesting. I do have code in there that detects if there is an ATIS and it provides a spot for you to write the code but it is not showing up. I will check on that
Click to expand...

A nice feature. You might want WIND and APP in there anyway even for a field with just an AWOS. You can jot down the winds, decide which runway it is favoring (with your handy plastic runway calculator), then put that runway down (or approach if IFR)
 
Yes!

Removed silly "fold here" note.
Added field elevation.
 
Alright one more suggestion after printing one of these out. Shrink the boxes/fonts slightly and move the departure airport and destination airport information apart, to the top and bottom of page respectively so there is room between them for scribbling enroute things while flying. I see there is room at the bottom of the page for some notes, but it would make sense to have them apart. Start at the top, scribble your clearance and enroute stuff in the middle, finish at the bottom.

I really like the simple format BTW. This is coming from someone who uses a blank piece of paper on my kneeboard - I shun the complicated flight plan templates. If you want to get really fancy you could add a field for an alternate that would print on the "back side" so you flip the paper over if you need to go to your alternate.
 
I am making notes of all of these suggestions and will Implement them
 
Server Error in '/' Application.
Input string was not in a correct format.
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.FormatException: Input string was not in a correct format.

Source Error:


Line 230: Dim nestHousingBottomRight As New PdfPCell()
Line 231:
Line 232: heading = lblDirTo1.Text
Line 233:
Line 234: kneeboardFunctions.CreateLeg(tblNestedTopLeft, tblNestedBottomLeft, lblDepID.Text, lblDepTPA.Text, txtAirport2.Text.Trim, _


Source File: C:\HostingSpaces\rljgxved\preflightdata.com\wwwroot\Default.aspx.vb Line: 232

Stack Trace:


[FormatException: Input string was not in a correct format.]
Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.Conversions.ParseDouble(String Value, NumberFormatInfo NumberFormat) +714286
Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.Conversions.ToInteger(String Value) +118

[InvalidCastException: Conversion from string "N/A" to type 'Integer' is not valid.]
Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.Conversions.ToInteger(String Value) +717143
_Default.GeneratePDF() in C:\HostingSpaces\rljgxved\preflightdata.com\wwwroot\Default.aspx.vb:232
_Default.Button1_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e) in C:\HostingSpaces\rljgxved\preflightdata.com\wwwroot\Default.aspx.vb:179
System.Web.UI.WebControls.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e) +115
System.Web.UI.WebControls.Button.RaisePostBackEvent(String eventArgument) +140
System.Web.UI.Page.RaisePostBackEvent(IPostBackEventHandler sourceControl, String eventArgument) +29
System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) +2981
 
Also I don't know if it would be possible due to the way the FAA database is set up, to throw in an RP if a runway is right pattern. For example 1A5 is in the mountains and has a right pattern for runway 25. It could read 07/RP25

This is not a must-have since the RP is listed on the sectional which you should have open anyway.
 
@eman1200 I was getting a similar error by going straight to the "Generate Kneeboard" button. However I found that it works if I hit "Get Flight Data" first, then "Generate Kneeboard"
 
I have clean it up a little and added a notes section at the top and an enroute frequency section at the bottom I'm now working on launching it in a new window
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top