Aircraft label question?

[GlynH]

Hi there,

Looking at the number of aircraft on my map prompted me to ask if there were anything that could be done to show more labels for those aircraft not currently displaying labels?

Now I wouldn't want my screen to look like the SBS which looks like a migraine-inducing mess that could not be deciphered by a black-belt in Egyptian heiroglyphs on steroids but seeing the amount of 'free' space on my map got me wondering what algorithm/filtering is used to decide for which aircraft to display labels and where to put them to prevent overlap?

Below is an example of a map from my RB showing lots of aircraft, some with labels but most without and lots of free space in which to displaya label to illustrate my point.

http://www.screencast.com/t/7fdDHYfq

Regards,
-=Glyn=-

[tarbat]

A couple of ideas:
1. Use a smaller font - I use Arial 8
2. Zoom in closer

Here's a similar area as your screenshot, with a lot more labels.  It seems to make a pretty good go at auto-positioning labels to get the most on screen.

[Jeremy]

I have been asking myself the same question. I lose th labels as aircraft approach Heathrow as there is not any room. I do not reall want to scroll in.
J.

[tarbat]

Maybe a nice feature for the future would be a hot-key to reduce aircraft labels to the bare minimum - eg just the aircraft registration.  That would give room for more aircraft to have labels.

How do real ATC screens cope with decluttering?

[Allocator]

The phrase "Have your cake and eat it comes to mind" - lol

Get a bigger monitor with more pixels and you will see more.  What is your suggestion Jeremy?  If I had a choice, I'd like to be able to choose what appears in the data block much the same way as I can choose what columns appear in the aircraft lists.

[Allocator]

Maybe a nice feature for the future would be a hot-key to reduce aircraft labels to the bare minimum - eg just the aircraft registration.  That would give room for more aircraft to have labels.

How do real ATC screens cope with decluttering?

Last time I was on a radar screen, it worked just like that - a button that only showed the 'second line' of the block which was the 4 figure SSR code.

[DaveReid]

If I had a choice, I'd like to be able to choose what appears in the data block much the same way as I can choose what columns appear in the aircraft lists.

Now that rings a bell ...  :-)

[GlynH]

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

Tarbat: Smaller font? I am at the age now where I really need glasses for reading as my arms are not long enough to hold books away to keep the text in focus! :-)
Zoom in? I normally have it zoomed out to cover Uk & France/Belgium & The Netherlands...I noly have it zoomed in because I am trialling Private Betas and I was asked to keep the map small!

Jeremy: I feel your pain! :-)

Allocator: Bigger monitor? I have two 19" Eizos side-by-side as it is and here you are encouraging me to buy two 22" widescreens purely for RB...this hobby is costing me alot of money...mind you I b=have been about going 22" widescreen for a while now so maybe this is the excuse I need to take the plunge!
It's all well & good you wanting to choose what appears in the data block much the same way as you can choose what columns appear in the aircraft lists but many of us are still waiting to be able to choose in what order the columns appear in MyFlights and we asked first! ;^)

OK then...another one for Terre's list then;

Map: Ability to configure what appears in the data label and quick-click button or icon to toggle between one line abbreviated list and all data being displayed with data label dynamically resizing itself to suit maybe?

Thanks & regards,
-=Glyn=-

[Allocator]

If I had a choice, I'd like to be able to choose what appears in the data block much the same way as I can choose what columns appear in the aircraft lists.

Now that rings a bell ...  :-)

A cracking system that works very well - as all SBS-1 users will confirm.

[Allocator]

So Glyn, if you got 2 x 22 inch monitors, you would only use them for RadarBox :-)

[GlynH]

A cracking system that works very well - as all SBS-1 users will confirm.

Also I understand that clicking an entry in the equivalent of MyFlights will blank out every other flight from the radar screen leaving just the selected one on the map...much like a sequencer will play only the highlighted track muting all others when you click the solo button?

Is this correct as it sounds like a great feature to have?

Could RB not do the same without twatting around with filters etc. or have I missed an easy way of achieving this with a single mouse click?

Regards,
-=Glyn=-

[tarbat]

I guess you could setup /save an alternative colour scheme, where all aircraft labels are black, except the Selected Flight.  Then click on the aircraft, and select the colour scheme.  3 mouse clicks.  That's how I deal with this.

Well, you did ask!!  When you live in the far north of Scotland like me, screen clutter isn't much of a problem :(

And just imagine what the display would be like with labels overlapping

[Allocator]

Also I understand that clicking an entry in the equivalent of MyFlights will blank out every other flight from the radar screen leaving just the selected one on the map...much like a sequencer will play only the highlighted track muting all others when you click the solo button?

Is this correct as it sounds like a great feature to have?

I don't remember that function, but it is a long time since I've used my SBS-1

Edit - found it in the manual, a button that has a function 'Show only Selected ac' or words to that effect.

I use the Fleet Watch function to get rid of all the aircraft except the ones that I want to see.  Only one mouse click required :-)

[GlynH]

So Glyn, if you got 2 x 22 inch monitors, you would only use them for RadarBox :-)

If AirNav are listening then yes...I would.

Honest.

:-)

The truth is I have got so used to working with identical twin monitors for many years now I could not change as it brings many advantages and suits my workflow.

Working with RAW images and having a colour matched workflow would be a nightmare with two monitors of different makes/models/sizes etc. and so if I change one then I would have to change the other to suit.

As you know one of the limiting factors for me with the RB software is its lack of proper multi-monitor support...this would have been a showstopper but for AN promising 100% to include it but here we are one whole year and couple of revisions later...

But don't get me started or else it will appear that I am complaining again...;^)

Kind regards,
-=Glyn=-

[GlynH]

Your solutions are both ingenious & cunning but for me...well it seems like too much trouble.

Although not an inherently lazy person...honest...I detest making work for myself and I try to use my computer to make things easy for me.

Would the suggestion of a single left-click on an aircraft in MyFlights temporarily disabling all other aircraft work or would others find this not suitable?

Maybe a configurable option to enable/disable this option to alter its behavour to suit peoples style of working or one suggestion too far?

One mans meat is another mans poison as they say...

Regards,
-=Glyn=-