Autostart: Make more configurable
Closed this issue · 15 comments
I have seen that the autostart feature is not entirely consistent with the c172.
For example, we remove tiedowns etc.
Maybe its good when the user can tune some aspects of the autostart function to his likings, so that he can choose gradually between "just kick off the engine" and "do everything I need for a quick flight".
- Autostart
- Run preflight checks (minimum fuel, oil, etc)
- Repair damage
- Remove securing
- Preheat engine
- Turn on Electrics
- Autolean to RoP
- Calibrate Heading Indicator
- more?
- Autostop
- Secure plane on ground
- Turn off Electrics
I think the general thought on the subject was that autostart should do everything to enable the aircraft to taxi and then takeoff. In the c172p we even have auto mixture for airports at altitudes and the taxi and landing lights if autostart is attempted at low light. I don't see any reason not to have different customizations for it, but, also, if one is to do partial checklist items, they might as well do them all? Instead of customising autostart, maybe the startup state system would be more fitting for this type of thing? That is kind of what it was designed for. In fact, I think if I were to make a new aircraft from scratch, I would not have a nasal/gui autostart at all, I would do it as a startup state.
Hm, when I last tested the 172, tiedowns were not removed.
This led me to the impresssion that autostart was meant to just start the engine.
The c182 has autolean too, and some other stuff, and actually currently runs the preflight checklist.
It even does lean RoP for you, and adjust throttle for a fast idle or for cruise when in air....
So maybe, we just close this as wontfix and use the time for other development stuff :)
Also some tought about the „ready to fly“ state.
Autostart currently does not preheat the engine, so in cold weather the engine can die shortly after autostart.
This what i tought „states“ are for: you can switch the plane to „ready for takeoff“, and this too will run the checklist and preheat, so you are really able to directly go and fly.
This is all a little inconsistent currently…
But no big deal.
Instead of customising autostart, maybe the startup state system would be more fitting for this type of thing? That is kind of what it was designed for.
Yes, its somewhat duplicating.
However an important difference is that startup states can (without nasal magic) only be selected from the launcher, and autostart is available always. Which is handy in my point if view.
In fact, I think if I were to make a new aircraft from scratch, I would not have a nasal/gui autostart at all, I would do it as a startup state.
A good tought. But being able to quickly change states is a good thing imho.
Maybe we should drop autostart and just offer changing states dynamiclly.
currently the autostart of the 182 basicly animates the manual start procedure, which is a good thing imho, especially for beginners.
So maybe, I should just make autostart also heat the oil, so the engine wont die in cold weather. So we fulfill the „ready to taxi“ expectation.
Yes, so many options makes it difficult to decide the best practices. I too am for more options VS less.
So we fulfill the „ready to taxi“ expectation
If the c172p autostart does not remove the tie downs, I think it might have been an oversite? Also we have the external batt charger, fueling tank and ground equipment, I think maybe autostart should clear it all and make the aircraft ready to taxi. I'm of the opinion that would be the best approach as I feel autostart is for those that don't know anything, or are in a hurry to just get going. If your going to do any of the normal aircraft procedures, likely your wanting to do them all. I think autostart also repairs the aircraft in all that can be wrong and in need of repairing.
But then otoh, there is the state system where you can easily select „ready for takeoff“ at runtime.
So maybe the most consistent approach is to make the autostart menu just open the state dialog and there offer all the states. And an autostart-button which just kicks the engine?
Also checked: Apply the "ready for takeoff" state in cold weather at runtime and you end up with a not-running engine. That needs to be fixed.
So, in PR #543 i refactored the state system a little.
There, autostart now always is expected to succeed and the states from the aircraft options menu can be changed freely at runtime (and they are the same for the launcher-hooks).
Building ontop of that PR, this issue here may be used to change the autostart functionality.
- I would not drop it entirely, because many aircraft are offering this menu point and I could imagine, that a new user expects this under a smewhat common name.
- The idea most appealing to me would currently be to refactor the autostart menu option:
- rename menu entry to "autostart/states", so its prominent and somewhat common to other planes
- When clicked, open a new GUI that offers:
- move the state drowpdown from the "aircraft options" dialog here
- A button "autostart/autostop" that calls up autostart like the old menu option did
@wlbragg What I would love your opinion about is this possible addition to that GUI:
- A list of checkboxes to tell which checklist parts the autostart should do (not as fine grained like in the tickets description, but things like "preflight", "before engine startup", etc. And for shutdown "after landing checklist" and "secure on ground").
- The goal is to let the user choose between a completely stripped down autostart/autoshutdown or the entire thing (equals "ready for takeoff" (on ground; resp. "cruise" in air) or "just try to kick the engine"), but not overwhelm with many single tick items.
Or are more fine ganular options better here?
Like this:
Options would go down below the buttons
You could do this as limited or detailed as you want. I'm not sure how much it would be used though. Some may really like having the option to set exactly what options the autostart should handle, but I don't think I would use a partial set of startup options. I generally either want to do everything like I was operating a real aircraft, or just hit the auto start and go. But there may be some that are particular and only want to deal with certain features.
I'm curious what others think about it and if they might use varying degrees of startup options?
Thanks!
Meanwhile I think I finished this
Defaults are to make autostart always succeed (unless there is something buggy).
pushed branch / PR for testing
Issue541_RefactorAutostartGUI
That's a really nice option. I wasn't visualizing all the possible options. I'm sure some people will make use of this.
Would have been cool if the autostart could detect if you are near a runway (like the presets already do).
Discussion on the mailing list yielded that there is no such function currently.
Will merge soon.