Mark Position

[COBS]

Some military aircraft have a "MARK POSITION" facility whereby the pilot clicks a button
and the aircraft's exact position at that instant is frozen and stored.
That mark position can be used for a variety of purposes , including subsequent guidance to
return to that exact location.

I have created that type of arrangement , it comprises of a 'Mark button' and a
separate 'Display.
I also did a separate 'Demo' version of both which has expanded features , the full code is below.

The following screenshot shows both sets ,
Pink boxed is the 'DEMO' version.
Orange boxed is the version installed in my panel.

The installed version MARK button functions are.
LEFT single click = captures and stores the aircraft's instantaneous position , opens the display and GEOCALC and stores other parameters.
MIDDLE single click = sets the previously stored Lat/Long to STAND OFF format to enable
the Radar Mode 6 display to be locked and centered at the Mark position , the
Mark position at the radar focal point can then be clicked for Radar Pick Up and appears in the
Lat/Long entry page of the Mission Adaptive Flight Plan Editor at the left of the shot , it
can then be entered into a flight plan or DTO if desired .
RIGHT single click = Off switch .

The screenshot was taken during an ILS approach at YAMB , the reason being , it provides
adequate data to compare with the data presented in the Mark Display at left of shot .
'Edit' In this shot the "MARK POSITION' was entered at a point on the runway between the
Red/White approach guidance light array ( it's 2.1nm from aircraft ).

Further details will be in next post.

Cheers
Karol

 

[COBS]

The following details the previously mentioned Mark Position instrument.
The following can be used , distributed or modified or adapted without any restrictions .

No Bitmaps required , just copy both instruments into two xml , add to panel cfg
and test them.

Cheers
Karol

Function details.

Mark button , full instrument code.

<Gauge Name="MARK POSITION Switch" Version="1.0">
<Size X="28" Y="24" />
<!--BUTTONS-->
    <Element Name="SWITCH RECTANGLE">  
        <Position X="0" Y="0"/>
        <Rectangle Width="28" Height="24" LineWidth="2" Color="#363636" FillColor="#060906" Bright="Yes"/>      
    </Element>

    <Element Name="OFF BUTTON">
        <Position X="0" Y="0"/>
        <Visible>(L:Mark Select switch,enum) 0 ==</Visible>      
      <Element>  
        <Position X="3" Y="3"/>
        <Rectangle Width="24" Height="20" LineWidth="3" Color="#060906" FillColor="#666968" Bright="Yes"/>      
      </Element>
       <Element>
         <Position X="4" Y="7" />
        <Text X="20" Y="10" Bright="Yes" Length="2" Font="tahoma" Color="#A1A9A6" Adjust="Center" VerticalAdjust="Center" Multiline="No" Fixed="No">
              <String>%MK%</String>
          </Text>
       </Element>     
    </Element>

    <Element Name="ON BUTTON">
        <Position X="0" Y="0"/>
        <Visible>(L:Mark Select switch,enum) 1 ==</Visible>  
      <Element>
        <Position X="3" Y="3"/>
        <Rectangle Width="24" Height="20" LineWidth="3" Color="#060906" FillColor="#68AE6B" Bright="Yes"/>      
      </Element>
       <Element>
         <Position X="4" Y="7" />
        <Text X="20" Y="10" Bright="Yes" Length="2" Font="tahoma" Color="#C0C0C0" Adjust="Center" VerticalAdjust="Center" Multiline="No" Fixed="No">
              <String>%MK%</String>
          </Text>
       </Element>    
    </Element>  

   <Mouse>
     <Area Left="0" Top="0" Width="28" Height="24">
      <Click Kind="LeftSingle+RightSingle" Repeat="Yes">
        (M:Event) 'LeftSingle' scmp 0 ==  if{ 1 (&gt;L:Mark Select switch,enum)
                                              1    (&gt;L:Mark View,enum)
                                              (A:PLANE LATITUDE, degrees) (&gt;L:MarkPositionLatitude,degrees)
                                              (A:PLANE LONGITUDE, degrees) (&gt;L:MarkPositionLongitude,degrees)
                                              (A:Indicated Altitude, feet) (&gt;L:Saved Altitude, feet)
                                              360 (A:Plane heading degrees gyro, degrees) dnor near d 0 == ? (&gt;L:HEADINGsavedMarkPos, degrees)
                                              (A:GROUND ALTITUDE, feet) (&gt;L:MarkGROUND ALTITUDE, feet) }
        (M:Event) 'RightSingle' scmp 0 == if{ 0 (&gt;L:Mark Select switch,enum)
                                              0    (&gt;L:Mark View,enum) }</Click>
      <Tooltip>Mark Position +/-</Tooltip>             
      <Cursor Type="Hand" />
    </Area>
   </Mouse>   
</Gauge>

Mark position display , full instrument code .

<Gauge Name="MARK TEST DISPLAY" Version="1.0">
<Size X="100" Y="145" />  
//By Karol Chlebowski @ 2014 **
<Macro Name="c">C:fs9gps</Macro>
<Macro Name="C">C:fs9gps</Macro>
<Update Frequency="18"/>
<Update>
    (L:Mark View,enum) 1 ==
         if{
           (L:MarkPositionLatitude, degrees) (>@c:GeoCalcLatitude1,degrees)
           (L:MarkPositionLongitude, degrees) (>@c:GeoCalcLongitude1,degrees)
           (A:PLANE LATITUDE,degrees) (>@c:GeoCalcLatitude2,degrees)
           (A:PLANE LONGITUDE,degrees) (>@c:GeoCalcLongitude2,degrees)
             (@c:GeoCalcBearing,degrees) (>L:BearingMarkPos,degrees)
             (@c:GeoCalcDistance,nmiles) (>L:DistanceMarkPos,nmiles)
            }  
</Update>

    <Element Name="MARK RECTANGLE">  
        <Position X="0" Y="0"/>
        <Rectangle Width="100" Height="145" FillColor="#292929" Bright="Yes"/>          
    </Element>  
<!-- Mark Position display = Refer GEOCALC above  and  MARK POSITION switch  for Lat/Long capture-->
    
       <Element>
          <Position X="4" Y="6"/>
             <Text X="76" Y="15" Bright="Yes" Length="15" Font="Tahoma" FontSize="11" Color="#76FF4F" Adjust="Center" VerticalAdjust="Center" Multiline="No" Fixed="No">
                <String>%Mark Position%</String>
             </Text>
       </Element>
     
     <Element>
          <Visible>(L:Mark View,enum) 1 ==</Visible>
<!--Defining and declaring TIME  To/From  Mark Position  Invisible colour-->              
            <Element>
              <Position X="1" Y="1"/>
              <Text X="1" Y="1" Bright="Yes" Length="3" Font="Arial" Color="0x000000" Adjust="Center" VerticalAdjust="Center" Multiline="No" Fixed="No">
                <String>%((L:DistanceMarkPos,nmiles) (A:GROUND VELOCITY, knots) / 3600 * (&gt; L:MARK ETE,seconds))%!02d!%</String>
              </Text>
            </Element>
<!--ON condition TEXT display-->
       <Element>
          <Position X="7" Y="19"/>
            <FormattedText X="81" Y="125" Font="Tahoma" FontSize="11" LineSpacing="11" Adjust="Left" Color="#2F912F" Bright="Yes">
              <String>%Mk Hdg %((L:HEADINGsavedMarkPos, degrees))%!03d!%
                     \n%BRG %((L:BearingMarkPos,degrees) (A:GPS MAGVAR, degrees) - 180 - d360)%!03d!%
                     \n%DIST %((L:DistanceMarkPos,nmiles) 1.59 &lt;)%{if}%((L:DistanceMarkPos,nmiles) 6076 *)%!4d!%ft%((L:DistanceMarkPos,nmiles) 1.60 &gt;)%{else}%((L:DistanceMarkPos,nmiles))%!4.1f!\{dpl=nm}%{end}%
                     \n%((L:MARK ETE,seconds) 3600 % 60 / int flr 60 %)%!02d! : %((L:MARK ETE,seconds) 60 % int flr 60 %)%!02d!%
                     \n\n%GS %((A:Indicated Altitude, feet) (L:MarkGROUND ALTITUDE, feet) - (L:DistanceMarkPos,nmiles) 6076 * / atg rddg ) %!5.2f!%
                     \n%S-Ht %((A:Indicated Altitude, feet) (L:MarkGROUND ALTITUDE, feet) - )%!5d!%
                     \n%G Elev %((L:MarkGROUND ALTITUDE, feet))%!5d!%
                     \n%Mk Alt %((L:Saved Altitude, feet))%!3d!%
                     \n%((L:ACPOS, number))%{case}%{:0}%((L:MarkPositionLatitude, degrees) d 0 &gt;= s0 r abs d 3600 * 60 % r d 60 * 60 % flr r flr 'N' 'S' l0 ? )%!s!%!02.0f!%\{dplo= } %!02.0f!%' %!02.0f!%"%{:1}%((L:MarkPositionLatitude, degrees) d 0 &gt;= s0 r abs d 3600 * 60 % r d 60 * 60 % r flr 'N' 'S' l0 ? )%!s!%!02.0f!%\{dplo= } %!07.4f!%' %{:2}%((L:MarkPositionLatitude, degrees) d 0 &gt;= s0 r abs d 3600 * 60 % r d 60 * 60 % r flr 'N' 'S' l0 ? )%!s!%((L:MarkPositionLatitude, degrees) abs )%!09.6f!%\{dplo= }%{end}%
                     \n%((L:ACPOS, number))%{case}%{:0}%((L:MarkPositionLongitude, degrees) d 0 &gt;= s0 r abs d 3600 * 60 % r d 60 * 60 % flr r flr 'E' 'W' l0 ? )%!s!%!03.0f!%\{dplo= } %!02.0f!%' %!02.0f!%"%{:1}%((L:MarkPositionLongitude, degrees) d 0 &gt;= s0 r abs d 3600 * 60 % r d 60 * 60 % r flr 'E' 'W' l0 ? )%!s!%!03.0f!%\{dplo= } %!07.4f!%' %{:2}%((L:MarkPositionLongitude, degrees) d 0 &gt;= s0 r abs d 3600 * 60 % r d 60 * 60 % r flr 'E' 'W' l0 ? )%!s!%((L:MarkPositionLongitude, degrees) abs )%!010.6f!%\{dplo= }%{end}%
                    </String>
          </FormattedText>
       </Element>

<!--Steering Arrow TO    Mark Position-->        
       <Element>
          <Position X="85" Y="48"/>
            <Polygon Color="#CC8800" FillColor="#CC8800" LineWidth="1.5" Bright="Yes">   #CC8800
               <Point X="0" Y="10"/>
               <Point X="0" Y="0"/>
               <Point X="3" Y="0"/>
               <Point X="0" Y="-10"/>
               <Point X="-2" Y="0"/>
               <Point X="0" Y="0"/>
            </Polygon>
           <Rotate>
             <Value>(L:BearingMarkPos, radians) (A:PLANE HEADING DEGREES GYRO, radians) - (A:GPS MAGVAR, radians) - pi + </Value>
           </Rotate>
       </Element>
<!--Current aircraft Heading  index-->      
       <Element>
         <Position X="83" Y="25" />
        <Text X="12" Y="12" Bright="Yes" Length="1" Font="tahoma" Color="#2F912F" Adjust="Left" VerticalAdjust="Center" Multiline="No" Fixed="No">
              <String>%v%</String>
          </Text>
       </Element>
<!--Heading at MARK instant Arrow-->     
       <Element>
          <Position X="85" Y="48"/>
            <Polygon Color="#676767" LineWidth="1.5" Bright="Yes">
               <Point X="-1" Y="12"/>
               <Point X="2" Y="12"/>
               <Point X="2" Y="0"/>
               <Point X="6" Y="0"/>
               <Point X="0" Y="-13"/>
               <Point X="-4" Y="0"/>
               <Point X="-1" Y="0"/>
               <Point X="-1" Y="12"/>
            </Polygon>
           <Rotate>
             <Value>(L:HEADINGsavedMarkPos, radians) (A:PLANE HEADING DEGREES GYRO, radians) -</Value>
           </Rotate>
       </Element>     
     </Element>  
<!--Off condition display-->   
     <Element>
          <Visible>(L:Mark View,enum) 0 ==</Visible>    
       <Element>
          <Position X="4" Y="23"/>
            <FormattedText X="81" Y="48" Font="Tahoma" FontSize="11" LineSpacing="16" Adjust="Right" Color="#2F912F" Bright="Yes">
              <String>%NO  %
                     \n%ENTRY%</String>
          </FormattedText>
       </Element>
    </Element>  
      
</Gauge>

 

[delivery guy]

Sounds like you really got to know how this function works to build it. i have a question. The demo has 1 button. So seems the real one would not have middle click or right click.
Maybe it has a cycle button?

i will save this in case i ever need this type of code or use the logic for others..Thanks!

 

[COBS]

When you create an instrument or feature you try to get the maximum utility out of it.
I used the Middle single click in my panel to transition the Mark point to a Stand off feature
that I have in my radar , that way I can easily enter it into a flight plan if I want to.

If by 'real one' you mean , in the real world aircraft , with modern computers and software
they can do anything that they might want to do.
I have seen examples of a real world MFD with over half a dozen Mark positions , but the problem is that
you have to add an identifier to work out which you want to call up.
Same applies to switches , you can have multi mode switches.

For the Sim you could change it to a cycle button , but you must remember that even cycle buttons can
have a huge number of cases.

Cheers
Karol