Validation problem

Please advise a hapless victim of software technology.

My PC uses Windows XP. How can I validate an igc file
? I can find no way to open a DOS window. With vali-lxn.exe
installed, I can tell it to run vali-lxn on a named
file. Apparently it does so; I get a second or so
of a blue window as it prepares to run, then the whole
window disappears in a flash and a new file named DBG
is generated. This file has no extension, and XP does
not know how to open it. I have tried Word and get
mainly garbage with enough text to know it was related
to the igc file, tried LXNav Tools and get 'unknown
file', tried cursing in all known human languages with
little satisfaction.

Used to work in DOS and Windows 95/98, but my old machines
died. Perhaps I can resurrect one just for this.

As an aside, does anyone else have validation problems
when downloading using SeeYou ?

Ian

Go to Start-Run and enter 'cmd', that will open a DOS window


"Ian Cant" wrote in message
...
Please advise a hapless victim of software technology.

My PC uses Windows XP. How can I validate an igc file
? I can find no way to open a DOS window. With vali-lxn.exe
installed, I can tell it to run vali-lxn on a named
file. Apparently it does so; I get a second or so
of a blue window as it prepares to run, then the whole
window disappears in a flash and a new file named DBG
is generated. This file has no extension, and XP does
not know how to open it. I have tried Word and get
mainly garbage with enough text to know it was related
to the igc file, tried LXNav Tools and get 'unknown
file', tried cursing in all known human languages with
little satisfaction.

Used to work in DOS and Windows 95/98, but my old machines
died. Perhaps I can resurrect one just for this.

As an aside, does anyone else have validation problems
when downloading using SeeYou ?

Ian

Ian Cant wrote:
As an aside, does anyone else have validation problems
when downloading using SeeYou ?

Yes, there appears to be a problem with some recent versions of the
SeeYou software. Under some circumstances, the downloaded flight data
file will be corrupted such that it no longer validates. If you are
expecting to submit the flight for a badge or record claim, I would
encourage you to avoid using SeeYou to download the flight. At minimum,
make sure the file validates with the IGC-approved validation software
before erasing the flight from the recorder (which is a good idea, in
general). Hopefully, the SeeYou development team will someday find the
time and energy to address this problem...

Marc

If you are using a Cambridge logger, simply open your .cai file with
SEEyou, and submit that rather than your .igc file. I was having some
problems too, and this worked for me.


-Mitch





Marc Ramsey wrote in message .com...
Ian Cant wrote:
As an aside, does anyone else have validation problems
when downloading using SeeYou ?

Yes, there appears to be a problem with some recent versions of the
SeeYou software. Under some circumstances, the downloaded flight data
file will be corrupted such that it no longer validates. If you are
expecting to submit the flight for a badge or record claim, I would
encourage you to avoid using SeeYou to download the flight. At minimum,
make sure the file validates with the IGC-approved validation software
before erasing the flight from the recorder (which is a good idea, in
general). Hopefully, the SeeYou development team will someday find the
time and energy to address this problem...

Marc

Ian,

My XP has a DOS prompt under Program Files, Accessories. The easiest
way I have found to use the vali program is to have the vali and
flight files in the same folder. From the DOS prompt, type in
"vali-lxn.exe yourfilename.igc" and it should validate the file (or
not)or give you an error message. Be sure to use the original name of
your flight file.

I have not used SeeYou to download flight files, I always use the
manufacturer's program.

Good luck,
Steve


Ian Cant wrote in message ...
Please advise a hapless victim of software technology.

My PC uses Windows XP. How can I validate an igc file
? I can find no way to open a DOS window. With vali-lxn.exe
installed, I can tell it to run vali-lxn on a named
file. Apparently it does so; I get a second or so
of a blue window as it prepares to run, then the whole
window disappears in a flash and a new file named DBG
is generated. This file has no extension, and XP does
not know how to open it. I have tried Word and get
mainly garbage with enough text to know it was related
to the igc file, tried LXNav Tools and get 'unknown
file', tried cursing in all known human languages with
little satisfaction.

Used to work in DOS and Windows 95/98, but my old machines
died. Perhaps I can resurrect one just for this.

As an aside, does anyone else have validation problems
when downloading using SeeYou ?

Ian

To supplement my previous response -- at the DOS prompt, change to the
directory containing the vali and flight files before typing in the
vali command.
SP

Many thanks to all who helped. For the record, this
is what works in XP:

1. Copy the data-xxx, vali-xxx and conv-xxx files onto
a clean new floppy [xxx is the FR makers ID, lxn in
my case] in drive A.

2. To open a DOS window, select RUN, type in 'cmd'
and 'enter'.

3. Connect the FR.

4. In the DOS window, type 'cd:A\'

5. In the DOS window, type 'data-xxx.exe'. You will
get a download of the available files from the FR.


6. Select the flight you want [with arrow keys] and
hit 'enter'. Flight file will download onto floppy.
Probably you will get both an igc and an xxx file.
Note the igc filename.

7. In the DOS window, type 'A:\vali-xxx.exe A:\igcfilename'.

8. Vali will run and a one-line response that ends
up by saying integrity check is OK will appear. Now
you can breathe again.

In Windows 95, there are several ways to open the DOS
window but RUN cmd is not one of them. Starting from
a DOS window, the data and vali files would run, but
refused to show any results except to say 'finished'!
So I went from 'my computer', double clicked 'floppy
A', double-clicked 'data-xxx.exe and went from there.
[This straightforward approach did not work in XP].

I think these sequences are repeatable, but bitter
experience tells me that the software combinations
are only marginally stable.

Once the files are safely on the floppy, they can be
copied for permanent storage onto your hard drive.
I suspect that the validation errors I was encountering
originated by downloading first to hard drive and then
copying the files from hard drive to floppy.

Thanks again,

Ian




At 04:30 04 December 2004, Steve Pawling wrote:
To supplement my previous response -- at the DOS prompt,
change to the
directory containing the vali and flight files before
typing in the
vali command.
SP

X-no-archive: yes
In article , Ian Cant REMOVE_TO_REPLY.i
writes
Please advise a hapless victim of software technology.

My PC uses Windows XP. How can I validate an igc file
? I can find no way to open a DOS window. With vali-lxn.exe
installed, I can tell it to run vali-lxn on a named
file. Apparently it does so; I get a second or so
of a blue window as it prepares to run, then the whole
window disappears in a flash and a new file named DBG
is generated. This file has no extension, and XP does
not know how to open it. I have tried Word and get
mainly garbage with enough text to know it was related
to the igc file, tried LXNav Tools and get 'unknown
file', tried cursing in all known human languages with
little satisfaction.

Used to work in DOS and Windows 95/98, but my old machines
died. Perhaps I can resurrect one just for this.

As an aside, does anyone else have validation problems
when downloading using SeeYou ?

Ian

Usage of the DOS programs under later operating has been a problem for
some time, not made any easier by laptops that have no serial port and
using DOS software via a USB - Serial adapter is problematic at best.

This problem as been recognised for some time by GFAC and in the current
version of the FR Specification Document (available from the IGC web
pages) it was required that for all recorders, Windows Download and
Validation Software in the form of a DLL is produced by 1st July 2004.

The DLL could be incorporated into any commercial software (Tasknav
SeeYou etc.) to allow these functions to be performed under windows and
a Stand-alone program written by Marc Ramsey is avail from the IGC web
page http://www.fai.org:81/gliding/gnss/freeware.asp

To date, only Peschges have done this, available from the above web
reference (congratulation to a company that is no longer in the FR
manufacturing business), and I understand that a Cambridge contractor is
working on a program for Cambridge recorders.

Now, pressure could be brought to bear on other manufacturers, by
threatening to rescind their approvals, but is this really practical?

I would encourage owners of other manufacturer's products to email their
manufacturer and apply pressure on them to fulfil this requirement to
provide Windows Support.

It is in your own interest!

Tim Newport-Peace

"May you be cursed with a chronic anxiety about the weather."

John Burroughs (1837-1921).

At 23:30 04 December 2004, Tim Newport-Peace wrote:

Usage of the DOS programs under later operating has
been a problem for
some time, not made any easier by laptops that have
no serial port and
using DOS software via a USB Serial adapter is problematic
at best.

This problem as been recognised for some time by GFAC
and in the current
version of the FR Specification Document (available
from the IGC web
pages) it was required that for all recorders, Windows
Download and
Validation Software in the form of a DLL is produced
by 1st July 2004.

The DLL could be incorporated into any commercial software
(Tasknav
SeeYou etc.) to allow these functions to be performed
under windows and
a Stand-alone program written by Marc Ramsey is avail
from the IGC web
page http://www.fai.org:81/gliding/gnss/freeware.asp


Thankyou, Tim and Marc. It is reassuring to know that
the problems are at least recognized. I don't envy
you the headaches this must involve.


I would encourage owners of other manufacturer's products
to email their
manufacturer and apply pressure on them to fulfil this
requirement to
provide Windows Support.


Yes. But equally, the third-party software providers
[like SeeYou] should be encouraged to ensure that their
download software is and remains fully compatible with
FAI validity checking requirements. I suspect that
in practice more people like to download with full
analysis software rather than download first with hardware
manufacturer's programs and then open into analysis
packages.

Ian

X-no-archive: yes
In article , Ian Cant REMOVE_TO_REPLY.i
writes
Yes. But equally, the third-party software providers
[like SeeYou] should be encouraged to ensure that their
download software is and remains fully compatible with
FAI validity checking requirements. I suspect that
in practice more people like to download with full
analysis software rather than download first with hardware
manufacturer's programs and then open into analysis
packages.

Ian

The whole point Ian, is that third party software should use the latest
version of the manufacturers DLL (which is freeware), then the download
and validation performed by via program will be up to date by default.
In other words, the manufacturer's DLL becomes an integral part of the
analysis software.

I would expect that when these DLLs become available, writers of
analysis packages will not be slow to interface into them. The interface
is published in the Flight Recorder Specification Document and has been
for some time.

What is disappointing is poor take-up rate by manufacturers.

Tim Newport-Peace

"Indecision is the Key to Flexibility."