Re: database format change

["John C. Peterson" <jcp eskimo com>]

On Mon, Apr 04, 2005 at 04:29:08AM +0000, Edward A. Falk wrote:
> Oh, and since I have folks on the line, I've been working part-time on a GUI
> interface.  Here are some snapshots:
>   http://efalk.dyndns.org/images/Fplan/
> It's written in C and GTK and still includes some of the original
> code from fplan.
>
> I've been thinking:  perhaps a sourceforge.net project should be created
> for fplan?

Ed,

Forking of projects is not always a bad thing. You most certainly won't
hurt my feelings or the like, so consider that as an option. You also
have airways and other features as well that distinguish it from
vanilla fplan, correct?

> Hi All; don't know if anybody's still working on fplan, but I was looking
> for comments on a proposed change to the database format.
> 
> I'm proposing adding a new field to the end of the records, to contain
> various flag.  The new paragraph I've added to fplan.5 explains it all:
> 

There was chatter a year or two back about completely reworking the
database component. The current binary search works OK, but it's
designed only for lookup by identifier, a serious limitation. There's
all kinds of other lookups that make perfect sense (e.g.  lookup
airports within 50 miles of current position with 100LL for example).

One could create other hash files that point back to the correct
record. I say why bother, just move to something like Sleepy Cat /
Berkeley DB (what can I say, I have a degree from Berkeley ;^). Or any
other light weight DB that will run in resource limited environs
(dbm, ndbm, etc).

Oracle, MySQL, Postgresql would be a HUGE step backward, as I still
would like to see this stuff run on a Zaraus, iPaq or the like where
these are out of the question...

If you want to create different "database" files, I can help you tweak
nasdconv (from the avdbtools stuff) to add the field you want...

Is anyone on the list working with the NIMA DAFIF files? I still get
many e-mails from chaps in Canada, Australia, Europe, etc. wondering
about database files. DAFIF is an ideal source, and is certainly a
plus for USA pilots too since it's free...

-- 
 ___|___ | John C. Peterson, <jcp eskimo com> | "Once you have flown, you
  -(*)-  | will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you
  o/ \o  | have been, there you long to return." -- Leonardo da Vinci.