/******************************* kf_news5.doc ******************************\ * * * Module : Kf_news5 * * Descript : KiteFlight Newsletter * * Project : KiteFlight * * Modified : 19-Sep-1995 (Tue 22:28) * * * * (c) 1995 by Peter van den Hamer * * * \***************************************************************************/ KITEFLIGHT NEWSLETTER #5 by P. van den Hamer 19-Sep-95 This is the 5th issue of a newsletter with information about the PC program KiteFlight. The newsletter contains information for current users and others interested in KiteFlight. Old issues of this Newsletter can be found on the KiteFlight home page on Web (see below). Contents of this issue: 1. What's KiteFlight? 2. What's the current version? 3. How to get updates? 4. What's new in KF 2.03? 5. Using the new Sync instruction 6. Windows 95 compatibility 7. SuperVGA-related problem in KF32 8. Odds and ends 1. What's KiteFlight? --------------------- KiteFlight (KF) is an MS-DOS program which can simulate the movements of dual-line stunt kites or stunt kite teams. The movements of the kites are controlled by control files written in a kite simulation language called KF1. KF is useful both for visualizing existing routines and as a tool for developing your own routines. The commercial floppy ("Kite 2.0") with KiteFlight also contains software (Plot and Sputnik by Peter Ruinard) for printing and customizing kite plans from the books by Servaas van der Horst and Velthuizen ("Stunt Kites..." and "Stunt Kites II..."). Plot and Sputnik are meant to be used without the book(s). KiteFlight, however, can be used without owning the books. 2. What's the current version? ------------------------------ Latest version: 2.03 (latest complete version in my own possession) Latest release: 2.03 (demo version available on Internet by ftp, see below) Latest release: 2.01 (on 1.44MB floppy in CD Box via shops/magazines) Compulsories : 2.1 (available on Internet by ftp) Web home page : 2.03 (below http://www.win.tue.nl/win/cs/fm/pp/kites/) In other words, we have just released an update (KF 2.03) of the commercial version (KF 2.01) sold in kite stores and via KiteLines and Drachen Magazines. 3. How to get updates? ---------------------- If you buy and register the commercial Kite 1.0 diskette, you can get free upgrades up to KF 1.18 via Internet. Although you can register even if you don't have any form of access to Internet, you will not be able to get updates (but maybe your nephew can help out with the Internet part). If you buy and register the commercial Kite 2.0 diskette, you can get free upgrades to KF 2.xx. You can register (free) by sending an E-mail message to the author (vdhamer@natlab.research.philips.com) stating your address, which version you own and where you bought it. You then receive a reply explaining how the update procedure works. Users who already registered Kite 2.0 should receive this information within the next few days. Non-registered users can obtain free copies of the demo versions of KiteFlight (e.g. KFCD 2.03) from the rec.kites archives on Internet: ftp://ftp.uni-bremen.de/pub/kites/simulation/kfd/kfcd_203.zip (Germany) ftp://kites.its.Hawaii.Edu/pub/kites/simulation/kfd/kfcd_203.zip (USA) The demo version is able to run all STACK/AKA/AJSKA compulsories, but not the full length animations. The demo version has a less sophisticated/powerful user interface than the commercial version. 4. What's new in KF 2.03 ------------------------ The main improvements in KF 2.03 compared to KF 2.01 (June 1995) are: * New team precision routine by the Sky Bandits (The Netherlands). * Alt-W now means "Write KF1 design to disk now". * Small performance improvement, especially when flying tight turns. * Stricter checking of EndSpeed usage (detects certain programming errors). * New Dutch translation of KF1.DOC (previously English/French/German). * Various improvements (clarity) to documentation file KF1.DOC. * SuperVGA option is now only displayed/available if the graphics hardware supports the VESA SuperVGA standard (see section 7). 5. Using the new Sync instruction --------------------------------- Example: For 1 KiteXY -20 30 ;kite #1 moves to (-20,30) EndFor For 2 KiteXY +40 50 ;kite #2 moves to (40,50) EndFor Sync ;first kite waits for last to catch up : The Sync instruction was introduced in KiteFlight 2.0 to provide an easy way to SYNChronize the motions of multiple kites. Without this instruction, it can be very tricky to get multiple kites to do something at exactly the same time. Without a Sync instruction (KiteFlight 1.0), you would have to either * manually adjust the lengths of the flight paths ("balancing"), or * manually add delays (Wait) or speed changes (Speed) in order to get the kites synchronized. This is hard work. A subtle, but important point about the Sync instruction is that the instruction specifies *what* you want to happen (synchronisation), but is not explicit about *how* this will happen. This is mainly because Sync is currently implemented in a rather straightforward way but may later be modified or extended to allow for more sophisticated synchronisation strategies - all with the same end results. Currently Sync works by causing the faster kites to wait or *freeze* until the slowest kite catches up. Sync instructions are more than just a powerful way of controlling the kites. They are also a way of enhancing the readability of a routine. In other words, even if your kites are in Sync somewhere because you managed to balance the path lengths or tweak the flight speeds, this is difficult to determine by a reader by examining the KF1 file unless you have explicitly added Sync instructions. We strongly recommend adding Syncs to a multi-kite routine as early as possible during development of the routine. You will find that this provides a certain degree of isolation between the different parts of your routine which in turn allows you to tune and polish the part _before_ the Sync without affecting the part _after_ the Sync. 6. Compatibility with Windows 95 -------------------------------- KiteFlight 2.0 is an MS-DOS program, but is more Windows-aware than the previous release. If you regularly run KiteFlight under Windows 3.1 or 95, consider using the new KF32.EXE version of KiteFlight instead of the 'more basic' KF.EXE version. KF32 requires a 80386SX or preferable a 486 or better. KF32 can automatically detect the presence of Windows and adapts itself accordingly. See KF's built-in help texts for details. KiteFlight was tested on a prototype version ('final beta') of Windows 95. Fortunately it also works on the official August 24th release as well. If you run KiteFlight from Windows 95, we recommend making the following changes to the default Windows settings of the KiteFlight program. To do so, right-click on the KiteFlight program icon and select Properties. A property dialog box with various 'tab sheets' will appear. Make the following changes: Program - select 'Close on Exit' This prevents an empty window or "Microsoft Windows Pop-Up Program Support" message window when you exit the program. If you don't select 'Close on exit' you will have to close this window yourself each time you exit the program. Screen - select Full-screen This causes the non-graphic screens of the user interface to be displayed full screen (rather than in a window). This looks more natural because the program switches to full screen anyway as soon as you run a simulation. Misc - disable screen saver (<<< important!) This turns the Windows screen saver off during execution of KiteFlight. A pretty serious looking software crash can occur if you are using a screen saver and it goes off during execution of KiteFlight. The conditions under which things go wrong are (1) you selected a screen saver in the Setup section of Windows itself, (2) you didn't disable the screen saver for one of the versions of KiteFlight, (3) your screen saver is set up to fire after e.g. 1 minute of inactivity, and (4) you didn't use the keyboard or mouse during 1 full minute. 7. SuperVGA-related problem in KF32 ----------------------------------- The KF32 version of KiteFlight supports SuperVGA on certain hardware. This option is disabled by default, but can be enabled by the user. When enabled, KiteFlight tries to use the SuperVGA modes the *next* time the program is started. For practical reasons, KF32 only supports VESA-compliant SVGA graphics hardware. VESA-compliance means that a certain standard software interface is available for controlling the SVGA hardware (this is unrelated to VESA's VLB bus standard). VESA drivers sometimes reside in memory on the graphics board itself. Many manufacturers provide VESA software drivers for their hardware. There are some third party (shareware?) drivers which support a wide range of hardware. So far, so good. But what happens if the user enables SuperVGA usage (see Alt-D) on a system which isn't VESA complaint? It turns out that KF32 returns an error message and aborts immediately after the program is started. This creates a tricky problem because you cannot run KF32 in order to disable the 'Enable SuperVGA' setting which caused the problem. The solution is to manually edit a text file called KF32.CFG in which KF32 keeps its settings: a line "SVGAEnabled=1" should be changed to "SVGAEnabled=0". A crude alternative is to simply delete KF32.CFG altogether, causing KiteFlight to assume its default settings. The new KF32 v2.03 contains a first attempt to solve this: if your board isn't VESA-compatible at all, KiteFlight doesn't allow you to enable the SuperVGA option in the first place. Recent testing showed that this test doesn't solve the problem in many cases, so you still may need to edit or delete KF32.CFG. My apologies for all this. Very technical footnote (suggestions anyone?): KF32 runs in protected mode, and temporarily switches back to real mode using DPMI to check for VESA support. Although this works reliably, I suspect that this procedure does not guarantee the availability of VESA services from within protected mode. 8. Odds and ends ---------------- * Reviews of KiteFlight 2.0 ------------------------- KiteFlight's built-in help text contains the full text (in original language and English translation) of two recent reviews of KiteFlight 2.0. One is from Drachen Magazine (5/95, Germany) and the other is from Vlieger (Dutch kite magazine). See also "http://www.win.tue.nl/win/cs/fm/pp/kites/". * Reviews wanted -------------- Any reviews of KiteFlight 2.0 (or 1.0) are welcome. I will quote any review in full as long as I can get the original text and a good translation/summary. Anybody home in Italy, Japan, Australia, Singapore, etc? I cannot afford to personally come over just to check out the local magazines for reviews ;-). * Author's E-mail address ----------------------- Some of you may have noticed that my E-mail address "is changing" from vdhamer@prl.philips.nl to vdhamer@natlab.research.philips.com. This reflects a policy change of my employer. Mail to the old address will be delivered for a "long time", but the new adress is the preferred one. * EuroCup 1995 ------------ I plan to be present as a spectator at the EuroCup in Hamm, Germany on Sep. 29th - Oct. 1st. Anybody wearing a KiteFlight logo T-shirt is me or a family member. If you want to see me, ask one of the teams from Holland or Mr. Simo Salanne where to find me. -=-=-=-