Add screenshot of data output from the cockpit.

[erlang-x-plane-data.git] / README.md

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X-Plane UDP data parser
=======================

![Data output in the cockpit](screenshot.png)

Examples
--------

### Receive data packet

```erlang
{ok, Socket} = gen_udp:open(Port, [binary, {active, false}]),
{ok, {_, _, <<XPlaneDataPacket/binary>>}} = gen_udp:recv(Socket, 0),
```

### Parse data packet

```erlang
{ok, {64=Index, GroupsRaw}=DataRaw} = x_plane_data_raw:of_bin(XPlaneDataPacket),
```

### Access parsed data

#### Raw

At this stage, only the structure of the packet was parsed. No attempt at
interpreting the values have been made:

```erlang
% Speeds are in group 3
{3, Speeds} = lists:keyfind(3, 1, GroupsRaw),
{ VindKias
, VindKeas
, VtrueKtas
, VtrueKtgs
, _
, VindMph
, VtrueMphas
, VtrueMphgs
} = Speeds,

% Pitch roll and headings values are in group 17
{17, PitchRollHeadings} = lists:keyfind(17, 1, GroupsRaw),
{ PitchDeg
, RollDeg
, HdingTrue
, HdingMag
, _
, _
, _
, _
} = PitchRollHeadings,
```

#### Named

Here we identify what each of the numbered groups mean in a given X-Plane
version. Right now only X-Plane 10 (packet index 64) is supported and I only
identified 3 groups so far:

| packet index | group index | group name           |
|--------------|-------------|----------------------|
| 64           | 3           | `speeds`             |
| 64           | 17          | `pitch_roll_heading` |
| 64           | 20          | `lat_lon_alt`        |

Unidentified groups (with index other than what is listed above) will be
absent from the list of named groups (think of `x_plane_data_named:of_raw/1` as
a filter), so you'll have to access their raw version, if needed.

##### Identify
```erlang
{ok, {x_plane_data_v10, GroupsNamed}} = x_plane_data_named:of_raw(DataRaw),
```

##### Access
```erlang
-include_lib("x_plane_data/include/x_plane_data_group_lat_lon_alt.hrl").
-include_lib("x_plane_data/include/x_plane_data_group_pitch_roll_heading.hrl").
-include_lib("x_plane_data/include/x_plane_data_group_speeds.hrl").

...

{speeds, #x_plane_data_group_speeds
    { vind_kias   = VindKias
    , vind_keas   = VindKeas
    , vtrue_ktas  = VtrueKtas
    , vtrue_ktgs  = VtrueKtgs
    , vind_mph    = VindMph
    , vtrue_mphas = VtrueMphas
    , vtrue_mphgs = VtrueMphgs
    }
} = lists:keyfind(speeds, 1, GroupsNamed),

{pitch_roll_heading, #x_plane_data_group_pitch_roll_heading
    { pitch_deg  = PitchDeg
    , roll_deg   = RollDeg
    , hding_true = HdingTrue
    , hding_mag  = HdingMag
    }
} = lists:keyfind(pitch_roll_heading, 1, GroupsNamed),
```

Packet structure
----------------

```erlang
<<"DATA", PacketIndex:8/integer, Groups/binary>>,
<< GroupIndex:32/little-integer
 , GroupValue1:32/little-float
 , GroupValue2:32/little-float
 , GroupValue3:32/little-float
 , GroupValue4:32/little-float
 , GroupValue5:32/little-float
 , GroupValue6:32/little-float
 , GroupValue7:32/little-float
 , GroupValue8:32/little-float
 , GroupsRest/binary
>> = Groups,
```

Where `PacketIndex` indicates something like a schema version, i.e. what each
of the numbered groups means. For example, in X-Plane 10, packet index is 64
(character `"@"`) and group 3 contains speed data, in which the 8 group values
are:

| Location | Label         | Description |
|----------|---------------|-------------|
|    1     | `vind_kias`   | Velocity indicated, in knots indicated airspeed. |
|    2     | `vind_keas`   | Velocity indicated, in knots equivalent airspeed (the calibrated airspeed corrected for adiabatic compressible flow at the craft's current altitude). |
|    3     | `vtrue_ktas`  | Velocity true (the speed of the craft relative to undisturbed air), in knots true airspeed. |
|    4     | `vtrue_ktgs`  | Velocity true, in knots true ground speed. |
|    5     |               | Unused. Contains a dummy value. |
|    6     | `vind_mph`    | Velocity indicated, in miles per hour. |
|    7     | `vtrue_mphas` | Velocity true, in miles per hour airspeed. |
|    8     | `vtrue_mphgs` | Velocity true, in miles per hour ground speed. |


References
----------

- `X-Plane_10_manual.pdf` (distributed with X-Plane 10)
- http://b58.svglobe.com/data.html
- http://www.nuclearprojects.com/xplane/xplaneref.html