Applies to
The revision of this sectorfile format applies to IvAc v1.0.2 or higher.
Changes
- v1.04: some changes for backward compability with ProController.
- v1.03: added predefined colors for appron and pier.
- v1.02: added notes to airways
- v1.01: runway heading requires to be the magnetic runway heading.
- v1.00: initial version, based on ProController 2.2 format.
General Remarks
Sectorfiles are simple text files formatted much like a Windows INI files and can be created/edited with any text editor (such as notepad or DOS's edit):
- Run your sectorfile through the sectorfile validator of IvAc.
- The IvAc format is based on the ProController 2.2 sectorfile format, this means IvAc 1.0 files should be readable in ProController 2.2.
- You may add comments to your file by placing a semicolon in front of your comment.
- Spacing is very critical, read the notes, it says how many characters each line must have. In the example file the
first line in each section shows the format each line must have:
- = Digit, * = Space, N = North position, E = East position. - Tabs and embedded special characters will cause serious problems, so do not use them.
- It is recommended that you use identifier co-ordinates defined in VORs, Airports or Fixes since if you make an error in one of those co-ordinates your airways or ARTCCs will automatically reflect the change when you correct it.
- A lot of info can be found on the Sector System: ARTCC-borders, airport-info and so on. If you find any differences with your data, please report them, so they can be verified and corrected.
- Seperate data not actualy belonging to the main region of the sectorfor that is being created, by some comments. This can include nearby Airports, VORs, NDBs, Aiways, etc. This way several sectorfiles can easily be merged to a larger region (Europe f.i.). For ARTCC-sectorfiles, it's recommended to include the surrounding FIRs and the main nearby Aiports and VORs in those FIRs.
- Points that need special attention in this text are marked in red, those that are strongly recommended in green.
Sections
- Intro
- Definition
- Info
- VOR
- NDB
- FIX
- Airport
- Runway
- SID
- STAR
- High Airway
- Low Airway
- ARTCC
- Low ARTCC
- High ARTCC
- Geographical
Intro *
Each file is recommended start with "; IVAO virtual ATC client - Sectorfile", include as comments:
- The author (your name)
- Version
- Any sceneries needed/recommended
- Version of the specification
Definitions *
You may also add constants to use in your sector file. These are handy for defining colors or commonly used values, IvAc ONLY supports them for colors. Defines can be places anywhere in the sectorfile, but a value can only be used below where it is defined, so it is advised to place all defines here, in the beginning of the file.
IvAc has a small extention on ProController, some names are predefined and thus ignored by IvAc:
- coast: color for the coastlines.
- danger: color for danger areas.
- restricted: color for restricted areas. Deprecated
- restrict: color for restricted areas.
- prohibited: color for prohibited areas. Deprecated
- prohibit: color for prohibited areas.
- runway: color for the runways.
- taxiway: color for the taxiways.
- building: color for buildings on airports.
- stopbar: color for stopbars on airports.
- stopline: color for stopbars on airports. Deprecated
- appron: color for approns on airports.
- pier: color for piers on airports.
Include defines for the default values you use also, this way you can assure your sectorfile is compatible with ProController 2.2 also.
Basic information [INFO]
Contains to following data, each on a new line:
- Name of sector
- Default callsign: ICAO-code + "_CTR", "_APP", "_TWR" or "_GND"
- Default WX station: ICAO-code
- Center of sector (latitude): 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Center of sector (longitude): 14 characters, pad with zeros
- nM between one degree of latitude: always 60
- nM between one degree of longitude: ROUND(COS(latitude center)*60)
- Magnetic variation: positive = east; negative = west
- Scaling factor (optional)
VOR [VOR]
Each line contains 41 characters, each field separated by 1 space:
- VOR Name: 3 characters
- VOR Frequency: 3 digits, decimal point, 2 decimals, pad with one space (see below)
- VOR Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- VOR Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
Since VOR-frequencies can only have 2 significant decimals in Flight Simulator, the 3rd decimal is replaced by a space.
NDB [NDB]
Each line contains 43 characters, each field separated by 1 space:
- NDB Name: 5 characters
- NDB Frequency: 3 digits, decimal point, 1 decimal, pad with two spaces (see below)
- NDB Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- NDB Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
Since NDB-frequencies can only have one significant decimal, the 2nd and 3rd decimal are replaced by a space.
Fixes [FIXES]
Each line contains 35 characters, each field separated by 1 space:
- FIX name: 5 characters, pad with spaces
- Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
Airports [AIRPORT]
Each line contains 42 characters, each field separated by 1 space:
- Airport name: 4 characters = ICAO-code
- Control tower frequency: 7 characters = 3 digits, decimal point, 2 decimals, pad with one space (see below).
- Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
If the frequency is unknown, only leave the decimal point and let other digits blank.
The IvAc format doesn't support the class of airspace anymore, instead of this you should use ARTCC. You can still include the class of airspace for compability with ProController 2.2.
Runways [RUNWAY]
Each line contains 75 characters, each field separated by 1 space:
- Runway number: 3 characters = 2 digits (pad with 0 in front, if rwy < 10), 1 character (L, R, C, or space)
- Reciprocal runway number: 3 characters, as above
- Runway magnetic heading: 3 digits = pad with zeros in front (000 = no extended centerline)
- Reciprocal runway magnetic heading : 3 digits, as above
- Starting Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Starting Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Ending Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Ending Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
Include a comment line above each group of runways belonging to the same airport
Standard Instrument Departures [SID]
Each line contains 85 characters, each field separated by 1 space:
- Name of SID: 25 characters, pad with spaces
- Starting Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Starting Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Ending Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Ending Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
Use VOR, NDB, Airport or Fixes names in place of Latitude/Longitudes in starting and ending co-ordinates. If you specify a VOR, NDB, Airport or FIX for latitude and you leave longitude blank then the one of the latitude will be used.
Name is only needed once, lines below that first line belong to that SID, until new name specified.
Standard Airport Arrivals [STAR]
As above
High Airways [HIGH AIRWAY]
Each line contains 85 characters, each field separated by 1 space:
- Name of Airway: 25 characters, pad with spaces
- Starting Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Starting Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Ending Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Ending Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
All airway segments should be specified in order. If an airway is from A to B then it should be specified from A to B and not in ANY other way.
Low Airways [LOW AIRWAY]
As above
ARTCCs [ARTCC]
Each line contains 70 characters, each field separated by 1 space:
- Name of ATRCC area: 10 characters, pad with spaces = Name (= ICAO-code) + "_CTR"
- Starting Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Starting Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Ending Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Ending Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
Use VOR, NDB, Airport or Fixes names in place of Latitude/Longitudes in starting and ending co-ordinates. If you specify a VOR, NDB, Airport or FIX for latitude and you leave longitude blank then the one of the latitude will be used.
Name is only needed once, lines below that first line belong to that ARTCC, until new name specified
Include a commentline above each region, f.i. each center, approach, tower, etc
High ARTCCs [ARTCC HIGH]
As above
Low ARTCCs [ARTCC LOW]
As above
Geographic Information [GEO]
Each line contains 74 characters, each field separated by 1 space:
- Starting Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Starting Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Ending Latitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Ending Longitude: 14 characters, pad with zeros
- Color: 14 characters, BGR (blue, green, red) value of the color
Use only predefined colors by IvAc, this makes the colors changeable from the colorschemes.
Include a commentline above each region, f.i. lake, prohibited area, etc.