Editing the Plugin Settings (.json file)

The majority of vSMR's settings are read from a .json file called vSMR_Profiles.json located in the same directory that that plugin is in. This file can be opened and edited in any plain text editor such as Notepad.

By default this file contains one profile called "Default". After alternative profiles have been created they can be selected via the vSMR Menu within EuroScope.

Additional profiles can be added or existing profiles can be changed by editing this .json file.

Adding a New Profile

1. Copy all of the data in one of the existing profiles (from the first parenthesis ({) before the "name": "<Profile Name>" line to the matching closing parenthesis (}) of the profile after the "maps": section). For example if copying the default profile copy everything from:

   {
       "name": "Default",
       "font": {
           "use_custom_font": true,
           "font_name": "EuroScope",
           "weight": "Regular",
           "sizes": {
               "one": 11,
               "two": 12,
               ...

until and including:

     ...
   "maps": {
       "LFPG": {
           "runways": [{
               "runway_name": "EXAMPLE27",
               "path": [
                   ["N048.59.44.562", "E002.36.06.580"],
                   ["N048.59.44.150", "E002.36.06.630"],
                   ["N048.59.43.732", "E002.36.06.520"],
                   ["N048.59.43.722", "E002.36.06.497"]
               ],
               "path_lvp": [
                   ["N048.59.49.110", "E002.36.03.915"],
                   ["N048.59.48.567", "E002.36.02.798"],
                   ["N048.59.48.644", "E002.36.00.209"],
                   ["N048.59.48.482", "E002.35.55.364"]
               ]
           }, {
               "runway_name": "EXAMPLE36",
               "path": [
                   ["N048.59.44.562", "E002.36.06.580"],
                   ["N048.59.44.150", "E002.36.06.630"],
                   ["N048.59.43.732", "E002.36.06.520"],
                   ["N048.59.43.722", "E002.36.06.497"]
               ],
               "path_lvp": [
                   ["N048.59.49.110", "E002.36.03.915"],
                   ["N048.59.48.567", "E002.36.02.798"],
                   ["N048.59.48.644", "E002.36.00.209"],
                   ["N048.59.48.482", "E002.35.55.364"]
               ]
           }]
       }
   }
}

2. Add a comma after the last parenthesis (}), but before the last square bracket (]), in the settings file.

3. Paste the copied data into the very end of the settings file just before the last square bracket (]).

4. Make sure that the last parenthesis (}) in the file just before the last square bracket (]) does not have a comma after it.

For example:

},]

Is wrong - it should be:

}]

Changing the Settings Values in a Profile

Within the settings file the settings take the format:

"<Setting Name>": "<Setting Value>"

Where <Setting Name> denotes an identifier for the setting and the <Setting Value> is what the setting is set to. There are also some grouped settings such as the font settings where a single setting name contains multiple sub settings. The following section will describe what effect changing each setting value will have on the behaviour of the vSMR plugin when the profile whose settings have been changed are loaded.

Please note that some settings may not be operational in the current vSMR public release beta version and are included for reference only. These settings should be italicised.

• name - this controls the name of the vSMR profile - this name will be shown within the profiles selection box in the Menu and will load the settings contained within this settings profile when selected.,

• cursor - this controls what mouse cursor should be used in Euroscope. By defaut the SMR cursor (black) will be used but the standard Windows cursor (white) can be used by setting it to Default.

• font - a settings group that controls the properties of the font used by vSMR.

• font_name - the name of the font that will be used. This can be any font which is installed on your computer.

• weight - controls the font styling/weight, this can be set to Regular, Bold, or Italic.

• sizes - a sub-settings group that contains the various font sizes.

  • one - the default font size in pixels.
  • two - the next selectable font size in pixels.
  • three - the next selectable font size in pixels.
  • four - the next selectable font size in pixels.
  • five - the next selectable font size in pixels.

• filters - a settings group that controls when aircraft are shown on the SMR screen.

• hide_above_alt - the maximum altitude (in feet) that aircraft can be at before they do not appear on the SMR screen.

• hide_above_spd - the maximum speed (in knots) that aircraft can be at before they do not appear on the SMR screen.

• radar_range_nm - the maximum range (in nautical miles) an aircraft can be from the airport being controlled before they do not appear on the SMR screen. 30 nm is a realistic value for an SMR.

• night_alpha_setting - the brightness of the SMR when the Night Mode option is selected from the Menu as an alpha value when 255 will be normal brightness and 0 will be completely dark.

• pro_mode - a settings group controlling the Professional Simulation Mode settings.

  • enable - if this is set to true then the professional simulation mode for correlating aircraft primary targets to flightplan data is enabled, whereas if it is set to false then this is disabled and aircraft will always be automatically correlated to the correct flightplan data.
  • accept_pilot_squawk - if this is set to true then any aircraft that are squawking a code not listed in the do_not_autocorrelate_squawks list will be automatically correlated to their correct flight data, otherwise if it is set to false this does not occur and any aircraft not squawking a controller assigned code will be treated as uncorrelated.
  • do_not_autocorrelate_squawks - if an aircraft is squawking a squawk code in this list and has not been assigned it by a controller then their flight data will not automatically be correlated to their target. This list is enclosed in square brackets ([ and ]) and each squawk in the list should be enclosed by quotation marks and separated from the next squawk by a comma e.g. ["2000", "2200", "1200"].

• labels - a settings group that controls the appearance of Aircraft Tags.

• auto_deconfliction - if this is set to true aircraft tags will automatically be moved to prevent them from overlapping, otherwise this is disabled when this setting is set to false.

• leader_line_length - this setting defines the length of the leader lines, aka the length of the line between the target and the tag.

• use_aspeed_for_gate - if this is set to true then the assigned speed of an aircraft within EuroScope will be used for the gate tag item, otherwise if it is set to false the scratchpad string will used for the gate tag item instead.

• squawk_error_color - a sub-settings group defining the colour of the sqerror tag item.

  • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.

• departure - a sub-settings group controlling the appearance of the tags of aircraft departing from the airfield that is being controlled.

  • definition - this setting defines the content and layout of the aircraft tag. Tag item names should be enclosed in quotation marks and separate tag items on the same line should be separated by commas. Tag items defined in separate sets of square brackets will be displayed on separate lines and each set square brackets should be separated from the next by a comma. For example:

    ["callsign"],
    ["gate", "actype"]
    

    Defines a two line tag with the aircraft callsign on the first line and the assigned gate and type of the aircraft on the second line.

  • background_colour - this second sub-settings group defines the background colour of the tag.

    • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

  • background_colour_on_runway - this second sub-settings group defines the background colour of the tag when an aircraft enters a runway monitored by RIMCAS (without an alert).

    • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

  • text_color - this second sub-settings group defines the colour of the text on the aircraft's tag.

    • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.

• arrival - a sub-settings group controlling the appearance of the tags of aircraft arriving at the airfield that is being controlled.

  • definition - this setting defines the content and layout of the aircraft tag. Tag item names should be enclosed in quotation marks and separate tag items on the same line should be separated by commas. Tag items defined in separate sets of square brackets will be displayed on separate lines and each set square brackets should be separated from the next by a comma. For example:

    ["callsign"],
    ["gate", "actype"]
    

    Defines a two line tag with the aircraft callsign on the first line and the assigned gate and type of the aircraft on the second line.

  • background_colour - this second sub-settings group defines the background colour of the tag.

    • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

  • background_colour_on_runway - this second sub-settings group defines the background colour of the tag when an aircraft enters a runway monitored by RIMCAS (without an alert).

    • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

  • text_color - this second sub-settings group defines the colour of the text on the aircraft's tag.

    • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.

• airborne - a sub-settings group controlling the appearance of the tags of aircraft currently in the air.

  • use_departure_arrival_coloring - if this is set to false then the colour of any airborne aircraft's tag will be set by the settings defined in this section, otherwise - if it is set to true - then either the arrival or departure tag colour settings will be used (depending on the aircraft's filed flightplan).

  • definition - this setting defines the content and layout of the aircraft tag. Tag item names should be enclosed in quotation marks and separate tag items on the same line should be separated by commas. Tag items defined in separate sets of square brackets will be displayed on separate lines and each set square brackets should be separated from the next by a comma. For example:

    ["callsign"],
    ["gate", "actype"]
    

    Defines a two line tag with the aircraft callsign on the first line and the assigned gate and type of the aircraft on the second line.

  • background_colour - this second sub-settings group defines the background colour of the tag.

    • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

  • background_colour_on_runway - this second sub-settings group defines the background colour of the tag when an aircraft enters a runway monitored by RIMCAS (without an alert).

    • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

  • text_color - this second sub-settings group defines the colour of the text on the aircraft's tag.

    • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.

• uncorrelated - a sub-settings group controlling the appearance of the tags of aircraft whose flight plan data has not been correlated to the aircraft target.

  • definition - this setting defines the content and layout of the aircraft tag. Tag item names should be enclosed in quotation marks and separate tag items on the same line should be separated by commas. Tag items defined in separate sets of square brackets will be displayed on separate lines and each set square brackets should be separated from the next by a comma. For example:

    ["callsign"],
    ["gate", "actype"]
    

    Defines a two line tag with the aircraft callsign on the first line and the assigned gate and type of the aircraft on the second line.

  • background_colour - this second sub-settings group defines the background colour of the tag.

    • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

  • background_colour_on_runway - this second sub-settings group defines the background colour of the tag when an aircraft enters a runway monitored by RIMCAS (without an alert).

    • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

  • text_color - this second sub-settings group defines the colour of the text on the aircraft's tag.

    • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
    • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.

• rimcas - a sub-settings group controlling the settings of the RIMCAS system.

• rimcas_label_only - If set to true, when a RIMCAS alert triggers, a third line with the color of the stage will appear above the tag with the word "ALERT", if set to false, then the background color of the tag will change.

• use_red_symbol_for_emergencies - If set to true, an aircraft squawking 7700 will have its leader line and symbol in red instead of white.

• timer - this defines the times displayed on this RIMCAS timer in seconds. For example a value of [60, 45, 30, 15, 0] defines a RIMCAS timer with 60, 45, 30, 15 and 0 seconds displayed.

• timer_lvp - this option is the same as the timer option, however it is activated when LVPs are set as active in vSMR.

• rimcas_stage_two_speed_threshold - if the speed of an aircraft is greater than the speed defined here (in knots) then stage two of the RIMCAS system will activate.

• background_color_stage_one - this second sub-settings group defines the colour of the background of an aircraft's tag when the RIMCAS stage one warning has activated for that aircraft.

  • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

• background_color_stage_two - this second sub-settings group defines the colour of the background of an aircraft's tag when the RIMCAS stage two warning has activated for that aircraft.

  • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

• targets - a sub-settings group controlling the appearance of Aircraft Target Symbols.

• show_primary_target - if this is set to true then the primary radar response aircraft target symbol is displayed to the user (this is a yellow aircraft symbol by default), whereas if this setting is set to false then this is not shown.

• target_color - this second sub-settings group defines the colour of the primary radar response aircraft target symbol.

  • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

• history_one_color - this second sub-settings group defines the colour of the first history trail symbol of a primary radar response aircraft target.

  • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

• history_two_color - this second sub-settings group defines the colour of the second history trail symbol of a primary radar response aircraft target.

  • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

• history_three_color - this second sub-settings group defines the colour of the third history trail symbol of a primary radar response aircraft target.

  • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

• approach_insets - a sub-settings group controlling the appearance of the Approach Inset Windows.

• extended_lines_length - the length, in nautical miles, of the extended centerlines from each active runway on the approach inset display.

• extended_lines_ticks_spacing - the distance interval, in nautical miles, between each perpendicular 'tick' on the extended centreline from each active runway on the approach inset display.

• extended_lines_color - this second sub-settings group defines the colour of the extended centrelines from each active runway on the approach inset display.

  • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

• runway_color - this second sub-settings group defines the colour of the runways shown on the approach inset display.

  • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

• background_color - this second sub-settings group defines the background colour of the the approach inset display.

  • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
  • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.

• maps - a sub-settings group controlling the definition of custom airport runway boundaries.

• <Airport ICAO> - the first defined parameter should be the ICAO code of the airport for which custom runway boundaries are to be defined. The subsequent options are then a sub-set of this defined airport and multiple airports and runway definitions can be defined.

  • sids - a sub-settings group controlling what background colours should correspond with which SID.
    • names - a list of SIDs defined within a set of square brackets, followed by a comma (basically, an array)
    • color - this defines the background colour of tags with the SIDs defined in names:
      • r - the red value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
      • g - the green value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
      • b - the blue value of the RGB colour code from 0 to 255.
      • a - the alpha value code (controls the transparency) of the item from 0 to 255 where 0 is transparent and 255 is solid.
  • runway_name - the name of the runway which is to be defined - this should match the name of the runway in EuroScope e.g. for runway 09L this parameter should be set to 09L. Runways only need to be defined once: it is not necessary to define another runway boundary for the opposite runway direction.
    • path - this defines the runway outline as a set of joined latitude-longitude co-ordinates for normal visibility operations. Each co-ordinate should be defined within a set of square brackets and each co-ordinate should be separated by the next co-ordinate by a comma. It is not necessary to explicitly define the end point of the runway outline as the starting co-ordinate. An easy way to define runway outlines is using the .sline command in EuroScope see this page for information on its usage.
    • path_lvp - this will define the runway outline as a set of joined latitude-longitude co-ordinates for low visibility operations. The syntax required is the same as that for the path setting.

Once you are finished changing your settings, it is recommended that you validate your file using this website before using it with the plugin: jsonlint.com. If you make any mistakes in the syntax of the settings file vSMR will inform you when you next open EuroScope.