PDC reminder

[AliceFord]

After 3 minutes connected (?), poll hoppies to see if the station is connected. If not, probe to connect, if the controller is on GMP (or GMC with no one below if this isn't going to explode my brain)

[PLM1995]

Ideally any position covering GMP role :)

[AliceFord]

Could also quite easily have a config option to auto-connect if it's on, so then vStrips/vEFPS users can turn it off but we still get the benefit for the rest 🤔

[PLM1995]

If it's going to be a prompt, why not prompt immediately at log-on? SImpler than waiting 3 mins imo

[AliceFord]

Mainly because when you log on taking over from someone, they often won't have disconnected the PDC at that point so there's not much you can do. I think what would work well:

With auto-connect

On login, try auto-connect. If it fails, re-run after like 1/2 mins.

Without auto-connect

Prompt after, say, 5 minutes if no other PDC connection is detected to the current selected station.

[PLM1995]

Would be nice to know any time the Hoppie connection goes down at the airport you're covering DEL at. (e.g. GND has it but logs off, TWR is top-down, notify TWR "Would you like to connect smr hoppies").

Equally, imediately at log-on if it's not connected. I just feel 5 mins later is kinda useless cos 80% of the time I wanna connect it immediately.

[AliceFord]

The downside is that if it takes a second for vStrips or whatever else to connect we don't want to annoy the user with notifications. With auto-connect yeah it could be useful, maybe also a message to the GMP (or top-down) if vSMR notices that the connection has gone down

[19wintersp]

Transferring comments from #12 for consideration:

As I understand it, the impetus here is that controllers should, ideally, be reminded/encouraged to connect PDC when none is already connected, and they are the appropriate controller to provide that service. There are a couple of problems with this: first, that it's difficult for vSMR to identify whether the controller is providing GMP services (notably unlike UKCP, which has built-in functions for doing exactly this), and second, that the interaction with other clients (other controllers, or supporting controlling clients such as vStrips) is complex.

An auto-connect feature as described above would be set per-profile, which poses an immediate issue. Such an option would only be useful if it was the case that, for any instance in which the controller would be controlling using that profile, they provide GMP services, which is only true for aerodromes with no GMC or GMP positions, or for S1-rated controllers at aerodromes with only one GMP/GMC position.

What I'd suggest would be a feature where vSMR checks whether there already exists a Hoppie's connection when logging on as a controller, and prompts the controller to connect if not. If there does exist a connection, vSMR can periodically (~every 2 mins?) check that connection, and, if it becomes disconnected, the controller can be prompted to connect to replace it. Users of external tools for Hoppie's can opt out of this feature. Obviously, there exists one case where this implementation would be sub-par, in that where multiple ADCs are logged on and an extant Hoppie's connection for the aerodrome is dropped, in which event any of the ADCs could be prompted to connect in arbitrary order, depending on who detects it being down first. I think this is acceptable, since the controller first notified could then manually remind the appropriate controller to connect Hoppie's through coordination channels. To reduce the incidence of spurious reminders occurring during the period of handover, perhaps a short (~30s) delayed double-check could be made if the periodic check detects the connection being dropped before actually prompting the controller.

[MrAdder]

Currently, in PR #19, there is an option for Autoconnection, which is opt-in, however, I have also implemented the function on .smr connect. If the logon is in use, it will attempt to reconnect 5 times over 10 minutes before failing gracefully.

Currently, I am looking into checking the hoppies connection on login and to prompt on a timer; however, time constraints recently have stalled my progress.

[19wintersp]

On a point of order (:P), this issue is about automatic connection only, not retry on failed connect.

[BenWalker01]

Tad late (as per ususal). I don't really get the point of auto connection. It seems like a fair bit of faff to implement it properly, for not much practical use.

Perhaps useful to remind people PDC is a thing, but I don't really see the point in auto connecting potentially the wrong person