A few suggestions...



1. How about an intermediate stage between the chart and the print preview for the PLOG? When you select Print Centre - PLOG you get a display where you can select which columns you want to print. That way pilots can select as many or as few columns of data as they want.



2. The 'From' and 'To' points are listed vertically so that the 'To' for one leg becomes the 'From' for the next. The rest of the data line is then 'interlaced' as in the following...







3. Numeric data in the PLOG is centred in the cells.



4. Nav aids are checked, using Ident and Freq, so that they are not duplicated, thus saving space on the page (possibly do the same for ATC agencies, using Call-sign and Freq.



5. Different page settings for different options (i.e. set PLOG to print in A4 landscape, the airfield data in 2 per page, the NOTAMs and MET in A4 portrait, etc) and that SkyDemon remembers your settings so you don't have to keep changing settings for every option and every time you enter Print Centre.





Just food for thought. What do others think???



MFC



[Edited to add image in #2 as text did not show idea clearly]

good initiative with a concrete example

I would also welcome a possibility to tick which columns to print and which not (as I wouldn't print MSA and IAS)

Milan

Hi, I'm testing the SkyDemon evaluation at the moment and I can see that the PLOG format could be a stumbling block for me also. I too would prefer a larger print on A5 paper. Can you please confirm whether or not it's possible to customise the PLOG? Or save it to HTML, Excel...?

Secondly, is the method or formula for calculating the wind heading and speed used on each leg of the PLOG documented anywhere?

Thank you.

We're still reviewing the PLOG format. Formulas for transforming track to heading to account for wind, and getting groundspeed from that, are documented all over the place. SkyDemon also has climbs and descents to take into account when it calculates the actual time and average groundspeed of a leg.

My 2 cents on this topic: I think you could save a bit of space in the PLOGs simply by removing the TR(T)... True Track is as useful as tits-on-a-bull when actually airborne IMHO.  Mag Track and Mag Heading are more relevant.

I think your easiest path would be an export to Excel option as most people have this and then we can all modify the PLOGs to our collective hearts' content :-)

Many people maybe, but NOT ALL people.



The best option for EVERYONE is a customizable PLOG within SkyDemon, but until that day at least modify it to suit the majority.



MFC

What about Open Office, free of charge Excel work-alike?  http://www.openoffice.org/

Why should users HAVE TO use/download a third-party software in order to use functionality that is already written into SkyDemon? As I said in my last post, the BEST option is for SkyDemon to allow users full modification of their PLOG. Until then apply the changes to the PLOG that most users that have posted want.



In the long run then yes, I agree, the EXTRA functionality to allow export to Excel/OpenOffice would be welcome, but that should not be the ONLY option (IMHO).



MFC

MFC - take a chill pill bro   you don't HAVE TO do anything!  I have been happily flying around with the PLOGs that come with the software I bought from SkyDemon and am very happy with... all I am saying is for EXTRA flexibility I, for one, would be very happy with an Excel export and that his si probably something they could do relatively quickly/easily. I would also be happy with more modifiable PLOG report formats natively.

Here is my chilled out 2p worth.

I suspect that, like me, most people who have a usable GPS device running SD in flight, rarely look at the time & distance stuff on the PLOG. It only comes into its own if the GPS goes bang!

For RT frequencies, I'm still old fashioned and put them on my kneeboard along with QFEs, QNH and a runway diagram with circuit height L or R and any other key infor such as NO OHJ etc.

I am sure we all have our own preferred way of doing this and I doubt Tim will be able to please us all  .. but the required data is all there now.

For what its worth, I happen to like the Navbox PLOG .. you can print it very well on an A6 printer!!

D