QGroundControl AQ version 1.1.0.a3 -- talking Windows test

[Max]

Peter (sandmen) and I would like to invite everyone to try out the latest version of QGC and let us know how it runs on your machines. We have merged code with the latest from the official QGC repository, which is now at version 1.0.2 (beta). This seems to be running well with our setups and test environments, but some more testing diversity would be very useful before we continue with this code base.

I've also built a Mac OS X version that needs to be tested. I can verify that it runs on my Snow Leopard VM, but that's about it. EDIT: I added a Linux build from my Fedora 14 VM, if anyone wants to try that out. We can also send you the code to compile yourself.

Of particular interest with the updated QGC is that saving and restoring parameters to/from files on the computer seems to work now.

Thanks in advance for your participation!
-Max

Release notes:

v1.1.0 alpha 1 – January 5, 2013

This release is based on the latest official QGC version 1.0.2 beta (https://github.com/mavlink/qgroundcontrol). This is primarily a “stability test” release to make sure the changes do not negatively affect functionality.

~ A number of visual updates have been made to improve the look/feel of the application. Should now also look better with light-background color schemes (such as “outdoor” and native styles).
+ Added AQ log export functionality, accessible from the log viewer tab. This is a GUI for the logDump command-line utility (which is included). Exports to flat text, GPX, and KML formats, with many options (documentation of the various options is embedded in the UI).
+ Added AQ Telemetry view (for use with future AQ6.6 firmware functionality).
~ AQ-specific settings are now saved in QGC shared storage instead of the Aq.ini file. If an Aq.ini file is found, settings are migrated to the new location. This will make it easier to preserve settings between installs.
+ First OS X release — experimental! Does NOT include cal.exe and sim3.exe parameter calculation utilities (calculations need to be done on Win/Linux for now).

Download links:

[kinderkram]

Good job, Peter & Max!

The look&feel is much better now the title bars of the windows and the buttons differ from the background.
As for stability: when playing with the log file functions the GUI sometimes hangs after activating/deactivating values forth and back and draw the curves. Happened on WinXP32 - will test it on Win7-64 later today.

btw: wouldn't it be nice to edit the splash image file and add the versions numbers of QGC & AQ widget there?
So the users notices the current version on startup...

splash.png (108.8 KiB) Viewed 19775 times

[skew]

I get google earth plugin not installed on Mac version but the plugin test ok in Safari,Chrome, and Firefox. I also downloaded the Mac version from Qgroundcontrol and it has the same problems. Im running on Mountain Lion. Going to tinker around and play with it some I don't know if its my configuration or the software.

[axelnied]

[kinderkram]

Found another problem in the WinGUI (also happened in previous versions): when I try to arrange the windows i.e. in the Operator tab (map as main widget on top, mission plan as tool widget below) I can't resize the wp window properly. If I try to enlarge it and shove the bar up, the bar jumps down and makes the window even smaller.
The map seams to have a min. height which makes it impossible to edit the wps.
Only chance is to detach the waypoints from the main window, resize it and place it where it doesn't hide other widgets.

No big deal but a bit annoying with small monitors in the field...

btw: on my XP32 it crashes/hangs/freezes more often when using the log display functions. On my Win7-64 I couldn't replicate these problems. Not a single crash so far.

Another minor confusion occurs when I try to save the curves as an image, the background turns black and stays black until I close and re-open the program.

These all seem to be related to graphical issues rather than stability in general. In fact it looks like the most stable version since. On win7 I can mistreat it at will without problems.
Older versions often crashed when there's nothing attached to a COM port or when no port is active.

[Max]

Hi guys, thanks for the reports!

Will check out the log viewer issues... they did change some stuff in the base line plotter class that we're using, so perhaps something in there could be optimized. I never use the image saver, so good catch on that.

Mission planner resizing -- haven't noticed but will check it out!

Love the splash graphic... the AQ logo should be in there, you're right! As for the version numbers... it would be pretty annoying to have to edit the graphic for every change, and I'm not sure we can pull in the version numbers dynamically early enough in the startup process for anyone to see them. But I'll check that out.

Glad to hear it seems more stable rather than less! I thought so too... I have an ancient P866 WinXP laptop I use with the AQ sometimes and could get the older QGC to crash "on demand" with that setup, but this version seems better.

On OS X I couldn't get the GE plugin to load either. Wasn't sure if it was just my setup or what. QGC is using WebKit on Mac (if I'm not mistaken) and I haven't figured out how to install the plugin "into" WK. I also noticed the HUD widget doesn't work on my Mac.

Cheers,
-Max

[kinderkram]

re startup: what about the message "Starting user interface" which overlays the splash image?
Couldn't this be replaced by the version #s?
btw: editing the image for a new version wouldn't be a big deal once it's prepared.

[skew]

Max, I just checked Hud is working on my mac both main widget & tool widget. It would be sweet to get the mac working because it has voice or figure out how to get voice working on windows. I don't know if there is much hope for GE plugin as far as I can tell we need a 64 bit version and Google only has x86 ver for Mac. There should be a way because the browsers are using it. I think they are running it in java. But Im no programmer.

[Max]

Norbert, yea, it wouldn't a big deal to edit the graphic but it's just another thing to remember/do before a release... there's kinda a lot of that to take care of already... I'll see about displaying the version there dynamically, but since the AQ widget code (and hence the version #) doesn't load until very late in the startup process, it might be a moot point (or we'd have to move the version definitions into the core QGC code, but that has its own issues).

Skew, glad to hear the HUD works for you! That was actually my biggest concern. Yea, I was rather surprised when it started talking to me while I was testing on the Mac... Maybe we can get that working on Windows (or maybe it already does if one has the right bits for text-to-speech installed?).

Unfortunately the GE plugin isn't even an option on the Linux builds... The does state that the plugin is supported on OS X though... so hopefully there's a way to get it working.

-Max

[bluuu]

I noticed some problem with download ver for windows.
Download stoped in diferents stages, sometimes at 8MB, 20MB.
When I trying download via download manager (flashget) it stoped at 99,9% and could'nt finish.

Check it please.