PlanePlotter 6.5.2.4 Released

[Triple7]

From Bev,

Hi,

PlanePlotter version 6.5.2.4 is on the web site now.
http://www.planeplotter.com#download

---Usual boilerplate---
Updates are free to registered users.

You may need to exercise your browser Refresh function to force it to show you the new version of the PlanePlotter web page. If you post a message complaining that the web page is still pointing to an earlier version, you pay a forfeit - unless I forgot to update the web page, in which case I pay a forfeit!

You can install the new version over the old one but you *must* close/exit PlanePlotter before installing the new one. Your settings from the previous installation will be preserved. Nic's installer will warn you if PlanePlotter is still running when you try to install the new version.

If you have a version-specific firewall, you may have to reassure it that the new version is permitted to access the Internet. Be aware that increasingly, security systems treat any new file as a threat without any justification except that it is new. Please don't write to me about it; write to your security system provider and ask them to make their program smarter.
-----------

New in version 6.5.2.4

Background Map options

This option introduces the option [to] use personal keys for the MapQuest OSM maps and Google Maps, which are used as a background to PlanePlotter display.
The personal keys are entered into the program using 'Options..Chart..MapQuest key' or 'Options..Chart..Google Maps key'.

If you acquire a key from either or both of those suppliers, you will probably not exhaust the personal free allocation under normal circumstances.
Obtaining a key for Google Maps (Static Map API) requires you to give them your credit card details, but the MapQuest key does not make that demand.

Dan has very kindly offered to describe how to obtain and use those keys so I will happily leave that to him.

Data access security

As some users have been overloaded with data requests from people outside of the PlanePlotter community, this release provides additional protection against such attacks.
A minor consequence of this change, is that when you first turn on and start PlanePlotter processing, you will find that it takes a few minutes before Mlats and hypersharing start to work. 
This is the time it takes to propagate to all Ground Stations that your system is authorised to make such requests. 
I hope that is an acceptable penalty to obviate the bandwidth overload that some users have experienced.

Regards
Bev
COAA


Information on how to obtain and setup the MapQuest keys.

From Dan:

Hi all,

All users of Bev's COAA software (just not PP) have always been using COAA's own MapQuest key for access to their OSM Open Street Maps products.  Recently this has caused problems because we have been exceeding the number of free charts that MapQuest allows.  That limit is 15,000 per month.

Great news!

It is VERY easy for anyone to obtain their very own personal MapQuest key that will give YOU 15,000 free charts per month.  You do NOT have to be a software developer or provide any detail except for basic name and e-mail to obtain a key.  There is no credit card required to get a free account.  If you go over the limit (not likely) it will just stop working.

Anyone that does not get a free MapQuest key will continue using Bev's key as now.  That might or not continue to work.

-----

Directions to get a personal MapQuest key:

1.  Go to the linked site below:

https://developer.mapquest.com/plans

2.  Look at the far left and locate the "FREE 15,000 transactions per month $0 per month" option and select the "Get Started" button.

3.  Enter the required info: Notes below for two items.

Username:  Can be anything.  Possibly use your FirstLast and a few numbers to be unique.  Anything you like.

Company: Can be anything.  You do NOT have to have a company or be a software developer.  I just used "DanHenry" as my company name.

The "terms and conditions" and "privacy policy" seem very standard to me.  Most of that would only even be a factor if you used your account and actually logged in to the MapQuest web site for online use.  I only intend to use the key within PP.

• You do have to accept the terms.
  [ ] You do NOT have to accept e-mail updates.  They will send you one welcome e-mail either way.
  
  Select "Sign Me Up" at the bottom.
  
  4. I am not positive, since I created my account on 01 March 2021, but I believe the next screen you see will be the "Manage Keys" one linked below.  If not, you can find "Manage Keys" on the left side menu once you are logged in.
  
  https://developer.mapquest.com/user/me/apps
  
  5.  Your new account will automatically have a key assigned to "My Application".  That "My Application" will automatically have a MapQuest key that will work within PP.  If you want to keep things very simple and just use this one key, select the arrow to the far right of "My Application" to see the details.
  
  The field labeled "Consumer Key"  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, is the MapQuest key that you will need to copy/paste in to the new version of PP which supports it.  You will NOT be using the "Consumer Secret" value at all.
  
  See PP "Options.. Chart.. MapQuestKey.." and enter your personal "Consumer Key".
  
  Note:  If you enter your personal key, PP will use yours.  If the MapQuest key is blank, it will use Bev's which has a free limit of 15,000 / month.  That is how PP works now.
  
  6. Highly suggest you add your MapQuest username, password, e-mail used, and MapQuest key value to wherever you store your other important password and account details.
  
  ---
  
  Optional key use:
  
  1. If you prefer, you could select
• edit and change the "My Application Key" info.  That would let you change the name to something like "PlanePlotter".  Just leave the "Callback URL" field blank.  There is no reason or real advantage to changing this for most users.
  
  2. If you prefer, you could also select "Create a New Key".  This would let you create another key named PlanePlotter.  Again, just leave the "Callback URL" field blank.  This is mainly for advanced users that would like to use different keys for different purposes.  The keys can later be revoked if needed.
  
  Note: You only need one key for PP.  For most that will be the default key created under "My Application Keys".  If you do create other keys, they are all grouped together under your single account and all use the free 15,000 transactions per month you have.
  
  ---
  
  That's it.  It is very easy and quick to get a key.  Thank you Bev for adding this capability to PP.  My instructions are long and painful as always (grin), because I try and anticipate possible problems and questions.
  
  Regards,
  -Dan [/color]
  
  Tim