[FR] "Quiet" option for ModelMatchRule

Support Pilot Software
1

I would like to configure the model matching to say “if you have some mod installed use it, otherwise fallback to this other mod, otherwise use this”

That is almost possible by using ModelMatchRule the following way:

<ModelMatchRule TypeCode="C172" ModelName="Super Pretty C172 mod" />
<ModelMatchRule TypeCode="C172" ModelName="Less Pretty C127" />
<ModelMatchRule TypeCode="C172" ModelName="Generic FooBar Asobo" />

However, for all users of this configuration that do NOT have “Super Pretty C172 mod” installed, this dumps error messages in vpilot which make the message window pretty hard to read.

I would like to suggest the creation of a ModelMatchRule option that tells vpilot to not log an error if a particular matchrule results in a mod not being found. Maybe ‘verbosity’. It would allow configurations as such:

<ModelMatchRule TypeCode="C172" ModelName="Super Pretty C172 mod" verbosity="quiet" />
<ModelMatchRule TypeCode="C172" ModelName="Less Pretty C127" verbosity="quiet" />
<ModelMatchRule TypeCode="C172" ModelName="Generic FooBar Asobo" />

This way VMR files could be shared among folks with different installed mods.

Cheers!

2

I don’t see much point in this. If you don’t have the models, don’t install the rules. VMR files are not meant to be shared with people that don’t have the corresponding model sets installed.

3

The point is that folks create VMRs that they want to share and folks have different models installed. for instance, I see multiple VMRs with “lookalike” planes configured. These cannot attempt to use mods if don’t want to risk flooding the message window with such error.

4

Another point would be that I don’t always fly with the same set of mods installed (Attested by the popularity of MSFS addons linker). It’d be great to say be able to say “use the a2a comanche if it’s loaded, otherwise don’t worry about it”

5

Again, this is not what VMR files are for. They are for precisely customizing your model matching, and for sharing a set of rules that matches a given set of models. They are not for listing a set of rules that may or may not apply to a given installation.

As I mentioned in Discord, what you’re really looking for is a database of known models, which is something that vPilot has, but it hasn’t been updated in a while. It’s that database that powers the automatic rule generation. I’ve considered integrating the swift model database (I have their permission) and that may still happen, but it just hasn’t been a huge priority yet.

More information on my thoughts and plans here: Feedback requested on proposed model matching changes - vPilot - VATSIM Community

6

You’re correct that what I want is the database of model matching you describe in your other post about model matching. However this seems like a large endeavor that is being discussed for years and for which no work has started.

My proposal is a lower hanging fruit. Implementation is likely trivial. Folks would share VMR in lieu of updating a central database like swift does.

I agree it is a divergence from the original intent of VMR files.