Any more feeback out there?
Always interested in feedback, whatever the type. ie:
It all gets considered and thrown into the development mixer, though I can’t guarantee exactly what might come out. 
Not sure how doable these are, but a couple of nice-to-haves come to mind:
- Column width adjustment
- Ability to export the list to a text file (csv, xml)
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You can do this - at least it worked on the name column already. Didn’t try others.
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Hey, it does work, and for the other columns too. I guess I was expecting an adjustment “handle” to appear like in Excel.
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Yeah, the column width adjustment is there, I forgot to mention that. 10 points for discovery!
Can’t do cursor handle changes like desktop apps atm though, because the game hijacks the mouse cursor for the UI, which kills the ability to do that unless you can hook into it.
Export is already on the todo list, it seems doable, but will see.
Some UX improvements I’ve made to the Pro version. OP updated.
Performance improvements and fixes under the hood as well.
Update: Fixed a bug with base install, if you select a livery it’s not reflected on the aircraft selection screen.
Update: Release is almost squeezes fingers there. Stay tuned!
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I have only just found (doh!) this thread, and am enthused to have done so: your development looks great, and I’m definitely in the market for a paid version, when available.
I notice from the link provided that you envisage a Marketplace version being available, which I would almost certainly use. The Marketplace gets a bad press from many because of the wait for releases, etc, but - probably because I’m lazy! - I don’t mind it, preferring the auto-update nature over knowing that I need to monitor lots of different dev websites to keep ads-ons up to date … (Though I do use ORBX for the same reason, if you may consider making it available there also?)
As others have said, I wonder what user experience design choices / decisions Microsoft and Asobo ever considered, to have got so far with MSFS and to have managed NOT to have implemented or allowed for this kind of functionality in the first place …
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Hey Wings!
Thanks for your comments, and input.
I notice from the link provided that you envisage a Marketplace version being available, which I would almost certainly use. The Marketplace gets a bad press from many because of the wait for releases, etc, but - probably because I’m lazy! - I don’t mind it, preferring the auto-update nature over knowing that I need to monitor lots of different dev websites to keep ads-ons up to date
I aim to release it on the Marketplace, and have started the process, but there’s a few hurdles to jump through and a pathway to navigate, so it’s not 100% it will get there. There is also an awfully long lead time to get through the release system even if you are approved for release it seems, so don’t hold your breathe on that is all I can say for now.
And you’re absolutely correct about the ease of use for keeping addons updated.
It’s also a pain from the development side, having an easy system for user notification and download links for updates is essential, whether through stores or direct. There’s a few things you need to consider as well.
(Though I do use ORBX for the same reason, if you may consider making it available there also?)
I’m talking to the stores atm to see what’s possible.
On that, what do people think about addons being exclusive to one store?
Is that a good thing, or bad? I’m undecided atm, still thinking the pros/cons.
Would be interested in what people think!
I’ll most likely sell direct as well, but the issue there is marketing and visibility. Trade offs!
As others have said, I wonder what user experience design choices / decisions Microsoft and Asobo ever considered, to have got so far with MSFS and to have managed NOT to have implemented or allowed for this kind of functionality in the first place …
I can see why, in a general way. The MSFS UI has been designed around a console first paradigm, and you can understand the UI design choices once you see that, even though they could have added a few tweaks here and there to improve the UX. Another thing is I gather the whole UI system was being written from scratch so they had to balance developing an architecture, technical base, and a useable cross platform design for most use cases. It’s not surprising a few things got dropped.
Once you get into grids, like Aircraft Manager, while you could possibly use a gamepad it would be a clunky, slower, and sub-optimal way of interacting with it. It really switches to a keyboard/mouse paradigm using that style of interace. Fortunately, the XBOX with MSFS does officially support KBM, but I’m not sure how big a % of the XBOX user base has them in addition to controllers. That would be nice to know, if anyone does!
In the meantime, please test out the free version and see what you think.
It should allow you to do a few things you couldn’t before, and see if you like the general approach, as well as if it’s stable on your system (should be, but that’s why we test!).
More details on the website link in the OP.
Enjoy!
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I usually buy direct, so long as PayPal is accepted. Otherwise I’ll buy from Just Flight and flightsim dot to. I typically avoid other retailers, especially simmarket.
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Same as JollyGreen for me. Plus Orbx. I have bought single items from a few other places but try to avoid that as I have enough accounts already!
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It’s kind of crazy isn’t it?
I stopped using Assetto Corsa because of Mod Management craziness, now just use AMS2.
MSFS just brought it right back. They made the right decision to be moddable, but the explosion of content and supply channels means you have to make some choices eventually if you want to stay sane managing that.
Doesn’t really bother me either way, though exclusivity is probably easier for you. Assuming a level playing field (price parity, no sales or discounts), my order of purchase precedence is direct, Just Flight, fs.to, and Orbx. If there’s no other option then I’ll go Marketplace and SimMarket.
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I’ll try the free version, thanks!
I have no knowledge on the technicalities of this (!), but would concede the ‘console first paradigm’ choice. IMO, though, that doesn’t really justify many of the ‘clunky’ choices?
I can see many reasons why they wouldn’t want to seem to copy it, but I think X Plane (just as, if not more, moddable) already had much better ways of doing many of these things?
I use a game pad (not for MSFS), and the alternative methods of cursor control, free movement with a stick, and/or jumping input fields with a trigger or bumper, seem to me to be exactly the same in concept (in execution?) as a mouse and keyboard tabbing?
The use of screen real estate (32 inch 4k plus a tablet for Navigraph for me) is very wasteful, and yet still we have livery thumbnails that are so small and poorly composed that you cannot see the livery alternatives that are being presented!
Sorry, all a bit of a, practically, pointless rant … but it made me feel a bit better 
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If you’re used to how a mouse works then I agree it’s a totally acceptable (even if a bit slower) way of navigating, but “console first” assumes users have never used a mouse, in which case that method would be quite alien and not user-friendly “to them”, so unfortunately I think that is the reason it would never be considered as the only navigation method available. More so if only ONE area of the menus suddenly employed that method, being different to other screens.
It can be done. Look at what Valve has done with making a mouse-centric interface (Steam + Store) work fine on their Steam Deck. But it took them a lot of effort and it’s still a bit clunky in places. For sure they can do it but it would be prioritising in their development and quite frankly they have bigger fish to fry! 
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I installed the free version and tested today. Its a welcome improvement over the default aircraft selection capability.
I take it the free version notes column now displays the the developer URL however are the numbers supposed to be showing up in front of https? I didn’t see that in earlier screenshots.
Given that favorites is a Pro only feature the single character Tag limitation is a bit harsh. Three characters would provide more usefulness with 30 characters still being an incentive to go for the Pro version. Example FAV - Favorite, BSH - Bush, STL - STOL, AIR - Airliner etc.
In any case I tagged a few of my Favorite planes with an “F” and I think I’m seeing a bug. The top 2 rows in the screenshot aren’t showing the “F” character any more and if I click to edit that cell it shows empty but can’t type anything to change it. I’m able to add a letter Tag to other aircraft still and edit ones where the letter “F” is visible.
If I change the sorting to the Name column and then resort by Tag again those 2 planes re-appear at the top of the list so I would guess the “Tag” is still there but just no longer visible.
Thanks for creating this addon.
Hi Tigger,
Thanks for the feedback.
Just a debug counter of the row number. I should probably remove that, a leftover from fixing an issue.
Given that favorites is a Pro only feature the single character Tag limitation is a bit harsh. Three characters would provide more usefulness with 30 characters still being an incentive to go for the Pro version. Example FAV - Favorite, BSH - Bush, STL - STOL, AIR - Airliner etc.
Even one character gives you (in english) 26 characters + 10 numbers (more if you use other characters) to quick tag things. Practically you probably wouldn’t do more than a few anyway, though. Still, it’s entirely useable, albeit limited. Also, the dedicated favorites feature in pro just uses 1 character F tag as well.
In any case I tagged a few of my Favorite planes with an “F” and I think I’m seeing a bug. The top 2 rows in the screenshot aren’t showing the “F” character any more and if I click to edit that cell it shows empty but can’t type anything to change it. I’m able to add a letter Tag to other aircraft still and edit ones where the letter “F” is visible. If I change the sorting to the Name column and then resort by Tag again those 2 planes re-appear at the top of the list so I would guess the “Tag” is still there but just no longer visible.
If you could explain the sequence of actions you took that made it happen (if you clearly remember) that would be helpful, as it’s a little unclear the order of what you did.
Had you already added an F to the top two that are now blank?
That white square in the text edit box is a little strange too. Did you try backspace/delete in the box, then click out to save it?
How many planes in total did you have? Were all the results on one page?
What happens with sort is that if you are in a result set that spans pages your view may change as the sort is across the entire set of pages, so you may need to page forward or backwards to see what you were after. That may or may not be the case. Can you post a full screenshot, showing the whole UI?
I’ll try and recreate it, if I can. Replication is the key to solving bugs.
Thanks!
PS: Product support & bug reports are via the contact form at the bottom of Aircraft Manager for MSFS - Sonicviz
The same thing has happened to mine. I have that white box in the field and cannot edit it any more.
It was ones that I had already added tags to, then changed it to something else I think. Now the something else is not showing up BUT it must be aware of the ORIGINAL letter I put as it’s listing them in that order it seems. I did use “F” then changed my mind to make it a different way as I realised F alone was not enough to list out planes I want to look for:
So now I have G = Glider / H = Helicopter / S = Stick control plane / Y = Yoke control plane
I no longer wanted “F” but internally it seems to have kept those as blanks, and listing them above “G” alphabetically. So seems to be when you overwrite a tag, it doesn’t store the new one. Hope that helps.
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