After the latest update, I cannot select a place in the world with GPS coordinates anymore… When I type GPS coordinates in the search window, the fly button does not work for me…
Anybody else experiencing the same?
There are many different representations of GPS coordinates such as Decimal Degrees (34.525847222, -115.0094), Degrees Decimal Minutes (34° 31.550’ N 115° 0.564’ W), and Degrees Minutes Seconds (34° 31’ 33.05” N 115° 00’ 33.84” W). These have different formats especially for indicating N, S, E, W. Some apps need to have a coordinates in a specific format.
To enter a GPS location in MSFS use:
- Decimal Degrees (results are in Degrees Minutes Seconds)
- Degrees Decimal Minutes - format: 33D11.45’N 114D4.2’W
- Degrees Minutes Seconds - needs a specific format to work which is not the same format displayed in the Search results. The coordinate format needs to be entered as 34°31’33.04”N 115°00’33.87”W or 34D31’33.04”N, 115D00’33.87”W (substituting “D” for the degree symbol.
MSFS Search format is VERY particular about spaces and commas. Adding spaces in the wrong places will mess up the search and no result is displayed.
For me the problem with the GPS coordinates search is that there is no documentation or error message when using an invalid format. When no results are displayed, it is easy to assume that GPS coordinates cannot be used in the search box or that the search box is broken. But they can be displayed if the correct “secret” format is used.
Locate your spot on Google Maps (on a PC), right click the spot, then click the coordinates at the top of the context menu. This will place the coordinates in your clipboard. Back in the sim, click in the search field and then hit Ctrl+V to paste them into the sim. On a console, you should be able to use a keyboard to type them in, but I can’t say for certain since I don’t have one. The format should look like this:
36.14068963445837, -79.86864793523435
That’s on comma followed by a single space before the next number. It’s also the building where I live…
Edit: More decimal places get you a more precise location, but just 3-4 places should be more than enough. I just put those coordinates back into Maps with only three places after the decimal and the pointer was still only two buildings away.
Could not resist: xkcd: Coordinate Precision
“You’re pointing to Waldo on a page.”
I’m dead!!!
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