Dynon Skyview Checklists

I like the new checklist functionality contained in Rev 14 of the Dynon Skyview software. But, and this is a big BUT, trying to create and successfully upload one of these checklist files is a major PITA! I'm a BIG Dynon fan and love the system in my airplane but I can't believe that Dynon can't provide a little more descriptive error checking for the checklist files.

If you try and upload a checklist file, and it contains one tiny error anywhere in the file, you get a message that simply says "UPLOAD ERROR," or something close to that (I'm too lazy to look up the actual message). You get ZERO feedback on what the problem is or how to correct the error. So, get ready to spend lots of time scrolling through endless lines of text looking for errors, saving the new file, uploading to your Skyview, getting another error message, and trying it over, and over, and over!

The one useful tip they give you is to comment (using the # symbol) any (or all) potentially problematic lines, then try and upload without an error. I spent about two hours today going back and forth with this process and still don't have a completely functional checklist file.

Dynon needs to provide a better checklist development tool or, at a minimum, allow the system software to provide more information about the problem with an uploaded file. I'm guessing any first year college level computer science major could develop an error detection program like this. Why Dynon didn't provide one is beyond me!

RANT OVER!
Randy

It will be ok

I work in the IT industry as a software engineer and often deal with similar issues where a customer tries to send a character through an interface that is not expected and causes an error something like you describe. It is very difficult, and yes frustrating, to determine the cause since the code was not expecting the character and therefore simply logs an error. At least they are catching the error (not crashing) so they can improve on this NEW feature with your help.

To be safe, use only upper case, lower case and standard symbols allowed in file names. A list of these can be found online. It is not so much a limitation of the Dynon software but a limitation of the underlying operating system, I suspect.

EDIT: Also noted below is the requirement for UTF-8 file encoding, which allows a wider set of symbols (and languages) versus ANSI.

Are you writing your checklist in word or notepad? If youre in word, open it and save it via notepad. Look for weird characters. I also read that you cannot use an ampersand.

SkyView checklist

I wrote this up on another post the other day, then Dynon posted it on there forum right after I did.

Read the below message, and it will answer how to write and save. The main reason it didn't work is you have to save it as a UTF-8 file, not ANSI which is the default encoding.



Just got off the phone with Dynon to check up on something else, so I had to asked the big question that is on everyone else's mind about the checklist format, and why it won't install. I too was trying to get a checklist installed on my system, and keep getting the ERROR message. After reading the post on their forum, I thought that I might have figured it out, but when I talked to them, they told me that they just figured it out themselves.

Now, I have corrected mine, but can't check it out until I get home next week.

What I was told was this.

After downloading their TXT template, and filling in your checklist, when you save it in notepad or Word, save it in the Encoding format of UTF-8, not ANSI. There is a pull down menu on the SAVE and SAVE-AS menu that will allow you to change it from ANSI to UTF-8. Save the file as checklist.txt, don't include anything else in the file name. They tell me that will fix the installation ERROR and install.

As I said, I have not tried this, and can't until next week, but if anyone tries this and it works, please post for others.



Brian

OK, received note from GucciDan and he said that he followed my instructions and his checklist loaded as advertised, so happy che

Randy,
Have you used our Excel tool which allows you to graphically edit a checklist, and does all the error checking and formatting for you?

It was released a few days after the v14 software so you may not have seen it:

http://dynonavionics.com/docs/support_software_choice.html

Got It, but Whewwwwww!

I finally got my, fairly complex checklist file to work. No, I didn't use the Dynon Tool. I couldn't get the tool to save a file.

But, I did manage to get my handcrafted text file to work using the troubleshooting technique that Dynon suggested. I sequentially commented out, using the # symbol, each individual checklist section. That helped me find the errors. It turns out that a missing period, and two periods that should have been commas, were causing problems.

The Dynon provided EXCEL tool seems like an excellent aid but I couldn't make it work either. When I tried to save a file, I got this message.


I applaud Dynon for making the editing tool available. It is exactly the sort of approach that a company like Dynon should take. Nobody should have to go through the text file editing process to get a checklist upload to work. The product is just too great for that kind of Mickey Mouse stuff.

I'm sure the Excel tool will be working great soon or they'll come up with some other user friendly editor.

Keep up the good work Dynon!

Randy,
I can see from the screenshot that you have a Mac....

The reason we started with a text file is so that any computer running any OS can edit it. We knew if we released a proprietary file format and then made a Windows utility, it would be only seconds before we were told by all the Mac and Linux users that they were left out. We're pretty happy that so far, all SkyView updates and files can be done on any OS.

However, the Mac is why the Excel tool didn't work. As we've now found out, all the script functions available on Windows in Excel are not available on a Mac, and they are needed to cajole Excel into making the file we need. See, we try and do a good deed...

We're looking into how to serve Mac users better.

--Ian @ Dynon

Doesn't . . . . .

. . . . . work on my Chromebook either

dynonsupport said:

Randy,
I can see from the screenshot that you have a Mac....

The reason we started with a text file is so that any computer running any OS can edit it. We knew if we released a proprietary file format and then made a Windows utility, it would be only seconds before we were told by all the Mac and Linux users that they were left out. We're pretty happy that so far, all SkyView updates and files can be done on any OS.

However, the Mac is why the Excel tool didn't work. As we've now found out, all the script functions available on Windows in Excel are not available on a Mac, and they are needed to cajole Excel into making the file we need. See, we try and do a good deed...

We're looking into how to serve Mac users better.

--Ian @ Dynon

Click to expand...

dynonsupport said:

Randy,
I can see from the screenshot that you have a Mac....

The reason we started with a text file is so that any computer running any OS can edit it. We knew if we released a proprietary file format and then made a Windows utility, it would be only seconds before we were told by all the Mac and Linux users that they were left out. We're pretty happy that so far, all SkyView updates and files can be done on any OS.

However, the Mac is why the Excel tool didn't work. As we've now found out, all the script functions available on Windows in Excel are not available on a Mac, and they are needed to cajole Excel into making the file we need. See, we try and do a good deed...

We're looking into how to serve Mac users better.

--Ian @ Dynon

Click to expand...

Hah! No good deed goes unpunished.
When I wrote my excel sheet, I avoided macros for this reason. However, the nested if statements I used in the formulas got pretty wild. I do believe, however, that it is possible to make a universal tool that runs on all platforms wihout macros or scripts.

Maybe I'll try.

FYI, the scripts are there to do data validation, but also to allow directly saving to a text file in UTF-8 format. It's the UTF-8 call that isn't supported on Macs. I don't think you can trick Excel into saving into a text file with the formatting you want without a script.

I am using Excel 2016 and I cant enter anything into the excel sheet without getting this error....In this case, I typed "Check Oil Level" into the PRE-FLIGHT column and hit "enter"

Mac workaround

Thanks to Dynon for pointing out the incompatibility between their Excel Checklist tool and the Mac (OS X) operating system. I occasionally need to run Windows apps on my MacBook Pro and use an emulator called Parallels. It works well for every Windows based app I've ever needed. I'm running Windows 10 using Parallels. I opened the Dynon Checklist Tool on Excel in Windows 10 and it worked flawlessly.

As an OBTW, I also use Parallels / Windows to run the Vertical Power VPX Configurator tool since that is a Windows only application.

Thanks for the help Dynon!

My Checklist File

I've pasted my entire checklist file below. Website imposes an 8000 character limit so I deleted CHKLST17 block (Light Signals).

# This is a checklist file for N212CS composed by Randy King
# LINES ARE 31 CHARACTERS LONG ON A SKYVIEW 40 PERCENT PAGE
# LINES ARE 40 CHARACTERS LONG ON A SKYVIEW 50 PERCENT PAGE
# LINES WITH MORE CHARACTERS THAN ABOVE ARE NOT WRAPPED AND WILL NOT SHOW
# N212CS_Checklist_Template_Rev_C.txt

CHKLST0.TITLE, PRE-FLIGHT
CHKLST0.LINE1, Documentation - ARROW
CHKLST0.LINE2, Flight Plan - UPLOAD
CHKLST0.LINE3, AP Servos - ON
CHKLST0.LINE4, All Other Switches - OFF
CHKLST0.LINE5, Databases - UPDATE
CHKLST0.LINE6, Fuel - QTY, TANK SELECT
CHKLST0.LINE7, Rear Cockpit - PREP
CHKLST0.LINE8, Oxygen Valve - ON (IF REQ)
CHKLST0.LINE9, PLB, CAM, WALLET, PHONE, D2

CHKLST1.TITLE, BEFORE STARTING ENGINE
CHKLST1.LINE1,
CHKLST1.LINE2, Preflight – COMPLETE
CHKLST1.LINE3, Gust Locks - VERIFY REMOVED
CHKLST1.LINE4, Belts - FASTEN
CHKLST1.LINE5, Headsets - ON / POWERED
CHKLST1.LINE6, Canopy - DOWN (Lock or on Stop)
CHKLST1.LINE7, Fuel Select - DESIRED TANK
CHKLST1.LINE8, Brakes - Hold

CHKLST2.TITLE, ENGINE START
CHKLST2.LINE1,
CHKLST2.LINE2, Ignition Switches – ON
CHKLST2.LINE3, Battery Master Switch - ON
CHKLST2.LINE4, Strobe – ON
CHKLST2.LINE5, Accumulator - ON
CHKLST2.LINE6, Fuel Boost Pump -- ON
CHKLST2.LINE7, Flaps – UP
CHKLST2.LINE8, Throttle -- OPEN SLIGHTLY
CHKLST2.LINE9, Prop -- FORWARD
CHKLST2.LINE10, Mixture -- RICH
CHKLST2.LINE11, Carb Heat -- COLD
CHKLST2.LINE12, Propeller Area -- CLEAR
CHKLST2.LINE13, HOLD STICK AFT
CHKLST2.LINE14, Starter - Engage
CHKLST2.LINE15, 1100 RPM
CHKLST2.LINE16, Fuel Boost Pump - OFF
CHKLST2.LINE17, Oil Pressure - >25 psi
CHKLST2.LINE18, After 60 sec, set Idle RPM
CHKLST2.LINE19, Alternator Master Switch - ON
CHKLST2.LINE20, Mixture – LEAN
CHKLST2.LINE21, Altimeter - SET
CHKLST2.LINE22, Flight Plan - SET
CHKLST2.LINE23, ADS-B Weather - CHECK
CHKLST2.LINE24, Bugs- SET
CHKLST2.LINE25, Transponder - GND 1200 (in Auto)
CHKLST2.LINE26, Intercom - Set

CHKLST3.TITLE, RUN-UP & PRE-TAKEOFF
CHKLST3.LINE1,
CHKLST3.LINE2, CANOPY - SECURE
CHKLST3.LINE3, CONTROLS -FREE and CORRECT
CHKLST3.LINE4, INSTRUMENTS – SET
CHKLST3.LINE5, Altimeter– SET
CHKLST3.LINE6, Flight Plan – CHECK
CHKLST3.LINE7, ADS-B Weather - CHECK
CHKLST3.LINE8, Boost Pump - ON
CHKLST3.LINE9, Fuel Selector - Desired Tank
CHKLST3.LINE10, Mixture - RICH (lean for DA)
CHKLST3.LINE11, FLAPS - Set (normally UP)
CHKLST3.LINE12, TRIM - Set
CHKLST3.LINE13, RUNUP - 1900 RPM
CHKLST3.LINE14, Magneto / Ignition - CHECK
CHKLST3.LINE15, Carb Heat - CHECK
CHKLST3.LINE16, Prop - CYCLE
CHKLST3.LINE17, Engine Instruments - CHECK
CHKLST3.LINE18, Throttle - IDLE
CHKLST3.LINE19, Carb Heat - COLD
CHKLST3.LINE20, Transponder - AUTO
CHKLST3.LINE21, Cameras - As desired

CHKLST4.TITLE, TAKEOFF & CLIMB
CHKLST4.LINE1,
CHKLST4.LINE2, Flaps - UP
CHKLST4.LINE3, Carb Heat - COLD
CHKLST4.LINE4, Prop - FULL INCREASE
CHKLST4.LINE5, Throttle - FULL FORWARD
CHKLST4.LINE6, Raise Tail - ASAP
CHKLST4.LINE7, Rotate - 60 KTS
CHKLST4.LINE8, Climb - 105 KTS

CHKLST5.TITLE, SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF
CHKLST5.LINE1,
CHKLST5.LINE2, Flaps - 20deg (1/2)
CHKLST5.LINE3, Carb Heat - COLD
CHKLST5.LINE4, Prop - FULL INCREASE
CHKLST5.LINE5, Stick - FULL AFT
CHKLST5.LINE6, Brakes - HOLD
CHKLST5.LINE7, Mixture - LEAN IF REQUIRED
CHKLST5.LINE8, Throttle - FULL FORWARD
CHKLST5.LINE9, Brakes - RELEASE
CHKLST5.LINE10, Raise Tail - ASAP
CHKLST5.LINE11, Climb at VX- 75 KTS

CHKLST6.TITLE, ENROUTE CLIMB
CHKLST6.LINE1,
CHKLST6.LINE2, Airspeed - 110-130 KTS
CHKLST6.LINE3, Throttle - 25”
CHKLST6.LINE4, Prop - 2500
CHKLST6.LINE5, Fuel Press - CHECK
CHKLST6.LINE6, Mixture - LEAN (Temps Check)

CHKLST7.TITLE, CRUISE
CHKLST7.LINE1,
CHKLST7.LINE2, Fuel - SWITCH TANKS
CHKLST7.LINE3, Boost Pump - OFF
CHKLST7.LINE4, Power - 23.6/2360
CHKLST7.LINE5, Mixture - LEAN

CHKLST8.TITLE, DESCENT
CHKLST8.LINE1,
CHKLST8.LINE2, Mixture - LEANED
CHKLST8.LINE3, PROP - CRUISE SETTING
CHKLST8.LINE4, Throttle - >15” MP
CHKLST8.LINE5, Avoid Rapid Cooling

CHKLST9.TITLE, LANDING
CHKLST9.LINE1,
CHKLST9.LINE2, Boost Pump - ON
CHKLST9.LINE3, Fuel - FULLEST Tank
CHKLST9.LINE4, FLAPS - AS DESIRED
CHKLST9.LINE5, Mixture - RICHER
CHKLST9.LINE6, PROP - FULL INCREASE
CHKLST9.LINE7, Landing Lights - ON

CHKLST10.TITLE, AFTER LANDING
CHKLST10.LINE1,
CHKLST10.LINE2, Canopy - 2” STOP
CHKLST10.LINE3, Boost Pump - OFF
CHKLST10.LINE4, Landing Lights - OFF
CHKLST10.LINE6, Trim - NEUTRAL
CHKLST10.LINE7, Flaps - 1/2
CHKLST10.LINE8, Mixture - LEANER
CHKLST10.LINE9, Flight Plan - CLOSE

CHKLST11.TITLE, SHUTDOWN
CHKLST11.LINE1,
CHKLST11.LINE2, Throttle - SET 1800 RPM
CHKLST11.LINE3, Mixture - LEAN (30 sec)
CHKLST11.LINE4, Oil Accum - OFF
CHKLST11.LINE5, Throttle - IDLE
CHKLST11.LINE6, Mixture - OFF
CHKLST11.LINE7, WHEN ENGINE STOPS
CHKLST11.LINE8, Mixture - RICH
CHKLST11.LINE9, Ignitions - OFF
CHKLST11.LINE10, Ext Lights - OFF
CHKLST11.LINE11, Strobe - OFF
CHKLST11.LINE12, Alternator - OFF
CHKLST11.LINE13, Flight Data - Record
CHKLST11.LINE14, Master - OFF
CHKLST11.LINE15, EFIS - OFF

CHKLST12.TITLE, EMERGENCY: ENGINE FAIL IN-FLT
CHKLST12.LINE1,
CHKLST12.LINE2, Airspeed - 80 KTS
CHKLST12.LINE3, Boost Pump - ON
CHKLST12.LINE4, Fuel Selector - SWITCH TANKS
CHKLST12.LINE5, Carb Heat - FULL ON
CHKLST12.LINE6, Mixture - RICH
CHKLST12.LINE7, Prop - FULL DECREASE
CHKLST12.LINE8, PMAG - CHECK BREAKER
CHKLST12.LINE9, SQUAWK - EMERGENCY
CHKLST12.LINE10, MAP - NEAREST FIELD

CHKLST13.TITLE, EMERGENCY: FIRE DURING START
CHKLST13.LINE1,
CHKLST13.LINE2, Cranking - CONTINUE
CHKLST13.LINE3,
CHKLST13.LINE4, IF ENG STARTS
CHKLST13.LINE5, 1700 RPM for 2 minutes
CHKLST13.LINE6, At end of time - SHUTDOWN
CHKLST13.LINE7, Inspect for Damage
CHKLST13.LINE8,
CHKLST13.LINE9, IF ENGINE DOES NOT START
CHKLST13.LINE10, Throttle - FULL OPEN
CHKLST13.LINE11, Mixture - OFF
CHKLST13.LINE12, Cranking - CONTINUE
CHKLST13.LINE13, Extinguisher - OBTAIN
CHKLST13.LINE14, Exit Aircraft
CHKLST13.LINE15, Discharge Extinguisher
CHKLST13.LINE16, at Intake and Oil Door

CHKLST14.TITLE, EMERGENCY: FIRE IN-FLIGHT
CHKLST14.LINE1,
CHKLST14.LINE2, Mixture - OFF
CHKLST14.LINE3, Fuel Selector - OFF
CHKLST14.LINE4, Master Switch - OFF
CHKLST14.LINE5, Oil Accum - OFF
CHKLST14.LINE6, Cabin Heat / Air - OFF
CHKLST14.LINE7, IF VMC - EFIS OFF
CHKLST14.LINE8, Extinguisher - READY

CHKLST15.TITLE, EMERGENCY: FIRE ON GROUND
CHKLST15.LINE1,
CHKLST15.LINE2, Aircraft - FACE INTO WIND
CHKLST15.LINE3, Aircraft - STOP
CHKLST15.LINE4, Throttle - IDLE
CHKLST15.LINE5, Mixture - OFF
CHKLST15.LINE6, Notify - ATC
CHKLST15.LINE7, All Switches - OFF
CHKLST15.LINE8, Extinguisher - OBTAIN
CHKLST15.LINE9, Exit Aircraft

CHKLST16.TITLE, EMERGENCY: ELECTRICAL FIRE
CHKLST16.LINE1,
CHKLST16.LINE2, Master - OFF
CHKLST16.LINE3, IF VMC - EFIS OFF
CHKLST16.LINE4, IGNITIONS - LEAVE ON
CHKLST16.LINE5, ALL OTHER SWITCHES - OFF
CHKLST16.LINE6, Cabin Heat and Air - OFF
CHKLST16.LINE7, Fire Extinguisher - OBTAIN

CHKLST18.TITLE, POH: V-SPEEDS
CHKLST18.LINE1,
CHKLST18.LINE2, Vx - 65
CHKLST18.LINE3, Vy - 75
CHKLST18.LINE4, Va - 116
CHKLST18.LINE5, Vs - 54
CHKLST18.LINE6, Vso - 50
CHKLST18.LINE7, Best Glide - 80
CHKLST18.LINE8, Vfe 20deg - 96
CHKLST18.LINE9, Vfe Full - 87
CHKLST18.LINE10, Vne -182
CHKLST18.LINE11, Vno -156

CHKLST19.TITLE, CRUISE PERFORMANCE (8000’)
CHKLST19.LINE1,
CHKLST19.LINE2, KTAS RPM MP FF PWR
CHKLST19.LINE3,
CHKLST19.LINE4, 167 2400 23 8.4 75%
CHKLST19.LINE5, 157 2200 23 7.4 65%
CHKLST19.LINE6, 151 2200 21 6.3 55%

CHKLST20.TITLE, CHECKLIST INFO
CHKLST20.LINE1,
CHKLST20.LINE2, LAST UPDATED 2016-01-24
CHKLST20.LINE3, (DATE MUST BE MANUALLY UPDATED)

MikeyDale said:

I am using Excel 2016 and I cant enter anything into the excel sheet without getting this error....

Click to expand...

Mike,
This was a bug in V2 of the tool. Please grab V4 from our downloads page which fixes this.

Block 16

Would you consider posting a reply with the last block? Looks like maybe "17"
That was very much appreciated.

CHKLST17

Here is the CHKLST17 section I deleted for the character count limit:

CHKLST17.TITLE, EMERGENCY: LIGHT SIGNALS
CHKLST17.LINE1,
CHKLST17.LINE2, TYPE/COLOR ON GROUND IN-FLIGHT
CHKLST17.LINE3,
CHKLST17.LINE4, STDY GREEN TAKEOFF LAND
CHKLST17.LINE5, FLSH GREEN TAXI RETURN
CHKLST17.LINE6, STDY RED STOP YIELD
CHKLST17.LINE7, FLSH RED OFF RNWY UNSAFE
CHKLST17.LINE8, FLSH WHITE STARTOVER ----
CHKLST17.LINE9, ALT RED/GN EXTREME CAUTION

Thanks

Love this orum and all the assistance.
Thank you, thank you.

I was able to get the checklist files uploaded tonight on my Skyview. I'm a Mac user and an old UNIX developer. Easiest way for me to create the checklist files was to open a Terminal App window and use the good old "vi" editor command. Worked just fine.
I did notice that I exceeded the allowable line lengths a few times, so more editting in my future.