Export to Zibo XML

[AltitudeScania]

Hi,

Ever since it became possible to export flight plans within Navigraph Charts to “Zibo Mod B737 XML”, the function hasn’t worked. Initially I thought it was just something temporary. Now several months later it’s still not possible to export them. Each time I receive a “Failed to Export Flight Plan” message.

It’s a real pity, since I would really like to be able to export a full flight plan (SID and STAR) and have the Winds as well. With the Simbrief Downloader I don’t get the STAR’s - just the SID and the Winds.

I have asked other Zibo flyers. All have the same problem.

Please look into it, thanks!

[skysail]

Hej! Thanks for reporting this issue!

After all, we can only fix issues that we are made aware of

I am not able to reproduce this issue. Could you provide me with a sample route used in SimBrief?

Kind Regards,
Malte

[AltitudeScania]

Hej,

Sample route could really be any route since none of them are possible to export. Anyhow, this was my flight earlier this evening.

ESGG/03 LUKA3M LUKAX DCT NEMBA DCT PENOR N133 DOMAG T240 OGDAV OGDA4T EPGD/29

I always preflight on SimBrief. After that I open the plan in Navigraph Charts and make my STAR selections. Exporting to X-Plane 11/12 FMS plan always works. But exporting as Zibo XML file always fails.

So in order to have things working, I export the route in FMS format in Navigraph Charts and export the XML from the Simbrief downloader (without the STAR). That way I can load the route as Company Route in the Zibo (FMS) and request the winds through the LEGS page (XML).

Would the export option work the way it is intended, I would only have to make a flight plan request in the Zibo, and both of these things would be loaded in one click.

Maybe too much information, anyhow I’m grateful you look into it!

Best,

Patric

Skickat från min iPhone

[skysail]

I tried with your exact route, loaded it into charts and selected a different STAR than the one in your route. It exported just fine for me, so unfortunately I am still not able to reproduce the issue.
Do you get this issue in the web app or the desktop app?

I have enabled some additional logging for your account. Please follow these steps so I can look closer:

1. Sign out of Navigraph Charts ( only necessary if you are currently using the app)
2. Sign in again
3. Import the SimBrief flight
4. Try to export the Zibo format

Let me know when you have followed these steps and I’ll look at our logs to see if I can catch anything unusual!

Kind Regards,
Malte

[AltitudeScania]

Hi Malte,

I’m using the Navigraph Charts desktop app.

Tried your suggestion and signed out and signed in again. Made a new flight EPGDESGG on Simbrief web (iPhone/Safari). After opening it in Navigraph Charts desktop app (Windows 11) it still didn’t export to Zibo XML format.

I’m enclosing a screenshot where I tried to export ESGGEPGD. You see the error message at the bottom of the Navigraph window.

Best,

/Patric

[skysail]

This is very interesting. According to our logs, everything is looking fine with your export - the file is successfully downloaded but then it fails to store it on your computer.

I can reproduce this issue and we will look into it! It could be related to this issue actually:

Improper File Suffix Exported

Navigraph Charts recently implemented a new feature where it lists all of the Simbrief chart export formats within the Export feature. Today I selected the JAR DESIGN AIRBUS option which is listed as a .txt file. This is correct. However the file that was saved had an additional “.pin” suffix which rendered the file unreadable by the A330 FMS import feature within the aircraft MCDU. The proper file suffix should be just “.txt”. Thank you for correcting this small error. Steve Haines steve@hain…

In the meantime, can you try exporting from the web application instead?

Kind Regards,
Malte

[skysail]

I can confirm that this issue is related to the one mentioned above, and it will be fixed with the next update! The mentioned workaround will still work in the meantime.

Kind Regards,
Malte

[shaines]

Hi Malte, I don’t know where we are in the update cycle but I saved a route today from Navigraph Charts to the JAR A330 FlightPlans folder, per their procedure, and once again NC named the file .txt.pin. When I removed the .pin suffix NC refused to save the file. And of course this suffix is not recognized by the JAR aircraft FMC and cannot be imported. The only way to fix this is to modify the file name in the Finder (Mac) window or copy the route into SimBrief and save the file from there. SimBrief properly saves the file as .txt. Only Nav Charts adds the .pin suffix.

Regards,
Steve H

[AltitudeScania]

Hej Malte,

Ok, I’m glad to hear there actually is an issue and that your are looking into it. In fact, today I also tested to make a Zibo export from my Apple MacBook (with the Navigraph Charts app for Mac) and the same thing happened there as well.

I’m looking forward to see this resolved in future updates. In the mean time I will stick to using the Simbrief Downloader + the XP11/12 FMS plan, since this is after all much easier than using your web application. With the web app, I still need to copy the downloaded XML-file from my PC download folder and paste it to the correct XP12/Output/FMS folder (that’s what I like about the Simbrief downloader, it exports to the correct folder) which is an extra step not really needed.

Thanks for all your help in this!

Best,

/Patric

[skysail]

@shaines

I don’t know where we are in the update cycle

Somewhere in the middle between 8.31.0 and 8.32.0. It’s hard to say exactly, there is one large thing left that we would like to include in the next update. What you are describing will be fixed in the coming one though!

[skysail]

This issue should now be fixed in the recent release of 8.32.0!

Please do confirm if this solved the issue for you!

Kind Regards,
Malte

[AltitudeScania]

Thanks, the save/export function is now working! However, the xml doesn’t contain the star and arrival rwy, as it does when you export it as an XP11/12 fms plan.
But maybe that is your intention ?

[skysail]

Hmm. Those two formats (X-Plane 11/12 and the Zibo Mod B737) have nothing in common. The multitude of export formats that we provide all support different features, but we have no control over which.

However, as far as I can see both of the mentioned formats do include procedures and runways!
In the .fms file, the procedures are more explicitly mentioned, but they are part of the .xml file too.
Here is an example:

X-Plane 11/12 (.fms)

...
ADEP ESGG
DEPRWY RW21
SID SABA3J
SIDTRANS SABAK
ADES ENGM
DESRWY RW19R
STAR LUNI4M
STARTRANS LUNIP
...

Zibo (.xml)

<OFP>
  <origin>
    <plan_rwy>21</plan_rwy>
  </origin>
  <destination>
    <plan_rwy>19R</plan_rwy>
  </destination>
  <navlog>
    ...
    <via_airway>SABA3J</via_airway>
    <is_sid_star>1</is_sid_star>
    ...
    <via_airway>LUNI4M</via_airway>
    <is_sid_star>1</is_sid_star>
    ...
  </navlog>
</OFP>

As you can see, the information is all there in both formats. It’s just included in different ways!
As for whether or not the Zibo mod can load the procedures correctly based on this, I unfortunately don’t know. But all the necessary details are in there at least!

Please note that no real-life route uplink would load any procedures, as they are assigned by ATC based on other factors like weather and airport operations - not while planning. Worth mentioning, but you probably already knew!

Kind Regards,
Malte