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Waypoints

Waypoints are used in Cumulus to support the navigation. When used in tasks they also serve as turnpoints. Waypoints can be created or edited inside cumulus or by using KFLog on the Linux desktop, where you can more easily maintain the waypoint list.

Waypoint file remarks
Cumulus works with only one global waypoint file in two different formats. This file is installed under your selected Data Directory. The global waypoint file name is hardcoded and its extension depends on the used format. The format is defined in Pre-Fight Settings - Waypoints Import. The name for binary storage is cumulus.kwp, for XML storage cumulus.kflogwp is used.
Waypoint import
Under Pre-Fight Settings - Waypoints you have the possibility to import waypoint data from other data files into Cumulus. That is the best way for your waypoint management. Alternatively you can use KFLog to prepare a global Cumulus waypoint file.
Waypoint file transfer
You can transfer the global Cumlus waypoint file between your desktop PC and your PDA but notice, that Cumulus is not running during the file transfer. That can cause a corrupted file.
Waypoint list display
To open the waypoint list tipp at the waypoint display, located at the left upper corner on the map screen. Now you can see all your known waypoints sorted in alphabetically order. With different buttons in the window you can modify the waypoint list or do other things.

Waypoint list filters
You can narrow down the list of waypoints using the buttons above the list. These act as a filter. In only a few steps, you can reduce a list of thousands of items to only a few, making it much easier to find the waypoint you are looking for.
Creating a waypoint from the current position
At any time you can tipp on the baering icon on the map to remember the current position. A waypoint with the name WPx-HH:MM will be generated that contains the current coordinates and altitude, where HH:MM is derived from the current time. The new waypoint is shown in the map display and can be edited in the waypoint screen as any other waypoint.
Waypoint management
If you want to add, modify or delete waypoints use the buttons at the right side of the waypoint list. For security reason it is not recommended to do that in flight! If you press the plus sign or the pencil button an editor is opened with entry fields for the waypoint properties.
Waypoint priority
The priority property deserves some explanation. To prevent overcrowding the map with waypoints if you zoom out far, not all waypoints are drawn at all zoom factors. You can control which waypoints are to draw by selecting the priority. If you select high the waypoint will always be drawn. This would be appropriate for your home site and other important sites. If you select normal the waypoint will be drawn in normal zoom modes but not if you zoom out too much and the low prioritized waypoints are only drawn if you zoom in far enough. The currently selected waypoint is always visible. In the configuration setup of Map Objects you can the define the scale borders for every priority property. See here for more information.
Waypoint runway directions
In the wayoint editor you have two combo boxes for runway directions. The handling of runway directions is a little bit tricky and derived from the Welt2000 handling. The following possibilities do exist:

Waypoint names and extra information
Via the menu bar entries Toggels/Waypoint lables and Toggels/Extra labels info you can switch on the display of the waypoint names and their reachability (distance and arrival altitude) besides their icons, if a glider is selected. The text labels are drawn at a white background with black letters. The currently selected waypoint is drawn revers. If a waypoint is land- and reachable the text is drawn bold. The extra information distance and arrival altitude are only displayed, if the landable attribute of the waypoint is set. If the waypoint is below your safety altitude, the text box frame is drawn in red color.
The same is valid for airfields, outlandings and task points.
Final glide calculations
Waypoints are also used for final glide calculations. If you plan to use this feature of cumulus, please make sure that you correctly enter the position and the elevation of the waypoints! Otherwise you will get unpredictable results.

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