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dave6502 edited this page Apr 12, 2026 · 5 revisions

Testing rationale

This document describes the testing performed by the development team pre-release. It will also be helpful to other Avitab users willing to intentionally test (rather than just run) Avitab post-release.

There are many variations in the hosting environment that can affect the behaviour of Avitab. In the past, a bug may have only appeared in one OS, or after an XPlane version bump. A specific locale has caused bugs. Specific other active plugins have also been known to break Avitab. It is impossible for the development team to test all combinations of all environments during pre-release testing, so we therefore only test a specific set of environments - each with a specific configuration to set a baseline. After release, bugs can be more easily characterized against this test baseline to help debug and fix.

For baseline configurations being tested by the development team, we prioritise the most common use-cases and take account of the requirements set by Laminar for running XPlane. We also make a few assumptions that most users will be on the latest XPlane version, often flying on VATSIM and making significant use of charts. A full standard set of tests is run on each of these configurations.

We will also, with the help of the community, aim to rerun the standard set of tests (on most recent Avitab release) following any significant up-versioning of hosting environment. For example, Linux 26.04 LTS is recently released, and we're expecting an XPlane 12.4.3 VR Update soon. Testing and debugging these will be much easier with a known tested previous baseline.

Only very basic tests are run pre-release on less common environments, such as older OSs, very new OSs or older XPlane versions. It is hoped that Avitab users with a need to regularly run on these environments will run the full standard set of tests post-release and feedback results, pass or fail, along with details of their hosting environment.

Developer Tests

These tests will be performed by the Avitab developers and and just test the development flow

Build and test desktop standalone executable (no XPlane). Save a copy of the output of both the configure and build steps.

  • MinGW build - old install
  • MinGW build - latest install (gcc 14, CMake 4+)
  • WSL2 Ubuntu 24.04 build. If possible, test on native Linux. Because of pathnames, WSL2 runs do not pick up a nav database.
  • Native Linux Ubuntu 24.04 build
  • MacOS build
  • Check the About App info is correct and up to date

Basic XPlane testing only

These tests will be performed by the Avitab developer community on a release candidate, and because their focus is on less common hosting environments, only very basic testing is performed. However, we would be grateful for any users who can run the full set of functional tests on these hosting environments and report back.

For all OS/XPlane versions below, test the following

  • Check Avitab plug-in comes up OK
  • Avitab window can be moved about on desktop or in VR
  • Map is rendered OK with aircraft position and navaids/airports overlayed
  • Check mouse and/or VR controller interaction with buttons and keyboard

XP11

Use last XP11 release 11.55

  • Windows 11 desktop mode
  • Windows 11 VR mode
  • Linux Ubuntu 24.04 desktop mode
  • MacOS desktop mode

XP12 Latest

  • Windows 10 desktop mode
  • Windows 11 VR mode
  • Check WSL2 built plugin runs on Linux 24.04

XP12 Functional Tests

Use the appropriate Avitab release candidate or a specific release. Use latest XP12 release available at time of testing. As of April 9 2026 with Avitab release V1.0.0 this is XPlane 12.4.1-r1 These may be performed in desktop or VR mode. Apart from button/UI/windows manipulation tested earlier, it is expected that most bugs for these aspects of functionality will not depend on desktop/VR mode.

All these tests should be run on the following 3 environments at least

  • Windows 11 (VR or desktop)
  • Linux Ubuntu 24.04 desktop
  • MacOS 14 or greater desktop (earlier OS not officially Apple supported)

Setup

Before running XPlane, download and unzip test assets from

AvitabTestAssets
├── Output
│   └── FMS plans
│       └── AvitabTest
│           └── EGKK-EGPH_Test.fms
└── Resources
    └── plugins
        └── Avitab
            ├── MapTiles
            │   └── Mercator
            │       ├── AvitabTest
            │       │   └── EGKK_SID_6-17_Test.png
            │       └── Calibration
            │           └── AvitabTest
            │               └── EGKK_Parking_Test.png.json
            └── charts
                └── AvitabTest
                    ├── EGKK_Aerodrome_Test.png
                    ├── EGKK_Aerodrome_Test.png.json
                    ├── EGKK_Parking_Test.png
                    └── UK_POI_VRP_250623.csv

Copy/overlay the assets into your XPlane install

Load the standard C172 (without integrated Avitab) at a parking spot at EGKK. This has been chosen as a popular VATSIM airport with a high probability of other traffic and which will have good geo-referenced chart support from both Chartfox and Navigraph

Run XPilot and connect - ensure Connect in Shared Cockpit/Observer Mode is ticked

Bring up Avitab

Initial checks

  • Avitab window can be moved about on desktop or in VR
  • Buttons can be clicked using mouse and/or with VR controllers in VR
  • Check top left settings can change brightness and show FPS
  • Timer on top right can be cycled through 4 modes. Long press to reset stopwatch
  • Frame rate reported looks sensible

Apps

Providers

  • Authorize Chartfox
  • Authorize Navigraph

Maps

  • Check My Aircraft and other (VATSIM) aircraft are visible
  • Enable/disable various navaid/airport overlays. Leave all enabled.
  • Load the UK_POI_VRP_250623.csv file and check visible POIs and VRPs around EGKK zone
  • From the Mercator menu, load and calibrate the EGKK_SID_6-17_Test.png chart using pre-marked starred points. Check other reference points on chart match up once calibrated. Take care calibrating. If not right, remove sibling .json and try again.

Charts

  • Load EGKK_Aerodrome_Test.png chart (sibling .json) and see My Aircraft and others
  • Also load EGKK_Parking_Test.png chart (decoupled .json) and see My Aircraft and others Note that there is a "show_overlays_in_charts_app" (default false) attribute in your Output/preferences/avitab.prf that affects non-aircraft overlays

Airports

  • Check Nearest button auto-populates EGKK. Select EGKK.
  • Using Chartfox charts, load at least 3 different EGKK charts. Chartfox does not currently have a pre-rotate attribute, so some charts (e.g. Control Zone) don't work with Chartfox calibration metadata. In general UK Chartfox charts work better with the up to date georeferencing metadata from https://forums.x-plane.org/forums/topic/287449-georeferenced-chartfox-charts-calibration-metadata
  • Check that the overlay config (not modifiable in Airport App) reflects config from Map App
  • Using Navigraph charts, load at least 3 different EGKK charts Note that there is a "show_overlays_in_airport_app" (default false) attribute in your Output/preferences/avitab.prf that affects non-aircraft overlays

Routes

  • Load the EGKK_EGPH.fms, check viewable on Map App first, then Airport and Charts Apps

Aircraft

  • Check aircraft manual can be opened from appropriately initial default folder and page navigation works OK

Notes

  • Scribble and type using Avitab keyboard

Exit

  • Avitab can be shut down from top left settings whilst sim continues

Fly

  • Go fly using Avitab fully in the way that you would typically use it

Calling all testers

We would be very grateful for testing help from users who regularly use, or intend to use, the following hosting environments. Please run the full set of functional tests on your setup and report back if all passes or any issues.

  • XPlane 11
  • Windows 10
  • Linux with VR
  • Zibo
  • Anyone intending to use XPlane 12.4.3 with Apple Vision Pro
  • IVAO users

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