Comments on: FalconView Released As Open Source

By: Joel Odom

Joel Odom — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:14:29 +0000

Thanks for checking out FalconView. We’ve had some new releases since you tried the alpha, so you may want to see the latest beta. (Some of the install and stability issues are fixed up now and some new features have been migrated from the government version.)

It can indeed be tricky to add map data because FalconView is designed to use a database of base maps that display as appropriate based on the scale you are currently viewing. Once the base maps are added to the database, they remain static unless you edit the map database with the map data manager. In that sense, FalconView isn’t quite like other viewers in that lots of maps can be in the database at one time. It can make it a bit tricky to change that database, though. There is a quick start guide on the FalconView web site that helps you to add map data for use by FalconView and there are a few forum topics about specific map types.

(Another thing that makes adding some map data tricky is that FalconView was designed to use mostly specific DoD products that are sometimes in a very particular format when they arrive on CD. I’d like to see a FalconView map data manager that deals with format variations better.)

Thanks again for checking it out. There are now some user forums on the FalconView web site, and Georgia Tech is pretty good about responding to questions there.

By: Leszek Pawlowicz

Leszek Pawlowicz — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:17:01 +0000

There’s a link to the open source home page at the start of the post. If you know of any publicly available videos or documentation for the program, that would be great.

By: Eric Mohl

Eric Mohl — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:35:09 +0000

You are correct that initial learning of how to use FalconView is dificult. I was
convinced it was defective the first week I tried to use it in Iraq. I eventually learned
how to use it and found it very useful to build route maps, and converting images of maps into useful data, .gif, .jpg, bmp. The best learning tool might be a video clip of the screen of several activities, at least to get you started.

I was looking today if there was a newer version than the one I have. I didn’t know a
non-govermental version was released. where can I get a copy to tinker with??

The FalconView I have works best with WinXP, Microsoft was once
again so kind as to remove parts of their OS that we simply don’t need anymore, that is
why FalconView cannot view some files(a SQL issue)in Vista. Microsoft’s response was: have
the program rewritten.