DataManager - Argggggghhh

[swatson999]

I hate to beat a dead horse, but yet again, DataManager has crapped out, forcing a restart of the update...after it took hours to download 17,000 files before it hung up before all 19,000 were done. And don't say "just leave a stick in and it'll run in the background". People can't always do that (in this case, I've been overseas for a month travelling, so couldn't).

Good thing I didn't need to go flying today, as I wouldn't have a current chart set on board, thanks to SA. Again.

Forgive my rant, but this is still one of the worst programs for large (sort of. No, not really.) datasets I have run into in ages.

 

[tomg]

Do you have the box checked to just update new items, this may help reduce the number of downloads v.s. starting from scratch each cycle. Agree, allot of data which requires a very good broadband connection. I have a dual dynon skyview setup and I typically put in both USB sticks and they alternate back and forth as they update. Typically takes about 20 minutes with a 50MB download connection. The software sometimes reports false updates, ie. green boxes, so I run the update more than once to confirm everything is complete. If you are downloading to your pc at the same time you are updating it does take more time.

 

[swatson999]

Yes, it's set to only download new items. Nevertheless, it decided to download all 19,000 files. That's fine, I was gone for a month, so figured a lengthy update. However, it was when it *hung up* at 17,000 files, and no amount of coaxing could get it to continue (hung for about an hour). Required a complete reboot of the computer (yes, I killed the process itself before trying a reboot).

And don't get me started on the extremely un-standardized interface it uses for a Windows application...

 

[Garrett]

I wish it was compatible with my Mac. DataManager is the only reason I use a Windows machine.

 

[airguy]

And now this morning my system won't even recognize new charts at all - my datamanager refuses to see new data from SA and all my stuff is set to expire tomorrow.

Fabulous. Dynon, there just has to be a better way...

 

[airguy]

And now an update on this situation - I just uninstalled the data manager, deleted all the files and folders, rebooted, re-installed the data manager fresh from the SA website, and it's downloading data - all dated to expire tomorrow. No "next cycle" data available.

F'ing fabulous. Is SA run by our government by any chance? I thought they were the only ones that could hose up a situation this badly.

 

[Garrett]

Thats were the data comes from.

 

[Raymo]

Airguy,

You might also want to run chkdsk on your system to see if the hard drive is having issues at the OS level.

Open a CMD prompt in Admin mode
Type: CHKDSK C:
Hit Enter
If the check fails anything, it will ask to run with /F (fix), which it can only do during a reboot on the C: drive.

 

[airguy]

Airguy,

You might also want to run chkdsk on your system to see if the hard drive is having issues at the OS level.

Open a CMD prompt in Admin mode
Type: CHKDSK C:   
Hit Enter
If the check fails anything, it will ask to run with /F (fix), which it can only do during a reboot on the C: drive.

No, this was SA-induced. They did not have the data available for download. I just got an email from SA timestamped 2:35pm Central this afternoon that the data is now released for download.

It says they "discovered a problem".... yeah - I did too.

 

[Raymo]

Ugh! Reports like this are the reason I have not jumped on the SA bandwagon for data. Pulling data from a server is not rocket science. FTP has been around for decades and works very well.

 

[Jrskygod]

Yup as Airguy said newest data cycle was only available yesterday afternoon. Everybody (Dynon and Jepp) had it available several days ago. I called every day this week and the answer was the same - they're working on it should be available tomorrow. Too bad SA is all we have to work with. Dynon needs to get a clue and give us an alternative. I'm sure there is some monetary reason Dynon continues to mandate the use of SA.

 

[swatson999]

I don't understand why it always seems to want to (apparently) download ALL of the airport diagrams and approach plates...tens of thousands of them...despite the fact that I have selected "Only new or changed items" be downloaded. It's like their indexing doesn't work right or something.

But I can sit there and watch it slowly crank through the download, counting off a few files at a time.

Agonizing, really.

 

[Garrett]

Your right Steve, it is not logical.

 

[jabarr]

Mine have been trying to download for 24 hours now-- looks to be about halfway there. Something happened! Same computer, same disc, nothing changed on my end.

 

[krw5927]

Seattle Avionics is a joke (and not a funny one).  After several rounds of failures on their part to deliver the data I paid for, I finally just let my subscription expire and haven't looked back.

They say you're judged by the company you keep.  SA is a huge black eye on Dynon.

 

[swatson999]

Make no mistake, I *love* the data, and it's a bargain for what we get. But I *hate* the DataManager software, and I continue to think it should be completely re-architected and redone. I don't know why SA continues to stick with this software, unless they just don't have the resources to redo it properly.

 

[airguy]

Make no mistake, I *love* the data, and it's a bargain for what we get.  But I *hate* the DataManager software, and I continue to think it should be completely re-architected and redone.  I don't know why SA continues to stick with this software, unless they just don't have the resources to redo it properly.

Ditto that sentiment here. I love the data - I hate the method.