X-Git-Url: https://git.mxchange.org/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=src%2FNetwork%2Fgeneric.cxx;h=423d2be189b28ffec2de641415dc99ab3b1bdcfb;hb=ae50c054a9007b98f1a8dafe6d589d0b4cab8873;hp=60c99ee58b3a88c9e8227e16684327dd6a76dadc;hpb=80bada55cd20de9e8bb8fd2557edc08afd534853;p=flightgear.git

diff --git a/src/Network/generic.cxx b/src/Network/generic.cxx
index 60c99ee58..423d2be18 100644
--- a/src/Network/generic.cxx
+++ b/src/Network/generic.cxx
@@ -37,154 +37,328 @@
 
 #include <Main/globals.hxx>
 #include <Main/fg_props.hxx>
+#include <Main/util.hxx>
 
 #include "generic.hxx"
 
 
 
-FGGeneric::FGGeneric(string& config) {
+FGGeneric::FGGeneric(vector<string> tokens) : exitOnError(false)
+{
+    size_t configToken;
+    if (tokens[1] == "socket") {
+        configToken = 7;
+    } else if (tokens[1] == "file") {
+        configToken = 5;
+    } else {
+        configToken = 6; 
+    }
 
-    string file = config+".xml";
+    if (configToken >= tokens.size()) {
+       SG_LOG(SG_GENERAL, SG_ALERT,
+              "Not enough tokens passed for generic protocol");
+       return;
+    }
 
-    SGPath path( globals->get_fg_root() );
-    path.append("Protocol");
-    path.append(file.c_str());
-    SG_LOG(SG_GENERAL, SG_INFO, "Reading communication protocol from "
-                                << path.str());
+    string config = tokens[ configToken ];
+    file_name = config+".xml";
+    direction = tokens[2];
 
-    SGPropertyNode root;
-    try {
-        readProperties(path.str(), &root);
-     } catch (const sg_exception &e) {
-        SG_LOG(SG_GENERAL, SG_ALERT,
-         "Unable to load the protocol configuration file");
-         return;
+    if (direction != "in" && direction != "out") {
+        SG_LOG(SG_GENERAL, SG_ALERT, "Unsuported protocol direction: "
+               << direction);
     }
 
-    SGPropertyNode *output = root.getNode("generic/output");
-    if (output)
-        read_config(output, _out_message);
-
-    SGPropertyNode *input = root.getNode("generic/input");
-    if (input)
-        read_config(input, _in_message);
+    reinit();
 }
 
 FGGeneric::~FGGeneric() {
 }
 
+union u32 {
+    uint32_t intVal;
+    float floatVal;
+};
+
+union u64 {
+    uint64_t longVal;
+    double doubleVal;
+};
 
 // generate the message
-bool FGGeneric::gen_message() {
+bool FGGeneric::gen_message_binary() {
     string generic_sentence;
-    char tmp[255];
     length = 0;
 
     double val;
-
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < _out_message.size(); i++) {
 
-        if (i > 0 && !binary_mode)
-            generic_sentence += var_separator;
-
         switch (_out_message[i].type) {
         case FG_INT:
             val = _out_message[i].offset +
                   _out_message[i].prop->getIntValue() * _out_message[i].factor;
-            if (binary_mode) {
+
+            if (binary_byte_order == BYTE_ORDER_MATCHES_NETWORK_ORDER) {
                 *((int32_t*)&buf[length]) = (int32_t)val;
-                length += sizeof(int32_t);
             } else {
-                snprintf(tmp, 255, _out_message[i].format.c_str(), (int)val);
+                *((uint32_t*)&buf[length]) = sg_bswap_32((uint32_t)val);
             }
+            length += sizeof(int32_t);
             break;
 
         case FG_BOOL:
-            if (binary_mode) {
-                *((int8_t*)&buf[length])
-                          = _out_message[i].prop->getBoolValue() ? true : false;
-                length += sizeof(int8_t);
+            *((int8_t*)&buf[length])
+                      = _out_message[i].prop->getBoolValue() ? true : false;
+            length += 1;
+            break;
+
+        case FG_FIXED:
+        {
+            val = _out_message[i].offset +
+                 _out_message[i].prop->getFloatValue() * _out_message[i].factor;
+
+            int fixed = (int)(val * 65536.0f); 
+            if (binary_byte_order == BYTE_ORDER_MATCHES_NETWORK_ORDER) {
+                *((int32_t*)&buf[length]) = (int32_t)fixed;
             } else {
-                snprintf(tmp, 255, _out_message[i].format.c_str(),
-                                   _out_message[i].prop->getBoolValue());
+                *((uint32_t*)&buf[length]) = sg_bswap_32((uint32_t)fixed);
+            } 
+            length += sizeof(int32_t);
+            break;
+        }
+        case FG_FLOAT:
+            val = _out_message[i].offset +
+                 _out_message[i].prop->getFloatValue() * _out_message[i].factor;
+
+            if (binary_byte_order == BYTE_ORDER_MATCHES_NETWORK_ORDER) {
+                *((float*)&buf[length]) = val;
+            } else {
+                u32 tmpun32;
+                tmpun32.floatVal = static_cast<float>(val);
+                *((uint32_t*)&buf[length]) = sg_bswap_32(tmpun32.intVal);
             }
+            length += sizeof(uint32_t);
             break;
 
         case FG_DOUBLE:
             val = _out_message[i].offset +
-                _out_message[i].prop->getFloatValue() * _out_message[i].factor;
-            if (binary_mode) {
+                 _out_message[i].prop->getFloatValue() * _out_message[i].factor;
+
+            if (binary_byte_order == BYTE_ORDER_MATCHES_NETWORK_ORDER) {
                 *((double*)&buf[length]) = val;
-                length += sizeof(double);
             } else {
-                snprintf(tmp, 255, _out_message[i].format.c_str(), (float)val);
+                u64 tmpun64;
+                tmpun64.doubleVal = val;
+                *((uint64_t*)&buf[length]) = sg_bswap_64(tmpun64.longVal);
             }
+            length += sizeof(int64_t);
             break;
 
         default: // SG_STRING
-            if (binary_mode) {
-                const char *strdata = _out_message[i].prop->getStringValue();
-                int strlength = strlen(strdata);
+            const char *strdata = _out_message[i].prop->getStringValue();
+            int strlength = strlen(strdata);
 
-                /* Format for strings is 
-                 * [length as int, 4 bytes][ASCII data, length bytes]
-                 */
+            if (binary_byte_order == BYTE_ORDER_NEEDS_CONVERSION) {
+                SG_LOG( SG_IO, SG_ALERT, "Generic protocol: "
+                        "FG_STRING will be written in host byte order.");
+            }
+            /* Format for strings is 
+             * [length as int, 4 bytes][ASCII data, length bytes]
+             */
+            if (binary_byte_order == BYTE_ORDER_MATCHES_NETWORK_ORDER) {
                 *((int32_t*)&buf[length]) = strlength;
-                                length += sizeof(int32_t);
-                                strncpy(&buf[length], strdata, strlength);
-                                length += strlength; 
-                /* FIXME padding for alignment? Something like: 
-                 * length += (strlength % 4 > 0 ? sizeof(int32_t) - strlength % 4 : 0;
-                 */
             } else {
-                snprintf(tmp, 255, _out_message[i].format.c_str(),
-                                   _out_message[i].prop->getStringValue());
+                *((int32_t*)&buf[length]) = sg_bswap_32(strlength);
             }
+            length += sizeof(int32_t);
+            strncpy(&buf[length], strdata, strlength);
+            length += strlength; 
+            /* FIXME padding for alignment? Something like: 
+             * length += (strlength % 4 > 0 ? sizeof(int32_t) - strlength % 4 : 0;
+             */
         }
+    }
+
+    // add the footer to the packet ("line")
+    switch (binary_footer_type) {
+        case FOOTER_LENGTH:
+            binary_footer_value = length;
+            break;
+
+        case FOOTER_MAGIC:
+        case FOOTER_NONE:
+            break;
+    }
 
-        if (!binary_mode) {
-            generic_sentence += tmp;
+    if (binary_footer_type != FOOTER_NONE) {
+        if (binary_byte_order == BYTE_ORDER_MATCHES_NETWORK_ORDER) {
+            *((int32_t*)&buf[length]) = binary_footer_value;
+        } else {
+            *((int32_t*)&buf[length]) = sg_bswap_32(binary_footer_value);
         }
+        length += sizeof(int32_t);
     }
 
-    if (!binary_mode) {
-        /* After each lot of variables has been added, put the line separator
-         * char/string
-         */
-        generic_sentence += line_separator;
+    return true;
+}
 
-        length =  generic_sentence.length();
-        strncpy( buf, generic_sentence.c_str(), length );
-    } else {
-        // add the footer to the packet ("line")
-        switch (binary_footer_type) {
-            case FOOTER_LENGTH:
-                binary_footer_value = length;
-                break;
-
-            case FOOTER_MAGIC:
-                break;
+bool FGGeneric::gen_message_ascii() {
+    string generic_sentence;
+    char tmp[255];
+    length = 0;
+
+    double val;
+    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < _out_message.size(); i++) {
+
+        if (i > 0) {
+            generic_sentence += var_separator;
         }
-        if (binary_footer_type != FOOTER_NONE) {
-            *((int32_t*)&buf[length]) = binary_footer_value;
-            length += sizeof(int32_t);
+
+        switch (_out_message[i].type) {
+        case FG_INT:
+            val = _out_message[i].offset +
+                  _out_message[i].prop->getIntValue() * _out_message[i].factor;
+            snprintf(tmp, 255, _out_message[i].format.c_str(), (int)val);
+            break;
+
+        case FG_BOOL:
+            snprintf(tmp, 255, _out_message[i].format.c_str(),
+                               _out_message[i].prop->getBoolValue());
+            break;
+
+        case FG_FIXED:
+            val = _out_message[i].offset +
+                _out_message[i].prop->getFloatValue() * _out_message[i].factor;
+            snprintf(tmp, 255, _out_message[i].format.c_str(), (float)val);
+            break;
+
+        case FG_FLOAT:
+            val = _out_message[i].offset +
+                _out_message[i].prop->getFloatValue() * _out_message[i].factor;
+            snprintf(tmp, 255, _out_message[i].format.c_str(), (float)val);
+            break;
+
+        case FG_DOUBLE:
+            val = _out_message[i].offset +
+                _out_message[i].prop->getDoubleValue() * _out_message[i].factor;
+            snprintf(tmp, 255, _out_message[i].format.c_str(), (double)val);
+            break;
+
+        default: // SG_STRING
+            snprintf(tmp, 255, _out_message[i].format.c_str(),
+                                   _out_message[i].prop->getStringValue());
         }
+
+        generic_sentence += tmp;
     }
 
+    /* After each lot of variables has been added, put the line separator
+     * char/string
+     */
+    generic_sentence += line_separator;
+
+    length =  generic_sentence.length();
+    strncpy( buf, generic_sentence.c_str(), length );
+
     return true;
 }
 
-bool FGGeneric::parse_message() {
+bool FGGeneric::gen_message() {
+    if (binary_mode) {
+        return gen_message_binary();
+    } else {
+        return gen_message_ascii();
+    }
+}
+
+bool FGGeneric::parse_message_binary() {
+    char *p2, *p1 = buf;
+    int32_t tmp32;
+    double val;
+    int i = -1;
+
+    p2 = p1 + FG_MAX_MSG_SIZE;
+    while ((++i < (int)_in_message.size()) && (p1  < p2)) {
+
+        switch (_in_message[i].type) {
+        case FG_INT:
+            if (binary_byte_order == BYTE_ORDER_NEEDS_CONVERSION) {
+                tmp32 = sg_bswap_32(*(int32_t *)p1);
+            } else {
+                tmp32 = *(int32_t *)p1;
+            }
+
+            val = _in_message[i].offset + (double)tmp32 * _in_message[i].factor;
+
+            _in_message[i].prop->setIntValue((int)val);
+            p1 += sizeof(int32_t);
+            break;
+
+        case FG_BOOL:
+            _in_message[i].prop->setBoolValue( p1[0] != 0 );
+            p1 += 1;
+            break;
+
+        case FG_FIXED:
+            if (binary_byte_order == BYTE_ORDER_NEEDS_CONVERSION) {
+                tmp32 = sg_bswap_32(*(int32_t *)p1);
+            } else {
+                tmp32 = *(int32_t *)p1;
+            }
+
+            val = _in_message[i].offset +
+                  ((double)tmp32 / 65536.0f) * _in_message[i].factor;
+
+            _in_message[i].prop->setFloatValue(val);
+            p1 += sizeof(int32_t);
+            break;
+
+        case FG_FLOAT:
+            u32 tmpun32;
+            if (binary_byte_order == BYTE_ORDER_NEEDS_CONVERSION) {
+                tmpun32.intVal = sg_bswap_32(*(uint32_t *)p1);
+            } else {
+                tmpun32.floatVal = *(float *)p1;
+            }
+
+            val = _in_message[i].offset +
+                  tmpun32.floatVal * _in_message[i].factor;
+
+            _in_message[i].prop->setFloatValue(val);
+            p1 += sizeof(int32_t);
+            break;
+
+        case FG_DOUBLE:
+            u64 tmpun64;
+            if (binary_byte_order == BYTE_ORDER_NEEDS_CONVERSION) {
+                tmpun64.longVal = sg_bswap_64(*(uint64_t *)p1);
+            } else {
+                tmpun64.doubleVal = *(double *)p1;
+            }
+
+            val = _in_message[i].offset +
+                   tmpun64.doubleVal * _in_message[i].factor;
+
+            _in_message[i].prop->setDoubleValue(val);
+            p1 += sizeof(int64_t);
+            break;
+
+        default: // SG_STRING
+            SG_LOG( SG_IO, SG_ALERT, "Generic protocol: "
+                    "Ignoring unsupported binary input chunk type.");
+        }
+    }
+    
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool FGGeneric::parse_message_ascii() {
     char *p2, *p1 = buf;
     double val;
     int i = -1;
 
-    if (binary_mode)
-        SG_LOG( SG_IO, SG_ALERT,
-                "generic protocol: binary mode input is not yet implemented.");
-        
     while ((++i < (int)_in_message.size()) &&
-            p1 && strcmp(p1, line_separator.c_str())) {
+           p1 && strcmp(p1, line_separator.c_str())) {
 
         p2 = strstr(p1, var_separator.c_str());
         if (p2) {
@@ -202,21 +376,34 @@ bool FGGeneric::parse_message() {
             _in_message[i].prop->setBoolValue( atof(p1) != 0.0 );
             break;
 
-        case FG_DOUBLE:
+        case FG_FIXED:
+        case FG_FLOAT:
             val = _in_message[i].offset + strtod(p1, 0) * _in_message[i].factor;
             _in_message[i].prop->setFloatValue((float)val);
             break;
 
+        case FG_DOUBLE:
+            val = _in_message[i].offset + strtod(p1, 0) * _in_message[i].factor;
+            _in_message[i].prop->setDoubleValue(val);
+            break;
+
         default: // SG_STRING
-             _in_message[i].prop->setStringValue(p1);
+            _in_message[i].prop->setStringValue(p1);
         }
 
         p1 = p2;
     }
-    
+
     return true;
 }
 
+bool FGGeneric::parse_message() {
+    if (binary_mode) {
+        return parse_message_binary(); 
+    } else {
+        return parse_message_ascii();
+    }
+}
 
 
 // open hailing frequencies
@@ -236,6 +423,13 @@ bool FGGeneric::open() {
 
     set_enabled( true );
 
+    if ( get_direction() == SG_IO_OUT && ! preamble.empty() ) {
+        if ( ! io->write( preamble.c_str(), preamble.size() ) ) {
+            SG_LOG( SG_IO, SG_WARN, "Error writing preamble." );
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -248,18 +442,58 @@ bool FGGeneric::process() {
         gen_message();
         if ( ! io->write( buf, length ) ) {
             SG_LOG( SG_IO, SG_WARN, "Error writing data." );
-            return false;
+            goto error_out;
         }
     } else if ( get_direction() == SG_IO_IN ) {
-        if ( (length = io->readline( buf, FG_MAX_MSG_SIZE )) > 0 ) {
-            parse_message();
+        if ( io->get_type() == sgFileType ) {
+            if (!binary_mode) {
+                length = io->readline( buf, FG_MAX_MSG_SIZE );
+                if ( length > 0 ) {
+                    parse_message();
+                } else {
+                    SG_LOG( SG_IO, SG_ALERT, "Error reading data." );
+                    return false;
+                }
+            } else {
+                length = io->read( buf, binary_record_length );
+                if ( length == binary_record_length ) {
+                    parse_message();
+                } else {
+                    SG_LOG( SG_IO, SG_ALERT,
+                            "Generic protocol: Received binary "
+                            "record of unexpected size, expected: "
+                            << binary_record_length << " but received: "
+                            << length);
+                }
+            }
         } else {
-            SG_LOG( SG_IO, SG_ALERT, "Error reading data." );
-            return false;
+            if (!binary_mode) {
+                while ((length = io->readline( buf, FG_MAX_MSG_SIZE )) > 0 ) {
+                    parse_message();
+                }
+            } else {
+                while ((length = io->read( buf, binary_record_length )) 
+                          == binary_record_length ) {
+                    parse_message();
+                }
+
+                if ( length > 0 ) {
+                    SG_LOG( SG_IO, SG_ALERT,
+                        "Generic protocol: Received binary "
+                        "record of unexpected size, expected: "
+                        << binary_record_length << " but received: "
+                        << length);
+                }
+            }
         }
     }
-
     return true;
+error_out:
+    if (exitOnError) {
+        fgExit(1);
+        return true; // should not get there, but please the compiler
+    } else
+        return false;
 }
 
 
@@ -267,6 +501,13 @@ bool FGGeneric::process() {
 bool FGGeneric::close() {
     SGIOChannel *io = get_io_channel();
 
+    if ( get_direction() == SG_IO_OUT && ! postamble.empty() ) {
+        if ( ! io->write( postamble.c_str(), postamble.size() ) ) {
+            SG_LOG( SG_IO, SG_ALERT, "Error writing postamble." );
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     set_enabled( false );
 
     if ( ! io->close() ) {
@@ -277,13 +518,45 @@ bool FGGeneric::close() {
 }
 
 
+void
+FGGeneric::reinit()
+{
+    SGPath path( globals->get_fg_root() );
+    path.append("Protocol");
+    path.append(file_name.c_str());
+
+    SG_LOG(SG_GENERAL, SG_INFO, "Reading communication protocol from "
+                                << path.str());
+
+    SGPropertyNode root;
+    try {
+        readProperties(path.str(), &root);
+    } catch (const sg_exception &) {
+        SG_LOG(SG_GENERAL, SG_ALERT,
+         "Unable to load the protocol configuration file");
+         return;
+    }
+
+    if (direction == "out") {
+        SGPropertyNode *output = root.getNode("generic/output");
+        if (output) {
+            _out_message.clear();
+            read_config(output, _out_message);
+        }
+    } else if (direction == "in") {
+        SGPropertyNode *input = root.getNode("generic/input");
+        if (input) {
+            _in_message.clear();
+            read_config(input, _in_message);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+
 void
 FGGeneric::read_config(SGPropertyNode *root, vector<_serial_prot> &msg)
 {
-    if (root->hasValue("binary_mode"))
-        binary_mode = root->getBoolValue("binary_mode");
-    else 
-        binary_mode = false;
+    binary_mode = root->getBoolValue("binary_mode");
 
     if (!binary_mode) {
         /* These variables specified in the $FG_ROOT/data/Protocol/xxx.xml
@@ -293,81 +566,139 @@ FGGeneric::read_config(SGPropertyNode *root, vector<_serial_prot> &msg)
          * line_sep_string = the string/charachter to place at the end of each
          *                   lot of variables
          */
-        var_sep_string = root->getStringValue("var_separator");
-        line_sep_string = root->getStringValue("line_separator");
-
-        if ( var_sep_string == "newline" )
-                var_separator = '\n';
-        else if ( var_sep_string == "tab" )
-                var_separator = '\t';
-        else if ( var_sep_string == "space" )
-                var_separator = ' ';
-        else if ( var_sep_string == "formfeed" )
-                var_separator = '\f';
-        else if ( var_sep_string == "carriagereturn" )
-                var_sep_string = '\r';
-        else if ( var_sep_string == "verticaltab" )
-                var_separator = '\v';
-        else
-                var_separator = var_sep_string;
-
-        if ( line_sep_string == "newline" )
-                line_separator = '\n';
-        else if ( line_sep_string == "tab" )
-                line_separator = '\t';
-        else if ( line_sep_string == "space" )
-                line_separator = ' ';
-        else if ( line_sep_string == "formfeed" )
-                line_separator = '\f';
-        else if ( line_sep_string == "carriagereturn" )
-                line_separator = '\r';
-        else if ( line_sep_string == "verticaltab" )
-                line_separator = '\v';
-        else
-                line_separator = line_sep_string;
+        preamble = fgUnescape(root->getStringValue("preamble"));
+        postamble = fgUnescape(root->getStringValue("postamble"));
+        var_sep_string = fgUnescape(root->getStringValue("var_separator"));
+        line_sep_string = fgUnescape(root->getStringValue("line_separator"));
+
+        if ( var_sep_string == "newline" ) {
+            var_separator = '\n';
+        } else if ( var_sep_string == "tab" ) {
+            var_separator = '\t';
+        } else if ( var_sep_string == "space" ) {
+            var_separator = ' ';
+        } else if ( var_sep_string == "formfeed" ) {
+            var_separator = '\f';
+        } else if ( var_sep_string == "carriagereturn" ) {
+            var_sep_string = '\r';
+        } else if ( var_sep_string == "verticaltab" ) {
+            var_separator = '\v';
+        } else {
+            var_separator = var_sep_string;
+        }
+
+        if ( line_sep_string == "newline" ) {
+            line_separator = '\n';
+        } else if ( line_sep_string == "tab" ) {
+            line_separator = '\t';
+        } else if ( line_sep_string == "space" ) {
+            line_separator = ' ';
+        } else if ( line_sep_string == "formfeed" ) {
+            line_separator = '\f';
+        } else if ( line_sep_string == "carriagereturn" ) {
+            line_separator = '\r';
+        } else if ( line_sep_string == "verticaltab" ) {
+            line_separator = '\v';
+        } else {
+            line_separator = line_sep_string;
+        }
     } else {
-        binary_footer_type = FOOTER_NONE; // default choice
+        // default values: no footer and record_length = sizeof(representation)
+        binary_footer_type = FOOTER_NONE;
+        binary_record_length = -1;
+
+        // default choice is network byte order (big endian)
+        if (sgIsLittleEndian()) {
+           binary_byte_order = BYTE_ORDER_NEEDS_CONVERSION;
+        } else {
+           binary_byte_order = BYTE_ORDER_MATCHES_NETWORK_ORDER;
+        }
+
         if ( root->hasValue("binary_footer") ) {
             string footer_type = root->getStringValue("binary_footer");
-            if ( footer_type == "length" )
+            if ( footer_type == "length" ) {
                 binary_footer_type = FOOTER_LENGTH;
-            else if ( footer_type.substr(0, 5) == "magic" ) {
+            } else if ( footer_type.substr(0, 5) == "magic" ) {
                 binary_footer_type = FOOTER_MAGIC;
                 binary_footer_value = strtol(footer_type.substr(6, 
                             footer_type.length() - 6).c_str(), (char**)0, 0);
-            } else if ( footer_type != "none" )
+            } else if ( footer_type != "none" ) {
+                SG_LOG(SG_IO, SG_ALERT,
+                       "generic protocol: Unknown generic binary protocol "
+                       "footer '" << footer_type << "', using no footer.");
+            }
+        }
+
+        if ( root->hasValue("record_length") ) {
+            binary_record_length = root->getIntValue("record_length");
+        }
+
+        if ( root->hasValue("byte_order") ) {
+            string byte_order = root->getStringValue("byte_order");
+            if (byte_order == "network" ) {
+                if ( sgIsLittleEndian() ) {
+                    binary_byte_order = BYTE_ORDER_NEEDS_CONVERSION;
+                } else {
+                    binary_byte_order = BYTE_ORDER_MATCHES_NETWORK_ORDER;
+                }
+            } else if ( byte_order == "host" ) {
+                binary_byte_order = BYTE_ORDER_MATCHES_NETWORK_ORDER;
+            } else {
                 SG_LOG(SG_IO, SG_ALERT,
                        "generic protocol: Undefined generic binary protocol"
-                                           "footer, using no footer.");
+                       "byte order, using HOST byte order.");
+            }
         }
     }
 
+    int record_length = 0; // Only used for binary protocols.
     vector<SGPropertyNode_ptr> chunks = root->getChildren("chunk");
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < chunks.size(); i++) {
 
         _serial_prot chunk;
 
-     // chunk.name = chunks[i]->getStringValue("name");
-        chunk.format = chunks[i]->getStringValue("format", "%d");
+        // chunk.name = chunks[i]->getStringValue("name");
+        chunk.format = fgUnescape(chunks[i]->getStringValue("format", "%d"));
         chunk.offset = chunks[i]->getDoubleValue("offset");
         chunk.factor = chunks[i]->getDoubleValue("factor", 1.0);
 
-        string node = chunks[i]->getStringValue("node");
+        string node = chunks[i]->getStringValue("node", "/null");
         chunk.prop = fgGetNode(node.c_str(), true);
 
         string type = chunks[i]->getStringValue("type");
-        if (type == "bool")
+
+        // Note: officially the type is called 'bool' but for backward
+        //       compatibility 'boolean' will also be supported.
+        if (type == "bool" || type == "boolean") {
             chunk.type = FG_BOOL;
-        else if (type == "float")
+            record_length += 1;
+        } else if (type == "float") {
+            chunk.type = FG_FLOAT;
+            record_length += sizeof(int32_t);
+        } else if (type == "double") {
             chunk.type = FG_DOUBLE;
-        else if (type == "string")
+            record_length += sizeof(int64_t);
+        } else if (type == "fixed") {
+            chunk.type = FG_FIXED;
+            record_length += sizeof(int32_t);
+        } else if (type == "string")
             chunk.type = FG_STRING;
-        else
+        else {
             chunk.type = FG_INT;
-
+            record_length += sizeof(int32_t);
+        }
         msg.push_back(chunk);
 
     }
 
+    if( binary_mode ) {
+        if (binary_record_length == -1) {
+            binary_record_length = record_length;
+        } else if (binary_record_length < record_length) {
+            SG_LOG(SG_IO, SG_ALERT,
+                   "generic protocol: Requested binary record length shorter than "
+                   " requested record representation.");
+            binary_record_length = record_length;
+        }
+    }
 }
-