FSX/FSX-SE Aircraft and Panel Design Forum - How To

After a discussion with a few users of my GPWS gauge about perceived wrong Callouts of "Minimums", I noticed some very peculiar implementation of the DH variable and events in FS.So I just post it here FYI.FS has a variable A:Decision height , and two events that changes it: (>K:INCREASE_DECISION_HEIGHT) and (>K:DECREASE_DECISION_HEIGHT).Now, some for some misterious reason, the internally used value of DH in FS is in METERS, not in FEET.As shown by:(A:Decision height,number) = 100(A:Decision height,meter) = 100(A:Decision height,feet) = 328.And to make it even more confusing:(>K:INCREASE_DECISION_HEIGHT): increments DH by 10and"x" (>K:INCREASE_DECISION_HEIGHT…

Happy New Year everyone.I'm having a "problem".When trying to develop some gauges for a panel, I went to use the variables GPS_POSITION_LAT and GPS_POSITION_LON.The latitude works fine... however the longitude doesn't. So I created a couple of strings to display the values FS9 returns forPLANE_LONGITUDE -4653815.5GPS_POSITION_LON -847201280.0As you can see, they are not the same.Can anyone tell me:1) Why2) How do I get the correct longitude with GPS_POSITION_LON?Thank you.Ed Wilson

I'm wondering if anyone would be interested in developing an STEC 50 autopilot control head in XML?I'm currently using the RealityXP STEC 50 that came with the FS2002 debonair package. That A/P uses a three position switch and the on/off button on the STEC 50 head. The use of both of these switches causes the A/P not to disengage when selecting Z on the keyboard.The center knob also causes the aircraft to far exceed the 90% of rate one turn which the actual units accomplish.I have the documentation and any support info that someone could need if they were to take this on (from the real STEC units operation).

Hello,after multiple nudges from Arne Bartels I have finally moved my behind from the old panel desgin forum at the "other" site to here :-)After reading the VC panel lighting tutorial one question still remains unanswered:Is there any way within the gauge programming to make strings (for example that represent LED numerical displays that have their own lighting source) luminous in a VC also?IMAGE_USE_BRIGHT appears to be completely and utterly non-funcitonal in VC's ???!!!Does this mean VC gauge lighting is ONLY possible within gmax?Mathias

Greetings!I'm pretty close to being a total nitwit when it comes to panel (re)-designing, and I encountered an odd problem. I revamped a panel and saved it in 256 colors bitmap (using Paint).When I started the sim up, the panel looked fine, but there were no outside views, in other words: the windows weren't truly black (#000000). I went back to paint in order to solve the issue, and discovered that black didn't exist anymore! Trying to fill in the windows with black gave me not #000000 but #040204. Slight desparation set in (grin)!Eventually I saved the panel as 24 bit bitmap, and lo and behold: black was black again! I could see outside, and use the panel! But... the pa…

Hi Everyone-Im new here. I just wanted to know if there is anybody out there who has experience in designing things in GMAX. Reason I am asking is that I would like something made but don't have the expertise to do such a project. It would be a Semi Tractor/Trailer. If you are interested in possibly making one for me and others to use, please e-mail me and I'll send you the pics and anything else you may need.Thank you!I hope to hear from somebody :)Lee

hi to all,I need help to compile an .XML three positions switch (see the attached file).The switch is intended to distribute the Attitude signals toggling the Stand by_vacuum_pump in the upper position to:ADI,HSI compass,RMIVOR compassin the lower position to:RMIADF compass.The Mid position is for normal operations.By my .XML file until now the signals distribution works properly but the switch is moving only from Mid to upper position:the first time for:ADI,HSI and RMIVOR the second Time for:RMIADF. Another question is:Does exist a book or any other publication explaining clearly and easy the .XML gauge compiling in the FS9?Because the MS SDKs are very short and vague.T…

Hi I'd like to experiment with creating an xml gauge for the first time and would like to create a toggle switch that allows me to turn GA traffic on and off to improve fps when on finals.Before i start could someone please tell me if this is actually possible in the first place !!!I'm looking for xml tutorials but without much success - the link in the xml faq's appears dead. Any help much appreciatedGary

In order better to understand C gauges, I'm trying to put together a free-standing application. I'm not sure if this is possible but, by trial and error, I've got it to complile and run. My includes are:#include "MainUnit.h"#include #include "GAUGES.h"#include "SDK.h"#include "sdk.c"I've also added panels.dll to the project.However, it fails on the second of the following lines of code:MODULE_VAR MyVar = {RECIP_ENGINE1_ENGINE_RPM};initialize_var(&MyVar);lookup_var(&MyVar);The error message relates to access violation at address 0040195B: read of address 00000098. Experience suggests that this is usually the result of an uninitialsed variable.The values of MyVar be…

Folks, how do make an effect only be visible during taxi? Or during sleep? I would like the following for my AI boats: Sleep Pre-Taxi Taxi ClearanceRunning Lights: Off On On OffAnchor Light: On On Off OnI note that AI aircraft turn on their lights at pre-taxi, turn on landing lights when landing, so I 'm hopeful there's a way to do this.I presume there's a way to do this, as AI aircraft turn on their landing lights at certain times, etc. I've heard rumours about the possibility of triggering on engine RPM.This is an original gmax model I'm working on.Jon

Hi all,I want to vary the 'x' value in with speed.Anyone know the syntax to achieve this?Thanks,nick

Can anyone please tell me a proper way to bring special characters to show up in my gauges?I read the threads here in the forum, but I'm trying hard to get a "%" ... no chance! I tried1. %((A:FLAPS HANDLE PERCENT, percent))%!03d!%2. %((A:FLAPS HANDLE PERCENT, percent))%!03d!%3. %((A:FLAPS HANDLE PERCENT, percent))%!03d!&'037;nothing worked! By the way: Is there a way to get the flaps settings in degrees?If I just alter the unit in the above line from percent to degree or degrees, I get for the B-737-400 for example:0, 57, 113, 172 ,229, 286, 344, 401, 458 as values, which are absolute nonsense.

Hi!Let me describe an idea and see if you think it would be possible to do.The reason for all this is that I am a part of a virtual millitary group that practices pretty strictly along real airforce procedures.During interception practice it would be great to be able to attack and "disable" an aircraft, This could be as simple as a message being sent to a receiver if the enemy is within the radar cone for a certain time and the trigger is pushed.The whole ideas stems from a type r/c aircrafts that can disable other aircraft engines, if it is close enough and at a good angle.From what I understand I can activate runway lights by setting my radio to a certain frequence and …

I currently try to customize the flight dynamics of the PSS Dash-8 and have come across table 400 (Ground Effect) in the air file.Experimenting a bit, I saw that it controls airplane lift (i.e. with all values at 0 the plane stays grounded).Can someone briefly explain me what the x and y values are for and how a reasonable curve looks like?I tried to mimic the graph of the PMDG 737NG, and I have the impression that the landing behaviour of the Dash-8 got better.The PSS Dash-8 has the tendency to float a long way before settling onto the runway (i.e. with the original air file, during the flare at full flaps, when pulling the nose gently upwards to make the nose wheel rise…

Hi all,I have a few military jets of recent vintage that fly rather well as AI, that is, they are Gmax models that do show landing gears extended/retracted, lights etc.. However, they fly a bit to fast when used as AI. I have tried to reduce the Static lbs. Thrust for the engine(s) by increments to slow the aircraft down to make them subsonic, and at the same time not cause them to drop short of the runway during landings. I realize there are limits to this single change, and hope to gain some knowledge as to what main entries in the airfile I can manipulate without screwing things up.Are there a set number of entries I can modify in the air file using AirEdit, to acco…

Hi, I have stall speed set in the aircraft.cfg file at 136 KIAS, but the aircraft stalls at 100 KIAS. How can I get the aircraft to stall at 136 KIAS?Thanks,nick

Rob,Thanks for your very nice gauge.A few questions:1. "Minimums" is called 300 ft RA.2. When i set DH on 100 ft, still "Minimums" is called at 300, but also at 100 ft.3. After touchdown it calls always "Don't Sink!", but i don't.4. I tried to alter the inits, without succes up untill now.Can you give some clues?I use version 1, cause I only have a small place in the ann. panel for it. The ovrd functions are elsewere, but it is quite a job, to alter all the G:Var's to use the code in those other places (flap- gear ovrd).Jan"Beatus Ille Procul Negotiis"

I have seen a tutorial on how to place a small coloured sqaure on the windscreen to aid with lining up on the runway during landing, but can anyone tell me how to create say an arrow in Photoshop and use this as the landing bug which can be toggled on and off?

Why does the "Click Event" in this code not work in FS2002? It works great with FS2004. If I load another aircraft in FS2002 and select the marker sound, from the radios window, and then return to the aircraft with this gauge, it shows the marker sound is ON. However the click event does not work when I click on it, to turn it on or off.(A:Marker Sound, bool)

Hi, I have 2 gauges on their own planar in the VC and the planars partially overlap. The planar that is the most aft (partially covering the other planar) tends to mask the operation of the gauge underneath. Is there a way round this? I have trieddraw_order00=gauge02, gauge12but to no avail.thanks,nick

I'm looking to make an XML gauge that performs like SimIcons.However I want it to display ON and OFF positions (ON display throttle quad, OFF hides it, etc.) so I can use toggle switch BMPs instead of the ugly SimIcons. Any help would be greatly appreciated.Thanks,Dave

I've used boxes with multiple segments for the fuselages of a couple of GMax models. The Curtiss Jenny and other models I've seen have diagonals between segments which I don't have in my boxes.- how is this done?- what are the advantages?Regards

Hello,I have the LDS 767, and I want to set the zoom at 0.75 so I add this line the panel.cfg;VIEW_FORWARD_ZOOM=0.75However, the panel displays a zoom of 0.56.What am I doing wrong?Thanks

Hi All,Our VA is assembling a new Propliner for our livery, in both FS2002 and FS2004. But the capability to manually lower the landing gear with the CTRL-G function doesn't exist in either of our base models.Can someone please give us the instructions on how to add that feature?Thanks in advance for any help.Charles Wood

I think I may be at the point where I am ready to put my work out there and ask for two or three volunteers to run through the AC and look for the mistakes I know are present and perhaps suggest some improvements/fixes. There is still a lot to do, but it seems to me that continuing it with out a test at this point may ultimately be something I regret.If you would like to help, drop a note to [email protected] and I will send you more info.Cheers and as always TIA.Shad