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

In the "Token Variables" section of the FS9 Panel SDK, there is a listing for the following:Variable Name DescriptionRECIP_ENGINE1_PROP_TORQUE Torque required by prop (ft-lb).I am trying to use it in a gauge and I cannot get it to produce a value. What is wrong with this code?%((A:RECIP ENGINE1 PROP TORQUE,foot pound))%!5.1f!Thanks

Hi,When I have tuned into an NDB and found it (ie. ADF1 NAME and ADF1 IDENT give a string value, and ADF1 SIGNAL is greater than 0), I would like to read the NDB's position.Now, judging by the name, I assumed that variable ADF1 LATLONALT would give this somehow, but whatever "unit" I read this variable with, it also reads 0 (or an empty string).Any pointers ???Thanks, Rob

Hi Brian,I saw your reply in response to a question posted here and was hoping I might contact you.I have tried to email you a couple of times but do not know if you got them.If you can contact me [email protected] I would much appreciate it.CheersShad

Hi I've been told that in order to adjust the landing / taxi light alingment and number of, for any given aircraft one has to be able to edit the MDL file of the actual aircraft. I want to do this as some of the flight models I want to use have the runway lights either offset to one side or have simply not included the other side (this is all refering to airliners) even PMDG seem to have forgotten to add the left hand side runway & taxi lights leaving it with a right handed spotlight more suited for a cessna. Is there a editor or commercial program I can buy to add / adjust the landing and taxi lights of FS aircraft? Thsi is not my area at all, re aircraft design but …

After 2 day's (and nights :-() of debugging I finally detected why my "great-circle" formula's don't work properly.....Unlike what you would expect (and what is specified in the FS2004 panel SDK), the RNOR function doesnot normalise at "2-PI" (360 degrees, like DNOR), but only at "PI" (180 degrees).Another caution: The Modulo (%) function for negative values might work differently then you would expect:Example: "-1 4 %" gives result "-1", NOT "+3"Not a bug, but just MS'XML implementation of Modulo (this appears to be programming-language / implementation dependant).Hope this saves you some sleepsless nights :-)Cheers, Rob Barendregt

I have a VB program that logs certain FSim parameters. (FSConnect) I need to know if the aircraft is in the Slew mode and if FSNav is active. Also I need to know if the user pressed Z for the Lat and Long info. I can log the keys but some pilots change the assignments on thier joysticks.Do we need to develop a guage for that or what??Thanks for the help.

Hello evryone. I apologize if this question has been answered befroe but wqith the simbuild a340-600 the elevator seems to bend out of proportion...well not exactly bend but it has aan angle that is quite abnormal you see. anyway, i was wondering if anyone has found a solution to this problem. thank you very much

hi folksI have a Saab Safari panel almost ready for free delivery but one thing is driving me nuts: Panel windows getting stuck behind the main panel. One second everything is fine, then all of a sudden the various panel are hidden. I have noticed that going from the main to the VFR panel seems to provoke the event, but it doesn't seem to be consistent. Sometimes the panels work just just fine even after switching to VFR view.Can anyone tell me how to fix this, or have I overlooked something?Thanks in advance,Halfdan

Hi all,I'm having problems getting a gauge work with FS 2002 - here's the story....I've written a C gauge (to display some flight parameters as strings in a display), using the FS9 SDK, sd2gau17 (thanks Dai btw!) and VC++.net.It's working perfectly with FS 2004, no problems here.Then I've been using the gauges.h from the FS2002 SDK, removed the FS9 specific stuff from the gauge compiled anew and tried to use it in FS 2002.FS 2002 however came up with the message that a 3rd party module cannot be loaded, the gauge is being deactivated in FS2002.Can someone please kick me into the right direction? What needs to be done to make the same C code gauge work in both sims (assumi…

heyi started to make side/back panel to mike stones C-130as for now i have made the photo realistic images (eg. RIGHT.bmp)and i copied the side panel thingy from the howard500but nothin shows ..... so thats not the way to do ithow can i code the panel.cfg fileso they works(when its done, the panels will come up on awsim as FREEWARE)i forgot : its FS9.1

Hi all,I want to use a logarithmic function in an XML gauge, how do I do that? The function I use is LOG(X+1)*Y where X is the value and Y is a constant. In C no problemo, but in XML no way. Cheers

there's the way to simulate an attitude failure?I can't find the boolean for such failure.G.Franco

Hello guys! :)I have a little problem.I'm trying to inser the vortex effect (on flaps) in a plane.The effect (.fx file) is correctly placed and works fine.I added also an .xml file to let the effect work only in some specific situation (temperature, pressure,..)The problem is that i added the effect in the {SMOKESYSTEM} section of aircraft.cfg and in this section there are some other lines that i cannot remove.So the result is that all the lines of {SMOKESYSTEM} is controlled by the .xml file.Is there any way to use the .xml just for one effect?Please help me..i didn't found any useful info in the SDK and in the FAQ on this forumThanks!

I am adding a lot of little parts to the VC- knobs, levers, etc. I am wondering if it is normal practice to leave these parts out of the main model, or would it not make that much difference in frame rates. If one were to open the doors and zoom in, the cockpit would not have all these pieces.A second question is how much detail is needed for an AI airplane. I am thinking about making a special version with no interior, no panel, and no sound. Just the model and textures. Does this work? I ask because I saw one of my planes being used in a scenery package and it was the complete plane, including the VC. It seems like a lot of baggage to carry around.I am using FSDS2.Thank…

When Approach Mode is active on the Default 737, the plane really starts to bob up and down as it nears the runways; it really likes to chase the glideslope. Not very smooth at all.I've add autoland functionality to the default 737, but the bobbing up and down as it chases the glideslope makes my autoland real hit and miss.Any way to dampen the bobbing effect?Thanks,Bryan

Hi all! I'm learning gmax and am looking for computerized 3-view drawings of a Cessna P210. I have searched like crazy on the internet and can not find any site that has them. Do any of you know of a clearing house-like site that has these drawings?If anyone has access to 3-view drawings of the P210 I would love to have them emailed to me. I would be sure to say please and thank you.thanks chaps!

Hi All,Non-XML question for any guru out there.. I am reading the token PROPELLER_1_FEATHERED to determine if a propeller is currently feathered or unfeathered on a turboprop. Problem is, the result is always 0. I have feathering enabled in the aircraft.cfg and .air file, as far as I can tell.??I cannot find any KEY events in gauges.h to force the propeller into feather, are there any?thanks,Steve

I'm curious how other people are handling XML gauge programming...First, I assume that no one is developing using CAB files. It's obviously easier to make a folder in the Gauges or Panel subirectory, named the same as the gauge, and have all your files unzipped in there.But how do you handle the fact that FS seems to keep the XML file open, even after you end the flight? In other words, you're in the plane testing your gauge, and you need to change the XML. So you edit it, but you can't save it because you get a sharing violation. Even if I end the flight, I still can't save the file.So what I end up doing is creating two copies of the XML file, and baiscally do a Save As…

hopefully this post is in the correct section.i currently downloaded a version of the fs2002pro default beech baron 58. this is a full version and not just a repaint. however the only requirement is that you copy the .mdl file into this aircraft file. i do not have the professional version and was wondering if anyone could email me the mdl file so that i can activate this aircraft, especially since i am currently working on my first repaint and it happens to be this plane since its profile fits my theme. my email is [email protected], and all i need is the default .mdl file for the beech baron 58. if you have any questions feel free to post here or even email me direct…

ok here are some links of my first repaint. lotta drawing and painting by hand, lol took me a total of about 24 hours. but i think it came out well.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v400/nav...-Baron58-01.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v400/nav...-Baron58-02.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v400/nav...-Baron58-03.jpgthis next pic was taken about 1/2 way through which is why the wing graphics and engine graphics are missing and the canopy is still redhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v400/nav...-Jr-Baron58.jpgin that last pic you will notice a grey rectangle, that is where the tail number is supposed to go. before i post this for downloads, i would like to know i…

Hi all. I'm new to this forum and I hope I'll find my questions answered here. I'm desperately trying to improve some of the autopilot (and autothrottle) behaviour on the default FS2004 heavies. AAM shows some relevant parameters in record #1199 but unfortunately changing of these parameters have no effect whatsoever. My primary concerns are the sluggish heading rollout and speed adjustment. Although there ARE some specifically mentioned parameters for heading hold/rollout and for autothrottle none of them shows any effect when I alter them.Where's the secret?:-hmmm Regards Oskar

I have determined with all the aircraft I have and have modified I want them all to be stand alone. What I mean by this is that I want to leave the EFFECTS,SOUND,GAUGES and any other directory used for aircraft untouched. Somewhat like the following. I'm not sure it can be done but that is why I want to know the load sequence of aircraft.I would like to do the following:All effects should go in the main aircraft directory.All sound (besides engine sounds) should go in the aircraft sound dir.All gauges go in the panel directory.I have a feeling this can already be done but without the search routine that the aircraft portion goes thru I can't be sure.Also, on CFS2 aircr…

Does anyone know of an airboat model in FS9? I have looked everywhere. Would be nice in the new Everglades scenery with airboat trails that Scott Gridley and I are developing.

Hi,Recently i noticed a strange phenomenon:Hydraulic quantity, normally around 98%, drops sometimes below 90, even to 0.0!I have no idea about the cause.Loading another plane sets the quantity to normal.What is happening?The things doesn't have any influence on the functioning of the plane!!???Any ideas?Jan"Beatus Ille Procul Negotiis"

Hey all,I thought I'd share this information on making XML 'functions' in the hopes that it might be useful to some of you. I've been getting a number of inquiries lately on the subject, so maybe this will save me some time as well:)A function in (MS)XML is actually a 'macro' which is passed a number of arguments. Just like most other languages functions allow you to create re-useable code.For this example I'll start with a simple function that converts degrees to radians and takes only one argument - something you can already do with the built-in 'dgrd' function, but still useful for illustrative purposes.1) Define the macro function: @1 pi 180 / *'@1' represents the arg…