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

Here is my question.I have created a set of effects for an aircraft and i use gauges to activate them, i.e. afterburner is set up as a recognition light, wing vortex as a cabin light, etc. Now the problem comes when these effects, set up as various lights, are activated at night, they simply start glowing.It is actually desirable for an afterburner... but becomes a real problem for things like afterburner smoke (I have 2 different smoke effects: one for dry thrust and one for reheated, they are different colors and are activated under different conditions) or wing vortex. It looks rather crazy when engine smoke glows at night, and all of the sudden it is not an engine any…

Hi Guys, I thought that I would start to do something with GMAX as per the FS2002 version, ok I know I'm a late starter but I can't get it to register itself. I get a page not available error and can't see a way to register GMAX on the Discreet site.Any and all ideas appreciated.Thanks

I wish to toggle a custom variable in a VC via the makemdl.parts.xml coding schema, but no where in the entire file is there an example of how to do this...What is clear is that some form of is needed, but I've been unable to get anything to function: cockpit_doorCockpitDoorbool5040 (M:Event) 'LeftSingle' scmp 0 != ????? What is a rather trivial .... sequence in a gauge has become a nightmare in the MDL XML coding schema... :(Anyone with ideas, or better still, a solution? :)FWIW, the animation part is just fine, since I've temporarily used SMOKE_TOGGLEfor the "trigger..."

Ok.Thought this was going to be no big deal, but something's missing from my understanding of this which is not surprising.I want to communicate within a mult-gauge. While I would like to just declare a variable like this:UINT32 some_var = 0; // Global variable.and then in another sub-gauge:extern UINT32 some_var; // Define elsewhere.as we do in C, this approach was clearly not the Way.After reading up on the server/client gauges in both the SDK, and in sd2gau17.zip, and reviewing SDK.FlightMap.c, I'm still confused as to why my attempts have been unsuccessful.What I'm attempting to do is have one switch sub-gauge toggle a variable which is used in another gauge i…

Here is the problem:I have an L:var,enum used to drive a digital readout but it is presenting the information too fast.In other words, on a digital gauge it takes about 5 seconds to display the L:var,enum from 0-15, and I want it to take at least 12-15 seconds to display the same information. Any hints??Steve

I need to figure out a way in XML to know if the engine has been recently started, say in the last 20 minutes. In other words, can I store a variable (Boolean?) that is time dependent and gives me a 1 if the engine has been running recently?Steve

Does this work with FS9?Anyone have any comments on which is better to use: FSSound.dll, or dooSound?Thanks.

Ahoy all!I am getting ready to upload an updated model of the Liberty Ship, complete with smoke and sound effects.Since this was a steam-powered ship, I assume that it doesn't have much in the way of engine sounds. The windnoise seems to provide a pretty good general sound from inside the ship. Is there any way to create an external general sound?Also, I found a litte sound sample with a ship's horn. I can rig the sound.cfg file to play the sound when you press keys, such as XX (inactivate autopilot). Is there a better way to do this?Also, how can I create an external ship horn sound? Right now, you can only hear it from inside the ship.Thanks,Phil

Is there anyway to get Bill Morad's excellent ATC panel to appear in the spot, VC, and tower views, like the built in ATC window? I use it all the time in all my planes and I sure hate to switch back to the panel view to toggle the ATC commands. Thanks, regards, Bob.P.S. I sure do miss Bill!

I need to determine when EGT has "peaked" during the leaning process.I have a digital display that will show the EGT for cylinders 1 through 6, and the "average EGT." Since on most Lycoming engines, cylinder #5 will nearly always be the 'hottest,' I'm tracking the delta of #5 during the "LeanFind" process.I've tried the following logic, but it isn't working... :(case PANEL_SERVICE_PRE_UPDATE:if ( leanfind == 1 && stopfind == 0 ) { peak_egt = cyl5_egt ; } if ( peak_egt > cyl5_egt ) { stopfind = 1 ; } The above should record the current cyl5_egt, store it to peak_egt, and then STOP whenever the highest temp is found, leaving the 'peak value' stored in peak_egt…

Hi,I have been thinking about this a long time now. And I though I should share it with all you "aircraft builders". :-)We all know that on some short and medium range aircraft, there are folding airstairs modelled in the aircraft model. But what about the long range aircraft?I know that they do not have folding airstairs in real life. But it would certainly be a nice touch if a moving airstair truck or a fixed movable airstair could be modelled, which could have the same keyboard commands as the folding airstairs as the short and medium range aircraft.Some samples:http://www.airliners.net/open.file/377467/M/http://www.airliners.net/open.file/398067/M/http://www.airliners…

What's the difference?For the life of me, I can't figure out what.Thanks

Since with this MACRO: #define MOUSE_CHILD_FUNCT(x, y, w, h, cursor, mouse_flags, function) {MOUSE_RECT_CHILD, {x, y, w, h}, cursor, helpid, mouse_flags, 0, function, NULL}, (which mysteriously omits helpid in the formal parameters)and this code: MOUSE_BEGIN( switch_strobe_mouse_rect, HELPID_GAUGE_LIGHT_SWITCH_STROBE, 0, 0 ) MOUSE_CHILD_FUNCT( 0, 0, 43, 73, CURSOR_UPARROW, MOUSE_LEFTSINGLE, switch_strobe_mcb)MOUSE_END You get this error: B206B3.Switch_Strobe.c(62) : error C2065: 'helpid' : undeclared identifier I'm thinking this redefinition of the MACRO fixes it: #define MOUSE_CHILD_FUNCT(x, y, w, h, cursor, mouse_flags, function, helpid) {MOUSE_RECT_CHILD, {x, y,…

It would seem that you can create a gauge bitmap with an alpha channel and use the IMAGE_USE_LUMINOUS_PARTIAL flag to determine which parts of the gauge are luminous.Is this true? I've not been able to find a format for a gauge background with an alpha channel that will load. I've tried DXT1, DXT3, & A8R8G8B8. But it seems that bitmaps must be 8 or 24 bit to work. What bitmap format will allow this in FS9?I have DXTBmp, Imagetool, & Photoshop.Thanks.Edited: to subscribe.

Hi,I have made an xml gauge with an L bool variable. Good part: Gauge works fine. Bad part: I want to add a part in the makemdl.parts.xml. Up to now nothing worked.How do I implement the L bool variable inbetween the animation tacks?ReagardsDirk

Hi all,Does anyone know of a way I can install an accurate GPWS (say from my PSS A320 or my PMDG 737NG) callout system in default/freeware aircraft? I find the GPWS very very useful in landings since it's hard to see the runway perspective on given approaches in given planes.Thanks in advance!

(XML question) I'm stuck again. I can't get an autopeter mach hold bug to work to save my life. I have the autopeter airspeed hold bug working fine, and I can get the results I'm looking for in a string, but I just can't get the mach bug (does that mean I'm slow? *grin?*) in a value, ...help?

Ok, I'm doing my homework and studying the header (with Arne's improvements), and I see this part below: #define ELEMENT_INFO ELEMENT_TYPE_ENUM element_type; ID resource_id; PIXPOINT position; PIXPOINT previous_position; PIXPOINT ofs; PGAUGEHDR gauge_header; struct ELEMENT_HEADER *previous_element; struct ELEMENT_HEADER **next_element; PFAILURE_RECORD failure_systems; FLAGS image_flags; FLAGS aircraft_special_instrumentation; FLAGS reserved;typedef struct ELEMENT_HEADER{ ELEMENT_INFO}ELEMENT_HEADER;#define HEADER union { struct { ELEMENT_INFO }; …

I tried to increase the kneeboard size in order to see properly approach plates and other informations.I could change the kneeboard frame - "imgkbbkg.bmp" - (which is in the "Uires" folder) by another one with the adequate size and it works, but I couldn't increase the internal window where the information is presented. Is it possible to increase it as well?If negative, is it possible to make a window similar to the "radio stack" with a browser to display ".htm" pages, instead of instruments or equipments?Thanks for your atention.psvf2004

I see in the A variable list,SPOILERS RIGHT POSITIONSPOILERS LEFT POSITIONbut in the K variables list the variables only seem to control both spoilers together. Is there a way to control left and right spoilers seperately? I'm using spoilers to control my bomb bay doors.Thanks,Nick.

Hi,Using those different values there is quite a big difference between those readings, almost factor 6.No experience with FDE etc.I can read the differences in AFSD, example:Fuelburn 10400 (2 engines) FF(pph): 5200, CFF(pph): 29000 (cruise, 1 engine)Using FF there is still FF when engines off.Using reverse, FF decreases?Using CFF no fuel flow when off, no increase with reverse power.(for the other parameters I use CN1, CN2 and EGT)Can someone explain this and how to use them.Jan"Beatus Ille Procul Negotiis"

Hello all,is there any way to have semi-transparent gauges with GDI+?What I mean is basically having a black (RGB 0, 0, 0) canvas with the CREATE_DIBSECTION flag, but also the TRANSPARENCY flag. I just do not get it working, after much trying around. It usually draws nothing at all or extremly wild and weird colored images where you can barely recognize the original shapes drawn by GDI+, but as I said, completely wrong/crazy colors and very pixelated, just not as intended.Does anyone here have experience/success with that?I'd greatly appreciate it.Thanks guys,Etienne :-wave

Does anyone know where I can get the PA28 GMAX tutorial files from 2002? I don't have 2002, I only have 2004.Specifically, I'd like to take Ole Egholm's work a little further to model a 1973 Piper Challenger (Cherokee) 180 (straight wing).Thanks,Thomas

Thanks for reading my post! I was wondering if it is possible to have a default virtual cockpit with an add-on aircraft. For example...I download a 767-400 and want to use the default 777 VC on the 767. I've tried a variety of different things but I can never get the VC to work (as in appear) with the add-on aircraft. What do I have to do in order to make the default VC compatible? Thanks a lot...-Rudy

When I go to the Virtual Panel on the default 777 it has all the gauges working ok. However when I change the panel from the default one to a third party one ,I loose all the gauges in the virtual cockpit....how can I fix this ?? and keep the default gauges in the V.C. ??? Please help me if you can...Thanking you all in anticipation,And regards from Sunny Australia and me...Scouse :-)