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

Hello all,i'm new to this here forum a far as posting goes but i do regularly check here for any interesting things. Anyway, i have a question regarding my F27 project. Me being an aspiring XML programmer-wannabe-but-do-not-have-a-clue-what-i-am-doing type of person i am trying to get to grips with this XML stuff.I am in need of a 3-position switch for my VC that controls aileron trim. Sort of like the starter rocker switch in the stock DC3.What's needed is that the switch activates the trim motor as long as it's being held to either 2 of 3 positions (left - right and centered to neutral). This differs from any rocker switch i have found so far in that these go back to ne…

Hello guys, so I have fallen down the very slippery slope of panel/ aircraft design and am having great fun with it. I am currently reworking the FDE for Veneavione's Citation II. My question for all you guru FDE makers out there is this: once you have some hard numbers on the aircraft like lbs. static thrust, empty weight, payload capacity, MTOW, max initial climb, etc. how much do you set those numbers and leave them alone? Right now I have accurate figures on the wing area, static thrust, empty weight and MTOW input into the flight model. My dad used to fly citations and says that at MTOW they could mainted approx. 3000 fpm initial climb (@210knt). At MTOW my…

A little help please...I am checking Zero Fuel Weight (ZFW)Expression for ZFW - ((A:TOTAL WEIGHT, POUNDS) (A:FUEL TOTAL QUANTITY WEIGHT, POUNDS) -)Best way to describe what I wantIf ZFW is greater than (>) 44000 then display "OVER WEIGHT" in redelse display "In Limits" in greenI will also check Taxi Weight TOTAL WEIGHT < 51250Here is a mock up of what I'm working towards.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/88061.jpgThere will be much more to the gauge, and I will have more questions.Thanks for the help

I have looked and looked and I cannot find a decent photo or information about the gauge layout of a typical C402C used by Cape Air. Can anybody give me some hints or a resourse? I am designing a custom panel, but I do not know for sure what avionics are typical for Cape Air (i.e. radar, gps, VOR2, ADF, RMI, RadAlt, radios, etc.) Thanks in advance![a href=http://bstockwell.net/MAIP.htm]http://bstockwell.net/images/maip.gif[/a]

Hi to everybody, I'm VERY newbie and I'm trying to develop a new gauge (to manage panel views) using the "C" language.The gauge works fine, but using a fixed value that is written in the code. I wolud like to make it more "general purpose" specifing that value in the PANEL.CFG file as a parameter: gauge##=gaugefile!gaugename, X, Y, W, H, parametersI've read the Panel SDK documentation, but I didn't find how to read those paramenters.Many Thanks in advanceMarioP.S. Obviously I will be pleased to share when is done.

Hi,Easy to clip for rectangles withfor example.But is it possible to use clip for circles.Also, I sometimes see and RelClip. How are these used.Whats the difference between using this technique and mask bitmaps.Thanks,Nick.

I decided to start building my own gauges.This is a proof of concept / learning gauge.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/87933.jpgThe gauge is fairly simple to shows Ref speeds calculated using the Total Aircraft Weight.The gauge is specifically designed for the POSKY CRJ.I used a modified Lear radio panel bitmap for the basis of my bitmap.I plan to expand on this gauge to include 3 selectable pages, Takeoff, Cruise and Landing, with a custom bitmap.

Hi,I'm using statements like: without effect when I fail the engine.The code appears in a gauge like this: <Element> <Position X="134" Y="128"/> <Select> <Image Name="Engine_Oil_Needle.bmp" PointsTo="East" ImageSizes="54,12,54,12"> <Axis X="0" Y="5"/> </Image> </Select> <Rotate> <Value Minimum="0" Maximum="150">(A:Eng1 oil temperature,celsius)</Value> <Failures><SYSTEM_ENGINE Action="Freeze"/></Failures> <Nonlinearity> <Item Value="150" X="172" Y="72"/> <Item Value="0" X="172" Y="182"/> </Nonlinearity> <Delay DegreesPerSecond="2"/> </Rotate>&l…

Please help me before I start drilling holes in my head...I'm trying to put together a simple gauge that showsthe aircraft total weight.AIRCRAFT WT. xxx.x LBS x 1000As a learn more about programing XML gauges, the gauge will advance to showing V speeds based on weight.However first things first...Thanks for the help

I've been playing with this all day. Trying to keep use of the spoiler toggle key, I've tried every combination I can think of using axis_set's, spoilers_set's, spoilers_on/off, and this the best I can do... The first spoiler toggle puts the spoilers at the flight limit. The next opens them to full, and the third closes them. Any of the aforementioned combinations of commands either (pretty much) locks them open or closed. I'm sure it could be fixed with a click sopt, but I'm trying to use only the spoiler toggle.Can anybody tell me how to lose the full open position while in flight and lose the partial position when on the ground?(A:SPOILERS HANDLE POSITION,percent) …

Hey everyone,I'm venturing into the world of panel building. The first thing I want to do is add the default GPS to the RealAir Cessna VC. I've had no luck so far.Here is a section that I have for my VC: For some reason it does not show up.. I'm just trying to get it on the panel now, so I'm not worried if it covers anything up. I'm also having a problem with the position the panel loads where your "eyes" are.Here is my code: I moved it up fro 8000 something to 9000, but I have yet to see a change. The odd part is that I put this same snipet of code for the eye point into the default cessna panel.cfg and it moved it where I wanted it to..... Both the Realair and Default…

Is there a limit to the number of L variables that can be defined? Is there a limit to the number of total characters of all L vars? (ie. if I have ten L vars each with 10 digit titles... I'm up to 100 characters plus their data). Is there a number where the law of diminishing returns is invoked?

For XML gauge designers:As you probably know, the result of setting an FS variable via an event, is NOT visible via the related A: variable untill AT MINIMUM the next time the gauge is scheduled. And not even THAT is guaranteed, depending on actual framerate and gauge UpdateFrequency.See also:http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...ing_type=searchThe same problem might occur when you try to initialise an FS variable once, when a gauge is loaded.Example:Suppose you load an existing flight in which a lightswitch is set ON, and you want force the lightswitch to OFF when the aircraft is loaded.(in a initialisation tag that is executed only once).Now, a lot of variables o…

Hi,Just to show an ADI with only one (Background and Mask) bitmap.Rest polylines, polygons and text:Example (attitude bars):40---------------40nn----------nn30---------------30nn----------nn20---------------20n-----n----------n-----n10---------------10n-----n----------n-----nn-----n----------n-----n10---------------10n-----n----------n-----n20---------------20nn-----nn30---------------30 (A:Attitude indicator pitch degrees, degrees) /-/ (A:Attitude indicator bank degrees, radians)See pic, sorry bad quality, almost full screen, not yet finished!Jan"Beatus Ille Procul Negotiis"http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/87529.jpg

Hi All,For an autotrim system which is coupled with the autopilot I need some trim movement (trim in motion) lights. One light for the movement up and one for trim down. They illuminate only while the elevator trim is in motion(!) and controlled from the AP/FD. I have absolutely no idea of how to realize this. Hope someone has an idea or a sample code.Best RegardsMatthias

Inexperience (and laziness?) strikes! *grin?*

hi, Im having a tuff time getting my fuel pressure to read correctly. I used AirEd to look up entry 545 and all i get is a hex entry, which i dont know what to do with. I made a new XML gauge and in the sim it is nearly pegged. So i used a stocker and get the same reading. how do i fix it? can i divide the XML entry in half (would get me close) or do i adjust the air file entry. help. everything else in the airfiles seems good. or do i just adjust my gauge bitmap to fit my actual readings???joe

Hi all,Since releasing my v2 panel I have had a couple of questions about using the scroll wheel to set autopilot values, radio frequencies etc.It seems my panel has this ability but it is not working correctly - considering i didn't know about this feature I am not surprised! :-SDoes anyone know the xml commands to control this?I would really like to get it fixed,Many thanks,Paul.

What do I have to add to the aircraft.cfg file to get smoke to come out of the smokestack of a ship? The stack is about in the center of the ship and is 60 feet tall.Thanks,Phil

I have FS2004 installed, with many add-on aircrafts, sceneries and utilities such as flyby and FSUIPC.I usually fly in full screen mode, and everything works fine in this mode. Sometimes (when developing new gauges) I switch to windowed mode, and then FS crashes after I load 2 different aircrafts.I don't know where to search because everything works fine in full screen mode, so it appears that no add-on is faulty.Any idea?Thanks for any help !!Eric

Here's the relevant code. I'm wanting to know 2 things. a) Why doesn't changing the "action" type of a failure work? :( What is wrong with my tooltip? I want the tooltip to give the pressure in psi. <snip...><Element> <Failures><SYSTEM_ENGINE Action="0"/></Failures> <Position X="128" Y="128"/> <Image Name="Engine_Oil_Needle.bmp" PointsTo="West" Luminous="Yes" ImageSizes="54,12,54,12"> <Axis X="92" Y="6"/> </Image> <Rotate> <Value Minimum="0" Maximum="150">(A:ENG1 TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE,CELSIUS)</Value> <Nonlinearity> <Item Value="150" X="182" Y="48"/> <Item Value="0" X="…

Hy,I would like to ask you if there's the possibility to link an FS string text (the green line on the screen) in a XML gauge.For example, if I push a XML button gauge in the cockpit, the clock time appair in the text line on the screen (just an example ;-))ThanksStefano- Italy -

I have used his ERJ panel in FS2002 and now I am using it in FS2004 with the ERJ by Dreamwings, I have all the panel updates for it to work in FS2004 and I have the newest version of FSUIPC, but I still cannot get the TCAS to work, are there anyfixes for this because I cant seem to find one? I have also registered the panel with FSUIPC Thanks, matt

Hello,I am having a very annoying problem with gmax. The model Im working on is done basically but when I export it and view it in FS, there is ALWAYS at least one texture that displays blurry on the model. Normally it is either both wing textures or one side of the fuselage. The textures are without MIP maps, yet still I am seeing blurred textures. As a side note, if I was to zoom in as far as I can and then zoom back out the textures are ok. But the next time the textures are re-loaded (ie when I change views) they are blurred again. I don't understand it! :(Also, in middleman, I noticed an option on export that was called "texture page hack". Anybody know what this doe…

I am considering an update for my FS2000 XB-70 for FS9 but only if I can get the wingtips to fold down as a function of speed. I am using FSDS2.24 so I need to develop a XML gauge to do the following. The wing tip would remain straight until 350 mph then fold down 25 degrees. Then when the plane reaches 550mph the tips should fold down to a total of 70 degrees. Obviously, they need to go the other way when the plane slows down. First of all, should the tips be animated as flaps, wingfold, or l_pct_trail_edge_flap(I think) or other. I want the tips to fold slowly like a flap; I used preset conditions in FS2000 and they just snapped into place. I thought I had a handl…