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

Hi folks, Here's another newbie question. I was wondering if it's possible to retrieve the value of a variable in a .gau file using XML? I'm trying to add a decision height sound based on the decision height selected on a payware panel(which happens to be a single .gau file). A DH light in the panel comes up but it doesn't use FS9's DH variable, instead it uses one native to the .gau file. This is just a guess, I might be wrong here, but I got a list of the variable names from the .gau file, and I was wondering if I would be able to read the value of a variable called "bDecAltLightVar" and play a sound if that variable is true (DH lights comes on). I'm guessing since t…

Anyone have a formula to calculate an X-wind component on takeoff.I've been playing with this one, but it's not working out well. There is also the issue of magnetic variation, and I still need to work the GPS_MagVar into the formula.xwindcomponent = windspeed * sin ( windir - runwaydir ) ;//Where:runwaydir = runway * 10 ; // Example: Runway 34 = 340 windir = AMBIENT_WIND_DIRvar.var_value.n ; windspeed = AMBIENT_WIND_VELvar.var_value.n ;Cheers,Bryan

I need to rotate a wind direction arrow, and I'd prefer to keep it as a vector drawn graphic.Can anyone tell me why this won't work? Without the tags, the 'arrow' will display onscreen where it's drawn......as soon as the and are added, the arrow simply disappears entirely!(A:Ambient Wind Direction, degrees) /-/Note: I've already tried drawing the 'arrow' as a self-contained graphic and using the to locate it to the "upper-left corner" as we do a bitmap, and adjusting the to the correct pivot point. It does the same vanishing act!

Just carousing the net I ran into this new deal from Cirrus. "Perspective" by Garmin. WOW is all I can say. GA aircraft have now equalled/surpassed the avionics suites of airliners. http://www.turbopilot.com/cirrusperspective/http://www.cirrusdesign.com/perspectiveRomanProud "TEAM AVSIM" RTW race member.XP Pro, FS9, FR Locked @ 23, AMD 1800+ OCd to 1900+, APIC MProc Mod (24 IRQs), Latency Mods, ECS K7S5a V1.1, 7 fans, 1 gig, 100 & 60 Gig 7200rpm HD, ASUS/NVidia GeForce 64mb AGP on 21", NVidia FX5500 vivo 256mb (CRAP) on 18", Nvidia 93.71s ( The highest can go for the GeForce3 & 5500 combined ), Savage4 32mb on 15", BV services mods.

In an earlier post, I described a problem I was having with FSDS 3.5.1 (within the Vista OS) in getting a .bgl file to compile. An E Mail to Abacus Tech Support resulted in a fast response and quick solution, which I am passing along.For General Information:Turning OFF User Account Control cures this particular problem. I turn UAC back on after I am through with the FSDS work, though I am not convinced it is really necessary.Regards,Thrakete

Hello all,I've recently been attempting to revamp some of my panels to get rid of fluff gauges that I never use and that eat FPS and replace them with something better.Unfortunately, I've been running into some problems inserting the new gauges into the VC. Basically, the new gauges is cut-up and/or covered by the background like the image that should hopefully be attached to this post.Is there a way around this effect through manipulation of the background bitmaps, alpha channels, etc., or is this related directly to the model and can't be changed at all?Thanks,Greg

Hi all,Can anyone explain how I should implement alpha-channel shading in my gauges ?I know how to draw an image with an alpha-channel in PSP and run that through the imagetool from MS, its the bit after that that I don't seem to get right. Basically I want to add some shading to a few of my C++ indicator gauges and add a transparent protection to one of the switches. These gauges consist of a STATIC (off course), a few icons and needles etc... and I want to layer an ICON element on top of that containing the alpha-channel based shading.I added the IMAGE_USE_ALPHA flag to the ICON element but the result is completely not what I had intended. Although the alpha looks reall…

Hi folks, Maybe one of you could help me out. I'm trying to add a trim sound effect to a panel using the dsd_xml_sound3 gauge. Here's what I got so far:Gauge directory:dsd_xml_sound3.gauSound dir.:trim_sound.wavtrim_sound.ini ----[Config]MaxSounds=1ErrorFlag=0LvarStop=dsd_stop_sounds[LVars]Lvar00=Trim_Sound[sounds]Sound00=./Sound/trim_sound.wav, 100------On Window00 of my Panel.cfg I have:gauge06=TrimSound!Trimsound, 2,2,1,1gauge07=dsd_xml_sound3!dsd_xml_sound3, 2,2,5,5, ./sound/trim_sound.iniI've created a new directory in my Panel directory with the xml file:TrimSoundTrimsound.xmlNow I'm not sure how to write the logical expression to see whether the trim is being mov…

I am currently working on a cessna rpm gauge. The cessna gauge I want to replicate does not have the seconds strip like the FS9 cessna, so the first number that moves is the units, now after doing some testing using the fs9 cessna, one unit moves 1 number every 360 sec (6 mins) and completes one cycle in 3600 sec (60 mins). Pretty simple maths to work out how the others work.This code below works, but if I continue, this is going to become the longest code in history, I am sure there has got to be a better way, but at the moment one alludes me. Any ideas ?FLOAT64 FSAPI engine_units_y( PELEMENT_MOVING_IMAGE pelement ){ lookup_var(&working_time); engine_time = (working_…

It's not documented in the SDK, but since many other things which work also aren't, I thought I'd take a chance and ask... is there any way to use hyperbolic trig functions in XML? I need to use tanh(x). Beyond a (too) complicated and taxing Taylor series, it's the best way I've found to approximate tan(x) and yet avoid the jump to infinity every pi/2 (which I WANT to avoid). Or, maybe some math-lover in here has an idea? I want, basically, tan(x) from 0 to +/- pi/3, but need it to trail off asymptotically (horizontally) around Y = +/- 5. I also need to avoid piece-wise solutions, if possible. The sign ramifications have already been acounted for. Thanks!

I would appreciate help with instructions on installing Alain Capt MD-11 panel. I'm not a computer wiz, but I can't seem to work with the tutorial provided on the web site. Anyone out there that could explain this to me?Thanks in advance.

Is anyone using this exact combination (FSDS 3.5/FSX with SP2/Vista SP1)successfully? I have just started the "Help" section (Tutorials) and find that the program will not compile the .bgl examples-(no explanation, just "Did Not Compile") message, and requires a runway at Seatac that does not exist in FSX for the .bgl project file. Also, while the sample aircraft .mdl file conversion process for FSX indicates no problem, the aircraft does not appear in the sim.I have checked and rechecked all the paths to the .exe files needed, and they are correct.If this is just another program that hasn't caught up with the Vista SP1 and FSX SP2 combination, I don't want to waste any…

...here is an interesting "hint" about the future that may be of interest:"Check out this scripting language, as it would be VERY useful to learn it... http://www.lua.org/ "This is a direct quote from PC12's blog:http://paul-flightsimguy.spaces.live.com/b...565FB!770.entryIt's interesting to note the number of popular game titles that use Lua:http://www.lua.org/uses.htmlsee also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lua_%28progra...29#Applications- Lucasarts * Grim Fandango * Escape from Monkey Island- Bioware * Neverwinter Nights * MDK2 Here is a well written "introduction" to how Lua is being used in modern game development:http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1…

I currently use a rather awkward system to determine roughly what part of the world the plane is located in.However, I'd like to adopt a cleaner and precise method to determine which country the aircraft is.So I'm looking at this GPS variable to get the job done: FacilityRegionTrouble is, it doesn't seem to return anything in my C gauge.Anyone ever get the same thing to work?This is it for the code:PCSTRINGZ country;execute_calculator_code("(C:fs9gps:FacilityRegion, string)", NULL, NULL, &country);Cheers,Bryan

I'm trying to track down a bug that's been observed with my latest release: When looking through the glass in the VC, clouds appear as black hard edged shapes. Water also appears black. When you're not looking through the glass, everything looks fine. I suspect it might be a DX10 issue, but at this point I don't have much information. I'm running XP and haven't been able to reproduce the bug. Has anyone run into this?

Hi this is for all commercial add-on developersI have a complete C-17 panel set (2D panel bitmaps, gauges, pop up windows and some neat gauges controlling some special engine modes) for sale.I made it for a company which does not need it any longer.Anyone beeing interested in more details can contact me [email protected],Herbert

I am trying to make a pitch indicator for an attitude indicator. Thats what I call it anyway, not sure if it is correct, just in case it is not called that and you lot do not know what I am talking about, working example the cessna attitude indicator click up and indicator goes up, click down and the indicator goes down. How's that for an explaination :-lol.Now for the relevant bits of code.SINT32 pitch_indicator_position = 0; FLOAT64 FSAPI pitch_position_cb( PELEMENT_MOVING_IMAGE pelement ){ return pitch_indicator_position;}MAKE_MOVING( pitch_indicator, PITCH_INDICATOR, bank_pointer_plist, attitude_fail, IMAGE_USE_TRANSPARENCY | IMAGE_USE_ERASE | BIT7, 0, 0,0, MO…

Hi folks,I am a novice at aircraft design. I want to build some transports with clickable virtual cockpits, akin to Mr. Jens B. Kristensen's aircraft. I want to spend my limited dollars judiciously; hence, my question: is there a single program available that runs on windows XP that I can purchase, which will allow me to design fs2004 add on aircraft with virtual cockpits?I thought about the latest FSDS from Abacus. Some folks say it is novice user friendly, which is what I need.DO you have any recommendations?If this question has been asked in the past, I do apologize for promoting redundancy.Thank you,SD

Here's a short C routine that will (eventually) print a googolplex, that is 10^googol power.A googol, for those who may not remember is simply 10^100 power, or 1 followed by 100 zeros.Now, given today's processor speeds, how long would it take to complete printing? :)#include #include int main (int argc, char *argv[]){ int *vals, *ptr, max; if (argc == 2) max = atoi (argv[1]); else max = 100; printf ("1"); if ((vals = malloc ((max + 1) * sizeof (int))) == NULL) { fprintf (stderr, "Error allocating memory.n"); return 1; } memset (vals, '0', (max + 1) * sizeof (int)); while (!vals[max]) { *(ptr = vals) += 1; while (*ptr == 10) { *ptr++ = 0; …

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I hope this is the correct forum for this problem. I posted it on the scenery forum and I am posting it here because I believe it is caused by the gauge.I have used the AFCAD program to add some NEW airstrips into FS9. I updated the FS Nav database and I can now use their IACOs to plan my flights. The airports show up in the "Map View", and I can use them to make a flight plan, with the FS9 flight planner. There is one problem that I have not been able to fix. The FS9 Garmin GPS 500 gauge does not draw the small circle, that represents these airports. It prints their IDs on the gauge's screen, it shows the distance and etc., and it draws the magenta colored line that conn…

I am getting on quite well learning C++, but I have a couple of problems, which I can not seem to get my head around, so am hoping one of the experts can point me in the right direction.1/. I have made a pitch inclinmeter using MAKE_MOVING, which works ok untill the engine is stopped then instead of the pitch indicator falling to display down 20 degrees, is shows climb 20 degrees. I have tried reversing the range values, but that reverses the way the indcator works when the engine is running. Is it possible to reverse a token variable in a MAKE_MOVING so it work the same way as it does in a MAKE_SPRITE ?2/. I am using MAKE_NEEDLE to rotate my fuel control switch. My code…

If this subject appears twice, I apologize-my browser service seems to be going intermittent this weekend.After finally downloading the latest SDK and reading through it, it appears to suggest that only 3ds Max is suitable for creating the true "FSX SP2" aircraft models. This is a $3500 program according to the home website. Is the (free) gmax 1.2 no longer usable for creating models?This is an academic question on my part; my main interest is in Flight Dynamics. However, if a $3500 program is necessary for modeling, I can better understand why the Payware guys are asking up to $100 U.S. for a copy of their products.Regards,Thrakete

Hello!I am working on a heavy smoke effect, looks like this right now:[Library Effect]Lifetime=5Version=2.00[Emitter.0]Lifetime=0.00, 0.00Delay=0.00, 0.00Bounce=0.00Rate=44.00, 66.00X Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00Y Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00Z Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00Drag=0.00, 0.00X Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00Y Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00Z Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00X Rotation=0.00, 0.00Y Rotation=0.00, 0.00Z Rotation=0.00, 0.00X Offset=0.00, 0.00Y Offset=0.00, 0.00Z Offset=0.00, 0.00[Particle.0]Lifetime=5.00, 9.00Type=19X Scale=0.80, 1.10Y Scale=0.80, 1.10Z Scale=0.00, 0.00X Scale Rate=0.40, 0.90Y Scale Rate=0.40, 0.90Z Scale Rate=0.00, 0.00Drag=-4.00, -3.80Color Ra…

Hi,Downloaded a helo source file for Gmax and I need help. Haven't done any aircraft, only scenry thus far, in Gmax so I need some pointers on getting this thing to work. I've got the main rotor anmation to work correctly, but the tail rotor doesn't spin at all. I also need any tips on how to get the main rotor to tilt, and pedals and stick animations. Is it all through naming conventions or do I need to "animate" these parts? The tail rotor is my main concern right now. Any info would be appreciated!! Thanks.AJ