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P3D v4 Help Needed with Combined Mach and IAS Linear Tape Gauge

T

TangoGolf

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180
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unitedkingdom
I have been trying to work out how to produce a 3D combined Mach and IAS linear tape gauge.

I have a fixed IAS scale from 0 to 900 knots with a moving tape type pointer. The animation has 90 frames. This part of the gauge seems to be calibrated and working fine (apart from the tape indictor sticking out the side of the panel at lower IAS).

The Mach scale should move along the bottom of the gauge with the actual Mach number lining up with the moving tape pointer.

The Mach scale has 220 frames and keyframe zero starts at IAS zero and is parented to the moving tape needle. although I can get the Mach scale moving as the IAS tape needle moves it is not indicating the correct Mach number at the pointer.

Any help or pointers would be gratefully received.

Also any suggestions of how to hide the Mach scale and Indicator tape needle from sticking out of the side of the panel?


noj6lF.jpg




Code: 
  <Animation name="needle_asi_T188_tape"                      guid="aaf8eb1d-f2e7-4e79-f425-2a3337e1cb76" type="Sim" typeParam="AutoPlay"  length="90" typeParam2="needle_asi_T188_tape" />
    <PartInfo>
    <Name>needle_asi_T188_tape</Name>
    <AnimLength>90</AnimLength>
    <Animation>
      <Parameter>
        <Code> (A:AIRSPEED INDICATED,KNOTS) 10 /</Code>
      </Parameter>
    </Animation>
    <MouseRect>
      <TooltipID>TOOLTIPTEXT_AIRSPEED_KNOTS</TooltipID>
    </MouseRect>
  </PartInfo>
 
 <Animation name="T188needle_mach" guid="9490dacc-72a8-43c3-476d-8ca3e080de7b" length="220" type="Sim" typeParam2="T188needle_mach" typeParam="AutoPlay" />
    <PartInfo>
    <Name>T188needle_mach</Name>
    <AnimLength>220</AnimLength>
    <Animation>
      <Parameter>
        <Code> (A:AIRSPEED MACH, mach) 2.2 *</Code>
      </Parameter>
    </Animation>
    <MouseRect>
      <TooltipID>TOOLTIPTEXT_AIRSPEED_MACH</TooltipID>
    </MouseRect>
  </PartInfo>

Thanks,
Tyler
 
max. Mach 2.2
AnimLength 220

so 220 divide by 2.2 is 100

(A:AIRSPEED MACH, mach) 100 *
 
Thank you EduHir for confirming that I should use 100. I did use 100 initially, but it didn't seem to work and played arounf=d with different values.

I tried it again and it was still not working, but then thought I should move the 220 keyframe point to the same zero keyframe position at Mach 2.2 and it now works.

Any ideas of how I can hide the Mach tape and ASI needle from sticking outside the panel?

rKY3Or.jpg
 
You could shorten the tapes by looking at how an analog scale is made on a mechanical gauge.
Take IAS. If your airplane can do Mach 2 it probably cannot fly slower than 100 KIAS so start that tape about 80 and ignore lower speeds
Take Mach. Start the scale at say 0.6M because you will be more interested in IAS below that and make the scale non linear above say Mach 1.1 because all bad Mach stuff is between about 0.9 and 1.1. Above about 1.1 you are not going to be precise unless you have some nasty high temp events possible around about 2.1M
If you are 10 knots fast or slow on your approach speed that might matter, if you have the same error around 500 IAS it Is less important. Only be concerned about accurate speeds where it is important.
And there are few airplanes that can go above 700 IAS without losing bits like wings in the process.
Roy
 
I know you have gone to a lot of effort to get the modeldef working but, by the looks of your images, you could represent the speed scale in a VC (2D) panel gauge? You could have similar .bmps that would look the same with a mask image or <clip>?
 
TangoGolf said:
Any ideas of how I can hide the Mach tape and ASI needle from sticking outside the panel?
Click to expand...

divided your tape into several segment/polygon,
animate it like paper roll. animated as you does but on each segment, at beginning and end of roller don't not rotate like paper roll does, just stop it after it not show in model (begin & end).

add note:
paper roll like this:
www.vectorstock.com

Old scroll roll or vintage parchmentancient paper vector image on VectorStock

Old scroll roll or vintage parchment, ancient paper. Blank papyrus or obsolete parchment background. May be used for rolled paper or religion old empty paper scroll, tradition and wisdom placard. Download a free preview or high-quality Adobe Illustrator (ai), EPS, PDF vectors and high-res JPEG...
www.vectorstock.com www.vectorstock.com
 
Last edited:
Thank you for all your suggestions.

I divided the ASI indicator tape into three segments and collapsed each segment as it passed the zero point and the tape is now working without sticking out the end.

I will experiment with the Mach tape, but that will need to be cut into many segments to use the same method.

I wonder if there is an option in Blender for a follow path constraint and see if the segments will follow a path like a tank track and if this will export to FSX/P3D?
 
I tried the Follow Curve and Follow Path constraints in Blender 2.79 and it worked really well with the tape travelling around the end of the gauge smoothly, but unfortunately it did not export to P3D.

ca3eOf.jpg


I think I will reduce the scale size and shorten the length of the tape to reduce the amount that sticks out of the central panel so that it is not visible.
 
Why have a linear Mach scale? Your IAS scale is not linear.The two scales should have similar scales except where the values vary because of altitude. Study some examples and copy those.
Roy
 
Hi Roy,

I'm trying to make the instrument similar to the Bristol Type 188 combined IAS and Mach indicator. The Type 188 had a design goal of M2.5+, but actually only achieved coincidently M1.88.

The Mach scale seems linear as far a s I can see in the photo, but it does start at M 0.3, maybe M 0 is of the side of the scale. I found that by starting at M 0 on my gauge, the Mach tape did not jump excessively as ASI increased. I also shortened the tape to M 2.0 maximum as M 1.88 should be the maximum ASI in level flight.

hpvaVF.png
 
Your best bet is actually to use a material script with dynamic UVs and a static polygon.
 
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