FSXA Missing Gauge

[tgycgijoes]

I have been working all day on a unique autopilot and I thought that after 8 hours work, it was finally done. No such luck! I have no way to test the code in FSX because the gauge is missing. It is in FS Panel studio on the panel and it is in the panel.cfg exact coordinates of where it should be but it is not on the panel in FSX. I don't even know where to start. Can anyone help here? PS I originally had it in a popup window and that did not work either even though again everything was perfect in FSPS and in the panel.cfg. That is when I decided to put it smaller on the main panel but still it is invisible and missing. I have attached the complete gauge incl bmps to see if you can figure where it is wrong to not be where it should be. I used an existing gauge with permission and modified it. Maaybe that is the problem because the original works perfectly, I tried it on my panel.

 

[BaiterOne]

I got this far by rearranging some of the code, inserting an extra /Element line and deleting all of the 'Visible' lines. It is in a popup window



Walter

[Window03]
background_color=0,0,0
size_mm=475,356
window_size_ratio=1.0
position=0
visible=1
ident=10192
zorder=20

gauge01=B-5C!B-5C_Autopilot,                        0,0,475,356

<Gauge Name="B-5C_Autopilot" Version="1.0">
<Image Name="B5C_Background.bmp"/>

<Element>
<Position X="214" Y="339" />
<Image Name="Gear_AmberLight_On.bmp" ImageSizes="20,20"/>
</Element>

<Element>

<!-- Autopilot OFF -->
<Element>
    <Position X="50" Y="80"/> <!--x=68 Y=96 -->
    <Image Name="Off Button.bmp" Bright="Yes"/>
    </Element>

 <!-- ======================= Hdg Hold Switch =================== -->
  <Element>
     <Position X="195" Y="96"/>
     <Image Name="HDG Button.bmp" Bright="yes"/>
  </Element>

 <!-- ======================= Nav Hold Switch =================== -->
  <Element>
     <Position X="259" Y="96"/>
     <Image Name="CAP Button.bmp" Bright="Yes"/>
  </Element>

 <!-- ==================== Localizer Hold Switch ============== -->
  <Element>
     <Position X="390" Y="96"/>
     <Image Name="LOC Button.bmp" Bright="Yes"/>
  </Element>

 <!-- ===================== Approach Hold Switch ================ -->
  <Element>
     <Position X="321" Y="96"/>
     <Image Name="TRK Button.bmp" Bright="Yes"/>
  </Element>

 <!-- ======================= Alt Hold Switch =================== -->
  <Element>
     <Position X="391" Y="244"/>
     <Image Name="ALT Button.bmp" Bright="Yes"/>
  </Element>
</Element>

<Mouse>

<!-- =========================== Mouse Stuff ========================= -->


    <!-- AP on/off button  -->
  <Area Left="4" Top="8" Right="39" Bottom="68">
    <Tooltip ID="TOOLTIPTEXT_AUTOPILOT_MASTER"/>
      <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
       <Click>(A:Autopilot master, bool) if{

    (>K:AP_HDG_HOLD_OFF)
    (>K:AP_ALT_HOLD_OFF)
    (>K:AP_NAV1_HOLD_OFF)
    (>K:AUTOPILOT_OFF) }
    els{ (>K:AUTOPILOT_ON) }
      </Click>
  </Area>

 <!-- Heading button  -->
  <Area Left="126" Top="90" Right="168" Bottom="114">
    <Tooltip>Heading hold, press 2 secs to sync </Tooltip>
    <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
    <Click Kind="LeftSingle+LeftRelease" Repeat = "no" >
       (M:Event) 'LeftSingle' scmp 0 == if{
          (P:Local time, seconds) 1 + (>G:Var3) }
    (M:Event) 'LeftRelease' scmp 0 == if{
      (P:Local time, seconds) (G:Var3) &gt; if{ (>K:AP_HDG_HOLD)
         (A:AUTOPILOT HEADING LOCK,bool) if{ (>K:AP_HDG_HOLD) } }
      els{ (A:AUTOPILOT HEADING LOCK,bool) if{
               (>K:AP_HDG_HOLD_OFF) } els{
           (>K:AP_HDG_HOLD_ON)
               (>K:AP_WING_LEVELER_OFF)
           (>K:AUTOPILOT_ON) }
      0 (>G:Var3) }
    </Click>
  </Area>
  <!-- Nav1 button  -->
  <Area Left="195" Top="90" Right="236" Bottom="114">
    <Tooltip>Nav1 Hold (%((A:AUTOPILOT NAV1 LOCK,bool))%{if}on%{else}off%{end}) </Tooltip>
    <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
      <Click> (A:AUTOPILOT NAV1 LOCK,bool) if{
        (>K:AP_NAV1_HOLD_OFF) } els{
        (>K:AP_NAV1_HOLD_ON) }
      </Click>
  </Area>

  <!-- Approach button  -->
  <Area Left="257" Top="90" Right="296" Bottom="114">
    <Tooltip ID="TOOLTIPTEXT_AUTOPILOT_APP_HOLD"/>
    <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
      <Click> (A:Autopilot approach hold, bool) if{
    (>K:AP_APR_HOLD_OFF) } els{
    (>K:AP_APR_HOLD_ON) (>K:AUTOPILOT_ON) }
      </Click>
  </Area>

  <!-- Localizer button  -->
  <Area Left="320" Top="92" Right="353" Bottom="111">
    <Tooltip ID="TOOLTIPTEXT_AUTOPILOT_LOC_HOLD"/>
    <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
      <Click> (A:Autopilot localizer hold, bool) if{
    (>K:AP_LOC_HOLD_OFF) (>K:AP_APR_HOLD_OFF) }
    els{
    (>K:AP__HOLD_ON) }
      </Click>
  </Area>

  <!-- Altitude button  -->
  <Area Left="390" Top="90" Right="428" Bottom="114">
    <Tooltip>Altitude hold, press 2 secs to sync </Tooltip>
    <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
     <Click Kind="LeftSingle+LeftRelease" Repeat = "no" >
       (M:Event) 'LeftSingle' scmp 0 == if{
          (P:Local time, seconds) 1 + (>G:Var3) }
    (M:Event) 'LeftRelease' scmp 0 == if{
      (P:Local time, seconds) (G:Var3) &gt; if{ (>K:AP_ALT_HOLD)
         (A:AUTOPILOT ALTITUDE LOCK,bool) if{ (>K:AP_ALT_HOLD) } }
      els{ (>K:AP_PANEL_ALTITUDE_HOLD) }
      0 (>G:Var3) }
     </Click>
  </Area>

  </Mouse>

</Gauge>

          <!--
  must have these settings in a/c config:
    [autopilot]
    autopilot_available=1
    flight_director_available=1 (also needed to capture alt & hdg)

  G:Var1  straight and level button
  G:Var2  timer for SandL button
  G:Var3  sync timer

  -->

 

[tgycgijoes]

I have been working all day on a unique autopilot and I thought that after 8 hours work, it was finally done. No such luck! I have no way to test the code in FSX because the gauge is missing. It is in FS Panel studio on the panel and it is in the panel.cfg exact coordinates of where it should be but it is not on the panel in FSX. I don't even know where to start. Can anyone help here? PS I originally had it in a popup window and that did not work either even though again everything was perfect in FSPS and in the panel.cfg. That is when I decided to put it smaller on the main panel but still it is invisible and missing. I have attached the complete gauge incl bmps to see if you can figure where it is wrong to not be where it should be. I used an existing gauge with permission and modified it. Maaybe that is the problem because the original works perfectly, I tried it on my panel.

For some reason the positions are not where I redid them but I can easily do that. Thank you. A popup window is where I wanted this originally and had a transparent cpt icon over the area on the panel. I will copy the code and see how it works out. I will reposition the buttons, fortunately I wrote them down on paper as I did them. I used the pixel locations from Photoshop like I found to do but in FSPS and FSX they are not positioned correctly as you can see. So I had to do it by trial and error which also as you know has to be done In Model Converter X for effects and adds. Again thank you. Have a great day.

 

[BaiterOne]

No problem. If those buttons are supposed to be lit up when pressed (Visible) then the autopilot background seems awfully dark when they are not in use, especially if the autopilot itself is off. Should there be an "OFF" version of each of the buttons?

 

[tgycgijoes]

Well I can see that it works for you but I still have the same stupid problem of it not becoming visible in FSX OR P3D V4.5 where the rest of the airplane works just fine. I don't know what else to do. I repositioned all the buttons and I am sure that just changing position pixels has nothing to do with it. Thank you for your help and this is very frustrating. I tried it first on the panel no luck and then created a popup window and that window refuses to become visible it blinks quickly and that's it. I am going to try and put it into the default Cessna and see if it is an aircraft problem and not a gauge problem. I will let you know how that works.

 

[tgycgijoes]

No problem. If those buttons are supposed to be lit up when pressed (Visible) then the autopilot background seems awfully dark when they are not in use, especially if the autopilot itself is off. Should there be an "OFF" version of each of the buttons?

I don't know. I have to ask the real pilot whose aircraft and panel I am recreating about that. But it's a moot point if the gauge just won't show in the sim. It's not just the aircraft because no luck with the default Cessna 172 Skyhawk in FSX either. Other gauges work just fine so it has to be this gauge. When I had a problem with the landing gear panel I tried to create as one gauge I ended up with a background on the bitmap and placing each item individually. I have to try that with one button and see what happens. Back at ya in a little bit.

 

[tgycgijoes]

By taking you code exactly as you sent it, without the MAN button code that I added and not repositioning anything I got it to appear on the panel. I am missing the MAN button so I will try and add that where it is supposed to go. I got it to show on the panel and the buttons DO work but the click spots are not exact so I will try and figure out how to get those where they belong on each button. Wish me luck not to have any problems with it. I will post success I PRAY here a little later

 

[tgycgijoes]

Here is the gauge with all the buttons so far where they belong. As soon as I made any changes to your code to reposition the buttons and add the MAN button it will NOT show in FSX though as before it is in the panel cfg on the panel and placed perfectly in FS Panel Studio. This is getting to be very frustrating. Please try this new gauge and see what you find. Thank you for taking all this trouble. When I am doing what I am supposed and it doesn't work I really get upset.

 

[WarpD]

You have an extra <Element> entry wrapping around all the button elements... but it isn't defined as having a position... and not sure why it's there??
The Heading button does not have a beginning <Area> tag.

Also... the gear amber light image... not sure why it's there... has no code to show if it should or shouldn't be visible. It also extends below the bottom of the background bitmap by a few pixels. Not sure if that's intentional.

 

[BaiterOne]

As said above, you have commented out the area tag as in

<!--<Area Left="126" Top="90" Right="168" Bottom="114"> -->

it should just be

<Area Left="126" Top="90" Right="168" Bottom="114">

With the comments omitted this is what shows up.

 

[tgycgijoes]

You have an extra <Element> entry before the autopilot off button declaration.
The Heading button does not have a beginning <Area> tag.

Also... the gear amber light image... not sure why it's there... has no code to show if it should or shouldn't be visible. It also extends below the bottom of the background bitmap by a few pixels. Not sure if that's intentional.

I am so disgusted with this gauge that I am ready to quit. I made all your changes that you posted and now the stupid thing tells me I have no background bmp. I opened it up in Paintshop Pro and decreased it to 64colors 8 bits which sometimes helped but it didn't. You got a gauge and I don't. I just don't understand it. Please send me your code and I will try one more time because when I copied your code into Notepad++ and saved it as xml it worked and then as I said everytime I make a change it stops working. Since I don't have all the knobs in it yet I don't know what to do next. I do really appreciate you taking the time to do this. What operating system and simulator are you using. Ever since I had to get a computer with Windows 10 on it I have had nothing but problems with it and FSX.

 

[BaiterOne]

The only change I made to your code was to remove the comments.

Here it is anyway

<Gauge Name="B-5C_Autopilot" Version="1.0">
<Image Name="B5C_Background.bmp"/>

<Element>
<Position X="214" Y="339" />
<Image Name="Gear_AmberLight_On.bmp" ImageSizes="20,20"/>
</Element>

<Element>

<!-- Autopilot OFF -->
<Element>
    <Position X="23" Y="47"/> <!--x=68 Y=96 -->
    <Image Name="Off Button.bmp" Bright="Yes"/>
    </Element>

<!-- ======================= Man Hold Switch =================== -->
  <Element>
     <Position X="95" Y="47"/>
     <Image Name="MAN Button.bmp" Bright="yes"/>
  </Element>


 <!-- ======================= Hdg Hold Switch =================== -->
  <Element>
     <Position X="165" Y="47"/>
     <Image Name="HDG Button.bmp" Bright="yes"/>
  </Element>

 <!-- ======================= Nav Hold Switch =================== -->
  <Element>
     <Position X="237" Y="47"/>
     <Image Name="CAP Button.bmp" Bright="Yes"/>
  </Element>

 <!-- ==================== Localizer Hold Switch ============== -->
  <Element>
     <Position X="385" Y="47"/>
     <Image Name="LOC Button.bmp" Bright="Yes"/>
  </Element>

 <!-- ===================== Approach Hold Switch ================ -->
  <Element>
     <Position X="312" Y="47"/>
     <Image Name="TRK Button.bmp" Bright="Yes"/>
  </Element>

 <!-- ======================= Alt Hold Switch =================== -->
  <Element>
     <Position X="350" Y="188"/>
     <Image Name="ALT Button.bmp" Bright="Yes"/>
  </Element>
</Element>

<Mouse>

<!-- =========================== Mouse Stuff ========================= -->


    <!-- AP on/off button  -->
  <Area Left="4" Top="8" Right="39" Bottom="68">
    <Tooltip ID="TOOLTIPTEXT_AUTOPILOT_MASTER"/>
      <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
       <Click>(A:Autopilot master, bool) if{

    (>K:AP_HDG_HOLD_OFF)
    (>K:AP_ALT_HOLD_OFF)
    (>K:AP_NAV1_HOLD_OFF)
    (>K:AUTOPILOT_OFF) }
    els{ (>K:AUTOPILOT_ON) }
      </Click>
  </Area>

 <!-- Heading button  -->
  <Area Left="126" Top="90" Right="168" Bottom="114">
    <Tooltip>Heading hold, press 2 secs to sync </Tooltip>
    <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
    <Click Kind="LeftSingle+LeftRelease" Repeat = "no" >
       (M:Event) 'LeftSingle' scmp 0 == if{
          (P:Local time, seconds) 1 + (>G:Var3) }
    (M:Event) 'LeftRelease' scmp 0 == if{
      (P:Local time, seconds) (G:Var3) &gt; if{ (>K:AP_HDG_HOLD)
         (A:AUTOPILOT HEADING LOCK,bool) if{ (>K:AP_HDG_HOLD) } }
      els{ (A:AUTOPILOT HEADING LOCK,bool) if{
               (>K:AP_HDG_HOLD_OFF) } els{
           (>K:AP_HDG_HOLD_ON)
               (>K:AP_WING_LEVELER_OFF)
           (>K:AUTOPILOT_ON) }
      0 (>G:Var3) }
    </Click>
  </Area>
  <!-- Nav1 button  -->
  <Area Left="195" Top="90" Right="236" Bottom="114">
    <Tooltip>Nav1 Hold (%((A:AUTOPILOT NAV1 LOCK,bool))%{if}on%{else}off%{end}) </Tooltip>
    <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
      <Click> (A:AUTOPILOT NAV1 LOCK,bool) if{
        (>K:AP_NAV1_HOLD_OFF) } els{
        (>K:AP_NAV1_HOLD_ON) }
      </Click>
  </Area>

  <!-- Approach button  -->
  <Area Left="257" Top="90" Right="296" Bottom="114">
    <Tooltip ID="TOOLTIPTEXT_AUTOPILOT_APP_HOLD"/>
    <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
      <Click> (A:Autopilot approach hold, bool) if{
    (>K:AP_APR_HOLD_OFF) } els{
    (>K:AP_APR_HOLD_ON) (>K:AUTOPILOT_ON) }
      </Click>
  </Area>

  <!-- Localizer button  -->
  <Area Left="320" Top="92" Right="353" Bottom="111">
    <Tooltip ID="TOOLTIPTEXT_AUTOPILOT_LOC_HOLD"/>
    <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
      <Click> (A:Autopilot localizer hold, bool) if{
    (>K:AP_LOC_HOLD_OFF) (>K:AP_APR_HOLD_OFF) }
    els{
    (>K:AP__HOLD_ON) }
      </Click>
  </Area>

  <!-- Altitude button  -->
  <Area Left="390" Top="90" Right="428" Bottom="114">
    <Tooltip>Altitude hold, press 2 secs to sync </Tooltip>
    <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
     <Click Kind="LeftSingle+LeftRelease" Repeat = "no" >
       (M:Event) 'LeftSingle' scmp 0 == if{
          (P:Local time, seconds) 1 + (>G:Var3) }
    (M:Event) 'LeftRelease' scmp 0 == if{
      (P:Local time, seconds) (G:Var3) &gt; if{ (>K:AP_ALT_HOLD)
         (A:AUTOPILOT ALTITUDE LOCK,bool) if{ (>K:AP_ALT_HOLD) } }
      els{ (>K:AP_PANEL_ALTITUDE_HOLD) }
      0 (>G:Var3) }
     </Click>
  </Area>

  </Mouse>

</Gauge>

I have Win 10. I use P3DV5. Any XML Coding knowledge I have originated in FS9 and hasn't progressed since then, seems to work OK in P3DV5.

Walter

 

[tgycgijoes]

I tried it in FSX on my Windows 7 laptop which I use to test out stuff and it still did not show up there yet it is on the panel in FS Panel Studio on that computer. So I just don't know what is going on with it. I am not going to share this aircraft when its done but just fly it myself and I don't want to waste anymore of your time on this project that is just hopeless on my end. Thank you for all the time you spent with me. I am going to put a transparent click gauge on top of the B-5C bmp that is part of the panel bmp and have a popup window to a working autopilot that I have a number of good ones. See you here again I am sure.

Richard

 

[tgycgijoes]

Well, guess what! I decided to move the aircraft over to my P3D V4.5 because that is pretty much all I fly anymore. FSX is there for beta testing for that sim. Anyway when I used FS Panel Studio to pack up the panel and the gauges to migrate them over to P3D AND!!!!!!! the Brittain B-5C is there and I even moved it and it came back so thank you again for all your help with this. I need to have a gauge that when the knob is turned and held left the aircraft will turn left which means activate the ailerons that way and when its turned and held to the right the aircraft turns to the right. I don't have a clue how to write the code for that. Do you know how and could you write it for me please? I have to change the click spot for the altitude all other buttons click spots are aligned. I can provide the bmps for the turn gauge that I have created.

 

[BaiterOne]

Well, guess what! I decided to move the aircraft over to my P3D V4.5 because that is pretty much all I fly anymore. FSX is there for beta testing for that sim. Anyway when I used FS Panel Studio to pack up the panel and the gauges to migrate them over to P3D AND!!!!!!! the Brittain B-5C is there and I even moved it and it came back so thank you again for all your help with this. I need to have a gauge that when the knob is turned and held left the aircraft will turn left which means activate the ailerons that way and when its turned and held to the right the aircraft turns to the right. I don't have a clue how to write the code for that. Do you know how and could you write it for me please? I have to change the click spot for the altitude all other buttons click spots are aligned. I can provide the bmps for the turn gauge that I have created.

I'm afraid my own level of gauge development is way below amateurish and not to any rigorous standards. I have only ever produced gauges for myself and I have very low expectations. However, if you wish to provide the gauge bmps I have no problem providing you with a gauge - you might not be very happy with it - but it might give you a push to develop a better and more functional gauge yourself, which can only be good for your own future gauge development skills...

 

[tgycgijoes]

I'm afraid my own level of gauge development is way below amateurish and not to any rigorous standards. I have only ever produced gauges for myself and I have very low expectations. However, if you wish to provide the gauge bmps I have no problem providing you with a gauge - you might not be very happy with it - but it might give you a push to develop a better and more functional gauge yourself, which can only be good for your own future gauge development skills...

Thank you Walter, Attached are the bmps for the Turn Knob that I created. I don't know where to start and trying to learn more with each help from someone here. I just downloaded two P3D XML Gauge Tutorials from the SDK online to help me with others. I want to get those mouse click areas correct now that the gauge is working No hurry I have a lot to go yet on the whole right side of the panel.

 

[BaiterOne]

This is a really quick and dirty version of the B-5C Autopilot incorporating the Turn Knob.

The mouse wheel controls the knob.

The xml file contains two different methods of displaying the knob, neither are brilliant, you might consider doing a bit of work on the knob bmps by making them the same dimensions (lots smaller!) with the 3 different knob positions centred, and then change the positions in the xml to be the same. (me and images don't agree, so I couldn't do any real work on them, I just made them smaller)

Simply comment out whichever one of the methods you aren't trying out.

I favour the B method, rotating an image, but none of the bmps really work with it.

If the turn is too hard then you can change the lines towards the end of the file

+10000 (&gt;K:AILERON_SET)
-10000 (&gt;K:AILERON_SET)

to something like -5000, +5000.

If not hard enough just change the number to -16383, +16383.

Certainly keep the original version of the autopilot safe as this may not be what is required by you at all.

There are probably a billion different and better xml ways of carrying out the turn, others with more experience might illuminate.

 

[tgycgijoes]

This is a really quick and dirty version of the B-5C Autopilot incorporating the Turn Knob.

The mouse wheel controls the knob.

The xml file contains two different methods of displaying the knob, neither are brilliant, you might consider doing a bit of work on the knob bmps by making them the same dimensions (lots smaller!) with the 3 different knob positions centred, and then change the positions in the xml to be the same. (me and images don't agree, so I couldn't do any real work on them, I just made them smaller)

Simply comment out whichever one of the methods you aren't trying out.

I favour the B method, rotating an image, but none of the bmps really work with it.

If the turn is too hard then you can change the lines towards the end of the file

+10000 (&gt;K:AILERON_SET)
-10000 (&gt;K:AILERON_SET)

to something like -5000, +5000.

If not hard enough just change the number to -16383, +16383.

Certainly keep the original version of the autopilot safe as this may not be what is required by you at all.

There are probably a billion different and better xml ways of carrying out the turn, others with more experience might illuminate.

Thanks Walter,
I will try this out tomorrow morning and see how it works. I may add it as a separate gauge on the panel that way protecting the original gauge It did that with the electrical panel today. Each switch is separate and just aligned. It's a nightmare for me trying to align them by pixel positions because for whatever reason I get values in Photoshop and they don't match the background at all as you remember from the first autopilot I sent you. It took me probably two hours of trial and error to get them aligned. I didn't get to work on the click spots at all today. I did download a lot of P3D SDK information for V4.5 and haven't had a chance to really dig into it. It may not be until Monday for me to try and get the mouse click areas on the proper buttons. Again thank you for doing this. Have a good evening its time for dessert and a movie.

Richard

 

[tgycgijoes]

Walter there are three bitmaps of the knob but no xml file My movie was over, shorter than I thought so I wanted to take a look at this. Brittain sent me a pack of information about how to use the autopilot which was really cool. Explains the buttons very well.

 

[BaiterOne]

Some notable and memorable firsts for me - first time zipping files up and first time attaching a zip file to a message in a forum - and then I go and spoil it all by attaching the wrong file!!! Ruddy Hell! Anyway, here is the one I meant to send...