My Panel Thread...

[kdryan]

Rather than have a hundred threads about stuff on my panel, I thought it might be a better idea to just keep it in one thread and amend that as I go along.

So...

It's back to work after my hard drive crash, and some progress has been made. I am using the Lockheed Vega gauges from FS2004, as I don't quite feel ready to make my own yet and I don't see myself learning a whole programming language from scratch to do so.

I found that rather than go through the whole process of replacing colors or changing them it was easier just to to go into the original photoshop file and place a new layer of 'not quite black' below the panel, but above the black layer. The whole thing took about 45 seconds...

For the convenience of the end user, I also want to place a Map and GPS button, along with a pop up compass, as the original was out of sight here. I have found these in FSPS, but had not added them at the time of this screenie.

My main problems now are as follows:

The Ignition switch (lower left big gauge)
Fuel selector switch (lower right)
Spark COntrol(under the word 'Ignition' I made a mistake there and have to fix that)
Throttle (under the word 'Start.' Another mistake)
Fuel Primer (on upper right of panel)
Fuel Gauge (long curved tube, upper right
Switches for dash and compass lights.

Here's the only picture I could find showing the cockpit layout. This is for NR1313, which is the cross-country racer, rather than a pylon racer, so I left some things like the slide rule and clipboard out, while changing the altimeter to something a little more easy to read...

So, any suggestions where to go from here?

 

[kdryan]

If you read this over at FFDS, sorry about the cut and paste. It was just too much to try and type all over again...



I think that I get the idea of how this is supposed to work, but I don't know enough details. Here is the Magneto switch from the default FS2004 Vega. I've put in what I know and suspect and the questions I have from reading this. If someone could tell me what I'm right and wrong about it would help greatly...

From the default FS2004 Vega:

<Gauge Name="magneto_switch" Version="1.0">

Everything falls under the heading of Gauge

<Size X="146" Y="142" />

The size on the panel, but what do the numbers mean? Obviously not pixels

- <Element>
<Position X="67" Y="52" />
- <Image Name="mag_switch_lever.bmp" PointsTo="South">
<Axis X="4" Y="-13" />
</Image>

Image and position tell the sim which bmp to use and where on the panel to put it? No idea what Axis is for.

- <Rotate>
<Value>(A:Old eng1 starter,enum)</Value>
- <Nonlinearity>
<Item Value="0" X="105" Y="79" />
<Item Value="1" X="90" Y="92" />
<Item Value="2" X="67" Y="96" />
<Item Value="3" X="43" Y="91" />
<Item Value="4" X="26" Y="77" />
</Nonlinearity>
<Delay DegreesPerSecond="180" />
</Rotate>

I have no idea what Rotate is
</Element>

- <Mouse>

Tells the sim if a mouse click happens here, what to do?

<Help ID="HELPID_GAUGE_MAGNETO_SWITCH" />
- <Area Right="67">
<Cursor Type="UpArrow" />
<Click Event="MAGNETO1_INCR" />

Where is this event located?

</Area>
- <Area Left="68">
<Cursor Type="DownArrow" />
<Click Event="MAGNETO1_DECR" />
</Area>
</Mouse>
</Gauge>

I really wish there was an 'Intro to XML' Tutorial somewhere. Maybe 'The Anatomy of a Gauge File?'

Kevin