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FS2004 VC Tutorials?

S

Slavemason

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8
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us-iowa
I've been going through the C162 tutorial, only using my own aircraft but I noticed the VC section was really lacking, and only really works if you're planning on making a VC where all actual switches and such are still 2d. So I guess what I'm asking is if there is any guide to making 3d switches, because from the looks of it, it's a rather long process. But I'm not sure.
 
Hey SlaveMason,

Yes, you are correct, a very long and drawn out process. I dont know really of any tutorials on making VC's and their parts.

What I do is make the entire model and the VC is built into it.

A tip is to keep a ruler or measuring tape in your desk drawer and use it often when making parts. If you know about how big a 'something' is, find the dimensions on the ruler and use that in your 3D design program to make the part(s).

You can also just about make 'everything' animate in FS in a VC, but note that in FSX you can only have about 246 animations or something like that. (240, 241, 246, I cant remember, just heard about it the other day).

Another tip. You can hide everything but the VC to work on it. Like the cabin (inner walls) and panel, etc. Learn to connect things per 'department' as Hierarchy so that you can easily hide / unhide entire departments, such as Cabin, Panel, airframe, pilots, engine, etc... That helps tremendously when making a big, sophisticated model.

Remember, on a Cabin (inner walls), you can see through the first side, so you are looking through it (if the outer his hidden). Easier to deal with. And if it gets in the way, just hide it.

Are you making this in FSDS or Gmax? Are you making this for FSX or FS9?


Bill
 
I'm making it for FS9. I have modelling experience and I guess I should have been more specific in what I meant. The 3d models are easy and I have ample time to do them, my issue is I can't find any documentation on how to actually attach functions to individual switches. Just projecting the 2d panel onto a 3d surface is covered, but I have no clue how to make, say, the navigation light 3d switch actually turn on the navigation lights.
 
Hi,
you could have a look at "the other" site for an example on how to do this.

http://www.aerodynamika.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1145641714

You need to add the code to the makemdl.partsl.xml file which should be in the plugins folder of your Gmax installation.
Upon compile of the model the code should then be "baked" into the model so to speak.

If you paste the new code at the beginning of makemdl.parts.xml (and you save the file and compile the model) you can instantly see if the code contains scripting errors (such as misspelling, or missing spaces at certain places, etc), because the rest of the animations won't work anymore.
So an error in the script prevents the rest of the codes from being processed, this is good to know.

Hope this helps somewhat!

grt
Willem
 
The other point is that for a simple switch like a nav lights swith, the part name and code is already in makemdl.parts.xml.


In that case, it's a simple matter of modelling the switch, animating it "on/off" and assigning the part to the animation, no coding necessary.

In this case, it's no different than calling your tire "c_tire_still"

It's when you want to have that 10-position switch controlling the pitch of sound of the cabin ventilation blower that you get into really neat coding problems....
 
Yes Felix is right!
My story really applies to custom animations and parts.

grt
Willem
 
Sorry SlaveMason,

I re-read your second question.

To apply an existing animation to a part in a VC, you simply name it the parts name tag. This is only for FS9. For FSX, its an entire new ballgame.

The part must be named 'exactly' as its spelled, and must have a number on it if there are more then one, so say lever_gear would be named on the part lever_gear_01 and not lever_gear01 nor lever_gear_1. Must be (usually) 01, 02, 03. We just found out you can use A, B, C, as well.

Here are some of the Stock FS9 interior parts names;



switch_master_battery
switch_master_alternator
switch_alt_field
switch_master_alternator0
switch_master_alternator1
switch_master_alternator2
switch_master_alternator3
switch_master_battery_alternator
switch_ignition_magnetos_dc3
switch_ignition_magnetos0_dc3
switch_ignition_magnetos1_dc3
switch_ignition_magnetos_spirit
switch_ignition_magnetos
switch_ignition_magnetos0
switch_ignition_magnetos1
switch_ignition_magnetos2
switch_ignition_magnetos3
switch_ignition_magnetos_trimotor
switch_ignition_magnetos0_trimotor
switch_ignition_magnetos1_trimotor
switch_ignition_magnetos2_trimotor
switch_master_ignition
switch_pitot_heat
switch_strobe_light
switch_nav_light
switch_taxi_light
switch_landing_light
switch_beacon_light
switch_panel_light
switch_recog_light
switch_fuel_pump
switch_fuel_boost
switch_fuel_pump0
switch_fuel_pump1
switch_fuel_pump2
switch_fuel_pump3
switch_avionics_master
lever_throttle
lever_emergency_power
lever_throttle_wright
lever_collective_arm
lever_collective_handle
lever_throttle0
lever_throttle1
lever_throttle2
lever_throttle3
lever_vicker_throttle
lever_vicker_throttle_differential
lever_vicker_throttle_diff_left
lever_vicker_throttle_diff_right
lever_prop_pitch
lever_prop_pitch0
lever_prop_pitch1
lever_prop_pitch2
lever_prop_pitch3
lever_mixture
lever_mixture_reversed
lever_condition
lever_mixture0
lever_condition0
lever_mixture0_reversed
lever_mixture1
lever_condition1
lever_mixture1_reversed
lever_mixture2
lever_mixture3
mixture_fuel_cutoff
mixture_fuel_cutoff0
mixture_fuel_cutoff1
mixture_fuel_cutoff2
mixture_fuel_cutoff3
lever_water_rudder
lever_pedals_l_r
lever_landing_gear
lever_landing_gear_boeing747
lever_speed_brake
lever_parking_brake
lever_flap
lever_flap_reversed
rocker_flaps
lever_cowl_flaps
lever_cowl_flaps0
lever_cowl_flaps1
lever_cowl_flaps2
lever_cowl_flaps_top_open
rocker_cowl_flap
trimtab_elevator_key
trimtab_elevator
lever_trimtab_elevator
lever_trimtab_elevator_trimotor
trimtab_elevator_key_spirit
rocker_elevator_trim
trimtab_elevator_key_horizontal
switch_standby_vacuum
trimtab_aileron_key
trimtab_aileron
trimtab_r_aileron_key
trimtab_l_aileron_key
trimtab_r_aileron
trimtab_l_aileron
lever_trimtab_aileron
lever_trimtab_aileron_key
trimtab_rudder_key
lever_trimtab_rudder_key
trimtab_rudder
lever_trimtab_rudder
rocker_rudder_trim
rudder_key
rudder_percent_key
l_aileron_key
r_aileron_key
l_aileron_percent_key
r_aileron_percent_key
elevator_key
elevator_percent_key
fuel_indicator
lever_fuel_cutoff
lever_fuel_cutoff0
lever_fuel_cutoff1
lever_fuel_cutoff2
lever_fuel_cutoff3
switch_fuel_selector_LBR
switch_fuel_crossfeed
switch_fuel_selector_LBRO
switch_nav_gps
switch_starter
switch_starter0
switch_starter1
switch_starter2
switch_starter3
switch_prop_sync
switch_auto_throttle
switch_flight_director
switch_autopilot_master
switch_auto_pilot
switch_generator_starter
switch_generator_starter0
switch_generator_starter1
switch_generator_starter2
switch_generator_starter3
switch_generator
switch_generator0
switch_generator1
switch_generator2
switch_generator3
switch_auto_brake
switch_anti_ice_prop
switch_anti_ice_structure
switch_anti_ice
switch_audio_com1
switch_audio_com2
switch_audio_both
switch_audio_nav1
switch_audio_nav2
switch_audio_marker
switch_audio_dme
switch_audio_adf
switch_gov_rpm
lever_inertial_seperator
switch_smoke
switch_autofeather
landing_light
engine_rocker_arm
R_landing_light
LightGlass
light_land
ambient_rain
ambient_snow
ambient_noprecip
engine0_turning
engine0_stopped
airspeed_effects_windshield
airspeed_noeffects_windshield
fly_wheel
anemometer_spirit
anemometer
anemometer_vickers
lever_primer
lever_primer_trimotor
switch_trimotor_engine_primer_selector
periscope_tube
lever_fuel_selector_spirit
lever_wobble_pump
lever_carb_heat
lever_carb_heat0
lever_carb_heat1
lever_carb_heat2
lever_fuel_selector_trimotor0
lever_fuel_selector_trimotor_center
lever_fuel_selector_trimotor2
switch_trimotor_fuel_quantity_selector
switch_governor
lever_r22_rotor_trim
switch_clutch
lever_rotor_brake
switch_ignition_magneto
switch_left_magneto0
switch_left_magneto1
switch_right_magneto0
switch_right_magneto1
lever_tailwheel_lock
lever_fuel_selector_DC30
lever_fuel_selector_DC31
switch_primer0
switch_primer1
lever_prop_feather0
lever_prop_feather1
rocker_starter
switch_boost_pump0
switch_boost_pump1
lever_fuel_selector_Comet0
lever_fuel_selector_Comet1
lever_fuel_crossfeed
lever_fuel_selector_LOR
indicator_fuel_quantity
 
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