Simviation Forum - Positioning gauges

Jun 6^th, 2003 at 4:14pm

Hellhound Offline
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what program do i use to position gauges on a panel?

&&&&well of course! i'm trying to hit them!&&&&always fight fire with fire... because you get a bigger one!

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Reply #1 - Jun 6^th, 2003 at 4:33pm

Hagar Offline
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I can't keep up with you. LOL
I suggest you check out the SimV Design sections. http://www.simviation.com/fsdutilsdesn.htm
CfgEdit is what you're looking for.

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Reply #2 - Jun 6^th, 2003 at 4:50pm

Hellhound Offline
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thanks, hagar

&&&&well of course! i'm trying to hit them!&&&&always fight fire with fire... because you get a bigger one!

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Reply #3 - Jun 6^th, 2003 at 5:15pm

Fozzer Offline
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An elderly FS 2004 addict!
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If I want to add a gauge to an existing panel, (and there is room for it), I open up the bitmap panel, in the Panel Folder, in Paintshop Pro, move my cursor to the position I want to place the new gauge and note the numbers at the bottom left-hand side of the PSP window, (X, Y, co-ordinates).
The first number is the "X" (across), position, and the next number is the "Y" (down) position.
Note that the numbers will relate to the top-left-hand-side of the gauge!
When I have positioned my desired place in the panel, I make a note of the two numbers!
Then...
Going into the panel file I select the next gauge number, add the new gauge, and position it with my co-ordinate numbers, xxx, yyy, diameter.
Then....SAVE IT....!!
Pop back to the plane, look at the panel, and adjust slightly the numbers to position the new gauge accurately...
I keep the panel notepad and the plane on the screen at the same time to make adjustments to them both at the same time.
Note that it will be necessary to swap between planes to update any alterations you have done..
Providing the programmer has included a bitmap file in the Panel Folder, this is definitely the easiest way I find to install extra gauges into my existing panel, just using Paintshop Pro...!
I have used this method may times to add "missing" gauges, such as Starter, Mixture, Carb Heat, Radio-altimeter, Prop control, etc, gauges to existing panels... Grin

...!

Cheers...
Paul.
(England).

« Last Edit: Jun 6^th, 2003 at 9:03pm by Fozzer »

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Reply #4 - Jun 6^th, 2003 at 5:33pm

Hagar Offline
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Fozzer. CfgEdit is so user-friendly it saves all those complex explanations - & all that messing about. LOL

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Reply #5 - Jun 6^th, 2003 at 9:08pm

WebbPA Ex Member
I Like Flight Simulation!

I had some problems with CfgEdit. I'm still learning how to use it (2 days) but it tends to delete anything it doesn't recognize. Since it doesn't recognize xml gauges or simicons it deletes them before saving the new panel.cfg. Fortunately it has an automatic backup feature - MAKE SURE THIS IS ON.

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Reply #6 - Jun 6^th, 2003 at 9:46pm

Fozzer Offline
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Quote:

I had some problems with CfgEdit. I'm still learning how to use it (2 days) but it tends to delete anything it doesn't recognize. Since it doesn't recognize xml gauges or simicons it deletes them before saving the new panel.cfg. Fortunately it has an automatic backup feature - MAKE SURE THIS IS ON.

My method using Paint Shop Pro and the bitmap from the Panel Folder saves all this "messing about.. Wink

.." and takes but a few minutes to achieve results...nuffin' to learn....nuffin' to loose... Grin

...

...!
Tee Hee...!
I'm not into designing panels, only just the quick addition of a gauge or two if there is space... Wink

...!

Paul.
(England).

After faffing about for ages, I finally managed to find CfgEdit, (looks a bit old, FS 98, FS 2000, Cfs1), downloading it to give it a try...!!

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Reply #7 - Jun 7^th, 2003 at 12:31am

WebbPA Ex Member
I Like Flight Simulation!

I started tweaking panels using notepad (I still use it for composing html files - very versatile). Add a gauge here, resize a gauge there. And CfgEdit has a lot to offer too. Both have their drawbacks. Notepad is slow trial and error. CfgEdit has a nice graphical interface but has problems with FS2K2 panels. I'm only a newbie in panel design but I'm learning:

Back up everything.

Have fun tweaking. If you've backed up you won't have a problem.

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Reply #8 - Jun 7^th, 2003 at 4:18am

Hagar Offline
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OK, let me explain. CfgEdit was intended for FS2000 & before. It can cope nicely with FS2002 panels EXCEPT for those new-fangled XML gauges. There is a very simple way round it if you use some lateral thinking. As you both have some experience with manually editing Panel.cfg in Notepad this should not be a problem. Simply position the icons & other XML stuff using gauges it can read. Then swap them over manually in Notepad. This only takes a few seconds. As always - back up Panel.cfg before editing it.

If you're serious about panel designing, purchase FS Panel Studio, the fully FS2002-compatible version of CfgEdit, from the same developer. http://www.cfgedit.com/

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Reply #9 - Jun 7^th, 2003 at 4:52am

Fozzer Offline
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Mornin' Hagar.... Grin

...just popped over to the site...
Quote...
<<CfgEdit 1.5 makes Panel design easy. Just drag, drop and stretch your gauges and immediately see the results. No knowledge of programming or panel.cfg file syntax is needed! Design or modify a panel in minutes.

CfgEdit does not support FS2002 or Gauge editing>>

Does this mean it still doesn't work for FS 2002...?

Cheers...
Paul.
(England).

P.S. ..."OK. Let me explain...).... Angry

....!
..always a good sign that you are rapidly loosing patience with us... Cry

....!
LOL...LOL...LOL...!

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Reply #10 - Jun 7^th, 2003 at 5:31am

RollerBall Ex Member

CFGEdit works fine with 99% of FS2002 stuff.

I can't see any reason for naffing around with trial and error gauge positioning - dark ages stuff that.

Hagar has got it dead right. In any case, there are alternatives to the simicons in the deault folders (most? all? - certainly the ones I need but I really only ever use the gps, radiostack and engine controls ones) and if you do need gauges the prog can't read, substitute manually as he suggests. Excellent advice.

If you don't use CFGEdit (a) you'll never do a complete panel from scratch (I defy you to do a whole panel by trial and error) (b) even little tweaks will take ages and end up as compromises because you'll always 'need space' and not be able to make space for the gauge you want to insert by moving the existing ones around and (c) you'll have problems changing gauges in a panel for better ones you have in your folder.

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Reply #11 - Jun 7^th, 2003 at 5:35am

Hagar Offline
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Hi Fozzer. There's usually more than one way to do anything in this hobby. It's a matter of preference & things some find easy are incomprehensible to others.. I'm just a simple soul who likes things as easy as possible. All I ask is that you & the other guys at least give my methods a try. Think about it, it's natural for the developer to state that CfgEdit is not fully FS2002-compatible (which is perfectly true). Otherwise he wouldn't sell any of the commercial version, would he?

To use CfgEdit with FS2002, click Options/FS Root Directory. Click the FS2000 option & browse to the FS2002 root directory folder in the directory box. Click OK. That's it. Wink

I use CfgEdit for creating/modifying panels for all my M$ sims. I don't use XML gauges much & never had a problem with it.

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Reply #12 - Jun 7^th, 2003 at 5:46am

Fozzer Offline
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Posts: 24861

Oh flippin' dear.... Roll Eyes

....!
I think I have been told off yet again by my two worst adversaries..... Roll Eyes

....!
I'll go shopping today instead.... Grin

...!
LOL...LOL...LOL...!

Cheers...
Paul...(the comical bloke with a sense of humour)... Wink

...!
(England).

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Reply #13 - Jun 7^th, 2003 at 5:51am

Hagar Offline
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Not adversaries Fozzer. I try very hard not to upset anyone. Unfortunately my enthusiasm (& sometimes sheer frustration at not being able to put my point over) is often misunderstood. Personally, I find your sense of humour refreshing & I always look out for your posts. I also regard you as a dear friend. Cheesy

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Reply #14 - Jun 7^th, 2003 at 10:00am

microlight Offline
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All the posts are intended with a

, I'm sure. You lot are a very friendly, responsive bunch.

Me, I tend to use XML gauges a fair bit (even designing a few invisible ones in panels), and my method of working is much the same as Fozzer's, which actually doesn't take long to do, and produces exactly what you want - at least for me. (It's also fun!)

I also work a lot with smoke systems on planes, which interests me, but no doubt others would find it minimally important. But that's cool - we all get what we want from this great hobby! Not to mention interacting with such knowkedgeable people on this cool website.

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Reply #15 - Jun 7^th, 2003 at 3:38pm

microlight Offline
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"Note that it will be necessary to swap between planes to update any alterations you have done.. " - quote from above.

Something I do to make sure I don't have to do this, is to just have one panel for each aircraft type (e.g. B737, A330) in a separate 'cockpit' folder in 'aircraft', and then alias each separate plane's 'panel' folder to this one - same with engine sounds. You then need to do any amendments only once.

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