Simviation Forum - installing panel problems

Jul 13^th, 2003 at 9:15pm

Crash21 Offline
Lieutenant Colonel
I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

Posts: 6

hey,

i know there are instructions on this site for how to install panels. but i was wondering if any one could put them in their own words to make it a little easier. some help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Crash21

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Reply #1 - Jul 14^th, 2003 at 3:07am

Hagar Offline
Colonel
My Spitfire Girl
Costa Geriatrica

Posts: 33159

Crash. To find out how anything works in FS I suggest checking the default files. Open the Panel folder of any default aircraft. You should see one file named Panel.cfg in with one or more BMP images. This is how any panel will be set up. To install a new panel I suggest backing up the original Panel folder, rename it Panel.0 or similar. Then paste the new one in its place, properly configured in a folder named Panel.

Most 3rd party panels use one or more 3rd party gauges. (Again, open the FS2002\GAUGES folder to check it out. Gauges will have either .gau or .cab file extensions.) If the new panel includes its own gauges they will usually, but not always, be in a folder or zipfile named Gauges or similar. To install the gauges open the Gauges folder & paste the contents into FS2002\GAUGES. Do NOT overwite existing files/folders if prompted.

This stuff is really quite straightforward once you understand the basic principle. Hope this explains it.

« Last Edit: Jul 14^th, 2003 at 5:15am by Hagar »

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Reply #2 - Aug 14^th, 2003 at 4:38pm

PH_AJH Ex Member

Hi Hagar,

You say don't overwrite existing files.

I find myself in doubt sometimes if the gauge I am pasting is newer then the existing one. Why is it newer? Is it updated, improved...? What am I missing if I don't overwrite the older one? ??? ???
Someone shed some light on this please.

Cheers
AJ

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Reply #3 - Aug 14^th, 2003 at 5:09pm

emh8 Offline
Colonel
Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Posts: 331

AJ,

Overwriting existing files with third party software puts you at risk of corrupting files associated with the default aircraft, such as gauges you will need if you intend to continue flying the default aircraft. Furthermore, other add-on aircraft or panels you install in the future might also utilize those same files/gauges. Always best to stick with the default whenever that prompt appears.

If the file names are indentical then you shouldn't be missing anything. If you are missing something, then it's the author's fault for assigning a file name that already exists in fs2002 to a gauge needed exclusively for that panel......................

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Reply #4 - Aug 14^th, 2003 at 5:23pm

PH_AJH Ex Member

Okay, I can see the risk when overwriting default gauges. But would it be possible 3rd party gauges get updates of some sort and get distributed under the same file name? Or do you reckon updated gauges get a new name all the time?
If so, my doubts will be gone forever.
Thanks
AJ

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Reply #5 - Aug 14^th, 2003 at 6:11pm

WebbPA Ex Member
I Like Flight Simulation!

It rarely happens, although I recall the radio gauges in Tipster's Beech Baron panel were updated by the author but they kept the same names.

I go along with the general rule that you don't overwrite gauges.

If, during your install, you see that 2 gauges have the same name and approximate size but different dates you might want to single them out for closer analysis. You could then rename the later one and rewrite your panel.cfg or compare them with CfgEdit or Panel Studio. IF it's that important to you.

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Reply #6 - Aug 14^th, 2003 at 6:17pm

PH_AJH Ex Member

Not at all.
But thanks for the info anyway! Lips Sealed

AJ

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Reply #7 - Aug 15^th, 2003 at 12:11pm

packercolinl Offline
Colonel
Any more laid back I'd
be asleep!

Posts: 1049

You also may find that you will need to retain the original Panel file for the Addon to work. Removing it can result in no panel at all.

I don't know why this is but both files remain in the folder for that aircraft separately.

A name change will,in my experience,have the same effect as removal.

Cheers

White on White fly all night.&&&&Red on White you're alright.&&&&Red on Red you'll soon be dead.

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Reply #8 - Aug 15^th, 2003 at 12:49pm

Hagar Offline
Colonel
My Spitfire Girl
Costa Geriatrica

Posts: 33159

Quote:

Hi Hagar,

You say don't overwrite existing files.

I find myself in doubt sometimes if the gauge I am pasting is newer then the existing one. Why is it newer? Is it updated, improved...? What am I missing if I don't overwrite the older one? ??? ???
Someone shed some light on this please.

Cheers
AJ

Hi AJ. emh8 & WebbPA have explained the reasons very well. Just to clarify, maybe I should have said "do not overwrite existing gauges unless you know what you're doing". It's easier to tell you not to overwrite any. If gauges have been updated for a particular panel the usual practice is to rename the gauge so the advice still applies. Wink

Later files than the original should be OK. Some older 3rd party panels include a 3rd party gauge named GPS.gau. This particular gauge was popular before FS2002 was released. It's not compatible with FS2002 & might originally have been intended for FS2000 or even FS98. If you overwrite the FS2002 default GPS.gau with this older one it will mess up the GPS in all your panels. If you look back through the topics in this forum you will see that this is a very common problem.

Quote:

You also may find that you will need to retain the original Panel file for the Addon to work. Removing it can result in no panel at all.

I don't know why this is but both files remain in the folder for that aircraft separately.

A name change will,in my experience,have the same effect as removal.

Cheers

Colin. Unless it's an update to an existing panel this should not be necessary. There can only be one file in a Panel folder named Panel.cfg. Any other text files (by whatever name) cannot be read by the sim & will not make any difference.

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Reply #9 - Aug 15^th, 2003 at 2:58pm

PH_AJH Ex Member

Hi all,

Thanks again for all the lessons. I have found out some do's en don'ts on my own the hard way (including the GPS-affair), it is very good to know why things happen.
You all should team up and make an idiot-proof, bug-free flightsim Grin

.

Cheers
AJ

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Reply #10 - Aug 16^th, 2003 at 12:42am

packercolinl Offline
Colonel
Any more laid back I'd
be asleep!

Posts: 1049

Bug free!?! What would we talk about?? Grin

White on White fly all night.&&&&Red on White you're alright.&&&&Red on Red you'll soon be dead.

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Reply #11 - Aug 16^th, 2003 at 2:12am

packercolinl Offline
Colonel
Any more laid back I'd
be asleep!

Posts: 1049

Apart from that. Hagar,are those files supposed to show as Panel.cfg or just plain Panel? I want to add [Old Modules] to the FS2002 file but which one is it?
Cheers.

White on White fly all night.&&&&Red on White you're alright.&&&&Red on Red you'll soon be dead.

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