Simviation Forum - What drives gauges?

May 21^st, 2004 at 9:47am

ubalmoral Offline
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I've rebuilt a DC-3 panel and added several gauges that work fine, but I've got a problem with two of them.
The gauge that's supposed to show fuel useage shows fuel remaining and fuel used, but not gallons per hour or time to empty.
The panel doesn't have a GPM gauge yet. Could it need one for the other gauge to work?
The second troublesome gauge is supposed to alert if the barometric pressure is different from what's set on the altimeter. It doesn't work at all.
Any ideas, anybody?
Thanks,
Paul Shell

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Reply #1 - May 21^st, 2004 at 10:15am

ubalmoral Offline
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OOPS! I meant the panel doesn't have a GPH (gallons per HOUR) gauge.
P. Shell

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Reply #2 - May 21^st, 2004 at 11:20am

garymbuska Offline
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It might help if you were a little more specific ???
What program did you use to make the panel with?
How did you put the gauges in the panel?
Is this a XML gauge?
There are several types of fuel gauges not all of them show GPM. You might be using the wrong gauge.
Your second gauge sounds like a xml gauge but with out the name of the gauge I am just guessing?
Give us the names of the gauges you are using and I am sure some can help you out? 8)

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Reply #3 - May 21^st, 2004 at 12:24pm

ubalmoral Offline
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I'm just moving around and assigning different gauges that are in the gauges folder to a panel I downloaded.
I'll get the names of the gauges and post them.
Thanks,
P. Shell

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Reply #4 - May 21^st, 2004 at 12:45pm

Webb Ex Member
I Like Flight Simulation!

There is a great all purpose gauge for this called RKG_fuelstat.gau. It comes with John Consterdine's 2002 Beech Baron Panel, or I could shoot you a copy if you can't find it. (I'm at work so it may be a while.)

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Reply #5 - May 21^st, 2004 at 7:27pm

ubalmoral Offline
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I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

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Hey, many thanks!
I found the RKG_fuelstat.gau and installed it and it works fine!
Now I just have to get that pressure gauge working.
I discovered it's apparantly meant for the 737-400 panel, so I may have installed it wrong somehow.
I'm going to go back and unzip it again and start over.
Thanks again,
P. Shell

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Reply #6 - May 21^st, 2004 at 9:13pm

Webb Ex Member
I Like Flight Simulation!

Read the readme file. This gauge will work with any type of ac. If it doesn't work you probably have it configured incorrectly.

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Reply #7 - May 27^th, 2004 at 2:41pm

garymbuska Offline
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Jacksonville, Florida

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Why dont you download CFGedit. It is freeware and is a handy tool for panel editing. The best feature of this program is that it lets you see the gauge you want, that way you can make sure it is the one you want.
CFGedit will not allow you to edit XML gauges though.
The only program that will is not free ware.

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Reply #8 - Jun 1^st, 2004 at 3:59am

bolivazio Offline
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Hi people!
My name is Valerio. I've a PP Licence and I'm a C++, Pascal and Basic programmer. I'd like to know if it's possible to carry out a procedure/program that picks up flyng data (altimeter, speed, etc) and put it out during a flyng session with Flight Simulator 98/2002.
I'm trying to create an electromechanical interface and I need that data. Someone can help me? Thanks a lot.

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Reply #9 - Jul 9^th, 2004 at 9:55pm

greekydeke Offline
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Posts: 23

Valerio:

Given your C++ programming experience, you might consider writing a simple gauge DLL (.GAU file) that gets FS gauge variables and sends them to a system output port instead of driving gauge components.

The starting point for your project would be Microsoft's FS2000 "Building Panels and Gauges" SDK. I think it might still be available on Microsoft's FS downloads website. It has all the info you'll need for your project. I think that SDK is included in SDK's for FS2002 and FS2004, but I'm not sure.

The SDK has an 18-page list of gauge variables that you can use, along with the necessary header and resource files. Your C++ code would be relatively simple; a couple of lines to get the instantaneous value for the token variable you want (e.g. airspeed) and pass it to a system output port that's connected to whatever external device you plan to drive.

When you compile the gauge DLL you'll give it a filename with a .GAU file extension. To activate your data gauge you have to (1) put a copy of your gauge in your GAUGES folder, and (2) make a gauge entry in the [Window00] section in your aircraft's PANEL.CFG file. When you do that your data gauge DLL will be linked to FS and the flight data you want will start being sent to your output port when you select your aircraft and fly it. Your gauge entry will be simple; gauge sizing and position parameters won't be necessary. For example, if you name your gauge "myDataGauge.GAU" your [Window00] gauge entry would look something like this:

[Window00]
...
gauge10=Cessna!airspeed, 75, 150
gauge69=myDataGauge
...

Since the token variables for .GAU gauges are available in FS98 through FS2004, this approach to your problem should work in all those versions of FS as well.

Good luck on your project!

Best regards,

Ken Smith
Abingdon, Maryland USA

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