FSXpand Version 5.3 released

I have purchased the FSXpand flight controls / gauge software finally.  The newest version is heading toward multi-engine jets... so this will work nicely.  For now my focus on it will be for the engine information.....but it might replace the FreeFD stuff too.  We'll see.

Started playing around with creating a sort of synoptic type display in it.  Replaced the panel border bitmap image with a graphic representation of the aircraft.  Here's the first try:



best,

.....................john

And yet the THIRD revision.  This one takes into account that the colors for the labels are not "holding" for certain of the label functions when pasted OVER the enlarged bitmap image.  Had to remove them and use another "tactic".



Added a "title" to the information page of "HYDRAULICS"..... all of the pages will have a title in the same position.  Also added engine numbers.

best,

......................john

It looks very interesting John!

And another panel (just started on this one....not done yet) that will be #1 in the switchable views:




best,

.........john

masternerd,

You won't regret it!  The FreeFD PFD and ND work very well ..... but the EICAS part of it is not really "up to par" with the rest and was never really finished by Don Lafontaine before he abandoned FreeFD.  That part is exactly what lead me to FSXpand to start with.  In fact, I wrote a couple of custom gauges for my pit in compiled Visual Basic 6........ but I really don't have the time to devote to that nit-picky kind of stuff anymore.... I'd rather be flying in my spare time.  

And it looks like Gert (FSXpand programmer) will be heading in a direction that makes this a future REPLACEMENT for even using FreeFD at all, as he improves on the PFD and ND gauges he already includes in version 5.3 ........ making this an affordable solution for us mere "financial mortals".    

The best feature of FSXpand is that you can create CUSTOM PANELS..... not just buy a program that emulates a SPECIFIC aircraft.  If you aren't the type that needs the EXACT replication of a cockpit down to the position of every screw, and the precise selection of every knob and switch type, and matching the exact shade of Boeing or Airbus paint......... then this solution is perfect.  And even if you are.... for certain aircraft..... FSXpand WILL make the gauges look pretty much identical anyway.

Setting up a custom panel in FSXpand is a SNAP.  It is not really "proggraming" at all.  Mostly click boxes, drag and drop, and configuring sliders and such.  The main website has some great information about how to do most things.   http://cockpitsolutions.com/flyware/  Then just create a "New Aircraft" name in the setup screen, and PLAY with the panel creation tools.  

I can't underemphasize the "PLAY WITH IT" factor for learning.  Download the time limited demo.... and try it out.  

Don't forget that you'll eventually likely want to set the "Advanced" parameters for some of the specific gauges to reflect the actual characteristics of the particular aircraft you are creating (ie- how much hydraulic pressure is "normal" for your aircraft....when does it go into the yellow zone and when into the red?).  If you fly different craft ..... create panels that are customized in this way for each aircraft.

One "tip" for a solution that I found thru playing around ....... the "Separator" bars that you can add to panels come up default with two that are horizontal lines and two that are vertical lines.  But in the properties of those elements, you can change them to ANY rectalinear configuration you want.  So they can be squares, thin lines, thick lines, or whatever (no angles though and only four of them ...... darn).  They also hold TEXT.... so you can create stuff like text lists by setting the background color to match the panel background (see last panel I did above).

Another "tip" I can give you is the use of the bitmap "frame" graphic.  I just created the synoptic image in the same size format that the original "frame" was.... and then renamed the new image file to "frame.bmp" so that the FSXpand program could find it.  (Back up the original "frame.bmp" of course   )

Hope this helps.

best,

..........................john

The following screen shows a "CONCEPT idea screen that I am HOPING might be someday avaialbe in FSXpand.  It was edited up in a paint program to show the idea.  It would involve some gauges being available that are not already there in FSXpand.






best,

........................john

SilverFox441 wrote on Apr 11^th, 2007 at 5:26pm:


Steve,

I haven't yet set up the screen changing thing ........ but from reading the docs it seems that you can set it up so that you can select a SPECIFIC page.  The page function is tied to a joystick.  What it looks like is you can use a rotary pot to substitute for a joystick axis, and then assign the thresholds of the resistance values that "kick" it from one screen to another.  So with that approach it would be sequential from one screen to the next.

BUT........ if you calculate the resistance values for bringing up the various screens....... you could use resistors attached to (latching) buttons that you press that would bring up a specific screen.  That is the route that I expect to go.  You could also use a rotary switch with resistors to do the exact same thing.  With a lot of panel pages...... you'll need a rotary switch with a LOT of contacts available.  

I still have to explore that a lot to make a final decision.


As to what is MISSING in FSXpand....... well that depends a lot on your point of view.  

In a lot of ways ........ there is a LOT still missing.  BUT .   There are some gauges that I would have expected to be available that are not there....... like say, most any electrical ones (there are some electrical annunciator functions.... but no actual gauges like voltage / amperage for generators/ alterrnators, DC buss, AC buss, and so on.  (For me this one is a bit disappointing at the moment.)

Some of the limitations are unfortunately somewhat inherent to the FSXXXX sim itself and likely to the FSUIPC values that are easily available.  For example, there is little modeling of most really complex systems, particularly for large air transport aircraft.  Products like Project Magenta emulate those more complex systems for a SPECIFIC aircraft outside the sim itself.  Which is a great approach.... but it becomes pretty "aircraft specific" as far as an add-on program goes.  So you buy a 747 or a 777 or a CRJ or some other specific plane.  

There is a cost for PM's sophistication and attention to EXACT details...... and the PM price is, from my point of view, TOTALLY unrealistic for anyone making a "normal" average living.  It is for people that can afford to buy stuff like real cockpits from salvaged aircraft.     FSXpand is FAR more realistic in its price structure approach for us mere mortals.

One of the strengths of FSXpand is it's "generic" approach to things ......... so this complex aircraft system issue is likely a somewhat difficult situation for Gert to address within that context.  But not out of the realm of possibilitis, I think.  Depends on how much work Gert wants to get involved with..... which of course depends on the demographics of the MARKET.    And what is the "magic price point sensitivity" for this program compared to volume of units sold?  Does no good if to get this stuff....... he has to reinvent PMs prices  .

One thing that would be would be some sort of "gauges / program sub-elements" that emulate stuff like say, bleed air functions.    This ""generic" system/gauge/sub-program that could be pasted into a panel (likely as a non-visible "background element") would offer a GENERAL and generic set-up that resembles most bleed air systems on air transport planes.  It would be configurable so that you could assign which engines drive the packs, what the "norms" are for stuff like duct pressures and so on (similar to existing gauges), which packs are driven by which engines bleed air, how many valves there controlling things are and what they do, maybe even add an APU unit, and stuff like that.  Then alloow the assignment of keypress assignments and/or joystick buttons.  Once you configure the specifics for your plane...... that ini or config file gets saved with the gauge.  Then some gauges that ARE visible can be placed on that same panel that allow the display of the various values and also some graphical synoptic representation gauges.

This would allow stuff like serious synoptic displays of sub-systems like hydraulics, electrical, fuel management, and so on.  High on my "wish list!  

Best thing that I can tell you is to download the demo.  It is only time limited.... not function limited to my knowledge.  Play with it.


best,

.......................john

Thanks for the info John... this is really starting to look like the missing piece in my cockpit development.

The generic guage system you describe would be a real boon... and shouldn't be too hard.

I'm going to watch you developments keenly... my own cockpit is getting closer everyday and I'd really like to know what I'm doing with the panel before I get that far!

Nice!

You're thinking too hard though John. 

Those valves don't need to be anything more complex than annunciators. If Gert were to expand the way annunciatiors work to allow more customization, then it would be a simple matter of using a valave annunciator to do what you want. The same code would also allow folks to have greater control over how their annunciators appear and function.