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Post by spad54 on Mar 11, 2006 10:32:36 GMT -5
Thought it would be good to start another breakout thread on a topic that deserves more attention that it gets: Designing Custom Gauges
Is anyone out there doing and custom gauge work? If so what design program(s) are recommended and what pitfalls should one be concerened about? Lets see if we can get some discussion going on this topic
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Post by denniss on Mar 11, 2006 11:47:23 GMT -5
Hello, All,
I have FS Panel Studio and am pleased with it.
It's very easy to fire up a paint program and redo a .bmp, thus changing a gauge's appearance to match vintage, language, etc.
I've had only limited success using it for hacking XML gauges, but then I've been too lazy to learn XML. It proved amenable in hacking an ASI down to Avro Type F speed, though in truth it took me several iterations to calibrate it half-way decently.
I hacked XML and ultimately changed the gauge face to match, more or less, what the XML hacking resulted in. (I suspect smart people would do the face first and then the XML specs...)
In summary, FS Panel Studio is worth it to me.
All in good fun.
Dennis
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Post by smyers on Mar 11, 2006 14:45:55 GMT -5
I've also been using FS Panel Studio. For my OTW, I built an RPM counter that tops out at 2000RPM. Basically copied the J-3 tach xml into a folder, hacked the xml till satisfied and made a *.bmp for it. At the time, it seemed easy. I'm sure I got just a bit lucky, too. X and y coordiates took a lot of trail and error.
Best,
smyers
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wozza
Flightsimmer
Posts: 78
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Post by wozza on Mar 11, 2006 14:49:04 GMT -5
Hi All Well Im a no plastic man so its freeware or noware  Basic cheap sods kit Panel sdk not much use but some of the info is helpfull xmlgau01.zip by Arne Bartels has most of the xml syntax in easy to look up text files and a good primer docs on xml gauges The great xml gauge tuts here www.fs2x.com/IZarc to handle cab files www.izarc.org/textures I use photoplus6 (be warned this has some frustrating bugs but is usable if carfull ) www.freeserifsoftware.com/software/photoplus/default.aspPanel.cfg editing I use cfgedit and notepad wozza |
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wozza
Flightsimmer
Posts: 78
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Post by wozza on Mar 11, 2006 14:58:46 GMT -5
. At the time, it seemed easy. I'm sure I got just a bit lucky, too. X and y coordiates took a lot of trail and error. Best, smyers Hi Mate The easy way to work out the xy coords is to open the gauge backing bmp in Msoft paint (yep Msoft paint:) ) Now move the mouse to the 0 marker on the dial (basically where the needle point would be,it duznt need to be exact) and down in the bottom of paint you will see the coords type these into the corresponding xml code and then move the mouse to the 10 20 and so on this is a quick and dirty method and works well Wozza |
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Post by denniss on Mar 11, 2006 19:50:37 GMT -5
Hello, Wozza,
Thanks for that MSPaint coordinate clue. -- Dennis
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Post by smyers on Mar 11, 2006 21:41:50 GMT -5
Gee, Wozza, that's a great tip!
Many Thanks,
smyers
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Post by spad54 on Mar 19, 2006 15:44:44 GMT -5
Anyone have experience with Easy Gauge. Went looking at it but it seems awful pricey
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Post by ozbeowulf on Mar 26, 2006 16:50:36 GMT -5
I used Easy Gauge to create a few dozen gauges for a new B-47E panel to be uploaded soon. EG is quirky and clumsy but it's the only way I know to create C++ gauges, unless you're a real programmer. I'm not.
The EG support forum is good, mostly because everyone shares information and there are some very talented guys using EG. Doug Dawson, Lonny Payne and the omnipresent FrBill are always ready to provide insights.
There is a new version of EG which will supposedly be out soon. Mind you, the EG developers have been singing that song for months.
I have also made gauges by hacking existing .xml gauges. That's usually fairly easy, but I don't have the skills to create from scratch in .xml.
FWIW, my other favorite tools are Flight Sim Panel Studio (grandson of CfgEdit) and Paint Shop Pro.
Cheers,
Glenn
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Post by spad54 on Apr 4, 2006 10:03:59 GMT -5
Well it sounds like I have some work to do here. I was inclined to purchase easy gauge, but FS panel Studio may be what I really am after. Thanks
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Post by denniss on Apr 8, 2006 22:58:18 GMT -5
Hello, All,
I stumbled upon an interesting cheat in the Dayton-Wright (just uploaded here). She has a big wheel for manual operation of the gear/wing camber hardware, and I wanted to make it clickable in Cockpit and Virtual Cockpit.
I don't speak XML as yet, only a couple, three hacks. But I found an easier way to make the wheel clickable: I started with the Lear's gear control gauge, copied it and used Custom Panel Design to give it a black .bmp.
Then this black "hot spot" gets planted atop the center of the wheel hub, and it's done.
One oddity: The Dayton-Wright has an optional VC eye point that simulates the pilot leaning out the side window (to see anything, as there's no view forward from the cabin).
When he's/you're leaning out, the VC hot spot for the wheel doesn't work. I suspect it may be too small a target.
No problem, because he/you couldn't reach the wheel when leaning out anyway.
All in good fun.
Dennis
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Post by ozbeowulf on Jul 24, 2006 20:43:24 GMT -5
Hi, Dennis...
What you've described is pretty much how you create mouse clickspots from scratch.
Using PSP, I make a 50 x 50 bitmap and fill it in with the color 0, 0, 0, i.e. transparent. (You can do the same thing with the default MSPaint.)
Then, with Easy Gauge, that "black"square becomes the static bitmap and I place one or two mouse functions over it. Compile the gauge, then put it into a panel using FSPS and stretch it into whatever shape is needed. The whole process takes only three or four minutes.
Cheers,
Glenn
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