Getting rid of a GPS Surround Panel in FS

[Prof Bill]

I have a problem that is rather tricky to resolve and wondered if anybody might be able to "shed some light on"?

I want to enlarge the MS GPS visual window and can easily do but also I only want to see only the GPS visual window itself and not the buttons and the surround frame.
The information to manipulate can be found in the Panel.cfg file and usually in Window 02 e.g.:

[Window02]
size_mm=456,378
window_size=0.5
position=8
BACKGROUND_COLOR=0,0,0
VISIBLE=0
ident=GPS_PANEL
gauge00=fs9gps!gps_500, 0,0


My modification as an example gauge00=gps!gps,0,0,350,450

I can get rid of the frame on the bottom and on the right hand side by reducing 350,450 to a smaller value but
I cannot introduce negative numbers for the index 0,0 e.g. -20,-30 to remove the surround frame on the left and upper side!

I have no problem with the Reality GARMIN 530 and negative indices but cannot hack into the MS GPS to see how to do it!!

I am using a 7.2 inch flat panel LCD display with manual buttons and rotary encoders that give me a real panel instrument that I have designed and have a need to use the Microsoft series of GPSs in a specific simulator rather than Reality (which of course are really excellent) if possible!

Regards,

Bill.

[Bob Reed]

Have you tried one of the FS panel editing softwares? I would think you could do it with those. You might also look in the FS SDK. Information for working with gages is in there as well.

[yoss]

Search Avsim forum on that

The solution exsist and was published by Tigert there
Yes thats some panel cfg editing

Regards

[Prof Bill]

Many thanks for the AVSIM lead!

The TIGERT lead could be promising.

I have also tried many panel editors but to no avail!!

I have also asked MICROSOFT Support but despite my followups no reply as the whomsoever I need to contact seems to be hidden behind a cloak of anonynimity!!

Started playing with the FS SDK but do not have time on my side and need a quick solution but nevertheless will try.

Many more cockpit builders will want to do this in FSX with the GARMIN 1000 hence a solution will need to be identified if one wishes to replicate some degree of authenticity with real encoders and buttons.

Bill.

[Prof Bill]

The solution to the "GPS surround blanking problem" led me back to a solution of the Reality GARMIN 530 when information mining AVSIM.

That is resolved!

Many thanks nevertheless as I shall now have to try and do it myself via the SDK and concurrently see if I can extract either some pointers or a solution from MICROSOFT!!

Bill.

[Trevor Hale]

Bill,

You can use FS Panel Studio. Edit the gps gauge and replace the BMP of the gps with "SOLID BLACK COLOR" Anything in the Flightsim panel world that is BLACK is considered transparent.

Resave the gauge and you will be off to the races.

Best regards,

Trev

[Prof Bill]

Many thanks Treveor for that tip!

It works but I now still need somehow or other to move the 0,0 index to something like -X,-Y.

The negative numbers are the problem and are needed to shift the image to the left and upper left to maximise utilisation of the 7.2 inch LCD.

Regardless of this your tip has solved another problem.

Bill.

[Trevor Hale]

Hi Bill,

Give this a try!


Use your Software that comes with your video card, (Advanced tab of video properties) You should be able to shift the image with the video properties of that monitor instead of Shifting it in FS LAND. I know you can do this with the ATI Catalyst software, I would think if you run Nvidia you should be able to do this as well.

Best regards,

Trev

[CWFlightsim]

Gidday, I have a modified fs9 GPS file where I took out all the surround in the xml file, just unzip and put the folder into ///gauges and remove the gps cab file
if this file didnt upload, just email me and i will send it to you

CW

[Prof Bill]

Hi Trevor and CWFlightsim,

It would appear I have been overpowered by two very positive and practical solutions.

I must admit that as soon as I saw "XML File" in the CWFlightsim solution that a resolution to the problem suddenly seemed apparent.

I have not tried it yet but felt I should acknowledge the contribution of all before I tried to experiment!! I am on "the case" now to coin a phrase!!

Many thanks for your contributions Trevor as this has opened up an area in Video Card management that I had not considered.

Many thanks to all,

Bill.

[CWFlightsim]

Glad to help, the xml format is very powerful, I have made dedicated annunciator radio and ap panels also taken the surround off and repainted alot of the primary flight gauges so they sit behind a proper instrument panel if any one wants the files I can upload it all.

[Bob Reed]

I think uploading them would be a great idea!!

[Prof Bill]

I also believe that this would be an excellent and much appreciated idea!

Bill.

[CWFlightsim]

Gidday all,here are the XML files I have made for my cockpit, they are designed to be used on a screen behind a real panel. free for all to use, modify, etc, dont hold me responsible for any damage, not to be used in real aircraft, etc, blah, blah.
Do the usual panel cfg editing. Let me know how it all goes!
I do have all the PF instruments repainted without bezels but having a bit of trouble getting them off my FS computer.

CW

[Prof Bill]

Many thanks CW for the file.
I shall install it during the next few days!

Bill.

[Prof Bill]

Hi CW,

I wonder if you have worked with any of the instrument surround panels in FSX?

I am moving over to FSX running on a Q6600 system (taking advantage of multi processor support in SP1) and thought it might be a good idea to ask you about the panel software before I did anything with the LCD based instruments.

Incidently using RAID0 16meg cache disks, Corsair matched memory 2Gigs I am able to generate sustained frame rates of 28-30 Frames/Sec with all sliders at max. The graphics card and the processors are "load balanced" and took a while to tune but well worth the effort!

This "load balancing" excercise seems to be the key to performance!
I am delighted with the FSX performance results!!!

Bill.

[Kennair]

Hey Bill and CW, I wonder if you would post some photos of your panel setup. I am keen to do something similar by making a hardware surround for my GPS (RealityXP) and operate it with buttons and encoders to replace the radio stack in the PC12. Bill you said you'd done this, so I wonder if you'd provide more details.

Regards,

Ken.

[Deesystems]

Ive added CWFlightsim's files in this thread to the download section.

Dee

[Prof Bill]

Hi Dee,

Many thanks for that!!
Ken I am away for a few weeks holiday (Orient Express) and will contact you on return.

My advice at the moment would be to consider something other than Reality XP if you intend using FSX. Their products are really excellent and work superbly on FS2004 but there is a problem getting a statement from them as to when they will support their instruments in an FSX enviornment.
Like everybody else we all hope they will support FSX as it would be a great loss to FSX Flight Simulation if this were not so!!

Flightdeck Technology (see this site) give excellent support for the MS Garmin 530 and their rotary encoder implementation is very professional. I am delighted with their product and if you want to save time and effort think seriously about using them!
Their boards and technology would be ideal for an implementation of the Garmin 1000.

Bill.

[Kennair]

Great thanks Bill. I've looked at the FDT site before but not with this in mind. I'll study it again. I am using Open Cockpits hardware and they do a reasonanbly priced encoder themselves, so I might look at them also. Also need to get some small push buttons to suit.

Ken.