Need Help with XML sound

[Dave_R]

Hi
Ive made a compound digital instrument for my new glider
and although Ive somehow managed to muddle through XML to get all

the components working ,Im at a loss at how to add sound to the

variometer .Ive got Doug Dawson's XML sound files ,but its all

getting a bit complex and my brain,s starting to hurt.
Is there any one out there who is capable and would like to

sort this out for me? or someone patient enough to explain to a

poor incompetant ,how to do it.

Thanks
Dave R

[ddawson]

You didn't say so, but for the moment I'm going to assume you are using dsd_xml_sound3.gau, as it's the one that has proven to be most commonly used...
To make this gauge do anything, you need to establish a relationship between the sound you want to play and the variable you are going to use to control the sound. You do this using the .ini file.
Start by copying the .ini file that comes with the package (called dsd_xml_sound.ini) into your gauges folder.
You now need to ensure that the gauge will find the .ini file. You use the fifth parameter in the panel.cfg entry to tell the gauge where to find the .ini file:

gauge20=dsd_xml_sound3!dsd_xml_sound3, 2,2,2,2, ./gauges/dsd_xml_sound.ini
Please note: the 'dot' at the beginning of the parameter string is important - don't lose it.

Next, in the .ini file, you need to make the entries for your sound files and the L:Vars that will control them. Sound00 will be controlled by LVar00; Sound01 will be controlled by LVar01; Sound02 will be controlled by LVar02; etc. I was hoping it would be self evident, but I will emphasize that the variable name you are putting in the .ini file is just the bare variable name, withouth the extra bits that your xml gauge will require to use it.

For example, if you specify
LVar01=my_control_var
then in your xml gauge, you will refer to this variable as (L:my_control_var, enum)

When you specify the sounds in the .ini file, you must be sure to get the location right. An entry like:
Sound00=./sound/glider_sounds/variometer.wav
tells the gauge to look in the main FS sound folder for a folder called 'glider_sounds' and to look in that folder for a sound file called 'variometer.wav' Again, note the dot at the beginning of the string.

If you need further assistance, drop me an e-mail. I can send you a version of the gauge with a debugging element. It will display the sound and variable combinations that the gauge thinks it should be looking for. You should find this useful in determining if your .ini file has been a) found; and b) set up correctly.

Doug

[Dave_R]

Thank you so very much for taking the trouble to reply, I was begining to think I would never get this sorted ,but now I'll get my head down again and hopefully work this through .

Many thanks
Dave