Swap Panels

[bolingbrokejq]

Hi,

I have a few aircraft whose panels don't seem to be right...how do I replace these panels with another choice? Like from another aircraft or from a separate download?

Thanks. Jack

[airkevin]

Find the panel of your choice and go to the panel folder of the aircraft in question.

[opaplano]

Expanding a bit on Kevin's reply -

Backup the original panel folder first - you could just rename it as XPanel ORIG

Then Copy and Paste the new panel into the aircraft folder, replacing the one you just renamed.

Another way to do it is to "alias" the panel entry to another panel.

If for instance you wanted to use the default B737_400 panel in the default Cessna 172 (a wild example I know) you would make a backup of the Cessna's panel.cfg file (in the Panel folder for the Cessna).

Then you would use Notepad to create a new text file named panel.cfg

The text inside the panel.cfg file would read as follows:

[fltsim]
alias=b737_400\panel

---------

This is an FS2004 example but the procedure is the same in FSX also.

The alias statement is simply telling FS to use the b737_400 panel instead of the original one.

There are a few other ways to accomplish the same thing but try these first as they are perhaps the most common approaches.

Hope that all makes sense.

If you have questions or problems, don't hesitate to ask.

[alastairmonk]

Hi,

To further expand on the above, whilst it is relatively easy to replace the 2D panel, the VC panel is usually built into the aircraft Model file, and whilst there may be a limited ability to swap gauges, actually replacing the VC entirely isn't usually possible.

Alastair

[bolingbrokejq]

Thanks very much. Sounds pretty straightforward. I'll try it.

[opaplano]

Thanks very much. Sounds pretty straightforward. I'll try it.

A couple of other suggestions:

1. Always unzip any panel you download to a temporary folder (perhaps on your desktop) first - that would apply to anything your download.

Read the documentation which comes with it carefully and then move the items manually where they should go.

2. If the package includes a Gauge folder and the author tells you to place the contents of that folder into your default Gauges folder - place the contents into the new Panel folder instead.

FS looks in the panel folder first for any gauges which are required and then looks in the default gauges folder if it does not find what is being called for.

By placing them in the panel folder you make it much easier to troubleshoot a problematic gauge (which sometimes happens).

Also, and perhaps more importantly, if you decide not to keep the panel, one delete gets it all - no stray gauges left over to clutter up your gauges folder.

Good luck!

[bolingbrokejq]

Thanks for the info.I always download to a temp file and then place files where required. I didn't know I could put the gauges in the panel folder, but it sure makes more sense.

I am not having much luck copying a different panel to the aircraft I want to do the replacement in: the author says the guages won't work in FSX in the panel he supplied, but I still get his original panel when I try to delete it and paste a different one in there.

Also, to do an alias, do I just delete the panel config and replace it with what was suggested below? And can I do that with any airplane, not just the default ones?

Well, I guess ultimately I'll figure it out, but I really do appreciate your help.

[opaplano]

Thanks for the info.I always download to a temp file and then place files where required. I didn't know I could put the gauges in the panel folder, but it sure makes more sense.

I am not having much luck copying a different panel to the aircraft I want to do the replacement in: the author says the guages won't work in FSX in the panel he supplied, but I still get his original panel when I try to delete it and paste a different one in there.

Also, to do an alias, do I just delete the panel config and replace it with what was suggested below? And can I do that with any airplane, not just the default ones?

Well, I guess ultimately I'll figure it out, but I really do appreciate your help.

I would NOT delete the panel.cfg - just rename it with a ORIG extension in case you ever want to restore it.

Some FS9 gauges will not work in FSX so you may have come up against a brick wall.

[bolingbrokejq]

Thanks. I managed to solve it for the AC in question. In fact the author had supplied a zip file with guages that would work and I did install that panel (in two AC) and it worked fine. Learned something though.