Vista Liners?

I was wondering if anyone might be able to help me with a couple of things.

Firstly, i have downloaded Vista Liners Boeing 737 400 Base Model and added Fabrizio Beretti's

B737-300 analogue panel fab733an.zip available on flyawaysimulation.com, (which I have used before with other models) the 2d displays fine but there are

no cockpit side and rear views, there are windows but they are blacked out, is there a way to fix this? I

have looked at the panel.cfg and it reads exactly the same as in the other models that it displays correctly in.

Secondly, is it possible to add this Air Malta texture to this model, download file mtb737_4.zip again on flyawaysimulation.com, even though it doesn't say for vista liners? I tried to add the texture to the modelbut my efforts were unsucessful.

Lastly I have downloaded and added to FS, LAM airlines Mozambique, file 7372MOZ.zip and the fix 7372fix2.zip,

the cockpit is quite a good one but the main Altimeter is missing. Is there a way I could amend this?

Thanks in advance

Charlotte

"... is it possible to add this Air Malta texture to this model, download file mtb737_4.zip again on flyawaysimulation.com, even though it doesn't say for vista liners? ".

In general, textures are VERY model specific. In plain language, they are very precise "shapes", which generally don't match the shapes of different models.

"... the main Altimeter is missing.".

You will need to do some of your own investigations here, as there may be more than one reason why this is so. Find the line in the panel.cfg file that refers to the main altimeter. It will reference a particular file in your \Gauges folder. Do you have a file with that EXACT name in your Gauges folder?

WHen you downloaded the panel, were any gauges included with that panel? If so, have you put those gauges into the \Gauges folder?

Steve from Mudgee.

I have moved all the gauges into the gauges folder. Looking through the panel.cfg there doesn't seem to be an altimeter, there is reference to the digital altimeter display at the bottom of the cockpit panel, but nothing for the main altimeter. It's spoiling the cockpit because there is a blacked out circle where it should be, though it is possible to know your height by the digital display it is too far down the cockpit to be used efficiently.

Thanks for your reply

Charlotte

http://www.fspanelstudio.com/

I purchased via flight1.com, download edition (is easiest to update) at USD $25.

http://www.flight1.com/products.asp?product=FSP-ESD-001

Note the developer page lists compatibility up through Win 8.1. Just download the update from the developer site if necessary.

It is a visual panel editor that stands alone from FS (not running) and eliminates most manual editing of the panel.cfg. It allows you to pull in any gauge from FS and paste it in to an existing panel with sizing, positioning, individual axis sizing, etc. You can delete existing gauges from the panel. You can reposition, size, etc. existing gauges. It also links to your image editor to paint the background of a .bmp texture file.

In your case just grab an altimeter that you wish and paste/position/size it over your missing analog altimeter.

I've improved a lot of freeware panels and also used it to place payware gauges into quite a few freeware aircraft and if possible even payware aircraft. It was worth to me the $25.

It saves each version including the original panel.cfg.

This looks like very good advice, I have spent some hours in my graphics editor trying to line up icons and gauges, and translating their positions into machine language.

I assume it has a WYSWYG graphical interface and can show anything that you want to include, including icons?

... used it to place payware gauges into quite a few freeware aircraft and if possible even payware aircraft.

You're not allowed to! but since it's just us here, we won't tell... :D

Are you the same "WingZ"? ... you know ... that hangs out "around the corner"?

Icons are gauges in terms of use. They are contained in two .cab files in the Gauges folder that can be accessed by FSP:

SimIcons1024.cab

simicons.cab

Many gauges are grouped in .cab files and many are editable .xml coded gauges that can be edited with FSP linking to that editor.

If you look in the panel.cfg of the default Cessna 182 RG you'll see this line:

gauge00=Cessna182rg!ADF, 454, 169 in main window 00:

gauge00=Cessna182rg!ADF, 454, 169

The exclamation point indicates the ADF gauge is pulled out of the cab file collection "Cessna182rg.gau". FSP will open that master file giving you a list of gauges in that file. simicons cab files are treated the same way.

If you see a gauge/icon you like in a panel from a reference model, you can click on the gauge of interest so it is outlined by its area box. On the FSP status line you'll see the gauge label such as C182rg!altimeter so now you know its source. You can also right click and then left click on the dropdown Copy. It is now on a clipboard to Paste into another panel. Sound familiar?

Regarding payware aircraft those designed in standard fashion without coded write-protect can be modified as well.

Here is a screenshot extract of FSP highlighting the GPS icon and showing the gauge info in the status line:

The status line shows (Window00 Main Panel), (36) the gauge number in that window, and the gauge file name SimIcons!GPS Icon. That address your icon question.

When you bring up a panel window in the FSP canvas, you'll first see the paint background. After you click on one gauge all of the gauge faces will fill in including any edge border if so designed.

When a gauge is selected, dragging a corner square resizes the gauge in proportion. Dragging one of the borders just changes that one dimension. Dragging within the gauge moves it.

Some special panels have hidden gauges that perform a function. They can be placed outside of the visible panel area.

This should give you some idea of FSPs power.

Thanks for taking the time to show this... browsing the FSPS site you linked, I see some (although limited) VC gauge functionality.

This interests me.

Charlotte, despite all the replies, it doesn't look like you've had your Air Malta issue properly looked at.

The texture files for the Vista Liners 737 are indeed very different to that of the default 737. It looks like it would be a truly enormous job to convert one set of textures to another.

Looking at that Air Malta texture download, it looks like that will install to the default Boeing 737. You should also be able to install your analogue panel in that aircraft.

Finally, given the other problem with the missing window views, it would seem reasonable to ask whether it is worth your while persisting with the Vistaliner. Proceeding with an Air Malta version of the default 737 would seem to be a far, far easier solution.

But that's just my conclusion.

Steve from Mudgee.

Thanks for all your replies. I can see that the Air Malta texture will have to be on the default, though it would've been better on the vistaliners B734 as it flies a little better. Does anyone know of any other either textures or full models with Air Malta on, of the later Boeings that they used in the late '90's early '00's?

Also I have solved the missing altimeter problem, with a little help from a friend. The altimeter was listed in the panel.cfg but wasn't in the gauges folder with the download. I have used an altimeter that I have already in my gauges folder, that I use on a different panel. I just replaced the text in the panel.cfg to reflect the different gauge keeping the co-ordinate numbers the same, and the new altimeter appeared where the blacked out hole used to be.

Does anyone know how to fix my blacked out windows, in the cockpit side and rear views, no-one has addressed this part of my original post.

With Thanks

Charlotte

You need to check the background bitmap texture for the views you are having problems with using an image editor. The value for the transparent area should be RGB of 0,0,0 for the underlying image to show through. Opaque areas having at least one of the primary colors greater than 0.

In the C182rg open it panel folder. Open FORWARD_RIGHT.bmp in an image editor. (These bmp files are 32 bit .bmp types. Others can be different.) Hover the cursor over a window black. Usually a photo/image editor will show the RGB value in the status line. If it is not 0,0,0 you need to fill that color with a true black of those 0,0,0 values. You might be able to create a mask from the existing color, invert it, and then use the brush/fill tool.

I don't have any Win accessory paint app installed so I don't have specific instructions for you.

Panel bitmaps of this type are usually created over a 0,0,0 background area so unpainted areas are transparent to the FS view background.

Uhh, Charlotte, with the "blacked out windows", there could be more than one reason for this. Are these still with the Vista LIner? I thought you were abandoning that because of the Air Malta texture issue?

But to proceed, can you get a couple of screen captures showing the problem and post them here?

Steve from Mudgee.

I'm not abandoning the Vista liners because it flies well, and i can add textures specific to this model.

The issue that i have with the blacked out windows is just on this particular plane as i have added this panel (fabrizio beretti's analogue panel) to other models and have no problem at all. So i can't see it being a problem with the bitmap textures from this panel more probably the model is at fault, any further ideas?

Thank you so much for all your help and effort in trying to assist me

Regards Charlotte

If there is an issue with the model, then presumeably you will need a model editor. Maybe MCS might do the job, although I don't think it's that kind of editor. I dunno. I'm out of ideas.

Steve from Mudgee