Barometer Reset gauge.

A request came up in the forum for a way to no longer have to click the >b

His reason was he did not want to get the "You are 300 above your assigned altitude" all the time from ATC.

 

I though a gauge could do it.

 

 

I created a little gauge. It resets the Barometer/Altimeter to the current setting.

It does this all the time, so as soon as the Weather Barometer setting changes, the Altimeter gets set correctly.

 

There are some strange side-effects though. I'm not sure how much that will matter.

I tested it in the default 747 VC. There it resets the Altimeter in the PFD display, but, not the standby altimeter.

To reset that, you still would need to press >b

(>b

 

However, the autopilot follows the Altimeter in the PFD. So with this gauge, no more: "You are 300 above your assigned altitude".

hurray!

 

In the following post I will explain how you can create this gauge, where to install it, and how to add it to your panel.

(It's a long post, but it's simple to create. I just find it hard keep my explanations simple.;):) )

To get the gauge working in the plane there are three steps.

-1-Create the gauge,

-2- add it to the panel folder of your aircraft,

-3- add the gauge in the panel by inseting a line in the panel.cfg file,

-4- go fly it!

 

 

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-1- Creating the gauge.

Create an empty folder on the Desktop. Name the folder:

B_Gauge_4

 

In the folder B_Gauge_4, create a new blank .txt file.

Name the textfile: B_Gauge_4.txt

Open the file in Notepad.

 

Copy the text that is in the codebox below, and paste it in the textfile you created.

TEMPORARILY REMOVED

 

Then save the textfile and close it.

 

Now rename the textfile from:

B_Gauge_4.txt

to

B_Gauge_4.xml

 

if a warning pops up that the file may become unusable, click ok.

It is now an XML file, a working Gauge. You should normally see the file now has a different Icon.

 

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-2-

Move the folder B_Gauge_4 (with the .xml file inside it) into the panel folder of your aircraft.

 

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-3- Adding the gauge to the panel.

 

Now to edit the panel.cfg file, so the gauge becomes active in your aircraft in fsx.

 

First: MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR PANEL.CFG FILE.

(name the backup file: panel -0- orig copy.cfg)

 

--

After making the backup, open the file: "panel.cfg'

 

find the section that starts with:

[Window00]

 

below the last gauge of that section, add the following line:

gaugeXX=B_Gauge_4!B_Gauge_4, 0,0,0,0

 

Then in that line change XX to the "next gauge number"

so if the last gauge was gauge56, change in my line "XX" to "57".

 

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Then lower down find the section that starts with:

[VCockpit00]

 

below the last gauge of that section, add the following line:

gaugeXX=B_Gauge_4!B_Gauge_4, 0,0,0,0

 

Then in that line change XX to the "next gauge number"

so if the last gauge was gauge24, change in my line "XX" to "25".

 

 

Close and save the panel.cfg file.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-4-

Go Fly!

 

With that plane loaded, make a note of the altimeter and barometer setting in your aircraft.

Then use the Weather menu to change the barometer setting.

When you get back in the plane you will see the Altimeter at the old setting for an instant, then it automatically changes to the new setting.

 

 

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Note: I noticed at extreme Weather settings, with barometer to 34.5 or 27.2, the altimeters start to behave strangely. Indicating below sealevel, or at +500 feet, while the aircraft is actually parked at sea level.

This is not because of my gauge. It happens without my gauge installed as well. It ma be the Altimeter Calibration Knob just has a limit to how far it can go.

 

Other Note: I noticed that the standby-altimeter does NOT get automatically reset. You would need to do that manually.

I do not know what the importance of this is.

 

Anyway, the plane will not make steep climbs and dives jumps each time the weather changes. And you won't get "300 above your assigned altitude" any more.

 

adding: As far as I know this gauge should work in FSX and FS9. I only tested it in FSX Acceleration.

 

Enjoy!

il88pp.:)

I am interested to know if you can open doors #2 and 3 with this gauge active.

 

peace,

the Bean

Thanks. Did not think of that.

I changed the code for the .xml slightly. Now the gauge allows the doors 3 to open as well.

Thanks again,

il

It works all the time? A toggle switch to on/off would be nice, because the TA is different at different places around the world.

It repeats the "reset Altimeter" command 16 times per second. All the time, yes.

 

That means the barometer will always be set to local pressure. And be set to 29.92 above 18.000 ft. (That is standard Transition Altitude (TA) everywhere in fsx.)

 

I don't know about sites like Vatsim. I always use the fsx default TA (Transition Altitude).

If you have to use a manual transition altitude at a different altitude then 18.000 on online sites or something, then this gauge will have to be disabled before going on line.

You can switch it off by renaming the folder of the gauge to:

B_Gauge_4-off

 

If this is an issue, because you have it in many planes, and you don't want to change all those folder names,

then do this alternative install.

Do everything the same, except, don't place folder B_Gauge_4 in the panel folder(s).

Place the folder B_Gauge_4 in folder:

..\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Gauges

instead.

 

there the Gauge will also work.

 

then you can switch it off by renaming the folder of the gauge to:

B_Gauge_4-off

 

Go online after, and it will not be active in your planes.

only need to rename that one folder then.

 

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Remember, the gauge was on request by someone who flies with default ATC, and uses IFR plans. He did not want to get "300 above assigned altitude" each time the weather updated. He did not want to have to manually press B all the time.

This gauge solves that.

 

It sounds like you want the opposite Rishabk. If you like to set the Barometer manually, and you like to set the Altimeter/Barometer to a different value from the one the sim is using, then this gauge is 'not for you' .:D;)

 

Happy flights!

By the way, regarding a button/switch....

That would mean it would have to be visible.

images would need to be included...

instructions on how to place in a panel so it also shows up in the right spot....

(for each plane).....

and, placing a visible gauge in a VC is (nigh on) impossible.......

So I'll pass on that, sorry.

 

This gauge, as is, is invisible, can be placed in panel and VC, and does what it needs to do.

 

I like to keep my cockpit buttons to a minimum. Makes it easier to include them all in my instrument scans...

By the way, regarding a button/switch....

That would mean it would have to be visible.

images would need to be included...

instructions on how to place in a panel so it also shows up in the right spot....

(for each plane).....

and, placing a visible gauge in a VC is (nigh on) impossible.......

So I'll pass on that, sorry.

 

This gauge, as is, is invisible, can be placed in panel and VC, and does what it needs to do.

 

I like to keep my cockpit buttons to a minimum. Makes it easier to include them all in my instrument scans...

 

No need for a visible gauge, you could catch a key event and toggle it on/off. With a little bit of deliberation, select statements and bool variables you might even be able to use the "B" key for that.

Once per second would be plenty fast and would reduce the load on the system.

I have updated my gauge. The update frequency is now once per second.

(I edited post 2, and only changed the contents of the XML file.)

 

If you already created your .xml you may want to recreate it.

 

I will not change or edit this gauge any further. Things would ge too mixed up.

 

If I ever want a different version, I'll create that as a completely seperate gauge.

Dangnabit:(....

Just when I said I would not change it again... I find a typo!!

 

The gauge has been changed one very last time. I psomise this is it.

 

I changed it in the original post, but I'll also post it here.

 

TEMPORARILY REMOVED

 

Sorry:( I guess I should have done some testflights first.

Keep testing.

 

peace,

the Bean

Sorry, I tempiorarily removed the gauge. Ineed some time for testing. I will post the final version soon.