I want to adapt a gauge for use with another aircraft

Hello,

I am using the freeware C-47 Version 3.12 Beta by Manfred Jahn. It has a superb gauge called "monitor" that is super handy and very useful. I am including a screenshot of it:

It was developed by Manfred Jahn based on Rick Federmann's Textinfo Gauge. There is a folder called "monitor" under the panel folder of the C-47 and it has an xml configuration that is 70 pages long.

My question:

Is there an easy way to utilise this amazing gauge with another model (for my personal use strictly)? I tried copying the "monitor" folder into the stock FSX DC-3 panel folder, and edited the panel.cfg file by adding the relevant entry, but it doesn't work.

Any help / advise is most appreciated. Charlie if you are out there, please help.

Best wishes.

Khalid

Well, I do see it try to flash into place, but I think it's a no go situation. IIRC I tried this a few years ago and was unsuccessful then, also! It may be that something in the model is needed. I also tried the monitor from the C-97 and also a no go! I don't think Manfred wanted that monitor panel used in other than his own aircraft.

No no, not my intention at all, I use it myself in all aircraft I fly, from one-engined radials to four-engined jets!! Of course, some features are plane specific, or need a DSD master gauge such as fuel dump in the panel folder. Naturally you also have to make sure it gets its own window (Shift-4 may be in use already) and there are no other conflicts in the modified panel.cfg. So I would suggest to keep trying. Which a/c do you want to have it for? Would it help if I uploaded a working config?

Can't you just replace the panel with the panel that has the gauge?

That's an idea, but I am really more interested in utilizing the gauge only, not a full C-47 panel if at all possible.

Well, I do see it try to flash into place, but I think it's a no go situation. IIRC I tried this a few years ago and was unsuccessful then, also! It may be that something in the model is needed. I also tried the monitor from the C-97 and also a no go! I don't think Manfred wanted that monitor panel used in other than his own aircraft.

Exactly what happens with me Charlie, I see it flash then only a tiny bit of the window remains, with the [x] button on. Maybe it is to do with the model indeed?

No no, not my intention at all, I use it myself in all aircraft I fly, from one-engined radials to four-engined jets!! Of course, some features are plane specific, or need a DSD master gauge such as fuel dump in the panel folder. Naturally you also have to make sure it gets its own window (Shift-4 may be in use already) and there are no other conflicts in the modified panel.cfg. So I would suggest to keep trying. Which a/c do you want to have it for? Would it help if I uploaded a working config?

Manfred, its a work of a genius. It is addictive and a game changer for the whole flight experience, no need to go into zooming and panning in all these VCs and windows. Thank you for the brilliant C-47 for starters. I did of course use a window shortcut key that is available (in my case Shift-7 in the panel.cfg) but to no luck. I am no good with XML scripts but I assume it is calling for inputs that are model specific, therefore the minute you remove it out of environment it stops functioning. In a sim utopia, I would love to have a version for the planes I fly most, Aerosoft Catalina, JustFlight L-10 Electra and JustFlight C-46 as well as the FSX Stock DC-3. What is a DSD gauge by the way? Thank you once more and many thanks to all who have tried to help.

I am no expert but once I put a panel in Traffic View Board it worked to a degree but what i did was replace one of the gauges for TVB, so when I clicked on that gauge to show TVB popped up instead.

Just an idea but can you do something similar?

Col.

Got it working.

It starts in a collapsed mode

All I had to do was to point the mouse at the star and right click many times to add (or expand/un-collapse) the panels.

Many thanks, once more, to everyone who tried to help.

Best wishes.

Khalid

I am no expert but once I put a panel in Traffic View Board it worked to a degree but what i did was replace one of the gauges for TVB, so when I clicked on that gauge to show TVB popped up instead.

Just an idea but can you do something similar?

 

Col.

Thank you so much Colin for your help, I think I got it sorted out. Best wishes.

Exactly what happens with me Charlie, I see it flash then only a tiny bit of the window remains, with the [x] button on. Maybe it is to do with the model indeed?

Be sure to read Manfred's reply. It doesn't seem to be as magical as I was suspecting, but more of another gauge file that needs to be added.

Be sure to read Manfred's reply. It doesn't seem to be as magical as I was suspecting, but more of another gauge file that needs to be added.

I did. He is the magician. It works without adding any gauge files actually, it is just that is starts collapsed.

I did nonetheless go by his advise and added the DSD fuel dump gauge afterwards, to enable the functionality of fuel dumping through this interface.

Thank you Charlie for being there for everyone when we are stuck. All the best buddy.

Best wishes.

Khalid

Glad it's working! Starts collapsed? Meaning that you can stretch the top,bottom, and sides to a more normal size?

No, not stretching. First, invoke the gauge by pressing shift+7 or whatever shortcut assignment you gave it in panel.cfg, you will get the collapsed gauge as shown hereunder:

Place the mouse over the star icon, it is for Show/Hide, left clicks show less panels and right clicks show more panels, right click repeatedly until all the hidden four panels show.

Thanks, Khalid! Now it makes sense!;)

Glad you're utilizing it too Charlie. One must admit, Manfred has done a lovely job of that gauge. I wish he would release it as a standalone universal add-on that can be adapted / customised into any model. Its a game changer, literally.