Problem with FS98 Gauges in CFS2

[RichNagel]

I've used the panels from the FS2000 Aircraft and Adventure Converter ("AAFConv.exe") for several jet powered aircraft that I've added to CFS2. The problem that I'm seeing is that several of the gauges aren't being displayed properly (see attached screenshots: one is the "FSFSConv\Panel.Jet.Light.2" panel, and the other is the "FSFSConv\Panel.Jet.Heavy.2" to show examples of the problem).

I noticed that in the "Panel.cfg" files for the FSFSConv all of the gauge entries are for older FS98 gauges (which I do have copied into my "Gauges" subdirectory, so I know that they are all there).

Here are snippets from the "Panel.cfg" files with the parts refering to the FS98 gauges:

"FSFSConv\Panel.Jet.Light.2"
"Panel.cfg"
gauge00=Lear_45.Elevator-Trim, 1020, 207, 40
gauge01=Lear_45.AOA, 160, 90
gauge02=Lear_45.Chronometer, 110, 186
gauge03=Lear_45.Light_Switches, 68, 275
gauge04=Lear_45.PFD, 252, 48
gauge05=Lear_45.EICAS, 534, 48
gauge06=Lear_45.Autopilot, 818, 47
gauge07=Lear_45.Radio_Stack, 822, 205
gauge08=Lear_45.Warning_Enunciators, 818, 135
gauge09=Lear_45.Gear, 1015, 293
gauge10=Lear_45.Control_Surfaces, 1085,207,75

"FSFSConv\Panel.Jet.Heavy.2"
"Panel.cfg"
gauge00=737-400.Controls.2, 1157, 428
gauge01=737-400.Airspeed, 147, 140
gauge02=737-400.Autopilot, 767, 52
gauge03=737-400.Flaps, 1155, 32
gauge04=737-400.Altimeter, 611, 154
gauge05=737-400.Vertical-Speed, 612, 302
gauge06=737-400.Fuel-Quantity, 609, 452
gauge07=737-400.Main-Set, 762, 200
gauge08=737-400.NWS, 178, 528
gauge09=737-400.OMI, 5, 178
gauge10=737-400.Oil, 978,200
gauge11=737-400.Warning_Enunciators, 807, 135
gauge12=Extra-300.Control_Surfaces, 630, 40, 120
gauge13=737-400.Clock-Sim-rate, 36, 320
gauge14=737-400.RMI, 178, 319
gauge15=737-400.ADI, 334, 55
gauge16=737-400.HSI, 334, 301
gauge17=737-400.Landing-Gear, 1170, 137

I've tried this under Windows 10 as well as Windows XP, so I don't think that it's an OS problem. Note that I don't currently have FS2000 installed, so I can't test if the problem is there in that sim.

BTW, I just discovered this problem when installing this fictional aircraft for CFS2 ("SuperCar") -> http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/~bat/GA/supercar-msfs.html (the download for the CFS2 version is here -> http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/~bat/GA/SC-MODEL/MSFS/sc_fs2000.zip ). The panel for the supercar indeed uses a slightly edited version of the "FSFSConv\Panel.Jet.Light.2" panel with the older FS98 gauges that panel uses, and that's where I first found this problem.

Does anyone have any idea what coulod cause these problems with the older FS98 gauges under CFS2? Funny thing is, the FSFSConv prop engine gauges seem to work just fine when using those panels (Panel.Recip.FG.1/Panel.Recip.RG.1/etc...).

 

[Ivan]

Hello RichNagel,

It might interest you to know that many FS98 Gauges often don't work even in CFS1.
Dial type tachometers have a tendency to have problems. There were also a few others where the display was just blank for a digital gauge. This is for recip engines. I don't generally mess with jets.
The FS98 SDK has many parts that are not compatible with later simulators.

- Ivan.

 

[peperez]

I prefer to use M$ standard gauges or tested CFS2 native gauges.

 

[kdriver]

Hi Rich,

What are the names of the gauges not displaying correctly?

I have the FS2000 plus later versions which I can post here.

Kevin

 

[RichNagel]

It might interest you to know that many FS98 Gauges often don't work even in CFS1.

Dial type tachometers have a tendency to have problems. There were also a few others where the display was just blank for a digital gauge. This is for recip engines. I don't generally mess with jets.

The FS98 SDK has many parts that are not compatible with later simulators.

Thanks for the info I hadn't realized that they didn't function properly for even CFS1 (as CFS1 is based on the FS98 engine).

What you described is exactly what I'm seeing, blank areas in the gauges. That being said, the mouse "tooltips" and controls do work... you just can't see what you're actually moving your mouse over, or what you're clicking.

I have noticed though that for me the prop panels seem to work OK... I use the generic FSFSConv panels for all of the CFS2 AI aircraft that I've modified to make player flyable.

What are the names of the gauges not displaying correctly?

I have the FS2000 plus later versions which I can post here.

Thanks for the offer, but I already have all of the FS2000 gauges installed. Quite some time ago I added all of the default FS2000 Pro aircraft to my CFS2 installation. Hehe, me and my buddies even had a few multiplayer games using the FS2000 sailplane... lots of fun LOL!!!

One question though, the gauges that you have, are they the FS2000 'combined' gauges, or the separate gauges that are included with the FSFSconv panels?

As an example, some of the gauges that don't function properly are Lear_45.Chronometer.gau/Lear_45.PFD.gau/Lear_45.EICAS.gau (which are the FSFSConv FS98 gauges), but the 'combined' FS2000 Lear_45.gau does indeed work... it's just a matter of editing the Panel.cfg file to change (as an example) "Lear_45.EICAS" to "Lear_45!EICAS", but that's kind of a PITA.

Anyhow, I'm assuming that you have the combined single FS2000 gauge, and not updated version of the single gauge files?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[kdriver]

I've got both the combined/cluster gauges and individual ones. I've attached the individual ones you mentioned. I hope they work.

 

[RichNagel]

I've got both the combined/cluster gauges and individual ones. I've attached the individual ones you mentioned. I hope they work.

Many thanks for the files, but those are the exact ones that I already have.

 

[kdriver]

They're from FS2002 and FS2004 and appear to be the same as the FS2000 ones. Looks like you're stuck with the cluster gauges.

 

[Ivan]

Thanks for the info I hadn't realized that they didn't function properly for even CFS1 (as CFS1 is based on the FS98 engine).

What you described is exactly what I'm seeing, blank areas in the gauges. That being said, the mouse "tooltips" and controls do work... you just can't see what you're actually moving your mouse over, or what you're clicking.

I have noticed though that for me the prop panels seem to work OK... I use the generic FSFSConv panels for all of the CFS2 AI aircraft that I've modified to make player flyable.

Hello RichNagel,

CFS1 is actually a bit of a bastard child. It's graphics limitations are much the same as FS98 with a few improvements, but flight modeling is quite different and probably closer to CFS2 and later simulators but without the CFG file changes.
The Gauges however are FS2000 and even use the FS2000 SDK except that certain variables are not implemented in the sim and will crash the game if they are used.

Check the FS98 Tachometers in your CFS2 recip aircraft. In CFS1, they move but don't indicate the correct values.
There are exceptions. I believe the Extra Tach works.

- Ivan.

 

[Klein]

Hello Lads
First RichNagel, thanks for the usefull HUD you made for CFS2.

About your problem, if you want to call a cluster gauge in the panel.cfg, the syntax must be "!" space of "." after the cluster name to call the sub-gauge:

if "lear_45.gau" and "737_400.gau" are cluster gauges, space of:

gauge00=Lear_45.Elevator-Trim, 1020, 207, 40

you must write:

gauge00=Lear_45!Elevator-Trim, 1020, 207, 40

Good flight

Martin

 

[RichNagel]

They're from FS2002 and FS2004 and appear to be the same as the FS2000 ones. Looks like you're stuck with the cluster gauges.

Strange... I wonder if those gauges actually function in FS2002 and FS2003. Got me to thinking, I wonder if they function when running CFS2/FS2000 under Windows 98. I have a W98 machine, but it's currently boxed up in storage. so I can't experiment with that.

CFS1 is actually a bit of a bastard child. It's graphics limitations are much the same as FS98 with a few improvements, but flight modeling is quite different and probably closer to CFS2 and later simulators but without the CFG file changes. The Gauges however are FS2000 and even use the FS2000 SDK except that certain variables are not implemented in the sim and will crash the game if they are used.

Thanks for the info

Check the FS98 Tachometers in your CFS2 recip aircraft. In CFS1, they move but don't indicate the correct values. There are exceptions. I believe the Extra Tach works.

I added the Hellcat tach ("F6F3_Hellcat!Tachometer") to the "FSFSConv\Panel.Recip.RG.1" panel, and the readings appear to jibe with the "Cessna_182.RPM" gauge. That being said, I do seem to remember some issues with other FS98 FSFSConv gauges with multi-engine aircraft, I can't remember which ones though (might have been some of the various readouts in the throttle quadrant panel).

First RichNagel, thanks for the usefull HUD you made for CFS2.

You're quite welcome!

About your problem, if you want to call a cluster gauge in the panel.cfg, the syntax must be "!" space of "." after the cluster name to call the sub-gauge:

if "lear_45.gau" and "737_400.gau" are cluster gauges, space of:

gauge00=Lear_45.Elevator-Trim, 1020, 207, 40

you must write:

gauge00=Lear_45!Elevator-Trim, 1020, 207, 40

Many thanks for the info, but I already knew that