Moving toward the new cockpit some more.
I spent some time today with VB6 and wrote a couple of new external gauge programs for FS2004 that access the data stream with FSUIPC. I am quite excited about getting the hang of some simple programming using the interface. It isn't all that hard. And there is an amazing amount of stuff you can access this way.
My "generic jet" homebuild cockpit project is being influenced a lot by the BAe 146-200 that I fly a lot. That aircraft has a digital readout radio altimeter with the decision height readout right next to it on the main panel. So I set out to recreate it for my cockpit.
A bit of VB6 code....... and I now have a radio altimeter gauge that reflects the AGL altitude (not necessarily matching the regular altimeter). Displayed next to that reading is the decision height that has been selected in the sim.
The "range" of the radio altimeter is 4500 feet AGL (matches the BAe specs I have). Above that, the display changes to a red "-RNG-" warning. The normal display I created is white on black. When the AGL gets below 1000 feet.... the display changes to a pink color....and when the AGL gets to the decision height that has been set, it turns to red.
I likely will add some aural tone alerts as well later.
Then I also wanted a set of Outer, Middle, and Inner marker indicator lights. I now have them in blue, orange, and white. This was a really simple gauge to write.
I also now have a small annunciator panel that gives me "Overspeed", "Low Altitude", "Master Caution" and Master Warning" indicators.
These kinds of things are amazingly easy to do using FSUIPC and the interface code supplied in the SDK. I expect to eventually share these external gauges as "freeware" when I get them fully debugged and tested out.
Just a note here in case you are not really familiar with the "homebuild cockpits" concept.........
These gauges I am writing are not for use in "normal" virtual aircraft in the sim. They work as external gauges running outside the sim on stand alone PC's.
best,
.....................john