Simviation Forums

I used notepad to modify the xml for the flap gauge in the 747 EICAS to work with an aircraft with 9 flap positions,which include the full up position counting as position 1.
The positions are as follows,
1=full up
2=1 degree
3=2 degrees
4=5 degrees
5=10 degrees
6=15 degrees
7=25 degrees
8=30 degrees
9=40 degrees
.......................I did the job right and it works find.
NOW,here's the problem...
I also use the flap indicator from the gauge folder HJA_Jet,which is a 9 position dial indicator.
The numerical figures in the xml are confusing for me. Common sense helps me when programming quite a bit as it somewhat reminds me of the old computer languages I used to use YEARS ago.
BUT,the format that the numbers in this particular xml dont follow logic or sensibilities to me,even tho they DO work for the job they were intended. The stock gau DOESNT dial to the numbers that I WANT,so it will take editing the xml to make it so.
LATER this morning,I will return here with the actual xml (which is very short) and hopefully,one of you can explain to me what the figures represent in the xml and how they relate to the operation of the dial flap indicator. Thanks gents,and be back a little later.

OK...I'm back with the gauge xml.
Brief gauge description...
The gauge its self is a round dial gauge,and,as the flaps are incremented each step,the dial displays its position with a needle that rotates .
...
<Gauge Name="Flaps2 B737-400 " Version="1.0">
<Image Name="flaps_b737_back.bmp" Luminous="Yes" ImageSizes="254,254,0,0"/>
<Element>
<Position X="127" Y="127"/>
<Image Name="flaps_b737_needle.bmp" PointsTo="North" ImageSizes="33,73,0,0">
<Axis X="16.5" Y="55"/>
</Image>
<Rotate>
<Value Minimum="0" Maximum="100">(A:TRAILING EDGE FLAPS0 RIGHT PERCENT,percent)</Value>
<Nonlinearity>
<Item Value="0" X="71" Y="127"/>

<Item Value="3" X="83" Y="95"/>

<Item Value="5" X="114" Y="74"/>
<Item Value="13" X="153" Y="77"/>
<Item Value="25" X="175" Y="100"/>
<Item Value="38" X="184" Y="127"/>
<Item Value="63" X="172" Y="153"/>
<Item Value="75" X="153" Y="174"/>
<Item Value="100" X="124" Y="181"/>
</Nonlinearity>
<Delay DegreesPerSecond="25"/>
</Rotate>
</Element>
<Mouse>
<Tooltip>%Flaps Indicator (degrees)</Tooltip>
<Area Left="0">
<Cursor Type="DownArrow"/>
<Click Event="FLAPS_DECR"/>
</Area>
<Area Left="127">
<Cursor Type="UpArrow"/>
<Click Event="FLAPS_INCR"/>
</Area>
</Mouse>
</Gauge>


TAKE THE LINE:
<Item Value="3" X="83" Y="95"/>
WHAT DO THE NUMBERS
3
X=83
Y=95
REPRESENT?

Hope to get an answer. Usually,when I can get an idea how things are used,I can finish finding my own way.
If I can get a pretty good answer to my question here,I SHOULD be able to modify the gauge to meet my AC flap positions.Thanks folks.
------------------- Stephan ("Altitude With Attitude") .

If I'm remembering correctly (no guarantees) the numbers are indicating where the needle should be drawn as per the pixel location on the actual background image of the gauge. As to how to modify this to help you, I'm kinda at a loss. I would suggest just trying to tweak the numbers a bit and see if you get any results.

I believe you may be right on the pixel thing,but as for the tweaking and testing,it gets REAL monotonous and time consuming to tweak,restart the sim,examine,re-tweak,restart,re-examine...... I am trying to avoid all of that,..or at least a large percentage of it. If I had some details to go on,a little more to go on,then I wouldnt mind the testing,because the more data I can get,the less testing I usually have to do. Sometimes,it takes the long drawn out process of trial and error,but in this instance,I believe if I am given a little more to go on,it would save me time. I have 3 options I am going with. One,I get a little more info as to what this xml is telling me and I run with it,Two,I throw it to the curb and use the straight line indicator and forget the modification,and 3,...look for a flap indicator that has the indications I want. Thanks.

You might try hopping over to FFDS and take a look at their panel forum. There might be something useful there. However, I'm not sure if anyone has gotten it up and running again, so you might not be able to actually post anything or even register. Something went wrong inside the board coding and no one except for a couple of people could log in.

There is a good tute in our panel design section - see 'Simple panel design' in this page (5 down)

http://simviation.com/1/browse-Panel+Design-101-0

Thanks gents. I'll take a look at them. Hopefully it will explain to me the idea of pixel coordinates vs design and function.If not,I'll try here one more time before I find a different gauge.