Simviation Forums

This seems to happen all too often, but I just downloaded Don Kuhn's new update of PoMans Piper Malibu Meridian, and these six gauges are missing.

Most panel design programs check that all the needed gauges are in the files when you EXPORT the panel. Or at least they should, I know CFGEdit does and it's the free one.

Goog question though gr31. I hate it when you download an acft. that you just have to have.............only to be missing files, folders or gauges.
Grrrrrrrrr! Happens though.

The ICON!Overhead I believe is the cpt.icons gauge. This one comes in the cpt.icons .cab file. So, in your panel.cfg it should say for that gauge:

gaugeXX=cpt.icons!Overhead then the numbers.

They might have omitted the cpt.icons! part or cpt.
OR!!! You might not have the cpt.icons CAB file in your FS Gauges folder.

I don't have the others but I do have the RealCRT.ND gauge if you need it. Sorry can't help you with the others.

Are you certain these aren't XML gauges? These can be configured in a CAB file or an ordinary folder. It's possible you missed them. If it's not a big file tell me the exact page it's posted on. I'll download it & check it for you.

It's on the front page in the new listings right now. The link is:

http://www.simviation.com/fs2004props66.htm

There are XML gauges included in .cab files, but they work. The list above is from "Addit Pro", as gauges it can't find.

OK. I downloaded the file & some gauges are indeed missing. I found dfd_yg7500.gau in another Meridian panel but it would take some time to track them all down. I suggest you contact the author. He can then mail you the missing gauges & post an update.

I did notify Don Kuhn, but I was trying to think of ways developers could prevent this. About the only thing I have come up with would be to have a separate install of FS9 or just use your regular install, but rename the "gauges" folder, then install the new addon and see if all the gauges are there. A lot of trouble though. There must be some better way! I don't use any of the commercial panel builders, but I suspect that if you have the gauges in your install, it may not check all of them. If you use standard gauges a lot, you tend to assume that everyone has them installed. As I said before, I know how easy it is to do this, from experience!

Ken

Unless a developer gets his work checked out by reliable beta testers in a fresh install of the sim before uploading them it's very difficult to make sure all the fies are included. I know this from past experience. Even though all my own files are carefully tested by several beta testers & I test everything in a fresh install myself I'm still scared of leaving a few important files out when configuring anything new for posting. CfgEdit will export all the gauges used on a panel to a separate folder along with the panel ready configured for zipping up. This is a very handy feature but unfortunately it cannot read XML gauges. The commercial version FS Panel Studio probably can so might be a worthwhile investment for serious panel designers. I don't know if any of the addon managers like Addit! Pro have a similar feature as I never use them.

Greetings:  With the exception of ML_A320_PFD, I have located the other missing gauges.  Since you indicated the author was informed, I would expect an update shortly.

How about this idea:  a general subdirectory within simviation to store all gauges?  That way we would all have a "go-to" source?

I have never uploaded before, but I suppose I could figure out how to upload the missing gauges if they don't show up shortly.

I own FS Panel Studio and it will collect all the gauges used in a panel for you.  It does amaze me that some of the designers can be so technologically advanced with great texturing and design abilities and sometimes a simple missing gauge or typo generates a problem.  I generally look past that and appreciate their work.

I also use Flight Sim Manager 2.8 from http://www.ranainside.com/  for diagnostics... an excellent program.

[quote]Greetings:

There used to be a site, fsgauges.com, that did this exact thing.  Alas, it has been dead and gone for several months.

I agree that a central respository is a good idea but:

1. It could consume a huge amount of storage space.

2. Organizing the library, with various modifications to gauges, as developers update their own gauges, as well as copyright issues (it is illegal to distribute MS gauges) would be a full time job.

Perhaps a "Gauges Wanted" forum, along the lines of the "Aircraft Wanted" could work.  I post a notice that I'm looking for xyz.gau, someone emails it to me, we both acknowledge it and the thread is done.  If someone else comes along looking for xyz.gau he just has to search the forum then email or pm me and I'll pass it along to him.

[quote]
Perhaps a "Gauges Wanted" forum, along the lines of the "Aircraft Wanted" could work.