Strange Problem

[garymbuska]

I recently downloaded a B747-400 in PANAM colors and it uses the default B747 panel but for some strange reason the altitude and speed gauges do not work. They work fine in the default I have checked the panel cfg file and the two files are identical to each other. I do not like using alias so I just copy the entire panel folder from one plane to another I plan on checking this out with FSPANELSTUDIO and see if it shows some kind of unknown problem.
all other gauges work fine I can still see the altitude and speed in the main display just the gauges do not work.

[Hawkeye07]

Gary, I don't have the solution to your problem but I've had similar issues before. Have you looked in the .cab file to see if it somehow got corrupted during the copying? I just had that happen recently but that was going between a flash drive and my hard drive.

I don't have FSPANELSTUDIO but as an alternative solution for inop gauges I've opened the original or another aircraft's .cab file and taken the .xml documents and the .bmp files for the gauges I wanted and put them in a separate flle folder inside the panel folder and redirected the panel cfg [WindowXX] to that folder.

Like you, I don't like alias folders either. Good luck finding a solution and let us know what you discovered.

[garymbuska]

Thanks Hawkeye for the suggestion
The crazy thing is I have a total of two different B747-400 that use the default panel and I am only having problems with the one. Now if that is not wired I don't know what is.
The cab file is in the panel folder I have tried copying the panel folder from the other aircraft but no luck I have noticed that in the other aircraft and the default when you first bring them up cold & dark the altitude gauge has a red green flag in it that I do not see in the problem aircraft. I plan on trying to use a panel from a airbus that I have and see what happens if the same gauges do not work than something is rotten in Denmark.
I have checked to make sure that the Avionics and battery are both on and they appear to be as I see other gauges come alive when I turn on the Avionics. Like you I am thinking it has something to do with the needle or how it gets its input so to speak. I really have not looked into to deeply as I am trying to finish a around the world tour for a Virtual Airline I just joined I am on my last leg. I should finish this when I get home from work.
I will let you know what I find out.

[Hawkeye07]

Have you had a chance to look at the .xml file for the Attitude Ind. in the problem aircraft? Maybe compare it to the default aircraft's attitude .xml and see if they are exactly the same.
It doesn't take much to throw them off does it? too many "/" or a missing '"." does it. One of the reasons why I have gray hair, that and a teenage daughter.

Here's a thought... how is the co-pilot's side? Are those indicators all functioning correctly?

[garymbuska]

There is no other side on this panel other than the same main display that is on the captains side and it works fine
I have discovered the other B747 I have uses a different set of gauges so I might just switchover to that and not loose any of my gray hair
But I have not made the change yet I think I am going to figure out why this is happening if it is the last thing I do. So who knows I mind wind up bald or worse.
I will post what i find out.

[Hawkeye07]

Yeah, keep us posted Gary. Really an annoying problem I'm sure.

By the way I watched those videos you told me about. Just amazing and hilarious all in one. Thanks!!!

[garymbuska]

Here is the latest update
After painstakingly going over every single line that these gauges uses I could not find any problem at all they should work so I threw in the towel and used another panel from a different B747 and it works great
I will chalk this up as one of those unsolved mysteries and move on.

[Hawkeye07]

Well Gary, I guess you can chalk it up to the mysterious incompatibility syndrome. I've had it happen and I wonder if it has something to do with the basic .mdl file. I have no idea what it would be but isn't everything, including the panel, tied into the .mdl ?

[garymbuska]

That is just one of the problems with freeware. You are at the mercy of whoever designed that aircraft and not everyone is a knowledgeable as others are.
Just one of the reasons I prefer Payware. Of course some of them are so realistic you have to do things as if you were really in the real thing like starting engines CRTL E will not do anything on most payware aircraft you have to start up the APU and turn on the bleed air and than wait till the engine gets to a certain percent before turning on the fuel.
Of course there are things you have to do just to start the APU.
If you want a challenge check out the PMDG B737-800/900 it has a real working FMC in it that you have to program just like they do in the real world. It uses LNAV and VNAV and you have to do things in a certain order
One of the things I love about this aircraft is it has the ability to Autoland and it works great all you do is to set it up than set back while the plane lands it self all you have to do is hit the reverse thrust and brakes.

[pete]

It would be good if you stated what file?

Easy solution is just to replace the panel with a better panel from a different aircraft where gauges work .. or have you done that?

[garymbuska]

It would be good if you stated what file?

Easy solution is just to replace the panel with a better panel from a different aircraft where gauges work .. or have you done that?

That is exactly what I did
Pete I did not down load the file from this site.