Swaping Gauges in FSX
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:29 amTo help you get the most out of your freeware, I plan on posting how to's that will allow you to understand what you can do to modify aircraft anyway you want. In this exercise we will Turn the DC3 2D panel into a more modern flight deck so you can land using ILS approachs. Before going further, make sure you open these CFG files in Notepad if you have never done this before. You will want to copy and paste the DC3's Panel.cfg file to your desktop. right click it ,then select rename Panel.org (Meaning original ) place the folder in your documents so you will have the original always available.
Now open the panel folder for the DC3 . The first section under window titles is rather long. This is the 2D panel flightdeck of the DC3
[Window00]
file=DC3_background.bmp
file_1024_night=DC3_background_night.bmp
size_mm=1024, 768
position=7
visible=1
ident=MAIN_PANEL
gauge01=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_vacuum, 33, 625
gauge02=Douglas_DC3!clock, 67, 476
gauge03=Douglas_DC3!oat, 66, 562
gauge04=Douglas_DC3!suction_gauge, 63, 649
gauge05=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_voltage, 295, 417
gauge06=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_oil_right, 246, 417
gauge07=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_oil_left, 214, 417
gauge08=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_fuel_right, 377, 417
gauge09=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_fuel_left, 344, 417
gauge10=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_cabin_doors, 422, 417
gauge11=Douglas_DC3!turn_and_bank, 193, 455
gauge12=Douglas_DC3!radio_compass, 177, 582
gauge13=Douglas_DC3!altimeter, 342, 455
gauge14=Douglas_DC3!asi, 341, 581
gauge15=Douglas_DC3!ahi, 475, 371
gauge16=Douglas_DC3!vsi, 487, 523
gauge17=Douglas_DC3!gyro_compass, 488, 648
gauge18=Douglas_DC3!flap_strip, 237, 747
gauge19=Douglas_DC3!sperry_autopilot_compass, 668, 385
gauge20=Douglas_DC3!sperry_autopilot_ahi, 789, 385
gauge21=Douglas_DC3!rpm, 651, 578
gauge22=Douglas_DC3!cyl_temp, 651, 676
gauge23=Douglas_DC3!manifold, 744, 578
gauge24=Douglas_DC3!oil_temp, 744, 675
gauge25=Douglas_DC3!oil_pressure, 836, 579
gauge26=Douglas_DC3!carb_air_temp, 837, 676
gauge27=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_gear_unlocked, 975, 589
gauge28=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_gear_locked, 975, 623
gauge29=Douglas_DC3!fuel_pressure, 930, 676
gauge30=Douglas_DC3!fuel_gauge, 928, 374
gauge31=Douglas_DC3!fuel_gauge_selector, 928, 466
gauge32=Douglas_DC3!prop_feather_left, 720, 39
gauge33=Douglas_DC3!prop_feather_right, 917, 38
gauge34=Douglas_DC3!magnetic_compass, 814, 217
gauge35=SimIcons1024!Kneeboard Icon, 37, 725
gauge36=SimIcons1024!ATC Icon, 60, 725
gauge37=SimIcons1024!Map Icon, 83, 725
gauge38=SimIcons1024!GPS Icon, 106, 725
gauge39=SimIcons1024!Radio Icon, 37, 748
gauge40=SimIcons1024!Throttle Quadrant Prop Icon,60, 748
gauge41=SimIcons1024!Electrical Panel Icon, 83, 748
gauge42=SimIcons1024!Other Controls Icon, 106, 748
gauge43=n_number_plaque!n_number_plaque, 830,337,75,21
DONT PANIC ! We are only going to repalce a hand full of these gauges not the whole lot. In order to do this gauge swap we must select gauges from another default aircraft that will fit the holes. Best suited is the C172. To understand gauge placement we must look at how they are located on your computer screen . Example :
gauge43=n_number_plaque!n_number_plaque, 830,337,75,21
The 4 segments of numbers indicate the location and size of the gauge . Your 2D panel is a fixed screen so you have 1000 placement locations from left to right which is the first set of numbers. You have 1000 palcements from top to bottom which is the second set of numbers. [b]Example if you put a gauge in at 500,500 it would appear dead center[/b]
The third set of numbers are the size of the gauge from left to right,and the fourth set is the size of the gauge from top to bottom.
Now we are going to replace one of the gauges with a VOR Gauge from the C172 into the DC3. First we must go into the C172' Panel folder, copy and Paste the CAB file from the C172 in the FSX Main Gauges folder. The main FSX Gauge folder is a shared file location in FSX. This will allow FSX to search for the gauge without having to place cab files and dll files into every aircraft you modify...It's Automatic. I have already made this change in my DC3 so all you need do is replace the following gauge
gauge12=CessnaWAlpha!VOR1_Alpha, 175,580, 149, 149
Before you go any further save... Launch FSX with any of the DC3 liveries and go to the 2D panel . You now have a VOR gauge for landing ILS approaches.
Now we need a modern Radio Stack 2D pop up so we can set Nav radios
We will use the C172 Bendix Stack for this.
At the top of the panel cfg for the DC3 there is a section called Window Titles That section will come as follows:
[Window Titles]
Window00=Main Panel
Window01=Radios
Window02=GPS
Window03=Throttle Quadrant
Window04=Electrical Panel
Window05=Other Controls
Window06=Mini Panel
We add the next window under 07 so it reads
Window07=Radio Stack Now scroll down and add the following after section 6 . To avoid confusion I will place what we are adding in BOLD so section 6 which is allready there will look like this
[Window06]
position=7
size_mm=828,150
child_3d=1
background_color=0,0,0
ident=MINIPANEL
gauge00=Douglas_DC3!asi, 0, 14
gauge01=Douglas_DC3!turn_and_bank, 139, 15
gauge02=Douglas_DC3!ahi, 276, 0
gauge03=Douglas_DC3!gyro_compass, 438, 15
gauge04=Douglas_DC3!altimeter, 575, 14
gauge05=Douglas_DC3!vsi, 711, 15
Hit the space bar 2 times under this section and add the following:
[Window07]
BACKGROUND_COLOR=2,2,2
size_mm=156,308
position=8
visible=0
ident=RADIO_STACK_PANEL
zorder=3
gauge00=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio Audio, 0, 0,156,31
gauge01=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio Nav-Comm 1, 0, 29,156,59
gauge02=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio Nav-Comm 2, 0, 86,156,59
gauge03=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio ADF, 0,142,156,41
gauge04=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio DME, 0,180,156,41
gauge05=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio Xpndr, 0,217,156,49
gauge06=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio AP, 0,262,156,48
windowsize_ratio=1.000
window_pos=0.756,0.358
window_size=0.243,0.641
Now save and run FSX and in the menu bar the pop up will show as a selection Radio Stack
Congrats you can now use the VOR gauge to run a proper ILS glide slope onto any runway that uses ILS.
I hope this is helpful. This is just a start of what you can do to modify aircraft in FSX. My next post will show how to put gauges in the 3D Virtual Cockpit.
Now open the panel folder for the DC3 . The first section under window titles is rather long. This is the 2D panel flightdeck of the DC3
[Window00]
file=DC3_background.bmp
file_1024_night=DC3_background_night.bmp
size_mm=1024, 768
position=7
visible=1
ident=MAIN_PANEL
gauge01=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_vacuum, 33, 625
gauge02=Douglas_DC3!clock, 67, 476
gauge03=Douglas_DC3!oat, 66, 562
gauge04=Douglas_DC3!suction_gauge, 63, 649
gauge05=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_voltage, 295, 417
gauge06=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_oil_right, 246, 417
gauge07=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_oil_left, 214, 417
gauge08=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_fuel_right, 377, 417
gauge09=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_fuel_left, 344, 417
gauge10=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_cabin_doors, 422, 417
gauge11=Douglas_DC3!turn_and_bank, 193, 455
gauge12=Douglas_DC3!radio_compass, 177, 582
gauge13=Douglas_DC3!altimeter, 342, 455
gauge14=Douglas_DC3!asi, 341, 581
gauge15=Douglas_DC3!ahi, 475, 371
gauge16=Douglas_DC3!vsi, 487, 523
gauge17=Douglas_DC3!gyro_compass, 488, 648
gauge18=Douglas_DC3!flap_strip, 237, 747
gauge19=Douglas_DC3!sperry_autopilot_compass, 668, 385
gauge20=Douglas_DC3!sperry_autopilot_ahi, 789, 385
gauge21=Douglas_DC3!rpm, 651, 578
gauge22=Douglas_DC3!cyl_temp, 651, 676
gauge23=Douglas_DC3!manifold, 744, 578
gauge24=Douglas_DC3!oil_temp, 744, 675
gauge25=Douglas_DC3!oil_pressure, 836, 579
gauge26=Douglas_DC3!carb_air_temp, 837, 676
gauge27=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_gear_unlocked, 975, 589
gauge28=Douglas_DC3!annunciator_gear_locked, 975, 623
gauge29=Douglas_DC3!fuel_pressure, 930, 676
gauge30=Douglas_DC3!fuel_gauge, 928, 374
gauge31=Douglas_DC3!fuel_gauge_selector, 928, 466
gauge32=Douglas_DC3!prop_feather_left, 720, 39
gauge33=Douglas_DC3!prop_feather_right, 917, 38
gauge34=Douglas_DC3!magnetic_compass, 814, 217
gauge35=SimIcons1024!Kneeboard Icon, 37, 725
gauge36=SimIcons1024!ATC Icon, 60, 725
gauge37=SimIcons1024!Map Icon, 83, 725
gauge38=SimIcons1024!GPS Icon, 106, 725
gauge39=SimIcons1024!Radio Icon, 37, 748
gauge40=SimIcons1024!Throttle Quadrant Prop Icon,60, 748
gauge41=SimIcons1024!Electrical Panel Icon, 83, 748
gauge42=SimIcons1024!Other Controls Icon, 106, 748
gauge43=n_number_plaque!n_number_plaque, 830,337,75,21
DONT PANIC ! We are only going to repalce a hand full of these gauges not the whole lot. In order to do this gauge swap we must select gauges from another default aircraft that will fit the holes. Best suited is the C172. To understand gauge placement we must look at how they are located on your computer screen . Example :
gauge43=n_number_plaque!n_number_plaque, 830,337,75,21
The 4 segments of numbers indicate the location and size of the gauge . Your 2D panel is a fixed screen so you have 1000 placement locations from left to right which is the first set of numbers. You have 1000 palcements from top to bottom which is the second set of numbers. [b]Example if you put a gauge in at 500,500 it would appear dead center[/b]
The third set of numbers are the size of the gauge from left to right,and the fourth set is the size of the gauge from top to bottom.
Now we are going to replace one of the gauges with a VOR Gauge from the C172 into the DC3. First we must go into the C172' Panel folder, copy and Paste the CAB file from the C172 in the FSX Main Gauges folder. The main FSX Gauge folder is a shared file location in FSX. This will allow FSX to search for the gauge without having to place cab files and dll files into every aircraft you modify...It's Automatic. I have already made this change in my DC3 so all you need do is replace the following gauge
gauge12=CessnaWAlpha!VOR1_Alpha, 175,580, 149, 149
Before you go any further save... Launch FSX with any of the DC3 liveries and go to the 2D panel . You now have a VOR gauge for landing ILS approaches.
Now we need a modern Radio Stack 2D pop up so we can set Nav radios
We will use the C172 Bendix Stack for this.
At the top of the panel cfg for the DC3 there is a section called Window Titles That section will come as follows:
[Window Titles]
Window00=Main Panel
Window01=Radios
Window02=GPS
Window03=Throttle Quadrant
Window04=Electrical Panel
Window05=Other Controls
Window06=Mini Panel
We add the next window under 07 so it reads
Window07=Radio Stack Now scroll down and add the following after section 6 . To avoid confusion I will place what we are adding in BOLD so section 6 which is allready there will look like this
[Window06]
position=7
size_mm=828,150
child_3d=1
background_color=0,0,0
ident=MINIPANEL
gauge00=Douglas_DC3!asi, 0, 14
gauge01=Douglas_DC3!turn_and_bank, 139, 15
gauge02=Douglas_DC3!ahi, 276, 0
gauge03=Douglas_DC3!gyro_compass, 438, 15
gauge04=Douglas_DC3!altimeter, 575, 14
gauge05=Douglas_DC3!vsi, 711, 15
Hit the space bar 2 times under this section and add the following:
[Window07]
BACKGROUND_COLOR=2,2,2
size_mm=156,308
position=8
visible=0
ident=RADIO_STACK_PANEL
zorder=3
gauge00=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio Audio, 0, 0,156,31
gauge01=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio Nav-Comm 1, 0, 29,156,59
gauge02=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio Nav-Comm 2, 0, 86,156,59
gauge03=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio ADF, 0,142,156,41
gauge04=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio DME, 0,180,156,41
gauge05=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio Xpndr, 0,217,156,49
gauge06=Bendix_King_Radio!Bendix-King Radio AP, 0,262,156,48
windowsize_ratio=1.000
window_pos=0.756,0.358
window_size=0.243,0.641
Now save and run FSX and in the menu bar the pop up will show as a selection Radio Stack
Congrats you can now use the VOR gauge to run a proper ILS glide slope onto any runway that uses ILS.
I hope this is helpful. This is just a start of what you can do to modify aircraft in FSX. My next post will show how to put gauges in the 3D Virtual Cockpit.