Zipped files within gauges folder?

[Zaphod]

Hi all.

I've just been checking out the Gauges folder within my main FS9 folder and it contains several "zipped" files which appear to be "CAB" files. Is this usual or should these be unzipped and placed within the gauges folder?

Cheers.
Zaphod.

[Hagar]

This is quite normal & those CAB files are known as XML gauges. Don't extract or delete them, leave them exactly where they are.

[Zaphod]

Cheers Hagar.
I thought that was probably the case.
If it's not too complicated a question, how does FS9 access any information from these files without unzipping them or does it do that only when required?

Zaphod

[Ivan]

just like a normal multi-gauge, look at the default dc-3 for example

[Hagar]

I don't know exactly how it works & can only assume that FS9 can read what's inside a CAB file without extracting it.

Some 3rd party XML gauges are configured as ordinary folders containing various XML & BMP files. For this type of gauge to work the folder itself must be posted into FS9\Gauges & have its correct folder name. This means you can end up with your Gauges folder full of a variety of GAU files, CAB files & ordinary folders. This explains the problems many people have when installing gauges to FS2002 & FS2004 (FS9).

[TacitBlue]

I've had problems with that myself. Usually the read-me says what to do with the guage folders if you are supposed to leave the files in them, and sometimes the read-me is as helpful as a peice of toast.

[Hagar]

Unfortunately not all downloads are configured in the same way. 9 times out of 10 you will find either a folder or zipfile named Gauges in the download. Extract the zipfile first if necessary. To install the gauges open the Gauges folder, click Edit/Select All on the Windows Explorer menu bar & paste the complete contents into FS9\Gauges.

PS. Unless you know what you're doing do NOT overwrite files/folders if prompted.

[Zaphod]

Hagar.

This is something else I've wondered about.
Normally if the existing file is the same or larger,  I elect not to overwrite, but I'm never really sure what to do when the  new downloaded  file is larger? Does a larger file indicate a better guage?

Oh and I entirely agree that a good readme file would save a great deal of problems.

Zaphod.

[rcbarend]

Hi

As background, this is some info I posted in another forum last year.

*************************************
FS uses two types of gauges: "C"-compiled gauges (.gau files) and XML-interpreted gauges (.xml files).

.gau files may contain several gauges, and also includes the bitmaps for the gauges.
E.g. the default B737 uses a gauge file 737-400.gau, that contains o.a. the gauges Airspeed and Flaps which are defined in the panel.cfg as:
gauge00=737-400!Airspeed, 0, 64
gauge01=737-400!Flaps, 586, 64

.xml files are pure text files using XML-syntax (interpreted by FS) which refer to external bitmap (.bmp) files. Multiple .xml gauge plus their bitmaps can be bundled into one .cab file by a MStool called Cabdir.exe.
Note that Winzip can extract files from a .cab file, but NOT pack them.
E.g. the default B747 uses a gauge file Boeing747-400.cab, that contains o.a. the gauges Autobrakes and Gear Lever, defined as:
gauge07=Boeing747-400!Autobrakes Switch, 521, 90
gauge08=Boeing747-400!Gear Lever, 603, 87


Placement of gauge files
========================
Assume the panel.cfg is in the folder:
....\aircraft\youraircraft\yourpanel\
If you panel.cfg contains a definition like:
gauge** = filename!gaugename, ..,..
FS seaches for that gauge in the following order:

1. The gauge "gaugename", in file "filename.gau" in folder ...\yourpanel\
2. The gauge/file "gaugename.xml" in folder ....\yourpanel\filename\
3. The gauge "gaugename.xml", in file "filename.cab" in folder ...\yourpanel\
4. The gauge "gaugename", in file "filename.gau" in folder ...\gauges\
5. The gauge/file "gaugename.xml" in folder ....\gauges\filename\
6. The gauge "gaugename.xml", in file "filename.cab" in folder ...\gauges\

A few notes
===========

1. As you can see, with the same panel.cfg definition, you can choose to place your gaugefile (.gau or .cab) either in the ....\gauges\ or ...\yourpanel\ folder.
Avantage of ...\gauges\:
- Only one, shared gauge file (saves diskspace)
- Installing a newer version of the gauge, you only have to overwrite one file for all panels using it.
Advantages of ....\yourpanel\:
- Allows for multiple versions of a gauge.
- You never (accidentally) overwrite a gauge with an older version.
- Easy maintenance if you decide to remove a plane with it's panel: you simply delete the whole \aircraft\ folder (and panel subfolder) without leaving (potentially unused gauges) in the \gauges folder; or accidentally delete a gauge that is still used by another aircraft panel.


So you can decide yourself which "strategy" best suites you.

2. For XML gauges, you can decided to unpack the .cab file (e.g. using WinZip) into a subfolder with the same name as the .cab filename.
Adavantage:
-

[Hagar]

This would depend on whether the file you're asked to overwrite is a default gauge. In this case you should not overwrite it in any circumstances. the problem is in knowing which gauges are defaults. Even if it's an updated version of an existing 3rd party gauge any gauge designer worth his salt will simply rename the modified gauge & use that on the panel instead of the earlier one. Thus in both cases I would say never overwrite existing files/folders when installing gauges.

[Hagar]

Rob. We both posted at about the same time so I missed your reply. There are various ways to install gauges & in FS9 you can even paste them into the Panel folder of the aircraft that uses them. I often use this method to test panels when I don't intend keeping them.

However, my motto has always been KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid. It's much easier & causes less confusion if all gauges are in the FS9\Gauges folder. People have enough problems installing addons without complicating matters.

[rcbarend]

Rob. We both posted at about the same time so I missed your reply. There are various ways to install gauges & in FS9 you can even paste them into the Panel folder of the aircraft that uses them. I often use this method to test panels when I don't intend keeping them.

However, my motto has always been KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid. It's much easier & causes less confusion if all gauges are in the FS9\Gauges folder. People have enough problems installing addons without complicating matters.

Maybe I am missing the point of your comment, so I'll try again  ;)
Yes, I agree about the KISS part.
But, since Microsoft has made it possible to do things in several ways, all these possibility ARE used by addon designers. Hence the confusion for the "unexperianced" user, since Microsoft forgot to describes these all these installation options.
Hence my explanation, because a lot of addons fail to give a proper description on how to install things; so IMO it's always good to know what's "under the hood".

Heck, even Microsoft added to this possible confusion, by placing the default DC3 gauges (Douglas_DC3.cab) NOT in the main \gauges\  folder but in the local DC3 panel folder.

Rob

[Hagar]

[quote]

Maybe I am missing the point of your comment, so I'll try again