Panel Config help

[gigabyte]

OK I need some help with panel set-up, is there a way to modify the Panel.cfb file so it will display specific instriments and gauges in teh VC automatically when a plane is loaded? I hate having to open each one, moving and resizing it every time I change planes and or crash - which happens very regualrly... Idealy I would like them to open on my second monitor but I can live with moving them if I could get them open and sized properly "Automatically"

I have tried changing teh Display= option but that is not changing anything, the position pointer does have the desired affect so I can figure that out, I just need to get teh size and auto display to work?

[stansdds]

cfg files can be edited with a text editor. I use Notepad simply because it comes as part of Windows. Open the Panel.cfg file, the gauges are usually listed in two sections, one for the 2D cockpit, the other for the virtual cockpit. Find the gauges you want to move and move it and/or resize it. This is usually a trial and error technique.

Sample:

Gauge02=DC3!asi, xxx,xxx,xxx,xxx

Gauges need to be in numerical order
The first set of numbers tells FS where to put the top left corner of the gauge along a horizontal line across the panel.
The second set of numbers positions the top left corner along a vertical line on the panel.
The third set of numbers indicates the width of the gauge.
The fourth set of numbers indicates the height of the gauge.

One problem you will run into with stock aircraft is that MS used a more complicated system of placing gauges, so moving them is sometimes impossible. Also, cockpits with 3D knobs, buttons and gauge housings... well, those 3D bits are part of the model and cannot be moved.
Hope this helps.

[gigabyte]

Thanks stansdds, that does answer one question I suspect I may have been editing the section for the 2d panel which I rarely ever use so I would not notice if anything I change dmade a difference...

I will give this another go and see how I make out, the big question still remains tho, can I change a setting that will automatically set the guages to be displayed so I don't have to keey reloading them every time I change planes or dig a crater - I went to the Panther School of Approch and landing don't ya know...

[PRB]

Not sure what you're doing Mike... The panel.cfg file specifies locations and sizes of each gauge, as stansdds pointed out. Any change you make to the panel.cfg will be permanently reflected in that plane's panel, each time that plane is loaded. How are you managing to load gauges into a plane for one flight only? And the VCs in FSX planes add another problem – many VCs in FSX planes are part of the model itself, making it impossible to modify. In these planes, modifying the panel.cfg will have no effect on the VC. This has all but put a stop to my “panel cobbling” in FSX, which is sad! If I plan on flying an FSX plane in the RTW Race, I will add the gauges to the 2D panel in the “normal” way, using the 2D panel as a sort of “giant kneepad” where whatever extra useful gauges are just stuck on wherever there's room. Then I switch back and forth between the 2D and VC using the F9 and F10 keys.

[gigabyte]

I guess I am explaining it wrong, what I want is to display the various pop-up guages that many aircraft have for example the Radio stack or Autopilot, (the ones accessed by Shift + 1, 2, 3 etc. or using the View Instrument Panel on the top line menu) and have them displayed when I load the aircraft.

I generally fly with the VC only and load several of the instrument panel sections depending on the aircraft and what is avaliable then resize, rearrange and move them to a second monitor, GPS, Radio Stack etc. It becomes a real PITA! when I panther and have to do all the resizing arranging and moving. I expect it would be a real challenge to get them to appear automatically on the second screen, but if I can get them to display automatically sized the way I want (I think I have that part licked) it would be much less hassle.

Here is a shot of the guages I bring up for the stock 310, these are resized and I could just move them off the main screen to my second monitor leaving the VC clear.

28428

[gigabyte]

OK I see part of the problem, and I might be able to work around this with F9/F10. When I edit the Panel Config to set a section to Visible it does appear automatically in the 2D panel but not the VC, however if I drag the various sections to the other screen then switch to the VC they stay visible. So it appears that the Visible=1 line in the panel.cfg will display a section but not automatically if I start in the VC

Here is a sample of what I tried with one (I edited out many lines to cut down on the lenght of the post) "Window01" is set to Visible=0 by default and does not appear when the plane is loaded, I changed it to Visible=1 and it does appear over the 2d Panel and if I drag it to the second monitor and switch to the VC it stays. This is better, not perfect but better, thanks for the help guys you did get me pointed in the right direction to a solution.

-------------------------
[Window Titles]
Window00=Main panel
Window01=Radio panel
Window02=Wheel
Window03=Overhead panel
Window04=Starter panel
Window05=gps
Window06=Engine control unit
Window07=Water dump panel
Window08=Main_zoom
Fixed Window30=REAR

[VIEWS]
VIEW_FORWARD_WINDOWS=MAIN_PANEL,GPS_PANEL,ECU_pane l,RADIO_STACK_PANEL,10010,10040,10050,10060,10070
VIEW_FORWARD_ZOOM=1.000
VIEW_FORWARD_DIR=0.000, 0.000, 0.000
VIEW_REAR_WINDOWS=30

//--------------------------------------------------------
[Window00]
file=main.bmp
size_mm=1000
window_size_ratio=1.000
position=7
visible=1
ident=0
window_size= 1.000, 1.000
window_pos= 0.000, 0.000
gauge00=CL-215!Altimeter, 297,525,80,80
.
.
.
gauge44=CL-215!Icon_Zoom, 4,664,19,19

//--------------------------------------------------------
[Window01]
Background_color=2,2,2
size_mm=156,277
window_size_ratio=1.000
position=8
visible=1
ident=80
window_size= 0.228, 0.541
window_pos= 0.776, 0.460
gauge00=Bendix_king_radio!Bendix-King Radio Audio, 0,0,156,30
.
.
.
gauge05=Bendix_king_radio!Bendix-King Radio Nav-Comm 2, -1,88,156,57

[PRB]

Ahh, roger, the pop ups. Sorry, I disunderstood. One way to keep the gauges glued permanently to the 2D panel would be to add the gauges to the [Window00] section, the main panel. They will then always be there. I realize this isn't a 100% for you, but it's a bit closer.