installing a panel

[hurricane3]

I recently installed the Bf109 C @ D from SOH archives and in the readme it says to install a panel from an early Bf 109 ,as the oridginal doesn't have a working vc panel.
I happen to have two early BF 109 E's and tried putting the M3D cockpit file into the model folders as is in the E model 109's but the VC cockpit doesn't show up in the B@ D models.
How do I put the VC cockpit from the E 109's into the B @ C 109's?
Also I've noticed with any plane when it first loads and is on the runway ,the planes will fire their guns with out me touching anything for a few seconds .They quit after a while and it's no biggy but just wonder what makes this happen? Thanks

[italflyer]

Well, if the model of the plane is named "XYZ.M3D", simply rename the cockpit "XYZ_Cockpit0.M3D", then it should show up.

Can't help you on the guns problem mate, but are you sure, its your plane firing? Simply start the flight, press "F5" and you'll have an ammo-counter. Make sure you didn't set "unlimited ammo"

Cheers

[ndicki]

To install the alternative cockpit, simply copy it into the model folder of the intended aircraft and give it the name "model_cockpit0.m3d" where "model" is the name of the aircraft model file, model.m3d.

If this is my rebuild of Corrado's old 109b/d, you should make sure that the MAW Bf109e-4/7 is installed and working first, because that is the cockpit to copy over, and you'll need the shared texture files.

[ndicki]

Never ever seen that firing thing though. Another mystery to add to the list!

[hurricane3]

I tried renaming the cockpit file BF 109b_ cockpit M3D but it didnt work ,if I try and open the file the letters are all just blank squares no matter which option I check , also it's not just my plane fireing it's the planes behind me also.Thanks for trying ,I'll check and see if I have unlimited ammo checked ,and maybe try renameing the file again. Thanks for the reply

[ndicki]

It can't "not work" as such - if you've got the name right, it will work. Are you sure you don't have gaps in the name or something? Also, what do you mean about "blank squares"? If you're opening the cockpit file with a hex editor and have modified things inside the file, it could very well be corrupt. Delete it and try again, without opening it with a hex editor, but change the file name as described above.

[hurricane3]

Ok first as far as the blank squares when I open the other e model 109's cockpit M3D file, I have not modified it in any way and I use Microsoft word to open it with and the letters inside are just open blank squares ,it has at the top select decoding that makes document readable and gives you three selections ,Windows default , MS-DOS ,and other decoding, if you click other decoding it gives a whole list of other languages and types of codes to try ,I couldn't find any that make it readable, but the panels still show up fine in these planes.
The plane is the Corrado BF 109 and I don't have the Maw 109 you said I should have. I'll see if I can find it and update you, haven't checked yet if I have unlimited ammo checked.

[hurricane3]

Sorry about the spelling

[hairyspin]

Ok first as far as the blank squares ... I use Microsoft word to open it with and the letters inside are just open blank squares ...

Ack! Word will open the file I suppose, but you might as well use the bog brush...

If you must hack around with the file, get a hex editor. XVI32 for instance.

[wsmwsm]

Don't know if this helps, but. . .
I think you are referring to the IS4G Bf109B/D with Spanish Civil War textures. You should be able to copy over a Cockpit0.M3D file from any suitable BF109, but as mentioned, you need to rename it to the EXACT same name as the original. In this case originals (plural) since there are two cockpit0.M3D files - one for the B and one for the D. Perhaps you only changed one file and flew the other aircraft.

I don't know about the guns thing. This aircraft did have an experimental (and very sensitive) damage model which causes your wingmen to blow up on the runway when doing that "bump" thing at the start.

[hurricane3]

What I've learned is basically nothing. I did find all my M3D files open in the same way (blank squares) but seem to work , the gun fireing stopped after I reset my ammo to 50% from 100% but the plane behind me kept blowing up, so I reset back to 100% just for giggles and no gun fireing and no blowing up, go figure. Since I can't find the MAW 109 and am really getting tired of the whole thing I deleted the 109 b @ d and am moving on. I did try once again to rename the cockpit M3D file exactly as it was except for useing 109 d instead of e and still no panel.
So thank all of you for taking the time to try and help.

[Bravo/4]

You shouldn't be opening the MDL!
It's a simple copy and past, then re-name!

Nigel explained it best below!

ndicki

To install the alternative cockpit, simply copy it into the model folder of the intended aircraft and give it the name "model_cockpit0.m3d" where "model" is the name of the aircraft model file, model.m3d.

If this is my rebuild of Corrado's old 109b/d, you should make sure that the MAW Bf109e-4/7 is installed and working first, because that is the cockpit to copy over, and you'll need the shared texture files.

[ndicki]

DO NOT OPEN THE M3D FILE WITH ANY PROGRAM WHATSOEVER!!!!!!! Simply change the file name as explained above. If you can't find the MAW 109e (one thing at a time) then try the stock Bf109g-6 cockpit. It is called bf_109g_6_cockpit0.m3d

Copy bf_109g_6_cockpit0.m3d into the folder containing the added newaircraft.m3d, and rename bf_109g_6_cockpit0.m3d to the model name of the newaircraft_cockpit0.m3d.

You should have the following files -
newaircraft.m3d
newaircraft_cockpit0.m3d
newaircraft.xdp
newaircraft.air
aircraft.cfg

where "newaircraft" is the filename used for the model, etc, files, Bf109d.m3d or whatever it is.

(And a few dds texture files)