FL4 Gauge - Testing needed

[EHM-2097 Andrei]

As several good people here (including me, of course) reportedly lost flights for not starting FL4 in due time, I took over again the "EHM Status Gauge" project.

As a reminder, I created that gauge long before the latest FL4 version was out, and at that time it had been tested by myself and other MT members - successfully. Later, I included it in the FL4 release, and from that point on it appears that no one was able to use it any more. Neither could I, actually, but that was on a new FS9 installation on a new windows Version (7 as opposed to XP when I did the first tests).

Now I am trying to remake it from scratch, and the first tests are encouraging (it loads OK on my PC). I cannot tell the difference, but there are many possible causes (for instance, I built the code on a different PC running a different Windows version).

Thus I would like to get some feed-back from pilots using various configurations.

For now it is a VERY PARTIAL version; basically it always shows INOP, but the color changes depending on the parking brake (set/not set) and the on/off push button on the gauge itself. If that works... success!

The opposite scenario is one where you get an error when FS attempts to load the gauge, OR it only shows as a black rectangle.

Anything in-between is less likely, but interesting to know so please report it in as many details as possible.

This partial version of the gauge is attached to this post. Usage (including PANEL.CFG changes) is the same as published within the latest FL4 release. Whatever the results, when reporting these please specify the Windows and FS version (which reminds me to remind you, no X-Plane version of the gauge... yet).

Thanks for your feed-back

Andrei

See below - ZIP attached to a newer post

[EHM-2758 Peter]

Hi Andrei,

I love to be of any help, but since the zip-file only contains the gauge and mentioned documentation cannot be found, I would like some further instructions how to handle!

Peter

[EHM-2387 Eric-Jan]

Same here; not sure what you mean to reference at, when you say "as published with the last FL4 release". I was gonna wait until home, and see if I could find the answer in my existing install, but looking at Peter's reaction I won't be finding my answer there either

[EHM-2097 Andrei]

I cannot check the release myself at this time, so I attach an older documet which is actually a PANEL.CFG file showing the required modifications in color.

Andrei

[EDIT] A few more instructions, for whoever is not familiarized at all with the FS aircraft configuration files.

1) Choose an aircraft to test the gauge with. The simpler the better, so I (kind of obviously) choosed a C172. Pay attention to the fact that there may be several variations of the same aircraft!

2) Locate that particular aircraft subfolder in <FS Root>/Aircraft (in this case it's the "C172" subfolder) and open the AIRCRAFT.CFG file within using NOTEPAD or equivalent for viewing (no need to change this file)

3) Within the AIRCRAFT.CFG file, locate the [flightsim.something] section that refers to the EXACT AIRCRAFT VARIATION you plan to use for testing. Within that section, check the corresponding panel folder (blank means the "Panel" subfolder, while any suffix like "ehm" means "Panel.ehm" subfolder)

4) Copy the gauge file EHMGAUGE.GAU into the proper panel subfolder, overwriting any older versions of the file

5) Within the same folder, change the PANEL.CFG file as shown in the attached example. Making a backup copy beforehand is recommended...

6) Ensure there is no other conflicting EHMGAUGE.GAU anywhere else within the FS installation, and particularly in the <FS Root/Gauges> folder.

7) Start FS and hope for the best

Notes:
- The above mentioned folders match a FS9 installation, and may be slightly different in FSX
- ANY change to a PANEL.CFG file is ignored until that particular aircraft is "loaded" into the simulation. If it is already loaded, you can select another aircraft (using a different panel!) and then select back the test aircraft whose PANEL.CFG file you just modified

[EHM-2387 Eric-Jan]

That works pretty well too

[EHM-2387 Eric-Jan]

All I got it to do is display a line "FL started recording", when the status line was still magenta, and then "FL4: Parked", when the staus changed to "Parked / Ready".

I tested with the Aerosoft Twin Otter, under FSX Acelleration, running Windows 7 Home Premium, 64 bit (but FSX is still 32 bit app, of course)

I did not see a colour changing gauge, just a transparent window top left (or so I thought, the first time I pressed SHIFT-5, which is that window designation in the Twotter) with a status line at times when FL4's status would change. The "Recording started" status line is slightly confusing, because at that time, FL4 still has a not-recording state (Parked / Not ready in magenta)

[EHM-2097 Andrei]

Wrong turn E-J, this was just a test to see if anything like a gauge shows up, there is no actual connection to FL4 so you don't need to look for state changes. With those panel changes in a C172 I can see the gauge (small blue panel + luminous display + push button) and use the button.

Now the question is who else can, who can not, and why ?

Andrei

[EHM-2387 Eric-Jan]

I could not see it, probably because the Aerosoft Twotter only has a VC???

[EHM-2097 Andrei]

VC is most likely an issue, because the sample PANEL.CFG file was changed for 2D panel only (I do not like VCs myself, so neither am I familiar to the panel configuration specifics).

For testing I use one of the default Cessnas.

Also note that I edited my earlier post with the sample PANEL.CFG attachment, adding more instructions on adding the gauge; hope this helps.

Andrei
 

[EHM-2758 Peter]

Hi Andrei,

As you've instructed, I installed the EHMgauge in a default C172. From the screenshot below you can read that the window does show on in the menu and on the screen and is sizeable! I gather that's what you wanted to know and see.

config. info:
I5 CP 750 @ 2.67GHz 64it
Windows 7 Home Edition
FSX Acceleration

Hope this will help you to develop the gauge!

Peter

[EHM-2589 David]

In my case, FS9 no possible to upload the EHMgauge after tried two times. FS9 said not able to load the gauge but you could continue to use FS9 

Sorry Andrei

[EHM-2097 Andrei]

Oh so disappointing... What I actually see on my panel, and I hope someone else will eventually see as well, is this:

Details

For the moment I am stuck, as I don't believe that by some dark magic this piece of software only works for me. Neither is there anything like "the master's voice" in this business. So I think there may be something wrong in my instructions!?

The dark rectangle you got, Peter, is basically the same result as David got, namely FS NOT loading this gauge (it's just the window, without its content).

I hope that with more people in the lopp someone will eventually produce the breakthrough I need to sort this out.

Andrei

[EHM-2387 Eric-Jan]

I got the same in my Twin Otter VC (did not test any other yet): a blip top left, which could well be a black or translucent window, but no gauge.
Will try with the C172 shortly, but prob not before thursday...

[EHM-1465 Dominic]

Sadly, I'm just getting the same message as David in FS2004, it won't load the gauge at all  

EDIT - I went back to the original thread on this from the MT Forum and used the gauge you attached on March 10th 2012 Andrei - that version works fine in FS2004, loads ok and appears as expected on the panel. I hope that may help you to trace the current issue?

[EHM-2097 Andrei]

We seem a little bit stuck on this topic, so let's try another approach.

Anyone who tried on FS9+C172, please zip and send me the WHOLE Aircraft\C172 folder, so that I can try the same setup on my PC and FS. Hopefully it will NOT work, allowing me to find out why.

@Dom: that first version gauge working only makes the mystery deeper. I started afresh in the first place because THAT gauge didn't seem to be working anymore  

Thanks

Andrei

[EHM-1465 Dominic]

I've tried the newer version again and I get the same message when the flight is loading - that the gauge cannot be loaded and will be disabled. I cleared out the older version of the gauge from my FS9/Gauges folder to be sure of no conflict. I'm emailing you the entire C182 folder (with new gauge in the panel folder) as tested for you to check, the only change I've made is to alias the sound to the C172 in order to keep the archive size small.

Good luck

[EHM-2097 Andrei]

Looks like e-mail doesn't work, servers are quite brutal when they "realize" there is a DLL attached. I think the best choice are temporary storage web sites which allow to upload any content and send the link to recipients.

Andrei

[EHM-1465 Dominic]

OK, I've created a Dropbox account for this - you should be able to access my C182 folder (zipped) at:- https://www.dropbox.com/s/1uci6g5xk3tizd9/c182.zip

Let me know if it works ok?

[EHM-2097 Andrei]

<censored>%#*&*$%</censored>

Just as I supposed, the devil is in the details... in my detailed instructions to be more precise. One little underscore makes the difference between my original gauge and the new one, and the same underscore makes the new gauge incompatible with the original instructions.

So, just to make sure there is no misunderstanding, you have to make a small correction to the PANEL.CFG file:

THIS IS WRONG: gauge00=ehmgauge!ehm_status,0,0

THIS IS RIGHT: gauge00=ehmgauge!ehmstatus,0,0

That explains of course why using the original gauge with the now deprecated instructions worked for you Dom.

Expecting some good news from you now guys 

Andrei

[EHM-1465 Dominic]

I'm afraid not Andrei - I renamed the gauge entry in the panel.cfg and then tried to load it but got the same dialog box that the gauge would be disabled.

I then redownloaded the gauge and renamed it "ehmgauge1", reinstalled this after deleting the first version and amended the panel.cfg accordingly - all in case there was an entry in the FS9.cfg file identifying the old version as a BAD gauge forever - but when i tried to load the plane I still got the same dialog box that it would be disabled with the new gauge name (ehmgauge1) referred to...

Sorry 

[EHM-2097 Andrei]

What's needed then:

- Feedback from more people

- Everyone trying the gauge, please say 32 or 64 bit Windows

- To avoid the same thing happening again, please write or post the EXACT error message you get, do not try to interpret / translate it as information invariably gets lost in this process.

Unfortunately when unable to load a gauge, it seems that MSFS doesn't provide any clue about WHY it is unable to do so. Also, there seem to be differences between installations, because even with the wrong PANEL.CFG file I only got a blank gauge but no error message. That's why I need it tested on as many setups as possible.

Thanks

Andrei
 

[EHM-2387 Eric-Jan]

Will try to combo with tonight's flight for the Aeropostale event
Haven't found the time yet to get around to testing, yet. Despite me putting it on my ToDo list twice already. Hope to speak to you on Mumble this evening.

[EHM-1465 Dominic]

Mine is Windows XP 32 bit OS, FS 9.1 and the error message as copied down by hand is:-

"ERROR - FS9

Flight Simulator was unable to load some aircraft or software. You can continue to use Flight Simulator but this aircraft or software will be disabled.

File - AIRCRAFT\c182\panel\ehmgauge1.GAU" (as per my last post with the gauge renamed)

I've also just checked the FS9.CFG file and there is no entry in there about the C182 or the gauge being disabled in the [FrameCallNoWarn] section or elsewhere.

[EHM-2097 Andrei]

Thanks Dom,

My best guess is that the remaining problem is a 32/64 bit issue in my code. Actually that makes even more important to see whether anyone on 64 bit windows manages to make it work (after correcting the PANEL.CFG file as of my preceeding post).

Andrei

[EHM-1328 Willem]

Good day,

System:

I5-2,6-upgraded to 3g/16GB
2x 128GB SSD
AT HM5670 Video
OS Win 8.1 /64
FSX

After installating in C172 and BAE146-300 it get both registerd in fsx.cfg but nothing else happens.
also not a dialog/window

Remark:
After step from win7 to win8 fsx was a disaster, with the latets update to win 8.1 and 3 days ago
a video driver update FSX  (not ehmgauge) works oke in dx11 mode and in dx9 mode (before driver update only in dx11 mode).


Regards
Willem EHM1328