Module or Gague, please Help!!!

[tomcontr]

Hi,

I trying to build a module for FS that loads a message box with information take ir from a txt file, or something like that.

I haven´t succseed, because in the first place, I cant get the module to insert a new menu button.

I search the hole forum for information about these, and the only things htat I found were

this

http://forums.simflight.com/viewtopic.php?t=11253&highlight=uipchellobymenu

and the Module Source that Joel (SB3 developer) provide in his Web site.

I could compile bouth of the sources separatly, and non of them work. No errors, but it did´t show anything in the FS menu.

The I try to join them so the FSmodule (Joel´s) execute Pete´s code to add a submenu in the FSUIPC menu, but it didñt work.

I was wondering if someone could just paste here, o a little piece of code, that shows how to add a menu, or a gague VC project that shows a little string sayin "hello world".

About the gauge I also found this:

http://forums.simflight.com/viewtopic.pht=modules

But I couldnt compil it. I get errors.

I hope someone can help me, please.

Best Regards

Thomas.

[Pete Dowson]

I haven´t succseed, because in the first place, I cant get the module to insert a new menu button.

...

The I try to join them so the FSmodule (Joel´s) execute Pete´s code to add a submenu in the FSUIPC menu, but it didñt work.

In FSUIPC's Logging page, turn on IPC read and write logging, close FS.

Reload FS, making sure you have no other FSUIPC using DLLs installed, and with default aircraft only -- otherwise the Log may become full of other program's reads and writes and make it bigger and more difficult to see what you are doing.

Run FS to the point where you'd expect your Menu entry to be there. Close FS. Show me the Log. From the actual details of what FSUIPC sees being read and written from the appropriate offsets, it is easy enough to see what may be wrong with what you are doing.

BTW these things are much easier to do from an external EXE program, and in that case you can use almost any language. Gauges and Modules inside FS are much more difficult, and often there's no good reason to write them this way. With an external program you have an additional advantage, that it can be run on a separate PC using WideFS.

Even with a gauge or module, you will find it very difficult indeed to display a Window on top of FS when the latter is in full screen mode, unless you are using DirectX for your display. An if you really do mean "MessageBox" then you should realise that that type of Window is modal -- i.e. it stops the rest of the program whilst displayed.

Regards,

Pete

[tomcontr]

Ok, as soon as get home, I send yu le logs.

The gauges, do I have to program them with directx, o if it´s a gauge, It will just show on the FS?

About the external program, I writing a program for my virtual airline, and its almost completo, it does what is ment to do, but, I would like the pilot could see Information that the external program sends like metar, position, etc..

I thought about the green scroll bar on the top screen of the FS, but I would like to do something beter.

My be some has figure it out a better way to show Strings in FS, o somthing like that.

Any way, I will try the logs tonight at home, and if someone has done this before, I will aprecciate if he could give a hand with this.

Thanks a lot pete.,

Regards

Thomas.

[Pete Dowson]

The gauges, do I have to program them with directx, o if it´s a gauge, It will just show on the FS?

Gauges have an interface to PANELS.DLL to draw themselves, values, needles and so on, of course. If you use those for your display then there should be no problems. But if it is going to be a visible gauge, why do you want a menu entry? You can process mouseclicks for your selections.

Another alternative to consider merely for getting information onto FS's screen is the Kneeboard. I notice some folks are even getting live web pages up on the kneeboard. But please don't ask me how all that's done -- it must be via some links in CFG files, or probably just files in the right format in the right folders.

Regards,

Pete

[tomcontr]

To have a menu entry o a gauge are options, I dont need them both.

My only problem is that I cant get enoght information abot how to crear simple gagues, because the only things that I have fonund are big this, that are a little bin complicated for someone that has nerver program a gaugue before.

Thats why I´m desperate trying to find a simple tutorial.

I have already take a look at de MS Panel SDK, but it was nos very helpfuly.

Regards

Thomas.