Since there are many questions on gauge types, where to install a gauge, how to deal with gauge versions, etc. here's an explanation.First of all, the word is spelled "gauge", not "guage" :-)A very commonly made mistake, causing FS not to recognise a gauge definition in the panel.cfg file...Types of gauges===============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, 64gauge01=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, 90gauge08=Boeing747-400!Gear Lever, 603, 87Placement of gauge files========================Assume the panel.cfg is in the folder:....aircraftyouraircraftyourpanelIf 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 ...yourpanel2. The gauge "gaugename.xml", in file "filename.cab" in folder ...yourpanel3. The gauge/file "gaugename.xml" in folder ....yourpanelfilename4. The gauge "gaugename", in file "filename.gau" in folder ...gauges5. The gauge "gaugename.xml", in file "filename.cab" in folder ...gauges6. The gauge/file "gaugename.xml" in folder ....gaugesfilenameA 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 Avantage of ...gauges:- Only one, shared gauge file (saves diskspace)- Installing a newer version of the gauge, you only have to overwrite one file for all panels using it.Advantages of ....yourpanel:- Allows for multiple versions of a gauge.- You never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 into a subfolder with the same name as the .cab filename.Adavantage: easy change/replacement of a single .xml or .bmp file, without bundling/replacing the whole .cab file.And these are only the main options and advantages :-)To name two other possibilities:1. You can put gauge files into a subfolder of ...gauges.E.g. gauge** = foldername/filename!gaugename, ..,..when the gauge file is placed in folder ....gaugesfoldernameNot very usefull given the other options, but still ....2. Modify the bitmap of an xml gauge for a specific panel.Suppose you want to adapt the bitmap of an XML gauge in a .cab file, for one specific panel.What you do: Extract the .bmp file from the filename.cab file, eg. with Winzip, to folder ...aircraftyouraircraftyourpanelfilename and modify it.Now this particular panel will use the modified bitmap and NOT the bitmap from the .cab file.Hope this clarifies a few things.Cheers, Rob Barendregt

>First of all, the word is spelled "gauge", not "guage" :-):-lol And for someone, whose mother language is not english it seems to be strange that it is pronounced like it was written "gage"But seriously now, very usefull post Rob.Wolfgang

Thanks Rob. R-

Hi Wolfgang,I thought I'd mention the "gauge" spelling again :-)For my groundhandling gauges I received at least a dozen "bug" reports, which turned out to be this mis-spelling by the user; and Yes, those were all from people with English (or whatever dialect thereoff :-) Oooppss) as mother language LOL.Cheers, Rob

*bump*For those who missed it :-)