Hello All

I  have been thinking of purchasing Fsps.

At the moment I employ the x,y coord ,re-load aircraft ,have a look ,try again till right mode.This does work ,but is incredibly long winded and slow (especially if you use a lot of third party gauges, which I do).Anyways!I have downloaded the free FSPS user manual and had cursory look.It rather daunting.Is FSPS fairly easy to get  the old noodle around,or does it require near Eintsteinian grey matter? User friendly or not?It does look as though this prog potentially could be extremely useful and probably fun as well.I just don't do Einsteinian .How is it guys.Cheers Socks.

Hi,

 

I found FSPS easy to use when creating 2D panels for planes with only a VC. Definitely no Einsteinian.

But "keep on mind" (citation from the product site): "While FS Panel Studio can be used to perform some editing of gauge placement in Virtual Cockpits, VCs are primarily implemented in the model.cfg file, which defines 3D geometry which cannot be edited in FSPS."

I can confirm that I came to this end when trying to create a 2D panel for a C152 model with gauges implemented into the model. FSPS depends on "normal" gauges being placed on a clean bitmap or surface instead.

 

There seem to be some more functions which I never used, for instance modifying gauges.

 

What about testing the trial version?

Hello All

I have been thinking of purchasing Fsps.

At the moment I employ the x,y coord ,re-load aircraft ,have a look ,try again till right mode.This does work ,but is incredibly long winded and slow

I remember them days

FSPS would be a godsend to you. No more guessing xx, yy. Just add your gauge then drag and drop.

For editing and modifying 2D Panels, there isn't anything better out there than FSPS. It'll be the best $$ you've ever spent on an FS add on.

 

ONE word of warning, though... frequent use of FSPS could lead to addictive tendencies, such as:

 

-- Searching the Libraries for Panels to rob Gauges from.

 

-- EXTREME Gauge Withdrawal or Gauge Envy, brought on by trying to find the 'perfect' Gauge.

 

-- Creating an AWESOME looking 2D Panel, but forgetting to install the most important Gauge like a Turn and Bank Indicator (!).

 

Signed,

 

-- A Certifiable Gauge Junkie...  

Agree with all the above. 

 

What hasn't been mentioned is the ability to 'swap' gauges. As the name suggests this is simplicity itself.  I found this function particularly useful when replacing stock gauges with RXP alternatives.

 

Short answer Socks ... go for it.   :good:

ISG systems (the gauge suites) have on their web site retrofit panel.cfg files for many aircraft submitted by the developer and other users. Many start out like this:

 

// This Panel.cfg file created by FS Panel Studio - http://www.fspanelstudio.com
// Built Monday, October 13, 2008 at 17:37 FSPS Build:14153
 

The panel view operates like a typical photo editor as you can import a gauge, drag it around, resize it, etc, using the mouse. It can also link to your image editor to make adjustments to the background paint. All existing gauges can be modified as well including deletion where a new gauge will be substituted.

 

It was the second app I purchased when starting with FS8 way back. I took freeware aircraft that used default FS panels and brought in gauges from RXP suites, other aircraft, and some gauge/panel sites. I used airliners.net cockpit photos to determine what was needed including placement and did what I could.

 

You can use FSPS simply or use advanced techniques. You can create additional window views and populate them with a gauge or stack of gauges like a pop-up radio stack or FMC.

 

FSPS will let you bring in a gauge from a .cab suite of gauges in your FS gauge folder.

 

Optionally if you know XML gauge coding, you can modify gauge code and save it.

 

FS is not running while working on panels. You see the panel within FSPS. FSPS will provide incremental backup as you save each panel so you can go back.

 

I recommend you get the download version, not the CD (but backup the download), as it is much easier to upgrade.

 

http://www.simforums.com/forums/forum13.html is the support forum.

 

Now in some advanced aircraft the panels may be locked files that may not be edited because of placed click spots, such as the PMDG 737NG, 747, etc. It depends what you do with it. This model goes outside of FS design specifications.

 

This is not to say that all payware aircraft has locked features. One of the retrofits is for an Overland model.

 

http://isgsim.com/?page=panel_library⊂=retro_ovrld_md11

 

for which FSPS was used to install the ISG gauges.

 

. . . and using this can be addicting.

 

I modified a mike stone freeware Saab 340B bringing in some Reality XP gauges for enhanced fitted nav displays and resizing the original gauges and background paint to make room. (This was before the origination of ISG Systems.)

 

As usual, practice is needed, but you do not need to be a programming guru but just understand the FS system of gauge organization.

 

http://www.flight1.com/products.asp?product=FSP-ESD-001 is the purchase page.

 

Have a look at ISG's retrofit page to see what can be accomplished:

http://isgsim.com/?page=panel_library

many of which were modified by FSPS.

 

On http://fspanelstudio.com/ note that it is also Win 7 compatible, missing in the flight1 description. On this site a trial version is available.

 

Amazingly, it is still only $30 USD for the download. Just back up the download, (easier to upgrade), putting any key files on your backup CD for the download.

 

Here is the free upgrade procedures:

http://fspanelstudio.com/upgrade.htm

 

and how to purchase:

http://fspanelstudio.com/buy.htm

 

It is a great app eliminating most of the trial and error in panel design.

 

Until I setup an image drop site that I can link to, I can't post a screenshot of some panels I modified. (New AVSIM rules).

Hello All

Thanks so much for all your replies,your links and enthusiasm for FSPS.

After such p!sitive posts,I would be foolish not to give it a try.

So I will!!

I actually enjoy adding new gauges to panels ,but its just that I now use so many that x,y ,reload and look is not really a sensible way of going about things,plus FSPS obviously makes the whole process (and I would imagine has many more options available as well) much simpler and quicker to perform (eventually I hope after the mighty manual reading ,which of course I love )

Please expect some brain picking in the near future though chaps.

Thanks again for your thoughts and advice.

 

Cheers Andy

I've done all my VC10 panel updates with fsps. Not just gauges but whole panels. an impossible task without it.

Hello All

Have ordered FSPS today.I know you recommended the download version Ronzie ,but have found a well priced boxed copy on Ebay.

Should get later this week.

 

cheers Socks

Well you'll need to go online to update it anyway!!

Well you'll need to go online to update it anyway!!

That's OK .I have checked out Ronzie's update link,and will follow the appropriate instructions for CD.

I hope as I am buying a pre-owned copy there won't be any issues with update process.

 

Cheers Andy