Need CAB File Help

[ark 1,288]

When I opened up a FSX Panel CAB file as I've done in the past I was surprised to see that in addition to many individual files, the CAB file also contained two subfolders with addiional files. After making a minor modification to one of the individual files, I tried to use cabdir to recreate the cab file as usual (put all the individual files and the two subfolders in a folder and dragged that folder onto cabdir). A cab file was created, but it doesn't work when replaced in the panel folder. I think the problem is I'm not creating the cab file correctly wrt the two subfolders that were in the original cab file. Any suggestions appreciated.

Thx,

Al

[n4gix 4,947]

Al, what .CAB file was that? I've never seen anything like what you've described before...

[spokes2112 179]

Are the 2 sub folders named - "640" & "1024" ? If so that .cab was from FS2002.

[N60JBravo 27]

Are the 2 sub folders named - "640" & "1024" ? If so that .cab was from FS2002.

...or FS9.

[ark 1,288]

 

Al, what .CAB file was that? I've never seen anything like what you've described before...

 

Bill,

The panel cab file is Lear_45_XML.cab for the default Lear 45. It is not the original Lear panel cab file, but a modified one that fixed some issues. I and others have been "flying" with this file for a while so it certainly works. This modified cab file is available from here: https://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/6267/fsx-learjet-45-gauge-fix/

 

When I extract the contents of Lear_45_XML.cab ( using IzARC or 7-Zip) I find two folders called Altimeter and Attitude (each containing files), plus all the typical individual files.The file I want to make a small change to is one of the individual files (pfd.xml). However, the problem I'm having is not the small mod I'm making to pfd.xml because even if I change nothing and simply remake the cab file with cabdir.exe after extracting it, it still doesn't work.

 

BTW, according to the info at the URL above,  it seems the cab file dates back to 2009.

 

I don't know if the original Lear 45 goes back to FS2002 or FS9 as mentioned above, but the "gauge fix" is said to be for FSX.

 

Thx,

Al

[spokes2112 179]

Ahh, Just maybe....

 

1st. The XMLs are in FSX syntax so that takes care of that...The coding for the 2 sub folders looks legit.

 

2nd. Are you using the cabdir.exe that the author provided within the .cab? (Why did he do that?) If so that one has a compile date/size of 2/24/2004 / 132 kb & the cabdir.exe I use from the FSX SDK has 9/26/2007 / 79 kb. Maybe that is the culprit.

 

One last thing - You do not have to .cab it. Just leave the folder structure intact (fs will use the folder structure) while doing modifications, then, once done, if wanted, you can then cab it up.

[ark 1,288]

Ahh, Just maybe....

 

1st. The XMLs are in FSX syntax so that takes care of that...The coding for the 2 sub folders looks legit.

 

2nd. Are you using the cabdir.exe that the author provided within the .cab? (Why did he do that?) If so that one has a compile date/size of 2/24/2004 / 132 kb & the cabdir.exe I use from the FSX SDK has 9/26/2007 / 79 kb. Maybe that is the culprit.

 

One last thing - You do not have to .cab it. Just leave the folder structure intact (fs will use the folder structure) while doing modifications, then, once done, if wanted, you can then cab it up.

Thanks for the info Roman.

Well, I've now been able to at least extract and then remake the cab file, with out any mods, and get it to work. I don't know why I couldn't do that last night -- up too late maybe. However, I still can't make the mod work so maybe I am making a simple XML syntax error ( my XML knowledge/experience is very limited) So below is the original XML code fragment:

<Expression id="Expression">

<Minimum>-60.000</Minimum>

<Maximum>60.000</Maximum>

<Script>(A:HSI CDI needle, number )</Script>

</Expression>

What I want to do is to divide the amount of displayed HSI CDI deviation by 2. So I changed the above to:

<Expression id="Expression">

<Minimum>-60.000</Minimum>

<Maximum>60.000</Maximum>

<Script>(A:HSI CDI needle, number ) /2</Script>

</Expression>

which seems to have no effect on the amount of deviation. If I change the script line to

<Script>((A:HSI CDI needle, number ) /2)</Script>

the CDI doesn't respond at all. So apparently the additional set of () is a syntax error.

 

What I'm trying to do is have full CDI deviation represent 10 degress of off course, rIght now the CDI fully deviates on the instrument face at 5 degrees, which is not typical for a HSI VOR display.

Al

[ark 1,288]

Finally figured out why my divide by 2 (2/) in the Script line above  wasn't working -- I used the "regular" main keyboard slash instead of the Numpad slash.

AAAaaahhh! Now that was a painful lesson, but at least now everything works as expected.

 

BTW Bill, I started using your "Send to" cabdir.exe method for generating the cab files -- works like a charm, thanks very much for that.

 

And thanks to all for the inputs,

Al

[n4gix 4,947]

No problem, Al. BTW, in XML the operator goes last:

 

Operand1 Operan2 Operator

 

<Script>(A:HSI CDI needle, number ) 2 /</Script>

[ark 1,288]

No problem, Al. BTW, in XML the operator goes last:

 

Operand1 Operan2 Operator

 

<Script>(A:HSI CDI needle, number ) 2 /</Script>

Yes, I know XML uses Reverse Polish Notation (stack operations) -- had that part right at least in the real code, don't know why I typed it backwards in post #7 above. Must of messed it up when I went back to retype it in red ( age problem perhaps  :Worried: ) . It was using the wrong flavor of "slash" that was the key (pun!) mistake. Don't think I ever realized you have to use the numpad for XML math operators -- I might have just lucked out previously. Well, I won't make that mistake again -- at least not for a few weeks!

Greatly appreciate your help,

Al

[ark 1,288]

Just to correctly close the loop here, my comment above about needing to use the numpad slash turns out not to be the case. Likely problem was I did not include a space between the 2 and the /.

Al

[n4gix 4,947]

Yeah Al, that space is required else the parser won't recognize the division command (/)...