I've taken the plunge to learn C++ gauge development. Note that I'm not new to C++; I'm just new Visual Studio and the way gauges are built.

 

Here's what's troubling me. I've downloaded the ESP GDI+ sample starter gauge, but I simply cannot find where the bitmaps are being called.

 

In the root project folder, there is a folder called "res". Inside the res folder, I see:

• gauge_background.bmp
• HeadingArrow.bmp
• HeadingBackground.bmp

 

However, in the code, I only see:

	Gdiplus::Bitmap* mBackgroundBitmap;	// Image used for the background of our 'heading' component
	Gdiplus::Image*	mArrowBitmap;		// Image used as the indicator for our 'heading' component

But digging around the code, there is nowhere that points mArrowBitmap to the HeadingArrow.bmp bitmap. How will Visual Studio know it should use HeadingArrow.bmp when there aren't anywhere in the code that states mArrowBitmap = HeadingArrow.bmp?

 

Is this all done in the file called GDIPlus_GaugeRes.rc? Because the .rc is the only file my Visual Studio express will not allow me to open.

 

Thanks in advance,

Go study the SDK on how a gauge is defined using the gauge macros. You're missing a ton of information. Also look at the header files, where there's even more defined.

Thanks Ed. I went through the ESP guide and turns out yup, the resource bitmaps are defined in the .rc file.

 

Well, now I gotta find a way to open .rc files; Visual Studio tells me I need to pay in order to edit them

An .rc file is a text file. If you need proof... load one into notepad.

 

Also, be careful... ESP is not FSX.

Thanks Ed. I went through the ESP guide and turns out yup, the resource bitmaps are defined in the .rc file.

 

Well, now I gotta find a way to open .rc files; Visual Studio tells me I need to pay in order to edit them

Right-click on the .rc in the Solution Explorer window and Open in Text mode.

Ah got it working and I see the linking of the bitmaps in the .rc file. Thanks Bill, thanks again Ed.

 

And yup I know ESP != FSX. I am using the P3D SDK, but since it's originally ESP I thought I'd look at those examples from Microsoft's website with the C++ gauge tutorial. 

What's the reason for using Visual Studio Express instead of Community Edition? The Community edition seems much more capable.

I haven't experimented with Community Edition; I've used VS2013 with C# for a bit last year, so that was my go-to Visual Studio when I decided to try gauge development.

 

I'll download CE and give it a shot. Hopefully my GDI+ gauge originally built for VS2010 still runs... Creating a backup now B)

This should give you a head start on C++ gauges:

 

http://library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=sd2gau35.zip&CatID=root&Go=Search

 

Doesn't deal with GDI+ though. Maybe one day if we get lucky :smile: