This is for the Sky Simulations MD-11 V2.0. I have successfully placed a working dome light in the VC thanks to input from other AVSIM members.This was done by adding the effect fx_vclighth in the aircraft.cfg file and is activated by the SHIFT-L command.

The overhead panel in the VC has a working dome switch in that I can click it with the mouse and it moves. Given that the switch appears to be modelled, is there any way I can "wire it up". Modifying the .air file or xml file or some such? 

Thanks in advance.

That depends on how that switch was animated. Typically the XML script for VC objects is compiled into the actual model (.mdl) file itself. If that is the case, then discovering what that variable is a matter of 'decompiling' the .mdl file via Model Converter X (see FS Developer for more info), finding the switch in question and seeing what the variable's name is.

The other method, which is unlikely, is for the script to be embedded in a panel gauge (.CAB) file.

.... SHIFT-L it is for me then! I don't think I'm quite ready to study another detailed design tool. Thank you for the detailed explanation Fr.Bill 

Generally speaking, we try to make all switches do "something" other than simply move and make a click sound. For those few that we choose not to actually perform any useful function (which is rare but does happen) we provide a list of the custom L:variables so that folks who wish to make them do something don't have to guess what the L:var name is... ;)

Fr. Bill

If he was to use a Lvar tracer, and an Lvar was sent when the switch was flicked, could that not then be used to send the shift L command?

....whoooshh!  

Fr.Bill and Luke - I wish Sky Simulations had indeed made the switch do something other than simply move and click! LOL.

I wonder if parts of their V2.0 MD-11 are a legacy from FS9 etc.? Maybe the dome switch was operational then?

I tried emailing them again recently... they appear to have vanished from the planet or are ignoring any support tickets, or their email isn't working and/or any questions are going into their spam which they don't check.. 

FULLY SORTED! 

Thanks to a little help from the fine gentleman who is edetroit, the Sky Sim MD-11 Dome Switch is now operational.

Initially I had used the incorrect light code - it should be 10. Once the cfg file was corrected then Voila - the switch worked.

Armed with this little gem of info I then looked at the rest of the [lights] section.  There, against light.4 were some positional values which were fairly close to my fudged entries...

light.4 = 10, -19.89, 0, 3.2, fx_vclighth

Note the usual fx_vclighth at the end of the line.. that was my modification to the line.

The problem was that the fx file which should be included, along with some other fx_SKY_CABLT files, was fx_SKYMD11_DKLT . That file is nowhere to be found on my hard drive! 

THANKS A BUNCH SKY SIMULATIONS!! 

Thanks a bunch without any sarcasm to edetroit 

I'm glad to hear you got it sorted out Mark!