Mini Panel Question (resolved)

[Joe_Candy 4]

Hi again.  I have a custom mini panel which I force into all the planes I fly.  When launching the 530 from it, does the RealityXP.GNS.ini need to be in the gauges folder or still in each aircraft's folder?

[RXP 2,338]

Hi,

My first answer would have been: just try and see! It is merely moving a file around to compare.

Nevertheless, the ini file is per-aircraft regardless of where the panel.cfg file is (except some convoluted panel.cfg alias configuration as found once with a MilViz aircraft IIRC which required copying the aliased folder into the aircraft folder for the Panel Assistant to work).

If you think about this twice it makes sense: device settings are only pertinent for the aircraft you fly with because each aircraft may require different 'connections' to the panel instruments.

However there are some few settings which are aircraft-agnostic (like the DB) but there are so few it doesn't warrant introducing a more complex system where you'd have 'shared' settings and 'specific' settings (complex for our customers and for us to maintain).

[Joe_Candy 4]

Your first answer is a valid one and I have done that but I am having a lot of troubles getting things to work so just wanted to get your input.  In some of the planes I've installed the 530 on the ini was not created in the planes folder so I wondered if the mini panel's launch was interfering with that.  I've since removed all gps units from the mini panel and now let it's gps button load whatever is default on the plane.

[RXP 2,338]

7 minutes ago, Joe_Candy said:

In some of the planes I've installed the 530 on the ini was not created in the planes folder

Like I've said this may happen with 'convoluted' configuration using aliases going back and forth different folders like with the MilViz aircraft IIRC.

[RXP 2,338]

I've forgotten:

One way to check which folder the ini is saved to is just to open the Panel Assistant and add a device.

This will modify the panel.cfg file (after making a backup copy you can restore with the assistant of manually), and the path to the modified panel.cfg file is reported in the rxpGNS_menu.dll.log file.

The gauge is pretty much auto-discovering the aircraft path from the panel.cfg which has loaded the gauge, and then looks 2 parent paths up for the aircraft/sim.cfg file to validate. The Panel Assistant is pretty much auto-discovering the aircraft path in a similar way.

[Joe_Candy 4]

I'd guessed that was the situation.  Also on my mini panel is an sn3308, sadly not rxp.  Could it's nav button possibly be interfering with things?  Only rarely do I get a good flight and landing with the 530 and I'm trying to pinpoint the problem. 

[RXP 2,338]

4 minutes ago, Joe_Candy said:

and I'm trying to pinpoint the problem. 

You might want to first start trying with a stock aircraft like the Baron 58 or the Mooney then.

This will help you figuring out which configuration options work best (the defaults are usually sane for most aircraft).

From then, you can try with other aircraft.

Sure enough, many 3rd party gauges are designed in a way where they never envisioned another 3rd party GPS could be added. Typically for a 3rd party HSI with a nav source control: it would enforce the nav/gps switch to the HSI 'known' state (if FS state is not what I expect change the FS state), instead of synchronizing bidirectionally (i.e. when the HSI state changes, change the FS state, and when the FS state changes, change the HSI state).

[Joe_Candy 4]

I sure hope it isn't the 3308, I love that gauge and use that nav button a lot.  Will do some testing without it.  Thanks for your help!

[Joe_Candy 4]

After many more failed flights I eventually decided the problem was me.  Started over with all my procedures and realized it was me misunderstanding what was happening when the vloc engaged and also sometimes not noticing the gps was in vloc mode.  I see now why real pilots use explicit checklists.  Thanks again for your help.