I'm in the process of completing my Boeing 737-NG panel and am wanting to provide text "backlighting" on the panel itself. I've tried several times to create the backlighting for a switch or knob, and have been successful doing so in .xml, however, the problem is that the background (which is larger than the switch bitmap itself and is tagged Bright="Yes" to illuminate the text)is active as the mouse-cursor passes over it, enabling you to initiate the command function without the cursor even being over the switch.So.....Unless someone can help me to alleviate this situation, I'm going to also ask if there isn't another way (and hopefully easier) to make the backlighting happen.I would like to make one large "static" overlay (one that is "invisible to the cursor) that covers all of the text on the panel... an overlay that I can make Bright="Yes" when the panel lights come on, or when it's night-time. It seems like it would be easier to do this than to create text backlighting for each and every knob on the panel...I've attached a sample of the background bitmap and a beta screenshot that I've created to this point so you can see what I'm talking about.Any help on this would be appreciated!!Kevin Sparkuhl

>I would like to make one large "static" overlay (one that is>"invisible to the cursor) that covers all of the text on the>panel... an overlay that I can make Bright="Yes" when the>panel lights come on, or when it's night-time. It seems like>it would be easier to do this than to create text backlighting>for each and every knob on the panel...>>I've attached a sample of the background bitmap and a beta>screenshot that I've created to this point so you can see what>I'm talking about.>>Any help on this would be appreciated!!The solution is really quite simple... make one, large gauge with all the functions in it! The only thing you'd have to do is reset the x,y coordinates for the knobs, switches, etc. and re-do the mouse points.OTOH, you could create a large 'overlay gauge' with nothing but the normal and 'bright' switched lightmask, keyed to the panel lights switch.Use transparent (0,0,0) backgrounds for the individual switches.BillAVSIM OmbudsmanFounder and Director,Creative Recycling of Aircraft Partshttp://catholic-hymns.com/frbill/FS2002/images/fartslogo.jpg

>OTOH, you could create a large 'overlay gauge' with nothing>but the normal and 'bright' switched lightmask, keyed to the>panel lights switch.Thanks Bill... that's exactly what I'd like to do. Could you provide me an example of how to go about this? I apologize for my beginner status here, lol. Like I said, I'm winging my way through the codes... the ones that I've been able to edit here and there for the other gauges on the panel have provided me just a taste of what .xml is all about, so I'm learning with each function as I go.If you'd like, you can email it to me or provide it here... Thanks in advance!Kevin

Almost a year late in replying.... but here is what I have done.I actually have two BMP's, each colored/painted for the desired effect. You can do this for just about any image in a gauge.(L:GAUGEBACKLIGHT_LT,enum).....Here is how it looks. (note: I have not turned on the FS panel lights ...this is strictly a custom variable that turns on/off the backlight BMP's within each gauge.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/51236.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/51238.jpg