if you guys have not seen this one yet, check out Scalemaker from here:http://www.simviation.com/fsdesign_panels1.htmhttp://x-plane.org/home/suncoaster/Graphic...scalemaker1.jpglets you make gauge back-grounds easily.Steve

Thanks for the headsup on this Steve.I note that it is described as for FS98/2000Does it work with FS9/2004?CheersMike

It creates a regular bitmap file. You can use it to create gauges for any version of FS.Doug

Well, now don't that make life just a wee bit easier? My thanks also.CheersShad

>Well, now don't that make life just a wee bit easier? My>thanks also.I suppose so... although I use Max's "Array" function to do pretty much the same thing... ;)

Which Max? Papa Max or baby Max?If baby Max: "Wha'chu talkin' 'bout Willis"?Would you be kind enough to describe the array function in this regard?Please :)CheersShad

>Which Max? Papa Max or baby Max?>>If baby Max: "Wha'chu talkin' 'bout Willis"?>>Would you be kind enough to describe the array function in>this regard?Papa Max, mainly because of the Renderer, but GMax is capable of creating Arrays as well.Basically, create an narrow rectangle (such as for a scale marking), then use the Array Tool to create a n-element array rotated around xxx

Anyway to do it with the free tools? Take the snap I mean.CheersShad

>Anyway to do it with the free tools? Take the snap I mean.Taking "screenshots" is simple. The most basic is to simply press the PrintScreen key on the keyboard, then open your paint program, start a blank canvas, and press Ctrl-V to paste the image from the screen buffer into the blank canvas.Personally, I prefer the freeware program Grabber2k, because of the many, many, many options it allows.One of the most used options I take advantage of is the ability to press PrintScreen (or whatever key is assigned), then use the mouse to select a specific area of the screen I wish to capture (create a 'bounding box' around the area). Pressing PrintScreen a second time will capture/save the selected area to an image file on disk, in one of a dozen or so formats I've preselected, including .jpg, .bmp, .png, .tga, etc.

Grabber2k seems to have gone AWOL. Site is gone, all download links fail.CheersShad(Edit) - after much surfing, I finally found it by serching by filenamehttp://www.digit.pl/ftp/download/pc_949/g2k_install_se.exe

>Grabber2k seems to have gone AWOL. Site is gone, all download>links fail."Here we go a 'googling,Among the leaves so greenWill we find the Grabber,Or is it never to be seen?"I'm happy that you found it. The last time I went looking for it, I found it on the Ohio State University's website. I guess the author got tired of answering questions... ;)I've tried EVERY "screen grabber" utility that's available, and have never found one that could do as much as "Grabber 2k" can do... :)

You know, I had often considered "drawing" with gmax as I simply do not have the talent to draw with an illistration program like Photoshop. However that is beginning to change as I have been exploring the potential of GIMP (can you say impressed?) and a lot of what I thought I could not do, is actually fairly easy. (PSP 5.1 does not have any bump mapping capability and its filters are limited).I took a look at the 3D artwork on www.povray.org and all I can say is ... wow. Drawing with 3D is incredible. So, like you it seems, I am discovering that many tools are required to create my desires. Makes sense in retrospect. One does not make a china cabinet with a hammer alone.CheersShad