I have a freeware FS9 panel where the gauges do not appear in FSX. The gauge file is a C .GAU file, in the 'cluster' format (not the FS98 format, which I know doesn't work in FSX).What may be stopping the gauge appearing in FSX, and is it possible to fix it by hacking it in a hex editor?

Contact the original gauge author for an update.Patrick

I'm afraid that that isn't possible, for reasons which I can't explain here.

>What may be stopping the gauge appearing in FSX, and is it>possible to fix it by hacking it in a hex editor?Probably not. If the gauge is "abandonware," it may be possible to extract the bitmaps and either rebuild it in C, or XML. Hex-editing simply is very unlikely to prove successful, since there's really no way to know just what in the code is causing the problem...

>I'm afraid that that isn't possible, for reasons which I>can't explain here.No need for mystery.A request like this (hex editing) with all the mystery seems more like you are trying to hack someone's work.Really, if you want help, you would need to post more info, like the panel you are trying to edit, who's panel it is, or frankly, all you are doing is violating whatever license agreement you have to use that freeware.Just because it is free does not mean it is public domain and that you have any right to modify it in any way. The original author holds the copyright, and if you cannot contact them, then you are out of luck, it is a copyrighted work not in the public domain.

>>I'm afraid that that isn't possible, for reasons which I>>can't explain here.>>No need for mystery.>>A request like this (hex editing) with all the mystery seems>more like you are trying to hack someone's work.>>Really, if you want help, you would need to post more info,>like the panel you are trying to edit, who's panel it is, or>frankly, all you are doing is violating whatever license>agreement you have to use that freeware.>>Just because it is free does not mean it is public domain and>that you have any right to modify it in any way. The original>author holds the copyright, and if you cannot contact them,>then you are out of luck, it is a copyrighted work not in the>public domain.OK, I'll give some details...I am trying to get the Historic Jeliners Group (http://www.simviation.com/hjg/) DC-8 panel working in FSX.I am a member of HJG myself, and made HJG's Boeing 707/720 panels for FS2004 in their entirety, as well as doing a "shunt engineering" job on their FS2004 DC-8 panels - replacing the engine gauges to be specific to each marque of DC-8, as well as adding automatic smoke effects, plus water injection on the DC-8-10 (which I simulated as afterburner).I have now got the 707/720 panels working in FSX (although the new versions haven't yet been released), but DC8SW.GAU (the main gauge of the DC-8 panels) will not appear in FSX (When I tried to run the panel in FSX, the only gauge which appeared was the extra one I programmed myself). From my "shunt" job I am aware that the engine gauges use complex internal workings rather than simply reading FS variables (I ended up making my own gauge only display a background image, while the existing gauge displayed the needle).

A worthy cause. Love the old airliners myself.Not sure what you mean by shunt, but if HJG does not have the source code to the multi-gauge, yep you are pretty much sunk.Truth is that there are many things different in FSX that could result in "tricks" used in FS9 to result in a crash or failure in FSX.This is especially true when the entire way to night light gauges has really changed, although you can still do some things from the past now with SP1 again.Sounds like a re-write is in the works for you. Good news is your hired, haha.Sounds like you are a pro so should be no problem for ya.Patrick

I had the same thing happen to me (with a gauge cluster I wrote). The fix was to install new video drivers. If you have an Nvidia video card, new drivers may be in order.

>I am trying to get the Historic Jeliners Group>(http://www.simviation.com/hjg/) DC-8 panel working in FSX.George, does the DC-8 panel require FSSOUND? If so, that might be part of the problem; I don't believe I've ever gotten FSSOUND working properly in FSX.I think there are less than a dozen endpoints in FSSOUND.DLL; I wonder how possible it would be to create a new DLL that reverse-engineers FSSOUND functionality.Cheers!Luke

Yes, the DC-8 panel does use FSSOUND. However, the new gauge I added to the panel also uses FSSOUND, and it works fine whereas the old gauges don't.

I've managed to get in touch with the original author (Steve Weiher), and it looks like I might be able to get the source code after all! He suggests an FSSound problem is probably to blame too...