1) Open Windows Explorer and Navigate to your FS2004 / Aircraft/B747_400/panel folder. (If you have FSX , Navigate to your FSX/SimObjects / Airplanes / B747_400/panel folder. 2) Make backup copy of the panel.cfg (usually I name my backup file panel_orig.cfg). This will allow you to restore all the changes if you wish to return to the default panel settings for the 747.
3) Open the panel.cfg file in notepad.
4) Open the 747_Background_640.bmp file located in the '/ B747_400/panel folder'in Windows Paint.
The '747_Background_640.bmp' is the 2D main panel bitmap and it will be defined
in the section labeled [Window00] in the panel.cfg file.
This is the image that displays when the aircraft's main 2D panel is open.
We can use this .bmp file to get the coordinates on where to place the gauges onto
the 2D panel.
Installing ISG1 Gauges into the panel.cfg file.
When installing the ISG1 gauges into the panel.cfg file, use 'isg1!' as the main gauge reference followed by the name of the sub-gauge you wish to install. Example: gaugeXX=isg1!B777_PFD_NB, 14,143,147,166 The gaugexx part refers to the gauge number in the panel window. The isg1! part is the prefix name of the main ISG .gau file. The Name the comes after the '!' symbol refers to the name of the individual sub-gauge contained within the gauge file. For a more detailed description of the sub gauges available and their names see the ISG Settings.pdf document located in your FS../isg/Docs subfolder (starting on page 15).Replace the default 747 PFD with the ISG PFD.
6) In windows paint, click on the selection tool (usually a rectangular dotted box). 7) Move the mouse cursor to the position the upper left corner of the glass part of the PFD in the bitmap. In this example I used position 14,143 for the upper left corner. 8 Click the mouse on the 14,143 position then hold the mouse down and drag it to the lower right corner. For this example I dragged it to position 147,166.
You can now use these exact same coordinates for positioning the gauge in the panel.cfg file.
14,43 for the gauges x,y position (in pixels) on the background bitmap (which is always
positioned from the bitmaps upper left corner), and 147,144 for the width and height of the
gauge.
Ok lets return to the panel.cfg file, and find the 747's PFD gauge line in [Window00]
It should look like this...
gauge11=Boeing747-400!Primary Flight Display, 1, 126
9) Replace that line with this...
gauge11=isg1!B777_PFD_NB, 14,143,147,166
(Note: If you wish to keep the original line as a reference, but not have it be used,
prefix thge line with two forward slashes '//'
//gauge11=Boeing747-400!Primary Flight Display, 1, 126
The two forward slashes tell the panel interpreter to ignore that line.
)
Note: As a reminder name of the ISG PFD is called 'B777_PFD_NB' as referenced with the
'isg1!B777_PFD_NB' panel setting. The name of all the available ISG1 sub-gauges are
in the ISG Settings.pdf document located in your FS../isg/Docs subfolder (starting on page 15).
10) Save the panel.cfg file, and reload the 747 from the aircraft menu
(Note: you do not need to leave or restart FS for this, to see the results of you editing change,
reloading the aircraft is enough for the panel.cfg changes to take effect.
You can see now on the panel, the default 747 PFD has been replaced by the ISG1 PFD.
(Note: You can repeat these same steps above for adding any ISG1 gauge to the 2D panel, just enter the
same coordinates determined by measuring the pixel position and size in Windows Paint.)
Replace the default 747 Navigation Display with the ISG ND 11) Repeat procedure in windows paint for obtaining the4 coordinates for the PFD, gauge, and get the coordinates for the ND gauge.
For this example I obtained the coordinates 188,148 for the position of the upper left
corner of the gauge, and 146, 158 for the width and height of the gauge.
12) With the new coordinates the Default PFD's line..
gauge12=Boeing747-400!Multi-Function Display, 175, 126
with this line...
gauge12=isg1!HW_B737_ND_NB, 188,148,146,158
13) Save the panel.cfg file.
When the aircraft is reloaded you can see now the default 747's ND is replaced with the ISG ND gauge.
Add the ISG1 SMITHS_FMS gauge as a popup window Usually the ISG1 FMC is added to the panel as a popup window, which can be opened and closed via a icon button placed on the main panel. 14) In the panel.cfg file, in the top section labeled '[Window Titles]' add a new line for the name of the FMC's popup window. Whatever the last window's number is in the section add 1 to it for the number of the FMC's window. In my panel.cfg file, the last window number is 06 (the Mini panel), so I made my new window number 07, and named it 'ISG1 SMITHS FMS'. [Window Titles] ... window06=Mini Panel Window07=ISG1 SMITHS FMS In FS when you open the 'Views / Instrument Panel' menu item, you will see this new window listed. 15) Scroll down in the panel.cfg file, and find the last [Windowxx] setting (In mine its [Window06]. Then add the new window section using the exact lines below. [Window07] Background_color=0,0,0 size_mm=197,271 window_size_ratio=1.000 position=0 visible=0 ident=4004 window_size= 0.350, 0.700 window_pos= 0.650, 0.200 gauge00=isg1!SMITHS_FMS_BR, 0,0,197,271 Make sure the [windowxx] number matches the number of the window Title you made for the FMS. 16) Reload the Aircraft, and go to the Views/Instrument Panel' menu and select the ISG1 SMITHS FMS menu item.
You should now see the FMS displayed in the panel.
Add the Icon Button to Open/Close the FMS 17) Return to Windows paint now to get the coordinates of where to place the Icon Button to Open/Close the FMS. In my case I selected a spot above the the default Icons, at x,y position 119,94, width and height 15,15.
18) Return to the panel.cfg file , scroll back up to [Window00] section, in the bottom of that
section, add the FMS_OPEN gauge using the obtained coordionates.
[Window00]
...
gauge58=isg1!FMS_OPEN, 119,94,15,15
(Note: The the gaugexx number needs to be unique, in my panel.cfg file the last gauge number
in the [window00] section. In my panel.cfg file the last gauge number was Gauge57 (Gps Icon)
so the new gauge I added was 'Gauge58'.)
19) Save the Panel.cfg file and reload the aircraft.
You should now be able to see the new FMS Icon on the panel. Click on the FMS Icon button
and the FMS gauge should open. Click on it again and the FMS should close.
Add the ISG1 EFIS control panel gauge as a popup window
Apply the same steps in the panel.cfg as was done to add the FMS to the panel, to add the EFIS
Control panel.
19) Add a new window title to the '[Window Titles]' section.
[Window Titles]
...
Window08=ISG1 EFIS_CTRL
20) Add a new window below the window section you added for the FMS.
[Window08]
Background_color=0,0,0
size_mm=315,310
window_size_ratio=1.000
position=0
visible=0
ident=4013
window_size= 0.500, 0.500
window_pos= 0.000, 0.000
gauge00=isg1!HW_B737_EFIS_CNTR_BR, 0,0,315,310
Again make sure the the Window number matches the number of the window title.
21) Now go back to the [Window00] section, and add a new line for the Icon Button
to Open/Close the EFIS Control panel.
gauge59=isg1!EFIS_CTRL_OPEN, 139,104,15,15
22) Save the panel.cfg file, and reload the
You should now see a new Icon for the EFIS CTRL. Click on the EFIS CTRL Icon button
to open and close the EFIS Control panel.
Add LNAV, VNAV, and TCAS functionality to the panel 23) Return to the panel.cfg file, and add the lines below to the [Window00] section. The first 2 lines add the LNAV and VNAV button on the panel (near where the FMS button as placed). gauge60=isg1!LNAV, 74,94,15,15 gauge61=isg1!VNAV, 89,94,15,15 gauge62=ISG1_TCAS!Logic, 1,1,1,1 The 3rd line adds the TCAS logic gauge to the panel. When the TCAS logic gauge is added to the Panel, pressing the TFC button on the EFIS Control panel will activate TCAS mode and you will hear the TA and RA alerts from the TCAS system, also nearby aircraft will display on the ISG Navigation display. Note make the coordinates of the TCAS gauge 1,1,1,1. A reminder, make sure the new gauge numbers are unique to that window section. 24) Save the Panel.cfg file and reload the Aircraft.
You should now see the two new Icon buttons for LNAV and VNAV.
The LNAV and VNAV buttons will not work until a Flight Plan is loaded into the FMC or
the MCU gauge.
This is pretty much all you need to add the ISG gauges and the FMC to the panel.
Below is an additional step needed if you wish to add the gauges to the Virtual Cockpit.
Add PFD and ND gauges to the Virtual Cockpit
Unlike the 2D panel, we cannot use the coordinates of the background bitmap to add a gauge to the Virtual Cockpit. You can only place gauges in the Virtual cockpit where the model designer placed a gauge surface (or a hole in the 3D model) to place a gauge. So generally this means you can usually only place a gauge in the VC where one already exists, and replace it at those approximate coordinates. Use the settings below to replace the Default 747's PFD, and ND with the ISG1 PFD and ND. [Vcockpit01] ... //gauge03=Boeing747-400!Primary Flight Display, 6, 234, 243, 267 gauge03=isg1!B777_PFD_NB, 20,260,215,230,VC //gauge04=Boeing747-400!Multi-Function Display, 286, 259, 224, 252 gauge04=isg1!HW_B737_ND_NB, 287,273,216,214,VC Notice the coordinates are close, but not exactly the same. Really this is a matter of trial and error. I started with those same coordinates but I felt I could position them better so moved them a few times till I got the fit I wanted on the panel. This is pretty much how you will have to position and size the ISG gauges in the Virtual Cockpit. Start with thye coordinates of the gauge you are replacing, and if necessary make a few adjustments till you get the positioning you want on the panel. It will; probably mean you'll need to reload the Aircraft a few times to see how things look till you get it right. 24) Save the Panel.cfg file and reload the Aircraft.
You should now see the ISG PFD, and ND added to the default 747's Virtual Cockpit.
Summary of Panel.cfg changes. Added Two popup window Titles for the FMC, and the EFIS Control panel.
Added to the main panel window [Window00], the ISG PFD, ND gauges, the
Icon button for the FMS, EFIS CTRL panel, VNAV, and LNAV. Also added
the TCAS logic gauge.
Added two new window sections for the FMS and EFIS Control panel. And (optionally) added the ISG
PFD and ND to the Virtual Cockpit.
The steps taken in this tutorial can be applied to most aircraft models, the only real difference
will the the coordinates used to position and size the gauges. Editing panel.cfg
files is still a bit of a trial and error process. Every Aircraft panel is different therefore
no one setting will work on all aircraft models.
For easier panel editing, I do recommend the FS Panel studio product. It has a drag and drop
interface that lets you visually see how the gauge will be positioned and placed on the panel,
and is a far less tedious process of getting coordinates by selecting parts of the panel bitmap
as we've done here in this tutorial.
www.fspanelstudio.com
FS Panel studio is a payware product, but if you plan on editing a lot of panels its well worth
the asking price.