Acs GPS
Acs GPS
Acs GPS
DESCRIPTION
----------ACS-GPS is a versatile set of GPS gauges. You should find a version suitable
for almost every kind of aircraft. V1, V2, V4 are CRT-like gauges. V3 is a
replacement gauge for the standard FS98 Bendix Transponder gauge which offer
both transponder and GPS functions. KLN90B is a custom gauge which was
With this version, I made the effort to include a basic "Tutorial.txt" which
should put a newcomer on the right track about what to do to include new
windows and gauges into a panel. Sorry, but this document is not a complete
detailed course on how to modify panels! However, with the basic information's
it contain, you should normally be able to discover the rest on your own.
If you do not have the courage to plunge into panel editing, you can found
a lot of nice panels on Internet which feature ACS-GPS.
Gauge V3 was designed with the meaning to facilitate implementation in the
case it can take the place of FS98 "Bendix_King_Radio.Xpndr.gau". Here after,
an example on how to do that:
Let say we want implement ACS-GPS98-V3 on the FS98 Cessna Skylane 182S panel:
Please open file "panel.cfg" for this aircraft with a simple text editor
like the NotePad (File location: YOUR-FS98-INSTALLDIR\AIRCRAFT\C182\PANEL).
Seek for the line:
gauge04=Bendix_King_Radio.Xpndr, 0, 188
Edit the file this way:
;gauge04=Bendix_King_Radio.Xpndr, 0, 188
gauge04=ACS.GPS98-V3, 0, 188
Save your work and go on !!!
Now, when you will fly your Cessna Skylane 182S and you press on the button
to display the radio stack, you will see ACS-GPS98-V3 instead of the Bendix
Transponder. To know how to use it, read chapter "USAGE OF ACS-GPS98-V3".
This simple way of doing should always work. The only problem, with custom
panels using a very small sized version of Transponder will be you cannot
read anymore the GPS gauge.
IMPORTANT !!! Do not forget a gauge is NOT ACTIVE if the windows using it is
not displayed. Therefore, when GPS is linked to autopilot, THE RADIO STACK
WINDOW MUST REMAIN OPEN IN ORDER THE GPS CAN CONTINUE TO CONTROL AIRCRAFT.
You may also test ACS-GPS KLN90B with the same method on the same panel:
This time, seek for the line:
gauge01=Bendix_King_Radio.Nav_Comm_2, 0, 57
Edit the file this way for original CRT version:
;gauge01=Bendix_King_Radio.Nav_Comm_2, 0, 57
gauge01=ACS.GPS98-KLN90B_CRT, 0, 57
Or for alternative LCD version, this way:
;gauge01=Bendix_King_Radio.Nav_Comm_2, 0, 57
gauge01=ACS.GPS98-KLN90B_LCD, 0, 57
Of course, this implementation remove an important gauge. But this is just a
test to let you try the gauge.
is identical
the "pixel
full screen
to 186.
The first line on the GPS gauge is the title. It is also the hidden button
to launch the ACS-GPS data Manager extension, which let you create and
manage as many GPS program you want. Read "readmeDA.txt" for a full detailed
description of this extension. In the case you uninstall the data Manager,
this hidden button will let you simply reload data file. When the gauge
is loaded by FS and if a valid ACS-GPS.dat is found, data will be already
be automatically loaded.
If the data file was not found or contain syntax error, the gauge will be
in data error mode. This mean all data fields will be invalid and the GPS
cannot be activated.
the id: field will indicate "ERROR" and the following line, which normally
contain the name of waypoint destination, will indicate the error. For syntax
errors, "item number" and "line number" of item will be indicated followed
by an "error number" (see here after syntax error description).
Then, we have a first group of information, between two lines. In this first
block are grouped destination waypoints information's. You can see "id:" of
waypoint, followed by a full line to indicate the "name" of waypoint. "Wpt:"
indicate which waypoint is now active (displayed). You can toggle between
"Tour" mode and "Single-Destination" mode by clicking on "Wpt:". You will
know which mode is selected by looking on how waypoint is indicated. If
indicated with the format "01/08" THIS INDICATE TOUR MODE and will also tell
you that you are on first waypoint of 8 waypoint in all. If the format is
"03-SD", you will know YOU ARE IN "SINGLE-DESTINATION" MODE with the third
item of the data file. Under the name of waypoint, two last lines of this
group, labeled "Long:" and "Lat:" indicate coordinates of waypoint. "Long:"
and "Lat:" text's are also hidden button to navigate back and forward into
GPS memory of waypoints.
Following, is the central group indicating the heading to waypoint destination
and the ETA (Estimated Time to Arrival). "HDG" label is a mouse toggle
to change between destination heading (red color) and compensated heading
(orange color) in case of wind drift compensation. "ETA" label is an other
mouse spot to display during 4 seconds, ground speed used to calculate ETA.
In the next group, we have first the distance to waypoint ("Dist to Wpt:"),
followed by the actual plane position. You can use the hidden button over
text "Long:" and "Lat:" of this group, to toggle the display mode of
coordinate between "Standard" or "FS98" formats.
The last group let you switch GPS between "STANDBY" and "ACTIVE" by
clicking on label "GPS status:". When GPS is in "standby", it is simply not
connected to FS98 autopilot. When switched to "active", GPS will take the
control on autopilot. Therefore you will not be able to change heading
on autopilot nor to deactivate autopilot heading. You can still switch
off autopilot. In this case, GPS will automatically be set in standby
mode. When you switch GPS back to standby, using hidden "GPS status:"
button of GPS, autopilot WILL NOT BE SWITCHED OFF. All remain "in the state"
except that now, GPS is not anymore connected on autopilot.
At least, on the right down corner, you will found the indicator of
"destination behavior". "Of" indicate "Off mode" where the GPS will be
simply returned automatically to "standby" when destination reached. "Ps"
behavior will also put GPS in "standby" but also activate FS98 "Pause".
"Ci" behavior will let the plane circle over destination. To switch
between those different modes, simply click on the indicator.
BUTTON 6
Reload data file function (if Data's Manager not used). Call the Data manager
before to reload data file when this extension is available.
BUTTON 7
No function for GPS.
BUTTON AP
GPS Mode toggle between ACTIVE (this version display "ON" or "ON W") and
STANDBY.
BUTTON SPD
Display 4 seconds ground speed instead of ETA only if a valid ETA is displayed.
BUTTON HDG
Toggle Heading display between theoretical heading to destination (red color)
and compensated heading (orange color). Will work only if aircraft is inside
a wind layer.
-----| CRSR |
---------/
\
| PREV
taken, until first non numeric char (if any). This second numeric value
is taken as "minutes.decimal" (FS98 format). Must be zero if previously
specified degrees was 180 for longitude, or 90 for latitude.
- Rest of the line will be ignored (if any).
Every line of file must be not longer than 255 characters.
this syntax mean that all following examples are legal:
E0 0
W115* 12.123456 Minutes // high precision
South latitude: 23 degree 34.28 minutes-decimal
N 46* 23.45
W118*3.8
etc...
Here are the meaning of error messages that might be returned:
ER_LineIsTooLong
100
ER_InvalidOri
101
ER_PrematureEndOfLine
102
ER_DegLongInvalid
ER_DegLatInvalid
ER_MinInvalid
ER_DegNotFound
103
104
105
106
ER_MinNotFound
107
ER_NotNumAfterPoint
ER_TooMuchRecords
ER_PrematureEndOfFile
ER_SystemIO
108
109
110
999
FINAL REMARKS
------------ATTENTION, like every other gauges in FS, if the window which carry the gauge
is not displayed, THE GAUGE IS NOT ANYMORE ACTIVE.
Gauges and Data Manager were written in Visual C++ 5.0 using the Microsoft
panel SDK reference. Internal design was programmed to be as less as possible
computing consuming and FS drawing refreshing. For example, 3D vectors
computation for heading is "ticked" to occur only every second instead of
standard 18 Hertz FS ticker.
Unfortunately, "strings" in gauge, especially with 3DFX full screen mode, are no
t
fully proportional. I mean, depending on the magnification factor of the gauge,
string may vary in size and placement onto gauge area. Therefore, for a successf
ul
panel implementation I recommend the following method:
First of all, seek the magnification factor for the gauge, according to the
resolution used in the panel, in order to have an optimal looking gauge (all str
ing
with the good size and well placed). This will determine the size the gauge must
have. Then you can design (or modify) you panel to receive the gauge.
ACS-GPS98-V1 is optimized on 1280x960 panel resolution with a magnification fact
or
of 250 and for ACS-GPS98-V2 (compact version), factor is 240.
COPYRIGHTS
---------ACS-GPS PACKAGE IS FREEWARE AND NO MONEY SHOULD EVER BE MADE WITH IT !!!
WRITTEN PERMISSION OF AUTHOR IS NEEDED TO COPY THIS PACKAGE OR PART(S) OF IT, ON
EVERY MEDIA LIKE CD-ROM, DISKETTE, BBS, INTERNET SITES ETC..., IN THE CASE USERS
MUST PAY TO ACCESS THIS MEDIA OR HAVE TO BUY IT.
I DO NOT GIVE THE RIGHT TO ANYBODY, WITHOUT MY PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION, TO USE
ANY ACSOFT PRODUCTION COPYRIGHTED FILES (SEE FILE PROPERTY OR DOCUMENTATION),
EXECUTABLE OR NOT, IN ITS ORIGINAL STATE OR MODIFIED WITH UTILITY SOFTWARES
LIKE GAUBMP.EXE, GAUMOD98.EXE ETC..., INTO A PANEL OR OTHER APPLICATIONS
INTENDED TO BE PUBLISHED, EVEN IF PUBLICATION WILL BE A FREEWARE.
CREDITS
------Thanks to Thierry HEEB, a really "big mathematics head" who create for me,
a mathematical model for the computation of GPS heading, based on "analytic
geometry in space" theory, plus a true model for wind drift compensation.
Many thanks to Olivier Guth and Jean-Pierre Bonnefon, authors of all FS2K
database files now officially integrated in this release. I am sure this
is an enhancement which will be much appreciated by all user.
Microsoft Corporation, for the publication of Flight Simulator 98+FS2K SDK.
AUTHOR
-----Alain Capt
35 ch. des Passiaux
CH-1008 PRILLY
SWITZERLAND
Tel + Fax: 41-21/ 648 38 37
E-Mail: [email protected]
URL: http://www.acsoft.ch (look on "Produits" chapter to found FS98 pages)
Have nice GPS flight with ACS-GPS !!!