Here's a Bendix-style GPS gauge for FS98 or CFS. It comes with 100
waypoints that represent Florida airports. Each waypoint can be reprogramed
with the included utility, explained below.
To install BENGPS, simply put the BENGPS.GAU and BENGPS.EXE files in the
\GAUGES subfolder of either FS98 or CFS. Those who know how to edit panels
may then use the gauge in any panel. Those who don't may use the included
default FS98 Cessna 182RG panel. To do so, simply copy the included
PANEL.CFG and BENGPS.BMP files to the C182\PANEL.RG subfolder of FS98 or CFS.
You may first wish to save a backup copy of the existing PANEL.CFG file.
USAGE:
The gauge interface is meant to be simple and easy to use. Mouseable
areas include an ON/OFF switch as well as > and < buttons to cycle forward
and backward through the waypoints. For faster cycling, the >> and <<
buttons respectively increase and decrease the waypoint by 10 numbers per
click. At the left end of the readout area, the waypoint distance and number
are displayed. To the right of the vertical bar are three information lines.
The top line displays the waypoint name. The middle line is a course
deviation indicator (CDI). The bottom line presents, in degrees, the
destination track (DTK) and the current track of the aircraft (TK).
REPROGRAMING THE WAYPOINTS:
The BENGPS.EXE file is the waypoint reprograming utility. Because it was
written with Visual Basic 3.0, it requires the VBRUN300.DLL file to be in
your \WINDOWS\SYSTEM subfolder. This file is widely available in such places
as the "Must Have Files" library at www.SurClaro.
As mentioned above, BENGPS.EXE must be run from the \GAUGES subfolder.
Its purpose is to modify the default waypoints and its operation is,
hopefully, pretty self-explanatory. The opening screen presents the current
values of waypoint 1. Clicking the ">" button will present waypoint 2, etc.
Clicking the "<" button will cycle backward through the waypoints (from 1 to
100, etc). An alternate method of choosing a waypoint is to enter its number
in the small white text box at the upper left corner of the screen. Clicking
the "GO" button will then present that waypoint's values. At any screen,
clicking the EXIT button will end the program. In some of my past waypoint
utilities, you needed to enter all new info each time you changed a waypoint.
With GPS100, you only need to change the numbers that will be different. You
do, however, need to enter a new waypoint name each time you "SEND" info to
the GAU file. Otherwise, the waypoint name will be blank on the gauge.
Remember to HIGHLIGHT any new numbers before clicking SEND. When the
program is run, all numbers will be "highlit" in some color. If your display
uses the "Windows Standard" settings, the numbers will be in dark blue. My
computer is set up to use "Desert" colors, so my numbers are a dark green.
NEW COORDINATE NUMBERS MUST BE LIT WITH THIS HIGHLIGHT COLOR (NOT WHITE)
BEFORE "SENDING" THEM TO THE GAUGE. Numbers can be changed either by mouse-
clicking the little up and down buttons to the right of each number, or by
clicking the number then using the keyboard arrow keys.
NOTE 1: You may rename the gauge after modifying the waypoints, but the
utility only works on a file named BENGPS.GAU.
NOTE 2: Do NOT attempt to run BENGPS.EXE while running FS98 or CFS. WINDOWS
won't allow two programs to use the GAU file at the same time.
I hereby declare this panel and gauge to be in the Public Domain. Anyone
may use them for any purpose without asking permission. You do not need to
acknowledge me as the original designer, but it would be nice. The panel and
gauge should not harm your computer in any way but, if you imagine they have,
I accept no liability.
Chuck Dome
chdome@worldnet.att.net
Visit my home page at http://home.att.net/~chdome
