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# #
# RCBab-10.zip: Flame/Afterburner effect control gauge #
# #
# By Rob Barendregt 20 april 2003 #
# Release 1.0 #
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This freeware gauge controls the Flame and Afterburner Effects, included
in some FS2K2 military jets.


1. Introduction
===============
Some military jets, like Dino Cattaneo's F14B-Tomcat and Peter Davies'
SU27-Flanker, include the flame and afterburner effects fx_flankerflame resp.
fx_flankerburner, defined in the [LIGHTS] section of the aircraft.cfg file.

However, to visualize these effects, you have to initiate them manually
by pressing certain Lights keys (like the key for Strobe Lights).

This gauge will automatically (de-)activate these visual effects, independantly
for both engines:
- Blue Flame 'on': If N1 > 10% (i.e. 'on' when the engine is running)
- Afterburner 'on': If the throttle position > 90%

To enable this feature, you have to change/add some lines to the [LIGHTS] section
of the aircraft.cfg, and install the gauge FlameAndAfterburnerEffectControl.xml
in the panel.cfg of your aircraft.


2. Installation
===============

1. Extract the files in this archive to your main \FS2002 folder, with Winzip's
option "use folder names" enabled.
This results in the files being placed in folder ...\FS2002\GAUGES\RCB-GAUGES\
(DON'T PUT IT IN THE MAIN \GAUGES FOLDER !!)

2. Add the gauge to the panel of your aircraft(s).

Placing the gauges in your panel is done by adding some lines to the panel.cfg
file of your aircraft, located in the ...\FS2002\AIRCRAFT\"your aircraft"\PANEL
folder. The simplest way of doing that is by using Notepad.

*** MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR panel.cfg FIRST ***

In the [Window00] section, add the line:

gauge**=rcb-gauges!FlameAndAfterburnerEffectControl, 0,0

where '**' is the next free number.

3. Editing the effects in the aircraft.cfg file

To enable the handling of the effects by the gauge, you have to edit the [LIGHTS]
section in the aircraft.cfg file. The simplest way of doing that is by using Notepad.

*** MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR aircraft.cfg FIRST ***

- For Dino Cattaneo's F14B-Tomcat (file f14bv103.zip on SurClaro.com and SurClaro).
In the aircraft.cfg, replace the whole [LIGHTS] section by (TIP: use WIndows Cut&Paste):

[LIGHTS]
light.0=1, 2.00, 0.00, 5.30, fx_beaconh ,
light.1=2, 22.60, 0.00, -1.3, fx_strobeh ,
light.2=2, -26.8, -5.3, 11.0, fx_strobeh ,
light.3=3, -31.5, 5.2, 11.0, fx_navwhih ,
light.4=3, 2.5, -8.0, 3.2, fx_navredh ,
light.5=3, 2.5, 8.0, 3.2, fx_navgreh ,
light.6=4, 17.00, 0.00, 6.0, fx_vclight ,
light.7=4, 12.00, 0.00, 6.2, fx_vclight ,
light.8=6, -29.30, -4.50, 0.7, fx_flankerburner ,
light.9=7, -29.30, 4.50, 0.7, fx_flankerburner ,
light.10=8, -28.00, -4.50, 0.7, fx_flankerflame ,
light.11=9, -28.00, 4.50, 0.7, fx_flankerflame ,

- For Peter Davies' SU27-Flanker (file flanker.zip on SurClaro).
In the aircraft.cfg, replace the whole [LIGHTS] section by (TIP: use WIndows Cut&Paste):

[LIGHTS]
light.0=1, -23.8, 8.20, 16.00, fx_beaconh ,
light.1=1, 5.50, 0.00, -0.500, fx_beaconb ,
light.2=2, -23.8, -8.20, 16.00, fx_strobeh ,
light.3=3, -14.33, -28.10, 1.7, fx_navredm ,
light.4=3, -14.33, 28.30, 1.7, fx_navgrem ,
light.5=6, -31.30, -4.80, -0.3, fx_flankerburner ,
light.6=7, -31.30, 4.80, -0.3, fx_flankerburner ,
light.7=8, -29.90, -4.80, -0.3, fx_flankerflame ,
light.8=9, -29.90, 4.80, -0.3, fx_flankerflame ,


If you want to do this for other aircraft, or if you want to understand how this [LIGHTS]
definition works, read section 3.


3. How the [LIGHTS] definition works.....
==========================================
You can use this gauge for any 1/2 engine military jet, by redefining the [LIGHTS] section.

A line in the [LIGHTS] section is defined as follows:

light.number = type, long, lat, vert, effect,

where:
number = the index number of the effect (0 - 18)
type = the effect type (1 - 9)
long = the longitudinal position of the effect (in feet, relative to aircraft center)
lat = the lateral position
vert = the vertical position
effect = the name of the effect file (*.fx in the \fs2002\effects folder)

The effect types defined by Microsoft are:
1 = beacon light
2 = strobe light
3 = navigation/position light
4 = cockpit light
5 = landing light
6 = taxi light
7 = recognition light
8 = wing light
9 = logo light

These types are coupled to FS2K2 events and to the key assignments you find in FS2K2.

My gauge uses types 6-9, to control the flame/burner effects:
6: afterburner, engine 1
7: afterburner, engine 2
8: blue flame, engine 1
9: blue flame, engine 2

So, to add this effect control to other aircraft:
- Add the gauge FlameAndAfterburnerEffectControl.xml to the panel.cfg
- If the aircraft.cfg already uses these flame/burner effects:
Edit the corresponding lines with new types (6 and 8 for Engine-1, 7 and 9 for
engine-2 if the aircraft has two engines)
- If the aircraft.cfg does not already use the flame/burner effect (and if the aircraft
has no burner effect in it's model yet):
- Add the four lines (two for one engine aircraft) to the aircraft.cfg, for resp.
type 6,7,8 and 9.
- In these lines, change the long, lat and vert position as appropriate for your
aircraft. Just experiment yourself to find the correct values; you don't want to
have the flame and afterburner effects coming from your gear :-).



4. Additional remarks
=====================

1. Don't use this gauge for jets that have a true Afterburner control (like the
FSD T-38). My gauge assumes that the jet has no Afterburner function implemented;
it shows the Afterburner effect when the throttle position is > 90%, not when an
Afterburner key/switch is activated.
2. This archive doesn't include the files fx_flankerburner.fx and fx_flankerflame.fx.
You have to install a jet that includes these (like Dino's of Peter's jet)
3. I don't know of any aircraft that uses effect type 7,8 and 9.
However, some aircraft implement type 6 (Taxi lights) in their aircraft model. Which
means that the Taxi lights are set 'on' when the engine-1 afterburner is set 'on'.
4. The effects are only made visible if you at least once go into Cockpit mode with
the main panel window enabled (the gauge is not active before the main panel is loaded)
5. Due to a misterious 'bug' in FS2K2, effects are not always loaded when you select
an aircraft in FS2K2. I have made a workaround, which enables the effects control only
5 seconds after the aircraft is selected. Which seems to work always :-)



5. Credits
==========
Many thanks to:
- Dino Cattaneo and Peter Davies for their great jets.
- The author of the effect files fx_flankerflame and fx_flankerburner (who ??)



6. Copyrights and Disclaimer
============================
This gauge is freeware, and available for your personal use.
They may NOT be sold, re-distributed, or (re-)uploaded to another website
(in ANY shape or form) without my explicite, written permission.

If you want to bundle this gauge with your (freeware !!) panel, you
may do so AFTER my written permission, provided you include this
README file AS-IS, without modification.

And obviously, installing & using this gauge is at your own risk !!



I hope you enjoy using this gauge.
And I'm always open to questions, or suggestions for improvement.
(no guarantee that I will make them though).
But PLEASE, before asking me questions, make sure that the answer can not
be found in this Readme file.


Rob Barendregt, The Netherlands
Email: rc.barendregt@planet.nl

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