Newsgroup: it.comp.giochi.simulatori.volo
Titolo: FS98 more real (finally !)

Hi guys !
I am currently running FS98 on a PC and ......
Controlling all parameters on a secondary PC and .....
Showing all radio settings on a series of 8 devices with numeric led
display and settings knobs !
This is accomplished using a small (80Kb) gauge file I have realized
using Panel SDK.
This project start with this gauge file (which I will distribute soon
for free) that establishes a "Standard proposal" for interfacing
everything you want to FS98 via RS232 connections.
Actually, using 2 serial port and old Pentium 75, you can make your own
cockpit very, very real. It is extremely simple to realize a "Flight
Management System" using ONLY Visual Basic !
Also I have realized a simple VXD (Virtual device driver for Windows)
that permit you to connect simple switches (up to 80) to a standard
parallel port and making this switches acting as any command (or
sequence of) to FS98.
Finally, accordingly to an Italian electronics specialist staff, I will
start selling "radio" devices for FS98.
The final target of this project is to give all of us the opportunity to
realize home cockpits WITHOUT use of any pc keyboard or mouse. (Have you
ever seen a floating mouse or a full 104-key keyboard on a CESSNA or a
B737 ?).
The purpose of this message is to stimulate your response and deciding
if I have to continue or still use this project only at my home.
Any suggestion will be appreciate.
Thank you in advance.
Marco Pellegrini

 wrote:
: This is accomplished using a small (80Kb) gauge file I have realized
: using Panel SDK.
: Also I have realized a simple VXD (Virtual device driver for Windows)
: that permit you to connect simple switches (up to 80) to a standard
: parallel port and making this switches acting as any command (or
: sequence of) to FS98.
Marco,
That VXD, if published with technical specs on the API calls, would do a
great service to the Flight SIm community. In fact, if implemented in a
free fashion, it would catch the attention of add-on developers like AETI.
If hobbyists could build working cockpits in their homes, and run the
flight screen in full screen mode, it would create a market for pre-built
cockpits all it's own. 
I'd like to see a standard track started for a API for all flight sims
like this. Unforunately, Microsoft would too, and it's called DirectPlay.
Good luck, I think releasing the VXD with a whitepaper to 
flightsim.com
would be a terrific start.
Dos Equis
Flying Pigs
www.flyingpigs.com

 Snip ------ >


    It sounds really cool! Do you have a site where I can see something
about your work?
    Italians do it better =)
    CIAO!
        Francesco Gradozzi
-------------------------------
 
f.gra...@mercurio.it
        ICQ: 2453107
        Flight Simulator in Italia:
 
http://www.fsi.terabyte.it
 
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/3156
        "Un chilometro di strada non porta da nessuna parte, un chilometro
di pista porta ovunque..."

display and settings knobs !
-------cut--------
I'm really impresed about that. I'm sure that I could be one of your
customer in the future.
Have any picture of this stuff ?
Bye
Have a bandit day!
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     Valerio Fioretti - ITALY
            Tallyho!!!
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E-mail:     
v.fio...@mercurio.it
ICQ:      2168456
TMA&TCA Pilot:     2182
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