C/C++ GAUGES

C/C++ gauges can be developed for Microsoft Flight Simulator with the Microsoft Flight Simulator Platform Toolset which installs at the same time as the SDK itself (see the Additional Tools and WebAssembly pages for more information).

 

 

Adding A Gauge To Your Project

In order to add a new gauge to your project, you simply need to create a new source file and include the "MSFS.h" header found in the "WASM" subfolder of the Microsoft Flight Simulator SDK:

You can then create a callback for your gauge as follows:

extern "C" {
    MSFS_CALLBACK bool <GAUGENAME>_gauge_callback(FsContext ctx, int service_id, void* pData)
    {
        switch (service_id)
        {
            ...
        }
        return false;
    }
}

 

The panel.cfg file must then be modified to reference your new gauge:

[VCockpit01]
size_mm=1024,768
pixel_size=1024,768
texture=TEXTURE
background_color=0,0,255
htmlgauge00=WasmInstrument/WasmInstrument.html?wasm_module=<MODULENAME>.wasm&wasm_gauge=<GAUGENAME>,0,0,1024,768,<OPTIONAL PARAMETER STRING>

 

 

Events Received By The Gauge Callback

One the gauge has been loaded by Microsoft Flight Simulator, the following events are sent to the callback function:

 

• PANEL_SERVICE_PRE_INSTALL: sent before the gauge is installed. The pData parameter points to a sGaugeInstallData structure:
  • The iSizeX member gives the width of the gauge bitmap.
  • The iSizeY member gives the height of the gauge bitmap.
  • The strParameters member gives the optional parameter string.
• PANEL_SERVICE_POST_INSTALL: sent after the gauge has been installed. The pData parameter points to a sGaugePostInstallData structure:
  • The ctx member is a pointer to the FsContext used by the gauge (it is the same as the ctx parameter provided to the callback function).
• PANEL_SERVICE_PRE_INITIALIZE: sent before the gauge is initialized. The pData parameter is null.
• PANEL_SERVICE_POST_INITIALIZE: sent after the gauge has been initialized. The pData parameter is null.
• PANEL_SERVICE_PRE_UPDATE: sent before the gauge is updated. The pData parameter is null.
• PANEL_SERVICE_POST_UPDATE: sent after the gauge has been updated. The pData parameter is null.
• PANEL_SERVICE_PRE_DRAW: sent before the gauge is drawn. The pData parameter points to a sGaugeDrawData structure:
  • The mx member gives the X-coordinate of the mouse in texture space.
  • The my member gives the Y-coordinate of the mouse in texture space.
  • The t member gives the absolute simulation time.
  • The dt member gives the time elapsed since last frame.
  • The winWidth member gives the width of the gauge bitmap.
  • The winHeight member gives the height of the gauge bitmap.
  • The fbWidth member gives the width of the gauge bitmap.
  • The fbHeight member gives the height of the gauge bitmap.
• PANEL_SERVICE_POST_DRAW: sent after the gauge has been drawn. The pData parameter points to a sGaugeDrawData structure (see above).
• PANEL_SERVICE_PRE_KILL: sent before the gauge is deleted. The pData parameter is null.
• PANEL_SERVICE_POST_KILL: sent after the gauge has been deleted. The pData parameter is null.

 

 

Handling Mouse Events

Mouse events are forwarded to your gauge through a mouse callback that is defined as follows:

extern "C" {
    MSFS_CALLBACK void <GAUGENAME>_mouse_callback(float fX, float fY, unsigned int iFlags)
    {
        ...
    }
}

 

• The fX parameter gives the X-coordinate of the mouse in texture space.
• The fY parameter gives the Y-coordinate of the mouse in texture space.
• The iFlags parameter is a combination of the various MOUSE_* flags defined in gauges.h. Supported flags are:
  • MOUSE_MOVE: the mouse cursor has moved.
  • MOUSE_LEFTDRAG: left button down.
  • MOUSE_RIGHTDRAG: right button down.
  • MOUSE_MIDDLEDRAG: middle button down.
  • MOUSE_LEFTRELEASE: left button up.
  • MOUSE_RIGHTRELEASE: right button up.
  • MOUSE_MIDDLERELEASE: middle button up.
  • MOUSE_LEFTSINGLE: left button click (sent after a down/up sequence).
  • MOUSE_RIGHTSINGLE: right button click (sent after a down/up sequence).
  • MOUSE_MIDDLESINGLE: middle button click (sent after a down/up sequence).
  • MOUSE_LEFTDOUBLE: left button click (sent after two consecutive clicks).
  • MOUSE_MIDDLEDOUBLE: middle button click (sent after two consecutive clicks).
  • MOUSE_WHEEL_UP: wheel moved up.
  • MOUSE_WHEEL_DOWN: wheel moved down.

 

 

Gauge API

A set of functions named the Gauge API can be used to access (read and/or write) several variables related to the gauges you develop. You can find more information on the page below:

• Gauge API