Custom view / camera position

druid · Post by **druid** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 2:38 pm

Another more definitive solution would be to buy OpusFSX... It's mainly a weather addon but it also has very complete view options which enables you to setup one or more views within the sim and you can make one of them the default view for that specific plane. But of course apart from definitive it's also quit an expensive solution, specially if you only or mainly buy OpusFSX for this reason...

I do agree btw that it's a bit odd this isn't a default feature in the sim itself.

jimcooper1 · Post by **jimcooper1** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 4:16 pm

It already exists, the "Custom Camera User interface"

Right-Click->Custom Camera->Save Location

Jim

druid · Post by **druid** » Tue Feb 25, 2014 4:51 am

Thanks for quick response and I now have the view I want. I assume this is unique to each aircraft ? Is it possible to assign this to joystick / keyboard shortcut ?

Thanks

Druid

jimcooper1 · Post by **jimcooper1** » Tue Feb 25, 2014 10:12 am

Quote:
Quote from druid on February 25, 2014, 04:51

I now have the view I want. I assume this is unique to each aircraft ?

Druid

Yes, it saves it in the Aircraft.cfg file

Quote:
Quote from druid on February 25, 2014, 04:51

Is it possible to assign this to joystick / keyboard shortcut ?

Yes, keyboard 'A' is the default key, press A and it will cycle through your views, this can also be assigned to a joystick button.

Jim

druid · Post by **druid** » Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:18 pm

Tried this and it saves the custom camera view until you load another aircraft or restart the sim. The custom view although saved in the previous aircraft is not permanently saved. Slightly odd ?. What I want is one button press to go to this custom view, not to toggle around several other views. All I want is a defined 3d cockpit viewpoint, the default is to high and I cannot see instruments until I pan down. Its a pain to keep doing this.

J van E · Post by **J van E** » Tue Feb 25, 2014 3:04 pm

I did what you want with the default Maule. I edited the existing right seat view that's in the aircraft.cfg. I don't need other views so that's why I edited it: you can also add a view but then you will have to make sure you renumber everything correctly. Anyway, to keep it simple: edit an existing view by opening the aircraft.cfg and change the XYZ numbers.

You can do this with the sim running: simply edit the file, save it and then reload from the plane selection screen! This will load your edits. You will have to experiment with the numbers you need. I'll try to post my own settings for that Maule later on. I btw edited/created the view because I found the original VC view was too close to the panel, so I moved myself backwards.

This new view can be accessed at all times with A (or Shift-A). I in fact saved a flight as default with my edited view selected so I don't have to change views at all anymore.

EDIT

Here I am again with my example. By editing the first view you see after pressing A, you won't have to cycle through a lot of views and usually that view is most suited too. Be sure to BACKUP the original cfg before you start editing!!!

Here is the original view of the Maule:

[CameraDefinition.001]

Title = "Right Seat"

Guid = {195EAB58-9E4A-1E2A-A34C-A8D9D948F078}

Origin = Virtual Cockpit

MomentumEffect = Yes

SnapPbhAdjust = Swivel

SnapPbhReturn = False

PanPbhAdjust = Swivel

PanPbhReturn = False

Track = None

ShowAxis = YES

AllowZoom = TRUE

InitialZoom = 0.75

SmoothZoomTime = 2.0

ZoomPanScalar = 1.0

ShowWeather = Yes

XyzAdjust = TRUE

ShowLensFlare=FALSE

Category = Cockpit

PitchPanRate=20

HeadingPanRate=60

InitialXyz=0.45, 0.0, 0.0

InitialPbh=-2, 0, 0

And there is what I edited:

[CameraDefinition.001]

Title = "Pilot Seat"

Guid = {195EAB58-9E4A-1E2A-A34C-A8D9D948F078}

Origin = Virtual Cockpit

MomentumEffect = Yes

SnapPbhAdjust = Swivel

SnapPbhReturn = False

PanPbhAdjust = Swivel

PanPbhReturn = False

Track = None

ShowAxis = YES

AllowZoom = TRUE

InitialZoom = 0.70

SmoothZoomTime = 2.0

ZoomPanScalar = 1.0

ShowWeather = Yes

XyzAdjust = TRUE

ShowLensFlare=FALSE

Category = Cockpit

PitchPanRate=20

HeadingPanRate=60

InitialXyz=0.0, 0.0, -0.1

InitialPbh=0, 0, 0

I changed the name of the view (not necessary but I like to give things proper names) and the default zoom too (to my personal preferred zoom). The important edits are the Xyz and Pbh numbers. Xyz have to do with the position (the offset from the default location in meters) and Pbh with the pitch, bank and heading. I first changed them all to zero, which resulted in the default pilot VC view and then I changed the numbers until I had what I wanted. You can see from the example that X from Xyz has to do with left and right (0.45 was the right seat and 0.0 the left seat) and z put me backwards a bit. P from Phb has to do with looking up and down: setting P from -2 to 0 made the view the same as the default pilot view.

In the end it simply is a matter of testing and seeing where it gets you. Since it can be done 'on the fly' it's pretty easy to get the view you want.

druid · Post by **druid** » Wed Feb 26, 2014 5:24 pm

J van E

Thanks for the above information which I have followed. I now have the A button producing the view I want assigned to the joystick. Is it not possible to alter the original 3d view to look down a bit. It defaults to straight ahead. In my modified A view the panning is noticeably slower and slightly jerky. Also as I repeat the A button I get a clear view ahead , then next press the default 3d cockpit. I have used fsx for years and never used the A button , only cycling through the S.

Regards

Druid

jimcooper1 · Post by **jimcooper1** » Wed Feb 26, 2014 5:57 pm

Quote:
Quote from druid on February 26, 2014, 17:24

............Is it not possible to alter the original 3d view to look down a bit......

Yes, JvanE has explained that above, the value you are looking for is the 'P' value in "initialpbh". More on this in this Forum discussion:

http://www.prepar3d.com/forum-5/?mingle ... pic&t=5246

Jim

J van E · Post by **J van E** » Thu Feb 27, 2014 1:31 pm

Quote:
Quote from druid on February 26, 2014, 17:24

Also as I repeat the A button I get a clear view ahead , then next press the default 3d cockpit. I have used fsx for years and never used the A button , only cycling through the S.

I use the keyboard to switch views so I can press A and then Shift-A to go back to the previous view again. Since you use a button you are forced to cycle through all available views. The most simple solution for this is to remove all the views you don't want/need from the aircraft.cfg! Make a note of the names of the views you are cycling through, open the aircraft.cfg and remove all views with those names. This way you only will cycle between the views you want. Afaik the original official VC view can't be edited out because it is taken from another cfg: editing that however, will change the views in ALL planes which is not what you want! Anyway, this way you should be able to make that button toggle between the default VC view and your prefered view, which is already better than cycling through them all.

druid · Post by **druid** » Fri Feb 28, 2014 1:59 pm

J van E

Thanks for the update and answering the question re default 3d cockpit view. I have done what you say and its a great work around. Its just a pity it wasn't a menu choice to save a desired view. All I want is the cockpit view and could live without all the other views. I'm sure others use them so you cant please all the people all the time.

Thanks

Druid

J van E · Post by **J van E** » Fri Feb 28, 2014 3:47 pm

Another more definitive solution would be to buy OpusFSX... It's mainly a weather addon but it also has very complete view options which enables you to setup one or more views within the sim and you can make one of them the default view for that specific plane. But of course apart from definitive it's also quit an expensive solution, specially if you only or mainly buy OpusFSX for this reason...

I do agree btw that it's a bit odd this isn't a default feature in the sim itself.