How do I edit aircraft panels and gauges in FS2004?

To edit aircraft panels and gauges in FS2004, back up the aircraft’s panel folder, open its panel.cfg in a plain-text editor, and change the appropriate [WindowXX] or [VCockpitXX] section. Add gauges through numbered gaugeXX= entries, install the required .gau or .cab files, save, then reload the aircraft.

What does panel.cfg control?

The panel.cfg file controls panel windows, background artwork, gauge selection, instrument position and size. It does not contain the operating code of a compiled gauge.

Panel artwork normally resides in the panel folder. If you edit a referenced BMP, retain its original dimensions and supported BMP format unless you also intend to rebuild the layout around it.

Where is panel.cfg in FS2004?

The usual location is FS2004\Aircraft\<aircraft folder>\panel\panel.cfg, but the selected aircraft variation may use a different panel folder.

Look in the relevant [fltsim.x] section of aircraft.cfg. A blank panel= value selects the ordinary panel folder; panel=wide, for example, selects panel.wide. Use our method for backing up and validating aircraft.cfg changes before altering that selector.

Some add-ons use an aliased panel. If the local panel.cfg contains an alias= entry instead of window definitions, it points to another aircraft’s panel folder. Editing the source panel affects every aircraft using that alias.

When FS2004 is installed under a Windows-protected programme directory, an editor may refuse to save or place the changed file in a per-user VirtualStore folder. If edits appear to be ignored, compare the file being loaded with the copy you edited and use appropriate administrator permissions when replacing it.

How do I add, move or resize a gauge?

A gauge is positioned by editing its numbered entry in the panel section where it should appear.

1. Close FS2004 and make a backup. Copy the complete panel folder before changing anything. If you are adding files to the main Gauges folder, record exactly which files are new.
2. Confirm the active panel. Check the aircraft variation’s panel= value and whether the panel is aliased.
3. Install the gauge components. FS2004 gauges commonly arrive as compiled .gau files or XML gauges packaged in .cab archives. The main FS2004 Gauges folder is the usual destination. Keep a CAB intact unless its documentation specifically says to extract it, and copy any required artwork, sounds or configuration files to their documented locations.
4. Choose the target section. Use a [WindowXX] section for a 2D panel or pop-up. Use [VCockpitXX] only when the aircraft model already provides a virtual-cockpit gauge surface.
5. Add or edit the gauge line. Give every gauge in that section a different sequential number, starting with gauge00. Do not reuse an existing number.
6. Save as plain text. Keep the filename as panel.cfg; do not let the editor append .txt.
7. Reload the aircraft. Selecting another aircraft and returning may reload the panel, but restarting FS2004 is the more reliable check after installing a compiled gauge.

What does a gauge entry mean?

A typical entry looks like gauge07=MyGaugePack!GaugeName, 420, 180, 80, 80.

• MyGaugePack identifies the gauge container, normally without its .gau or .cab extension.
• GaugeName is the instrument’s exact internal name.
• 420, 180 gives the horizontal and vertical position from the section’s upper-left corner.
• 80, 80 gives the displayed width and height.

Those coordinates use the virtual canvas declared by size_mm=, not your monitor’s pixel resolution. If gauges are shifted, stretched or partly outside the panel, check size_mm before trying random coordinates.

The Mouse-As-Yoke package provides a practical panel.cfg example, while the GPWS add-on illustrates a compiled-gauge installation. Use their supplied gauge names and paths rather than guessing them.

How do I create a new pop-up gauge window?

A new pop-up needs both a title entry and a matching window section.

Add the next unused WindowNN=Descriptive Name line under [Window Titles], then create the matching [WindowNN] section. That section normally needs size_mm=, a position or window location, visible=0, a unique ident= value and at least one gaugeXX= line.

The order under [Window Titles] controls the panel menu and Shift-number shortcuts, so avoid renumbering existing windows without a reason. If you want to replace the complete cockpit rather than add one instrument, follow our replacement-panel folder and gauge installation procedure instead.

Should I edit WindowXX or VCockpitXX?

Use [WindowXX] for 2D panels and [VCockpitXX] for instruments drawn onto an existing virtual cockpit.

Adding a new [VCockpitXX] section cannot create a physical instrument surface in the 3D model. If the model has no suitable mapped polygon, the gauge will not appear correctly regardless of its panel configuration.

Why is an FS2004 gauge blank or missing?

Blank or missing gauges usually result from an incorrect gauge name, a missing dependency, the wrong panel section or an incompatible module.

• Only one gauge is missing: verify the container name, internal gauge name and required files. One character wrong after the exclamation mark is enough to prevent loading.
• The entire panel is missing: check the active panel= selection, alias target and section headings. A damaged [Window Titles] block can remove windows from the panel menu.
• The gauge exists but is off-screen: inspect its x and y coordinates against size_mm. Temporarily use a smaller size and central coordinates to confirm that it loads.
• The 2D gauge works but the virtual-cockpit gauge does not: the chosen [VCockpitXX] section may map to a different texture area, or the model may lack a compatible gauge surface.
• FS2004 shows a module trust prompt: permit only a gauge from a source and package you trust. A rejected module cannot display.
• The aircraft crashes while loading: restore the backup and add gauges one at a time. Gauges built for another simulator or requiring unavailable components may not be compatible with FS2004.
• Saved edits have no effect: restart FS2004, check for an aliased panel and look for a second copy created through Windows VirtualStore.

Can I edit the gauge itself?

A compiled .gau file cannot be edited through panel.cfg or a text editor. Panel configuration changes only its placement, dimensions and any supported parameters.

XML gauges may be editable when their source files and licence permit modification, but changing their calculations, graphics or mouse actions requires XML gauge knowledge and correct repackaging. Keep the original archive untouched so you can return to a known working version.

How do I restore the original FS2004 panel?

Restore the backed-up panel folder and remove only the gauge files you added, provided no other aircraft uses them. If there is no backup, reinstall that aircraft or its original panel package rather than trying to reconstruct a complex panel.cfg from memory.