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ADDMAN.TXT -- Compiled by Bryant Arnett [70303,666]
A text file of discoveries made by members of the FSFORUM about features
of Flight Simulator and Aircraft and Scenery Designer that aren't included
in the manuals, or at least that aren't described CLEARLY...
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Yo, dudes...Here it is!  The text file that adds to your current FS4 and ASD
documentation with tips and clarifications that aren't included in the manuals!
 
Be sure to also take a look at the READ.ME files that come with the programs
to find out the latest changes to the printed documentation.
 
In this file I will try to describe some of the little known features,
and to clarify some things that DO appear in the ASD manual, but which
are not really described very well. Thanks to the members of the
Compuserve Flight Simulation Forum who made these discoveries.  Also,
thanks to those who answered my recent call for help in gathering this
info.  Namely: James Shrubsall, Rick Lee, Jeff Horrocks, Jim Ross, and
Don Thayer.  I'm doing this (mostly) from memory, so please forgive any
errors or omissions.
                                  -Bryant Arnett (70303,666)
 
 
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To create a smooth panning view out of the cockpit, try these keys:
 
        Shift+Backspace      -   Pan upward
        Shift+Enter          -   Pan downward
        Alt+Shift+Backspace  -   Pan left
        Alt+Shift+Enter      -   Pan right
        *,/,or Scroll Lock   -   Exit panning mode, reset to front view
 
 
 
For a finer control over throttle settings:
 
        Use the mouse for throttle.  First hit the right mouse button
        to exit the Pointer mode and enter the Control Yoke mode.  Then
        hold down the left button to control the throttle.  Using the mouse
        will change the throttle by about 7rpm.  Using the keyboard changes
        the throttle by about 50rpm!
 
 
 
To get an instant "full screen" view from the cockpit:
 
        Hit the "[" key twice rapidly, then hit the "S" key three times,
        then hit the "[" again.  To reset, hit the Asterisk or the Scroll
        Lock keys. This only works if you have previously selected "Full
        Screen External Views" from the (2) Views Menu.
 
 
 
If you find yourself in a strange attitude while slewing and wish to right
yourself, or if you want to find true North:
 
        Hit the ALT key while slewing.  This will set you to a straight and
        level attitude pointing toward true North. You may have to press the
        key a couple of times to make this work.  This is actually in the
        manual, but several people have mentioned it so I included it.
 
 
 
You CAN make a SubLOGIC Scenery Disk become the default (start-up) scenery:
 
        First find the file in your flight sim directory called F1 (this
        is the original default scenery) and rename it DEFAULT.SCN. Then
        find the Scenery Disk file that you wish to make the new startup
        scenery (for example: SD-12.SCN) and rename it F1 (without
        extension).  This file will now load as the background scenery
        whenever you start Flight Simulator.  You can still access the
        original default scenery by hitting CTRL+E and selecting DEFAULT
        from the scenery library.
 
 
 
If your start-up mode places you in an area that is shared by more than one
ASD scenery file, and you wish to designate which of these files will load:
 
        Manually load the ASD scenery file that you would prefer to have
        load. Then go to the Preferences menu in the Static Scenery Design
        menu.  Hit ENTER and then S to save the settings.  This will make
        the currently selected scenery file the "default" ASD scenery.
 
 
 
You CAN change design preferences while editing scenery!
 
        While in the Scenery Edit menu (actually drawing scenery, that is),
        hit the "/" key and the Design Preferences menu will come up.
        You can now specify a new location, change grid size, make the
        cursor bigger, or make several other changes.  Then hit ESC and you
        are right back to editing the scenery with the changes you made
        still in effect.  This is especially handy for setting your position
        directly, if you know the coordinates (or Latitude/Longitude)
        of points you wish to add. You can even jump to the next point
        in a road, line, polygon, etc. by specifying a coordinate
        location.
 
 
 
Yes, it is possible to view scenery from almost any angle while creating it:
 
        When you are creating or editing scenery there are two viewing
        modes available to you: EDIT and PREVIEW.  The EDIT mode places
        your viewpoint above the object, looking straight down at it like
        a map.  The PREVIEW mode puts you into a merry-go-round like spin
        around the object, allowing you to see it from all sides but making
        you sick in the process.  What the ASD manual doesn't tell you
        is that while you are in the edit mode, you are actually free to
        move around and view your scenery from any angle.  First, hit the
        Z key so that the object and viewpoints are NOT locked.  Then hit Y
        so that the movement keys will move the VIEWPOINT only.  Now hit the
        asterisk key followed by a direction key on the numeric keypad (just
        as you would to look around from inside the cockpit of your plane),
        and you are no longer staring straight down at the ground!  Use the
        normal slew keys to position yourself for an optimum viewing angle.
        Unfortunately, some slew keys are not working in this mode.  The pitch
        controls don't work, and you can not freeze your ascension/descension
        with the function keys.  Also I've noticed that mountains look flat
        when viewed from this mode, until you ENTER them.
        Be sure not to move the cursor out of view, or you may
        find your viewpoint locking itself to it!
        It is important that the object and viewpoints not be locked, or
        you will just be moving the object point around beneath you
        as you try to maneuver into a good viewing angle.  Also, if you have
        the position indicator activated, it will be visible out the front
        view.  This can come in handy when you need to line yourself up
        with distant objects, or when pointing lines toward the absolute
        horizon.
 
 
 
Don't attempt to move an existing VOR in the Edit menu.
 
        If you do, it will get screwed up.  Delete the existing VOR and
        create a new one in the proper location, rather than attempt to move
        it.  The DME will work but the OBI will not.
 
 
 
If your mountains have peaks that you KNOW are at the correct height
above Sea Level, but they appear too tall or short:
 
        Mountains are drawn to take into account the Base altitude.  This is
        designated by the nearest runway's altitude, so if the nearest runway
        is at 1200 feet MSL and you try to set a mountain peak that is
        1300 feet MSL, your mountain will only appear to be 100 feet tall!
        To remedy this, place a dummy runway at the mountain location and
        set it's altitude to the desired mountain base altitude.
        Make the runway the same color as the ground so it will not show
        up in the scenery.  You must specify the ground elevation BEFORE
        adding the mountain peaks.  You cannot change it after adding
        the peaks.
 
 
Some points about points:
 
        In order to change, move, or delete points,
        you use TAB to scroll through the points (or SHIFT+TAB to
        scroll backwards) until you find the point
        you wish to change, then hit P again to actually
        SELECT the point.  Now you can move the point in the normal way
        or press DELete to delete it.  This is especially handy when you are
        creating mountains, since moving a peak around allows you watch the
        facets (or sides) of the mountain mutate until they look just
        right.  Hitting INSert ("add a point after") lets you create a new
        point between the currently selected point and the next point in
        order.  For example: if you are creating a long river and decided
        you wanted to put a new bend right in the middle, TAB to the point
        right before the desired bend, hit P to select the point, then hit
        INS and you will be able to create your bend from that point.
        Hit INS again to add the new points, then hit DEL to exit this mode and
        select a new point.  Hitting INS doesn't actually ADD a point,
        it just allows you to BE ABLE to create a new point from the one you
        have selected.  Using this method of adding, selecting, moving,
        and deleting points, you should be able to mold all
        the points of a line, road, poly, mountain, etc.
        until it is just the way you want it before
        actually adding the object to your scenery with the ENTER key.
        You can even go back and change the points of a mountain base
        AFTER adding the peaks!  Note, however, that once an object has
        been added to your scenery, you won't be able to go back and edit
        the individual points again.  All the objects that are drawn with
        points can only be DELETED or MOVED later!
 
 
 
If you have never understood the "Skip and Start New Line" feature
(as I know I didn't for a long time):
 
        The S key allows you to draw several objects (roads, lines, polys
        and rivers) and only count them as one object.  For example, if
        you plan ahead, you could actually add all the roads for a small
        town as ONE road.  Of course, if you wanted to move or delete
        one part of it later, you would have to perform the function
        on the entire object.  However, this method uses A LOT less memory.
        Let us say you are drawing two straight lines: Make the points for
        the first line, hit S, and then move to the location where you
        want the second line to begin and then draw it in.  When you hit
        ENTER, both lines will be added to your scenery with far less
        memory taken than if both lines had been entered separately.
 
 
 
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If anyone has more to add, drop me a note and I'll update this file.
 
 
