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Message started by LukeP on Jun 5th, 2012 at 3:04pm

Title: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by LukeP on Jun 5th, 2012 at 3:04pm
So after doing some testing I almost forgot about the EFB. I mainly fly out of EGLL (London Heathrow) so this is where I'd get my charts from - http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/public/index.php%3Foption=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=94&Itemid=143.html

You'll want -
1. Photoshop  is what I used
2. High quality charts preferably so when zooming in no blurring occurs

Now, when you go to download these charts of  NATS you'll notice it's an PDF file, which the EFB does NOT support. This is where you'll need Photoshop (probably more ways to do it but this is mine). Download the chart > Right Click > Open With > Photoshop. Now select OK. You may find the background of the Chart is transparent, not to fear! Now all you need to do is save it as a GIF, I got best results with GIF, plus the ones already in there are that file.

To save do as followed. File > Save as > Select where you want it saved too and select the file as GIF (You can try others out if you really like) > Then a boxed called "Indexed Colour" will come up, leave everything BUT make sure you UNTICK "Transparency" > Then GIF Options will pop up, leave "Row Number" as Normal then it's saved!

Next, go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes\CS_B777-200\EFB and select either folder being SID, STAR ETC. Whatever the Chart is put it in the correct folder (If the Chart is a SID put in SID Folder). Then that should be good! Easy to do after the first one, shouldn't take too long. On the NATS Charts, when zooming in you loose no quality. Not tried ones from FlightAware etc yet.

Tell me how this works for you.

Cheers!

P.S the photo is the OCK STAR for EGLL via North/West zoomed in.
EFB1.jpg (Attachment deleted)

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by Markoz on Jun 5th, 2012 at 3:46pm
Thanks for that Luke. I shall try to follow what you did. Not sure if Photoshop 7 is any good for that, but I'll try. I found a great site for Aussie charts, except that I haven't seen an en-route charts there. Yet. ;)

Mark

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by AirCanadaGuy on Jun 5th, 2012 at 3:59pm
Thank you Luke for this thread, nice website for nav charts too!

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by nomax1955 on Jun 6th, 2012 at 6:03am
Thank you, Thank you ! I needed this  :D

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by oskiatl on Jun 6th, 2012 at 1:35pm
I read in another post somewhere in the forum that, someone was able to load the charts in PDF form without photo shop! I never heard of the format you are using or that is being talked about. Could you tell me what program I would need if that is the case to load the charts. I have no experience with photo shop at all, I hope someone can  put out instructions on the procedure.

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by William_M on Jun 7th, 2012 at 6:27am
GIF is a pictures format just like JPG or BMP. I haven't tried yet but I'm pretty sure that the EFB will support JPG as well. Anyway, like Luke said, Photoshop is one way to do it but there are easier ones, especially if you're not familiar with Photoshop. Just Google "PDF to GIF" and a bunch of free website that offer conversion will pop up. When you find the one you like the most just go through their process and save the converted images within the appropriate path in FSX.

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by rservice on Jun 7th, 2012 at 8:42am
Is there a way of using Navigraph charts in the EFB. :) :)
Ron

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by nomax1955 on Jun 7th, 2012 at 12:16pm
Followed the instructions,
But it won't save to the folder.

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by hfcj on Aug 27th, 2012 at 10:27am
Thank you, I'll look into getting these charts.

hfcj

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by Lost in Isaan on Aug 27th, 2012 at 11:48pm
I open pdf in Adobe and 'save as' *.jpg. Limit your file sizes to no greater than 500K if bigger than that then you'll need photoshop to reduce the 'Image Size' to 200 pixels/inch or less.

I have not been able to convert Navigraph charts.

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by geolpilot on Aug 28th, 2012 at 6:35am

rservice wrote on Jun 7th, 2012 at 8:42am:
Is there a way of using Navigraph charts in the EFB. :) :)
Ron


Hi Ron,

I have been able to get Navigraph Charts in as follows (but you have to have a good, high resolution monitor, the larger the screen the better).

Open up NDAC, and drag the interface so it has as large a screen area as will fit on your screen.

Select the chart of your choice.

Press the PrtSc (Print Screen) button to copy the screen to clipboard.

In Paint or your favourite graphics editing program select Paste.

Select only the chart area (in newer versions of Paint select the area, press Crop)

Save the file as a .jpg or .bmp into the relevant EFB directory (I find .bmp to be clearer)

For your own personal use as a Navigraph subscriber, I do not think Navigraph would have a problem with this. But one certainly would not want to share these screen copies with anyone else, as that would be violating their terms.

I have found that the  resulting images have more than enough resolution to be very clear in the EFB, and one can zoom in a few times as well. EG on my 21" I can get around 500 X 800 pixel resolution, quite adequate.

Attached an example zoomed into YMML ARBEY 1 STAR

Robin




EFB_YMMLARBEY1.jpg (Attachment deleted)

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by rservice on Aug 28th, 2012 at 12:33pm
Thanks for the info Robin.I'll have to try this,maybe when the next revision is released.
Ron

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by signmanbob on Aug 28th, 2012 at 11:41pm
Great guide!  That will surely work good and I have Photoshop CS6 so I can handle it.
Just to let everyone know, www.FltPlan.com has all American airport charts already in .gif format.  Just register for free and go to "Charts & Maps" at the bottom right hand menu and select which airport you want.

Bob

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by bubba620 on Aug 31st, 2012 at 2:52pm
Thank you,Bob. Fltplan gif's work great without changing anything or using any software.  ;DBrian

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by signmanbob on Sep 3rd, 2012 at 4:24am
You're welcome.  ;)  Glad to help.

Title: Re: EFB: Adding your own Charts Guide!
Post by pride545 on Sep 3rd, 2012 at 8:15am

signmanbob wrote on Aug 28th, 2012 at 11:41pm:
Great guide!  That will surely work good and I have Photoshop CS6 so I can handle it.
Just to let everyone know, [url=www.FltPlan.com[/url]]www.FltPlan.com[/url] has all American airport charts already in .gif format.  Just register for free and go to "Charts & Maps" at the bottom right hand menu and select which airport you want.

Bob


If you go to the websit Bob referenced, you can save the charts in .gif format and just put them into the EFB folder in their respective folders, ie, Airport approach, etc.

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