Creating a Kollsman window in an altimeter

Help and techniques for creating Air Manager Instrument Graphics

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ravenx
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2018 12:08 pm

Creating a Kollsman window in an altimeter

#1 Post by ravenx »

Hi All,

I am trying to learn SkinMan and create an altimeter. Unfortunately, this altimeter needs a Kollsman window inserted in the dial. Does anyone know how to create the shape, shown in the attached file, in SkinMan?

Regards,
Ray
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Ralph
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Re: Creating a Kollsman window in an altimeter

#2 Post by Ralph »

Create a circle, change the angles and then for the round piece on the left put in a '- shape' circle.

JackZ
Posts: 2262
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2016 1:02 pm

Re: Creating a Kollsman window in an altimeter

#3 Post by JackZ »

Sure!
My advice is to use Boolean operations, this is where Skinman really shines over other programs.
1- Create a Circle (use the Ellipse Tool, make sure that both Size parameters are equals to have a perfectly round shape, modify if needed), whose diameter is the size of the external diameter of your Kohlsmann shape. Make it black and play with the Start & Stop parameters to have it look like a piece of a pie (60/120 is a good guess)
2- Create another circle, whose diameter is the size of the internal diameter of your kohlsmann shape. Place this circle exactly at the same center as the first one (actually the Pie part) so it overlaps it (use Pos coordinates for fine tuning). No need to change it’s color, I even recommand to let it in this salmon like color to know at a glance that this shape is a Boolean operator. This circle with be the Boolean operator that we will use to remove parts of the first shape.
3-in the Tree window on the right, select the second ellipse item (the text), then while holding the left mouse button, place this second ellipse text item over the first one. If done correctly the second ellipse should appear as “linked” to the first one (like a child in a genealogical tree). One can tell the link is done properly if the second text item is slightly indented to the right.
4- With the second text item still selected, go to the Properties pane on the left, select the Operation drop down menu and choose “Shape-“ (Shape minus).

Voilà! The second shape is substracted from the first.
———
Note: you can then reuse the resulting shape to act itself as a Boolean operator on the altimeter round background, so the whole Kohlsmann window will be removed from the main background , and this part of the background will be with a transparent hole in it.
To do so, same process: create a big black round circular background, position your kohlsmann shape (the two imbricated ellipses) over your circular background, then select the first ellipse text of your kohlsmann shape in the tree view and place it over the big ellipse. There are two children shapes , the already imbricated one will follow its parent shape.
Then apply to the first “child” a “Shape-“ operation, and reset the second child operation mode to “Normal”. This is because properties spread across children, so Shape- and Shape- in a row is not working.
A final note : Never erase the boolean operator shape(s), this is a real time process, the Boolean operation remains as long as the child shape exist. But you can adjust the position of the Boolean operator in real time and actually see the changes. Really cool.

Sorry I am away from my PC right now, so no images, but I’m pretty sure you’ll understand.
Check my Skinman tutorials for removing the bezel of existing instruments somewhere in the forum to have more detailed explanations.

Jacques
My YouTube Chanel on the A320 (Real SOPs by an Airline Pilot IRL):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 0Q6SBASRqJ

ravenx
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2018 12:08 pm

Re: Creating a Kollsman window in an altimeter

#4 Post by ravenx »

Fantastic :-)

Just tried it and this is exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks for the step by step guide.

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