FS: How to Edit a Checkride Certificate in Paint (256619)

MORE INFORMATION

To edit the bitmap image of the certificate that you have been awarded for completing a successful Checkride, use the following methods in the order in which they are presented.

Save the Certificate as a Bitmap Image

To save the certificate as a bitmap image:

1. When you are prompted to enter your name after you successfully complete a Checkride in Flight Simulator 2000 or Flight Simulator 2002, type your name, and then press ENTER.
2. When the certificate is displayed, press ALT+PRINT SCREEN.
   
   NOTE: On most keyboards, the PRINT SCREEN key is located at the top of the keyboard to the right of the F12 key.
3. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Paint.
4. On the Edit menu, click Paste.
   
   If you are prompted to scale the bitmap image to a larger size, click Yes.
5. If you want to crop the image, do so.
6. On the File menu, click Save As.
7. In the Save in box, click the location where you want to save the file.
8. In the File name box, type a file name, and then click Save.

NOTE: Regardless of which Checkride you just completed, if you press ALT+TAB to switch back to Flight Simulator 2000 after you paste the certificate into Paint, the Private Pilot certificate is displayed. However, if you click Print on the File menu in Flight Simulator 2000 or Flight Simulaotr 2002, the certificate that corresponds to the Checkride you just completed is printed.

Edit the Bitmap Image of the Certificate

You can open the bitmap image file of the certificate in Paint from the Fs2000 or Fs2002 folder, and then edit the image in Paint. But this method requires that you type your name directly on the certificate in Paint.

To edit the bitmap image of the certificate that you have been awarded for completing a Checkride:

NOTE: The following method assumes that you installed Flight Simulator 2000 or Flight Simulator 2002 to its default path and that Paint is the default program for opening bitmap image (.bmp) files.

1. Right-click Start, and then click Explore.
2. In the left pane, double-click Program Files.
3. Double-click Microsoft Games.
4. Double-click Fs2000 or Fs2002.
5. Click the Uires folder.
6. In the right pane, double-click the .bmp certificate file that you want to open:
   
   The four certificate files that are available in Flight Simulator 2000 are:
   • Airtransp.bmp
   • Commercial.bmp
   • Instrument.bmp
   • Privatepilot.bmp
   The four certificate files that are available in Flight Simulator 2002 are:
   • Gsimgcertif_Airtransport.bmp
   • Gsimgcertif_Commercial.bmp
   • Gsimgcertif_Instrument.bmp
   • Gsimgcertif_Privpilot.bmp
   • Gsimgcertif__Solo.bmp
   NOTE: If the .bmp file does not open in Paint, press and hold down the SHIFT key as you right-click the file, and then click Open With. In the list of installed programs, click MSPaint, and then click OK.
7. On the toolbar, click A.
   
   Two new buttons should appear at the bottom of the toolbar.
8. Draw a text box over the area where you want your name to appear on the certificate.
9. On the Fonts toolbar, select a font and a font size, and then type your name.
   
   NOTE: If you click outside of the text box, you close the edit window for this text box permanently, and you are unable to continue editing this text. Make sure that you make all of the necessary changes, such as applying the transparent background in step 10, before you click outside of the text box.
10. On the Paint toolbar, click the bottom button, which features a cylinder, ball, and cube. The cube in this bottom button is enclosed in a box with a transparent background. When you click this button, you make the background of the text block transparent.
11. On the File menu, click Save As.
12. In the Save in box, click the location where you want to save the database.
13. In the File name box, type a file name such as MyCommercialCert.bmp, and then click Save.

For additional information about how to edit the bitmap image of the certificate that you have been awarded for completing a successful Checkride in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000 or Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002, please visit the following Microsoft Flight Simulator Web site: