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Release Notes for Gimboid's Component Editor Ver 0.73
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Created by Phillip Shaw
Version 0.73 compiled on 30/3/2002


Any comments, suggestions, etc should be directed to:

		 gimboid101@yahoo.com


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INSTALLATION
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Make sure the program EXE is in the SE4 Data directory, or a directory with TechAreas.txt, Abilities.txt and Components.txt files in it.

Program will have an error and not work at all if the above files are not present.

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PROGRAM USE
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Upon program loading, the components.txt file is read in and displayed in the listbox in the program. From that point on during program operation, any changes or additions to the components listed are saved to the COMP.txt file, and the program component listing is updated as any changes are made to that.

When you press the edit button it edits the component details for that component and the changes are saved TO THAT COMPONENT. 

If you wish to copy the details of one component and then create a new component with extensions to the component copied then press the copy item on the menu when in the edit component mode, then click cancel. Click the new component button and select YES when propmted to load the data that was copied from the other component.

Clicking Add component from the edit or new component screens will result in the component being created. New components are added to the bottom of the list and are added in the order they are created.

Component order for the listing of components can be changed at will by using the order changing buttons in centre right-hand side of screen.

After use of component order changing buttons (moving up or down, by 1 or 10 places) please ensure to press the Save Movements button in lower righthand corner of program screen otherwise order changes may be lost and components could be in the position they were originally before they were moved.


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Program is only compatable with Gold version 1.60 of SEIV. Can be modified for use with 1.49 (email me if u would like this)
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FEATURES
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-> Ability to visually browse current components in data file as well as view and edit the data fields associated with each of them.

-> Ability to add and delete components at will from listing of components.

-> Ability to move an existing or newly created component up and down the list of components.

-> Program can copy and paste component data values for easy extention of exiting components (such as PP6, etc).

-> Can browse weapon and component families to see which components belong to which familes, and see which family numbers are already in use.

-> Creation of valid components following correct format for use in the components.txt file, program reads in the current components.txt file then appends the newly created component to another file, so that the original data is not overwritten.

-> Editor takes note of any abilities and tech requirements that the component should have, it does not check whether there are that many levels of that tech or if the ability values are too high.

-> Allows maximum of 9 tech requirements and/or 9 abilities to the component that is being added.

-> Editor takes note of weapon type and adds or does not add the relevant weapon details to the component in the file.

-> Ease of selection for weapon sound by use of standard file selection dialog.

-> Can be used with modded versions of components.txt, abilities.txt and techareas.txt

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NOTES / FUTURE PROGRAM EXPANSION
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- Display of pic once a valid pic number is entered into the pic number field and/or display the combined pic with all components and let the user select the picture graphically then display it in dedicated space in the middle bottom of the program screen.

- Playing of current weapon sound selected.

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Known bugs
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Organic armor and crystalline armor do not correctly display their value 1 and 2 descriptions they both have. Other then that the ability details are correct so it will not affect component creation as it is only a graphical bug. 
[My Thanks to PsychoTechFreak for bringing this one to my attention]

If you find any more please post a message on Shrapnel SEIV forums, or email me directly.


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History
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0.73 - Incorporated weapon and component family browsing

0.71 - Added sound selection dialog and button to play sound (will be implemented later)

0.69 - Manually added Launch drones ability to abilities available to be added to a component

0.67 - Checked over version compatability and made minor program tweaks to speed up some operations.

0.65 - Added component movement buttons, so user can change component order in list

0.62 - Fixed updating of current selection after editing a component, and other selection updates.

0.61 - Fixed minor bugs in data swap when deleting components from list

0.57 - Implemented delete feature on main component listing.

0.53 - Added copy and paste feature to program

0.51 - When new component is added, it is also added to the list of components editable. All associated data values are saved as well. Editing of existing components now saved to the component that was being edited.

0.50 - Fixed new component adding now allows correct modification of weapons data fields

0.49 - Fixed display bug in weapons fields when creating new component.

0.48 - Reinstated component writing for use with adding an edited component.

0.45 - Various tweaks and bug fixes to remove errors in data handover and display.

0.40 - Major overhaul of data passover methodology to allow for browsing and editing of components.

0.38 - Changed program design to load different dialog which displays all current components.

0.35 - Program creates a new components.txt file (called COMP.txt) with the new component added to the end of the list.

0.34 - Instead of hard coded tech areas and abilties for drop lists, it now uses the information read in from abilities.txt and techareas.txt, making it adaptable to non standard versions of these files.
