Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Thanks, registered. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Done in current development Version:

-Multi line delete, selection.
-To/From multi-line message mark and clipboard paste, radio buttons.
-Back to player selection button, button.
-Select Last turn+1 in turn(date) box, button.
-After addition, autoscroll down to added item.
-Bug fix, Reg button didn't show when old ini file existed.
-New start page appearance with original logi by David E Gervais.
-Clear selection button.

Working on:
-Re-sort history by dates, button.

Still Todo:
-Favorites, button and combobox. (Enable)
-View history by date or player, dialog. (Enable)
Readme file with button.


Should be finished in a day or two.

Registrant no 1:XenoTheMorph.
Registrant no 2:Aiken
Registrant no 3: Atrocities.

[ May 04, 2004, 07:15: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Hey! Did you get my registration? My ISP has been acting up so I'm not sure if all my emails are getting through.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Reg sent...thank you...can't wait to see 1.4

Kana

[ May 04, 2004, 05:54: Message edited by: Kana ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Hey...it sure looks great...

Question...what's the favorite button for?

Kana

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">If you check the favorite check box when accessing a game, you can choose that game in the favorite drop down box after starting the program, and accessing the game with that player file with a single click, the same as if you've checked the Autoload player and chooses a game from the recent box that has only one existing player file, but the Favorites works also if there are several exisiting player event files in the same game. The Autoload checkbox doesn't work if there are several exisitng player event files in the same game.

So for most it will be superfluous but for some it might come in handy.
If no favorite check box are checked, the favorite drop down box won't be displayed.
The most used favorite will be at the top of the favorite list.
In the recent games box the Last used game will be at the top. If all works as I've intended http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ May 04, 2004, 18:09: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

New Version, 1.4:


-Multi line delete, selection.
-To/From multi-line message mark and clipboard paste, radio buttons.
-Back to player selection button, button.
-Select Last turn+1 in turn(date) box, button.
-After addition, autoscroll down to added item.
-Bug fix, Reg button didn't show when old ini file existed.
-New start page appearance with original logo by David E Gervais.
-Clear selection button.
-Re-sort history by dates, button.
-Favorites, button and combobox.
-Propably added a few new bugs.

To do:
-View history by date or player, dialog.
-Readme file with button.
-Better errorr handling.
-Total remake from scratch.
-Tooltip on more buttons etc.
-Help button.
-Improve clipboard copy with width detection and non splitting words.

Here it is:
http://ruatha.homelinux.org/history14.zip

Sj, can you upload it to tools?


Registrant no 1:XenoTheMorph.
Registrant no 2:Aiken
Registrant no 3:Atrocities.
Registrant no 4:Kana
Registrant no 5:Mudshark

Nope Bearclaw, mail must've been messed up.


http://ruatha.homelinux.org/exempel4.jpg

[ May 04, 2004, 13:16: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">It is a great editor http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Really helps me add feeling (and more obscure events) to my races history http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif Oooh Prettyyy must get 1.4!!!!!

[ May 04, 2004, 12:59: Message edited by: XenoTheMorph ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

V 1.5 will be a totally rewritten from scratch Version.
As I've added so much i'd like to get it better structured.

I'm thinking of incorporating into the Favorites that it can autolaunch SE4.exe with a defined mod and password, so one click and your in both the editor and SE4 in a normal or modded game.
And perhaps an option to also autolaunch any program you like with a defined file, for example a excel or notepad file.

But it will also be more structured and not as clottered as v 1.4.

Any ideas for incorporation are welcome, especially now that i'm doing it from scratch.
So far it's been much easier the econd time around even though I'm using totally different components and no re-used code.
This is fun.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

I like the current Version, but you asked for suggestions, so:

- Is there any way to import the turn event log into the program such that I can drag & drop selected entries from the log into the history file?

- Is there a way to enable mouse wheel scrolling in the windows?

Slick.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Kind of bug report: frequently when using favourites or autoload features, programm will create another event file and will always logon to that incorrect event file after that. I've noticed it with the savegames where the Dead empires exist.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Could you add a note pad feature to it that can be positioned while we are in game. This way we can use it to write notes on the side for later inclusion into the event log if we so deem, or use for story telling?

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

- Is there any way to import the turn event log into the program such that I can drag & drop selected entries from the log into the history file?

I don't understand what you mean with turn event log? That is what we are editing... the Game_plr_1_events.txt is the history event file, all that's in it is included.
I guess you mean something else.


- Is there a way to enable mouse wheel scrolling in the windows?

In next Version mouse wheel is enabled.

Could you add a note pad feature to it that can be positioned while we are in game. This way we can use it to write notes on the side for later inclusion into the event log if we so deem, or use for story telling?

In next Version you can connect each favorite game to an external app and file, so that it starts each time automaticly, might be a text file or excel sheet.
Could make a internal notepad function aswell, that can be connected to all games, not just Favorites (that is maximized to 20 right now).
That could auto mark entries with turn date.

Kind of bug report: frequently when using favourites or autoload features, programm will create another event file and will always logon to that incorrect event file after that. I've noticed it with the savegames where the Dead empires exist.

Hmm, that's not good. I assume it's in single player games? Or games that you have hosted?
If so that would explain it as there would be game generated event files then.
But if not... I'll look into it.
Next Version is completely rewritten with all new bugs.. but it'll take weeks or a month before next release.


Thanks for the suggestions and bug reports!

-----------
ver 1.5 what's done:
-New ini file handling, now standard window ini format, easy readable.
-Encryption of entered game passwords when saved to ini file.
-Saving of window position to Ini file.
-Ini and variables prepared for mods and external apps with associated files.
-ConVersion procedure of old ini file to new.
-Creataion of new ini file if no exists.
-source Code remarks.
-Dialog information when problems with app.
-String grid data field for history event files instead of multiple edit boxes, better scrolling and sorting, and nicer looking.
-Datafield mousewheel scrolling.
-Fully Keyboard operatable, no mouse is needed.
-Fully mouse operatable, no keyboard is needed (data can be pasted).
-Automatic installation of SE4 small font, used for in-game history file and in history event stringgrid in application.
What you see fit in the application is also what fits in the game.
-Saving and loading of event file data to and from string grid.
-Game choosing page graphic by David E Gervais.
-Multi Form app instead of single form.
-Graphic, font and readme file included in exe, used from stream.
-Registration Dialog.
-Settings window wher most settings can be forced (Font install/uninstall, re-registration. Default Path)

[ May 06, 2004, 12:41: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I mean the "Log" that shows everything (almost) that happens in a turn (F10, I think) that lists construction, intel, research, politics, misc, etc. If the program was able to import this list in a side-by-side format with the history file, we could drag & drop items into the history file from the Log. I wouldn't want to copy over things like building a research facility, but I probably would copy over significant battles, or other major events. Just a thought.

Slick.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

v14 is up on imagemodserver, also in RAR format for a 22% smaller download.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Ahh, that's worse. I'll hvae to say No to that as that's encrypted in the save game file.
I can make it drag and drop friendly.
And I'd like to have a key combination that copies in the current selection from any other program without switching focus, but I'm not sure I can do that.


-Thanks SJ.

-About that AutoLoad Bug, I think I've got a clue.

Bearclaw, your registration popped in now along with some others http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[ May 06, 2004, 04:02: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Ok...had a problem today...

D/L new PBW game turn...put in Savegame dir. Tried to pull up History 1.4 prog and I get the following error:

-----------------------------------------------
Access violation at address 00404CDA in module 'History.exe'. Read of address 010100F9.
-----------------------------------------------

I looked into the hisory.ini file...(it is an .ini right?) And this is what it had in there:

-----------------------------------------------
D:\Sean's Games\Space Empires IV Gold\Savegame
1
notreade@D:\Sean's Games\Space Empires IV Gold\Savegame|09!3
1
notreade@D:\Sean's Games\Space Empires IV Gold\Savegame\notreade.gam
True
Kana
1.4
16
----------------------------------------------
Then I tried some reinstalling and stuff...which didn't correct the problem...I also tried it with a saved game I had available...and it worked fine...this is what .ini file looked like:

-------------------------------------------------
D:\Sean's Games\Space Empires IV Gold\Savegame
1
TDM-Mod@D:\Sean's Games\Space Empires IV Gold\Savegame|01!2
1
TDM-Mod@D:\Sean's Games\Space Empires IV Gold\Savegame\TDM-Mod.gam
True
Kana
1.4
1
-------------------------------------------------

Not sure what happened...the saved game works fine...thankfully...there are all the entries in the history file up to that point...I just can't access them now via the History prog. Could this be some issue with the saved game file itself?

Any idea what happened, and possibly how to fix it?

Kana, registered user Number 4

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">No, this bug occur with pbw games and I'm not a host. And it definitely happens when where are dead empires right before me in the players list: dead empire is plr 1, me is plr 2 in the 1st game and dead empire is plr 10, me is plr 11 in the 2nd one.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Kana >
Hi.
Could you tell me what Version the PBW game is in?
I've only trie dit with 1.84 and 1.91, and those are handled different from eachother.

I'll do better error routines in the next Version to make it easier to spot problems.
The inifile propably hasn't got any problem, I suppose it's with reading the game file itself.
I think I'll make an option in the next Version where you don't have to access the savegame file, now it's just to read the names of the different empires.

Sorry I can't help you more right now.

Aiken>
I think it might be that there are fewer accessible player files than one(?) and then it choses the first best one.

Have you tried using the Favorites option instead, that should alleviate that problem atleast. So uncheck AutoLoad, enter the game you want to use and check the favorite check box, and use that drop down box instead in the future.
I'll check about the dead empires, I haven't used any in my test gamefiles but it shouldn't make any difference... but obviously it does(!)

I'll make sure this doesn't afflict the next Version, and adain, sorry I can't be to more help right now.

[ May 06, 2004, 17:30: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Stock Game...1.91 patch.

I had been using...to keep track of stuff...because I had noticed...that there was no history in the pbw game...some kind of bug?

Your program was a great new toy...which was working just fine...I'm sure there is something funky with the game file...I'll try and experiment when I get back from my trip...with the saved turn files of previous turns and see if they work...also try it when I get my new turn...of course that wont be till monday due to being out of town.

Thanks,

Kana

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

-

[ May 09, 2004, 10:04: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Short peek on the future, shell GUI isn't finished, as you can see.
Most code isn't finished.
It will be a mod picker, history event editor, PBW mail handler, Real time client.
You'll be able to easily download PBW games, launch SE4 and external applications, the editor and upload the file, all with a minimum of clicks.
Still, any input and ideas are welcome.

If things go as I wish, it'll be the SE4 companion.

BEST used like this:
1. Start it and minimize it to the system tray.
2 it will either:
a) scan the mail for PBW mails and unpack these.
b) scan the PBW server Online and download turnfiles
3. Alert you that a turn is ready, you press a button on the message box and the SE4 game starts and logs in to your turnfile with the correct passsword.
It starts any external files you have, ie excel or word files.
It pops up the history editor.
4. You play the game, copy Messages by selecting them pressing CTRL+C in the game, switch to the companion and presses "paste from clipboard", back to game and finish.
5. You either press in the companion:
a) Pack and mail rutnfile to PBW or
b) Upload turnfile to PBW server on-line.


It can upload automaticly but I don't see that that will be a very used feature, as you'd like to be able to save the turns and continue before you upload.

Not very much code is used from the SE4 Editor, even though they look much the same, and I haven't come around to changing the name yet.

Right now I'm pretty sure I can complete it all, except the real time on-line bit, where I need help, see the other thread:
SE4 forum other thread
---

Here's a few screenshots (Will go down when my computer is resetted):
(I'll be gone a week and will propably not respond to any Posts during that time).

http://ruatha.homelinux.org/ett.jpg
http://ruatha.homelinux.org/tva.jpg
http://ruatha.homelinux.org/tre.jpg
http://ruatha.homelinux.org/fyra.jpg
http://ruatha.homelinux.org/fem.jpg

[ May 09, 2004, 12:00: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

wow. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif That would be The Real Thing I Always Dreamt.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

That program would be truly awesome http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh [INSERT]awe struck atrocities[/INSERT]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

So will this replace the 1.5 Version of the History Editor?

Kana

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

This looks quite interesting! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

I assume you will be able to disable any particular feature you would not want to use?

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yes.

Will resume work on monday evening.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yes

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

[/qb][/quote]Will resume work on monday evening. [/QB][/quote]

Great...can't wait...keep up the great work...

Kana

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Will this be open source, perchance? Not much reason not to do so...

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I don't want several parallel Versions to pop up, also there is the coding of the passwords.

I'll think about it but I won't release the source before it's finished anyway.

(And it's far from finished...)

[ May 15, 2004, 06:32: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Looking forward to it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Security for the password coding should not be a problem as long as all the players passwords are stored locally with an .ini file or something. That way even if the source code allows a person to crack that, they still would only have access to their own passwords.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Yes, Admiral wrote it. I'm not sure how much help we can give you on that though. RTC is a java app that is heavily tied to the workings of PBW as a whole. The programs use a lot of the same code and the functions work together. I'm not saying it would be impossible to make a standalone application. And I think it would be great if you could. This thing you are working on seems like a great idea. But I don't know how much the exsisting RTC code will help in that area.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yes, that is the idea, but I still think that when I release the sourcecode I'll remove the local password encoding.
Otherwise there's no need of password encoding.

Still need help with the PBW RTC though, was it Admiral who made it Geo?

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

I'll try to get into contact with the Admiral and see if he can tell me some useful info, otherwise I'l have to skip that part and let it use the mail functions instead.

So far I've worked most on the editor, right now it's better than the Last ver of the SE4 history editor, good.

[ May 16, 2004, 18:38: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">If you want to crack passwords, you just have to write a program that loads the game with command line options... it will be a bit slow, but quite doable. I don't think this is much of an issue.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">If you want to crack passwords, you just have to write a program that loads the game with command line options... it will be a bit slow, but quite doable. I don't think this is much of an issue. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">You mean brute force cracking? It would be too slow...

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

It doesn't take that long to launch SE4 using the command line options... and I did say it would be slow. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif You could always make the program launch several SE4s simultaneously to speed up the process...

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, if it'd take 1 second to start SE, it would take over 1000 years to crack my SE passwords http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif But as you said, it'd be slow. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

The history event editor is finished, with new capabilities, amongst otehr autosorting, save to HTML, EXCEL and text files. Print function. Clipboard awareness. Search function...

Will fix the favorite and recent list now.
After that the autolaunch of SEIV and external applications.
Then Mail functions.
Then Archive functions.
If possible then the RTC functions.
Then fix all lose ends.
Add some bloatware and it will be finished.

I'll have to look up the PBW emergency server code tonight and see if it needs more work, that should halt development of this application.
I'll propably just let it be as the autorun functions aren't necessary and it was so loong ago I worked with it... will have to see if I can raise my interest for it.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Ack! No bloatware! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Ack! No bloatware! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yes !!! Whoa ha ha, revenge of the bloatware!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Ack! No bloatware! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yes !!! Whoa ha ha, revenge of the bloatware!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I thought that was 'middle' age.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Done the favorite and recent list now.
So soon (when autolaunch is finished) it will work as a mod launcher capable of launching for several different exe Versions.


To do:
The autolaunch of SEIV and external applications.
Then Mail functions.
Then Archive functions.
If possible then the RTC functions.
Then fix all lose ends.
Add some bloatware and it will be finished.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Done autostart for SE4, so now it works as a modlauncher, for several different exe Versions aswell.
One click on a listbox on the first page and this is the result, both the program and se4.exe starts:

You can enter the password to the games in the application and so start games that do or don't use a mod without entering any password.
You can password protect the application itself, have an open protected system (passwords in applictaion replaced by '*', no pasword required for application) or unprotected system (All passwords shown in clear text, no password needed to enter the application)
The option is yours.

You can use ver 1.84 or 1.91 exe for your games.. any mod you like.

Have started on the mail functions and will do the external file autostart soon too, then you'll get a notification (if you want to) when a new turn exist and can press a button to download (if you don't want it download automaticly) the turn and start SE4.exe and the companion application.
Most things in this application will be user choosable.
I'll write the help and readme before releasing the beta, but the sourcecode only after it's bug free and final.
No mail or internet contact from the app is sent or received without approval from the user.

There is some things that can only be done by rightclicking on the event text, I'm afraid many people will miss this. I don't know how to inform properly about these functions without cöluttering up the space, I don't want to use a tooltip on that component as that is used often, hmm must remember to make tooltips user choosable..

(hmm, I see on the image that the SE4 fonts weren't used, will have to look into this...)


http://ruatha.homelinux.org/exempel.jpg

[ May 24, 2004, 10:31: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Just a clarification (Have been asked this):
During the making of this program, there has been no harmful or painful testings done on any PBW server. (There's been no testing at all).

I still haven't got a clue as to how the RTC works, don't even know IF it still works...
So anyone having any information as to the inner workings of the RTC please contact me. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Edit:
Now added sidenotes.
Most other features such as autostarts are connected to making the game a favorite game, but sidenotes can be auto-opened for any game.

Whats left:

Finish the mail functions.
Turn unpacking.
Turns sending

[ May 25, 2004, 05:07: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Had some problems with the many settings, when I turned everything on strange things happened.
Straigthened that out now and am coming along well with the mail functions.
It can now alert audible and visually when a new turn has arrived.
Will get to work with downloading and unpacking now and after that thje mail send functions, even though they don't work at the PBW right now I hope they will soon.
Have included a quick button to the SE4 modder as I think that no SE4 player can survive long without that handy utility.
Estimated time left is 3-5 days and after that documentation and help files, then beta release sometime next week.