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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
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I'd be happy if you could try it out when I release the beta, or mail me a savegame ver from 1.49, I don't feel the urge to reinstall my SE4 to try it. |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Wait... your program actually parses the binary savegame data??? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif
Does this mean there's a scenario editor coming up in the foreseeable future??? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif Though this would open up the door to cheating, as well... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif In any event, I'll send you my savegame when I get home, seeing as you're not in this particular PBW game so you'd have nothing to gain from peeking at it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
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It only reads savegame Version, the empire names and turndate, nothing more and never will. There is an manual option where you can access any eventfile without the savegame but then the empires are called "player 1, player 2.." instead of "The dreaded Katz Empire, The Rage collective.." |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Thanks to Geo who came up with a new way to access PBW I'll have a special RTC in the new program... Thanks GEO (It's coming along well!)
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Right now it can check on-line and alert for new turns, it does the same for mail but there it doesn't remember if it's alreadya lerted, so if it's set to not delete the mails from the server it will alert at each check.
This will be fixed. It's coming along well but it's taking some time... |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Every time I check out this topic my mouth starts to water. Can't wait for this one to be done.
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Ok, I should've known better then to set some kind of release date.
I've worked 5 days with getting the downloads from the PBW server to work... It's been the greatest challenge I've faced in programming... First it seemed like no problems, the application just asked if the player wanted to download or save the file (The regular browser "Save AS" dialog appeared), shouldn't be a big problem getting rid of that I thought! HA!!! Some routines worked great with my server but couldn't download the password protected files from the PBW server. Some wanted that "Save as" dialogue. Then when things started to look bright I for the first time found out the problems with multi-threaded programs... Oh how I miss the days of line-numbers and when subroutines was something fancy you've heard about but couldn't for the life of you see the meaning with... Now I've finally managed to get the seperate threads to march in unison, so it wil download one file before it says that it has downloaded the next and triued to start the third (That hasn't ben downloaded..) and at the same time trying to download some other stuff aswell(?). So now I predict a straight and nice course towards completion.. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif Whats left: Connect downloads to favorite paths. Manual turn download. download and unpack mail attachtments. Turn sending routines. Deadline nag option. More documentation (I've started on that in paralell). [ June 02, 2004, 05:21: Message edited by: Ruatha ] |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Heureka!!!
Today I statred the SE4 companion, it scanned the PBW site, downlaoded two games and started one (which was marked as favorite) and opened it with passowrd and everything!! So I can start the Companion when I go to work, when I get home if there is a new turn at the PBW site it will be opened with the LOG window staring at me from the screen, the SE4 game started and ready for my commands. I personally never thought it'd work!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif Now all the finetunings and making sure it can start two Favorites after eachother and then the mail functions... But, my God, it works!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Cool!
What's the LOG window? |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Most likely the one in SE4 that says things like "Anti-Proton Beam III Discovered" and "Xertuy Empire Destroyed" http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
I cannot wait until this utility is released. It will bring so many more options to the table.
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Ruatha;
Stop wasting your time basking in the glow of our admiration. Go program !!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Oh my, I am sooo stoopid. I thought he meant LOG as in L.O.G. and I didn't know what that stood for. He meant log window. DUH! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Not to burden you or anything, Ruatha, but perhaps for a future Version of this utility, do you think you could put in music playlists? I like to listen to thematic music when I play my games - e.g. if I am playing an evil race I will listen to dark, ominous music. So perhaps each PBW game could have an associated playlist, and then the program will play a random selection from that list. So for "Fantasy Empires" where I'm playing as the Hyrule Kingdom I'd have a list of music from "The Legend of Zelda" games and I'd just get a random Zelda tune each time I start up that game. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif
Just a thought... don't know if it would be too hard for you... What programming language are you using anyway? |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
I'm sorry, but I haven't asked my emploeyer if I could program here at work... so I'll just post instead!
About MP3 playlists, there are three possibilities: 1) You use the Favorites already inbuilt ability to open an external program with an external file to open a different playlist with your current mp3 player, this is already enabled. 2) I make a "playlist" option for each favorite and you define your preferred player once in the settings, this is the way I'm likely to go as it's easy and quick. 3) I make my own built in player, it seems to be free(?) http://delphi.about.com/library/weekly/aa112800a.htm BTW, I use delphi, still many bits to piece in, gotta make fail safes and error handling, and code that avoids errors. |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Don't risk your job to program for a game. Also by programing at work you may in fact be giving your idea to your employer. When I worked we all had to sign an agreement that anything we designed, made, invented, created, wrote, thought, pooped out, consumed, considered, etc belonged to the company.
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
No problem, I'm not programming at work, that's why I have time to post(!).
I don't have any machine with any programming language installed here anyway. And BTW, I like so to bask in the glow of your adminiration, it gives such a nice tan http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif Next week I'll work night and'll have more time during mornings alone at home while the kids are off to their respective daytime occupations, I hope to finish it then. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif It seems so easy, the complete code is there! I think I'll make a dedicated MP3 player and include it in the project, that way the user won't have to define paths and extensions. If you want to use another mp3 player you'll just use the external program option instead of the bundled mp3 player. [ June 03, 2004, 05:43: Message edited by: Ruatha ] |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Just want to say, I am drooling in anticipation of this application.
So it automatically downloads pbw files as they become available and then opens se4 for you. Excellent. Two questions: -When i finish my turn, will it automatically upload the necessary file? That would be really really sweet. -Can I configure it to notify me with some sort of on-screen alert (New turn available for game XXX. Play turn? Y/N) instead of automatically opening se4 every time? Also, please could you code in a module that will monitor the beer-content of my fridge and automatically send a robot down the shops for me to restock different brands according to the mod I'm playing. |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
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To have it open SE4 automaticly you must also set an option, otherwise it will only alert you that a new turn is ready at the PBW site. there is one option to download before alert and one option to autostart if possible after download. Unlike the current RTC client it won't be connected to the PBW site, it will check it at an interval you set (minimum 3 minutes). The alert box will look different depending on what you have choosen in the settings and what game it is alerting for, it can be that it alerts when a turn is ready and you might then have the options: Do nothing, download, download and start SE4, alert me later. I'll just make the robotmode for my hometown as I don't have the stamina to program maps with beer resalers for the entire world, I'm sorry. Will fix this to Version 2.0 though! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif Now I must decide what it'll do if there are two games to download and autostart possible, it can't start two games as it has to start the companion application game window open when it starts a game and it can only have one of those open at the same time. Propably it'll wait until the application game window closes and then start the next if the option to autostart downlaoded games is set. [ June 03, 2004, 13:09: Message edited by: Ruatha ] |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
If you need to test that, you could setup a couple PBW games with just you as a player.
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Wow, that's incredible, you might actually put in a built-in MP3 player... you think it could do MIDI's too? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
I don't have an MP3 collection like most people... I have a collection of MIDI's from video games http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Bloat bloat bloat, it will play MIDI aswell, whoa ha ha!
Will set up several 1 player PBW games, thanks Geo for the idea. Now I don't have to wait two days to play my NeGoC5 turns just to have a turn to check, why didn't I think of that??? |
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Ruatha it appears that you are enjoying this far too much.
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
You should concentrate on finishing the program as it is before adding new (useless) features. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
I'll add the music list later, it seems like a 30 minutes job. (Hybris)
I'm still working on the PBW download, the automatic download works fine, but now I'll have to make a manual download option aswell. This is much more complicated than I thought (And fun yes!!) And then the deadline closing alert and the upload option. Finish the mail options and the documentation. And the music list. The main distractions are: -Summer and sun. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif -Two kids. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif -A work. (will work this weekend aswell http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif ) -A wife that thinks I should clean the house and move the lawn and stuff like that.... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif Still, progress being made each day. I hope that everything else than this download thing will be easier, I've felt for several days that I'm near completion, yet when I look at it it seems as far away still as it was a couple of days ago... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
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Download finished, now I have no clue as to how to make the uploads.... and am tired... Edit2: I've got the hint of a clue as to what to do, something to build with anyway and a hope! Will do the music bit in between to rest my brain a bit http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif [ June 04, 2004, 18:31: Message edited by: Ruatha ] |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
You da MAN, Ruatha! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
But I'm still in the blind about uploading.
I'll need to find a way to do multipart/form-data post to uplaod the file through the application. There are a few hints on the net but I haven't succeded yet, so if anyone has done that on a passowrd protected server before please give me a hint... I could do a dirty Version where you get a filebrowser and choose the turnfile, but I'd prefer the hard way, a button click only. Still, tomorrow is all work and no programming so I'll have time to think about this before I try again! [ June 05, 2004, 15:53: Message edited by: Ruatha ] |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
I feel so useless, coming up with new features for this program while being too lazy to work on my design analyzer program... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif
Then again, my job DOES involve programming all day so it's not something I really have much patience for when I get home... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
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This is where I'm stuck right now: </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;"><link href="seiv.css" rel="STYLESHEET" type="text/css"> <html> <head><title>Join Game: (Nearly Gods) The Conflict 5</title> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Expires" CONTENT="-1"> <base target="_top"> </head> <body bgcolor="#000000" text="#0099FF"> <H3>Upload your latest turn</H3> Please upload your turn file; the sooner everyone uploads their turn, the sooner the next turn can start! If you don't get your turn in on time, you risk having the AI play for you.<P> <B>Note</B>: Your turn file <em>should</em> be named <B><CODE>NeGoC5_0001.plr</CODE></B> or else you are probably uploading a turn for the wrong game!<P> <FORM METHOD=POST enctype="multipart/form-data" ACTION='/GameUpload'> Turn file (.plr): <input type=File name='file' size=20><BR> <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME='command' VALUE='pturn'> <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME='game' VALUE='147s84n'> <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME='ok' VALUE='/text/index.jsp?menu=gamemenu.jsp% 3fgame=147s84n&body=gamebody.jsp%3fgame=147s84 n'> <INPUT TYPE=image src="img/sendturn.gif"> </FORM> </body> </html></pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I'm trying to understand this code and see if it can help me: http://www.matlus.com/scripts/websit...PartFormData&5 Currently the app uses an embedded hidden webbrowser that surfs and logins to the PBW server without user input. Then it uses this procedure to download the files: </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;"> function TForm1.GetInetFile (const fileURL, FileName: String): boolean; const BufferSize = 1024; // Uses wininet var hSession, hURL: HInternet; Buffer: array[1..BufferSize] of Byte; BufferLen: DWORD; f: File; sAppName: string; begin //showmessage(fileUrl+'-'+FileName); Result:=False; sAppName := ExtractFileName(Application.ExeName); hSession := InternetOpen(PChar(sAppName), INTERNET_OPEN_TYPE_PRECONFIG, nil, nil, 0); try hURL := InternetOpenURL(hSession, PChar(fileURL), nil,0,0,0); try AssignFile(f, FileName); Rewrite(f,1); repeat InternetReadFile(hURL, @Buffer, SizeOf(Buffer), BufferLen); BlockWrite(f, Buffer, BufferLen) until BufferLen = 0; CloseFile(f); Result:=True; finally InternetCloseHandle(hURL) end finally InternetCloseHandle(hSession) end; end;</pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">But now about the uploads, I can handle simple forms like the login form, but sending files is harder. If I (the Se4 companion rather) inputs a filename with path in the textbox and presses send it says that it won't accept that (The full path), it accepts the filename only but then I don't know what happens, it says it has uploaded and executes but I can't see that I've sent any file... Does it create a dummy file? I'll have to look what it is it receives at the PBW server, on monday, tomorrow 22 hour workday. Any input is welcome! [ June 05, 2004, 20:44: Message edited by: Ruatha ] |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
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I know the feeling...working in IT all day and then having one of the kids need me to do something on their PC... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Now the music works, it can have 101 songs in a playlist for each game, if it's a favorite game it will remember the Last played song.
It plays both mp3 and mid. Now to the uploads... that's worse... |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Ruatha, most likely my advice is stupid and incorrect, but afaik pbw will accept only quoted path in the form, ie
'c:\games\se4\savegames\blah_x.plr' or with double quotes: "c:\games\se4\savegames\blah_x.plr" (i don't remember which variant is used, and pbw is offline at the moment, so I can't check it). I don't think this will help, but you can try http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
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I belive so, if so you are my Hero!!!!! THANX |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Hi Aiken.
It doesn't seem to work. With double quotes I get: Cannot execute player command: Bad inputs to uploadPlayerTurn and with single quotes: Cannot execute player command: Filename uploaded was unexpected; expecting: se4ct2_0001.plr Back to the black hole of despair again! Edit: I don't get it, now when I enter the full path it accepts it....without quotes! I'm kinda pretty sure (92%) that I've tested that before and then it didn't work. [ June 06, 2004, 15:54: Message edited by: Ruatha ] |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
The single quote error message you are getting sounds promising. That's what you would get if you used the regular web interface and tried to upload the wrong file. Are you sure it's typing the filename correctly? It's including the path and the file extension?
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Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Now it accepts everything without quotes, can't wait to get home and try it with an actual gamefile and see if it's the correct file it takes.
Now I'm at work and uses renamed textfiles. The path is the same when I used single, double and no quotes c:\temp\se4ct2_0001.plr EDIT: Guess I'll have to write down my assuredness that I'd tried this before to, oooh 48% now And to think that I've tried all those strange HTTP header programming and teared my hear (Not actually but it sounds good) when it was this easy... if it is.. [ June 06, 2004, 16:01: Message edited by: Ruatha ] |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Now the companion can upload aswell.
have spent almost all day after work to bugtrack a bug whendeleteing a favorite in the favorite settings window. Will have to check all download options now and see that they work as expected before finishing the mail options!! It's going good right now. Now off to pick up the kids from school. |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
Soon very soon.
Uplaods seems to be working, mail download and zip unpacking seems fine (Have only tested with one mail at a time yet). To do: Mail upload. General Error handling. Check for obvious bugs. Release beta 0.7 and write the documentation afterwards(?) If so.. perhaps.. tomorrow (Dangerous, don't trust this statement!!) Now off to dinner with my boss! Release schedule: 0.7 rough beta. Help files 0.8 Bugfixed beta and eventual new features. 0.9 bugfixes 1.0 Final [ June 07, 2004, 16:09: Message edited by: Ruatha ] |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
I wonder though if the .plr file will be in C:\temp\ on everybodies computers? Is that something that varies from machine to machine depending on your setup? Would it be preferable/possible to give the program a path setting that you can configure so it knows where to locate the savegame folder?
Geoschmo |
Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
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It takes the path that the plr file has, I was just using that TEMP path at work to test it out. At home it uses different paths for 1.84 and 1.91 games. |
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