Mod Picker utility
 

So you're playing five or six PBEM/PBW games, and each of them uses a different mod pack, and you use a totally diffrent mod pack for your solo games, and you're getting fed up with having to manually change path.txt everytime you switch games.

The solution: Mod Picker 1.0!

How it works: inside the zip file are copies of path.txt for each of the supported mods (none of which are actually called path.txt, so your current file is not overwritten). After you place these path*.txt files in your SEIV, just run the batch file pickmod.bat, choose the mod you want to play, and path.txt will automatically be changed to point to the mod you want. Pickmod.bat can be run from any folder on your computer (such as your desktop), as it is set to first direct itself to the SEIV folder.

A couple of caveats:
1. SEIV must have been installed to the default path.
2. There must be a folder for each installed mod in your SEIV directory for path.txt to point to. (If you pick a mod that you don't have installed or don't have a directory for, SEIV will use the default configuration.)

See mpreadme.txt for more information, and also how to adapt it for your own fiendish plans.

Comments? Suggestions? Contributions? Post 'em here!

(I wasn't sure where to put this-- if it really belongs elsewhere, someone please guide me to the proper place.)

Quikngruvn

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"That which does not kill you will make you stronger." -- Nietzsche

[This message has been edited by Quikngruvn (edited 18 July 2001).]

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

Very nice and very much needed. Thanks.

2 suggestions:
- Make it so that it launches SEIV when the mod has ben selected (If it doesn't already)
- email it to MM and get them to add this functionality to the game.


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Re: Mod Picker utility
 

Why is it nessesary to have SE installed in the default directory?

Why don't you set it to use the "current directory", and then people can run it from wherever they want.

I have everything in a games folder, and multiple installs (for diff. patches), so this program would not work for me.

Definitely, start SE4 when you're done picking (and have an option to cancel).
Another good feature for your Mod Picker, if you don't have it already, would be a commandline parameter, so you can place shortcuts on your desktop, and run SE4 with each mod instantly.

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Re: Mod Picker utility
 

A big Bravo-Zulu goes out to Quikngruvn on this one.

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"...the green, sticky spawn of the stars"
(with apologies to H.P.L.)

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

Mod Picker 1.1, with enhancements listed below....

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by suicide_junkie:
Why is it nessesary to have SE installed in the default directory?

Why don't you set it to use the "current directory", and then people can run it from wherever they want.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Brain fart on my part. This is what happens when a non-programmer tries to piece together a program....

Now, unzip eveything into your SEIV folder, run the batch file there (directly or via shortcut), and everything's cool.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by suicide_junkie:
Definitely, start SE4 when you're done picking (and have an option to cancel).
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dogscoff:
- Make it so that it launches SEIV when the mod has ben selected (If it doesn't already)
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Here's what happens now: you're presented with a menu of available mods and an option to cancel. After you pick the mod, you have a second choice to either start SEIV, choose another mod, or cancel out.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by suicide_junkie:
Another good feature for your Mod Picker, if you don't have it already, would be a commandline parameter, so you can place shortcuts on your desktop, and run SE4 with each mod instantly.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Honestly, I'm not sure how I would do that the way I've written this batch file, but it could be done with seven different batch files with a shortcut pointing to each one. Each batch file would be like two lines long, one to overwrite path.txt and the other to launch SEIV.

Thanks to all for the feedback and encouragement. Who knows? Maybe MM will implement a feature like this sometime-- just more elegantly!

Quikngruvn

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"That which does not kill you will make you stronger." -- Nietzsche

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

I created a Mod Launcher utility a few months back which handled arguments. I never got any feedback so I didn't continue supporting it, however if anyone wants the source code I'll happily supply it. It's programmed in Visual C++.
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/For...ML/002606.html

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

Does this work? I installed the first Version but I kept getting a fault. I think it's a great idea given the number of good mods available.

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Nitram Draw:
Does this work? I installed the first Version but I kept getting a fault. I think it's a great idea given the number of good mods available.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

What was the fault, ND? My first guess is that you didn't originally install SEIV in the default folder, c:\program files\shrapnel games\malfador machinations\space empires iv (whew!).

Try v1.1-- it doesn't care where you installed SEIV, so long as pickmod.bat and the path*.txt files are in your SEIV folder. (Thanks again to suicide_junkie for showing me the light.)

Wolverine: I didn't know you (or anyone else) had done so. C++ would probably make for a more versatile and elegant program, given my limited (OK, non-existent) knowledge of C++....

Quikngruvn

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"That which does not kill you will make you stronger." -- Nietzsche

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

It's been a while since I tried it but if I recall it kept trying to put the data directory into the path statement. For example instead of changing the path to read TDM-modpack it put TDM data.
If the new program works I'll try it again.

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

I have been using this program for several months. I had to redue the file names in his directory but it works well!! http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif
Wolverine's se4path.exe

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Nitram Draw:
It's been a while since I tried it but if I recall it kept trying to put the data directory into the path statement. For example instead of changing the path to read TDM-modpack it put TDM data.
If the new program works I'll try it again.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wait, are you talking about mine or Wolverine's?

Quikngruvn

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"That which does not kill you will make you stronger." -- Nietzsche

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

I was using Wolverines. Is your different Quikngruvn?

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

Yeah, mine's a DOS-based batch file with several renamed path files, one for each mod. It's down in the thread, ModPicker1.1.zip.

Quikngruvn

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

Thanks I'll give it a try.

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

I've been trying to write a mod-selector in delphi and having overcome many problems I have found that I am unable to get SE4 to load any mods I tell it to from the command line.
Does anyone have any idea as to why this happens.?
All I get is SE4.exe appearing in the task list for a few seconds and then disappearing.
It'll load if I leave off the Mod argument but not if it's there (setting it to None doesn't work either)

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

Incidentally here is a screenshot if anyone is interested
The colours *are* actually the same as used in SE4, but the JPG conVersions seems to have dampened them a tad.

[This message has been edited by Matryx (edited 23 July 2001).]

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

For those interested, here is a modified Version (v1.2) of Quikngruvn's Mod Picker batch file which handles commandline parameters for both the batch file itself and for running SE4.

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

I downloaded this about 2 weeks ago. The modpicker utility is the next best thing since... SEIV. I have found myself playing more just because of this utility. I also never bothered using more than 1 other mod due to the inconvenience of setting up the path files. Too many mouse clicks.

Now with the changes in 1.2, I am elated. It's gonna be another late night tonight!

Shane

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

You da man, Dubious!

Suddenly I'm reminded of a quote that applies to my programming skills, by Peter Schickele about the apocryphal P.D.Q. Bach:

"His plagiarism was limited only by his faulty technique."

And you are too kind, Doc!

Quikngruvn

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

Quikngruvn: If you are happy with it, you should post v1.2 into the "Help and Tools" archive so it doesn't get lost among the other 27000 Posts. (You are the original author, so you get the honors :-))

Re: Mod Picker utility
 

Doh! THAT'S where it's supposed to go!

In any case, I packed Mod Picker v1.2 with the path.txt files and posted it in Help and Tools.

Quikngruvn