Component modding tool. Get it here.

DavidG · #1 June 23rd, 2002, 02:43 AM

I've got my Viewer program working now so that it will edit and save components. I would consider this still very buch a 'beta' Version so if anyones is wiling to test it out it would be great. So far there isn't much in the way of help files so hopefully you can figure it out. Some of the non-obvious features include; double clicking the pic file to select from the master pic that shows them all, right click on a field for help, and a few things such as the values for attributes have tool tips.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/dgunsten/SE4Modder.zip

or for just the EXE
http://www3.sympatico.ca/dgunsten/SE4ModderEXE.zip

Phoenix-D · #2 June 23rd, 2002, 07:01 AM

Comment: I run at 800x600. The component editor apparently expects a higher resolution, and it won't resize.. result: some controls can't be used til I bump the resolution up.

DavidG · #3 June 23rd, 2002, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
Comment: I run at 800x600. The component editor apparently expects a higher resolution, and it won't resize.. result: some controls can't be used til I bump the resolution up.

You need to click the 'tree view' button. This will slide the tree view out the way. There also should be a scroll bar on the right to scroll up and down. Although I concede the program may be a bit of a pain to use at that resolution

Tnarg · #4 June 23rd, 2002, 07:14 AM

Woooowwww. DavidG, you read my mind to the T. This is exactly what I have been hoping for. Very nice work. Now the questions.

I see that you have the ability to add and create new components. Very nice. Is there by any chance that one can go in and edit ship, troop, base, fighter, ect sizes and abilities, and add some more?

Also from my previous post in your other thread, I had mentioned something about viewing ohter race ships, troops, fighters, ect. It seems that maybe you just put in a random ship "Norak" for misc. reasons and that is the only one that can be viewed in the editor?

Last question, kind of dumb, but I don't want to risk screwing up my current game. Once you make a change or add a new component, it is saved and automatically applied into the mod one is working with? Koodos to you if that is so. You made my life super easy.

Thanks

Tnarg · #5 June 23rd, 2002, 09:10 AM

Been playing around with your editor.

Couple more questions have arisen. When I was editing a component or I think I was adding one, I for some reason replaced an excisting component.

Maybe there could be some sort of undo function?

Being that I accidentally replaced one component with my new component, I figured that the only way to get the original component figures was to reinstall the original mod files. Doing so, of course replaces any changes that one might have made with the original files. So when it comes time for a new Version of a mod, any work you yourself might have done is going to be replaced. Is there any way to counter all of this?

Long winded I know, some day I will learn the art of one sentence descriptions.

DavidG · #6 June 23rd, 2002, 12:36 PM

First yea when you hit the save button the changes are aplied to the components.txt file and thus into the mod. Yea I do have plans to provide some sort of undo feature. For now if you mess things up look in the data directory for the mod. You will see a couple of extra files. "Components.bak" is a backup of the .txt file that is made when the program is first started. "Components.bk1" is made each time you save. So if you delete the 'componets.txt' file and rename the '.bak' file to '.txt' you will undo all changes since you started the program. Remaming the '.bk1' file will undo the changes for the Last save. To avoid messing things up I'd suggest copy a mod into a new directory or use the handy 'Create new mod' from the file menu. It will copy all the '.txt' data files to a new directory.

You will notice that right now the program can view the vehcile sizes, facilities, and tech areas. I do plan to make these editable too. And yea I did just randomly pick the Norak for a pic for the vehicle sizes part. The reason really was that it was just my intentions to show details about the vehicle size. The pic was just eye candy. But maybe in future Versions...

As far as abilites go I don't think these are editable??? I think they are probably hard coded into the program. Can anyone confirm this?

[ June 23, 2002, 11:47: Message edited by: DavidG ]

DavidG · #7 June 23rd, 2002, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tnarg:
When I was editing a component or I think I was adding one, I for some reason replaced an excisting component.

If you are editing or adding a component and the name of the component is the same as an existing one it will be replaced.

[ June 23, 2002, 11:50: Message edited by: DavidG ]

geoschmo · #8 June 23rd, 2002, 02:46 PM

You can edit the abilities file, but it has no effect on the actual abilities. Abilities are hardcoded and cannot be created or changed except by Malfador.

In fact the abilities file is only a help file for modders. There are some abilities that are not listed there, and some that don't even do anything.

Geoschmo

geoschmo · #9 June 23rd, 2002, 03:19 PM

I am giddy. I am positivly estatic! This is so exactly what I had pictured in my mind for an editor, I can't believe it.

I LOVE the ability to look at the giant components bitmap and slecet which one I want right from there. I have been asking for a program that would let me do that for as long as I have been doing mods. SWEET! I can't wait till you add this ability for facilities.

I love the ability to create an entirely new mod on the fly and have it copy all the exsisting data files over. Very nice.

A couple of points.

The program is just a litte too eager to rewrite the files in the stock data folder. Yes it backs them up, but it would be very easy to fumble finger and restart the program a couple of times and now your stock data files are toast. I would encourage you to "idiot proof" this a bit, and instead of opening into the sotck files, have it open into a vannila mod of some kind that is a copy of the stock files. I would also have it not rewrite the stock data files until after prompting you three times and backing up the file twice.

For that matter, it would be fairly easy it appears to screw up a mod by closing the program and reopening it if it rewrites the .bak file every time the program starts. Does it rewrite an exsisting .bak file?

Geoschmo

DavidG · #10 June 23rd, 2002, 03:57 PM

Thanks for the feedback

Yea when the program starts any existing component.bak file is overwriten. Your probably write it is too easy to modify the stock files (especially since I know how often people ignore the warning dialog boxes) I'm thinking maybe the simplist solution whould be just to prevent the program from modifying the stock files.?? I kind of like the idea of of openeing up in the base directory (well actually it opens in the previous dir you were viewing) so you could still use it as a just viewer program

P.S. Just want to re-emphasis that I still consider this a beta Version so I would highly advise against modifying any existing mods without backing up the components.txt file

[ June 23, 2002, 14:59: Message edited by: DavidG ]