TOAWxml Editor

[76mm]

Aargh, let me look at this error as well. I'm not a programmer in real life, so haven't dealt with these kind of issues before.

[winkelried]

joey's problems seems to be very similar to mine.

[76mm]

OK, I looked at this and see that I made some rudimentary errors in packaging the file for distribution...I'm not sure that this will fix the problem, but it will be good start!

Give me a couple of days to fix this and finish adding the "transfer unit" functionality--I've already added "drag-and-drop" transfer of units to different formations, but am still figuring out how to reorder units within a formation. I will try to post a revised version in a couple of days.

[Lobster]

ORIGINAL: 76mm

ORIGINAL: Lobster
It is a huge p.i.t.a. to do things like set replacement priority or experience and proficiency and supply and readiness. It takes FOREVER especially when you are working with a huge OOB. So keep up the good work. This is a hugely useful tool just as it is because everything is in one place.

I don't think it will be too difficult to add a feature that allows you to apply these settings on a formation or force basis--is that what you have in mind?

Oh my. You mean something like setting an entire formations replacement priority instead of one unit at a time? I think giving us the ability of applying things like readiness, supply, proficiency, replacement priority and veteran/untried status globally might get you nominated for sainthood. [:D]

[John T_MatrixForum]

Thanks!

My top priority would be an event editor with graphical chaining so you actually see whats wrong.

Cheers
/John

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: John T_MatrixForum
...an event editor with graphical chaining so you actually see whats wrong.

Sorry, what does "graphical chaining" mean?

[biddrafter2]

ORIGINAL: 76mm

ORIGINAL: John T_MatrixForum
...an event editor with graphical chaining so you actually see whats wrong.

Sorry, what does "graphical chaining" mean?

My guess is John is describing an event viewer/editor that uses nested conditionals instead of "gotos". If the events could be replayed, like in a debugger, so that the equivalent of unit tests could be run against an event set, that would be amazing too. Just guessing as to John's intention however.

I'm hoping that the event editor in TOAW can one day be converted to a scripting language, or (better yet!) allow for compiled plugins to be shipped with a scenario, with the events populated through a public API or dll.

[76mm]

OK, it will be a little while before I turn to the event editor, but let me know your ideas, I will see what I can do!

[biddrafter2]

Thanks for all your work on this 76mm. I saw above where you said you are "not a programmer in real life". If you deploy a tool that people can install and use (and like!), the you absolutely are a programmer [:)]

BTW, I've been a programmer for a long time and since you are using .NET I could help out with your project down the road if you'd like. Hopefully C#???

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: jakobscalpel
BTW, I've been a programmer for a long time and since you are using .NET I could help out with your project down the road if you'd like. Hopefully C#???

Yes, C#, generally using Linq to XML. It would be great if you're interested in helping out, if nothing else with tips on stuff I'm having trouble with (ahem, deployment...).

One stand-alone piece is the event editor, let me know if you have any ideas about how to set that up.

[Curtis Lemay]

Kudos to you for creating this. However, be aware that the .gam file format is not set in stone. Its format changes each time the game gets any expansion of any kind, and this editor will have to adjust accordingly. I don't think the 4.0.1.23 format is even the same as the 4.1.0.6 format, for example, since there were a couple of game options and a game parameter added between them.

Furthermore, there is very little, if any, TOAW4 backwards compatibility for the xml files (including the .gam file). So, designers using this should regularly convert their .gam files back into .sce files via the TOAW4 editor ASAP.

[Lobster]

I just keep all of the old TOAW builds. That way you can work on it via the old build and when it's all done load it into the old build to save. Then open it in the new build and save it there. All that the tool designer has to do is provide the build number the program was made under so people will know to use his tool with that build. Not really rocket science.

Considering the huge amount of time this tool saves it is well worth that small effort.

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: Lobster

I just keep all of the old TOAW builds. That way you can work on it via the old build and when it's all done load it into the old build to save. Then open it in the new build and save it there. All that the tool designer has to do is provide the build number the program was made under so people will know to use his tool with that build. Not really rocket science.

Considering the huge amount of time this tool saves it is well worth that small effort.

I also do the retrofit scenario design appraoch... use TOAWIII, Andy's tools, load it into TOAWIV, adjust to the new features and Bob is your uncle. Btw, how's Nigel doing? Haven't seen him on the radar for quite some time.

Klink, Oberst

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
Kudos to you for creating this. However, be aware that the .gam file format is not set in stone. Its format changes each time the game gets any expansion of any kind, and this editor will have to adjust accordingly. I don't think the 4.0.1.23 format is even the same as the 4.1.0.6 format...

I was wondering about this...how do old scenarios continue to work if the xml format changes all the time?

Also, it is very possible that I'm completely missing something, but I'm not sure if additions to the format would really be an issue--it seems like the main thing that would screw up my code is if the XML tags changed? It seems like additions to the XML would only mean that the program would need to be updated for those additions to be accessible in the program? But I'm a rookie to all this, so pls correct me if I'm wrong.

Finally, once I get this further along, I will probably upload it to GitHub, so that even if I am hit by the proverbial bus or decide to focus on My Little Ponies games instead of TOAW, the code could be updated.

[76mm]

By the way, here is what I'm working on now:

[76mm]

And this:

[Lobster]

Good stuff

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: 76mm

I was wondering about this...how do old scenarios continue to work if the xml format changes all the time?

The game supports backward compatibility for the binary files (.sce, .sal, .pbl, etc.) via lots of convoluted code in the file reading process. You can load an ACOW .sce file into TOAW IV. Not so for the xml files.

[Lobster]

ORIGINAL: Oberst_Klink


Btw, how's Nigel doing? Haven't seen him on the radar for quite some time.

Klink, Oberst

Banging away at his books. Going to put them in different formats now. He has at least one volume out in hard cover.

[sPzAbt653]

Those features in posts 35 & 36 are already in the Editor, I think.