WitPTracker News

[floydg]

All -

WitPTracker was released over 15 years ago for Admiral's Edition.

Back then, Java was a fairly popular programming language so I started the development with it. There were issues with Java, mostly related to the use of 32-bit instead of the more common 64-bit. It was frustrating for me and for you. Java has fallen out of favor, and the architecture of the program is a bit of a mess (you may even feel my frustration from my profile signature).

I've been looking at ways to modernize using Python (a modern programming language), but the way to read the save files is locked in a 32-bit world. I tried to get a 64-bit version, but it was too much effort and I was not going to play the 32-bit games any more. After some time, I was able to get a 64-bit Python process to interact with a 32-bit Python wrapper around the save file reader.

So now I'm embarking on an effort to re-work the WitPTracker from the ground up. I'll reuse some algorithms and a few other things, but I mostly want to re-do it and make (hopefully) better design choices.

My plan is that the database will be the current view and history will only be loaded on demand. That should make start-up significantly faster. Otherwise, the overall look and feel will be fairly similar.

Before I go down some undesirable rabbit holes, I am asking for suggestions on improvements or whatever you'd like to see different or the same. No promises on what I can do, what I will do, and I don't have a release schedule yet. But I was able to get some core functions working, so I'm confident I can do something usable.

Over to you now...

Floyd

[zebrazwo]

This is wonderful and exciting news. The community will certainly back you up on this, I'm sure.

Now, what to wish for......

I'll get back to you on that after thinking it over.

Edit: Looking forward to NOT reading threads about "I can't get java to work with Tracker"

[Galeocerdo]

Timely, and appreciation for looking into ways to update WitPTracker.
Just resurrected a game (scenario 30) last turn #670 played October 17, 2020.
May take me a bit of time to reconcile Java updates since then. If possible, updating WitPTracker to Python would be much appreciated.

[altemosejd]

Hey Floyd, fantastic news. I've pretty much transitioned all of my saves over to the tracker as my main "tool" in 2026. Besides the bump in loading times, I don't think there's anything I would change necessarily. I find all of the data sets have great value as is. If i could add anything it would be a combat report data set (if possible) and potentially some type of "history" tab within that could show the combat that particular unit has engaged in throughout the save. I don't know if that's even feasible but it would be a "wish list" item for me.

Also I believe I downloaded tracker from a wayback machine so that may be part of the problem, but I have not been able to get the "map tracking" to work with TFs. It'll pull up but crash after a couple mins. Also, two day turns require manual reading of the ops and sigint files (this may be due to a poor file structure on my end). Not a show stopper by any means but just some feedback in case it's not just me.

[Stibbert]

What wonderful news, floydg! Your Tracker is essential to my enjoyment of AE.

My suggestion: Add a "Strat Mode w/o destination" filter to the "Special:" dropdown in the "Data set: LCUs > LCUs" tab.

[PaxMondo]

All -

WitPTracker was released over 15 years ago for Admiral's Edition.
...

Before I go down some undesirable rabbit holes, I am asking for suggestions on improvements or whatever you'd like to see different or the same. No promises on what I can do, what I will do, and I don't have a release schedule yet. But I was able to get some core functions working, so I'm confident I can do something usable.
Floyd

Best news I've read in a long time.

CSV Report Generator
CSV file dumps (which I use more than I should) would love to see 2 features added:
1. toggle for use current filter or no filter. Set when you start the report generator.
2. Ability to select multiple reports and generate with one click

Right now, it is a lot of clicks for me after each turn:
1 unselect the default and choose no filter
2 download
3 go to the next report
4 go to 1 and continue to end of report list

Convoy Calculator
Need the ability to add escorts to the calculation. Could be as simple as adding tonnage to the convoy. But most convoys have escorts and these will use up dock space that needs to be accounted for. This is one of the best tools in the current version of Tracker. So helpful.

Aircraft Comparison
expanding to 3 or 4 aircraft to compare at once ... sorry, I'm greedy and use this all the time.

LCU Formations
The current view is ok, but we need a new view here in addition to the current one. The ability to choose a formation and then see the beginning and end of it readily would be a big help. As you know, most of these are NOT in numerical sequence, it currently requires a lot of hunt and peck. EX: choose 2223 and then see all the subsequent upgrade formations.

Hope I haven't overstepped my bounds ...

[Chris21wen]

I'd be lost without tracker.

I can think of two areas where a more detailed abilility would be good, pilots and leaders.

For pilots being able to see and filter ther skill levels, available/not available. For leaders available/not available but there's other stuff that escapes me which I only notice when I try and do something I can't. Latter not much help but now I can post when I spot something.

Added, KIA/MIA pilot appear in various lists when they are not needed E.G. group pilots etc. I think the only list they should is the full Pilots

Great utility, repeat lost without it.

[Yaab]

Sorry, floydg, but Tracker seems to have one serious flaw.

Its region definitions seem to be dynamic throughout a campaign making industry data somewhat meaningless.

Here is Allied Luzon data on turn 1. On turn 1, I have 127k fuel on Luzon with Clark Field holding about 110k fuel. This Clark Field's fuel stock ping-pongs back on turn 2 to Manila.

start.png (8.08 KiB) Viewed 755 times

Now, watch what happens when I access the data on turn 23. I no longer hold Clark Field anymore now and Tracker backpedals its truncated (LUZON minus Clark Field and OTHER Luzon bases lost) LUZON region definition into turn 1 data, telling me I had only 14,310 fuel on Luzon.

turn 23.png (17.31 KiB) Viewed 755 times

You can also see that supply data is bonkers too and its values are lowered for turns 3,4 and 6.

[JanSako]

@floydg - (I want a bow emoji to express my gratitude for this tool)

Thank you for coming back to it!

I would love the ability to look back at Sigint records. Here is the scenario:
I am getting ready to invade a base & want to know what units were reported by Sigint to be present in the past. For me this would be a major quality of life improvement.
Maybe the base could have a Sigint button, like the the three 'history' buttons right now, showing any Sigint hits related to it.

Second request would be a better support for modded engines, especially if a mod updates during the game progress.
These are modded engines from an ongoing game vs what Tracker shows:

Engines.png (695.34 KiB) Viewed 728 times

[floydg]

Sorry, floydg, but Tracker seems to have one serious flaw.

Its region definitions seem to be dynamic throughout a campaign making industry data somewhat meaningless.

I'd have to look at that code and we can discuss offline. Of course I'll fix anything not working properly.

[floydg]

@floydg - (I want a bow emoji to express my gratitude for this tool)

Thank you for coming back to it!

I would love the ability to look back at Sigint records. Here is the scenario:
I am getting ready to invade a base & want to know what units were reported by Sigint to be present in the past. For me this would be a major quality of life improvement.
Maybe the base could have a Sigint button, like the the three 'history' buttons right now, showing any Sigint hits related to it.

That functionality is already there. Under Intel data set, SigInt tab. Select the base you're interested in. Unless you mean something else.

Second request would be a better support for modded engines, especially if a mod updates during the game progress.
These are modded engines from an ongoing game vs what Tracker shows:Engines.png

Interesting. I'd need to see why that's missing.

[Chris21wen]

Sorry, floydg, but Tracker seems to have one serious flaw.

Its region definitions seem to be dynamic throughout a campaign making industry data somewhat meaningless.
...

A bit confusing but no problem for me.

All Tracker is doing is adding up the stuff held in your bases in that region and as you lost them the stuff held at them is no longer yours to count. I think it probably does this using base resource history. Have you check that? Likewise if you capture a base you'll sudden appear to have a rapid increase.

[paladin333]

Hello

Just wanted to say a big thank you for your application. The game is soulless and mostly unplayable as Japan without Tracker. Thank you for all your efforts.

I hope they will ask you officially to build similar solution for the new game engine.

Best regards!

[MBF]

A huge THANK YOU for keeping tracker alive going forward - I would be lost without it !

[DonH58]

Great news! I cant play a turn without tracker.

[JanSako]

@floydg - (I want a bow emoji to express my gratitude for this tool)

Thank you for coming back to it!

I would love the ability to look back at Sigint records. Here is the scenario:
I am getting ready to invade a base & want to know what units were reported by Sigint to be present in the past. For me this would be a major quality of life improvement.
Maybe the base could have a Sigint button, like the the three 'history' buttons right now, showing any Sigint hits related to it.

That functionality is already there. Under Intel data set, SigInt tab. Select the base you're interested in. Unless you mean something else.

OMG... It is not like I have been using this tool for the last 10 years pretty much daily or anything... you are of course correct & I am sorry for the false alarm.

Another feature that comes to mind is if there is a way to tell if any incoming LCU's are going to use a particular device. This is again an Allies thing, where it would help with managing upgrades for Squad devices if I would know not only the current 'users' of a device that we have now, but those that are in the pipeline too.

[n01487477]

Dear Floyd,
I remember this forum post like it was yesterday ...

Sorry for all the shite code that I cobbled together for the Production side of things that you will have to wade through. I would love to blame Java, but as you know, it was mostly just my lack of coding skill, spurred on by my then youthful exuberance. Thanks for always being good-humoured about it, though.

So, when you see posts saying, "this is taking longer than expected" - remember it's not your fault...

I know you will do a great job, and look forward to using it if I ever get to relax and play an AE PBEM again.

All the best,
Damian
PS. I guess you understand all the "dark arts" of the Japanese economy by now, but if you ever have any questions ...

[floydg]

Dear Floyd,
I remember this forum post like it was yesterday ...

Sorry for all the shite code that I cobbled together for the Production side of things that you will have to wade through. I would love to blame Java, but as you know, it was mostly just my lack of coding skill, spurred on by my then youthful exuberance. Thanks for always being good-humoured about it, though.

So, when you see posts saying, "this is taking longer than expected" - remember it's not your fault...

I know you will do a great job, and look forward to using it if I ever get to relax and play an AE PBEM again.

All the best,
Damian
PS. I guess you understand all the "dark arts" of the Japanese economy by now, but if you ever have any questions ...

Ah, the good old days. Fun times. I think we were both exuberant.

Fortunately, Visual Studio makes good suggestions on code blocks, so the only shite now is my convoluted logic.

[Metalist]

Not being able to run the tracker on my Linux is one of the reasons I postpone beginning to play this game as people keep telling it is a must. I think Python has much better chance of working, so I am looking forward for the new version. Good luck and thanks in advance!

[floydg]

Not being able to run the tracker on my Linux is one of the reasons I postpone beginning to play this game as people keep telling it is a must. I think Python has much better chance of working, so I am looking forward for the new version. Good luck and thanks in advance!

I doubt that it will work no matter what programming language I use. The program requires a Windows DLL to read the save files. You'll probably need a Windows VM to accomplish this under Linux.