A fast way to edit database...?

[mensonchino]

Hi!
I am new for the forum and the game, but I am enthusiastic, because I have always been a fan of old war games and board games.
But I find that WitP it is very very hard, so I thought to create a scenario with a few units in order to understand how it works.
Because I do not think that there is a map-scratch (with no units located) to start, I'm forced to load an existing scenario and I have to edit the data base, chanching the date of entry of each unit by putting a delay code 9999, in all those that I do not want to be present in the scenario. This means thousands of digit in tha data entry and so the game loses any appeal...
Is there no way to directly edit the data base on a spreadsheet?
Sorry for my stupid stupid, maybe but I have found nothing about in the forum...
thanks for the help..
Mensonchino

[Bliztk]

Download this:

http://mathubert.free.fr/witp_files/witpload.zip

extract the scenarios

It`s a CSV file. You can edit it with a spreadsheet editor. DO NOT USE EXCEL, it will corrupt the database. Use instead anyone, openoffice.org for example.

Then repack the files

Good luck [;)]

[Andrew Brown]

ORIGINAL: Bliztk
DO NOT USE EXCEL, it will corrupt the database.

Out of interest, what problems have you seen with Excel? And what version? I use Excel to edit the files and I haven't seen any problems yet.

Andrew

[JWE]

Actually Bliztk, Excel works very well with just a bit of forethought.

.csv files open with Excel by default. I’ve used that for years, back to the CHS days. Routinely (almost daily) use the AE version with Excel, for the past year and a half. Used them on XP and Vista machines – no issues, ever.

But … on an XP laptop with 500 MB RAM, I had borks when Excel was open along with the DOS shell and I tried to re-import. Close the DOS shell during edit, edit .csv, save the edit (and close Excel), reopen DOS Command Prompt and run re-import – no worries, even after hundreds of runs over two years.

On a Vista machine with 2 GB RAM, I can run Excel and do anything, and watch movies, in background, while it’s happening.

[mensonchino]

Thank you Bliztk !
I have downloaded Wiptload and read the instruction.
It seems not so immediate, but tomorrow I try tu run it and eventually ask again for your help.
Good night !
 
Mensonchino
 

[mensonchino]

Hello.
I have successfully exported the data in CSV format, the I have modified them with OpenOffice.Org Calc (much esier than Excel, you were right Bliztk...) but I am not able to do the inverse i.e. to re-import the data in the scenario.
So I do this:
1) I have created a temp directory in c:\SCEN putting into there the copy of original SCEN files and the witpload exe.
2) I run the program from start with:
 C:\SCEN\witpload /e /s08  getting the CSV files of the scenary #08 in the temp directory.
3) I modified the files with spreadsheet and save them as csv files
4) I rename all the file changing the #08 with #199 (the result is i.e. WITPshp199)
4) I try to re-import the modified files again in the original directory using the following syntax:
 C:\Matrix_Games\War_in_the_Pacific\SCEN\witpload /s199
(I was been force to use the"_" insetad of the "space" due to the syntax limitations)
Nothing appears.
5) I have tried also
C:\SCEN\witpload /s197
C:\SCEN\witpload /s197 /C:\Matrix_Games\War_in_the_Pacific\SCEN\
C:\SCEN\witpload /s197 /C:/Matrix_Games/War_in_the_Pacific/SCEN
C:\SCEN\witpload /s197 /i
C:\SCEN\witpload /s197 /c:\"Matrix_Games\War_in_the_Pacific\SCEN"
C:\SCEN\witpload /s197 /dC:\Matrix_Games\War_in_the_Pacific\witp\SCEN
But notingh...
I think it could be a syntax error, but i don't know.

[Bliztk]

Maybe its the scenario number. Try 99

I have remembered what when wrong with editing with Excel. When you saved the file it changed the separators from ; to ,

I was using Office XP if my memory is right, so maybe the newer versions do not have this problem (or have an option)

[el cid again]

I find it possible to import data into Excel and edit it - most of the time what the fields mean is clear - but exporting seems to generate problems - in particular for air groups. It will be interesting to see if this can be done with a different spreadsheet?

[Wolfpack1]

Hi all,

I recommend a freeware programm ->"CSVed".
Maybe you should give it a try.

[JWE]

ORIGINAL: Bliztk
I have remembered what when wrong with editing with Excel. When you saved the file it changed the separators from ; to ,

No. We have been using Excel to edit WiTPLoad .csv files for over 3 years, on a daily basis, for both CHS and, now AE. The delimiters do not change. The program is designed to open and work with Excel. If anyone is having a problem, it is not with Excel. If you are having a problem, pm me with details and this can get sorted out in a hurry.

[Bliztk]

No problem, I switched to Openoffice and my problem was resolved. Not using it anymore, waiting for AE [:'(] to start messing with the scenarios