New Version of the modlauncher

[Matryx]

New Version of the modlauncher has been uploaded.

New features:
1. Auto refreshing mod and savegame lists (Requested by Geoschmo approx 1 year ago today )
2. Should work across multiple monitors.
3. If no entry is in the password box the launcher will automatically fill in the required details to launch the game for SE4 (i.e. a single space password)
4. If no user-number is entered in the usernumber box the the launcher will automatically assume you are player 1.
5. User number box has been changed to be a non-fixed character numbers. you can now just type away in this box so be careful that you only enter numbers.

As usual, those who want may put it in their mod compilations (TDM etc)
Those that want the sourcecode you'll have to contact me again as I don't have your details.

Any bugs / requests / sugegestions to be sent to me at SE4@Matryx.org.uk

Enjoy.

[Matryx]

Oh, this also includes a much nicer documentation so hopefully we wont get the same questions over and over again http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Fyron]

Finally! Takes a year to get a new Version. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif j/k

Nice work!

Actually, could you add something that reads the Version of SE4 for the "None" mod selection in the Version field? It would make it easier when dealing with multiple instances of the launcher for different Versions of SE4. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ November 03, 2002, 22:51: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

[Matryx]

You can expect that in next years mod-launcher http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Nah, I've decided to do it now. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Minor change in this Version is that it now shows the Version of SE4 rather than N/A

Provided the format of the History.txt doesn't change (i.e. 3 lines then "Version x.xx")
this will work just fine

[Fyron]

Cool. Even better. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif Thanks!

[TerranC]

Matryx, or anybody else when you use the modpicker: does the modpicker seem to flicker, or distort?

Cause it is with mine and I'd like to know if this is just my problem.

[Fyron]

That is from the auto-refreshing of savegames and mods in the list.

[geoschmo]

Sweet! I especially like the stock Version n umber display. Thank you. And if he ever does put the number in a different place we can always edit the history file to make it work. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[ November 04, 2002, 02:13: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

[Captain Kwok]

I've got to start using this program more! I don't why I keep editing the path.txt file as often as I do. Stupidity mostly.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Captain Kwok:
I've got to start using this program more! I don't why I keep editing the path.txt file as often as I do. Stupidity mostly.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">What's a path.txt file? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Fyron]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Captain Kwok:
I've got to start using this program more! I don't why I keep editing the path.txt file as often as I do. Stupidity mostly.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">What's a path.txt file? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Isn't that the file that tells you how to get to Grandmother's house? You know, over the forest and through the woods...

[Captain Kwok]

Originally posted by TerranC:
Matryx, or anybody else when you use the modpicker: does the modpicker seem to flicker, or distort?

Cause it is with mine and I'd like to know if this is just my problem.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It flickers for me as well. I think it's because the button pictures are all updated each time the mouse hovers over one so it can draw the grid on the appropriate button.

[Dan C.]

Yep,
Works fine on Multiple monitors now. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Matryx]

I think you may find that transparency programs cause my program to flicker *insanely*
things like WindowFX and DesktopX
I could get rid of this I suppose but it's not *urgent*.

It is partly caused by the images changing on hover etc and partly by the refreshing (which takes place every 30 seconds)

I'll look into it

[dumbluck]

Cool. See you next year! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Matryx]

Gryphin.
Are you asking me to use a sans serif font?
Because the launcher *attempts* to use the SE4 font.
Try copying the SE4 fonts you your winnt/fonts or windows/fonts or winxp/fonts (whichever is relevant) and restart your machine.
(Futurist Medium I think it is, but basically everything in the SE4 fonts directory)

[ November 04, 2002, 20:01: Message edited by: Matryx ]

[Matryx]

*Another Version* http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
This one removed the flicker effect.

1036443856.zip (http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/newuploads/1036443856.zip)

[TerranC]

yay. See ya next year. I hope you create previews of the galaxy map http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Gryphin]

Matryx ,
Very nice, Thanks.
My own request is due to my vision.
It is easier for all people, (and me especially), to read sans serif fonts on a computer screen.
Interestingly it is earier for people to read serif fonts on hard copy.

[Matryx]

lol
So the next "feature" is a built in scenario / map editor
Somehow I think that's a little beyond my scope http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Gryphin]

Matryx ,
Thanks, I'll try moving the fonts.

[Fyron]

The auto-refreshing is actually pretty annoying. Sometimes, it refreshes it right before I click on "Load Game," and so it doesn't load the right game.

When modding, it is annoying because it refreshes itself back to None between the time I load the mod, test something, and then go to reload the mod to test another thing out.

I suggest that you instead add a "refresh" button that performs the refreshing feature instead of forcing it every so many seconds. Or, you could have the selections remain on whatever mod and/or savegame was Last selected, and not go back to the first item in the list.

[Matryx]

I'll store the selections.
I'll get right on it.

[Matryx]

Done

Can get in sig.link

[geoschmo]

Heh, since you are taking requests... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

How about having the list of games in the right hand window sort in date order with most recent at the top?

Or better yet, since not everybody is like me, they might prefer the current alpha/stock-mod order, perhaps give us an option, though a button, or by editing the ini file.

Geoschmo

[Matryx]

hmmm
That one will take a little longer to do
Because at the moment I just trawl the directories (which means alphabetically) and add the savegame as I find them (also aphabetically) I'll need to store them with time info and then pre-sort according to the user's desire.
hmm
How many options could there be
Date (then alphabetical by mod / savegame)
Date (then alphabetical by savegame)
Alphabetical by mod (then date / alpha by savegame)
Alphabetical by savegame

Can anyone think of other ways to sort?

[Fyron]

I have noticed another problem. After the launcher refreshes the list of savegames, it puts the password and player numeber info for the first game in the list into the appropriate boxes, regardless of what game is selected. If you click on the name of the game again, it will put the correct info in there. But if I hit load game first, it will try to use the wrong info to load the game. This happens sometimes when it refreshes the list in the seconds between when I select the savegame and then when I hit load game. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[Fyron]

<BUMP>

Edit:
Wtf? If you post < BUMP > with no spaces between the arrows and BUMP, it makes it into a blank space, as you can see happened at the top of this post. Very odd.

[ November 16, 2002, 10:05: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

[capnq]

The UBB software interprets &ltBUMP&gt as HTML code. Since BUMP isn't a valid HTML tag, it's ignored.

To get the &lt and &gt to show, you have to either follow the &lt with a space, or type "& lt" and "& gt" (without the quotes and space).

[Fyron]

I used to be able to type it though.

[capnq]

I used to be able to type it though. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">When I first started reading these forums, only UBB code was enabled. I don't remember when HTML was turned on, but I do vaguely remember a few people having to redesign their sigs then.

[Matryx]

I'll look into solving the problem tomorrow night.
it's 12:50 am here and I really should get some sleep before work http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Matryx]

Ok.
Fixed the bug with the refreshing (I think)
New Version available from my signiature.

[edit: Apologies for the 3 week delay in this bugfix - work has been a right pain this Last month]

[edit2: This apprears to be flawed with some sort of access violation. Do not download until I post another reply]

[ December 07, 2002, 15:09: Message edited by: Matryx ]

[Matryx]

Ok
Completely fixed.
Now as well, as was originally intended, when new mods / savegames appear in the list it will keep your original selection.

[Puke]

woo-hoo!

one note though, the refresh thing makes it dificult to edit the info in the modinfo text through the interface. it tends to refresh during typing. of course, the txt can still be edited on its own, and the functionality through the interface is certainly better than nothing.

Thanks for the updated Version!

[dogscoff]

it tends to refresh during typing
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Couldn't you type it up in notepad and then copy/paste?

[Matryx]

Unfortunately this is very much a "Lesser of two evils" thing.
I think that, as suggested, your best bet is to edit in notepad, or copy and paste from another editor.

[Suicide Junkie]

Couldn't you have it refresh only if there hasn't been a mouse movement or button press within 10 seconds or so?

That would help to avoid refreshing while people are typing...
You could also not refresh while a text box has the focus.

[Krsqk]

Or refresh at a lower rate (like 5-10 min. or so). There's a statistically lower chance of being hit by it (unless you're me). Include a refresh button for impatient people. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Matryx]

Ahh.. well to prevent problems with refreshing the directory list (you can hot swap mods on the fly) it calls the reselection function on the list.
Because of the way delphi works I can't change the way it reselects the item in the list to "not call" this refreshing function.
I can however increase the duration of the refresh, which I will tomorrow night.

[Suicide Junkie]

Well, just don't reselect, or do anything when the user is typing then.

If (currenttime - Lastinputtime > 10 seconds and refreshwanted = true) then call(reselect)

[geoschmo]

Matryx, is there some reason you can't just have it not auto-refresh at all? The only reason for needing a refresh is to have new mod folders and new games show up. Can't you just add a manual refresh button and get rid of the auto refresh?

Geoschmo

[Matryx]

Yes.. there's no good place for a refresh button http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif
Good suggestion though Geo.
I shall make that change.
I'll stick a button in the titlebar to refresh both lists whenever the user wants to click it.

[Matryx]

Ok. New Version.
Automatic Refresh Removed.
Manual Refresh mode added in the form of a button near the top.

Incidentally, if anyone has a better suggestion of the position, then e-mail me a screenshot of your suggested layout http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
HERE (http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/newuploads/1039630481.zip)

[geoschmo]

Matryx, you aren't really asking for suggestions on where to stick it are you? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Actually where you have it is fine for me. Works great.

Geoschmo

[Ragnarok]

Yes, works good indeed. Kind of hard to read the text but we all know what it says so that don't matter one bit. Good work!

[Matryx]

When the weekend arrives and I get a bit more time to myself I'll do a proper Version with similar buttons.
Till then this will do http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif
Function before Finesse

[dumbluck]

Bump for Rand.