The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.

[Ruatha]

Originally posted by Slick:
I mean the "Log" that shows everything (almost) that happens in a turn (F10, I think) that lists construction, intel, research, politics, misc, etc. If the program was able to import this list in a side-by-side format with the history file, we could drag & drop items into the history file from the Log. I wouldn't want to copy over things like building a research facility, but I probably would copy over significant battles, or other major events. Just a thought.

Slick.

Ahh, that's worse. I'll hvae to say No to that as that's encrypted in the save game file.
I can make it drag and drop friendly.
And I'd like to have a key combination that copies in the current selection from any other program without switching focus, but I'm not sure I can do that.


-Thanks SJ.

-About that AutoLoad Bug, I think I've got a clue.

Bearclaw, your registration popped in now along with some others

[ May 06, 2004, 04:02: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

[Kana]

Ok...had a problem today...

D/L new PBW game turn...put in Savegame dir. Tried to pull up History 1.4 prog and I get the following error:

-----------------------------------------------
Access violation at address 00404CDA in module 'History.exe'. Read of address 010100F9.
-----------------------------------------------

I looked into the hisory.ini file...(it is an .ini right?) And this is what it had in there:

-----------------------------------------------
D:\Sean's Games\Space Empires IV Gold\Savegame
1
notreade@D:\Sean's Games\Space Empires IV Gold\Savegame|09!3
1
notreade@D:\Sean's Games\Space Empires IV Gold\Savegame\notreade.gam
True
Kana
1.4
16
----------------------------------------------
Then I tried some reinstalling and stuff...which didn't correct the problem...I also tried it with a saved game I had available...and it worked fine...this is what .ini file looked like:

-------------------------------------------------
D:\Sean's Games\Space Empires IV Gold\Savegame
1
TDM-Mod@D:\Sean's Games\Space Empires IV Gold\Savegame|01!2
1
TDM-Mod@D:\Sean's Games\Space Empires IV Gold\Savegame\TDM-Mod.gam
True
Kana
1.4
1
-------------------------------------------------

Not sure what happened...the saved game works fine...thankfully...there are all the entries in the history file up to that point...I just can't access them now via the History prog. Could this be some issue with the saved game file itself?

Any idea what happened, and possibly how to fix it?

Kana, registered user Number 4

[Aiken]

Originally posted by Ruatha:

Kind of bug report: frequently when using favourites or autoload features, programm will create another event file and will always logon to that incorrect event file after that. I've noticed it with the savegames where the Dead empires exist.

Hmm, that's not good. I assume it's in single player games? Or games that you have hosted?
If so that would explain it as there would be game generated event files then.
But if not... I'll look into it.

No, this bug occur with pbw games and I'm not a host. And it definitely happens when where are dead empires right before me in the players list: dead empire is plr 1, me is plr 2 in the 1st game and dead empire is plr 10, me is plr 11 in the 2nd one.

[Ruatha]

Kana >
Hi.
Could you tell me what Version the PBW game is in?
I've only trie dit with 1.84 and 1.91, and those are handled different from eachother.

I'll do better error routines in the next Version to make it easier to spot problems.
The inifile propably hasn't got any problem, I suppose it's with reading the game file itself.
I think I'll make an option in the next Version where you don't have to access the savegame file, now it's just to read the names of the different empires.

Sorry I can't help you more right now.

Aiken>
I think it might be that there are fewer accessible player files than one(?) and then it choses the first best one.

Have you tried using the Favorites option instead, that should alleviate that problem atleast. So uncheck AutoLoad, enter the game you want to use and check the favorite check box, and use that drop down box instead in the future.
I'll check about the dead empires, I haven't used any in my test gamefiles but it shouldn't make any difference... but obviously it does(!)

I'll make sure this doesn't afflict the next Version, and adain, sorry I can't be to more help right now.

[ May 06, 2004, 17:30: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

[Kana]

Stock Game...1.91 patch.

I had been using...to keep track of stuff...because I had noticed...that there was no history in the pbw game...some kind of bug?

Your program was a great new toy...which was working just fine...I'm sure there is something funky with the game file...I'll try and experiment when I get back from my trip...with the saved turn files of previous turns and see if they work...also try it when I get my new turn...of course that wont be till monday due to being out of town.

Thanks,

Kana

[Ruatha]

-

[ May 09, 2004, 10:04: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

[Ruatha]

Short peek on the future, shell GUI isn't finished, as you can see.
Most code isn't finished.
It will be a mod picker, history event editor, PBW mail handler, Real time client.
You'll be able to easily download PBW games, launch SE4 and external applications, the editor and upload the file, all with a minimum of clicks.
Still, any input and ideas are welcome.

If things go as I wish, it'll be the SE4 companion.

BEST used like this:
1. Start it and minimize it to the system tray.
2 it will either:
a) scan the mail for PBW mails and unpack these.
b) scan the PBW server Online and download turnfiles
3. Alert you that a turn is ready, you press a button on the message box and the SE4 game starts and logs in to your turnfile with the correct passsword.
It starts any external files you have, ie excel or word files.
It pops up the history editor.
4. You play the game, copy Messages by selecting them pressing CTRL+C in the game, switch to the companion and presses "paste from clipboard", back to game and finish.
5. You either press in the companion:
a) Pack and mail rutnfile to PBW or
b) Upload turnfile to PBW server on-line.


It can upload automaticly but I don't see that that will be a very used feature, as you'd like to be able to save the turns and continue before you upload.

Not very much code is used from the SE4 Editor, even though they look much the same, and I haven't come around to changing the name yet.

Right now I'm pretty sure I can complete it all, except the real time on-line bit, where I need help, see the other thread:
SE4 forum other thread
---

Here's a few screenshots (Will go down when my computer is resetted):
(I'll be gone a week and will propably not respond to any Posts during that time).







[ May 09, 2004, 12:00: Message edited by: Ruatha ]