[Excel] WidowMakers XML Writer Tool

[WidowMakers]

Here it is everyone. I made and excel based XML writer. There are instructions on the first tab of the excel file.

Update:
-zipped files for smaller download
-fixed a couple formatting issues in excel file. This did not affect XML output.
-added a tab to output all XML at once
Tool Version 4
Excel 2007
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/6/15/ ... el2007.zip

Excel 2000
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/6/15/ ... el2000.zip

Output The TEST.xml passed the XML checker.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/6/15/1180567/TEST.xml

Follow the instructions and it works.
I made a very basic circle of territories that can attack left and bombard right. Plus there are starting neutrals and auto deploy bonuses as well. I also coded in required continent bonuses and overrides.

Let me know what you think. Once we agree it works and is good, we can give it to the community.

WM

[RjBeals]

Dude... Seriously...

[wcaclimbing]

Thats a huge Excel file

I'll give it a try once Panama is ready for XML.

[yeti_c]

I'll check it out later WM... if it's good - then with tools like this - then there's no reason Mapmakers can't make their own XML anymore.

C.

[MrBenn]

There's no real reason they can't right now....

[yeti_c]

There's no real reason they can't right now....

Agreed!

C.

[WidowMakers]

Updated files in first post.

-Added New tab in file that groups all XML to one page. (easier to copy into text doc)
-Zipped the files
-Added 2 version - Excel 2000 and 2007

WM

[WidowMakers]

Hello everyone,
With all of the XML I am going to need to write for the USA Map Pack, I made and excel based XML writer. There are instructions on the first tab of the excel file.

Once you use it once it is real easy and it allows a user to setup all of the XML features (most of them) without typing or copying/pasting text.
You only need to enter you territory names once and the rest of the time you select them from the initial list.

Features:

-Only input territories once and then the rest of the file references that list (no more typos)
-Select border and bombard territories easily. Each excel cell has a drop down list of every territory (see 1st feature)
-Set auto-deploy and/or neutral starting values for any territory
-Name Continents and then select all territories in those continents from drop down lists
-Set Required and Override requirements for continents (This feature is used when a map has 5 territories and there is a bonus for holding any 3, 4 or all of them)
-Has 4 output tabs (Title, Continent, Territory and ALL). Just follow instructions and copy desired tab contents into XML text file.

Tool Version 4
Excel 2007
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/6/15/ ... el2007.zip

Excel 2000
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/6/15/ ... el2000.zip

I have already made several test XML files and a XML for the USA:West map. They all pass the checker.
Follow the instructions and it works.

Let me know what you think.

WM

[Kaplowitz]

:O
You're amazing...

edit: maybe you should put your bonus generator in the same excel file

[WidowMakers]

:O
You're amazing...

edit: maybe you should put your bonus generator in the same excel file

Sure I can do that. Plus if people don't want to use it then they can just enter their own bonus numbers

[cairnswk]

I'd give it 9/10 for a first preview. Congrats WM. With some tweaking, i think it will be quite productive to use.
I used it this morning to create the xml file for Ottoman Empire, and it works very well.
I copied the image into the Tert worksheet, and used that to list the terts for easy referencing - i hate switching widows.. I still had to open the tool's xml file into the Java GUI to track the coordinates but this was easy.
I'm not sure if it was any less time consuming than copying and pasting the way i used to do it in a text editor, I seemed to spend a lot of time trolling the picklists.

As suggestion....WM
Can you look at combining the Territory bordering page where you use the picklists to determine the borders (nice use of data vaildation) and the Continent page where you have list the terts in each continent from the picklist. Perhaps a column in front of the tert names column that can be easily copied down to place the continent names in front of the terts. Just seems a double up of having to use the licklist twice.

Nice work and thanks.

[WidowMakers]

As suggestion....WM
Can you look at combining the Territory bordering page where you use the picklists to determine the borders (nice use of data vaildation) and the Continent page where you have list the terts in each continent from the picklist. Perhaps a column in front of the tert names column that can be easily copied down to place the continent names in front of the terts. Just seems a double up of having to use the licklist twice.

Nice work and thanks.

I don't know if that will work since some territories are in multiple continents, especially for overrides. Or maybe I am just misunderstanding you.

WM

[cairnswk]

As suggestion....WM
Can you look at combining the Territory bordering page where you use the picklists to determine the borders (nice use of data vaildation) and the Continent page where you have list the terts in each continent from the picklist. Perhaps a column in front of the tert names column that can be easily copied down to place the continent names in front of the terts. Just seems a double up of having to use the licklist twice.

Nice work and thanks.

I don't know if that will work since some territories are in multiple continents, especially for overrides. Or maybe I am just misunderstanding you.

WM

Point taken

[gimil]

Ok WM added the tool to the map makers tools thread for you

[gimil]

Small suggestion WM, would it be possible to add a function that allows you to import an XML file into the spreadsheet? Could make editing easier in the long run.