XML Gen tool - New screenshots for Build 7

[Premier2k]

Hi guys,

Build 5 should be available soon with the following fixes:

Killer neutrals bug fixed
Application returns to beginning after generating XML (to avoid duplicates)
At least 1 territory has to be created to continue through the application
other minor bugs

I have Sinctheassasin helping out with a so far excellent help document, so as soon as he's done that I include it.

Premier2k

[ender516]

Thanks Sinc!

I'm just fixing an issue with killer neutrals and I'm going to open this up to everyone to download as Version 1 released.

A question....Is there a map that starts as non neutral that is a killer neutral? Or is every killer neutral always start as a neutral?

Premier2k

I would hope that a killer neutral would start as neutral, otherwise a player would automatically lose a territory after the drop: hardly seems fair.

[Premier2k]

yep, thats what I've done ender. If you select killer neutral then neutral will automatically select. If you uncheck neutral then killer neutral will also uncheck.

Premier2k

[Premier2k]

Build 5 is with my testers!

If this build is good and I have no complaints then I'll be releasing this to the community as version 1.0.5 for everyone to download and use.

Premier2k

[AndyDufresne]

Keep up your work! Great initiative!


--Andy

[Premier2k]

Thanks Andy! I will!

Build 6 now in test!
PM's have been sent to my testers!

Bugs fixed in this build (Reported by)
Fixed graphical issues (thenobodies80)
Fixed Continent Remove bug (thenobodies80)
Fixed NullExceptionError (Ender516)
Fixed Definition of bombardments is muddled (Ender516)
Fixed Territory list corruption (myself)

Features added! (Suggested by)
Added map size restrictions (thenobodies80)
Added Co-ordinate checks for territories (thenobodies80)
Added more logging (cairnswk)
Added About screen (Myself)
Added Menu bar (Myself)

[Premier2k]

Hi everyone.

Build 7 is going to be delayed. I am currently 'refactoring' my code. My application now contains over 2500 lines of code and maintaining it is getting much longer and harder to do.
Everytime I fix a bug the chances of me introducing a new one increases as my code grows.

I'll keep you all posted as to how it's going.

Premier2k

[Premier2k]

Hi All!

Just an update to keep you all posted about what's happening with the XML Gen tool. It is currently going through some changes and that is why I have been quiet with it of late.
I am changing the way the menu works, adding a whole new structure, this includes changing the way the XML is generated. I am making major changes to the import and export side of the XML to make it easier to customize your XML once you have generated it.
Also, when I get the chance I'll be writing the help file to go along with it, this should go a long way in helping people use the tool more effectively.

I am unhappy with the UI design of the Tool and so if anyone has any suggestions as to how it could look then please free to drop me a mail or post here. Ideally I'm looking for some sort of logo as well to brighten it up. It's very drab and boring.

Thanks everyone for your continued support!

Premier2k

[Premier2k]

Hi all,

Thought I'd post up some images for the tool. I have modified the gui to be brighter with better icons and not so blue!
See what you think, I'm looking for some ideas on what to put in the space on the first screenshot!







Premier2k

[ender516]

The first screen might be a good place for a quick pictorial outline of the XML editing process, showing what the user can do, and in what order. You might also provide links to any obvious first steps: create a new XML file, load an existing one (link goes to dialog), load a recent file (if you can retain some pathnames). These things can of course be done via the File menu, but I see a lot of programs using this alternative presentation. The screen space is there, so they use it.

[Premier2k]

Build 7 is available to my testers. Complete with revamped export and UI. I have also split out some of the code into their own dll's to make editing easier.

[john9blue]

Oh cool. I have not found the motivation to do XML for my map and maybe this will make it easy. Sign me up for testing.

[WidowMakers]

I just did a test XML file and it worked well. But when i went to edit the file, the program crashed.

[cairnswk]

I just did a test XML file and it worked well. But when i went to edit the file, the program crashed.

Yes same happened for me WM.
I sent something to Mantis yesterday about this.

[Premier2k]

Hi guys,

I'm currently working on the import function. The way I have been exporting the data has caused problems when trying to import. I'm going to have to rethink the way that I do this. I don't want to drop this as it's a major part of the application. But it could take some time to fix.
I'm thinking of using XML serialization to handle the import and export but as i'm not too familiar with this I'm gonna have to take some time to learn this part

Thanks for your continued support guys!

Premier2k

[cairnswk]

Hi guys,

I'm currently working on the import function. The way I have been exporting the data has caused problems when trying to import. I'm going to have to rethink the way that I do this. I don't want to drop this as it's a major part of the application. But it could take some time to fix.
I'm thinking of using XML serialization to handle the import and export but as i'm not too familiar with this I'm gonna have to take some time to learn this part

Thanks for your continued support guys!

Premier2k

Since you already got capacity to export as .txt, can't you import the .txt. file also?

[natty dread]

Exporting a text-based file format such as xml is easier than importing one. Or at least, from what I remember of when I used to do coding, and that was several years ago... things might have changed since then...

[gimil]

I don't mind doing some testing 2k if you need any more hands. I am currently running windows 7 home premium.

[Premier2k]

I don't mind doing some testing 2k if you need any more hands. I am currently running windows 7 home premium.

I may take you up on that offer Gimil as I haven't yet set up a Windows 7 platform to test on, there will a short delay on this for a while though. My current project at work is drawing to a close and so there's a lot of work to be done.

Exporting a text-based file format such as xml is easier than importing one. Or at least, from what I remember of when I used to do coding, and that was several years ago... things might have changed since then...

Yes exporting is no problem, I handle exporting the data in any way I wish. However importing is much harder as I have to include some data verification to ensuring that the data is being imported is valid, and that's assuming that I know the structure of how the data is written to the file, otherwise this can cause some pretty nasty defects(bugs).

Since you already got capacity to export as .txt, can't you import the .txt. file also?

I can, but it's not the file format that is causing issues it's the way that I import the data that needs to be handled correctly, I can export in any way I wish - be it .txt, .exp, .rtf, .xml - etc etc... I need to ensure I have correct data validation so that the data is imported correctly from the file. For example, I don't want to be populating a Territories arraylist item with the contents of a Continents arraylist item. I need to make sure that I'm importing the correct item to the correct arraylist.

To explain better:
This is a sample of my Continents arraylist and the parameters it takes -

Code: Select all

public Continents(string cname, int bonus, bool cbP, bool cbO, ArrayList AssignedTList)

and my Territories has overloaded constructors so will be one of these

Code: Select all

public Territories(string tname, int sx, int sy, int lx, int ly, bool cbS, bool cbK, bool cbN, bool cbB)
            : this(tname, sx, sy, lx, ly, cbS, cbK, cbN, cbB, 0, null, null)
{
}

public Territories(string tname, int sx, int sy, int lx, int ly, bool cbS, bool cbK, bool cbN, bool cbB, int neutVal)
            : this(tname, sx, sy, lx, ly, cbS, cbK, cbN, cbB, neutVal, null, null)
{
}

public Territories(string tname, int sx, int sy, int lx, int ly, bool cbS, bool cbK, bool cbN, bool cbB, int neutVal, ArrayList border)
            : this(tname, sx, sy, lx, ly, cbS, cbK, cbN, cbB, neutVal, border, null)
{
}

as you can see the parameters between Continents and Territories required is different and so trying to import some text into the wrong class would cause problems as it would require data that I'm not providing or vice versa.

Premier2k

[yeti_c]

What language are you using?

If you were using Java there are a load of XML parsers such as JDOM - which do it all for you...

I can see you're not using Java - and I assume it's C or some description...

I assume that C *must* have some standard XML factories that you could include and use?

C.

[ender516]

What language are you using?

If you were using Java there are a load of XML parsers such as JDOM - which do it all for you...

I can see you're not using Java - and I assume it's C or some description...

I assume that C *must* have some standard XML factories that you could include and use?

C.

A quick Google of "XML C library" or "XML C read write" gives two sets of candidates. Toss in "free" or "C++" or "C#" as you see fit.

A quick look shows xmlsoft.org has code used for the Gnome project (desktop environment built on free and open source software) whose licensing looks pretty easy to meet (put a copyright notice in your About dialog, I think).

[Premier2k]

What language are you using?

If you were using Java there are a load of XML parsers such as JDOM - which do it all for you...

I can see you're not using Java - and I assume it's C or some description...

I assume that C *must* have some standard XML factories that you could include and use?

C.

I'm using C# and looking into xml serialization, I think I may be onto something...

[Premier2k]

What language are you using?

If you were using Java there are a load of XML parsers such as JDOM - which do it all for you...

I can see you're not using Java - and I assume it's C or some description...

I assume that C *must* have some standard XML factories that you could include and use?

C.

A quick Google of "XML C library" or "XML C read write" gives two sets of candidates. Toss in "free" or "C++" or "C#" as you see fit.

A quick look shows xmlsoft.org has code used for the Gnome project (desktop environment built on free and open source software) whose licensing looks pretty easy to meet (put a copyright notice in your About dialog, I think).

I'm also looking at xmlsoft.org, this looks like something I could use!