Slotmodder error / possible new project for me

[Ed Kolis]

Help! I can't load or save ships in the slotmodder anymore! I just get Runtime Error 55 File Already Open whenever I try to do so...

On the bright side, this might spur me to make my own Version of the slotmodder which would be even easier to use - for instance, it would assign component slots their stock colors and abbreviations by default (heavy weapons = red, W(H), etc.) and show armor/shield facings graphically!

[DeadZone]

Yeah, and while you are at it, make other modding programs

[Exan]

Yeah, a systemmodder would be cool. So that you could just place objects in the map and give properties to them. Little like the map editor in SE4.

[Ed Kolis]

Well, what I have started on now is a sort of generic Malfador data reader/writer. I know I tried something like this before, but for that I had to specially code each individual data file's reader/writer, but now with what I'm working on, you'll be able to create an XML-based schema to read or write any data file from SE4, Starfury, Dungeon Odyssey, or SE5, when it's released. For instance, here's the schema for a simplistic "mod" format consisting of only CompEnhancement.txt from SE4:

Code:

---

<?xml Version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<MMSchema xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="MalfadorModSchema.xsd">

	<File Name="CompEnhancement.txt">

		<RecordType>

			<Field Name="Long Name"/>

			<Field Name="Short Name"/>

			<Field Name="Description"/>

			<Field Name="Code"/>

			<Field Name="Cost Percent" Type="uint16"/>

			<Field Name="Tonnage Percent" Type="uint16" />

			<Field Name="Tonnage Structure Percent" Type="uint16" />

			<Field Name="Damage Percent" Type="uint16" />

			<Field Name="Shield Percent" Optional="true" Type="uint16"/>

			<Field Name="Supply Percent" Type="uint16"/>

			<Field Name="Range Modifier" Type="int8"/>

			<Field Name="Weapon To Hit Modifier" Type="int8"/>

			<Field Name="Vehicle Size Minimum" Type="uint16"/>

			<Field Name="Vehicle Size Maximum" Optional="true" Type="uint16"/>

			<Field Name="Comp Family Requirement" Optional="true" Type="string"/>

			<Field Name="Weapon Type Requirement" Type="string" />

			<Field Name="Vehicle Type" Type="string" />

			<Field Name="Number of Tech Req" Optional="true" Default="0" Type="uint16" />

			<FieldArray Name="Tech " Count="Number of Tech Req">

				<Field Name="Area Req" Type="uint16" />

				<Field Name="Level Req" Type="uint16" />

			</FieldArray>

		</RecordType>

	</File>

</MMSchema>

---

[Ed Kolis]

I've picked up work on this data tool again... now it can read and write Components.txt as well as CompEnhancement.txt (from SE4, not Starfury), except it chokes on the Weapon Seeker Speed field in Components.txt... that part needs some more work

I also have code in the program that SHOULD be able to add additional files to the mod dynamically (like Starfury does having most of its data file names defined in CampaignData.txt) but I haven't tested that yet...

Still, once I have the Components.txt working and add a schema for VehicleSize.txt, then I can make something vaguely useful (that vehicle design analyzer I'd been talking about )