Server Help

Misc User Apps - SS Map Writer

tansey - Sun Jan 21, 2007 5:00 pm
Post subject: SS Map Writer

I got an email on a slow Saturday with a programming request. The following is how the problem was described:

"I am making a tutorial arena for new players - in the arena there will be a bunch of text all over the place describing things, that the players can read - directions, if you will. Now I want to try and keep the lvz for those texts to be as small as possible, a way to do that would be to have each letter as an individual picture, and just call upon the image everytime I want to place it. The problem with that, is that manually placing the letters would be incredibly time consuming."

Solution: Subspace Map Writer.

Thanks go out to Chalk Eagle for ripping the SS fonts.

1/26/07: Added new fonts and save/load support for message sessions.

Mine GO BOOM - Sun Jan 21, 2007 5:15 pm
Post subject:

As a backup, attached file here as well.

Possible future alterations would be to have the ability to name the LVZ in the program, and when clicked Generate, would create a subfolder named that, copy the needed image files there, and create the ini file. Then you can have multiple projects and reload the ini file for ease of editing.

The NTFS filesystem supports hard links (files in different locations both pointing to same data on hard drive). I've not worked with .NET, so I cannot say how to do this through that system, but it isn't that difficult for C, you just need to check to see if you can support hard links. Doing hard links would allow you to keep your folder organization and to create subfolders for new projects without wasting disk space by constantly copying small files.

Chambahs - Sun Jan 21, 2007 5:24 pm
Post subject:

Wow, i was actually thinking of a way to do this, like...5 minutes ago..thanks!

Bak - Sun Jan 21, 2007 5:51 pm
Post subject:

if you use more than 255 IMAGE's in any arena in lvz you'll run into problems. Also, the source code is missing . Good work though.

Samapico - Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:45 pm
Post subject:

But the limit is 255 different images... There is no limit on the number of mapobjects (well, probably, but its way more than 255), so I assume with 40-50 IMAGE# you can define most useful characters, so its not much of a problem, unless you need alot of other images.

...Edit: Ok I tried the program, I understand... it should warn user when more than 255 different characters are used

Good work though... It's a feature we'll probably include in DCME if we ever support LVZs

Dr Brain - Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:43 am
Post subject:

Mine GO BOOM wrote:

The NTFS filesystem supports hard links (files in different locations both pointing to same data on hard drive). I've not worked with .NET, so I cannot say how to do this through that system, but it isn't that difficult for C, you just need to check to see if you can support hard links. Doing hard links would allow you to keep your folder organization and to create subfolders for new projects without wasting disk space by constantly copying small files.

Having 3-4 copies of a set of 30 odd 5kb PNGs isn't what I'd call wasting space.

The fact that none of the tools that come with windows support hard links would mean total confusion for someone with even a relatively good knowledge of computers (talking about users, not programmers).

ChalkEagle - Fri Jan 26, 2007 5:49 pm
Post subject:

yea, the 255 images thing is frustrating. You can still use the program tho if you want to stick to just two colors of text (for a total maximum of 190 characters - and then you can throw a couple odd colors in there to fill the void - at least I think so...i was able to put about 2000+ characters of just green in).

(For anyone who isn't sure what the problem looks like:

http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/9785/screenshot113ld5.png )

The bottom line should say "item as you pass by."

Where does the problem stem from anyway? I assume...client?

Cheers,
Chalk Eagle

tansey - Sat Jan 27, 2007 12:03 am
Post subject:

I posted an update, see the original post for more info.

ChalkEagle - Sun Apr 01, 2007 12:50 pm
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The naming of one of the text graphic files is off for the Yellow Uppercase O. It is "o_yellow.png" and it should be "o_upper_yellow.png"

Cheers,
Chalk Eagle

tansey - Mon Jul 09, 2007 2:49 pm
Post subject: Source

Sorry, I never uploaded the source for this. If anyone is still interested (or in case I get hit by a bus tomorrow and SS is updated breaking the code), I attached the source for this project.