Freelancer Developer

[StarTrader]

Fairy Nuff!

I know, RL is our bread-winner after all.

No probs pal.

[Bullwinkle]

FriendlyFire wrote:
I need feedback people ;D

In another thread on the Coding forum you mentioned an upcoming version of FLDev but I figured it made more sense to post a response here because this thread is stickied and has the right title.

First, FLDev is awesome.

For editing individual infocards it is difficult to imagine improving it much. Having your favorite tools in a single, tabbed, interface is nice, as well. Adding rollover text would make it easier for some to understand without changing the foundation.

The CSV parser looks like a potentially paradigm-shifting breakthrough in Freelancer tools (if it is not already shifting paradigms ). I am still trying to figure out the template language, but I think that you have started something unique and very important here.

In my experience, as a player, incorrect infocards are a weakness in most mods. Rumors are useless if they apply to different bases; ship infocards are useless if they do not tell you what is unique about a ship; and equipment infocards are useless if they are just plain wrong.

As a developer, it is obvious why infocards get messed up – the current tools do not make it easy to match infocards to ships, or rumors to systems, etc. There are, literally, thousands of things that can go wrong.

Since your CSV parser is able to drive creation of both .ini files and .dll files, you have started something entirely different. I can easily foresee a data-driven coding tool that helps the modder to synchronize infocards with other aspects of the mod.

For example, if a rumor discusses the goods traded at Manhattan, then the rumor should be displayed in New York, and not in Tau-999. Or, if you change a ship, then the specs and description could automatically update. Also, ship infocards could display handling, power, and engine specs without having to hand-code hundreds of cards. Just change the template and let the tool update hundreds (or thousands) of related cards.

Matching rumor to base or system is a tedious manual process with .ini files. However, with a data-driven approach, it would be much easier to keep things synchronized (and easier to detect when something does not make sense).

In other words… you have taken the first step toward a real database tool for Freelancer mod-creation. I am sure that you already have a vision for what you want to do next. If you are thinking along these lines and want another pair of hands (or just feedback), then I would be happy to contribute.

[Quarks]

Could you please include some option or autodetection for dlls in other languages? I can’t edit the german ones with FLDev (same with fled_ids) without changing the language setting for each node with res hacker…which is very annoying to do.

[Doubting_Thomas]

@ FriendlyFire:

Would you be cool with it if I said that I would like to love you in a physical way for making this?

:pint: :pint: :pint:

If not, we’ll just have to agree that you’re awesome. And I’ll make you a paper hat with the phrase “I am Awesome” on it, or something.

[Alucard]

Have a strange error with FLdev 1.1 seen here:

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n240/Alucard1_01/fldeverror.png

FLdev 1.1 works fine with anything else but this mod. Any ideas?

[M1C]

Could you press the details button please, thanks!

[Alucard]

Here’s what it says:

See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.ArgumentNullException: Value cannot be null.
Parameter name: path2
at System.IO.Path.Combine(String path1, String path2)
at FLDev.DevMainForm.global__updateFreelancerINI(String freelancerINIPath)
at FLDev.DevMainForm.Home__btnFreelancerINI_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5446 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
–--------------------------------------
FLDev
Assembly Version: 0.0.1.0
Win32 Version:
CodeBase: file:///C:/Users/Scott/Desktop/FL%20Dev/FLDev.exe

msvcm80
Assembly Version: 8.0.50727.6195
Win32 Version: 8.00.50727.6195
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/WinSxS/x86_microsoft.vc80.crt_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_8.0.50727.6195_none_d09154e044272b9a/msvcm80.dll

System.Windows.Forms
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5446 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll

System
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5442 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll

System.Drawing
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5420 (Win7SP1.050727-5400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll

Freelancer Interfaces
Assembly Version: 1.0.3344.34509
Win32 Version:
CodeBase: file:///C:/Users/Scott/Desktop/FL%20Dev/Freelancer%20Interfaces.DLL

************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
application or computer (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.

For example:

<configuration></configuration>

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
rather than be handled by this dialog box.

[FriendlyFire]

The only way such an error could pop up should be when the mod’s freelancer.ini is utterly messed up, like it’s missing a data path entry or something like that.

[Someone]

Hi, I’ve run into a small problem using the tool. Or rather, quite a big one. Whenever I’m done with editing an IDS entry and want to submit it, FLDev breaks.

When I click ‘apply changes’, the program stops responding, then crashes. I’m not sure if this is something I’m doing wrong, but the lack of documentation meant I couldn’t really check.

Does this problem sound familiar to anyone else? Is there a simple fix?

EDIT: I derped, and the fix was indeed simple. Entire Freelancer directory was read-only. That’ll teach me not to think things through properly.

[rsabatino]

turn the user control to never notify see if that works. what is your os ?

[Someone]

Win7. Not to worry though, I got it fixed. It was a read only problem with FL’s files.

[StarTrader]

FF - where can I download FL Dev now?

All the links in this old thread are not working, and I can’t find it using Search.

Yes, I gave in and got myself a 2-core desktop at last.

Thanks.

[FriendlyFire]

http://forge.the-starport.net/projects/fldev/files

[StarTrader]

Thanks FF

[StarTrader]

FF - are you thinking of any further development of FL Dev? I’m not proposing anything, just curious if it is final as is?

[FriendlyFire]

It is pretty much final, yes. I don’t see what to add or change to it, really.

[StarTrader]

OK. Still good.

[Dromedary]

Sorry for the gravedig on this. Recently got into using this tool, and it is excellent for a number of reasons. There is obviously one thing that’s irritating me though.

Every time i load this up, the program asks me for the location of freelancer.ini and resources.dll. Now i point it to my mod folder where i have them due to the fact they have been modified, but the program doesn’t seem to remember the locations, so i have to do this every time i load up the program. Is there any way to make FL Dev remember the paths, or is it something i just have to live with? Or am i doing something wrong?

[Minerobba]

Try editing config.ini. It works for me

Dromedary wrote:
Sorry for the gravedig on this. Recently got into using this tool, and it is excellent for a number of reasons. There is obviously one thing that’s irritating me though.

Every time i load this up, the program asks me for the location of freelancer.ini and resources.dll. Now i point it to my mod folder where i have them due to the fact they have been modified, but the program doesn’t seem to remember the locations, so i have to do this every time i load up the program. Is there any way to make FL Dev remember the paths, or is it something i just have to live with? Or am i doing something wrong?

[Minerobba]

Dear FF,

Do you know why some resourse dlls can only be edited a few days after the computer was turned on(which means I have to keep it awake for a LONG time)? And why some strings in resource.dll can’t be edited? These have been bothering me a lot.

Best
Mine