Freelancer Path Generator *Alpha*

LancerSolurus

Probably wouldn’t hurt, it is on my to-do list for FLEC.

Unicornz

Okay, honestly heard nothing what-so-ever about any issues, problems or anything else. Had the odd “great”, “works fine”, “it’s working well”, “awesome” type comments, which don’t mention any problems arising in their paths (or whether they used the paths generated) - but wondering whether to just make it into a release version now?

If I do, I’ll add contact details to a help menu or something, so that feedback may be generated etc?

Any last thoughts, hints or requests?

I’ve been using this on my mod and i’m in the proccess of updateing the mod. I have added new systems etc and used your program to regenerate the paths, I have tried them and everything seems ok i have not came across any problems at all, no errors generating them and no erros in using the generated paths either…

Strail

@ Chips.
I think you should as some vanilla systems are heavy with them already and some people modding just will not know.
@ Others, you will probably see that the ini’s referred to in universe are sometimes a different case than those they actually refer to. For Lancer Sol, you might want to tidy this up in your error check by having them highlight incorrect/mismatched case for system ini’s. example - Li01 > LI01. There are a number of mismatched case inis referenced from the system entries to the actual system ini file. Whilst I dont believe this in itself will crash the server, its good practice to have them all uniform. I have changed mine, however a quick look will show what I mean.

LancerSolurus

**From my own testing the name are not case sensitive in most of the FL files. In some cases such as looting, it is important. I don’t see a problem with adding an additional check for it though since I am just like you, I prefer the case to match. It will most likely have to be a separate check though since the nickname scanner converts all names to lowercase, it requires alot less room in the tree list for the names.

I will need to know exactly which parts you would like checked, the standard scanning I do typically does not know what file the nicknames come from. Another possibility is add a check to let the user turn off the lowercase conversion during the general error checker part…**

Tunicle

Got an
“IOException, please report as bug”

What details do I provide? Where from?

They all seem to revolve around ST01 and ST02.
Not systems we actually use but I presume left overs from SP missions.
We have new Beta and Minor but I presume these have not bbeen deactivated properly? or can they be?

If I take the two st ini’s out for the scan I get

st01 not found
st02 not found
st03 file encrypted!
st03b file encrypted!
fp7_system file encrypted!
st01 not found
st02 not found
st03 file encrypted!
st03b file encrypted!
fp7_system file encrypted!

LancerSolurus

Did you remove them from universe.ini?

Tunicle

Hi

no, for the scan I just moved the system ini’s, to see what happened as it wouldn’t complete with them in.

Is removing from the universe.ini the way to get rid of them completely, or is that too simplistic?

Sorry for the simple questions, but part of a team that inherited a mod and we are still learning as we go. The more we find out the more code worries we seem to find within the mod.

Spent all day on a crash issue today, finally traced it to one line of code, but no idea why it crashes. The same line is in many places, including elsewhere in the system ini and was in the version before and causes no problems.

Chips

Hmm, i would advise deactivating the mod, installing the SDK so that all files are overwritten by unencrypted files.
Then, activate the mod (make sure you’ve not got any files inside the mod that are encrypted, not aware of any re-encryption that works 100% effectively!) as maybe these are the issue?

If you still get those error messages, then try opening one of the mentioned files and see if it’s encrypted. You can try to decrypt it as well, then compare to the SDK version. If there’s no difference, then remove it from the mod as it’s not required?

When it opens a file, it checks for the bini at the start. If it finds it’, it thinks it is encrypted.

Tunicle

Thanks, it is the encryption, never looked in those files before, assumed they were decrypted.

I presume that this indicates that the mod may have not been built on the SDK?
If the mode wasn’t so large and long lived I would be tempted to recode it all from scratch

Chips

May be several reasons:

I think the Explorer offered a method of re-encrypting the bini files?
They just copied files across without ever opening or altering them (check them against originals?)

there’s quite a few mods which started, and were pretty much fully formed, way before the SDK appeared. TNG, Reball, Evo, WTS and possibly Harriers mod are the ones that spring to mind for me, mostly because they started before the SDK (certainly for TNG, Rebal and Evo - we’d done most of the mundane coding before the SDK appeared). However, we still decrypted the files to work on them, and I never re-encrypted, and nor did Michael Dan, Harrier or Crabtree as far as I am aware.

It’s highly possible that they’ve re-encrypted their files, but after reading some work on bini decryption, re-encryption sounded like a risky proposition. There were tools out there to re-encrypt files (it has advantages for the game), maybe they used those?

Others, like TNG I think, encrypted files again as it was part of their “security” measurements to stop people cheating. Basically I think it revolved around fudging up the normal way of decryption of the files again… but I honestly have no clue.

StarTrader

CHIPS YOU OLD SON OF A GUN! ;D

I was just now able to use your updated path generator for the first time.

I noted St03b was encrypted, when I spotted that it caused 2 errors. (I get these moments of spontaneous genius at times!) But I decided to continue testing without decrypting St03b.

As a test I immediately used Ioncross Server Op to place my ship on a new, remote and way-far system from where I was.

I opened my character, launched, and plotted a path back to the system where I used to be, Texas. OF COURSE I took my ship out of gear while I was doing this, so I would not collide with the guy in front! And yes, I DID switched my communicator to Bluetooth handsfree, what do you think I am, a senseless pirate? No!! I am a law-abiding citizen in real life!

My current location was top-left of the universe map on a tiny dot with nothing but crocs everywhere around me!!

The path lines came up in pink for the charted systems on the universe map, and I (very cleverly even if I say so myself!) spotted that I had a list of waypoints at the left side of the map!

And when I closed the universe map I was quickly able to spot that there was a pink diamond floating around me too!

What is this with DA and pink?! I thought gay already meant gay and not jolly when DA was started?

By this time the situation was desperate!

Very adeptly I clicked on the diamond, tricky floaty-everywhere thingy that it was, and I pinned it to the nearest tradelane so it would not be able to get away! Ha! That got it!

So I was then able to make my getaway through the tradelane, not knowing where I was really going! And then when I thought I was clean away there was another pink diamond in front of me! I very cleverly pinned that one to the nearest jumpgate out of the system and pressed my docking lever ever so slightly, and… before I knew what was 'appening, I was in the next system!

And there was yet another of those nasty diamonds floating near me, waiting to pounce on my unprotected ship! Ha! Zey were not going to get me!!

I repeated the pinning of these pink diamonds all through the tradelanes and jumpgates and after about 2 more systems I got bored, the diamonds were getting tired and slower and did not seem to be able to attack me any more! So I removed the path (it’s a long way to Texas and I did not want to go there anyway - who knows what kind of people are there if the diamonds are already pink)! and so I went to one of my nearby new systems instead, this time the diamonds seemed to be a little more friendly, less pink and more of a manly mauve, and one of them even allowed me to pat pat it on the head before I landed.

Heheheh.

Bloody well done Chips!

I’m now going to try another run after decrypting St03b. Maybe I will see pink efelumps!?

RRJDS mod now rules thanks to Chips!

cheeseontoast

question…

wtf?

hahaha

w0dk4

locked gates

Does not work. Locked gates are not excluded from pathfinding.

Check this:
Vanilla path
Path = Br04, Rh05, Br04, Br01, Br03, Bw02, Bw04, Rh05

Tool path
Path = br04, rh05, br04, br03, bw02, bw04, rh05

br04_to_br03 is a locked gate

Chips

You mean illegal, there’s no gate - so it’s a jumphole, but I agree - it’s an oversight I made, took all of 2 seconds to see it

I think it’s a simple-ish fix.

I’ve hashed the name whilst it’s in lower case - gives a different hash value.

The issue of mismatching case was one i came across from my own lame assed modding Since it now reports errors, I can remove those transforms - just get it to report case mismatch between things like universe.ini and any reference to a system…
Remember, it’d find all such errors before path construction… so with errors being found before constructing paths, if any exist - should it exit and inform you?? or carry on, construct the erroneous paths and then inform you of errors?

w0dk4

case mismatch should be no big deal, since
“TEST” and “test” generate the same hash…

Maybe the error is somewhere else?

FriendlyFire

Actually, CRC Calc is case insensitive, but FL is case sensitive. LS has released a new CRC app that is case sensitive to fix that issue.

http://digitalbrilliance.com/Downloader/index.php?action=downloads&id=33

Chips

Dammit, i’ll have to fire up software and find out.

Yup, case insensitive, requires a bit more digging.

StarTrader

Uhh…

Famous last words.

After decrypting St03b and rerunning the generator…

Still no crashes, :-
but…
No Best Path from any system to anywhere I tried, even to the next system which I had already visited.

I can’t see a way to attach the files to this post to send them to you pal.

Initial look-see with my ini editor shows the entries are not in the same order, so although the same first few gates are listed in both, the second file has out-of-order entries and so the whole file is difficult to compare…

Here’s the second (No Best Path) shortest_legal_path.ini…
[SystemConnections]
Path = br07, br07, br07
Path = br07, bw05, br07, bw05
Path = br07, ku04, br07, bw05, ku04
Path = br07, rh04, br07, bw05, rh04
Path = br07, bw07, br07, bw05, ku04, bw07
Path = br07, ku01, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01
Path = br07, rh01, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01
Path = br07, bw06, br07, bw05, ku04, bw07, bw06
Path = br07, ku03, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03
Path = br07, ku05, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku05
Path = br07, ku02, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02
Path = br07, rh03, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03
Path = br07, rh02, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02
Path = br07, rh05, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh05
Path = br07, br08, br07, bw05, ku04, bw07, bw06, br08
Path = br07, ce01, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, ce01
Path = br07, bw09, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09
Path = br07, iw05, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw05
Path = br07, iw06, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw06
Path = br07, bw04, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03, bw04
Path = br07, bw03, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03, bw03
Path = br07, iw01, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02, iw01
Path = br07, iw02, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02, iw02
Path = br07, bw10, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10
Path = br07, li03, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw05, li03
Path = br07, fr01, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw05, fr01
Path = br07, rw03, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw06, rw03
Path = br07, bw01, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03, bw03, bw01
Path = br07, li04, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02, iw01, li04
Path = br07, bw08, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10, bw08
Path = br07, br04, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10, br04
Path = br07, li01, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw05, li03, li01
Path = br07, ea03, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw06, rw03, ea03
Path = br07, br03, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03, bw03, bw01, br03
Path = br07, ha01, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03, bw03, bw01, ha01
Path = br07, br01, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10, br04, br01
Path = br07, rw02, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10, br04, rw02
Path = br07, br06, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10, br04, br06
Path = br07, li02, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw05, li03, li01, li02
Path = br07, li05, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw05, li03, li01, li05
Path = br07, iw03, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw05, li03, li01, iw03
Path = br07, ea02, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw06, rw03, ea03, ea02
Path = br07, br02, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10, br04, br01, br02
Path = br07, br05, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10, br04, br01, br05
Path = br07, iw04, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw05, li03, li01, li02, iw04
Path = br07, ea01, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw06, rw03, ea03, ea02, ea01
Path = br07, br09, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10, br04, br01, br05, br09

Here’s the first (Good path) shortest_legal_path.ini…
[SystemConnections]
Path = br07, br07, br07
Path = br07, bw05, br07, bw05
Path = br07, rh04, br07, bw05, rh04
Path = br07, ku04, br07, bw05, ku04
Path = br07, rh01, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01
Path = br07, bw07, br07, bw05, ku04, bw07
Path = br07, ku01, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01
Path = br07, rh02, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02
Path = br07, rh05, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh05
Path = br07, rh03, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03
Path = br07, bw06, br07, bw05, ku04, bw07, bw06
Path = br07, ku03, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03
Path = br07, ku05, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku05
Path = br07, ku02, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02
Path = br07, iw01, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02, iw01
Path = br07, iw02, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02, iw02
Path = br07, bw03, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03, bw03
Path = br07, bw04, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03, bw04
Path = br07, br08, br07, bw05, ku04, bw07, bw06, br08
Path = br07, ce01, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, ce01
Path = br07, bw09, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09
Path = br07, iw05, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw05
Path = br07, iw06, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw06
Path = br07, li04, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02, iw01, li04
Path = br07, bw01, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03, bw03, bw01
Path = br07, bw10, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10
Path = br07, fr01, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw05, fr01
Path = br07, li03, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw05, li03
Path = br07, rw03, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw06, rw03
Path = br07, li01, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02, iw01, li04, li01
Path = br07, br03, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03, bw03, bw01, br03
Path = br07, ha01, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03, bw03, bw01, ha01
Path = br07, bw08, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10, bw08
Path = br07, br04, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10, br04
Path = br07, ea03, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw06, rw03, ea03
Path = br07, li05, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02, iw01, li04, li01, li05
Path = br07, iw03, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02, iw01, li04, li01, iw03
Path = br07, li02, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02, iw01, li04, li01, li02
Path = br07, br01, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03, bw03, bw01, br03, br01
Path = br07, rw02, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10, br04, rw02
Path = br07, br06, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku03, bw09, bw10, br04, br06
Path = br07, ea02, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw06, rw03, ea03, ea02
Path = br07, br02, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02, iw01, li04, li01, iw03, br02
Path = br07, iw04, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02, iw01, li04, li01, li02, iw04
Path = br07, br05, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03, bw03, bw01, br03, br01, br05
Path = br07, ea01, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01, ku02, iw06, rw03, ea03, ea02, ea01
Path = br07, br09, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh03, bw03, bw01, br03, br01, br05, br09

And interestingly when opening either file with notepad, Notepad does not interpret the end of line correctly and glues all lines together into one VERY long line with a square character in between each! Difficult as hell to read with Notepad!

But this forum does interpret eol correctly so it shows normally below so I can’t show you what I see…
[SystemConnections]
Path = br07, br07, br07
Path = br07, bw05, br07, bw05
Path = br07, rh04, br07, bw05, rh04
Path = br07, ku04, br07, bw05, ku04
Path = br07, rh01, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01
Path = br07, bw07, br07, bw05, ku04, bw07
Path = br07, ku01, br07, bw05, ku04, ku01
Path = br07, rh02, br07, bw05, rh04, rh01, rh02
…

Can you sort the entries for each system at all? Then it will be a doddle to compare different runs.

Thanks Chips.

BBalazs

Chips, do you look for archetypes or goto lines in the file?
I’m asking this, because I have jump-objects with custom archetypes; and yes, I’m too lazy to test it out at the moment

In systems_shortest it does take into account my jump-object, but in shortest_legal and shortest_illegal, it is in neither. This might be the cause of some of my ‘no best path’ issues. If relevant, can you create an external list, like a txt file of what archetypes are being looked for, and are treated as legal/illegal? The app could then parse for those archetypes, and this problem would be universally solved.

Edit: Just corrected some early morning typos and horrid grammar mistakes.

Chips

@BBalazs:

Chips, do you look for archetypes or goto lines in the file?
I’m asking this, because I have jump-objects with custom archetypes; and yes, I’m too lazy to test it out at the moment

In systems_shortest it does take into account my jump-object, but in shortest_legal and shortest_illegal, it is in neither. This might be the cause of some of my ‘no best path’ issues. If relevant, can you create an external list, like a txt file of what archetypes are being looked for, and are treated as legal/illegal? The app could then parse for those archetypes, and this problem would be universally solved.

Edit: Just corrected some early morning typos and horrid grammar mistakes.

Can you attach an example of your jump objects from the systems file please mate?
It does work on the principle of a goto = line, but it checks teh archetype of the jump object against the solararch.ini file first… if it’s not there already (defined by type = JUMP or something!), then it’ll log as an error.

Sadly uni removed my emailed code as having a virus attached (bini.exe was included, whattamistakatomaka) so haven’t worked on it today during the day, and I got home a short while ago… it’s 9.10pm, and I have to get up at 6am… yet to eat dinner.

Fraid it may be either tomorrow or Friday before I can have a butchers hook at what’s going wrong with various aspects.
Quick question, are the things in order as they appear in the universe.ini file? The systems should appear as they do in that (so first entry in systems_shortest_path should be the paths for the first system listed in universe.ini file).

If anyone wants to zip up their files, all i need are the system files in their systems folder, the initial_world.ini, solararch.ini and universe.ini files Just zip them up, use something like yousendit.com or rapidshare.de or something (file hosting sites) and post a link up here.

I’ll try my best to look over, but this is kinda the worst time due to starting work, and for June my weekends are packed with being away each weekend or a majority of the time.

I’ll see whether I can fit it in around working at uni, or free evenings (if there are any) at weekends.