AFJ tbl Editor

[afj666]

Hi folks.

I've been tampeing with a new, or should i say cloned, tbl editor. The main interface is built up like Darkstorms tbledit, as I really like that editor, as it is rather simple to use.

However i have to agree that the good ol' editor, needed an upgrade of some sort, so this is the main reason for doing this.

FEATURES
Reading/writing of Tbl files
Inset keys where ever you want
Edit key strings
Simpler color codes
Color menu
Basic import of tabbed .txt files.
Basic import of .tbl files.
Multiline in list entry deletion
Copy/Cut/Paste of list entires
Item Text show up dialog (Under development)
Load tbl files from commandline
Default dir option
Export to tabbed .txt files

DOWNLOAD
AFJ tbl editor v1.12 - 266kb
AFJ tbl editor v1.12u (UNICODE) - 268kb

As somthing new i've decided to include my source for this program. Just remember to Credit me if you use anything from it. Provided as is
1.11 Source

MFC dll's are no longer needed....

CREDITS
Kingpin
Paul Siramy
Joel
Evil Peer
pmpch
Kurziel
Forsaken
Myrhginoc
Sduibek
Necrolis
Nashi
Sir Xavius

UPDATES
[15-08-2003] Minor update 0.13a
[17-08-2003] Minor update 0.14a CRC code was buggy
[21-08-2003] Last Alpha update. Added new features + removed a new-tbl-file-save bug.
[05-09-2003] First Beta. 0.50b
[08-09-2003] Fixed two bugs
[21-09-2003] Various bug fixes
[13-01-2004] Added Export to .txt
[06-10-2007] Fixed some bugs and added new features. Options handling changed as well. Included source code
[09-01-2008] Fixed Patchstring.tbl and Expansionstring.tbl index numbers. Added new option to save last used path
[23-02-2008] Fixed crash when saving. Fixed Text Import and Export bugs

[Evil Peer]

[quote=afj666";p="121960"]I've been tampeing with a new, or should i say cloned, tbl editor. The main interface is built up like Darkstorms tbledit, as I really like that editor, as it is rather simple to use.

However i have to agree that the good ol' editor, needed an upgrade of some sort, so this is the main reason for doing this.[/quote]

Please take the following as friendly advice.

Since you say "cloned", I'm assuming you mean "very similar". What sort of improvements have you made over Darkstorm's editor? Any known bugs? Where do you intend on taking this program in the future? A feature list might get more people interested in your program. Remember, a lot of people are lazy, and only a few are curious.

The perl script was the first editor, but requires a perl interpretor. Darkstorm's was the first gui editor, but is lacking in features. Mine is the most complete, but requires files most people don't have on their computers yet. Joel's is built for command-line utility, which is both an advantage and disadvantage. Why should someone be interested in your editor over any of these? What niche does it fill?

Basically, all of the above boils down to: Advertise your program! Get us interested! Simply saying "Here's my program; try it out" will get you about two responses if you're lucky. Trust me

---Evil Peer

[afj666]

[quote=Evil Peer";p="122031"]Please take the following as friendly advice.[/quote]
heh, since it's my first program ever, i can use all the advice i can get, so np


[quote=Evil Peer";p="122031"]
Since you say "cloned", I'm assuming you mean "very similar". What sort of improvements have you made over Darkstorm's editor? Any known bugs? Where do you intend on taking this program in the future? A feature list might get more people interested in your program. Remember, a lot of people are lazy, and only a few are curious.[/quote]
With cloned i simply mean that i took it's GUI interface and used that one as a start. I intend, to keep developing on it, thats for sure, and the feature list i agree would be a good idea.

[quote=Evil Peer";p="122031"]
The perl script was the first editor, but requires a perl interpretor. Darkstorm's was the first gui editor, but is lacking in features. Mine is the most complete, but requires files most people don't have on their computers yet. Joel's is built for command-line utility, which is both an advantage and disadvantage. Why should someone be interested in your editor over any of these? What niche does it fill?
[/quote]
It's acutally quite simple to place my program in it niche. You said it yourself, Darkstorms is ok, but lack features. Your's is the most complete, but requires .NET framwork.
Darkstorms is good for the new user, and yours is good for the more advanced use. I'm simply trying to make somthing in the middle of these two editors.
Now don't take this as an offence:
First it was intended to be a personal program only (until a few days ago), cause I don't like the .NET framwork, so I must use Darsktorms. But I also want the feautres...... what a dilemmea....

[quote=Evil Peer";p="122031"]
Basically, all of the above boils down to: Advertise your program! Get us interested! Simply saying "Here's my program; try it out" will get you about two responses if you're lucky. Trust me [/quote]
Maybe you're right, I lack advertisment.

[Evil Peer]

[quote=afj666";p="122066"]Now don't take this as an offence:
First it was intended to be a personal program only (until a few days ago), cause I don't like the .NET framwork, so I must use Darsktorms. But I also want the feautres...... what a dilemmea....[/quote]

I don't take offense to someone not liking this particular aspect of my program. I can understand that some people don't want to download 20+ megs of stuff. Unless you're one of those people that doesn't like the .NET Framework itself. I still don't take offense, but I don't understand it either. That's like somebody saying they hate MFC.

--Evil Peer

[jbouley]

In any case, whether or not it enters the "pantheon" of TBL editors, I'm interested enough to want to know when it's "complete" enough to upload to our File Center.

So, afj666, keep me posted and let me know when you feel it's solid enough to add to the Tools area.

[kingpin]

Well,

all has its advantages/dissadvantages. Thats why new tools/games developes all the times

I'm sure there are enough room for another great tool. For me this tool replace DarkStorm's old table editor. It has additional features that i like and most important it doesn't corrupt patchstring.tbl this is an important thing compare to the old editor.

Let us take back the discussion to be about this tool and not if .net is good or bad

[Evil Peer]

[quote=kingpin";p="122144"]and most important it doesn't corrupt patchstring.tbl this is an important thing compare to the old editor.[/quote]

:blink: Darkstorm's corrupts patchstring.tbl? Hm, wonder why.

---Evil Peer

[Joel]

I can't remember exactly the part that get corrupted.
But some insertions cause Darkstorm to produce a bad CRC OR a bad index table.

[Volf]

I use both Peers and DarkStorm's, i didnt know that Darkstrom´s might corrupt the patchsting, is this something that happens often.
With Peers editor i sometimes have to save the changes 2 times befor they show in the game, but that might be some messed up settings on my computer, othervise its a good and easy to use tbl editor. After i downloaded NET framwork my computer is running better online and i think your gonna have to download is soon anyway with future software in mind.
Anyway a new tool is welcome.

[afj666]

Darkstorms editor has some flaws yes. But i don't know what that error is, since i have never encountered it...
About the .NET thing, I don't use it since i just don't like it that's all. Maybe some day i will
But one thing is clear. They will include it in feature OS versions as a default install. Now i don't think this thread should be a discussion about weather or not to use .NET. Som use it and some doesn't, peoples own choise.

Btw, a small update has been made

[Evil Peer]

[quote=Volf";p="122609"]With Peers editor i sometimes have to save the changes 2 times befor they show in the game, but that might be some messed up settings on my computer, othervise its a good and easy to use tbl editor.[/quote]

Volf:
Please make sure you have version 3.38. Some of the other versions may have old code (3.37 certainly does). If the new one exhibits the same problem, post a new reply in the Peer TBL Editor thread

AFJ:
(Sorry to hijack the thread a bit, but it showed up here and not in the thread for the program.)

And I'm sorry this turned into a .NET debate. I was just making an aside comment previously.

(edit)

BTW, are you supporting the same color escape sequences? Joel and myself agreed to use those commonly so the files would be interchangeable between programs.

---Evil Peer

[afj666]

[quote=Evil Peer";p="122892"]
AFJ:
(Sorry to hijack the thread a bit, but it showed up here and not in the thread for the program.)

And I'm sorry this turned into a .NET debate. I was just making an aside comment previously.
[/quote]
np

[quote=Evil Peer";p="122892"]
BTW, are you supporting the same color escape sequences? Joel and myself agreed to use those commonly so the files would be interchangeable between programs.
[/quote]

Hmmm... After i have downloaded you program, and loked into your Readme, I must confess they look similar. However, while you use:

Code: Select all

\red;

i use

Code: Select all

\red

but it's just a simple matter of changing. Also some of the colors like green, you use the word green, but i use lgreen, same goes to gray
But I don't quite understand, what excatly you want with this. Care to explain?

[Paul Siramy]

Exporting some entries with Joel's or Evil Peer's tbl editor that have colors, and with the appropriate options, will produce tabulated .txt that have these english color code readable by human. If for some reasons the user then want to use your tbl editor to import these entries, the color code won't worked and will need to be change manually, since you're using other codes

[Evil Peer]

Paul explained the reason pretty well.

The reason I started using semi-colons for the end of escape sequences is that it was sometimes hard to pick the color code out from the text. You can see the above linked thread for an example (page 4 or so I think).

The actual color names I use are adapted from a post someone else did for color codes a while back. I think his username was "General" something. I think I changed one or two to better distinguish the names of the colors.

---Evil Peer

[afj666]

Heh, very well. Point taken

I'll update the codes right away.


EDIT: Uploaded a new version 0.15a

[pmpch]

Consider an entry with the following text:

This scroll blah, blah...
\gold;Magical Scroll\grey;

In game this will appear (upside down) as:

Magical Scroll
This scroll blah, blah...


You might want to make a flag for this. Just an idea.

[afj666]

[quote=pmpch";p="124130"]
Consider an entry with the following text:

This scroll blah, blah...
\gold;Magical Scroll\grey;

In game this will appear (upside down) as:

Magical Scroll
This scroll blah, blah...


You might want to make a flag for this. Just an idea.
[/quote]

I'm not sure what flag you want me to set. If you thiking of writing item descriptions like you write normal text and then reverse save it when you set a flag for the text, like this:

\gold;Magical Scroll\grey;
This scroll blah, blah...

and then when you save it it will come up like this:

This scroll blah, blah...
\gold;Magical Scroll\grey;

This is ofcourse only possible when saving and not loading.

Is this what you thought of?

[pmpch]

[x] Show Text like ingame.

displays the text like this

Magical Scroll
This scroll blah, blah...


[ ] Show Text like ingame.

This scroll blah, blah...
Magical Scroll

in the Editor.

[Kurziel]

A feature I've always found handy, especially in utilities related to modding, have the editor store the last directory that was used to save or load a tbl. Another option would be to allow a setting in the ini for the default directory to start in.

[afj666]

pmpch: That would be possible to do. And it will be in the next version

[quote=Kurziel";p="124681"]
A feature I've always found handy, especially in utilities related to modding, have the editor store the last directory that was used to save or load a tbl. Another option would be to allow a setting in the ini for the default directory to start in.
[/quote]

Nice suggestion. Never thought of it, but it sure is possible. Consider this on my TODO list

[Kurziel]

After spending the afternoon working with the tbl's, couple more suggestions for features I think would make things alot easier.

Some keyboard shortcuts for commonly used functions (F3 for Find Again, for example).

Allow the key names to be copied to the clipboard. When changing existing blizzard keys this would allow copy/paste of a key name, which would help avoid type/capitalization issues.

Hope I'm not coming off as demanding or anything. Just making suggestions as they come to me.

Edit:

Just discovered a bug. Creating a multi-line string with a carriage return in it will display a funky symbol (almost like a null symbol) at the end of the line before the carriage return. This only happens when actually creating the carriage return in the AFJ editor.

I loaded and resaved (without making any changes) the tbl file in Darkstorm's editor. It displayed fine in game after that.

Reloaded in AFJ editor and saved without making any changes, displayed fine in game.

Reloaded in your the AFJ editor and recreated the string, saved, and it displayed the null sign in game again.

[afj666]

[quote=Kurziel";p="124737"]
After spending the afternoon working with the tbl's, couple more suggestions for features I think would make things alot easier.

Some keyboard shortcuts for commonly used functions (F3 for Find Again, for example).

Allow the key names to be copied to the clipboard. When changing existing blizzard keys this would allow copy/paste of a key name, which would help avoid type/capitalization issues.

Hope I'm not coming off as demanding or anything. Just making suggestions as they come to me.
[/quote]

I'll try if i can get this one into the program also. I had actually thought of implement it when i started making the editor, but cause i was a little lazy, i waited to start on it

[quote=Kurziel";p="124737"]
Just discovered a bug. Creating a multi-line string with a carriage return in it will display a funky symbol (almost like a null symbol) at the end of the line before the carriage return. This only happens when actually creating the carriage return in the AFJ editor.

I loaded and resaved (without making any changes) the tbl file in Darkstorm's editor. It displayed fine in game after that.

Reloaded in AFJ editor and saved without making any changes, displayed fine in game.

Reloaded in your the AFJ editor and recreated the string, saved, and it displayed the null sign in game again.
[/quote]

Thanx for bringing this to my attenton. I have located the bug and fixed it for the upcoming release

[afj666]

New release has been uploaded.

[Kurziel]

Just got the newest version for my next round of tbl editting. Sorry to report it crashes whenever I try to remove a key.

I can post the error message if you can't reproduce it.

Edit:

The crash does not happen when I use the right-click context menu on the key I want to remove, just when I use the 'Delete Key' button or select 'Delete Key' from the edit menu.

Edit2:

The option for setting the default directory in the ini doesn't accept spaces in the directory path. Not a big deal except the default install path for Diablo has a space in it. Thats sure to cause a few people to wonder why it won't work...

[afj666]

[quote=Kurziel";p="126709"]
Just got the newest version for my next round of tbl editting. Sorry to report it crashes whenever I try to remove a key.

I can post the error message if you can't reproduce it.
[/quote]
I have located the error, stupid typo in my program. Thx

[quote=Kurziel";p="126709"]
The option for setting the default directory in the ini doesn't accept spaces in the directory path. Not a big deal except the default install path for Diablo has a space in it. Thats sure to cause a few people to wonder why it won't work...
[/quote]
This problem had atually been in my IniLoad.dll since i created it, and actually not somthing i didn't thought about when creating the read routine. It has now been fixed. Thx for awareing me of this.

I have put up version 0.51b