Warp4th

Join Date 11/2007

Simple Map Manager [tool] [updated -> 1.2]

A map manager for Sins of a Solar Empire.

External Link

Updated to Version 1.2
◊ Added FileSystemWatcher, refresh buttons for local folders removed
◊ Added Open Folder buttons for Available and Installed, opens in Explorer
◊ Added image field to map creator, if no image is selected a default one is used
◊ Added links to SOASE website/forums to main menu (Extra -> Visit SOASE Website/Forums)
◊ Resized window to fit on 1024x768 resolution
◊ Fixed a problem that kept the application from running on Windows x64 (hopefully)
◊ Fixed an issue where hidden listview columns could be resized
◊ Added online map cache, only new map information is downloaded
◊ Added context menu's for Available/Installed and Online, quick access to functions
◊ Added retry-count for Available folder FSW
◊ Fixed an issue where the Hide Available/Installed maps option did not work
◊ Added Sharing Accounts, registering maps to users to allow deleting from server
◊ Reworked server-end of the application, switched to MySQL db

What?
This application allows you to easily manage your maps for Sins of a Solar Empire.

With it you're able to:
◊ Move maps between available/installed folders (keep your SOASE installation clean!)
◊ Share the maps you created with others
◊ Download new maps made by others
◊ Create new map files based on templates
◊ Assign a map editor to edit your maps

Basically it takes care of a lot of hassle for you, assuming it works correctly.

Why?
I thought about creating a map editor at first, but then someone beat me to it. So I thought about what else might be usefull and came up with this application. I wanted to simplify the process of sharing maps, as well as finding and downloading new ones, since they keep the game fresh.

Where?
You can download this application at: www.ghehe.nl

Requirements:
◊ Windows XP / Windows Vista
◊ .NET Framework 2.0

Oops!
If you encounter problems, please send me a PM or contact me through the website. I have tested this application, but I'm sure you can come up with situations where it simply refuses to work.

Greetings,

Warpath
(Cardassian Union)

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Blair Fraser

Join Date 10/2006

+292

Wow, that is really impressive! I just played with it for a bit, it's a very cool tool!

Edit: We should have a place where all the tools you guys are making can be described, viewed and downloaded easily.

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Yarlen

Join Date 01/2005

+365

We will, but not until around release.

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Nifty! Thanks!

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lordkosc

Join Date 12/2006

coolio

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Thank you for your replies.

Now all we need is some maps to be shared.

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I put up maps I made.

This is awsome, I will be sharing all the maps I make on this. It will be the ONLY place i share maps! it is so easy.

Two functions I'd love to see (mostly make ppl who make maps like me, lifes easier) have an "open from" button. That you can set to open maps from another file (where ever you put it) so you can store maps (like ones that arn't finished yet) in a seperate file. And this will make it easy to find and move them to sins with trying to find them everytime.

Also I'd like an "open" button, that allows me to open a map, to see the code, so I can edit the map easily. Making this not only an awsome map manager, but also a powerfull tool for making maps as well.

anouther idea would be a link that links to my favorite map making program!! (though I doubt this will be in thier) with that, I could make this my use-all control panel for sins!

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Hello EvilTesla-RG,

First of all, thank you for sharing your maps, they're ace! (I've tried a couple, not all yet)

I've tried to implement all your suggestions as best I could, however the 3rd party map editor application I cannot control, but I have added some options to get that working (if not now, then perhaps in the future).

On to the suggestions:

Open From
This was already available through the File -> Add Local Map option in the main menu. The Available section is meant for maps that are in testing, or that have just been downloaded.

Open button
I've added an Edit button that allows you to open any map in the Available and Installed sections with a map editor you specify in the Settings.

In the Settings window (File -> Settings) you'll see that you can browse to your map editor (default: notepad, I recommend Notepad++ for viewing the code btw), and you can also supply commandline arguments.

This means that if your favorite map editor can open existing maps through a commandline argument (like: App.exe -MapFile "C:\Maps\Test.galaxy"), you can use it as your editor. I don't know if your editor supports this however.

The %MAP% variable will be replaced with the path to the map file (*.galaxy) that you are opening using the Edit button. In the example the commandline arguments would become: -MapFile %MAP%.

Templates
I've also added an option to create a new map from within the application. It's not a map editor, but it will create a new map file (*.galaxy) file for you, based on a template you select.

If for example you want to base a map on Systems of War, you would goto File -> Create new map, enter a name and choose the Systems of War map for template. The map will be created and it's map image and description will be reset automatically. The new map will be selected in the Available list, simply click Edit to start coding.

If you prefer to start from scratch, I have also included a very basic Default template, which holds the basic commands for setting up a map to get you started more quickly.

Ofcourse if you prefer to start from nothing, or wish to change the Default code, simply goto your SimpleMapManager folder (default: C:\Program Files\SimpleMapManager) and edit the DefaultTemplate.galaxy file.

Download
The new version (1.1) is available for download here: www.ghehe.nl

You should be able to install it over the old one, without having to uninstall that one first.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Warpath
(Cardassian Union)

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kk, sounds awsome, downlowding new one now.

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Tried the app, during startup I get this exception but I can continue on to the program.

Just wanted to let you know.

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

************** Exception Text **************
System.BadImageFormatException: Could not load file or assembly 'DevIL.NET, Version=0.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null' or one of its dependencies. An attempt was made to load a program with an incorrect format.
File name: 'DevIL.NET, Version=0.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null'
at SOASE_MapManager.frmMain.ResetSelectedMap()
at SOASE_MapManager.frmMain.frmMain_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnLoad(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean fIgnoreVisible)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(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)

WRN: Assembly binding logging is turned OFF.
To enable assembly bind failure logging, set the registry value [HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Fusion!EnableLog] (DWORD) to 1.
Note: There is some performance penalty associated with assembly bind failure logging.
To turn this feature off, remove the registry value [HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Fusion!EnableLog].

************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1378 (REDBITSB2.050727-1300)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework64/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
SimpleMapManager
Assembly Version: 1.1.0.0
Win32 Version: 1.1.0.0
CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/SimpleMapManager/SimpleMapManager.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1378 (REDBITSB2.050727-1300)
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: 2.0.50727.1378 (REDBITSB2.050727-1300)
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: 2.0.50727.1378 (REDBITSB2.050727-1300)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.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:

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.

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[edited]
This line:

CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/SimpleMapManager/SimpleMapManager.exe

leads me to suspect you are using a 64 bit version of Windows. I've looked it up, and apparantly there is a problem when executing .NET Framework applications that reference 32 bit COM components. (in this case the devIL library, which I use to load Targa images)

I've already applied the solution (for those interested, its located here) to the project, and it will be available for the next release.

Since I do not have a 64 bit OS available, I'm afraid I cannot test it, so I hope you'll do that for me when the time comes.

My apologies for the error.

Warpath
(Cardassian Union)

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one word concerning this map manager: awsome

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We need the ability to mark the maps with a version tag, that way folks can update their maps and it be found out by those with the maps.

This'd make editing and updating so much simpler.

When a map is recently downloaded and installed with the "Hide availible/installed maps" option checked the list of downloadable maps isn't updated; might wanna make the list update after downloading.

Otherwise, nice application!

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one word concerning this map manager: awsome

figures he would spell it wrong...

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.........

putting this applicataion on my RG site, so I don't have to be uploading maps to it all the time.

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I have updated the application to version 1.2, please see the changelog in the top post for what's been changed.

Sharing Account
Since I've added sharing accounts I've unfortunately had to delete all the maps already on the server. A sharing account allows you to delete the map from the server, for instance if you wish to post a new version of it.

Please create a sharing account and upload them again!

Windows 64 Bits
If you use Windows XP x64 / Windows Vista x64, please let me know if the application starts correctly. This version has been compiled with the Target x86 CPU parameters which should fix the "unhandled exception" problem.

Download
The new version (1.2) is available for download here: www.ghehe.nl

Greetings,

Warpath
(Cardassian Union)

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Is there anyone with a 64 bit version of Windows willing to confirm if this thing runs on it?

Thanks,

Warpath
(Cardassian Union)

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Is there anyone with a 64 bit version of Windows willing to confirm if this thing runs on it?

Thanks,

Warpath
(Cardassian Union)

I have 64b Vista if that is what you are looking for instead of XP.

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Yes its the 64 bit version of either one (Vista or XP) that has had the problem described in reply #9 by Grimduck.

The problem should be fixed in version 1.2, however since I do not have a 64 bit version of Windows I cannot test it myself.

The problem was an Unhandled Exception on startup. Please tell me if it runs on your Vista x64 without this error.

Thanks!

Warpath
(Cardassian Union)

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It starts up fine for me.

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Excellent, thanks for checking.

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NP - Glad to help and thanks for the tool!

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Simple Map Manager [tool] [updated -&gt; 1.2]

Simple Map Manager [tool] [updated -> 1.2]

A map manager for Sins of a Solar Empire.

Simple Map Manager [tool] [updated -> 1.2]