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[BONUS ADD-ON] SMS / Station Management System V3.1a

Posted: Sun, 26. Sep 04, 20:52
by ticaki
*update burianek 29/12* Version 3.1a released. Access the new version from the Index of Bonus Plugins
list of changes:
1. CRITICAL UPDATE: many small fixes to issues causing problems with this script, you must get the new version
2. 'mini' version now has a small cost associated

**********************************************

Another signed script is now ready for download!

Download: your personal downloadpage
Station Management System V3.0
(X² version 1.4 and newer)

The “Station Management System” (SMS) offers enhanced administration of your own stations through the following options:
- The prices are automatically adjusted depending on the stock
- Excess money will be automatically transferred to the player's account, or to a player owned trading station's account, in the sector.
- It adds an overview over debited sums and other useful information about the station


Installation:
The proper folder structure is stored in the file archive. Please extract it to your X² root folder.


Use:
When you load a game or start a new game after Installing SMS, you get new commands in the command slots of all own stations:

- SMS Mini/Standard
- SMS Deluxe
- Configure SMS
- SMS local log generation
- SMS global log generation*
- Advanced SMS options*
- Stop SMS
* These commands are only available on Trading Stations

If you want to use an additional SMS command (e.g.: Configuration, Logging) while another is already running, you MUST choose another command slot, otherwise SMS will be stopped (it will overwrite the SMS command).

There are two or three modes of operation of the SMS: “Mini” / “Standard” and “Deluxe”. Both require 2 different settings at startup:
- 'max Credits at Station' is the maximum amount of money the station keeps for itself;
- 'Warning when Credits below' warns if the station's money falls below this limit (detailed explanation below).


Mini/Standard Version:
Abilities: it controls the resource prices and transfers money the station doesn't need automatically. For the latter a fixed maximum value must be set manually.
When you start the Mini/Standard version, it does not instantly begin its work. Only the money the station doesn't need will be transferred. This is free of charge.

To change from the “Mini” version to the “Standard” operating mode you have to set the prices of the resources. To do this you use the "Configure SMS" command: first you choose the station, then the wares and finally you set the maximum and minimum price limits. (If both values are the same, the price is fixed and won't be adjusted to the available stock level).
If you do this for all resources needed by the station, another 20,000Cr will be debited and the Mini/Standard version takes effect within some.


Deluxe Version:
Abilities: it controls the prices of all wares of the station and transfers money the station doesn't need automatically; the threshold value can be calculated automatically.
Once started, the Deluxe version begins its work. The range of prices is adjusted to the prices set. The product's price range will be between the price set by you (the lower boundary) and the maximum possible price. Conversely the resources' price ranges will be between the price set by you (the upper boundary) and the minimum price possible.
If you want to change the range, you do so as in the Mini/Standard version using the "Configure SMS" Menu, i.e. choose the station, the ware and the price limit.


Stop SMS on a certain station:
If you want to disable administration by SMS, you should use the "Stop SMS" command.
If you accidentally end it using the "none" command, you should still use the "Stop SMS" command, otherwise there may be problems when restarting the Management System.
In addition, this also resets the settings.


Generating Logs:
If you choose this option (local log generation), a short output about the profits of the station is added to the player's log and enhanced statistics will be written into a log file on the hard disk. To see this file you need to execute "xml2log.bat" in the 'sms' subfolder of the X2-folder. This command copies the "log01311.txt" generated by the log to the SMS-folder and changes it into a format that can be read with an Internet browser.
This new file can be found in the SMS folder and is called "sms-log.xml". If you own a Trading Station you can get the log of all SMS-administered stations in the sector (or within the set radius around the sector) in the same way.
Again you get a short overview added to the player's log and an enhanced overview on the hard disk (this goes beyond the scope of the player's log). Generating the log for the sector in which the Trading Station is located (Radius = 0) is free, but if you increase the radius to include SMS-stations in neighboring sectors it'll cost a maximum of 25,000Cr per radius unit depending on the level of the Trading Station. The radius corresponds to the number of jumps that would be necessary to get into that sector, not the "bee line" distance.


Advanced Options (only available in a Trading Stations)
0 = disable; 1 = activate
Two additional options are available. These settings act globally, so they are not only active in the sector the Trading Station is in:
'rename Stations': If activated a short tag will be added in front of the stations' running SMS names:
- adds "(SMS Dlx)", "(SMS Std)" or "(SMS Min)" to the station name
- 'silent Mode': when activated only a minimum of notes are sent to the player
Note: “low money” warnings are not considered as particularly important and are not sent in silent mode.


The fees:
The different versions of SMS have a certain start fee which is debited from the player's account immediately after the software is started:
Mini: free
Standard: 20,000cr (Upgrade from Mini)
Deluxe: 100,000cr
In addition to these fees there are ongoing costs, which are directly debited from the station's account and which depend on the station's 'level' (description follows):
Mini: 100cr per hour
Standard: 300-100cr per hour
Deluxe: 600-200cr per hour
Note: the amounts are not debited once per hour, but are deducted in smaller amounts which then add up to the total above.
If a station does not have enough money to cover the expenses, wares are impounded to pay the station's expenses.
Even if there are no more wares to impound, SMS doesn't stop working. The outstanding 'arrears' fees are recorded by the system. When a certain amount is reached, the balance due can be paid through the special commands-menu of the player's ship (in this case you get a note).


The Station's Level:
Each station can level up to a maximum of 100. At level 100: SMS's fees are only 33% of those of level “0”. This "discount price" is financed by the people living in the station's sector. For this a police license is required.
Example:
You own a station in Argon Prime and you have an Argon police license. The station in Argon Prime gradually achieves higher levels, and its fees go down.
If you loose your police license, the station loses a few levels too!
As long as you don't own a police license, you will pay full fees for the SMS's actions.


Own Trading Station:
If you own a trading station it is, as mentioned above, possible to generate a global log. All SMS stations in the same sector will then transfer the money they don't need to the trading station, instead of to the player's account.
If the station's money is less than the amount set, the designated trading station transfers some money to the station. The same happens if money is required for the station SMS dues.


Important Notes:

Initial values:
'Max Credits at Station': Enter one of the following:
-2 -> Maximum amount is calculated automatically (Deluxe only)
-1 -> Money Transfer disabled
>= 0 -> Enter the maximum value manually

'Warning when Credits below':
0 -> Warning disabled
> 0 -> Warn me when amount of money below this amount

Commands:
If you want to use an additional SMS command (e.g.: Configuration, Logging) while another is already running, you MUST choose another command slot, otherwise SMS will be stopped (it will overwrite the SMS command).

Overview of the differences between Standard and Deluxe:
- Standard checks only the prices of the resources
- Deluxe checks the prices of all wares
- Standard only allows a fixed "Maximum Credits" value
- Deluxe calculates this value automatically
- Standard doesn't change the prices when stopping it; they stay the same as just before ending SMS
- Deluxe resets the prices to the amount they had before starting SMS
- Deluxe adapts prices and transfers money more frequently than Standard
Greets ticaki

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 01:23
by ticaki
*released*

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 01:26
by The_Abyss
:thumb_up:

Top stuff!

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 01:33
by Storm666
YES!!! nice one

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 02:07
by Adonne
another one for the awards show :thumb_up: :thumb_up: :thumb_up:

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 02:31
by Logaan
Koolio!

BTW, all those scripts with update next to them, have they actually been updated? Will it hurt if i reinstall them?

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 03:36
by Some Idiot in PA
I'm a little confused... Is this script supposed to make factories more profitable, easier to manage, or both?

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 07:10
by thecwby
:thumb_up::thumb_up::thumb_up:

omg, finally! 'ehanced' station management! im in heaven. no, wait, im drooling. anyone seen my drool rag? i gotta clean this mess up.

ok.. im off to go play with SMS.. woooohoooo!

:thumb_up::thumb_up::thumb_up:

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 10:12
by ticaki
Some Idiot in PA wrote:I'm a little confused... Is this script supposed to make factories more profitable, easier to manage, or both?
Greets ticaki

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 11:15
by Greyhawk1
Wow! Complex....gonna take some time to get to grips with it.

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 13:20
by fchopin
I will install the SMS tonight.

I have one question, The SMS is for trading Stations so does that mean not for Equipment Docks.

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 13:42
by Graphil
So to get my head around the price adjustments for an SPP what this does is if the stock is low for crystals it raises the price threshold maximum buy price to buy a resource and if the stock is low it lowers the max buy price.
For the energy cells if stock is low it raises the sell price.

Is that correct?

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 14:24
by ticaki
@graphil yes

@fchopin
SMS works with all stationtypes, but the special feature only avaible on a TD.

Greets ticaki

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 15:29
by HalloweenJack
ok, i just read the post.
it looks neat, however:
why do i want price adjustment?
that looks like the biggest benefit- the credit transferseems interesting and the variable buying price can already be done by setting a max, can't it?

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 16:06
by Spark
HalloweenJack wrote:ok, i just read the post.
it looks neat, however:
why do i want price adjustment?
that looks like the biggest benefit- the credit transferseems interesting and the variable buying price can already be done by setting a max, can't it?
Good question.
That's why I won't use it, probably. I want my SPP to sell at 20-22. Let the BPH pick the best opportunity between those. OTOH, with SMS I'll be able to do just that: pick boundaries.....
Dunno yet. It looks more of an expensive funpackage to me than an actual profits pack.

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 16:16
by fchopin
Spark wrote:
HalloweenJack wrote:ok, i just read the post.
it looks neat, however:
why do i want price adjustment?
that looks like the biggest benefit- the credit transferseems interesting and the variable buying price can already be done by setting a max, can't it?
Good question.
That's why I won't use it, probably. I want my SPP to sell at 20-22. Let the BPH pick the best opportunity between those. OTOH, with SMS I'll be able to do just that: pick boundaries.....
Dunno yet. It looks more of an expensive funpackage to me than an actual profits pack.
I think you can set the minimum and maximum to whatever you want so you will be in control what profits you will make.

But I will install tonight and check everything out.
It could be a little complicated till we figure the SMS out.

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 16:18
by Spark
fchopin wrote: It could be a little complicated till we figure the SMS out.
Oh, not at all. Lots of text, but the summary is quite clear.

BUT: This adjustment isn't about demand. It's about stock. If the demand is high, I can sell a full factory supply at max.
I won't have a full supply then, but nevertheless. What's wrong about this thinking?

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 16:32
by fchopin
Spark wrote:
fchopin wrote: It could be a little complicated till we figure the SMS out.
Oh, not at all. Lots of text, but the summary is quite clear.

BUT: This adjustment isn't about demand. It's about stock. If the demand is high, I can sell a full factory supply at max.
I won't have a full supply then, but nevertheless. What's wrong about this thinking?
I think you can also set the minimum and maximum for selling.

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 16:38
by Spark
fchopin wrote: I think you can also set the minimum and maximum for selling.
I know you can. But adjusting your price lower often just results in lower profits....

Posted: Tue, 28. Sep 04, 16:46
by fchopin
Spark wrote:
fchopin wrote: I think you can also set the minimum and maximum for selling.
I know you can. But adjusting your price lower often just results in lower profits....
Not if you have minimum 19 and maximum 22 for EC.