[Bonus Plugin] Station Manager

Seawolfe · Post by **Seawolfe** » Wed, 9. May 07, 03:42

I could accept that it was a feature to wait for a deal if there are no stations selling resources at (or below) the minimum buy price within the the minimum jump range. But when resources are available within the jump range, I would expect the station manager to send a freighter for what is needed instead of letting the station sit there in an unproductive state.

I hope that AalaarDB is reading these and has something for us in the future.

wizaerd · Post by **wizaerd** » Sat, 12. May 07, 19:01

I need a small bit of help with the Station Manager, in terms of using it. I've recently built a Distillery in Elena's Fortune (my first station ever...) and I went into the Station's Command Console. Initially, there was nothing there, so I clicked the Slot 1, and chose the Station Manager: Automate command.

It was my understanding that once I did this, the appropriate Station Manager Commands would populate the station's command console, but the Automate one is the only one that shows up.

On a whim, I re-chose that option, and did the Station Manager: Add Ship command, and chose my station when prompted (there were already two Mercurys assigned to that station).

As soon as I did that, the Mercurys went off buying resources, so I can only assume that it's doing what it's supposed to. But I still only have that one command in the Stations Command Console (Station Manager: Automate). I dont see any choices for status, which supposedly is supposed to be an option.

SO am I using this correctly? Once the Station Manager: Automate is installed, that's all there is or should there in fact be other commands?

Sorry, my first station and all, so have no idea what I'm doing, or if I'm even doing to correctly...

Anubis_xian · Post by **Anubis_xian** » Sun, 13. May 07, 20:33

wizaerd wrote: It was my understanding that once I did this, the appropriate Station Manager Commands would populate the station's command console, but the Automate one is the only one that shows up.

On a whim, I re-chose that option, and did the Station Manager: Add Ship command, and chose my station when prompted (there were already two Mercurys assigned to that station).

As soon as I did that, the Mercurys went off buying resources, so I can only assume that it's doing what it's supposed to. But I still only have that one command in the Stations Command Console (Station Manager: Automate). I dont see any choices for status, which supposedly is supposed to be an option.
.

I think that if you select the two mercs you have assigned to the still, and go into their trade or extra options, the additional commands will be listed there.

That's so if you can apply different criteria to each tending vessel (i.e. one merc to buy only energy within a jump range of 3, the other to buy only wheat within a range of 6). It lets you override the default station settings, and tailor your tenders as you like.

BTW, stills are good moneymakers, as anyone will tell you, although I would recommend that when you have enough money, add a wheat farm to your still, making a tiny complex (Wheat L for Still L, Wheat M for Still M). It will cost you a little more money, but you only need to supply energy. The complex hub also has ten docking nubs as opposed to the usual five for the still.

Good luck!

zeddius · Post by **zeddius** » Wed, 20. Jun 07, 16:18

Installed the script for teh first time and love what i see so far, however I have some questions.

PS! I bought a XXL Space fuel destillery and a XXL wheat farm that I connected with the standard complex construction kit. I then bought 2 mercurys which I assigned to the station. Then I added them via the station command add ship.

1) They are buying recources allright, but they dont use their jump engine. They are equipped with Nav MK1/2 trade MK1/2 Spedial command software and jump engines ofc. (dont have trade MK3)

2) My complex is blinking blue in the properity screen like they dont have any resources. Thats not the case though, the complex is peoducing space fuel continuosly. This is kinda annoying as i rely on that feature to identify stations that may have production problems

3) Also wondered how many L factories I need to supply 1 XL, and how many XL factories are required to supply 1 XXL factory.

Hopefully sombody will be able to clarify the above

jlehtone · Post by **jlehtone** » Wed, 20. Jun 07, 17:09

@zeddius:

1. Station Manager ships never jump. That is a design decision.

2. Blinking yellow, I presume. Factory blinks, if it does not have resources for the next cycle. It might still run, because it had enough when it started the current cycle, and it may again have enough by the time the next cycle starts. Unrelated to SM.

3. L is 5, and XL is 10. I guess the XXL means 20. Therefore, two L for XL, and four L or two XL for XXL.

Mailo · Post by **Mailo** » Sat, 7. Jul 07, 09:54

I have a complex consisting of 3 Rimes M, 3 Wheat M, 2 Crystal M and a SPP L.
Since it is supposed to sell Rimes and energy cells, I set the latter to product using Naffarin's Complex Manager.

Jump range is set to 2, a full silicon mine is in the next sector, two full cahoona presses 2 sectors away.
My complex has no cahoona and no silicon, energy cells are at 15%, so wheat and rimes production is running

After activating the station manager and assigning it two ships, they returned to the complex and have since been sitting there, idling docked at the complex (internal dock, thanks to XTM and Ashley's, so no trouble with full docking clamps).

Is there any way to get them out to buy cahoona and silicon? Stopping the station manager and restarting didn't help, they just returned to the complex and continued to idle.

Sandalpocalypse · Post by **Sandalpocalypse** » Sat, 7. Jul 07, 17:02

My automated transports assigned to a Space Fuel Distillery L in Power Circle have a tendency to lose their automation. Cause unknown but quite irritating. I can restart them using the resume automation command.

After activating the station manager and assigning it two ships, they returned to the complex and have since been sitting there, idling docked at the complex (internal dock, thanks to XTM and Ashley's, so no trouble with full docking clamps).

Is there any way to get them out to buy cahoona and silicon? Stopping the station manager and restarting didn't help, they just returned to the complex and continued to idle.

I don't know why, station manager just isnt working wrt complexes for me either, so just use normal management. It's better suited to individual factories anyway.

Axeface · Post by **Axeface** » Thu, 26. Jul 07, 01:19

Hey, cool script. I have a problem though.

I have a wasp missile fact in Heretics end, and I want the ts's at it to sell the missiles to the EQ in black hole sun (It stocks them). But no matter what they wont do it.

I have 4 other factories in HE and they are all working great.

Any ideas?

Lidza · Post by **Lidza** » Mon, 30. Jul 07, 22:04

Hi,

Where I can download just this script???

Thanks

Aesir · Post by **Aesir** » Thu, 16. Aug 07, 06:12

Lidza wrote:Where I can download just this script?

It is part of the Bonus Pack.

If you download the Bonus Pack, and install it, you have the option during installation to pick which elements of the Bonus Pack to install. The default options will install all scripts contained within the Bonus Pack. If you wish to install only Station Manager, then uncheck the boxes next to every other script set during Bonus Pack installation, leaving only Station Manager selected.

The Bonus Pack install will make backups of your "t" and "scripts" folders in your main X3 installation folder. Comparing the backup folders with the new (post-installation) folder will allow you to see which files were added by the Bonus Pack installation.

lincs_geezer · Post by **lincs_geezer** » Fri, 24. Aug 07, 23:59

This script is a bag of bones and should never have been released.

1. They don't seem to want to sell to trading stations or equipment docks.
2. Sometimes they just decide to stop doing anything and the freighters just sit as landed even though there current command is automate. It seems to be when there isn't a product within the buying price within range it all goes to pot.
3. The fact that you have undock a freighter before you can use it for station manager is amateur.

I'm not a script writer and technically have no right to moan, but I'd rather have no 'bonus' than bug filled bonuses.

jlehtone · Post by **jlehtone** » Sat, 25. Aug 07, 08:47

1. They should sell to Docks that actually trade the ware. Obviously they don't sell what the Dock does not stock. That you can do only manually.

2. If there is no offers with allowed price within allowed distance, there is no reason to fly. The script probably runs:

Code: Select all

IF valid offers THEN send ship
ELSE wait N seconds
REPEAT

Too short N and the script does unnecessary checks, too long N and it may miss some. But the dynamic NPC pricing garantees that prices and stocks do improve over time (unless someone else visits the place), so extra wait is not that fatal.

3. That is not a feature of Station Manager, but the game interface. You can select ships only from the sector environment. Consider a ship docked into Carrier. If you select a ship and pick a Carrier, do you intend to select the Carrier, or are about to select a docked ship from the Carrier?

IMO, the design principles of Station Manager are absolutely fabulous. It may have a couple less than perfect points in its implementation, but overall is rather nice. Its authors are not around any more, so it is highly unlikely to change in the future.

These 'bonuses' are "free". Made by volunteers. You have the freedom not to use them, if you do not like them. Or better yet, volunteer to help in making of those "bugless bonuses".

Kilrathi Avenger · Post by **Kilrathi Avenger** » Sat, 25. Aug 07, 10:07

jlehtone wrote:IMO, the design principles of Station Manager are absolutely fabulous. It may have a couple less than perfect points in its implementation, but overall is rather nice. These 'bonuses' are "free". Made by volunteers. You have the freedom not to use them, if you do not like them.

Well Put

jlehtone wrote:Its authors are not around any more, so it is highly unlikely to change in the future.

Pity, it IS a very good script that could benefit from a bit of TLC

Deleted User · Post by **Deleted User** » Sun, 26. Aug 07, 10:52

jlehtone wrote:Its authors are not around any more, so it is highly unlikely to change in the future.

This bonus pack version is 1.16b,
but the latest version that Burianek & AalaarDB link to in their thread (last updated 30th Mar 06) is v1.11
http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php? ... 80#1364580

So who updated it to v1.16b ?

This is a main-stay script & has worked flawlessly for me, in Vanilla
(as useful as BPH was in X2), and initially so in XTM, but recently most ships (in various
complexes) go to into a state of 'waiting for trading opportunities'.
ie it has stopped working or a least it's working minimally (in XTM).

The above thread says SM uses
<t id="420">COMMAND_STAT_MGR_CONTINUE</t>
<t id="1116">COMMAND_STAT_MGR_AUTOMATE</t>
<t id="1155">COMMAND_STAT_MGR_ADDREM_SHIP</t>
<t id="1255">COMMAND_STAT_MGR_PROHIBIT_WARE</t>
<t id="1256">COMMAND_STAT_MGR_SET_JUMPS</t>
but it can't be a conflict with XTM otherwise it wouldn't work at all, would it?

The XTM compatibility list says the below script is incompatible:
'Xai Corporation Station Command Suite (STCOM)'
but there's an assumed (stated?) Bonus-Pack compatability.

If I produced a debug log file (as described by AalaarDB in the above linked thead),
presumably there's no-one to check it over anymore?
Maybe I'll do that anyway & see if looking-over it myself bears any fruit.

Has anyone fixed/improved/fiddled with SM ?
(I know, I know - it wouldn't then be 'signed')

EDIT: just went to make a debug log file, but thought I'd try giving each ship only ONE ware to deal with
(ie prohibit all other wares - like it says is best in the readme

),
All ships are now operating again.
Perhaps the 'stalling' is to do with the complexity of what it has to handle,
eg in this case it stalls with 10 ships trying to automate selling of 9 products,
so manually reduce the complexity for the script
= much more likely to work, I'm happy with it again.

I wonder if it will stall again when the ship count goes above a certain number for a complex (full docking slots not with-standing) ?

jlehtone · Post by **jlehtone** » Sun, 26. Aug 07, 16:45

Bonuspack 3.1.06 contains actually v1.17. The last fixes (to 1.16b) received from Aalaardb last December and couple extra fixes. v1.17 did not quite make it into BP 3.1.05.

v1.11 dates way before first BP. I guess v1.11 was offered for signing and evolved to 1.16b in that process, but already at that point (one year ago) those updates never appeared in the unsigned S&M thread.

I actually had to wait until v1.17 to use the script as previous versions had features/bugs that I could not accept in my game. Similarly, I know several players in the german forum who have downgraded from v1.17 to v1.16b as their trade empires were founded on certain feature.

Deleted User · Post by **Deleted User** » Sun, 26. Aug 07, 17:00

You mean selling to docks that don't stock the ware?
Yes, I found that a bit of an exploit, but having said that it's a
pain having to manually sell all the excess shields & HEPTs.

Up to 22 single-ware SM ships (on 6 jump range) for a single (large) complex now,
(with only 10 docking slots) & still going strong, excellent result.

Bront · Post by **Bront** » Mon, 27. Aug 07, 01:06

Does this script fuction with a Trading Station? I can see I can activate it, but the description doesn't make me think it would work right.

Jakesnake5 · Post by **Jakesnake5** » Mon, 27. Aug 07, 01:57

Don't think so. Nor will it work with the HQ.

The script was mainly made to work with factories, and to a degree, complexes. Since Trading Stations can't be linked to other stations in a complex, it's left out.

AalaarDB said, that working with Trading Stations would make it too much like Sector Traders. And that wasn't what he intended.

jlehtone · Post by **jlehtone** » Mon, 27. Aug 07, 07:59

Jakesnake5 wrote:AalaarDB said, that working with Trading Stations would make it too much like Sector Traders. And that wasn't what he intended.

However, the signed version does add the commands to Docks, explicitly. Don't know why. And they appear to work. The only limitation that they do have, is that they only sell from Dock and never buy into it. So you have to fill the Dock with some other method (even NPC FreeTraders can do that, if they so please).

On single (huge) complex you can have all the wares that Dock can stock, and SM can trade them all. And there you can choose whether it buys or sells the intermediates, unlike in Dock. Is that less Sector Tradish? Besides, Sector Trader is limited to jumps=0, and that is a strong limit in the X3 universe.

But SM does not work on PHQ.

Davidov4 · Post by **Davidov4** » Sat, 29. Sep 07, 05:40

Hey The station manager is awesome for individual stations but when I try to set them up on complexes the game just crashes well rather freezes. help?! It's really great and saves heaps of time but it's frustrating that It wont work on complexes