[SCRIPT] [TC] - Explorer Command Extension v2.6 - [31.08.2013]

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Nicoman35
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[SCRIPT] [TC] - Explorer Command Extension v2.6 - [31.08.2013]

Post by Nicoman35 » Fri, 19. Oct 12, 23:34

-------------------------------------------
Explorer Command Extension v2.6
-------------------------------------------

YAEXP (Yet Another Explorer)

Hi there people, I'm presenting you the plugin Explorer Command Extension.

The idea is not from me, but from ThisIsHarsh. Here is his original script.

Here, I am taking the opportunity and thank ThisIsHarsh for his idea and inspiration. Thank you.

You maybe ask yourself, why I made ANOTHER explorer where there are already so many of them around here.
Simple: There is no other utility fully fulfilling my whishes. So, step by step, I created one of my own.
I have rewritten and enhanced ThisIsHarsh's explorer exteinsion to a point, where I want to share it with you guys.

Currently available languages: English.

Features
  • :arrow: Deploy a satellite network
    :arrow: Pattern flexible, you decide, where and how much satellites are to be deployed per secor
    :arrow: Renaming of deployed satellites
    :arrow: Satellite network is maintained. Destroyed satellites will be replaced
    :arrow: Collect satellites
    :arrow: Renaming of deployed satellites
    :arrow: Black and Whitelists available
    :arrow: Universe exploration integrated
    :arrow: Ships depoying, collecting and exporing will take advantage of following devices: Mineral scanner, docking computer, jumpdrive, transporter device

    To give this script a more comercial character, the software charges money for any action made. A pricelist is included in the info section on every main menu.

    New gamestart not needed


You are welcome to make enhancing proposals and report any bugs you encouter.

Used command slots
COMMAND_TYPE_NAV_57
COMMAND_TYPE_SHIP_39
custom command id's used: 6520 - 6524

[ external image ] Latest version of Explorer Command Extension

After downloading, unpack and copy the three folders into the main game directory.

Please take into account, that this is currently a beta. Bug reporting and other advices dearly welcome!


Screenshots from the menu structure and how to get there

[ external image ] [ external image ] [ external image ] [ external image ] [ external image ] [ external image ] [ external image ]

Notes:
- a manual is included in the archive

Have fun!

Version history:

v2.6:
  • - bugfixing big time, don't remember what because of not working a long time on this. All kinds of problems adressed.
Last edited by Nicoman35 on Sat, 31. Aug 13, 10:56, edited 15 times in total.

Nicoman35
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Post by Nicoman35 » Fri, 19. Oct 12, 23:35

Version History:

28.10.2012
  • - v 2.1.1 beta - Fixed jump beacons renaming issue
    - v 2.1.0 beta - New feature: Range settings menu
21.10.2012
  • - v 2.0.2 beta - Compatibility with ANY colored names. Credits for this update goes to: DrBullwinkle!! Thank you doc! Separate patch no loger needed!
    - v 2.0.1 beta - Compatibility patch for Rename Ships with Extensions v2.9
19.10.2012
  • - v 2.0 beta (initial release)
Last edited by Nicoman35 on Sun, 28. Oct 12, 16:35, edited 6 times in total.

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joelR
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Post by joelR » Sat, 20. Oct 12, 00:00

Awesome. Thanks. I feel the same way about explorer scripts. None of them quite do what I want. This is great!

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joelR
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Post by joelR » Sat, 20. Oct 12, 00:14

What do you mean by this?

Code: Select all

To activate the plugin, just open the Community Plugin Configuration Menu and hit 'Sector Size Changer'. 
A self explanatory menu will open and guide you through.
I have that option but its from your script that actually changes sector sizes...

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joelR
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Post by joelR » Sat, 20. Oct 12, 05:08

Your script wont recognize colored names. So its not possible to tell what ship has explorer command software. Just an FYI.

http://i.imgur.com/Oivey.jpg

Nicoman35
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Post by Nicoman35 » Sat, 20. Oct 12, 11:47

joelR wrote:What do you mean by this?

Code: Select all

To activate the plugin, just open the Community Plugin Configuration Menu and hit 'Sector Size Changer'. 
A self explanatory menu will open and guide you through.
...
AH CRAP. This comes when you use the same mask for your publications! Of course, this is not valid for this script. *fixed*
joelR wrote:Your script wont recognize colored names. So its not possible to tell what ship has explorer command software. Just an FYI...
Hm, I'll have a look into that. Please give me the link to the colored names mod, so I see what to do about that problem.

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joelR
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Post by joelR » Sat, 20. Oct 12, 14:19

Nicoman35 wrote:Hm, I'll have a look into that. Please give me the link to the colored names mod, so I see what to do about that problem.
Here you go: Rename Ships with Expressions

Nicoman35
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Post by Nicoman35 » Sat, 20. Oct 12, 21:23

Rubber wanted!
Anyone has a clue how to remove color information on some text? In this case names of ships?
cheers

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joelR
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Post by joelR » Sat, 20. Oct 12, 21:44

Nicoman35 wrote:Rubber wanted!
Anyone has a clue how to remove color information on some text? In this case names of ships?
cheers
Alternatively, couldnt you just show only ships WITH the software instead of both? It doesnt seem all that useful to show both. That would eliminate the problem at least.

Andrew Wilde
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Post by Andrew Wilde » Sat, 20. Oct 12, 22:11

Nicoman35 wrote:Rubber wanted!
Anyone has a clue how to remove color information on some text? In this case names of ships?
cheers
This got me started on fiddling about with colouring Ship names:
file:///Users/andrewwilde/Desktop/XTC/PRE%20XRM/MSCI%20Ref%20Pages/egosoft.com%20:%20View%20topic%20-%20Color%20in%20names.webarchive

Note especially the comment about needing to load the codes from a t file, they won't work properly inline in a script.


Really like the look of your script (I've just tried Gnasirator's Galaxy Explorer, but didn't quite it the bill for me), but a couple of Q's:

I'm just starting my first XRM run through, and that means all 'reds' are much more aggressive, and there are many more of them; and also, no jumpdrives for M3/4/5 :o (also jumpdrives are now 2 mill cr, which actually makes more sense I think). So no emergency jumping with what I would normally use as a scout/explorer - I lost 2 Discoverer Explorers (the only M5 in XRM that can carry M size, and therefore lay sats; and also 2 mill, too expensive to regularly lose) pretty quickly with Galaxy Explorer because, e.g., they'd lay a sat in Eleanor's Fortune (often full of pirates), it'd get destroyed before they'd decided where to go next, so they'd go back to re-lay it and get killed doing so. Wondered how your script would handle such a situation (think my ideal would be to immediately leave sectors where enemies are detected, but leave a log message stating sat not dropped due to hostiles).

Also Galaxy Explorer does have a function that I really liked, which is that explorers, when home based, could be set to operate only within a set range of their home base. Don't think yours have that function ?

Other than the above, your script looks almost exactly like the one I was never going to get round to writing for myself :D .

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Post by Nicoman35 » Sat, 20. Oct 12, 22:18

:) ONLY shipps with the software aboard are shown. The list just enables you to choose a couple ships which will do some job.
As an alternative, I made a version for you, where the index numbers in front of the ships are colored.

It's not what I have in mind for the final version. I will try to solve the problem. Meanwhile, use this cruch.

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Post by Nicoman35 » Sat, 20. Oct 12, 22:32

@ Andrew Wilde
IN fact, ships utilizing my scripts comport like rabbits (as long as they have a jumpdrive, navigation software MK1, some energy aboard and emergentcy jumping is allowed). When an enemy ship is spotted within a certain range (adjustable), They jump away imediately.

I do admit for ships without jumpdrive live is much worse. No checks for enemies is made for them. Use expensive M6 in XRM :D

This is because I never figured out how to intelligently avoid enemies and hold them at a distance by choosing appropriate manouvers. This would require some trigonometry calculations that I am not capable of. But if someone would like to tell me.... :roll:
Also Galaxy Explorer does have a function that I really liked, which is that explorers, when home based, could be set to operate only within a set range of their home base. Don't think yours have that function ?
I'll see if I am able to implement such a feature.

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joelR
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Post by joelR » Sun, 21. Oct 12, 01:11

Nicoman35 wrote::) ONLY shipps with the software aboard are shown. The list just enables you to choose a couple ships which will do some job.
As an alternative, I made a version for you, where the index numbers in front of the ships are colored.

It's not what I have in mind for the final version. I will try to solve the problem. Meanwhile, use this cruch.
Ok, thanks. I misunderstood then. I assumed that it showed ships without explorer command software as well.

Im with andrew wilde too. The option to tether ships to a homebase would be great. That way you could have them be responsible for maintaining the satellite network in a given area as opposed to the entire universe.

@Andrew Wilde - If you would like instructions on how to change the JD ware size in XRM its a very easy process. Let me know and I can walk you through it.

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jack775544
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Post by jack775544 » Sun, 21. Oct 12, 01:29

Nicoman35 wrote:Rubber wanted!
Anyone has a clue how to remove color information on some text? In this case names of ships?
cheers
Couldn't you just put it through a t file eg.

T File

Code: Select all

<page id="1234">
      <t id="1">\033X%s</t>
</page>
MSCI

Code: Select all

$Text = *Coloured Text*
$NoCol = sprintf: pageid=1234 textid=1, $Text, null, null, null, null 
1940s - Various "computers" are "programmed" using direct wiring and switches. Engineers do this in order to avoid the tabs vs spaces debate.

Nicoman35
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Post by Nicoman35 » Sun, 21. Oct 12, 12:17

Hey jack775544,

Tried that:

Code: Select all

$aim = get player tracking aim
write to player logbook $aim
$txt = sprintf: pageid=$page.id textid=350, $aim, null, null, null, null
write to player logbook $txt
With this in t file

Code: Select all

<t id="350">\033X%s</t>
Here the result:
[ external image ]

Didn't work :evil:

Obviously, there is no way to sterilize a string from its color information. At least I do not know, how.
I will test something else: Changing RSwE itself. I will try to make a local var containing the name without any color info, which my mod then can read. Any other sugestions to make life easyer?

Probe1
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Post by Probe1 » Sun, 21. Oct 12, 14:17

I do not know but if you find it I will be extremely grateful. I've spent over 200m on harrier explorers using the GreyFalcon (I think) extension of ThisIsHarshs script. Since M6s can't be used they have a average lifespan of about 30 minutes. So I end up replacing lost satellite networks myself.. and I have 105 sectors currently with no sats at all :(

That doesn't even approach the more difficult problem: Some sectors have sats deployed on the far edges of sector space that aren't destroyed but give me the illusion that there are satellites in that sector. Then when I need to see .. I realize that I really can't ;)

Unfortunately I love RSwE too :(

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DrBullwinkle
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Post by DrBullwinkle » Sun, 21. Oct 12, 14:59

You can "find position of <$string.033> in <string>" (where $string.033 is "\033" read from a t file).

Then use "<RetVar> = get substring of <Var/String> offset=<Var/Number> length=<Var/Number>" to rebuild the string -- without the "\033" and without the character that follows it.

You will probably also need "get length of string <string>".

You will have to repeat the process in a loop since multiple colors can be used in the name, but I think that you only need the above three script commands to make it work.

Nicoman35
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Post by Nicoman35 » Sun, 21. Oct 12, 18:43

DrBullwinkle wrote:You can "find position of <$string.033> in <string>" (where $string.033 is "\033" read from a t file).
Nice try, Doc! But this damn hell language is more evil than we all together! As soon as a '\' is involved, the string will not be recognized correctly. And I am afraid of taking only '033' as a pattern as it will get me too many false positive results.
I had to make a workaround and patch RWsE itself for compatibility.



ATTENTION RSwE USERS! CHECK PAGE ONE FOR PATCH!
You have to downoload the latest version PLUS the RSwE patch. Please report any bugs you encounter.

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DrBullwinkle
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Post by DrBullwinkle » Sun, 21. Oct 12, 19:27

Nicoman35 wrote:As soon as a '\' is involved, the string will not be recognized correctly.
'\033' is not a string; it is a single character.

The '\' is an escape character which means: "the next three digits are a key code". So the game interprets '\033' as a single character. MSCI will not interpret the escape code correctly, which is why you must store '\033' in a t file, and use a variable for it in MSCI.

Code: Select all

<t id="33">\033</t>

Code: Select all

$033 = read text: page=$whatever id=33


Jack08 confirms that the technique works.

Nicoman35
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Post by Nicoman35 » Sun, 21. Oct 12, 22:25

Hat down, doc. Thank you for the advice. Your help is much apreciated. :) Next update available - now.

@ all
I'll put myself to work on that set range around homebase thing next week. (If no other complains come into the way meanwhile :roll: )

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