AsteroidSeeker Utility V 1.0.3.0 for any ver. of X2 / X3 - spoiler. UPDATE 3rd Jun 07

[Dave Toome]

AsteroidSeeker Utility Ver 1.0.3.0 (for any version of X2 or X3)
(works with X3 2.0.02, and with all mods tested so far)

Here is a util to help locating places to build those factory complexes:

download 862 KBytes at :
http://www.Exogenesis.co.uk/AsteroidSeekerInstaller_1.0.3.0.exe

At first glance this might look like just another sector-map or asteroid-list,
but it's actually an interactive 'asteroid set' finder, with simple graphic animated roid visualisation.


Main reason I made this was:
1 difficult to remember where all those juicy big asteroids are (they should be etched on my brain by now).
2 need to spread future factories around, I've got too many sectors (each with only a few complexes),
that are 'no go' due to low framerate (high memory/cpu use).
3 needed to visually gauge the relative positions of silicon & ore asteroids, this is difficult with just top & side view in-game.
4 wanted to sneak view the maps for some mods I might start playing soon.

Screenshots:
Click on the below thumbnails to get the larger images

The main universe screen:




After selecting and zooming a sector:
...


Also there's a complete asteroid list, this is sortable by asteroid size, type etc :



The instructions are on the screen, so I didn't write a help document.

The main point (for me) is to find eg a size 20-30 silicon roid, within connecting range of a size 20-30 ore roid,
this would allow me to put up a medium sized complex, then move on to the next combination in another sector.

So... the main screen lets you overview the Universe roid clustering (if you look closely, while tilting the sectors),
then you zoom in to a sector, and select a particular roid, which the highlights other roids within a definable distance.
This distance is initially set to 20.5km, which is the max dist between 2 roids such that they can be connected
with one hub. (Not that I'm suggesting you build your complexes that way, but it gives an indication of proximity).

You can also see the exact sector coords of each object, in the bottom status bar when, you put the mouse over it
(including gates), which is helpful.

You also get to see the sector/roid maps for any mods you may have in your mod directory.

Simple idea, works for me, so I thought I'd tart it up a bit and share.


There are few options at the moment, any ideas welcome.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just a footnote to say that if you are starting the game & are an ardent explorer,
you may find this lays the universe a bit too open too early, hence the word spoiler in the title.


.

[DarkWrath]

I keep getting a "an invalid argument was encountered" when I'm trying to run it.

[Coshy]

Got an error message after install:

"AsteroidSeeker_1.0.1.0.exe - Unable to locate Component

This application has failed to start because MFC71.DLL was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem."

Installed 3 times to different directories (including the default one) and got the same message each time.

On the installer window there was a button marked "Show Details". Clicking this buttone brought up a window showing what was extracted.

The list of extracted files:
AsteroidSeeker_1.0.1.0.exe
x2fd.dll
msvcr.dll
zlib1.dll

I re-downloaded the installer 3 times, tried installing each one 3 times (once to default location, once to my X3 folder, and once to desktop). None of the downloads or installations worked.

Hope its an easy fix, this looks like a useful tool. I know myself I've wanted to know if the asteroids I'm thinking of using are close to one another, or if I'll have to drag one half way across a sector.

[pjknibbs]

MFC71.DLL is the Microsoft Foundation Classes library, and you should be able to download it from Microsoft--I think this is the link you would need.

[Coshy]

I downloaded and installed the file from Microsoft, still getting the same error message. I'll try rebooting, see if that clears up the problem. Thanks for the info.

[bob hope]

shouldnt this be in the scripts forum? just wondering thats all, here this might go walkies and get losyt in the spindrift

[esd]

[Dave Toome]

Updated the installer :
added mfc71.dll, increased the size by 500 KByte but that's not too bad,
and changed the default install location from 'ProgramFiles' to 'Program Files' (doh)


Coshy

If you downloaded the dll yourself, did you put it in the same directory as the
program ? (default C:\ProgramFiles\AsteroidSeeker, in the version you downloaded))


DarkWrath

[esd]

Well if it proves popular/useful/reasonably bug-free, I'm sure TSM can be convinced to put it in his sticky Guides thread

[Dave Toome]

Well, hopefully there won't be too many bugs (for long anyway ),
I already know it's useful (at least to me), but it's popularity remains to be seen.

It's all gone a bit quiet, or is it just a slow day on the forum?

I'd appreciate it if anyone who tries this could tell me if it's working OK,
or if there are lots of problems like Coshy & DarkWrath had.

(Can't sort out any probs if no-one tells me )

[R.Styles]

[R.Styles]

[Dave Toome]

Ok thank for helping out,
so to try to find out how far it gets before the problem:

1st : when you ran the prog, did it ask you to browse to your game directory?
This would happen if you no longer have the dir named as it was just after installing
(f you're like me & have several X3 directories, none in the place the X3 installer thinks it's at). Could you tell me what your X3 install directory name is.

2nd : what did the screen look like when the error message came up,
was it just a black window or had it drawn anything?

3rd : I assume you're running XP?


(The x2bc.dll library works fine for X2 or X3 any version, it is well proven, I've used it in other progs OK)

thanks for the feedback

[Coshy]

Sorry for the late reply ... work can be such a nusiance!

I redownloaded it. Download went fine, install went fine. However when I tried to run the program I encountered the "An invalid argument was encountered" problem.

To answer your questions:

1. No, it did not as me to browse my game directory. X3 is in the default location.

2. The window has AsteroidSeeker in the top left of the title bar, File, View and Help below that, an eye and a yellow question mark below that.

3. I'm running XP.

I have the bonus pack installed, as well as Cycrows BBS extras and Xenon Migration scripts, a tractor beam factory recreator by Xylaan, and Klaatu's Cargo Delivery Service. All of these are scripts, I haven't done any Mods yet.

Hope this helps.

[Dave Toome]

Thanks,
I'm thinking that the 'Invalid Argument' is an array-indexing problem,
why I don't get it is a bit of a mystery, but that's the nature of bugs.

What I'll do is make a version with a load of internal diagnostic checking,
that should allow pinpointing of where the problem lies.

I'll get something sorted out this evening,
as you say having to go to work is such an interference