[SCRIPT] Manual Trade Extension v2.3.1 [2010-10-02]

[ThisIsHarsh]

Isnt this script basically the exact same thing as Trade Software MK3 (universal trader) ? Except of course it seems like you have more control here and customizability. How does this differ besides that though? If it is the same, then that means you just eliminated the need to purchase MK3 to have your ship be a universal trader. now you can do it at the start for pretty cheap, right?

MK3 is significantly more advanced, completely fire-and-forget. This plugin is just some extra automation for manual trading.

E.g. MK3 supposedly looks at ware buy prices, looks at ware sell prices and finds the ware that can make it the most money. This plugin simply loops through the assigned wares and will buy regardless of whether it can actually sell or not, and vice versa.

It has somewhat different modes of usage than a MK3. Examples of use from my own game:

• I have one TS for each race, trading in their 3 or 4 race-only wares (food, etc), purely to help my rep with those races.
• I have a TS buying/selling Ore, a TS buying/selling Silicon and a TS buying/selling Energy Cells, just to give the AI economy a boost (mainly to keep weapons fabs producing).
• I have a TS buying/selling practically every missile and ammo type I can find. It sells via a TL ship, so this TL always has a nice stockpile of missiles/ammo. Occasionally, though, the TL starts to fill up with missiles, so I have to set the TS to 'sell only' for a bit.
• I have a TS that buys (not sells) all the types of weapons and shields that I use, with the price restriction set depending on the rarity of the item. This TS also dumps the wares at the aforementioned TL.
• Finally, a bit off topic but related, I use my Auto prep ships plugin using the same TL as above, either to run the command or as the designated storage depot for other carriers (i.e. TMs).

[Grimshad]

Ok, understood, I have a problem though, I read earlier that my traders using this script will only go to sectors with satellites in them, but my ships are constantly roaming into enemy territory without satellites and being destroyed, how do i prevent this?

[ThisIsHarsh]

Ok, understood, I have a problem though, I read earlier that my traders using this script will only go to sectors with satellites in them, but my ships are constantly roaming into enemy territory without satellites and being destroyed, how do i prevent this?

They will only trade with sectors where you have some property, e.g. a satellite. The route they take is just the default route. Until someone writes an A* plugin that replaces the stock moving behaviour, this will be an issue for any script. The obvious solution is just to equip a jumpdrive and nav software and set your autojump and refuel settings. Then run 'Best buy/sell loop' and your traders will automatically refuel and jump across those nasty sectors.

[Grimshad]

No, they go to trade in places i have no property, not just travel through them.

[ThisIsHarsh]

No, they go to trade in places i have no property, not just travel through them.

Is it their assigned wares they are trading? or is it when they go to refuel? You definitely have no ships docked at a station or anything?

[Grimshad]

Nope, I have absolutely nothing in those sectors, and I none of my traders are using jumpdrives at this time, so they can't be refueling. I've lost so many ships from them just going into enemy territory or into sectors i purposely don't have satellites in so they stay out. But they go there and buy/sell anyway

Sorry, I'm new to the game and have a off topic question too.

Complex Kits state in the game manual and in their in game description that they hook 2 OR MORE factories together. Yet I can only hook 2 factories per complex kit, and it doesn't connect to the first complex kit. so where is this "MORE" coming from? am I missing something?

Also, I keep seeing mods to increase "hub" storage, where is this storage? i would love to have some off ship storage capability?

[ThisIsHarsh]

Nope, I have absolutely nothing in those sectors, and I none of my traders are using jumpdrives at this time, so they can't be refueling. I've lost so many ships from them just going into enemy territory or into sectors i purposely don't have satellites in so they stay out. But they go there and buy/sell anyway

OK, I'll look into this. It uses the same script as the stock bestbuy/bestsell commands to select factories so it's surprising, but I'll do some testing and fiddling and see what crack is.

Complex Kits state in the game manual and in their in game description that they hook 2 OR MORE factories together. Yet I can only hook 2 factories per complex kit, and it doesn't connect to the first complex kit. so where is this "MORE" coming from? am I missing something?

Only ever deploy factories two at a time. Create two seperate complexes, your main complex and the two new stations you are adding. Make sure you position the complex hub of the new temporary complex near the main complex hub. Then use a third complex hub to connect the two other hubs together. Hope that makes sense.

Also, I keep seeing mods to increase "hub" storage, where is this storage? i would love to have some off ship storage capability?

The 'hub' is a plot station. I dunno the specifics because I haven't got that far in the plot.

[Grimshad]

1. Thanks for looking into it.

2. I found out before you applied that you can use the complex kit to connect the first hub to another factory, so basically its 1 kit per factory. I understand the way you explained but i'de rather not have more then one hub.

3. Oh, I'm playing custom game, so I don't know anything about the plot, i hope ill eventually still be able to stash goods somewhere solid.

P.S. I installed a mod that was not in spk format, to uninstall it tells me to run the uninstall.trade.overview.xml. How exactly do you "run" an xml file? I thought it may have meant run it in game, so i found out how to get the script editor up, but i couldnt figure out how to run the script. Any help there?

[ThisIsHarsh]

Nope, I have absolutely nothing in those sectors, and I none of my traders are using jumpdrives at this time, so they can't be refueling. I've lost so many ships from them just going into enemy territory or into sectors i purposely don't have satellites in so they stay out. But they go there and buy/sell anyway

OK, I'll look into this. It uses the same script as the stock bestbuy/bestsell commands to select factories so it's surprising, but I'll do some testing and fiddling and see what crack is.

Think I've traced this problem. There is actually a bug in the stock !lib.get.bestbuy and !lib.get.bestsell scripts. I've worked around the problem for this script, but no telling how many other scripts are affected. Having some host trouble so can't upload the fix just yet.

[Grimshad]

Great stuff! Hope to get that working soon

[ThisIsHarsh]

Update v2.1.1

Bugfix version. Stock !lib.get.bestbuy/sell scripts are bugged to allow for best buying/selling in sectors without requiring player property. This could affect many other trade scripts...

[ThomasAH]

Update v2.1.1

I get a "403 Forbidden" from your server:
You don't have permission to access /ManualTradeExtension-V2.1.1-06.08.2009.spk

[ThisIsHarsh]

Update v2.1.1

I get a "403 Forbidden" from your server:
You don't have permission to access /ManualTradeExtension-V2.1.1-06.08.2009.spk

Grr, OK fixed. Thanks for pointing it out.

[zeddius]

the download has the file extention .man

Says it is supposed to be .spk format....Anyways, how do i install this script?

[ThomasAH]

the download has the file extention .man

Says it is supposed to be .spk format....Anyways, how do i install this script?

For me it is .spk (just used 'copy link location' in firefox).

If the size is 33322 bytes it might have been downloaded fine anyway and you can just rename it to something.spk

[zeddius]

the download has the file extention .man

Says it is supposed to be .spk format....Anyways, how do i install this script?

For me it is .spk (just used 'copy link location' in firefox).

If the size is 33322 bytes it might have been downloaded fine anyway and you can just rename it to something.spk

Tried renaming it and installed ok. Will check ingame. TY

[kelmen]

I loved this script.

I got a networker ship which i use to deploy adv state and lasertower.
prior this script, i have to use Ware Hunter everytime i wanna buy those things. now, its automate by this script.

Pain Killer, my vote 9/10.

[magic_ghost]

Hello,

I have tried using this script, but maybe i'm not doing it properly.

So I set the product as Poltergeist missile and buy until full to disabled.
The ship has a jumpdrive, energy cells, and the required software installed.
The ship is in Omicron Lyrae.
Autojump is enabled.

However when I activate the command, all it does is dock at the Equipment Dock. Should it not jump to the nearest station with poltergeist missiles and buy them?

[kelmen]

you need to have information access to those sector/station which has that stuffs selling them. else the pilot has no idea where to get those things.

[magic_ghost]

Ah right, that makes sense.

I just realised I can use te "Remote Best Buy / Sell" commands to buy for best price.