[Idea] Morrowind Tool Kit

[Nic-V]

Ooops I voted no but in fact my answer is yes

As you say we lack a bigger scale tool kit for Morrowind

I am looking forward to the beta

[InsanitySorrow]

Ooops I voted no but in fact my answer is yes

As you say we lack a bigger scale tool kit for Morrowind

I am looking forward to the beta

No worries, its the post that counts

Ok so I DL'd MW Mod Manager and it is indeed developed by TimeSlip, though its a direct port of OBMM from the interface to its workings and I see that as a bad thing, not becuase its a port but becuase the app should be more focused on what MW needs, some stuff it won't need.

So really we need a PROPER decicated mod manager for MW with a host of tools to boot

[InsanitySorrow]

I threw together a Mock GUI for the MWTK, its smaller than the OBTK becuase it will be a more compact App , let me know what you think:

[HeyYou]

Looks good, but, do we need a button for the code patch? Isn't that a run once thing like a regular patch?

[InsanitySorrow]

Looks good, but, do we need a button for the code patch? Isn't that a run once thing like a regular patch?

I am unsure about the patch, I think I have it but never used it before , If its a use once thing then I can remove the button with no issues

Edit: Remade the UI and started work on the Load order stuff, currently it detects the ESMs and ESPs in the data directory. I am starting the code for detecting what is actually active

[Nic-V]

I am unsure about the patch, I think I have it but never used it before , If its a use once thing then I can remove the button with no issues

Edit: Remade the UI and started work on the Load order stuff, currently it detects the ESMs and ESPs in the data directory. I am starting the code for detecting what is actually active

Ah this is going to be something I use all the time

[InsanitySorrow]

Ah this is going to be something I use all the time

Nice to know

On another note I am having issues with the load order part, I am unsure how to go about checking an ESP to see if its active so any ideas are welcome , once I know how to check I can show in the menu that its active and then reverse the effect when the esp/esm is unchecked.

[HeyYou]

Nice to know

On another note I am having issues with the load order part, I am unsure how to go about checking an ESP to see if its active so any ideas are welcome , once I know how to check I can show in the menu that its active and then reverse the effect when the esp/esm is unchecked.

I think the only way to tell would be to check the morrowind.ini, and see if it is listed in there. Morrowind did things a bit differently than Oblivion..... and rolled it all into the ini.

[InsanitySorrow]

I think the only way to tell would be to check the morrowind.ini, and see if it is listed in there. Morrowind did things a bit differently than Oblivion..... and rolled it all into the ini.

Yeah I found out by asking around, strange that Beth changed the method each time, MW had it in the INI, OB in the Plugins.txt and Fallout does away with it

Still going to be a challenge comparing a directory list to a list in the INI, still I will try.

[HeyYou]

Yeah I found out by asking around, strange that Beth changed the method each time, MW had it in the INI, OB in the Plugins.txt and Fallout does away with it

Still going to be a challenge comparing a directory list to a list in the INI, still I will try.

At least both lists are in alphabetical order, that should make it a wee bit easier.

[InsanitySorrow]

At least both lists are in alphabetical order, that should make it a wee bit easier.

Hopefully

[peachykeen]

Unfortunately, when playing with the load list, you'll have to rewrite it to the INI each time. That'll also mean clearing it out first.

Morrowind keeps it in a series of GAmeFile0=, GameFile1=, etc. So you'd have to erase each one, then rewrite the list.

Also, I've been looking at libESM, and I think it can be re-made with C#. It'll be a single class for the file, with a load function and what-not. I think it'll be simple to use a vector for the records, with each having a 4-byte type, 4-byte flags and vector of subrecords, each of which will have a 4-byte type and n-byte data section.

With a class like that, all you'd have to do to search for meshes or something would be (say you're checking for statics, in the MODL subrecord):

foreach file.record

{

    if ( file.record.type == STAT )

    {

        foreach file.record.subrecord

        {

             if ( file.record.subrecord.type == MODL )

             {

                  // handle isntallation or whatever

             }

        }

    }

}

Of course, you'd need a few ORs in there for different types, but that's the idea of what I've got so far.

[InsanitySorrow]

Unfortunately, when playing with the load list, you'll have to rewrite it to the INI each time. That'll also mean clearing it out first.

Morrowind keeps it in a series of GAmeFile0=, GameFile1=, etc. So you'd have to erase each one, then rewrite the list.

Also, I've been looking at libESM, and I think it can be re-made with C#. It'll be a single class for the file, with a load function and what-not. I think it'll be simple to use a vector for the records, with each having a 4-byte type, 4-byte flags and vector of subrecords, each of which will have a 4-byte type and n-byte data section.

With a class like that, all you'd have to do to search for meshes or something would be (say you're checking for statics, in the MODL subrecord):

foreach file.record

{

    if ( file.record.type == STAT )

    {

        foreach file.record.subrecord

        {

             if ( file.record.subrecord.type == MODL )

             {

                  // handle isntallation or whatever

             }

        }

    }

}[/code]


Of course, you'd need a few ORs in there for different types, but that's the idea of what I've got so far.



Currently trying to figure out how to read the Data Files directory and then compare those results with the files in the INI and determine what is active. becuase I have never done it before I am finding  it quite difficult to do.


Best thing here is I think LibESM could be packaged as a DLL file and then be used in VB.net which is what I am currently using for my apps. Though I have not really done anything to this app since my last screen shot due to my OB app. So a C# is not out of the question yet 

[peachykeen]

I looked earlier and C# has a lot of VB.net classes in it, so there seems to be some kind of connection between the two.

I also wrote a simple version of libESM (more generalized, so it'll work for all 3 games, and in C#). It's not working quite right yet (some trouble with flags and such) but if translating from C# to VB is easy, I'll send you a copy of that and we can work on getting it into your native language.

As for comparing those, that's pretty easy, if you don't mind going a little slow.

All you need to do is make an array, read in all active datafiles from the INI. Next, read in the contents of the Data Files folder. For each ESM/ESP you find, add it to the list unchecked, then test its name against each element of the active files array. If you find a match, check the box.

When you write it out, run through the elements in your list (however VB handles those) and check each one for a checkmark. If it's checked, write a line to the INI with

"GameFile"+(cFile++)+"="+element.Text

I don't know if the description works, but I can put up code for that method. It's not the fastest, but it'll certainly work and is simple.

[InsanitySorrow]

Yup C# and VB.net seem to be a lot alike, though C# is able to cut down the amount of code needed for its functions. It should be medium difficulty porting it over, some functions that are in C# are not in VB so a workaround would be needed, but depends on how its coded

Well I know in my head how to do the comparison and it sounds real easy, but doing it in VB is not as easy as you may think, so I am stuck at that point currently.

If you have working code then I would love to give it a run and see how it performs, slow and correct is better than fast and wrong. Plus slow code can always be fixed up later to make it run quicker.

[peachykeen]

I'm looking up docs on VB now, so I'll be able to tell you what's up with translation soon. For the ESD (Elder Scrolls Datafile) library I wrote, it uses 3 classes. I don't know yet if VB supports those, but if it does, then there aren't many functions used other than ReadByte and WriteByte. Everything else is pretty simple.

As for code on the INI, I'll see if I can get something working. I may have my Visual Studio Express disc running around, so I'd be able to install VB if I can find that. I'll update more later when I figure out how to use VB.

Edit: I remember why I don't use BASIC! It seems that for the most part it'll work. Let me make sure the lib itself works in C#, and I'll send a copy and we can get translating. I'll also mock up INI-reading code and send that over too. The INI code will only work with Morrowind, but the library will work on all games that use that filetype (mostly just Bethesda's recent RPGs).

[InsanitySorrow]

All sounds good, if you cannot find ya CS, DL' the Visual Basic 2008 Express edition from MS. Its free and works for 30 days or untill you register. Which only needs a hotmail account to do so.

[peachykeen]

I installed VB, and got lost about when I hit new class.

I'm having one last issue (I think it's the last one) with the classes in the C# version, and it'll be done. Quite a simple setup to use, if I do say so. Only problem is it doesn't work yet.

Right now I'm using Lists to add records and subrecords to a datafile class, except it's complaining about NullReferences. I don't know if Visual Basic has lists or just those Dim/array things.

As for the INI code, I'll mock that up in C# pseudo-code if I can't get the hang of VB.

[InsanitySorrow]

VB ahas pretty much all that C# has, so you should feel at home. Most of the time the differences are only in syntax, again should not be hard until you get to the technical stuff.

[peachykeen]

I may feel at home there if I felt at home in C#, but even that's not my language of choice. I'd rather use C++, but C# tends to make coding stuff like this (and GUI stuff) a whole lot faster, plus libESM already exists in C++.

I do know that parsing the strings for the INI will be easier in C# then C++, unless you involved the standard library and strings, or possibly another lib like rudeconfig or such.

Edit: Also, I'm looking up references now for VB's classes and the equivalent of lists.

[PacificMorrowind]

All sounds good, if you cannot find ya CS, DL' the Visual Basic 2008 Express edition from MS. Its free and works for 30 days or untill you register. Which only needs a hotmail account to do so.

don't even need a hotmail account... I use my gmail account set as a windows live id.

Pacific Morrowind

[InsanitySorrow]

don't even need a hotmail account... I use my gmail account set as a windows live id.

Pacific Morrowind

Thats only a good thing

[shadeMe]

oh .. an evil plot being brewed. Keeping both eyes on the pot.

[peachykeen]

In case this is still being watched, I finally got my ES* library updated and working. It can read any Morrowind file, and possibly Oblivion/FO3 files as well. A true installer (regardless of mod packaging) should be possible with it, as well as analyzing files. It's in C# at the moment, but that can be changed. If anyone wants the code, I'll send it on over.

[shadeMe]

In case this is still being watched, I finally got my ES* library updated and working. It can read any Morrowind file, and possibly Oblivion/FO3 files as well. A true installer (regardless of mod packaging) should be possible with it, as well as analyzing files. It's in C# at the moment, but that can be changed. If anyone wants the code, I'll send it on over.

Beg pardon, but what does it do ?