Problem: My outfit isn't appearing in the Outfitter list

Background: As a first experiment with plug-ins, I used NovaTools to create a modified Capacitor Pulse Laser (CPL).

I did this by copying the parameters for the stock CPL (in the Nova Data 4 file) into new resources (desc, outf, and weap) and then modifying the name and description and setting Buy Random to 100. I assigned the outfit ID 450, the weapon ID 350, and the description ID 3511. Otherwise, everything is the same as the stock CPL. I also copied the stock CPL PICT and assigned it the ID the NovaTools editor chose for it when I created the new outf resource. (Yes, the PICT appears in the outf editor.)

I placed the file containing these new resources in the Nova Plug-Ins folder. There are no other plugs.

When I start EVN and land in an appropriate system, the stock CPL appears in the Outfitter list. But my modified version doesn't.

If, instead, I modify the Nova Data 4 file's stock CPL, my changes show up in EVN just fine. So I seem to know how to do the mods ok. Perhaps I'm overlooking something basic?

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Did you change the type and creator settings? It took me some time to figure that out. (Nova plugins require a type of Npďf and a creator of Növä , and yes you do need the umlauts (hold down option, press u, release and then type the vowel). You can check this via the File menu. I can't remember the exact command, but it's something like get info for "file name". It's been awhile since I've booted ResEdit.)

Lit Nerd

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"O For a Muse of Fire, that would ascend
The brightest Heauen of Inuention:
A Kingdome for a Stage, Princes to Act,
And Monarchs to behold the swelling Scene." Henry V

<<<Did you change the type and creator settings?>>>

The type, creator, and all other Info are identical with the Nova Data 4 file (which has a type of NDät, rather than Npďf, BTW).

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Looking at PlugPack16 as an example, I see that its type is Npďf -- which is what you were trying to tell me.

So I fixed that and the outfit now appears. Thanks!

But its description is blank.

I guess I need to set a pointer to the description ID (3511) somewhere -- but where?

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Originally posted by dp:
Looking at PlugPack16 as an example, I see that its type is Npďf -- which is what you were trying to tell me.

So I fixed that and the outfit now appears. Thanks!

You're welcome.

Quote

But its description is blank.

I guess I need to set a pointer to the description ID (3511) somewhere -- but where?

The formula for linking oütfs and dëscs is 3000+Index number, or 3000+RID-128 (I had to search to find it, since I didn't remember it). In your case, dësc = 3000+450-128, or 3322. There is, I think, a calculator type program that will do such calculations for you. It's on the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/games/evn/addons.html")Addons(/url) Page, methinks.

Lit Nerd

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"O For a Muse of Fire, that would ascend
The brightest Heauen of Inuention:
A Kingdome for a Stage, Princes to Act,
And Monarchs to behold the swelling Scene." Henry V

Right again! And thanks again!

I was wondering how this works. I couldn't find an explanation in the EV Nova Bible of how to link an outfit with its description. All I could figure was that EVN indexes off the names (but, obviously, it wasn't working).

Where does one learn these details? There must be plenty more I don't know.

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Trial and error. Much trial and error. Though we experienced dever are trying to make guides to explain what we consider obvious now we're used to that but isn't, such as (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=31&SUBMIT;=Go")Bomb's plug-in guide(/url). The (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&forum;=EV+Plug-in+Developer+FAQs&number;=29&DaysPrune;=20&LastLogin;=")EV plug FAQ(/url) used to be useful for all that, but it covers EV and EVO mainly.

For instance, most resources that are needed by others (such as dëscs and images) are either called by a field in the calling resource, or if there isn't, the ID of the needed is hard-linked to the one of the needing resource, see the bar descriptions, for instance. There's no field in the spöb resource telling which dësc ID to use for the bar, and in the data files the first one has ID 10000, and it stands for Earth's bar. Guess the formula for any spöb. The same way, there's no field in the shïp resource to tell which shän to use for the ship. And the shäns come in the data files with the same ID as the shïp resource they match with. See a pattern?

By the way, duplicate your plug, strip the duplicate of all its resources, and rename it blank plug, and viola, you have a blank plug, that you only need to duplicate in case you want to have a blank plug to start another plug file (faster that entering Növä and Npïf each time).

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(This message has been edited by Zacha Pedro (edited 06-14-2004).)

(This message has been edited by Zacha Pedro (edited 06-14-2004).)