@david-arthur, on Aug 24 2007, 02:26 PM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

MissionComputer, as it exists now, doesn’t have an editor for the wëap resource; what you see when you open it is generated by an RDL script, which involves next to no actual code. An actual editor, like the one for the mďsn resource, or version 4’s shďp editor, involves a significant amount of code and interface design, so while providing editors for the remaining resources like wëap is one of MissionComputer 4’s goals, it won’t happen overnight.

Have you considered adapting Arturo's updated NovaTools editors? I realize that it would take a good bit of modification, but it would certainly ease the amount of thought that would need to go into the editor - which, of course, is the main obstacle, not glue code, most of which can be copy-pasted or even generalized into subclasses anyway.

@orcaloverbri9, on Aug 24 2007, 05:10 PM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

Have you considered adapting Arturo's updated NovaTools editors? I realize that it would take a good bit of modification, but it would certainly ease the amount of thought that would need to go into the editor - which, of course, is the main obstacle, not glue code, most of which can be copy-pasted or even generalized into subclasses anyway.

The paradigms of MissionComputer and NovaTools are too different for this sort of thing to be really possible (the code needed to make an editor work really well is also more complicated than you’d expect).

I was working on plugins and EVN data files this morning, and I came to think. Multitasking in MC4 would be somewhat awesome.

Scenario: I'm deleting a bunch of resources all at once. Can you have that bring up a task menu with % completed while still allowing me to work on another plugin, or even better, that same plugin but different resource?

I'm guessing you'll say no, but I haven't heard of this suggestion for MC4 yet, so I'll put it out there for ya'll to see.

@trinix, on Aug 25 2007, 04:02 PM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

Scenario: I'm deleting a bunch of resources all at once. Can you have that bring up a task menu with % completed while still allowing me to work on another plugin, or even better, that same plugin but different resource?

This sounds appealing in theory, but would almost inevitably result in widespread file corruption.

• What protection do we have now that prevents corruption? Is there anything in place that actively or passively keeps those files from becoming uselessly corrupted? I would like a system that actively prevents corruption.

• Your "Make RLE" is fantastic. Can you add batch processing to the list?

• The ability to select and copy multiple resources between plugins. In particular, pictures which have to be selected one at a time at the moment, as well as deleted one at a time, unless using Resource Copier. Which is a pain because you have to close the editor window.

• On Resource Copier, the ability to drag and drop plugins onto the "Choose" to auto select them instead of searching through the HD.

• A preference check-mark to hide that first window that pops up asking for which plugin you'd like to create. (Minor)

• On selection of resource dialogs, the ability to select a resource not in that plugin itself. For instance, a person might have a plugin for graphics, another for governments, and another for ship data. Well, I want to select a picture for a Ship, can I have a menu allowing me to choose a different "open" plugin file?

• Resizing slider for the picture resource. Put it on the toolbar.

• A secondary info box below the Picture ID resource for the resource name. Perhaps that could be a check-mark preference?

• A search field on the toolbar to quickly search resources.

• Add further edibility of the "ID" and "Resource Name" lists, without having to do a get info, although that option would still be available. Clicking once on a field on ID column would allow you to change the ID, same with "Resource Name."

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 11:32 AM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

Your "Make RLE" is fantastic. Can you add batch processing to the list?
On selection of resource dialogs, the ability to select a resource not in that plugin itself.

These are already on the list.

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 11:32 AM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

On Resource Copier, the ability to drag and drop plugins onto the "Choose" to auto select them instead of searching through the HD.

Added, though you can already drag and drop a plug-in into the open dialogue that the Choose button produces.

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 11:32 AM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

What protection do we have now that prevents corruption? Is there anything in place that actively or passively keeps those files from becoming uselessly corrupted? I would like a system that actively prevents corruption.

This isn’t a meaningful concept — if corruption is occurring, the only way to stop it is to find and fix the cause. Any ‘active’ system would be just as likely to cause corruption as prevent it.

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 11:32 AM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

The ability to select and copy multiple resources between plugins.

Perhaps, although this would require a re-design of the copy/paste system.

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 11:32 AM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

A preference check-mark to hide that first window that pops up asking for which plugin you'd like to create.

Why? It goes away the moment you do anything.

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 11:32 AM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

A secondary info box below the Picture ID resource for the resource name. Perhaps that could be a check-mark preference?

There isn’t room to show the names of pictures in the resource browser — ResEdit doesn’t do it either.

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 11:32 AM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

A search field on the toolbar to quickly search resources.

This isn’t really practical; the formats of the resource types are too different to search them all efficiently.

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 11:32 AM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

Add further edibility of the "ID" and "Resource Name" lists, without having to do a get info, although that option would still be available.

This is impractical because of the way that access to the resource files works.

Aside from all the feature requests, you are working on making MC4 very stable right? Like, no crashes on the Intel platform? Pretty please... I'm working on something in it, and it crashes at the very least 1 time every three minutes. I have to save after every little change to help minimize losing my work. It doesn't really matter if I run in Rosetta or not. Any rumors as to when your Alpha 3 or Beta1 is coming? I hope it is much more stable.

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 06:15 PM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

Aside from all the feature requests, you are working on making MC4 very stable right? Like, no crashes on the Intel platform? Pretty please... I'm working on something in it, and it crashes at the very least 1 time every three minutes. I have to save after every little change to help minimize losing my work. It doesn't really matter if I run in Rosetta or not. Any rumors as to when your Alpha 3 or Beta1 is coming? I hope it is much more stable.

You're working on a project in an alpha-stage program? That's not very smart.

It is still the most powerful editor available to the public CN. Your such a nuisance!

And, not entirely in it. I'm working in MC3 for some parts where stability really is an issue. But, I am a sucker for powerful Galaxy editors...

Despite all the stability issues with MC4 and my work in progress, it hasn't killed or corrupted anything yet.

Also, I'm betting DA won't be taking any more requests after MC4 is released, so might as well tell him what you want now, even if he won't do it anyways. I wouldn't be surprised if MC4 was the last major edition DA will do. Even if it isn't as powerful as I'd like it to be, at least I want to get it up to the point of bearable. I really like power tools...

------For DA:
• The intro screen, I don't like it as much as MC3. How about something more like EVONE's startup options screen, or possible going back to MC3 like startup screen.

• Would you possible be interested in incorporating EV Bible into MC4, as a reference tool. I'm talking about the "EV Bible.app" that was developed by me and my partner. It showed the EV/O and EVN bibles with user note taking per topic. The source code is available; and it isn't that complicated of a program...

• Redraw issues. Open up multiple plugins (select and drag to the icon in the dock) and you'll notice that the windows have a funky way of showing themselves one by one. Instead of doing it on-the-spot, can you do what MC3 did and bring up a loading menu and then showing the resource browser after fully loaded.

• Dynamic picture resizing through the use of a slider. I know ResEdit doesn't have it. ResEdit is also no longer in development, and hasn't been for a long time now. Depending on the size of the grid, it will show the resource name. Note: depending on the size of the grid.

• Much more stability wanted.

@trinix, on Aug 27 2007, 12:21 PM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

Your You're such a nuisance!

I'm sure DA is thinking the same thing of you right now ;). Of course I've made my share of crazy requests too...

This post has been edited by Guy : 26 August 2007 - 09:18 PM

lol. I'm a Mac user. I'm not content with status quo, it is why I have a Mac. Need to keep getting better, going forward... It is a small price to pay for MC4 to get better. Besides, I'm in quite the predicament.

Stay with MC3. Or Move to MC4 Alpha.

MC3 = Not nearly powerful enough, but very stable. Can't get very much work done. The interface doesn't inspire or facilitate creativity to me.

MC4a2 = Enough power to get the job done, but unbelievable unstable. The crashes are just painful now, this shouldn't happen on a Mac!!!

I'm hoping real Intel Mac support is on the way... Pretty please...

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 10:52 PM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

MC4a2 = Enough power to get the job done, but unbelievable unstable. The crashes are just painful now, this shouldn't happen on a Mac!!!

Why not? It's called alpha for a reason. The very reason it's available is to help fix these crashes.

DA: By "the way that access to the resource files works," are you referring to the ResourceFork class, or your implementation ("ResFrame" or whatever nonsense you came up with :)) of it? I can't imagine the former being any kind of significant barrier, unless there's some RB quirk standing in the way.

On the other hand, there does always seem to be some ridiculous quirk when it comes to RB...

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 06:15 PM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

Aside from all the feature requests, you are working on making MC4 very stable right? Like, no crashes on the Intel platform?

The main problem with MissionComputer on Intel is that I have no way to test it myself; I’m considering dropping the Intel-native version for that reason.

As I suggested before, have you tried using Get Info to set MissionComputer to always run in Rosetta? Other Intel-based users have reported that doing so resolves the programme’s stability issues, and in my own testing I haven’t been able to get the thing to crash yet.

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 08:21 PM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

The intro screen, I don't like it as much as MC3.

What don’t you like about the Welcome screen?

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 08:21 PM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

Would you possible be interested in incorporating EV Bible into MC4, as a reference tool.

MissionComputer already has its own help system, though the content isn’t complete in the current alpha.

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 08:21 PM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

Open up multiple plugins (select and drag to the icon in the dock) and you'll notice that the windows have a funky way of showing themselves one by one.

The windows are meant to appear one by one.

@trinix, on Aug 26 2007, 08:21 PM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

Dynamic picture resizing through the use of a slider.

To allow this would require making the graphical picker weaker in other, more important ways.

@orcaloverbri9, on Aug 27 2007, 01:33 AM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

By "the way that access to the resource files works," are you referring to the ResourceFork class, or your implementation ("ResFrame" or whatever nonsense you came up with :)) of it?

Both of them, plus the resource fork itself. The only efficient way to do what was asked would be to have the resource file open all the time, and that isn’t a good idea at all.

ResFrame, incidentally, amounts to more than 100 pages of original code upon which everything else in MissionComputer depends, so I’d hardly call it nonsense.

@david-arthur, on Aug 27 2007, 10:58 AM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

ResFrame, incidentally, amounts to more than 100 pages of original code upon which everything else in MissionComputer depends, so I’d hardly call it nonsense.

Heh, I was actually referring to the name.

Incidentally, don't most editors keep the file open constantly?

Okay, I just decided to try it out, and I've run into a major problem (for me at least): MC systematically stalls when I try to open a mďsn resource. I'm using ARPIA2 Data 1 as a test. MacBook Core 2 Duo, 1 Gb RAM, 10.4.10.
MC also stalls for STR# resources.

By the way, David, thumbs up. Well done on adding a "Nova Plug-ins" I wish I'd had that during ARPIA2 development
Also, the new way MC has of showing only the Files with the relevant resources inside them in the resource selector is great. Good job again.

And the PICT part has a weird way of showing some images:

(same goes for the RLE list)

Argh. I just tried a snd resource, and MC crashed when I tried to close the window.

Latest problem: MC interprets disconnected systems as being connected (so I prefer not to save & see the consequences...):

This post has been edited by Pace : 28 August 2007 - 01:49 AM

orcaloverbri9 said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

Incidentally, don't most editors keep the file open constantly?

I wouldn’t be surprised if ResEdit does, because of its age (memory was limited when it was created), but it’s generally safer to create a new file and swap it into the place of the old one when the user saves.

@pace, on Aug 28 2007, 02:31 AM, said:

And the PICT part has a weird way of showing some images:

That one’s definitely an Intel thing — can you try running under Rosetta and see if that has any effect on your other problems?

Weird indeed. Rosetta enabled makes everything work where it didn't normally: the graphics are shown correctly, and I can actually open both mďsn and STR# resources. And when MC4 crashed upon closing a snd resource normally, Rosetta makes it work normally as well (i.e. "no crash").

I have the same problems as Pace without Rosetta, but I haven't tried opening the map to see if I have the same problem. iMac Core 2 Duo with 1gig ram and 10.4.10.

@david-arthur, on Aug 22 2007, 12:20 PM, said in MissionComputer 4.0 second alpha now available:

MissionComputer on Mac OS 9 when that was the primary design platform worked quite nicely; it was only once I had to start targeting Mac OS X that it began to get more complicated.
What do undo and redo have to do with losing data to crashes?
What problems do you have with these?
Well, it certainly wasn’t a mistake not to use Xcode for MissionComputer, because MissionComputer predates Xcode; even Project Builder, Xcode’s predecessor, wouldn’t have been appropriate, since almost no one (including me) was yet using Mac OS X for serious work at the time I released MissionComputer 1.0. Remember, the ‘Mac platform’ you describe existed well before Mac OS X brought Cocoa and other NeXTSTEP ideas into the fold.
What you’re describing would be an absolute nightmare both for users and for me. You’re also missing the point that MissionComputer isn’t receiving nearly enough use to justify the time involved in any sort of re-write; even the goals of MissionComputer 4 are really a bit extravagant.

**Which is terribly unfortunate, because it is by far the best development community has.

_bomb

**

Honestly, I don't like the look of the current MC4 welcome screen. It is ugly, and doesn't fit anywhere on my Mac. The oversized buttons, and the background, it just doesn't look right when you piece it all together the way it has been done on the Mac. The Red print too, (which will probable go away anyways).

• I already tried it under Rosetta, and without. I run it with, and it is still horrible crashy. I'm working under solo TC conditions though, so it is about as intense in every way as you can get. Without Intel support, it is yet another nail in the long list of nails in the coffin of the EV series and community. Am I suppose to keep a PPC around just for the purpose of creating plugins for a beloved game? PPC is a dead architecture anyways, SJ said so. So it was said, so it shall be written, so it shall be done.