Are there any rules for posting to the EV Add-ons? The original game, not Nova.

There are only rules for Nova. I thought I would make a plug-in that changes the description the Kestrel that you get in 'Deliver Kestrel Parts'.

There is a problem, too: How can I compress files in Basilisk II with System 7.5? I used WarBeasts emulation tutorial, when it did exist... The version of System 7.5 I have is not the version Apple has on its server for download (Maybe that would have been better, as it the full version of System 7.5. More Control Panels, for example. Maybe even one to change the desktop pattern?). I have the version of System 7.5 WarBeast had in his tutorial. DropStuff 5.5 exists, but says in read me I have to register after 15 days.

Well, except Aladdin no longer exists. How can I register with a corporation that no longer exists? According to the talk page of PC Plugin Conversion Tutorial, SmithMicro is Aladdin: (..)SmithMicro (ex-Allume, ex-Aladdin)(..) SmithMicro does not have DropStuff in the products link, making it impossible to register.

There is a option in the Preferences... dialog that lets me create self-extracting files. What do people think? Do they want self-extracting archives? The Preferences... dialog says that people can expand the files without Stuffit.

I did a screenshot of that of part of the Preferences. You can see some of my Basilisk II Mac files, but as it is EV stuff only, I don't think it's too private to show. I did not take a picture that shows my desktop though- because I don't know if you, the forum posters, would have said something about the contents of my desktop. Lots of file names would have been in Finnish though, so you wouldn't have understood it anyway.

Picture of the self-extracting option in Preferences... including a option to make self-extracting for Windows:

https://public.blu.l...tion.jpg?psid=1

Then there is a option to make files files BinHex, with the .hqx extension. The dialog advises me that it is suitable for posting on the Internet. The only problem it would restrict me to compressing to .hqx (Versions of Stuffit earlier than Stuffit 2009 even have a bug with .hqx according to the PC Plugin Conversion Tutorial). StuffIt on Windows me lets extract .sit/.sitx .hqx/.bin and .zip. So I guess the Windows version lets me compress those too, and if someone could find a old version of Stuffit that works with System 7.5, I would like it. Then I could something else than just .hqx if I liked.

Picture of BinHex with .hqx extension possiblity in the Preferences... :

https://public.blu.l...rnet.jpg?psid=1

Though, because I am only supposed to use it for 15 days, I don't know if it is really useful for me. If I create more plug-ins I would have to compress small plug-ins pretty fast to make it in 15 days. In fact, doing all my plug-ins, I guess, is pretty much impossible in 15 days.

So: I need a free program that works with System 7.5 and can compress files. One that makes compressed files that people can expand when they download the compressed file with the plugin from the EV add-ons (not Nova add-ons!).

P.S. Too, are the rules for posting to the EVO Add-ons?

This post has been edited by General Cade Smart : 11 May 2012 - 12:42 PM

BinHex is not a compression format, but an encoding system for posting Macintosh files to non-Macintosh systems. Traditionally, you have to first compress the files as a .sit, and then encode the .sit with BinHex (or better, MacBinary, which didn’t increase the file size) before posting the final .sit.hqx or .sit.bin to the Internet. Encoding became obsolete when StuffIt switched to a format which could exist natively on non-Macintosh systems, which I think happened with version 5.

Self-extracting archives were mostly for on-disk distribution — software installers, or giving files to someone without a copy of StuffIt. They aren't particularly Internet-friendly, and may even make it harder for some people to extract your files these days.

A plain .sit is therefore the canonical way to distribute files for the classic Mac OS. The jury-rigged system that people have developed to accommodate EV Nova ’s Windows plug-in convertor is irrelevant for a game that’s Mac-only to start with.

My memory is that there were versions of DropStuff that would continue to work (albeit with increased advertising) indefinitely, but I don’t have one immediately at hand. I’ll try to think whether there’s anything else you could use.

Should I use .sit then? You say it is a standard way for Mac OS (well, canonical way means that in this case, I think). But what about Mac OS X? I guess they play Escape Velocity too? I hear the newest versions of Mac OS X no longer support Classic, meaning the real version of Escape Velocity can no longer be played. They play using the Total Conversion. Can .sit be opened by them?

Coraxus had a opinion I have not heard before: he accepted a plug-in without compression, and said send it directly. He said to me just send it.

HFV Explorer made the Mac format, uncompressed plug-in a .bin when I used it to paste it onto my Windows drive. Is compression as necessary as we're always been told on the Ambrosia forums?

Why is it jury-rigged? The "(...)system that people have developed to accommodate EV Nova’s Windows plug-in convertor(..)" ?

I didn't know that there was a version that would work for forever. But I think it's not good that you don't know where I can get it. The reply where you say I’ll try to think whether there’s anything else you could use was 5 days ago, did you find anything?

And... I finished the description plug-in. I compressed it with DropStuff by dropping it (the plug-in) over it, making a .sit. It's now ready to be added to EV Add-ons which apparently has no rules (because you didn't say anything about it).

But I made a second plug-in to see if the description is so long that it will be cut off in the shipyard description. So I made a second plug-in to make getting the mission Deliver Kestrel Parts easier. I removed the combat rating requirement and made it avaible in a bar instead. But because you said 9999 means independent in the pers resource, I wanted the mission to be the same. To be only avaible on independent. See my post with a EVO bible quote: http://www.ambrosias...dpost&p=2096808 And David Arthurs answer: http://www.ambrosias...dpost&p=2096810 Well, I tried to make the AvailStel 9999 and it didn't work. When ResEdit allowed to do it, that is.

Here is how it went: When I tried to close the plug-in that I had copied the mission to: Unknown field type found. Highlighting the AvailStel field, which had 9999. When I changed it to -1, still the same.

This flies in the face of the EVO Bible:

AvailStel Which stellar objects (i.e. planets) the mission is available at
-1 Any inhabited stellar
128-1627 ID number of a specific stellar
5000-5999 Stellar in a system adjacent to specific system
9999-10127 Specific govt's stellar
15000-15127 Specific govt's ally's stellar
20000-20127 Stellar of anybody but this specific govt
25000-25127 Specific govt's enemy's stellar

9999 is a valid stellar. As for -1 not being, I don't even want to write about it.

I did have the Templates (EVO I think) in ResEdit Preferences file, so editing plug-ins works.

I couldn't save the file from the File menu, or quit. I had to press Start key- Alt- Esc (Command- Option- Esc) to Force quit. Then, after that, ResEdit decided next time I started it that it wouldn't show the full names of missions in the misn resource, in EV Data. A part of the mission name was not shown. They would show full names before. And I hadn't changed any settings in ResEdit (there are settings how big a resource has to be in size, in pixels).

ResEdit didn't complain upon closing Commerce Raid which has a AvailStel 9999 in EV Data.

Later, ResEdit accepted 9999 when I closed the plug-in I made.

But now I have a new problem: the mission is not avaible on Levo (which is Independent), which I went to after creating a new pilot. I only get missions like Starbound Shipping and Turin V, when I check in the bar. The mission is not avaible on Confederate or Rebel planets, because I tried one of both governments planets that have bars, making it pretty much impossible to know which government 9999 means. The complete lack of documentation in the EVO Bible in what governments the numbers 9999-10127 are in the original game without plug-ins means it's impossible to know what government 9999 is (or is it even any?). It tells you it's "Specific govt's stellar" but does not tell you how to find which it is. The Independent government does not exist in the govt resource, yet exists in the game, as proven here: https://skydrive.liv...!123&sc=photos.

There are some missions in EV Data with AvailStel 9999 of which I am going to write about Commerce Raid. Because it's a Matt Burch created mission, it should work. Well, except I have never seen it when I played the game without any plug-ins.

There is this part of the EVO Bible I didn't understand:

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Part II - Resource Descriptions

Note: Override's resources all start at ID number 128, but the internal storage for all data file info is zero-based. Therefore, when a field in the Override data file is said to refer to a government, stellar object, etc., it refers to it by its index number (starts at 0) unless it is specifically stated that it is referring to the ID number, which starts at 128.

Note: Some of Override's fields refer to other resource IDs or index numbers, but their values are offset by a certain amount to indicate type. For example, the mïsn resource's AvailStel field refers to the index number of a gövt resource when its value is between 10000 and 10063. In cases like this, it is necessary to add to or subtract from the field in order to force the value into the proper range: in this instance, you'd subtract 10000 to find the index number of the gövt.

Note: Any resources in an Override plugin file automatically replace same-numbered resources in Override's main files.

Not very helpful when I don't know why 9999 doesn't work...

Is there no way to make a mission only avaible on Independent planets? If no person knows, I have to ask Matt Burch. He made the game, and knows things we don't know. How can I contact him? I could, for example, send him a E-Mail. I guess it would be the easiest and most pleasant way for me if I he doesn't post.

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Should I use .sit then? You say it is a standard way for Mac OS (well, canonical way means that in this case, I think). But what about Mac OS X? I guess they play Escape Velocity too? I hear the newest versions of Mac OS X no longer support Classic, meaning the real version of Escape Velocity can no longer be played. They play using the Total Conversion. Can .sit be opened by them?

StuffIt was the normal choice for compression prior to Mac OS X, and remained the most common until at least 10.3. Even today, .sit extractors are readily available for Mac OS X.

But the Nova engine can’t use unported old-format plug-ins, even when it’s running the classic scenario. So Mac OS X users are irrelevant to your decision in any case.

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Coraxus had a opinion I have not heard before: he accepted a plug-in without compression, and said send it directly. He said to me just send it.

HFV Explorer made the Mac format, uncompressed plug-in a .bin when I used it to paste it onto my Windows drive. Is compression as necessary as we're always been told on the Ambrosia forums?

Technically a .bin would work, but it isn’t an archive format, so you wouldn’t be able to pack multiple files (two plug-ins, or plug-in + readme) into a single upload. It would also, obviously, be larger than a compressed file.

Actually, putting a .bin file within a .zip file might do the job once DropStuff expires, though it would be a bit unorthodox. The .bin encoding would allow the Macintosh file to exist within the .zip file, and both formats are fairly easy to extract even on the classic Mac OS.

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It's now ready to be added to EV Add-ons which apparently has no rules (because you didn't say anything about it).

I have no involvement in the administration of the Escape Velocity add-ons, but I’m not aware of any rules beyond those which appear right on the submission page.

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The complete lack of documentation in the EVO Bible in what governments the numbers 9999-10127 are in the original game without plug-ins means it's impossible to know what government 9999 is (or is it even any?).

Look at ID numbers for the gövt resources in the EV Data file. Subtract 128 from each government's ID number, and you'll get the index number you're looking for: the Confederation is 0, the rebellion 1, and so on. ‘Independent’ just means a lack of government, so there’s no resource, but it’s defined as -1 for reference purposes.

For the field you’re looking at, the value is 10 000 plus the index number. So, 10 000 means the Confederation, 10 001 the rebellion, and 9999 (10 000 - 1) independent. Most fields in the game either follow this principle, or take an ID number directly.

I can’t comment on the non-appearance of your mission — there may be a problem elsewhere in its availability conditions — but the error messages from ResEdit don’t indicate anything wrong with your plug-in. They’re caused by a combination of ResEdit’s bugs (which Basilisk II might make worse) and the inadequacy of TMPLs as a friendly and reliable editing method.

I've had mixed results in the past with .bin.zip archiving and cross-platform compatibility when using Mac OS's built-in .zip utility, but so far most 3rd party archivers seem to be okay with it. 7zip, which is what I've been primarily using lately, has been flawless so far, but cannot handle .sit files as far as I'm aware.

Ironically, when I still had my old XP laptop, the only way I could get the resource fork to decompress properly was to use Stuffit to create a .sea file, then decompress it.

I assume the classic scenario means using the EV Total Conversion on Nova. What about persons using old versions of Mac OS X? 10.4 had Classic, allowing them to play the real Escape Velocity- not the plug-in. Though I don't know if any users of 10.4 exist anymore.

I guess "I’m not aware of any rules beyond those which appear right on the submission page" means there are no more rules than that.

I think I understood your explanation of 9999. If I didn't, I'll try it in the game. One more question: where is -1 for Independent used? You say "(...)it’s defined as -1 for reference purposes". I think I have seen it in the Govt field in the Spob resource.

You say you can't comment on why my mission doesn't appear. I uploaded 5 pictures that contain all fields in my plug-in. I even included the original Deliver Kestrel Parts from EV Data for comparison.

Look at my mission and the original mission here: https://skydrive.liv...4!128&sc=photos

My plug-ins mission contains a LOTS of fields that don't exist in the original game. They are: Compbit3, Compbitset4, Failbitset2, Refusetext, Availshiptype, Refusebitset, and Startbitset. There are a lot of Unused fields after that, with only 0 as content. I don't know what they do. I did a side-by-side comparison of the end of the mission in my plug-in and a mission in EV Data. I chose Deliver Kestrel Parts in EV Data. There is even a Unused field, also in the EV Data version Deliver Kestrel Parts. The Override Bible does not even mention it! Why does this field even exist if it is purposeless?

Why do I have EVO-only features (I think they are in 1.02 only) in a original EV plug-in? Will do they do anything bad like cause the mission not to appear? I think my mission is one simply copied & pasted from EV Data, then modified. Into a new plug-in. I do have the Override Templates, is that the reason? Does ResEdit add these fields to all missions that are copied & pasted into a new ResEdit file that is then changed into a EV plug-in?

You say ResEdit has bugs. Well, Bomb once said in his plug-in guide (It was a forum on the the Ambrosia forum I forgot the exact name of) that ResEdit was stable. But I think ResEdit does have bugs. It complains of invalid rectangles (I think when closing a resource that you have opened, like a mission). It says that it has to insert zeroes at the end of the resource sometimes when you try to open a resource like a mission. ResEdit does not always work; in extremely rare cases, it will not work like when it likes to find unknown field types. I guess it is stable, because it almost never does those kind of things though. Does anybody on these forums (not just the EV Developers Corner posters) know why ResEdit complains of invalid rectangles and tells me it has to insert zeroes before a resource can be opened?

Why would Basilisk II make ResEdit bugs worse? If you don't know, I can ask at the emaculation forum that does Basilisk II these days.

(...)"inadequacy of TMPLs as a friendly and reliable editing method."

Right about friendliess. In fact, I could write a whole thread about that. What does reliable mean though? Things like unknown field types? I think there hasn't been so many times (at least I can't remember) when ResEdit didn't let me save.

Edit: some more thoughts: that I wouldn't have to care about Mac OS X users would be nice. That's easier for me. You did also say they have .sit extractors, and that they are irrelevant, because you said they are irrelevant to my decision.

This post has been edited by General Cade Smart : 19 May 2012 - 07:07 PM

Try changing ‘AvailRecord’ to zero.

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What about persons using old versions of Mac OS X? 10.4 had Classic, allowing them to play the real Escape Velocity- not the plug-in.

Yes, the original game can run on 10.0–10.4 PowerPC. But I don’t think it works very well, and for that matter it never handled fast computers elegantly. I don’t think Mac OS X users are a serious constituency for anything pre- Nova.

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... where is -1 for Independent used?

Whenever you’re specifying a government, -1 means independent

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There are a lot of Unused fields after that, with only 0 as content. I don't know what they do.

They don’t do anything, hence ‘unused’. They were there in case Matt wanted to add more fields later on, but you can ignore them.

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Why do I have EVO-only features (I think they are in 1.02 only) in a original EV plug-in?

ResEdit can’t tell the difference between EV and EVO plug-ins: if you install one set of templates in your ResEdit Preferences, it will apply to every plug-in you open. It’s better not to have the TMPLs in ResEdit Preferences, but instead paste the appropriate set into every plug-in file.

As for the reliability of ResEdit and templates, it’s simply that the TMPLs require ResEdit to behave in ways it wasn’t designed to behave. For example, weapon loadouts in the shïp resource are specified using a field type that was meant to be for specifying the dimensions of a rectangle: that’s why you get invalid rectangle errors if the numbers for your weapons happen not to represent a meaningful rectangle. I never tracked down the cause of the ‘unknown field type’, but I assume it‘s something similar. Matt’s TMPLs also don’t provide a graphical interface for setting flags, although this at least could be done if you know the TMPL format well.

Also, ResEdit works at a fairly low level, so it’s more prone to breakages if the system isn’t working exactly as it expects. That’s why I suspect Basilisk II’s imperfect simulation of a Macintosh may make it less stable.

I changed, and it worked! I got the mission in the bar of Levo after getting 1 other mission. I told my mother of your help, and she told me I should say thanks because it encourages and strenghthens. I guess I'll say thanks then because um... she told me to. And because it worked, I could think that I am at least somewhat willing to give thanks myself. The EVO Bible hehheh... tells me negative values mean that rating must be at least this low for the mission to be avaible. I must have confused it with AvailRating where -1 means ignored and 0 means at least this high (I don't know if you can get missions with a AvailRating of 0 if you have a combat rating of 0).

There are new problems, however:

Trying to do the mission to see if it works was... difficult. And that is a understatement without telling everything I tried before I finished it.

First I went without any attacks but I saw Mission failed and I didn't want that so I pressed Esc and reloaded my pilot. After that, I died twice by trying to go through Altair in a unoutfitted Scoutship. I died after a Corvette destroyed me while trying to hyperspace to the next system immediately when I came. Just with a few missiles. Then another Corvette came after I died and tried again, then I tried to fight back with Missiles from no less than 2 launchers. Perhaps it was that I only had less than 10 Missiles... I got the Corvette only to 35% shields and died. I tried to get money (to get better outfits) by doing a mission that required me to go to Deneb III. I was attacked by 2 Lightnings and died again from just a few Missiles. I saw that there was a Kestrel (that obviously was a Pirate) while targeting and dying at the same time. Though, a few times I was not attacked or the attacker was quickly smashed (like a Pirate Clipper meets a Confed Frigate).

Then I finally used a route that didn't go through Altair (though I think not being able to use any route I like is unconscionable). Does this mean I am doing it the wrong way by trying to do any missions in a Scoutship instead of trying to get rid of it as fast as possible and into a Clipper? I am not playing the game either, I am just testing to make my plug-in work.

Then... when I landed (at Darven) I got to be a Offender in at least 14 systems (There might be more; I haven't explored all Confed systems!).

This means you can't buy the REAL Kestrel (which is only avaible at Earth) or the Proton Turret (which is only avaible in the Sol system, I forgot where, and 1 Pirate planet). To clear your reputation, you must blast quite a amount of Pirates. If you don't want to do the Confed missions, that is, which I don't want to do with this pilot. There is also the Fake ID, which I could mention in a read me file that I'm going to make for the plug-in. Too bad it costs so much with a new pilot that has a horrible ship, almost no weapons (I now have 2 Proton Cannons and 9 Missiles. Could try changing it to all Missiles. That could even work.), and don't know of any ways to make money fast.

So I guess that if I am going to make the plug-in avaible with no combat rating (so people might literally have no combat rating) and people have a new pilot at the same time (meaning they might fly Scoutships, one of the worst ships in the game), they might die while trying do the mission. I could tell about this in a read me, and possibly also in the the text that comes when the mission is offered.

Or perhaps I should add some combat rating (not much)? That could be used so that people have a strong enough ship that it can't be killed by a Pirate when just hyperspacing through Altair. The Kestrel you can get at Blackthorne won't be useful anyway in something like a Scoutship because it still costs 7.5 million.

The legal status is a more difficult problem. At least in a new pilot. To get legal status, I have learned, do missions for governments and blast Pirates. I guess the mission should only be done if you have a somewhat good rating with the Confeds at least (like Decent Individual), or perhaps even more if you have blasted a lot of Pirates. I don't know if the Artemis or UGE missions do give you a better rating with the Confeds. I guess the read me could tell to destroy Pirates or buy a Fake ID (and then mention the price. I think I could even look up where it's sold!).

I looked at the text in the Shipyard for the Kestrel in Blackthorne. It's cut off. I can only see a part of the description on the 12 th line, and the last two words (13 th line?). And I only added 8 lines (measured by how many lines there are ResEdit). As you can see in my pictures that I will link to later in this post, my additions aren't even too long. I think the 11-line limit makes it impossible to describe the ship in a easy- to- understand enough way that you don't have to look at the ship info while keeping the original description. Further, nowhere is mentioned (not even in the EVO Bible) that ship descriptions must be no longer than 11 lines in the game, and ResEdit shows how many lines a description is differently. My original description is 22 lines in ResEdit, as can be seen in my pictures.

I removed the parts having anything do with the Lightnings, since the Blackthorne one does not have them. The Shipyard description STILL takes up 10 lines after removing 8 lines when ResEdit is used how many lines there is, and only adding 3.

The Deliver Kestrel Parts Kestrel takes up 17 lines in ResEdit, while the Manta, with the longest description in the game, takes 19 lines in ResEdit. Could someone take a picture of the Manta selected in the Shipyard, so I could see if the description is cut off?

Here are 5 pictures with the legal status for 14 systems, the original description for my ship in ResEdit, how the Shipyard shows it, the new description that removes the part about Lightnings, and how the Shipyard shows that.

https://skydrive.liv...61AE866B274!128

I guess you did look at all the previous pictures because you said trying changing AvailRecord to 0. My pictures are meant to help, and to help better than text. I hope you look at all my pictures, because I would like that. You don't have to, but I would like it.

Edit: Word catched a lot of ttypos!

Edit2: I guess my description plug-in & the mission (the mission was just for seeing if the description is too long, but I liked it so much I am going to package it in the same plug-in) are ready for the Add-ons once the legal status and the dying are decided on.

I guess I will ask about Flags in the next post. I never understood any flags that weren't mentioned in the EVO Bible. I could put them in this post, but it is already so long. Then again, there is no limit on how long a post can be. One post I made was 140 lines and answered.

Edit3: I will also ask about pasting the approriate set into every plug-in file.

This post has been edited by General Cade Smart : 21 May 2012 - 03:19 PM

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I told my mother of your help, and she told me I should say thanks because it encourages and strenghthens. I guess I'll say thanks then because um... she told me to. And because it worked, I could think that I am at least somewhat willing to give thanks myself.

You’re welcome!

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I must have confused it with AvailRating where -1 means ignored and 0 means at least this high . . .

Yes, -1 almost always means ‘ignored’, so AvailRecord is a confusing exception (though I can’t think of any more elegant way that Matt could have done it).

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Then... when I landed (at Darven) I got to be a Offender in at least 14 systems (There might be more; I haven't explored all Confed systems!).

Well, smuggling Kestrel subassemblies isn’t meant to be the most legal of activities.

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Further, nowhere is mentioned (not even in the EVO Bible) that ship descriptions must be no longer than 11 lines in the game, and ResEdit shows how many lines a description is differently.

The Bible only really deals with the data format; the eleven-line ‘limit’ is a product of the game’s interface design, which is more variable. And since ResEdit wasn’t designed for EV purposes, there’s little you can do to make it more helpful in this respect. (It’s worth noticing that ResEdit uses a monospaced font, where all letters are the same width. This may account for the Manta’s ‘longer’ description not being a problem in the game itself.)

But does your description really need to go into the exact numbers of missiles, shield strength, and that sort of thing? Usually someone who wanted to know those would look at the Info dialogue box.

On the other hand, I always thought it odd that the shipyard picture still shows the two Lightnings, even though they aren’t included. I suppose Blackthorne’s honesty-in-advertising laws must not be strictly enforced.

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My pictures are meant to help, and to help better than text.

Absolutely. It’s far easier to see what’s wrong with a resource by looking it, than to guess from a description of the problem.

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I guess I will ask about Flags in the next post. I never understood any flags that weren't mentioned in the EVO Bible.

Usually I find the Bible’s description of the flags to be clear enough. It’s just the hexadecimal maths for combining them that can get annoying.

I finally got to compress two plug-ins and the read me with DropStuff.

Problem: DropStuff makes files that say the application that created could not be found when double-clicking. Type/ Creator codes exist. They are SIT5 SIT!. It made the .sit file 4 K in size. When dropping onto StuffIt Expander, it expands Archive.sit fine, but adds a extra plugin with .1 at the end of the name in the folder that has the extracted files. This one is exactly the same as one of the plug-ins- it's a duplicate. Called Easy Deliver Kestrel Parts.1.

In addition, because I typed my read me in Windows, SimpleText shows Enter presses as boxes. Or actually, garbage. BBEdit Lite shows the Enters just fine.

The pictures of this problem are avaible here: https://skydrive.liv...61AE866B274!155

As well as a picture of the changed description: https://skydrive.liv...61AE866B274!142

And a picture of the contents of EVPluginpackage when extracted. I found- by Google searching the EV Add-Ons page - the real EV Template. This is a real EV, not EVO, template.

The only problem is that ResEdit Preferences also has a RWEV resource that I have no idea what it is. Do I have the remove this resource too in addition to the EVO Templates in the ResEdit Preferences? The RWEV resource appears EV-related, like that it has a syst resource. I just want to remove the EVO templates from ResEdit Preferences and follow your advice that I should use the approriate set for my plug-ins. This resource is in pictures as well. Total, I have no less than 9 new pictures.

So, how can I stop DropStuff from creating files that add a extra file with .1 at the end when I extract the DropStuff-created file with StuffIt Expander?

As for the description itself... there isn't many ways I can change it. I can't change it much while having it's original purpose of being more truthful than the original description.

Besides which: even plug-ins for the original game make descriptions that contain the weapons the ship has. If I remember right.

In fact, even the game itself has this. Here is a part of the Missile Gunboats description:

(..)The forwarded-mounted strakes along the fuselage sides hold missile racks and rocket launchers.

Otherwise, it's ready to be submitted... but I don't want the downloaders getting extra files that say .1 that are identical to the plug-in itself.

This post has been edited by General Cade Smart : 18 June 2012 - 02:45 PM

Would people accept the extra file? Like I described in the previous post. Then I could just submit it to the Add-ons.

Update: got the archive compressed so that it expands without the .1 file. Now I need to know just one thing before I add the file to the Add-ons: Can I use spaces in the file name of the archive when I submit it to the Add-ons?

This question should be easy enough to answer to someone that knows the forums well like David Arthur. Or anyone else that has submitted a EV plug-in.

Yes, I am posting to a old topic, but the post is valid, because it contains major progress.

Spaces are probably best avoided — you can always use underscores to have the same effect.

@david-arthur, on 04 August 2012 - 08:42 AM, said in Are there any rules for posting to the EV Add-ons?:

Spaces are probably best avoided — you can always use underscores to have the same effect.

Okay, though there is one file I saw with spaces in the EV Add-ons.

Flying High

http://www.ambrosias....php?addon=3389

The file is called Flying High 1.6.sit.

So why are spaces best avoided?

Edit: Downloads fine, even though it has spaces.

This post has been edited by General Cade Smart : 04 August 2012 - 12:49 PM

It should probably work, but the way Internet protocols are designed, I wouldn’t be confident of its continuing to work in all situations. Given that there’s no real benefit, why take the risk?

@david-arthur, on 04 August 2012 - 12:50 PM, said in Are there any rules for posting to the EV Add-ons?:

It should probably work, but the way Internet protocols are designed, I wouldn’t be confident of its continuing to work in all situations. Given that there’s no real benefit, why take the risk?

You say I can use underscores. But the Submit Your Add-on page says: Your file name must be without spaces, quotes, apostrophes, and other non-alphanumeric characters.

Isn't a underscore "non-alphanumeric"? And why is the page advising me to avoid ALL characters that are not letter or numbers anyway?

In the Author field, must I tell my real name or can I put my forum name?

There is the Add-on Name field. I suppose I can put a space to the name?

I already typed in all the fields; I just need to submit now. That's why I wish that I get a answer fast.

This post has been edited by General Cade Smart : 04 August 2012 - 05:38 PM

I didn’t write the code for the add-ons manager, so I can’t predict its response to any given character. I can’t see an obvious reason why it would reject underscores, but perhaps you should use CamelCase if that’s what it says. And as far as I know, there’s no requirement that the author name be your full legal name — the metadata is informational, not contractual.

OK, now I only need the description before I submit. I need to know if my description is good.

I changed the name to have no spaces only. Now it is BlackthorneKestrel.sit. I didn't like the underscores so much anyway.

I looked up CamelCase in Google- never heard of it before.

Here is, uh, the description which I typed (I haven't submitted the file yet):

"This plug-in makes the Kestrel you get in the Deliver Kestrel Parts have a truthful description about how much it is weaker than the Atinoda Kestrel. Also included is a plug-in to that gives you a easier way to get the mission Deliver Kestrel Parts. Makes it possible to get the mission in all Independent systems with 100% possiblity. No combat rating required either- you can get the mission as soon as you start the pilot. Though you might die if you try to do the mission in a weak ship like a Scoutship (due to Pirates attacking on the way)."

I think it's good. The only thing I am not sure about is the warning about dying, so I showed the description to you. Then again, I typed it because I thought it would be important to warn people, if they attempt the mission in a Scoutship or such.

Should I add mission after the word parts?

Maybe I next time will just submit my plug-in without asking first.

I submitted the file to the EV Add-ons on last Saturday. The page that came after submitting said the file should be added in two business days. Well, I don't know what they meant by two business days. Did it mean that the file would be added on Tuesday (so it would be in two days) or that it would be added in Wednesday, which at least is two days? It's Wednesday now and my file is still not on the EV Add-ons. I looked at the All section and Plug-ins section. I asked if the EV Add-ons have any rules and David Arthur answered "I’m not aware of any rules beyond those which appear right on the submission page." I followed tbe rules that appear on the submission page. I read the FAQ for submitting add-ons, and filled all fields. Why is my plug-in not added, then? I can't follow any rules I am not told of them. Do I need to contact the person that adds plug-ins to the Add-ons? How can I contact him/her? Who is it?

Though, I saw this in the Submit Your Add-on form: If you don't see your file right away, please be patient. Does this mean I just need to wait?

I have a suspicion that these days you might need to poke MagnusApollo, or possibly get him to poke someone else, in order for anything to happen.