Hi!
Nearing completion with my derivative of X4-modder Mycumycu's X4 External App.
The app will be released as a simple .exe that launches a static webpage on a local server that you can access on your computer or any devices on the same local network. The app is built on nodejs + vite/vue3 + express. As of right now, I can only guarantee that it will work on Windows platforms. The code is OS agnostic, but I only have access to Windows, so I am unable to package for linux or mac. That can change in the future if anyone wants to take a crack, or if I figure out what the heck a docker file is.
The program instances a file-watch on your savedata file, and only parses contents on launch, and when the savedata file is updated by the game. The contents are parsed and stored in a self-contained SQLite database that is bundled in the app. For the end-user, the only configuration needed will be to enter in the directory of your savedata file. Then you launch the exe whenever you want to use the app alongside Evochron.
The app is configurable. You can adjust font sizes and pick if you want navbar on the left or the right. As features are added every attempt will be made to make them adjustable to your liking.
Right now the app only displays a basic pilot profile and tracks the economic data for each region you visit. In the game, you can see the economic data for each region in quadrant view on your navmap - unfortunately (or fortunately if you are into immersion) this data is not exported by the game to the savedata file, only the region that your pilot currently occupies. As you travel through regions, new rows will append to the list. Market data will refresh on the page in semi-realtime (the app sends queries every 2 seconds, most people set their savadata settings to write every 5 seconds), but only for your current region. For me, this adds to the immersion, prices from two days ago from a distant sector may no longer be the most accurate.
Planned features for after the semester ends:
- Cargo and loadout tracker - for your pilot as well as currently targeted ships
- The data is pulled and parsed, I just haven't thought of a pretty way to display it yet
- Currently working on implementing grading prices based on their +/- 100%
- More in depth. My script can figure out the closest 'system' based on distance from major gate. But for routes I'll have to go in and plug in all the gate connections.
Also, as far as I can tell right now from savedata, there is no guarantee that the trade good you are interested will actually be for sale. Economic data seems less like supply/demand and a bit more like demand/less demand
If anyone is interested in poking around in the source code, shoot me a reply or a message and I'll add you to the repo. I have it private right now while its under development.
