Atollski's Nav Tool...

[SeeJay]

Originally posted by SeeJay
Hello DaveK.

If you like, I could switch the order in my Excel file and upload it to my site so you (and others) may download it.
Just let me know! (I could actually see if I can get the "" in there as well.)

I just tested a command and it's no problem to add the "" around the required field texts.

Atollski, would you like me to enter a unique ID field in the excel as well?
That is if you want to use it of course;)
I could actually change my layout in the excel so it fits your application.

[Edited on 2010-11-3 by SeeJay]

[DaveK]

Does anyone know if the coordinates for and in the known systems (planets, moons, nebulae, gates, asteroids etc) are the same in Mercenary as in Legends? Or has Vice shifted his universe around a bit to make life a bit more interesting?;)

[Von Paulus]

Originally posted by DaveK
Does anyone know if the coordinates for and in the known systems (planets, moons, nebulae, gates, asteroids etc) are the same in Mercenary as in Legends? Or has Vice shifted his universe around a bit to make life a bit more interesting?;)

Not everything but most are the same.

[SeeJay]

In my experience, things have shifted and more stuff added.

[DaveK]

Thanks!

[Atollski]

I didn't have any luck with the website, (I couldn't work out how to directly extract HTML... a bit of googling is in order and I'm sure there is a straightforward answer)

An excel file in any format would be great - will convert it and upload to this thread. If you have a particular structure in mind, you can use the ID and parent fields, but wouldn't worry about it if you don't need them.

Thanks for all the mapping effort and site, there is a lot of work in there!

Dave, have a cunning plan for your excel quotes if you still have problems - if you append another character to the beginning and end of the cells to have quotes, like $ or # then export to csv, you can do a search/replace and replace the character with quotes again.

Still don't want to be beaten by the web linking, will let you know how it goes...

[SeeJay]

Hi Atollski.

I'll upload my Excel-file as it is and you can change it as you like.

Dave.
There is a command in excel called "CONCATENATE".
If you insert a column before and one after the one you want to add "" to and enter " in both of those new
columns. Then in the next following column you add CONCATENATE for this three cells.
To get rid of the formula in this new column, just copy and paste special. Select text only.
Then just remove the columns you don't need.

[Edited on 2010-11-4 by SeeJay]

[SeeJay]

I have uploaded the Excel-file now Atollski. Knock yourself out!:P

[Mister Vertigo]

I took a peek at your spreadsheet. Very nice! Is this spreadsheet complete as far as known locations? I know the map isn't quite updated yet. For example, are all the known stations in this spreadsheet?

[Atollski]

Hey all,

Have now uploaded version 0.5
- Fixes file index issue
- Waypoint delete button
- Prevents moving a node to one of it's descendants (creates an infinite tree)
- Fixed new line in comments box causing file load failure

but best of all, SeeJay's spreadsheet has been converted into a data file for this program! (Victory dance! )
There's a few issues with some jump gates, worm holes and black holes but in general, it's all there! You will need to use 0.5 to view it due to the aforementioned file indexing issue, the links are on the first post.

After seeing the size of the list, a search box is definitely next priority!

Anyway, hope it's helpful, please shout at me if there are any bugs or irritations.

[SeeJay]

Originally posted by Mister Vertigo
I took a peek at your spreadsheet. Very nice! Is this spreadsheet complete as far as known locations? I know the map isn't quite updated yet. For example, are all the known stations in this spreadsheet?

Yes, it's complete with all visual objects that you see entering a system.
Any errors might be in theree but I have taken screenshots of all systems and double checked so I don't think there will be much errors. Might be a type-O or two thou.

I will upload updated file from time to time when I stumble upon new stuff.
Enjoy. I will even change the layout of the file so it fits Atollskis software.

[Edited on 2010-11-4 by SeeJay]

[SeeJay]

Atollski.

Great work by the way, I'm glad you could use my file. I'm even gone make your life a little easier,
so I'm rebuilding the format for the excel-file so that I summon all fields in one cell (your format).
Makes it easy to copy/paste in a text-file. (I will publish the text-file instead).

Just to be clear about your format. The ParentID column is for determination of which system it belongs to?
(I will add all systems with unique ID as well).

If you like, I could add a link to download your software as well?

[Edited on 2010-11-4 by SeeJay]

[DaveK]

Thanks guys for the ideas of "manipulating" excel's search and replace - coming in sideways can be very effective

Thanks Atollski for converting SeeJay's database - awesome and thanks to SeeJay for collating eveything and presenting it in such a cool form, and making it available to Atollski. I'm still going to work on the excel --> txt via regex for my own satisfaction

I think that between you, you have solved most of the navigation/exploring issues mentioned in other threads. All we need now is a way of incorporating hints, perhaps into SeeJay's masterpiece!

[DaveK]

SeeJay - is your database available for download? - I noticed that Mister Vertigo said that he'd had a peek. I'd love to have a look at how you've put it together!

[SeeJay]

Originally posted by DaveK
SeeJay - is your database available for download? - I noticed that Mister Vertigo said that he'd had a peek. I'd love to have a look at how you've put it together!

Hi DaveK.

Yes, the excel-file is on the first page of the map section on my site. (http://evochron.junholt.se/index.htm)
I am going to rebuild the file to fit Atollskis format for his software.

[Edited on 2010-11-4 by SeeJay]

[DaveK]

nice use of filters!

I'm resisting the temptation to look at the hidden/uncharted stuff in your site and Atollski's nav engine! They've made planning routes and buzzing round the universe attractive and fun. Our ships now have the sort of technology that you would expect after a few centuries of tech evolution

[SeeJay]

Thanks Dave.

Thats what this is all about. Vice has provided us with a gigantic sandbox and lots of toys to play around with.

Pilots contribute in their own way to make this even more enjoyable.

I also work on a little idea I have to take this to another level/new direction. It's a kind ot quest
with story, search and problemsolving. I'm not really sure how to set it up, but my two braincells is working
overtime with ideas to come up with a working scenario.

[Atollski]

Yep, the ID is a primary key, you can duplicate it if you want, but when linking from the parent field, it will link to the first entry it finds. If an object doesn't have a parent, set the parent id to -1.

I think I can meet you halfway with this file conversion - am planning to include additional data to the file structure including date recorded and pilot name. Can also include the system name if an object is a descendant of a system. Basically, don't spend hours tinkering with Excel trying to match the structure because it may well change in the near future. In fact, if you change the file extension to .csv, it should fire up in Excel anyway!

Apologies in advance if your file crashes the program, the load procedure isn't particularly robust and the tiniest error like a missing co-ordinate, text in place of a number, missing data or miscellaneous new line is likely to cause an undignified failure of some description.

About these hints... What kind of method would be of interest?
- Send co-ordinates to the general region of an item
- Hot/Warm/Cold colour bar when you are getting close to something you haven't visited before?
- A bit of both? Something else?

[Edit] The puzzle/quest idea sounds great, if there's anything I can do to help, let me know!

[Edited on 4/11/2010 by Atollski]

[Marvin]

Originally posted by Atollski

About these hints... What kind of method would be of interest?
- Send co-ordinates to the general region of an item
- Hot/Warm/Cold colour bar when you are getting close to something you haven't visited before?
- A bit of both? Something else?

A flashing HUD icon would be nice, if you could figure out how to do it.

[SeeJay]

The Hot/Warm/Cool color bar sounds great.

[Atollski]

Hi all,

0.6 is here! (See first post) featuring a few new additions:
- Search box
- Entry recorded date/time (this is hidden at the moment)
- Last visited date/time - monitors when you visit something (stations, containers etc)
- Updated data file to include above information (program will convert this automatically to new format)
- Extra object types on the Type list (Icons still to be done)

Please back up your old data file before running this program because it will change the data layout.
What range do you think the colour bar should start indicating an object? Should be able to include this for next update with a bit of luck.

Thanks SeeJay for the stealth device, I've been looking all over for one. Can almost guarantee that they will appear in every station from now onwards, mocking me by their very presence.

And finally, I'll be in Germany without internet for the next week so apologies if there are any bugs and I'm not around to kick them around a bit.

Hope this is OK and see you all later!

[Marvin]

Originally posted by Atollski

What range do you think the colour bar should start indicating an object?

Well, a science officer can spot an object from any location in the sector. But, then, that's only if you have a science officer on board. Otherwise, I don't know.

[Atollski]

Sorry for constantly dredging this thread up, but have created 0.7 and wanted to share it...

New additions:
- Search box now colours itself cold->warm when you approach an unexplored object within 30 sectors
- Log system outputs current flight co-ordinates to a log file (this can be loaded into a spreadsheet as a .csv)
- Flight route calculation now factors in your jump drive type when calculating jump route
- Sorting (This may have been in last release, have forgotten)
- When you enter an unrecorded system, the application moves to the foreground to indicate this
(When you locate and log the planet, the application will return to normal)

Download links are on the first post. Source code also uploaded and instructions updated.
Edit - This is only compatible with 1.184 and above because it uses the current sector information in the save file.
Also, the sort by range button has no effect yet
As always, please let me know of any bugs or things to be improved!

[Edited on 21/11/2010 by Atollski]

[Marvin]

This is so cool ... really makes me want to do more exploring.

[Atollski]

I'm glad it's of use, hopefully it could be used to chart epic voyages between systems or show where you've been over the past few days.

Would also like to try dogfighting* someone running the logger then plotting the two lines afterwards to see what it looks like...

*Preferably against somebody with a sight impairment, poor co-ordination and unable to hit a barn door at 10ft