New plug-in editor: Rezilla Custom

One tiny update: a certain time sink is back... Productivity on Rezilla Custom is expected to decrease significantly.

At last. I know I made you wait long enough for features like tabbing, RSID, and "field stuffing" which you showed enthusiasm about (and I teased you with, sorry about that) and that were already ready some time ago, but you couldn't play with as I wanted to implement (or at least try implementing) key value dynamic changing in the same release for this to be my last feature release. Well gentlemen the wait is over. I finally implemented dynamic key value changing. Interestingly it took more time than I thought when I posted my last message (including when taking into account playi... , I mean testing the network multiplayer portion of a certain game, btw Raga when I was sitting idle in the tracker I was in fact working on this and couldn't afford to get sidetracked from my concentration, even for a quick game) as I tried to reuse code from list item insertion and deletion (that handles modifying internal state to put fields back in the same order, used for tabbing and retrieving, and modifying the positions of fields after the inserted/deleted item to make room for the new item/don't leave the unused room of the old item), but when I analysed it I realised that that list code had a bug (that manifests itself when you have a list with a normal field followed by a CASE tag inside, as then if you save, close and reopen you notice fields are completely messed up, and that's only if you are lucky), so I had to pretty much rewrite the part that modifies internal state on top of completely rewriting the code that handles keyed sections and adding code to dynamically modify the keyed sections. Anyway, now here it is for your plug-editing pleasure.

Apart from these four insignificant features, I fixed a bunch of bugs, which allow me to launch the folllowing contest: not only you should check that you can correctly edit all Nova resources with this, but in fact those of you who know how to make templates should try and torture this version with the most complex templates known to man. Please make it open and edit resources where the template specifies a list nested inside a keyed section nested inside a list nested inside another list... throw a good mix of RSID and field stuffing, try to add/remove list items, change keyed sections to all possible values, and check that even after a full bunch of these modifications, tabbing does still tab in the right order and that you can correctly save, close and reopen and that the completely convoluted structure you made is still there with the right values, just as it was when you closed the window. Of course, if ever you notice a problem, you should send the guilty template to me and tell me the actions you needed to make Rezilla Custom 3's template editor to fail so that I can reproduce it and fix it.

http://perso.wanadoo...illaCustom3.dmg

As usual, the source code is available in case you're interested:

http://perso.wanadoo...aCustom3Src.dmg

Custom 2 should now be replaced by that version and forgotten until the end of time.

Breaks out sound clipping of the Hallelujah Chorus (Really! I did!)

Just this morning, I was looking through the data files using Rezilla Custom 2, wishing that it could open locked files easily, and thinking about posting asking how much progress you'd made on Custom 3. Then I came to the forums, and saw this post. :blink:

I haven't done much with the program yet, but it's very nice to be able to drag locked files onto the dock icon to open them, the dynamic keyed sections look good, and stuffed fields are also a nice addition. Stuffing of RSID fields ends up a bit wider than the default window size, but that's not much of a nuisance- especially considering how useful that field type will probably be.

I'll probably post some more comments after I've had a chance to do some more serious work with this editor.

Edwards

Oh yeah, better opening of locked files is another "feature" (it's technically a feature, but in fact it's more of an annoyance fix) I made you wait for... I suppose you're satisfied by tabbing as well, of course; I'm eagerly waiting for your complete comments. Please comment on this everyone, it's what makes me glad I worked on packing up this release at 3AM monday (GMT+2), only, after everything got uploaded and ready, to find the boards are closed for maintenance, forcing me to wait for the morning to announce this. πŸ˜‰

w00t! This is awesome, Zacha!
I mentioned a couple of things in a PM to you a while ago, did you get that? Assuming not, here's what they were.

  1. Resource types aren't selectable. It's really nice in ResEdit when you can just click on a resource type and copy or delete the whole lot at once.
  2. PICT windows open at the same size as any other resource. It would be nice if they opened at a size to fit the image. On a similar note, clicking the zoom button doesn't do a smart zoom but instead just resizes to some odd smaller size.
    On another similar note, if you could make the default size just a little bit wider to fit in 4 RSID fields (like Edwards mentioned) that would be great.
    Ooh, and any chance of scroll wheel support?
    All the RSID fields within keyed sections just say No Resource Type specified.
    I tried opening a Word doc (just for the sake of it) and it said System Error '-5000'.

Yeah, I got that. In the next version, Bernard Desgraupes is implementing resource pickers, that is there will be separate windows, one for each resource type, listing all the resources of that type, just as in ResEdit, and I suppose you will be able to select the resource type in the main window and copy-paste it. PICT window size, I'll look into it; I'll probably make the change and send it to Bernard for it to be integrated to 1.1.0. But, just as template window size (and position: the top of the window's title bar is behind the menu bar...) it's something that I'm less a specialist of.

Scroll wheel... I have one, but I don't know how the heck you go about implementing that. I got the support "for free" in ViewRLE, I really don't know which event it generates and how to implement that myself. Maybe I'll try... Now we have tabbing that automatically scrolls to make the field visible, I use that for scrolling and use the mouse only for popup menus and the like (and even then, I can get them to show up by tabbing if need be).

As for RSID, I should have made myself clearer: the resource type is specified in the label of the RSID tag, between two single quotes, for instance; "'wΓ«ap' ID:"; check some of the internal templates (in Rezilla/Contents/Resources/RezillaTemplates.rsrc, though I don't think you can open it directly, copy it first out of the bundle then open it) to see. Also, RSID only looks for resources of that type in the current file, I may extend it later to look in all open files but I would need to be careful not to look in files implicitely open by Rezilla (such as its own resource file and other such stuff).

As for the Word doc, that's what you get for using MS stuff. πŸ˜‰

Okay, I see how the RSIDs work now but the problem is they don't work in the outfit keyed sections, like for weapons and ammo.

They work fine for me in oΓΌtfπŸ˜•. What does it tell you, no resource type specified, no resource found of that type, other malfunctioning? When does it happen, and are you sure you're using MY template for oΓΌtf and not one that would override it in the "Library/Application Support/Rezilla/Templates" folder? And RSIDs do work fine in other resources?

Aha, there was another template :rolleyes:. I don't recall how it got there but it's all good now πŸ™‚

Glad to hear it.

Ooh! I gave Rezilla a plug with a data fork, and it was still intact after re-saving. Nice.

Not so surprising an ability for an app with roots outside the EV community, I suppose, but.... DA, if you're following this thread, there are indeed multiple esoteric reasons why a plugmaker would want such an ability! πŸ˜‰

That reminds me, if you drag a file onto with no resource fork then it will do nothing. No message or anything. Drag and drop should do exactly the same thing as if you had opened the file normally.

On my machine, double-clicking on a resource map file created in Rezilla opens "Aatrix Top Pay," a payroll management program that came with the copy of Quickbooks that Apple pre-installed on my Mac. Probably a type/creator code conflict that isn't worth fixing on your end -- I can just delete the offending (and never-used) accounting app. Still... blech!

And as long as I'm pointing out issues that probably aren't worth fixing, here's another: if you try to open a ppat bigger than 64 X 64, Rezilla reports that "An error occured during the initialization of the bitmap editor. Use the hexidecimal editor instead." Nova can actually make use of 128 X 128 and 256 X 256 ppats, though -- check my parafamous TC. (ResEdit also cannot display or edit big ppats, though GraphicConverter can.)

Well, okay, I'll non-look into non-fixing your non-issues... someday. I was pretty sure that patterns were limited in size but apparently the height and width can be any power of two (and can be different), says Inside Mac. But even if Rezilla could edit these, past a certain size it's better all around to use an actual image editing app.

I suppose the key value changing by popup menu satifies you Dr. Trowel (after all, you're the one who expressed an interest in it in the first place, though I think I may have done it anyway since I think it was a pretty absurd limitation).

Well, it had to happen someday. Though I had hoped to get one sooner. Anyway...

I'm posting this from my brand new MacBook.

Now what should I do with this? I know! Play ZSNES! And, at any rate, do everything that required Panther or better such as viewing H264-encoded videos. I'm glad I did work on Rezilla, because my father supported this purchase on condition that he gets the old iBook G3 (oh my, was I obsolete...) for work. Pretty soon I'll be stuck with only this comp. Better complete Warcraft II before this happens.

Can some one make a more advanced Windows Editor? Or something like nova tools for windows? Your rezilla custom editor looks great by the screen shots, but i cant use it.... <_< Is there a way for rezilla to be converted to Windows? Cuase that would be awesome!!

@zacha-pedro, on Jun 29 2006, 02:54 PM, said in New plug-in editor: Rezilla Custom:

I'm posting this from my brand new MacBook.

Congrats, ZP! Now don't get so wrapped up in your wide new world that you forget about EVN.... πŸ˜‰

Don't worry, I'm back to my iBook now. I'll be using the MacBook only for very specific things (say, actually release an universal ViewRLE) until I can find a FireWire cable to transfer my stuff. I don't feel at home when using the MacBook, it's too clean. πŸ˜‰

@zacha-pedro, on Jun 29 2006, 04:58 PM, said in New plug-in editor: Rezilla Custom:

...until I can find a FireWire cable to transfer my stuff.

Advice on that: I know you aren't in the US, but you may nonetheless find deals on travel-cable kits like this one that will work for you. I only occasionally need a 6-pin-to-6-pin Firewire cable, but I've done hard-drive backups and OS installs using Target Mode and the cable in my kit without hiccups. In my opinion, getting a case full of retractable cords beats paying brick & mortar retail prices for a single non-retractable cable (unless you plan on keeping your Macs connected all the time).

Edit: That link is probably going to expire shortly. It was for this "Cables to Go" kit, except free after rebate. I'm not endorsing the manufacturer or the particular kit (which is a bit on the large side for actually taking travelling); I'm just endorsing the general idea of crazy-cheap, loss-leader-priced retractable cables in general. I love mine. πŸ˜„

This post has been edited by Dr. Trowel : 29 June 2006 - 05:22 PM