MissionComputer: The Saga Continues

I've got more information regarding the crash-on-save bug. It only occurs from Save As, not Save.

Ordinarily I use Ctrl-S to save my work; however a mistake I mentioned earlier in the thread made this the shortcut for both Save and Save As. Save works just fine from the File menu (no dialog, data is recoverable in both MC and EVNEW), but Save As opens a system Save dialog box. I try to overwrite the old file, it asks me if I'm sure, I click yes, the save dialog closes, then the aforementioned problem comes up.

However, there doesn't appear to be any bugs in the active resource editors (apart from the passing-on-the-enmity glitch you already fixed). Only new problem I've found is that the option to select, say, a GOVT resource for a SPOB from a list doesn't work. Dialog box opens, complete with a drop-down menu to search resources in another file, but there's nothing in the table.

This post has been edited by StarSword : 20 July 2011 - 02:01 PM

@starsword, on 20 July 2011 - 02:01 PM, said in MissionComputer: The Saga Continues:

I've got more information regarding the crash-on-save bug. It only occurs from Save As, not Save.

Good to know — this should help me track it down. Am I correct in understanding that the problem only occurs if you try to replace over an existing file?

@starsword, on 20 July 2011 - 02:01 PM, said in MissionComputer: The Saga Continues:

. . . the option to select, say, a GOVT resource for a SPOB from a list doesn't work. Dialog box opens, complete with a drop-down menu to search resources in another file, but there's nothing in the table.

That's correct. The code which supplies those lists is as yet completely unaware of .rez files.

@david-arthur, on 20 July 2011 - 04:30 PM, said in MissionComputer: The Saga Continues:

Good to know — this should help me track it down. Am I correct in understanding that the problem only occurs if you try to replace over an existing file?

Uh, that'd be a no: happens with Save As, period. Just checked by using Save As with a new filename. I ran into the same error messages, but once again the file saves normally, and can be opened and read properly.

In other words, MC thinks there's a bug when there isn't. (Never heard of that happening before.)

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That's correct. The code which supplies those lists is as yet completely unaware of .rez files.

'Bout what I figured.

@starsword, on 20 July 2011 - 05:35 PM, said in MissionComputer: The Saga Continues:

In other words, MC thinks there's a bug when there isn't. (Never heard of that happening before.)

More likely there's a bug that's occuring after the file has been written, which again should make it easier to track down.

Ok, new bug. One of the premises of EVN:UGF is that the Polaris have somehow left the universe. (This has no effect on the plots.) I decided to deepen the mystery a little today by leaving one formerly inhabited Polaris planet in the game (an object of intense scientific study, since all the other Polaris systems and worlds are plain gone), so I copied and pasted the resource from Nova Data 3.rez, then opened the SYST editor and tried to add the planet to the existing SYST.

Here's where the error came up. I clicked the drop-down menu for "Add Planet", then clicked "Add Existing Planet". Instead of a dialog, I get this error message:

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Incorrect invocation of SelectAResource.File

I hit OK on the error dialog, and I'm left with the SYST resource I had before I tried adding a planet.

I was able to work around the problem by switching over to EVNEW long enough to add the SPOB to the SYST. I then switched back to MC to position the planet and set its attributes. And I ascertained previously that the "Create New Planet" option works perfectly (have created close to 20 all-new SPOBs at this point, mostly Galactic observation posts).

I've also got a request for the star map editor: would it be possible for it to stay scrolled to the position you left it in when you went to edit a particular system? I'm currently working on systems at least one entire screen away at 100% zoom, and it's annoying to have to keep scrolling back when I finish a system.

This post has been edited by StarSword : 20 July 2011 - 09:57 PM

'Add Existing Planet' is unfortunately dependent on the same Resource Selector window whose lack of support for .rez files we were just discussing.

@starsword, on 20 July 2011 - 09:35 PM, said in MissionComputer: The Saga Continues:

I've also got a request for the star map editor: would it be possible for it to stay scrolled to the position you left it in when you went to edit a particular system? I'm currently working on systems at least one entire screen away at 100% zoom, and it's annoying to have to keep scrolling back when I finish a system.

This I can probably do.

You know, it would be nice to get the same 'position memory' feature for the Mac version. 🙂

As I'm already carrying data between the two editors — in order to make the link buttons visible — it shouldn't be too much work to include poaitional information. And since both versions of MissionComputer are compiled from the same code, you needn't worry about single-platform features. 🙂

I wouldn't have thought it to be a very complex addition, honestly. My first thought would be to write the scrollbar positions to a global variable when you move to the SYST or NEBU editors, then read the variable(s) back to the scrollbars when you go back to the starmap.

The editors are normally kept very abstract, with as few global variables as possible (MissionComputer is more object-oriented than a courtroom drama), but no, it shouldn't be very complex to pass this information along.

Hey DA... I don't know if you intended this, but MC works perfectly with Resume in Lion already. Kudos on the good work all around, and thanks for nice little surprises 🙂

I've never used 10.7, and there's nothing in MissionComputer that anticipates it, so it must be coming entirely from the system. (I am, on the other hand, putting together an Intel-native Plug-in Convertor, since the existing one requires the now-absent Rosetta and not everyone wants to use MissionComputer for such a simple task.)

If you're looking for little surprises, though, have you ever tried typing load "mc",8,1 into the welcome screen? SimCity fans might also enjoy typing FUND. 🙂

Those are hilarious! Now, PLEASE hide a Tetris or Breakout game in the Welcome screen somewhere... Maybe you can make MC use the games from emacs. 😛

Edit: Aww... no steak knives! Posted Image

This post has been edited by Geek : 22 July 2011 - 09:21 PM

Discovered a new bug in the Windows version, which looks to maybe be another mis-assigned keyboard shortcut. I try to copy text from a DESC using Ctrl-C. It copies to the Clipboard fine, but also replaces the highlighted text with a blank paragraph, as if I had hit Enter instead of Ctrl-C.

@starsword, on 31 August 2011 - 11:41 PM, said in MissionComputer: The Saga Continues:

I try to copy text from a DESC using Ctrl-C. It copies to the Clipboard fine, but also replaces the highlighted text with a blank paragraph, as if I had hit Enter instead of Ctrl-C.

Fixed, thanks — it was an unanticipated result of code which is necessary on the Macintosh to make the Return and Enter keys function the same way.

I was wondering where the 'most up to date' download link is for the Windows Mission Computer. EVNEW is what I'm used to, but it seems to me that MC is a lot more capable. I noted a link a page or two ago for the 'alpha' version, but I was wondering if there was a more recent link.

Yes, that’s the only version of MissionComputer for Windows that’s available. I have made some small improvements since then, mostly in the area of enabling additional editors, but I’m not currently in a position to release a new Windows build.

Bug report:

If a Macintosh format plug-in file with an extension (meaning its name contains a period followed by non-period characters) is opened in MissionComputer 4.2, and then “Save As (Macintosh)...” is chosen, and the new filename entered in the Save panel does not have an extension (meaning it either has no period, or its final character is a period), then MissionComputer will append a period followed by the original extension of the file when it was opened. Expected behavior is to create a file with the exact name entered in the Save panel, meaning no extension if none was entered.

Examples:
Opening “test.res” and saving as “huh” creates a file named “huh.res”.
Opening “test.a” and saving as “huh” creates a file named “huh.a”.
Opening “test.IWonderHowLongAFileExtensionCanBeAndStillTriggerThisUnwantedBehaviorInMissionComputer4” and saving as “huh” creates a file named “huh.IWonderHowLongAFileExtensionCanBeAndStillTriggerThisUnwantedBehaviorInMissionComputer4”
Opening “test.double.extension” and saving as “huh” creates a file names “huh.extension”.

I’ll take a look at it, but I have a feeling this behaviour is coming entirely from the Save As dialogue box. The Mac OS isn’t big on file types which don’t have an associated file-name extension these days.

Bug Report for MissionComputer 4.2.0:

Summary: When MissionComputer is open in one account, other accounts on the computer drop audio playback.

Detail:

1. Fast user switching is enabled, and there are two accounts logged in (A and B).
2. Sound playback works fine in both accounts.
3. Open MissionComputer on one account (A).
4. Switch to the other account (B).
5. Audio playback no longer works for this other account (B).
6. Audio playback always works for the account with MC active (A).

Audio playback includes system sounds, iTunes, and anything else. The only way to get audio back so far is to plug something (such as headphones) into the sound out port and then unplug it again. The OS correctly plays all sounds after this on account B. Switching back to account A with MC active and then back again to account B requires one to fix the audio every time. With MC not open, this problem never occurs.

This post has been edited by Spoony : 21 December 2011 - 11:45 AM