Maelstrom's FBI Editor

[Optimus Prime]

can u explain how this program works? Is it possible to open 100 FBI files at one window/table?
How do I open the fbi files and put them in one table? Sorry i m too stupid for that (and my english isnt so good)

[Maelstrom]

1) Open up the FBI Editor in Microsoft Excel.
2) In the Top-Left Cell, there will be two buttons. Open and Save.
3) Click the Open button, and go find some FBI files on your harddrive. Note that this cannot find FBI files that are still in the .sd7 mod files. You have to unzip it first.
4) Select the files you want to open. You can select multiple files to save time.
5) Depending on how many files you select, and how fast your computer is, opening can take from a few seconds to a minute or two.
6) The files should open and place themselfs in the Excel window nfront of you.
7) Edit the values that you want to change.
8 ) Click the Save button in the Top-Left.
9) From this window, select the files that you want to save, and click 'Save'.
10) The FBI files will then be saved to your hard drive. The default location for saving the files is where the Excel file is stored. You can change the location they are saved to by clicking the 'More Options>>' button in the Save window, and changing the path found there.
11) Add the edited FBI files back into your mod file, and your done!

You can open up to 255 files in the one table at the same time. You can however, have as many tables as you want. The Files automatically open up into the table you are currently in.

[Optimus Prime]

6) The files should open and place themselfs in the Excel window nfront of you.

they dont . When i open the files there are new windows opening and i have the same as in notepad or editor (for each file a new window).

[PauloMorfeo]

Just a question, How would you people like it if this was made into a .EXE that incorporates an Access database? That would solve alot of problems. Ofcourse, it would also raise alot of new ones, but we can deal with them as they come.

Advantages of Access:
No ... limit.
...

Yes, Access is a proper database setting. Relations and stuff.

Think just a little further and you'll end up thinking of making the exact same thing as i've been wanting to make.
My idea was to create a DataBase in MySql for handling Unit Packs. Relational databases are very usefull for that since we have quite a few relations in the unit packs we currently have. For example, we have the unit's weapons which are related to a «table» of weapons in a many-to-many relationship.

The table on the right will store info as:
Unit of Id 1 has a weapon of Id 1.
Unit of Id 1 has a weapon of Id 2.
Unit of Id 1 has a weapon of Id 3.
Unit of Id 2 has a weapon of Id 1.

So, we don't have to always create a new weapon for the unit if it is the same, we can just reuse them for other units. Also, we have no real DataBase limits to how many weapons (associations of Unit-Weapon) we can have per unit. All this stuff is very powerfull.

Also, using SQL (structured query language), we can make powerfull queries (among other things). For example:

Code: Select all

SELECT * from TableUnits where name like '%commander%'

This simple one will select all fields from that table where, in the name field, contains the string 'commander'.

Code: Select all

SELECT TableUnits.* from TableUnits inner join TableWeaponsUnits on TableUnits.IdUnits = TableWeaponsUnits.TableUnits_IdUnits where TableWeaponsUnits.TableWeapons_IdWeapons= 5

This more complex query, will select all fields from the table TableUnits which are associated with a weapon of id=5. Very usefull if, for example, you want to see all units that are using the emg weapon.

I've been having a few issues with the «project», though.
1- Lack of time for it.
2- I'm not entirely sure what relations the new unit format will have, as wel as fields.
3- All that is pretty much useless if i don't offer along with it, some GUI way of editing the database. I can't expect people to have a tool for connecting to it and to know enough SQL to make they're own SQL comands. But i wanted to make it so that in a server-client way so we could have teams of people responsible for testing and changing. This of course implicates autentication to prevent ill intentioned people from ruining the database. If i make a C# program, it can't handle it's own autentication because anyone could just change the program to bypass the autentication. It must be made server side. I'm not entirely sure how to do that and it's hard to do such intermediate tool. That can be properly made through a web server. The problem is, i don't know how to make that in PHP. If only i knew how to work in PHP... I do know how to make it in ASP.NET but, fnordia's server is apache in windows (meaning no asp.net) and i don't know where such ASP.NET enabled server could be found to host such a thing.

Access, unlike Excel, is a proper database. You'll be able to design databases with relationships, make SQL queries to it and everything. I can even help you in that, if your father won't be able to. I'm a moderatly good database designer and an average SQL scripter.
However, it adds more dificulties. So , it isn't just better. The dificulties you'll have added might, still, make Excel a better tool for you. Or not.

If you really decide to go for Access, welcome to the real DataBase world and may the gods of OpenSource be with you.

[Maelstrom]

Well, I have already delved into the world of PHP and mySQL databases. I can get by using them. I guess I could try making this in PHP/mySQL...

Anyways, this would be made in Visual Basic, not C++, as neither me nor my dad know any of that. Ive been wanting to learn, but have never really gotten the chance.

I will finish this excel version first, before trying to go to Access, but I will definatley try to make it with Access at one stage. However, Im quite liking the Idea of a PHP/mySQL driven one. I have already been able to make a basic website through it, with a login script. So that gets passed the unauthorised users chaning it. Ill look into it for you.

[SwiftSpear]

PauloMorfeo: I didn't understand too much of what you said... but I think it would be a bad idea in general quering ID numbers. Because spring basicly totally ignores IDs lots of mod makes don't assign them very decerningly. Much better to quary against the unit/weapon name string found in the [BOX] in the FBI's and TFD's.

[Maelstrom]

I can tell you havnt used Databases to much.

An ID is a unique number assinged to each different entry in the table. They are used to identify a particular entry without the possibility of getting the wrong entry. WeaponID's would be in a different column from the ID feild.

[SwiftSpear]

mmm, ok... I haven't used databases at all

I just got confused because ID is a term used in the TA variables.

[Maelstrom]

v0.4 is out. Get it here:
http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1680

Now supports overflowing to a new sheet, and you can easily make new sheets via the 'FBI Options' menu, next to the help button.

I dont think I will include a TDF editor. Seems like to much work for such a small thing. However, I will try to make a seperate Excel document for TDF's. You will all just have to wait for the Access Database edition for all that to work properly.

Forgot to put rounding in the maths box AGAIN.

Probably some more stuff as well.

Comments, bugs, ideas and critisisms are still welcome.

[Forboding Angel]

Any chance of this ever getting updated?

[Maelstrom]

Talk about thread rez...

I might work on it some more in the December/January holidays, I had just totally forgotten about the whole thing to be honest. Would there be much interest if I was to make this again, only better?

[SwiftSpear]

Probably, I had some new modders asking if there was a tool like this a while back. I said "yes, but that was so long ago I can't figure where I'd look to find it"

[Forboding Angel]

Talk about thread rez...

I might work on it some more in the December/January holidays, I had just totally forgotten about the whole thing to be honest. Would there be much interest if I was to make this again, only better?

I would be interested, cause it would cut down on me forgetting crap.

[smoth]

Talk about thread rez...

I might work on it some more in the December/January holidays, I had just totally forgotten about the whole thing to be honest. Would there be much interest if I was to make this again, only better?

tools are always handy but I would rather your help with TD.

[Maelstrom]

Talk about thread rez...

I might work on it some more in the December/January holidays, I had just totally forgotten about the whole thing to be honest. Would there be much interest if I was to make this again, only better?

tools are always handy but I would rather your help with TD.

Well I can work on both, in the holidays I will have plenty of time to work on everything.

[Warlord Zsinj]

*grumbles*

[DavetheBrave]

rezzz

Any chance of this ever working with Open Office?

[REVENGE]

Aww fuck, maelstrom's site is gone, anyone know what happened to him/where the editor is mirrored?

[Pendrokar]

Here - http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=show&a=it&id=1680

[Wingflier]

The download link is dead! Please fix!

Thanks,
Wing