AE talk:Anniversary Edition Tools: Difference between revisions

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I'm in the process of revising the UI and the code for AETools. I will use this page to keep track of my ideas and one day it will be the basis for the AETools page.
Currently the AE Tools only allow a single file to be selected at a time, in the dialog for Exporting. The 'choose file' command has a boolean parameter you can pass in when calling it, "Multiple selections allowed". If you turn it on, then of course you have to be prepared to receive a list of file names from the function, and iterate through them, passing each one to OniSplit for export. If you want some help with this, let me know. Enabling this allows us to not only select multiple files with Shift, but to select a range with Command, which can be very handy. --[[User:Iritscen|Iritscen]] 15:07, 13 December 2008 (CET)


Since Onisplit continues to add more features in extracting and creating .oni files, I wanted a simple way of accessing those features. This will require re-writing the Applescript code and a different UI.  I had a version that used tabs to switch between the process, but somehow, the UI broke under Leopard and I have not found a work around. So for now, It will be a single window that has all the features visible.
----
Also, the OniSplit being packaged with the Tools is still 0.9.28, and the description in the Tools window as to what types OS handles probably dates back that far too. For instance, the list of files that OS can export to XML seems way too short. It might even be easier to list which files <u>cannot</u> be exported to XML at this point, than the ones that can ("All resource types can be exported to .xml except ..." or something to that effect). --[[User:Iritscen|Iritscen]] 15:07, 13 December 2008 (CET)


Its hard to develop a balance of info and features in a UI. In some ways, the UI is cluttered, but  I wanted to provide the end user as much info as possible so they use can the tool right away.
:Good suggestions! I agree about the multiple selections, I just couldn't figure out how to handle them.  Here is the Xcode source: http://edt.oni2.net/AETools/AEToolsSource.zip  Feel free to modify and update it [[User:EdT|EdT]] 16:06, 13 December 2008 (CET)


I'll be adding detailed info to the sections below, explaining the various features.
[[Category:Outdated modding tools]][[Category:Mac-only modding tools]]
 
[[User:EdT|EdT]] 02:42, 15 May 2008 (CEST)
 
:I think we shouldn't take that broken-tab thing lying down, EdT. It's probably necessary to use tabs in the final product to avoid exploding the user's head when they see all the options. Whenever you feel like it's ready enough for me to try out (no rush), I will see what I can do about getting the tabs to work.
:--[[User:Iritscen|Iritscen]] 17:00, 28 May 2008 (CEST)
 
::I've been looking around, but can't find the fix I need.  But I'll worry about the tab feature later.  If you have any other ideas or features that can be added or improve AE Tools, please let me know
::[[User:EdT|EdT]] 18:38, 28 May 2008 (CEST)
 
 
==Install==
http://edt.oni2.net/AETools/AE_install.jpg
 
:This is great as-is. If this goes under its own tab, "Installation", it's perfect.
:--[[User:Iritscen|Iritscen]] 17:00, 28 May 2008 (CEST)
==Extract==
http://edt.oni2.net/AETools/AE_extract.jpg
 
:There's a bit of confusing language here, and it actually goes back to how OniSplit uses the word "extract" vs. "export". I mean, technically, extracting is like when OniSplit splits .dat/.raw into .oni files. Exporting (notice the "port" part) is when you alter the format of a file when saving it with another name, so like when OniSplit takes an ONCC.oni file and saves it as .dae. I know OniSplit doesn't use the terms that way, but I think we should use our own wording here if it makes things more user-friendly.
:Also, using "export" allows us to use the antonym "import" for the flip-side (see below). "Intract" is not a word. :-)
:--[[User:Iritscen|Iritscen]] 17:00, 28 May 2008 (CEST)
::Good point about Extract/Export.  I can change that.
::[[User:EdT|EdT]] 18:38, 28 May 2008 (CEST)
==Create==
http://edt.oni2.net/AETools/AE_create.jpg
 
:"Create" is a nice word, but I'm afraid it's too vague. If we use "Import" here and "Export" above, the user will quickly see that importing means bringing a new/altered file back into Oni, and exporting is taking the original data out of Oni.
:P.S.: The "Did you make a backup of the original?" reminder is a nice touch. But let me ask you, is that "Create" button (or "Import", as I recommend) going to put the .oni file into a levelx_Final folder, or just put it in a directory for the user to then move it over himself? Also, http://www.kryptonsite.com/forums/images/smilies/ez-eek.gif at the cel-shaded option.
:--[[User:Iritscen|Iritscen]] 17:00, 28 May 2008 (CEST)
::Will change to Import.  The default install is level0_Final folder, but you have the option to put it in another level's folder. I found it worked better for me, import the files to a level and then immediately I can Rebuild that level, without leaving AE Tools.  Also, I know you put in a lot of work to code the part about making a backup of the original file before replacing it.  But I was having problems with it, OniSplit automatically prepends the filename with TXMP, ONCC, etc,  if it is not in the source file's name.  However, the Applescript code only knows the actually source file's name, so at times, I would get an error because of it. So the automatic backup of original files is out for now, that's why I have the warning message.
::[[User:EdT|EdT]] 18:38, 28 May 2008 (CEST)
:::That's fine, don't worry about the backup feature for now. Once you pass on whatever you can do on your end, I might be able to make that feature smarter/more reliable and put it back in. If I can't make it really dependable, I'll just leave it out, though, because it's worse to have an unreliable backup than no backup at all. At least you know where you stand when there's never any backup being made, as opposed to not knowing if the backup worked.
:::--[[User:Iritscen|Iritscen]] 19:36, 28 May 2008 (CEST)
 
==Other==
http://edt.oni2.net/AETools/AE_message.jpg
 
Instead of having a dialog box pop up with a message, any message appears here.
 
http://edt.oni2.net/AETools/AE_command.jpg
 
For the Power user...  But on the other hand, a Power User would use the Terminal instead of AE Tools. :-)
 
:I guess these would have to appear in a universal bottom area of the Tools window, rather than being under any particular tab, right?
:--[[User:Iritscen|Iritscen]] 19:32, 28 May 2008 (CEST)

Latest revision as of 17:33, 4 May 2022

Currently the AE Tools only allow a single file to be selected at a time, in the dialog for Exporting. The 'choose file' command has a boolean parameter you can pass in when calling it, "Multiple selections allowed". If you turn it on, then of course you have to be prepared to receive a list of file names from the function, and iterate through them, passing each one to OniSplit for export. If you want some help with this, let me know. Enabling this allows us to not only select multiple files with Shift, but to select a range with Command, which can be very handy. --Iritscen 15:07, 13 December 2008 (CET)

Also, the OniSplit being packaged with the Tools is still 0.9.28, and the description in the Tools window as to what types OS handles probably dates back that far too. For instance, the list of files that OS can export to XML seems way too short. It might even be easier to list which files cannot be exported to XML at this point, than the ones that can ("All resource types can be exported to .xml except ..." or something to that effect). --Iritscen 15:07, 13 December 2008 (CET)

Good suggestions! I agree about the multiple selections, I just couldn't figure out how to handle them. Here is the Xcode source: http://edt.oni2.net/AETools/AEToolsSource.zip Feel free to modify and update it EdT 16:06, 13 December 2008 (CET)
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