Wherigo Builder request

[+johnrm]

I've been playing with the Builder and have the following to offer as suggestions for improvement...

 

Chasing 'exit' or 'cancel' buttons in layers of dialog boxes is too much trouble. Allow the 'Esc' key to back out of any dialog box without saving changes.

Double clicking on a scipt line should open the Edit Dialog box. Again, this saves chasing buttons with a mouse around the screen.

 

Where multiple Zones, items, characters etc. exist, have a 'Duplicate element' button to speed up initial setup. Clicking this with set up 'Copy of Zone1' or 'Copy of Item1' inheriting all the characteristics of the element.

Also, if you have a need to repeat a task, i.e. drop characters or items into multiple zones, the ability to copy a script event clipboard and paste would be useful.

 

Creating a Zone - Selecting Create from Map comes up with an error for any zone outside the USA. terraserver-usa only has maps of USA.

Edited April 21, 2008 by johnrm

[+johnrm]

...

Edited April 22, 2008 by johnrm

[+johnrm]

error message I get while using maps is...

 

No Data Exists for chosen Theme, try another theme.

 

Unless I'm doing something wrong.

[Ranger Fox]

By the way, yes, I agree with the escape key idea. I have tried using that key a few times before, too.

[+davidloew]

By the way, yes, I agree with the escape key idea. I have tried using that key a few times before, too.

I've entered this as a feature request.

 

David

[K und D]

I second johnrm's requests. I miss the ability to copy elements, actions and scripts.

 

And another request (or two):

 

- the ability to generate random numbers in a defined range (for variables, for an instance).

 

- addressable field variables would be a nice thing, too.

 

Apart from this, I think it's going in the right direction... keep up the good work!

[+FoxFireX]

As long as we're doing Escape as a feature request, how about Enter? I don't remember whether it worked as normal or not (at work so I can't check) but unless you're in a multi-line text field, Enter should accept the dialog just as Escape should cancel it.

[+johnrm]

Thanks for the responses.

 

I'm not sure what stage of development the Builder is at, but IMHO it is still very rough around the edges.

My background is programming in Qbasic and so am used to typing in my code, this pointy clicky thing is a little alien to me. However, having played with a few other development environments, I'm sure there are many cues that can be taken from THEIR builders.

 

I've been playing with it (latest) and it crashes regularly. Is there a log file I can post/email?

[+Delta68]

 

- the ability to generate random numbers in a defined range (for variables, for an instance).

 

 

You can already do this.

 

math.random ([m [, n]])

 

This function is an interface to the simple pseudo-random generator function rand provided by ANSI C. (No guarantees can be given for its statistical properties.)

 

When called without arguments, returns a uniform pseudo-random real number in the range [0,1). When called with an integer number m, math.random returns a uniform pseudo-random integer in the range [1, m]. When called with two integer numbers m and n, math.random returns a uniform pseudo-random integer in the range [m, n].

 

Don't forget to include require "math" as well though!

[Ranger Fox]

this pointy clicky thing is a little alien to me. However, having played with a few other development environments, I'm sure there are many cues that can be taken from THEIR builders.

I'm sure it is. Give me shortcut keys and prompts any day; it's much faster for my hands not to leave my keyboard. I even discovered this "Comfort Keys" program and really enjoy using Control+down to minimize the current window, Windows+W to start the Wherigo player, and Windows+Alt+G to open my geocaching directory.

 

Unlike other programming environments, however, the Wherigo builder environment is supposed to be a programming environment for non-developers--a programming environment without "programming" preceding it. I think that's very difficult to develop. In addition, I think this might be Groundspeak's first WinForms application. Everything else they have done has been for the web. That said, I think they've been doing well with the learning curve. It's still rough, but it's usable.

[K und D]

 

You can already do this.

 

math.random ([m [, n]])

 

This function is an interface to the simple pseudo-random generator function rand provided by ANSI C. (No guarantees can be given for its statistical properties.)

 

When called without arguments, returns a uniform pseudo-random real number in the range [0,1). When called with an integer number m, math.random returns a uniform pseudo-random integer in the range [1, m]. When called with two integer numbers m and n, math.random returns a uniform pseudo-random integer in the range [m, n].

 

Don't forget to include require "math" as well though!

 

Um.... yeah... but exactly where in the builder would I put this...? In the variable entry field?

In other words: I don't get it

[+Delta68]

 

Um.... yeah... but exactly where in the builder would I put this...? In the variable entry field?

In other words: I don't get it

 

OK, It's not exactly straightforward.

 

Create your variable and assign a value to it where you want it to be a random number. 0 will be fine.

Save and close cartridge

 

Open the .lua file in a text editor and put this sort of thing in the Author Function area

 

-- #Author Functions Go Here# --

 

function throwDie(k)

return ( math.random(1,6) )

end

-- #End Author Functions# --

 

find where your variable was being assigned a value and replace the 0 with a call to the function

 

eg:

 

dieValue = throwDie()

 

 

Save the file and reload into the builder

 

Done!

 

ps. You don't appear to need to include require "math"

[K und D]

OK, It's not exactly straightforward.

 

Ok, thank you for the detailed explanation!

I guess I'll have to look into this whole lua scripting after all.

But see, it not being straightforward is actually why I put it up as a feature request for the builder in the first place

[+johnrm]

I just found a Builder bug.

If you change the name of a character, item, timer etc., i.e. add or remove a letter in their 'name' field, then Click on Close ('X'), the altered name is saved.

The change is visible in the list if you click on the category button on the left.

[+davidloew]

I just found a Builder bug.

If you change the name of a character, item, timer etc., i.e. add or remove a letter in their 'name' field, then Click on Close ('X'), the altered name is saved.

The change is visible in the list if you click on the category button on the left.

Thanks for pointing this out. Right now, the builder is not coded to "undo" changes (you'll see that there is no cancel button either).

 

David