Release EDEngineer - an overlay to track your blueprint progress in realtime

[CMDR HG]

Hi everyone,

I came back to Elite recently after a couple years hiatus and found out about the Engineers. While the concept is fun, I found it very painful to keep track of my progress for specific blueprints I wanted. I tried several techniques ; popular websites, excel sheet, you name it. But I got fed up and decided to come up with my own solution, and thought I'd share!

Say hi to EDEngineer Configure your shortcut (or use the default ctrl+F10), run the game in borderless, and you're good to go. Installer here.

I'm using the game's logs to automatically track your cargo (as well as materials and data) when you acquire them, use them or discard them. Please take some time to read the project's mainpage to know more about it.
It works fine for me, but I found a few odd log entries that referred to items without being recognizable. I tried to fix as much as I could find but maybe I missed some (I don't have every material and data in the game to test) so you might encounter some error messages (something like "unknown material" or something) in which case I'd be super happy to fix it (you just have to let me know).

If your app doesn't start, please open an issue in GitHub with a zip archive of your log folder (generally located in C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Saved Games\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous)

Looking forward to your hear about feedback/pullrequests/issues,

Hg

----

PS: while I do hangout on these forums, the best way to reach is to post issues/feature requests on GitHub. Keep in mind I want to keep the application simple and compact without too much noise

Releases history

Available in English, Spanish, German, French and Russian !

 

[Loriath]

I just found this Tool and must say that I am quite impressed with it so far.

I like the fact that I can filter it based on so much information which makes it easy to see what I want quickly. Kudos and Rep.

Feature request: Is it possible to have the Commodities/Materials/Data able to be filtered under the All/Favourite as well so we can see at a glance what we are short for our favourite recipes?

 

[Voz]

Great looking application! I look forward to giving it a try.

 

[CMDR HG]

I just found this Tool and must say that I am quite impressed with it so far.

I like the fact that I can filter it based on so much information which makes it easy to see what I want quickly. Kudos and Rep.

Feature request: Is it possible to have the Commodities/Materials/Data able to be filtered under the All/Favourite as well so we can see at a glance what we are short for our favourite recipes?

I'm not sure I understand. When you favorite a blueprint, you should see a star in front of the ingredient in your cargo (left side of the application).
Also when I play, I generally show only my favorite blueprints, I unclude the "non craftable" blueprints and I keep them all opened (by clicking on them in the right side of the application). That way I can see with a glance all the materials needed, and everything having a red cross mean I'm short with that ingredient.

Also please be aware that there's a current bug that makes the application lose synchronization with the log folder if you unlock/lock the window. I'll publish a fix this evening (EU time), just stay tuned with https://github.com/msarilar/EDEngineer/releases !

 

[Loriath]

I'm not sure I understand. When you favorite a blueprint, you should see a star in front of the ingredient in your cargo (left side of the application).
Also when I play, I generally show only my favorite blueprints, I unclude the "non craftable" blueprints and I keep them all opened (by clicking on them in the right side of the application). That way I can see with a glance all the materials needed, and everything having a red cross mean I'm short with that ingredient.

Also please be aware that there's a current bug that makes the application lose synchronization with the log folder if you unlock/lock the window. I'll publish a fix this evening (EU time), just stay tuned with https://github.com/msarilar/EDEngineer/releases !

See this:

As you can see, I am filtering just my Favourite Blueprints. However, the commodities are still showing ALL the commodities instead of just the ones that the Favourite (Stared) ones which means I have to scroll all over to see what I need. If I am filtering for Favourite it would be nice for the Commodities/Data/Materials to respond in the same way. As you can see, hiding Zeros won't help as the items I need are at Zero levels and would be hidden.

It would make it a very quick reference to see what I need for my Fav blueprints. I hope I am explaining this right.

 

[eventure]

Nice work, looking great. Rep!

 

[Cmdr Zach]

Installed this but selected the wrong folder for the log files. Now it keeps throwing up .net errors and I can't work out how to point it to the correct log files. Tried uninstall/reinstall still no luck.

Any suggestions?

 

[Orclord]

Sweet.....

 

[CMDR HG]

Installed this but selected the wrong folder for the log files. Now it keeps throwing up .net errors and I can't work out how to point it to the correct log files. Tried uninstall/reinstall still no luck.

Any suggestions?

the application is supposed to work even if no log is specified, but there's currently an issue that keeps it from working correctly
I'll publish the 1.0.0.16 soon, check the https://github.com/msarilar/EDEngineer/releases and just run the application once you see it published (it will autoupdate)

 

[Loriath]

the application is supposed to work even if no log is specified, but there's currently an issue that keeps it from working correctly
I'll publish the 1.0.0.16 soon, check the https://github.com/msarilar/EDEngineer/releases and just run the application once you see it published (it will autoupdate)

Bloody Brilliant. I posted a link to this on twitter and in the Mobius group. It is a real useful tool and it runs local and tracks it automagically. What more could I ask for. I can't rep you enough HG.

 

[LionOfNarnia]

Superb idea

Posted to my Inara forum.

Have some Rep, too.

 

[Cmdr Zach]

the application is supposed to work even if no log is specified, but there's currently an issue that keeps it from working correctly
I'll publish the 1.0.0.16 soon, check the https://github.com/msarilar/EDEngineer/releases and just run the application once you see it published (it will autoupdate)

Thanks. Now, I can't point it to my journal folder! Bizzarely, I can't browse to the folder location, although it's there. EDdiscovery found it automatically, but using the "Browse for Folder" through your program Game Data is missing: E:\Zach\ZachPRofile\Game Data\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous

If I paste that string into a browser, I can see the journals. However if I browse to that location, Game Data doesnt exist. Hidden Files are visible!


EDIT: OK found it. It's name was displayed as Saved Games when browsing. Weird.

 

[CMDR HG]

Thanks. Now, I can't point it to my journal folder! Bizzarely, I can't browse to the folder location, although it's there. EDdiscovery found it automatically, but using the "Browse for Folder" through your program Game Data is missing: E:\Zach\ZachPRofile\Game Data\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous

If I paste that string into a browser, I can see the journals. However if I browse to that location, Game Data doesnt exist. Hidden Files are visible!


EDIT: OK found it. It's name was displayed as Saved Games when browsing. Weird.

Your Game Data folder was probably set as hidden (which you can change).
Showing hidden folders in the dialog would involve some not-so-clean hacks I'm not willing to do ; no idea how EDDiscovery does it though. Not sure what's this "Game Data" folder is too, maybe something that mirrors the content of Saved Games?

Anyway your application is now fixed and it's all that matters

 

[Voz]

Installed and running. Looks great. It picked up all of the data gathered from the logs but I noticed that it still showed me as having the Pattern Delta Obelisk data that I gave in for that CG recently. Is it picking up that activity correctly? Do you need that log file (assuming I can find the right one)?

 

[CMDR HG]

Installed and running. Looks great. It picked up all of the data gathered from the logs but I noticed that it still showed me as having the Pattern Delta Obelisk data that I gave in for that CG recently. Is it picking up that activity correctly? Do you need that log file (assuming I can find the right one)?

Sure, it's worth taking a look. However the documentation doesn't state what's supposed to happen in this case ; the documentations lacks a lot of thing anyway. You can add an issue in GitHub with a zip of your logs folder attached, I'll have a look.

edit: actually, I have a sharp tongue the documentation specifies exactly what's supposed to happen ; my bad!

 

[Voz]

Sure, it's worth taking a look. However the documentation doesn't state what's supposed to happen in this case ; the documentations lacks a lot of thing anyway. You can add an issue in GitHub with a zip of your logs folder attached, I'll have a look.

Done.

 

[Cmdr Zach]

Had a bit of a play and thanks for this HG.

I've been using Inara for engineer stuff and desperately waiting for them to implement something that reads log files, but don't think it will ever do it automatically as web pages can't access files, iirc from reading in another thread here. Recon we need something like EDSM and EDMC to upload material entries so websites can access them, or something. Anyway, I digress.

This here is a very powerful tool already, im impressed! I've got it pointing to the right folder now, and i've tweaked all the values to correctly represent what I have, and I've gone through and favourited all my top end engineer blueprints, and ignored all the lower ones I will never need.

The ability to easily filter and sort the blueprint list is awesome. I've deleted a few resources and watched them disappear from your app correctly. Most of my feedback will just be cosmetic I think!

My initial feedback thoughts now the praise is done with (!):

Filter buttons top right are jarringly bright. I assume cosmetic passes are a lower priority and this will be put in line with the overall colour scheme.
These buttons are also a bit big. Can they be resized/resizable?
Can the font size be adjustable, and the two panels (left and right) be resized separately and separated? The left panel I will rarely need to look at, it just works. The right panel I'd like to make more readable and move it elsewhere on my screen (or even turn on/off each panel separately with two hotkey.)
Colour schemes. Custom colour scheme (my game HUD is green....). also transparancy setting?

The ignored/none/favourite filter on the right would also be useful to apply to the left panel. You can look at favourite only but I'd like to filter out my 'none' too.
Rename "none" to "default" instead perhaps for clarity? (as none means, none. Not "all the rest". Appreciate is none regarding filters)
Have 'hover over' text on the Favourite and ignore buttons saying what they are? Just for first-time users. Also lose the white again!
When you unlock the window to move it, does that "reset" button actually wipe the data? If so, I hope it asks "are you sure" before it does, as it's easily positioned for a mis-click.
Settings buttons anywhere?

I like particularly the "craftable/non-craftable/missing commodities" filter, as this is a key point about engineers and tracking stuff. In Inara, I've set my commodities to 99 quantity for all those I can buy at a market or mine, so those blueprints show as complete when I just need to go shopping/mining. In your app I've done the same, but I'm wondering how better to portray this information? I believe there are only 6 commodities that you need to find from a Mission, the rest can be easily obtained and should be the final task before visiting an engineer. Maybe flagging the 3 different classes of commodities in the left pane somehow?


That's it after 30 minutes playing. Will let you know if I think of anything else is this feedback is well received.

~Z~

 

[Bikky]

reppage for you sir

 

[CMDR HG]

Had a bit of a play and thanks for this HG.

[...]

That's it after 30 minutes playing. Will let you know if I think of anything else is this feedback is well received.

~Z~

Thanks for the detailed feedback.

• Every cosmetic aspect / cosmetic customization will come later on. A friend of mine started working on a much nicer UI, I'll let him share his mockups if he likes (spoiler alert: it's awesome) ; we'll see if he and I manage to find time to integrate it (no guarantee here)
• Reducing the size of the left panel (or make it collapsible, or independent of the right panel) could be a good idea
• The "Reset" button that appears only when the window is movable will simply reset the window to its original position (as if you just installed the application). Manual changes and customized filters are never ever cleared (unless you delete the C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\EDEngineer completely where these settings are saved)
• Regarding the commodities flagging, we could work something out but I'm not sure. The application is not supposed to replace exhaustive databases like inara (where you have blueprints results for instance).

 

[CMDR HG]

After the latest update the app doesn't show anymore. No matter if triggered by the try bar icon or by CTRL+F10. What could be wrong? Or should I just try a clean install (don't want to manually adjust all initial entries again, hope that's avoidable).

This app is awesome - if it works!

So you do see the application in the tasktray? Are you using a multiscreen setup, and/or did you change your screens setup (like plugging/unplugging a screen)?

I don't see what could be wrong. In anycase, if you uninstall and reinstall, your changes won't be lost unless you manually delete the content of the folder C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\EDEngineer