Discussion Commanders log manual and data sample

[LethalLlama]

If feedback is still being collected, could I suggest an event for prospector limpet scans. This would be great for mapping abundances in the galaxy.

Something like:
"10:53:50": { "event":"ProspectorScanned", "Content":"Low", "Yields":{"Gold":0.2236, "Painite":0.3012 } }

 

[jgm]

I've just noticed that scans of stars don't have age in the data. Please could this be added?

 

[Genar-Hofoen]

That would explain it... I ran the entire file.
I guess we are going to have to step through the file and read it line by line ? or will it be a complete JSON set of objects in one file ?

It's line-delimited JSON, so each line is a json entity unto itself. So, yes, you parse each line.

Regards

 

[Genar-Hofoen]

Yes, the localised strings will be UTF8 encoded (and no BOM)

Having looked at the manual, there is one thing which isn't clear...

Will there be a JSON line indicating that this is the end of the current journal file (i.e. it's reached its size limit) and a new one is going to be created?

If not - then I think it's rather important that this be included!

Regards

 

[Otis B.]

Will there be a JSON line indicating that this is the end of the current journal file (i.e. it's reached its size limit) and a new one is going to be created?
If not - then I think it's rather important that this be included!

Just monitor the Logs folder for the creation of new Journal files, e.g. using ReadDirectoryChangesW on windows, FSEvents on Mac, or whatever wrapper your programming environment provides (I use watchdog with Python).

Or failing that, just check for the creation of a new Journal file every time you poll for changes to the current Journal file. It helps that the Journal filenames sort alphabetically by date.

 

[eventure]

Just monitor the Logs folder for the creation of new Journal files, e.g. using ReadDirectoryChangesW on windows, FSEvents on Mac, or whatever wrapper your programming environment provides (I use watchdog with Python).

Or failing that, just check for the creation of a new Journal file every time you poll for changes to the current Journal file. It helps that the Journal filenames sort alphabetically by date.

The netlog file changes too at the Logs folder, so I using your second way of monitoring.

 

[Genar-Hofoen]

Just monitor the Logs folder for the creation of new Journal files, e.g. using ReadDirectoryChangesW on windows, FSEvents on Mac, or whatever wrapper your programming environment provides (I use watchdog with Python).

Or failing that, just check for the creation of a new Journal file every time you poll for changes to the current Journal file. It helps that the Journal filenames sort alphabetically by date.

Yeah I already use such for Captain's Log.

The point is, it'd be more convenient to not have to do that, and it'd make producing the Mac version a little easier too.

For the sake of adding in a "new journal file - coming soon!" JSON entry, I don't think it's too much to ask

 

[VR jefranklin18]

Now that we have seen how passenger missions are implemented in 2.2, I am curious as to how they appear in the log. A brief search through the doc doesn't lead to any results, but if possible I would be grateful if an event could be added, unless the MissionAccepted log event is to be used?

 

[Artie]

Also additional question - how will be NPC crew wage cuts handled in vouchers redeem, sale profits, etc. events? Will be the values in the log after the cut (aka "real" profit) or before the cut? It also reminds me - how is currently handled the debt amortization? Are the payments in the log after the debt amortization is applied or before it? If the first option for both is there (real profits in the log), then it is alright - it is possible to precisely track credit changes across the session. If the second option is valid, it will be good to add there additional parameters for the debt amortization amount and crew wage cuts for all events where it is applied, because without it is not possible to track the credits changes precisely.

 

[eventure]

Is there a way to differ planetary and space flight from the journal entries, didn't see a marker at the Supercruise Exit event. I have some plans especially for planetary flights. Would love to see an addition to it.

 

[Hoodathunk]

It also not designed to include updates to ship's micromanagement state like hardpoints, landing gear, scoop, lights etc: if we do make this sort of data available, we would do it in a different way.

I get that 'ship states', such as scoop, landing gear, etc would be out of scope for intent of the Journal Log, but I would like to mention the addition of ship and UI states (left panel, SRV panel, galaxy map, etc) in some form would bring some significant quality of life improvements to VR users (wrt present immersion issues) via Voice Attack community developed plugins.

Please do give this some serious consideration for (near!) future.

And thanks for your hard work and commitment to the community!

 

[iveinsomnia]

Thank you, and all the commander who participate, my app will finally reborn with this API!

 

[Labanden]

Sorry if this has been mentioned before in this thread, But in the documentation i can see no entry for the name of the pilot the player has killed. am i missing this?

 

[wstephenson]

Howard, if you get any more time to hack on this before it releases, could you put a mission deadline field into MissionAccepted, so that I can push reminders to my phone about soon-to-expire missions?

I'm in one of my periodic time crunches and keep starting multi-day Extraction missions then forgetting to log into the game to complete them.

 

[Artie]

Howard, if you get any more time to hack on this before it releases, could you put a mission deadline field into MissionAccepted, so that I can push reminders to my phone about soon-to-expire missions?

I'm in one of my periodic time crunches and keep starting multi-day Extraction missions then forgetting to log into the game to complete them.

Isn't it there already, as Expiry parameter? There is just a little bit problematic to link missionAccepted and missionCompleted for the same mission in some cases, as faction and mission typa can be same (so it may be complicated to correctly "shut down" some timers).

 

[wstephenson]

Isn't it there already, as Expiry parameter? There is just a little bit problematic to link missionAccepted and missionCompleted for the same mission in some cases, as faction and mission typa can be same (so it may be complicated to correctly "shut down" some timers).

Sorry, my bad - I didn't realise that the .doc linked from the first post hasn't been updated, and have now dug out Howard's v2 that does now have an Expiry field.

 

[Morwo]

Greetings Commanders,

As you may have heard in the 3^rd party developers discord or at Lavecon we have a new journal feed being added into game for 2.2 which developers can use to create a player Journal or “Commanders log”. What we would like is to give you information and support ahead of time to ensure that you are able to understand and utilise the functionality from day 1 of release.

To do this we have two downloadable links. One has a manual, explaining how the journal works. The other is a small set of data to get you started.

More data can be compiled later but we felt it was best to get the first set of info out so people can begin understanding the functionality of the Commanders Log.

What’s more, the very amazing Howard Chalkley (who is far more intelligent than I) will be on hand in this thread to answer any questions that you have regarding the journal.

As always, post on this thread and feel free to get in touch directly with any questions, concerns or recommendations.

Thanks again!

===

Manual
http://hosting.zaonce.net/community/journal/Journal_Manual.doc

Data sample
http://hosting.zaonce.net/community/journal/Journal.160719102509.01.log

i just found this topic, additional api is very aprichiated!

 

[Terranoks]

This new journal is the best! It offers so much possibilities, thanks for that! Can't wait to see this implemented.

If I may, I would like to add one small thing to the mission_accepted block: it would be great if we could have the destination for the mission as well. System would already be a big improvement, having station (if relevant) or target would even be better.

In the game interface, you only see type of mission and expiry. So, if one has a large amount of missions (e.g.: we often stack boom time delivery missions), to work out an efficient way of doing these missions requires you to open every single mission to see where it leads to. Admittedly, there is also the Galactic map which aids in this. But still ... Anyway, having this in a log form would enable us to get these in e.g. a spreadsheet and let us sort and manipulate the mission data.

Not a deal breakder, just a nice to have.

Thanks for reading.

 

[eventure]

Hi Zac,

how is the development progressing of the journal log? Any news? ETA?

There are a lot of suggestions and corrections made by us, but also there is a big silence from you for more than a month.
I like to see more of a discussion between you and us, than a wall of posts, without a response.

Perhaps you can find a time to answer some posts.

Thanks in advance!

 

[hchalkley]

The latest version of the manual has been uploaded to the fileserver:

http://hosting.zaonce.net/community/journal/v3/Journal_Manual.doc

Quite a few of your suggestions over the last few weeks have been implemented (and I'm currently adding some more detail for passenger missions)

change log:

• Include ShipID in Module outfitting events
• Change some bool values from 1/0 to true/false
o Resurrect/Bankrupt
o Scan/TidalLock,Landable
o Interdicted/Submitted
o LaunchFighter/PlayerControlled
o EjectCargo/Abandoned
o CollectCargo/Stolen
o ShieldState/ShieldsUp
• Include Major faction “Alliegance” in Location/FSDjump/Docked events
• Include surface gravity, pressure, temperature for a planet
• Include more info about rings when scanning star or planet
• Add events for NPC Crew interaction
• Localised text is in UTF8 encoding
• Added events DatalinkVoucher and DataScanned
• Added events JetConeBoost and JetConeDamage
• Added BrokerPercentage value to PayFines and RedeemVoucher
• Added ModuleStore and ModuleRetrieve
• Added the PVPKill event
• File saved in SavedGames folder
• Added “Continued” event
• Added MissionID parameter in mission events