Release [Explorer's Application] Captain's Log

[Jacob Marshall]

Double entries hit me earlier in the thread. My gut feeling is it related to re-enabling 'verbose logging' after an ED update.

In my case I remember loading CL after I had updated and started played the (then) new version of ED.

Now after an ED update I've been exiting the launcher, then loading CL (which auto-updates Verbose) then I'll load the game; no issues of anykind since I started doing that.

 

[Jon474]

same error for me...looks a great application though.Downloaded and installed this morning.

Interestingly, my database populated from my logs but I cannot add a star to the system I am sat in...then the error message appeared.

Don't be discouraged though. This looks like just what I want. How about adding photos to the DB? Okay, I'll stop now!

Great stuff

Kind regards
Jon

EDIT: I have four instances of the current system in the DB, all with the same time stamp. All other DB entries can be added to i.e. stars, planets, jump notes can be added but the four "current" systems are not editable.

Okay...update. I uninstalled the app, deleted the DB and the CL file in my stored location, deleted the .cfg file in App Data, reinstalled the app and recreated the DB from the netlogs...and the error message went away. App now runs fine.

 

[CMDR DoubleSkulls]

I'm probably missing something, but the problem I have is that I'm a mouse and keyboard user so I can't see a way to move the cursor over the CL rollup - either the ship moves or I just headlook. Am I missing something or do I need to wait for beta 7?

 

[Genar-Hofoen]

I'm probably missing something, but the problem I have is that I'm a mouse and keyboard user so I can't see a way to move the cursor over the CL rollup - either the ship moves or I just headlook. Am I missing something or do I need to wait for beta 7?

Wait for Beta 7

Or download Beta 5 - I keep the previous version download link just in case. No overlay, so you'd just alt-tab if you have one screen.

Regards.

- - - Updated - - -

Double entries hit me earlier in the thread. My gut feeling is it related to re-enabling 'verbose logging' after an ED update.

In my case I remember loading CL after I had updated and started played the (then) new version of ED.

Now after an ED update I've been exiting the launcher, then loading CL (which auto-updates Verbose) then I'll load the game; no issues of anykind since I started doing that.

I think you nailed the problem!

I think you're right - on each ED update, the AppConfig.xml file gets overwritten. CL looks at AppCOnfig.xml on every start of the program and adds the verbose logs setting. So it's better to exit ED, then run CL, then start ED each time.

Regards

 

[Gimi]

I think you're right - on each ED update, the AppConfig.xml file gets overwritten. CL looks at AppCOnfig.xml on every start of the program and adds the verbose logs setting. So it's better to exit ED, then run CL, then start ED each time.
Regards

Does it also look for AppConfigLocal.xml?

According to Mr Brookes, putting

<AppConfig>
<Network
Port="0"
upnpenabled="1"
LogFile="netLog"
DatestampLog="1"
VerboseLogging="1"
>
</Network>

</AppConfig>

in AppConfigLocal now prevents the setting from being removed during upgrade.

 

[Gimi]

Another thing worth noting just in case anyone else hits the same issue.
I had log files since before release in my logs folder. When trying to import log files Captain's Log would lock up. Removing all log files from before release, 16 des 2014, solved that issue.

 

[Genar-Hofoen]

Another thing worth noting just in case anyone else hits the same issue.
I had log files since before release in my logs folder. When trying to import log files Captain's Log would lock up. Removing all log files from before release, 16 des 2014, solved that issue.

That's interesting. I wonder what the difference is between those logs and after 16 Dec 2014.

Regards

- - - Updated - - -

Does it also look for AppConfigLocal.xml?

According to Mr Brookes, putting

in AppConfigLocal now prevents the setting from being removed during upgrade.

That'll be in Beta 7.

Cheers

 

[Red_13]

Nope, I haven't had the ED update in between me running Beta 5 to Beta 6. And even though I have re-created my DB, it is now currupted again and now has even more double entries. See screenshots.

Genar, more importantly, have a look at the second screenshot... The default DB had the double up. So I created a new one called Red_13 and made it active and rebuilt it. No problem. But then the duplication happened even worse, so I went to re-create the DB again... But take a look at the numbers... How and why is the default DB still being updated with more data even though it's not the active DB? The "default - copy" is the the default DB just before I made the Red_13 one... And I have not changed it back to default at any time since.

So it looks like there is some code somewhere that is hard-coded to use default.db and you are reading/writing to both the currently active db and the default one at the same time.

All this said, and I have to ask.... Why are you even allowing multiple databases? Why would anyone have a need for it? Unless there is some compelling reason that I'm not seeing, then I think youre just making a rod for your back. Bring it back to just one DB called default or Captains Log and be done with it. If you need to debug or backup or I don't know what, the user can always go into that folder and manually copy it, back it up, edit it in SQL lite or whatever.

 

[Red_13]

Some more suggestions:

1. You are correct- You can accidentally start the application twice! As the icon in the Task Bar does not stay "on" to show you it is running, then a user may start it again. Can you make the icon in the task bar look like a program that is running?

2. I had a look at Cmdr's Log before coming across yours, and one feature I did like (although it was badly implemented in display) was the ability to add you own field for data attached to a system. Very clever and I have no idea how you can even do that to a DB on the fly!

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that you will get a hundred and one different requests from for this sort of field or that form every commander out there. And you then have to make a decision to accommodate (which may actually annoy other users) or to disappoint. For example, in the screenshot below, I was adding a field that I have in my spreadsheet that indicates to me if I have only did a quick Discovery of the system (I now have an Advanced, but I used to have only a Basic then an Intermediate) or have I done a scan of every body in that system and was it a Detailed scan or not. Why would I want to know that? Well because I'm... Particular about my data. And I want to know if I fully scanned a system or not.

That may not be important for other users... And you may suggest that I use the System notes for this... Except I use System notes for other data like what is a good trade or some particular special resource or rare goods.

So rather than disappointing the next one hundred and one suggestions of what extra data fields you should add, have the option to create a custom field and then everyone will be happy.



3. I'm sure you were like me, using excel while flying around. As you can see in my signature, I would dearly like to lose that.
But one of the good things in Excel is being able to choose which column you can sort your data on.
CL seems to allow clicking on the field labels at the top, but it doesn't do anything. Would be great if clicking on them would set the sorting on that field.

4. It's been asked before, to allow the reverse sorting of entries (newest at top) which I agree with. Better still, a second click of the field label could reverse the sorting from ascending to descending. Another click makes it go back to normal. (And ideally, you store in a config file the sorting the user last selected and retrieve that on start-up.)

5. I hate hunting for folders... Can you put a button that "Open Logs Folder" and "Open CL DBs Folder", and "Open Config Folder" (to take you to where the Verbose Logging config file is.)

6. Adding a bookmark via double clicks is fine... If you know that.... Can you put a little Star (like the IE or Chrome ones) to the right of the System's name in the System Info section.

7. Not everyone wants or needs to see the System Info section all the time... Can we have an "expand triangle" the slides the System info section in and out?

8. Not sure how you would even begin to implement this one, but would be neat...:
So we all use EliteOCR, right. Works brilliantly... But that's for commodities... For us explorer / db-freaks... The Cartographic data as shown in the stations (when you are about to sell the data) is PERFECT if we could capture that and "paste" it into the data of CL. Would save a lot of data entry for the suns and planets we scan in our travels.

9. Speaking of captures... Again, filling in the sun and planet data into CL is tedius for every system you visit... Yet for every system I visit, after I do a full Advanced discovery, I go to the System screen, adjust the zoom if required to fit everything in, and take a screenshot... How AWESOME would it be to display that screenshot in CL instead of laboriously adding 38 bodies?

10. Being able to search for a system would be neat. Yeah, I know you can bookmark... But what if you didn't and have a thousand systems to scroll up and down through?

I'll stop now... I could keep going... Sorry. And don't take suggestions badly. It means that rather than give up on your program (like the first one I tried), it means yours is the one that has the most to give and greatest potential that people are willing to invest in taking the time to make it even better.

Thanks in advance!

PS. My screen res is 3440 x 1440 borderless, and I run a second monitor (vertical, 1080 x 1920) that has Excel open all the time. Would love to get rid of Excel.

 

[Skyflyer]

All this said, and I have to ask.... Why are you even allowing multiple databases? Why would anyone have a need for it?

Just answering this question from my point of view. I want to keep each exploration trip in its own database. Then I can put that database in a folder with all the screenshots I took during that trip and also other files/notes that I may have made during the trip. So I can have it all better organized.

 

[Red_13]

Just answering this question from my point of view. I want to keep each exploration trip in its own database. Then I can put that database in a folder with all the screenshots I took during that trip and also other files/notes that I may have made during the trip. So I can have it all better organized.

OK, fair enough. Hadn't thought of that. I haven't set of on my big trip yet... Just pottering around for the Princess
But I can see that if you go on a massive trip, then yeah you might want to separate it out.

But, correct me if I'm wrong, if you need to rebuild the DB for any reason, don't you have to re-read all the jump logs that ED makes and hence all your jumps are back in one DB? Or do you go and clean out the jump logs folder every once in a while?

I have to say I'm upset at FD for not having Verbose Logs on from the outset with an option to turn it off if space is a problem. My first 300 systems are basically lost.
Well, not totally, as I started my Excel sheet after about the 50th system... But thats a bit useless to me since none of these captains logs programs allow me to read in or add systems I have previously visited.

 

[Red_13]

Slightly off topic, but relevant to config...

Other than using EDDiscovery that has an option to "Open Elite Dangerous directory", how in blazes am I supposed to find that folder?? Now it is supposedly in this location:

> C:\Users\Mark\AppData\Local\Frontier_Developments\Products\FORC-FDEV-D-1010

Yet if try to use Windows Explorer and do a search for say the AppConfig.xml file, it finds nothing. And if I try to manually got to that location, I do not see it. (It's a hidden folder - hence why Search can't find it.)

And last frustrated question: Why is the installation path for Elite in my personal Users folder rather than where the launcher is, under Program Files? Is it normally there or did I do something wrong?

Man, for something that is so important (setting Verbose Logging on) to enable all these extra apps to work correctly, FD have done a good job making it hard to get to it!

 

[Psieonic]

Slightly off topic, but relevant to config...

Other than using EDDiscovery that has an option to "Open Elite Dangerous directory", how in blazes am I supposed to find that folder?? Now it is supposedly in this location:

> C:\Users\Mark\AppData\Local\Frontier_Developments\Products\FORC-FDEV-D-1010

Yet if try to use Windows Explorer and do a search for say the AppConfig.xml file, it finds nothing. And if I try to manually got to that location, I do not see it. (It's a hidden folder - hence why Search can't find it.)

And last frustrated question: Why is the installation path for Elite in my personal Users folder rather than where the launcher is, under Program Files? Is it normally there or did I do something wrong?

Man, for something that is so important (setting Verbose Logging on) to enable all these extra apps to work correctly, FD have done a good job making it hard to get to it!

Open an Explorer window then type %LocalAppData% into it. That will take you into the Hidden folder. Then you can either manually look for the folder or do a search for it. Be aware there are TWO folders with similar names, "Frontier Developments" and "Frontier_Developments" (with an underscore). Make sure you're looking in the right one.

I believe the User files location is used to install if your Launcher is in Program Files because Windows implements some security which requires administrator access to modify files in the Program Files folder. This is great for most applications, but terrible for games. I strongly advocate the use of a C:\Games folder. ^_^ It might not be the most secure option, but it reduces a hell of a lot of hassle.

 

[Athan]

Your ED install may well be in a central location, under Program Files (x86) if you ran the installer as Administrator. Basically the installer doesn't bother with UAC, instead putting the game under the User folder if it doesn't have Admin/rights to create the folder in Program Files (x86).

So, yes, go look under the Program Files (x86) folder, you may well find your ED install is there. You could also confirm this by checking the path of the running EliteDangerous32.exe process (I'd use MicroSoft Process Explorer for this, I can't recall if Task Manager shows the full path in some manner).

 

[Genar-Hofoen]

Some more suggestions:

1. You are correct- You can accidentally start the application twice! As the icon in the Task Bar does not stay "on" to show you it is running, then a user may start it again. Can you make the icon in the task bar look like a program that is running?

Beta 6 was a kind of experiment in a way for the overlay look. CMDR Psieonic will confirm that I was having all kinds of trouble getting Windows to play nice with the overlay-type look I have basically spent around a total of 16 hours of wrestling with how Windows handles applications, the taskbar, setting program focus, and many other things related to that.

The good news is that in the upcoming Beta 7, I have restored the taskbar program entry when CL is running. Hiding the taskbar has been improved, and you can switch between overlay mode or standard windowed mode on the fly. It's working WAY better now

2. I had a look at Cmdr's Log before coming across yours, and one feature I did like (although it was badly implemented in display) was the ability to add you own field for data attached to a system. Very clever and I have no idea how you can even do that to a DB on the fly!

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that you will get a hundred and one different requests from for this sort of field or that form every commander out there. And you then have to make a decision to accommodate (which may actually annoy other users) or to disappoint. For example, in the screenshot below, I was adding a field that I have in my spreadsheet that indicates to me if I have only did a quick Discovery of the system (I now have an Advanced, but I used to have only a Basic then an Intermediate) or have I done a scan of every body in that system and was it a Detailed scan or not. Why would I want to know that? Well because I'm... Particular about my data. And I want to know if I fully scanned a system or not.

That may not be important for other users... And you may suggest that I use the System notes for this... Except I use System notes for other data like what is a good trade or some particular special resource or rare goods.

So rather than disappointing the next one hundred and one suggestions of what extra data fields you should add, have the option to create a custom field and then everyone will be happy.

View attachment 47375

Whilst that may look like a good idea for Captain's Log, it'll quite probably never happen. For one, CL is primarily an application for Explorers. Cmdr's Log is primarily for traders. Each do their own thing. If you've read everything I have written on the Captain's Log home page on my site, you'll see that I have written CL for myself, but I am taking the time and effort to produce installer packages so that if you also want to use it, then be my guest.

On-the-fly adding/editing of database elements simply doesn't interest me.

3. I'm sure you were like me, using excel while flying around. As you can see in my signature, I would dearly like to lose that.
But one of the good things in Excel is being able to choose which column you can sort your data on.
CL seems to allow clicking on the field labels at the top, but it doesn't do anything. Would be great if clicking on them would set the sorting on that field.

4. It's been asked before, to allow the reverse sorting of entries (newest at top) which I agree with. Better still, a second click of the field label could reverse the sorting from ascending to descending. Another click makes it go back to normal. (And ideally, you store in a config file the sorting the user last selected and retrieve that on start-up.)

I have never - nor do I intend to - use Excel whilst playing ED.

I still see no good reason to sort the Jump Table by column. The only column that would be logical to sort on would be the date - and even then that would be a toggle to have the table read newest at top or newest at bottom. If you can tell me any reason to sort any of the other columns, that might help me understand

I'll have another look to see if I can toggle the table to newest at top/bottom. I've tried it before in an earlier version whilst developing it but things got complicated and screwy when a new jump was logged after toggling/sorting on the date column. So it was simpler, easier and quicker to just not have it. Again, I spent a bit of time looking for answers to that one but there were other more pressing and interesting things to get running so I stopped thinking about it.

5. I hate hunting for folders... Can you put a button that "Open Logs Folder" and "Open CL DBs Folder", and "Open Config Folder" (to take you to where the Verbose Logging config file is.)

No.

I'm not going to keep cluttering the main window by adding more buttons etc. than is absolutely necessary. I believe CMDR's Psieonic and Athan have answered that one for you as well. Also, I specifically wrote on the Captain's Log home page on how to locate the game folders. Have you read that page? It contains a LOT of useful information.

6. Adding a bookmark via double clicks is fine... If you know that.... Can you put a little Star (like the IE or Chrome ones) to the right of the System's name in the System Info section.

You'd know that if you read the instructions on the home page, frankly. And no, I will not add an asterisk to bookmarked system names - the bookmarked indication already exists in the form of a change from the standard colour.

7. Not everyone wants or needs to see the System Info section all the time... Can we have an "expand triangle" the slides the System info section in and out?

Not in the near future, no. Perhaps in some later version, yes.

8. Not sure how you would even begin to implement this one, but would be neat...:
So we all use EliteOCR, right. Works brilliantly... But that's for commodities... For us explorer / db-freaks... The Cartographic data as shown in the stations (when you are about to sell the data) is PERFECT if we could capture that and "paste" it into the data of CL. Would save a lot of data entry for the suns and planets we scan in our travels.

I have never used EliteOCR and probably never will.

9. Speaking of captures... Again, filling in the sun and planet data into CL is tedius for every system you visit... Yet for every system I visit, after I do a full Advanced discovery, I go to the System screen, adjust the zoom if required to fit everything in, and take a screenshot... How AWESOME would it be to display that screenshot in CL instead of laboriously adding 38 bodies?

That thought had crossed my mind a few weeks ago, and I did look into how to do that. But there's only so much I can do with the time I have, and I've spent a LOT of time developing CL in the past few weeks

Maybe some time in the future.

Also, consider the current method of entering planets as "placeholder content". I intend on making that way cooler and easier to do. When I get the time. Right now I'm concentrating on getting CL and Windows to live together in better harmony (taskbar, overlay/windowed mode, taskbar icon etc.), which as of now is just about right for Beta 7.

10. Being able to search for a system would be neat. Yeah, I know you can bookmark... But what if you didn't and have a thousand systems to scroll up and down through?

One of the things that was on the CL roadmap was to add a data mining page/window where you could ask things like "list all systems with earth-like planets" and the like. Again, when I get the time...

Also, for a basic search, what parameters would you search for? System names?

I'll stop now... I could keep going... Sorry. And don't take suggestions badly. It means that rather than give up on your program (like the first one I tried), it means yours is the one that has the most to give and greatest potential that people are willing to invest in taking the time to make it even better.

Thanks in advance!

PS. My screen res is 3440 x 1440 borderless, and I run a second monitor (vertical, 1080 x 1920) that has Excel open all the time. Would love to get rid of Excel.

I'm not taking any of the suggestions badly at all I appreciate all feedback, and do stop to consider all that people make. If they jive with what I want then those get further consideration.

Like I've mentioned before, I wrote CL for myself and what I wanted or needed in such an application, and you're welcome to use it.

I'm intrigued about what you use Excel for; you say you frequently sort columns in Excel, would you expand on what columns you make/use and how they're useful to you?

Regards.

 

[Psieonic]

I'm probably missing something, but the problem I have is that I'm a mouse and keyboard user so I can't see a way to move the cursor over the CL rollup - either the ship moves or I just headlook. Am I missing something or do I need to wait for beta 7?

Alternatively you can open the system map first. That gives you a normal mouse.

 

[Genar-Hofoen]

I'm probably missing something, but the problem I have is that I'm a mouse and keyboard user so I can't see a way to move the cursor over the CL rollup - either the ship moves or I just headlook. Am I missing something or do I need to wait for beta 7?

Hmmm. I'm a joystick, keyboard and mouse user myself. I'll see if I can create a hotkey for putting CL into focus - BUT - Beta 7 should take this into account due to the changes I've made for taskbar handling, and there's now a toggle option for setting either overlay mode or normal windowed mode.

Regards.

 

[excalibus]

Slightly off topic, but relevant to config...

Other than using EDDiscovery that has an option to "Open Elite Dangerous directory", how in blazes am I supposed to find that folder?? Now it is supposedly in this location:

> C:\Users\Mark\AppData\Local\Frontier_Developments\Products\FORC-FDEV-D-1010

Yet if try to use Windows Explorer and do a search for say the AppConfig.xml file, it finds nothing. And if I try to manually got to that location, I do not see it. (It's a hidden folder - hence why Search can't find it.)

And last frustrated question: Why is the installation path for Elite in my personal Users folder rather than where the launcher is, under Program Files? Is it normally there or did I do something wrong?

Man, for something that is so important (setting Verbose Logging on) to enable all these extra apps to work correctly, FD have done a good job making it hard to get to it!

your own system settings is what made it hard to find and windows default is like that so people who do not know what they are doing are less likely to cause problems for themselves by being protected from seeing things they could alter that could cause instabilities on the upside at least they give us the option to turn such protections off

 

[Genar-Hofoen]

Just answering this question from my point of view. I want to keep each exploration trip in its own database. Then I can put that database in a folder with all the screenshots I took during that trip and also other files/notes that I may have made during the trip. So I can have it all better organized.

+rep to you, sir, that's exactly why I did it

 

[Red_13]

>The only column that would be logical to sort on would be the date - and even then that would be a toggle to have the table read newest at top or newest at bottom. If you can tell me any reason to sort any of the other columns, that might help me understand

Well that was the main column I was thinking of... And once you work out how to do it to that column, I can guarantee you will find it equally easy to apply to any other column the user wants.

>I'm not going to keep cluttering the main window by adding more buttons etc.

It wouldn't be in the main window... It would be in the DB manager window. Or alternately, a Setep/Prefs window that I think will eventually be needed (Which the DB window already is, in a way.)

>the bookmarked indication already exists in the form of a change from the standard colour.

Sorry, I wasn't clear... I meant to CREATE the bookmark, you currently have to double click. I worked that out without reading the manual. But I meant, for the less experimental and still un-reading of your instructions, the well-known and accepted "star" indicating Bookmark creation is what I was suggesting, in the location to the right of the "button" that has the system name in it, in the System Info panel. Here...


>I have never used EliteOCR and probably never will.

Just for the appreciation of the technical nature of it, you should just run it up, once. It's very clever! But yes, we know you are not a trader.

>where you could ask things like "list all systems with earth-like planets" and the like

Yep, nice one!

>Also, for a basic search, what parameters would you search for? System names?

Yes, system names... But also be able to search my notes I have on systems... Don't want to annoy you, but I'm a trader too, and in my Excel sheet I store... TRADING DATA! I know... I said it!! Yes, I store which systems have Rares and much to my delight, when I entered the name of a system I jumped into, it highlighted in Excel to remind me it has Rares, automatically.
Other data I store against system names is what class of say FSDs can be bought or what ships. So when I want to upgrade my ship, I do a search for "FSD 5A" and it shows me which system I found this in.

So to answer your question, any column of data I feel should be searchable. If the user has bother to put data in there, then it's likely they would want to filter to it.

>I'm intrigued about what you use Excel for;

Well, I'm a self confessed data-monger... And unlike you, I play Elite as all careers. I've done many missions. I've done RES bounty hunting. I've been a miner. I've traded my way up into my ASP. I'm a Princess fan-boy. And I love exploring and getting credits for finding stuff. In my Excel sheet I store every system I've jumped to. I record what allegiance they are. I record if I have done a Basic, Intermediate or advance scan on the system. I record if Ive gone to every body and did a basic or detailed surface scan. I record how much money I get from handing in the data. I record if the system has anything particular for sale, like Rares or special components for ship upgrades. And I note if the system has anything unusual in it, like Pristine mining reserves or a black hole. And in EVERY system I jump to and do a minimum advance discovery so all bodies are visible, I take a screenshot.

Why do I bother with all that stuff? How can I answer that other than that I love the game, I love the detail, I love recording my journey... If I didn't do all that, then I know I'd get bored of just "flying around" as my wife puts it.

Hence, if your program could do more of what I do with Excel, so that I could close Excel for good, I'd be a happier man.

But I realise now that you are not a trader and don't care to broaden the appeal of your great creation beyond only what you need it to do, as only an Explorer needs. Which is fair enough. I know how long it takes to make these things, so more power to you. +1 rep has been given.