Community Event / Creation TradeDangerous GUI front end

WombatFromHell · Mar 15, 2015

Well, for tree view, compare the TD output with what I hope the proposed output will look like:

Code:

ANLAVE/Bain Dock -> LHS 2459/Robinson Prospect (score: 480673.569280)
  Load from ANLAVE/Bain Dock (3.26Kls/star, No/bm, Med/pad):
      128 x Consumer Technology      6,154cr vs    7,545cr, 6 days vs 62 days
  Jump ANLAVE -> ELPHIN -> LFT 1446
  Unload at LFT 1446/Thorne Colony (472ls/star, No/bm, Med/pad) => Gain 178,048cr (1,391cr/ton) => 1,178,048cr
  Load from LFT 1446/Thorne Colony (472ls/star, No/bm, Med/pad):
      128 x Beryllium                8,021cr vs    9,126cr, 62 days vs 15 days
  Jump LFT 1446 -> DN DRACONIS -> AULIN -> AGANIPPE
  Unload at AGANIPPE/Vasilyev Port (124ls/star, No/bm, Med/pad) => Gain 141,440cr (1,105cr/ton) => 1,319,488cr
  Load from AGANIPPE/Vasilyev Port (124ls/star, No/bm, Med/pad):
      128 x Resonating Separators    5,422cr vs    6,681cr, 15 days vs 20 days
  Jump AGANIPPE -> BOLG -> LHS 316 -> LHS 2459
  Unload at LHS 2459/Robinson Prospect (1.28Kls/star, Yes/bm, Med/pad) => Gain 161,152cr (1,259cr/ton) => 1,480,640cr
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Finish at LHS 2459/Robinson Prospect (1.28Kls/star, Yes/bm, Med/pad) gaining 480,640cr => est 1,480,640cr total

Code:

+ ANLAVE/Bain Dock -> LHS 2459/Robinson Prospect (Total Gain: 480,640cr)
\
 \  Load from ANLAVE/Bain Dock (3.26Kls, BM=No, Pad=Med)
  \  128 x Consumer Technology    6,154cr vs 7545cr    (Age=6 days, vs 62 days)

+ LFT 1446/Thorne Colony (472ls, BM=No, Pad=Med)
\
 \ Unload at LFT 1446/Thorne Colony (Gain 178,048cr) [1,391cr/t]
  \ Load from LFT 1446/Thorne Colony (472ls, BM=No, Pad=Med)
   \ 128 x Beryllium    8,021cr vs 9,126cr    (Age=62 days, 15 days)
  
+ AGANIPPE/Vasilyev Port (124ls, BM=No, Pad=Med)
\
 \ Unload at AGANIPPE/Vasilyev Port (Gain 141,440cr) [1,105cr/t]
  \ Load from AGANAIPPE/Vasilyev Port (124ls, BM=No, Pad=Med)
   \ 128 x Resonating Separators    5,422cr vs 6,681cr    (Age=15 days, vs 20 days)
   
+ LHS 2459/Robinson Prospect (1.28Kls, BM=Yes, Pad=Med)
\
 \ Unload at LHS 2459/Robinson Prospect (Gain 161,152cr) [1,259cr/t]
  \
   \ Finish at LHS 2459/Robinson Prospect - Total Gain: 480,640cr (Est: 1,480,640cr)

Each hop would count as a branch on the tree, and each hop would be collapsible as you run the route (sort of like a checklist). This is just an idea, but it seems like a much more readable form than a long style grid.

I'm open to suggestions if anyone has any better ideas.

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DRY411S said:
Does the upload button invoke the misc/madupload.py script to send ShipVendor and station updates as well as prices?

I use a custom uploader. If you can upload it using Maddavo's site, then you can upload it with the Upload button. Be careful though, it doesn't have a lot of sanity checking on what it uploads.

(Edit: It's currently artificially limited to .prices files, btw. Which reminds me.. I should get around to adding sanity checking and wildcard support for the Upload button. Hopefully very soon.)

DRY411S · Mar 15, 2015

So are you proposing different text layout, or something more 'windoze'?

The only reason I ask is because I understand that TradeDangeous itself separates the data generation from the rendering of the output, so:

You could possibly write new python code to render differently, if you just want to change the text output, or
You could take the raw prerendered data output from Trade Dangerous to give you maximum flexibility for 'windoze' formatting

CMDR Ibizan · Mar 15, 2015

WombatFromHell said:
So.. I'm in the middle of branching my current master to start working on a better way of displaying TradeDangerous Run command output. I have an open question for anyone: would displaying results in a tree be better or worse than displaying them in a grid?

I haven't decided yet one way or the other. I'm kind of leaning toward tree-view being a slightly more readable option while on a route. In fact, I was thinking that it might be preferable to allow expanding/collapsing by station/hop name.

I'm interested to hear any opinions on it.

I like the tree view example with the ability to collapse each hop when completed. It should make things easier when trying to figure out how far down the list I have reached and what to do next.

Sounds like a good addition.

WombatFromHell · Mar 15, 2015

It has another nice upside as well, in that it moves one step closer toward getting the interface small enough to "pin" to the right side of the screen during flight.

Perhaps in the future I can make a sort of mini-mode that will compress the UI into a minimalist tree form with basic details, but can also be called up and expanded for quick commands similar in some ways to Eventure's Trade Computer.

digitalbarrito · Mar 15, 2015

I'm liking the looks of the Tree view over the grid view, just my two cents

WombatFromHell · Mar 15, 2015

DRY411S said:
So are you proposing different text layout, or something more 'windoze'?

The only reason I ask is because I understand that TradeDangeous itself separates the data generation from the rendering of the output, so:

You could possibly write new python code to render differently, if you just want to change the text output, or

You could take the raw prerendered data output from Trade Dangerous to give you maximum flexibility for 'windoze' formatting

My plan is to parse the existing Trade Dangerous output with some Regex and populate a tree using the results. It'll take some doing, but it's not much more complicated than implementing a GridView, and it'll look cleaner on longer routes.

(Edit: One more thing, I'm not interested in changing how Trade Dangerous does its output. It works just fine as it is. I'm just interested in translating that into a more functional form for people that find the GUI easier to use than the command line output.)

(Edit2: When I have an opportunity this week I'll try to mock up a prototype of the interface I'm planning so I can get some feedback on it before I finish with it.)

Nitebytes · Mar 16, 2015

Hi, I keep getting an unhandled exception saying directory does not exist.

See the end of this message for details on invoking just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.Exception: Directory does not exist
at TDHelper.Form1.searchForLogDir(String path)
at TDHelper.Form1.validateNetLogPath()
at TDHelper.Form1.validateSettings()
at TDHelper.Form1.Form1_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnLoad(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnCreateControl()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean fIgnoreVisible)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

I think I did the right thing in creating a config.xml in the tdhelper directory

<config><Path>F:\Python34\tradedangerous</Path>
<PythonPath>F:\Python34\python.exe</PythonPath>
<NetLogPath>F:\Program Files (x86)\Frontier\EDLaunch\Products\FORC-FDEV-D-1003\Logs</NetLogPath>

what have I got wrong / do I need to change?

thanks.

DRY411S · Mar 16, 2015

Put a space between 'Program Files' and '(x86)' CMDR

Edit: Nope, it's already there, sorry.

WombatFromHell · Mar 16, 2015

Nitebytes said:
Hi, I keep getting an unhandled exception saying directory does not exist.

I think I did the right thing in creating a config.xml in the tdhelper directory

what have I got wrong / do I need to change?

thanks.

Make doubly sure you typed your path correctly and that there are netLog*.log files in it. If the directory is empty, or the path is wrong, you would get that error. If it's empty after you've logged into Elite: Dangerous try adding VerboseLogging="1" to your <Network> tag inside the AppConfig.xml, and then relog into Elite: Dangerous before running TDHelper again. Alternatively, you could use the DisableNetLogs override in the config.xml in the TDHelper directory, just set it to 1 to disable the recent systems list.

I should be finishing v1.04e (which should fix that bug) very soon, hopefully in the next day or so.

(Edit: AppConfig.xml is in the directory just above \Logs in that path.)

DRY411S · Mar 16, 2015

Nitebytes said:
Hi, I keep getting an unhandled exception saying directory does not exist.

I think I did the right thing in creating a config.xml in the tdhelper directory

what have I got wrong / do I need to change?

thanks.

Is that the only content of your file?

The program should still run even with that error, if you click the 'Continue' button. In the main screen, only the 'C' button doesn't work, in my experience.

Edit: Or it DID in previous versions. I see it doesn't now.

CaptGrumpyPants · Mar 16, 2015

I love this tool! Was Oliver ever able to sort out the X52 MFD issue with the main program? It would be great to be able to tick a box to output the information to the MFD so we don't have to alt-tab out to see the next step. I used this over the weekend and I very much enjoyed it as it is, though!

Thanks!

DRY411S · Mar 16, 2015

Just wanted to say how much I like this GUI. I've just had a flurry of posts over on the GitHub tracker, hope you don't think I'm being overly negative.

WombatFromHell · Mar 16, 2015

DRY411S said:
Just wanted to say how much I like this GUI. I've just had a flurry of posts over on the GitHub tracker, hope you don't think I'm being overly negative.

Not at all.

This is a tool I made for myself for the most part. If it helps others, then all the better. I don't mind the criticism, especially if it's constructive.

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CaptGrumpyPants said:
I love this tool! Was Oliver ever able to sort out the X52 MFD issue with the main program? It would be great to be able to tick a box to output the information to the MFD so we don't have to alt-tab out to see the next step. I used this over the weekend and I very much enjoyed it as it is, though!

Thanks!

I'm really not sure about the status of the X52 support. I don't own one, but if the functionality currently works in TD I can try to see about implementing it in a future release. No promises though, as it's difficult to debug without the device itself.

(Edit: Also, my intent in the future is to make the interface as minimal and informative as possible to prevent having to alt+tab at all (think more along the lines of a HUD of a sort). I'm just making sure all the commands and support code are stable before I start that design process.)

Net-burst · Mar 16, 2015

Can you please add some kind of workaround for different decimal separator? You currently have "," harcoded, whlist many people, mostly EU players, have ".".

DRY411S · Mar 16, 2015

Surely everybody uses a decimal point between the whole numbers and the fractions? I think perhaps you mean what Windoze calls the 'digit grouping' symbol?

Perhaps the app could use the same settings as the user has set in their Windoze Control Panel?

Don't forget though that this GUI is just a wrapper around TradeDangerous python script. So at the moment, WombatFromHell does not control the format of the output, only the input boxes.

Net-burst · Mar 16, 2015

I meant fractions separator. Windows call it "Decimal separator". But yeah, different regionals also have different digit grouping

. But right now I'm having problems with decimal separator: I cant input light years with fractions (7.52 for example) because program uses "," and my system is using ".". Programming wise it should be easy, imho.

EDIT: Created Issue on Bitbucket.

DJ Interstellar · Mar 16, 2015

I don't get how I get this running. I downloaded and extracted it. I have Python 3.4 and .NET Framework installed. I'm a total python noob so I don't get which file I have to run. All of them seem to be not recognized by the system... Whats the file to open? Do I have to extract it to a specific location? (sorry for all those noob questions, but your instructions are also not very specific.)

Net-burst · Mar 16, 2015

Step-by-step guide:
1) Download TradeDangerous https://bitbucket.org/kfsone/tradedangerous/downloads . But its better to clone whole repo in Source Tree app and update it daily, because TD is in active developement.
2) Extract it to any permanent directory, preferable without spaces.
3) Download TDHelper https://bitbucket.org/WombatFromHell/trade-dangerous-helper/downloads . This time download latest release and not whole repo.
4) Extract TDHelper to DIFFERENT permanent location.
5) Edit TDHelper config.xml by hand. Dont open this file in Word or WordPad!!! You need to edit two fields to suite your directories:

Code:

<Path>D:\Games\Frontier\TradeDangerous</Path>
<NetLogPath>D:\Games\Frontier\EDLaunch\Products\FORC-FDEV-D-1002\Logs\</NetLogPath>

DRY411S · Mar 16, 2015

Net-burst said:
I meant fractions separator. Windows call it "Decimal separator". But yeah, different regionals also have different digit grouping . But right now I'm having problems with decimal separator: I cant input light years with fractions (7.52 for example) because program uses "," and my system is using ".". Programming wise it should be easy, imho.

EDIT: Created Issue on Bitbucket.

The program uses '.' (as in 7.52) for me.

Net-burst · Mar 16, 2015

DRY411S said:
The program uses '.' (as in 7.52) for me.

Oh, my mistake. My problem is reversed: program uses my regional settings and uses ",", while TD expects "."

. Need to sleep more