I have two. A 140 line one that only reads but can't iteratorate over records, and a 1000 line one that doesn't do much more as far as reading is concerned, but reads faster.

Neither of them have a decent interface for extending a subrecord so the interface handles things better. At the time when I was looking at writing it in, I got distracted. Generating C++ code using the preprocessor and TMP was doing my head in iirc.

Latest version:
http://rs355.rapidshare.com/files/182931578/libesm.7z


Last time I looked, there was some by Shon/Liztail on the Niftools svn (I think). Hover, I may have got the repo wrong, as it was several years ago.

Sounds good peachy (am I sounding redundant here to anyone else? ) I'd love to see the code.


I just got hold of a new server (well, not new...but new to me; the university here has a bid lot sale every once in a while, I picked up an old file server for under $10: http://support.gateway.com/s/Servers/COMPO/Cases/3500793/3500793sp4.shtml) It considerably faster than what I've been using, and since I intend to host this site here until I can afford a semi-dedicated server at Westhost, speed is crucial. So until I get done setting it up, I won't be making any progress on the site.


peachy, I have another question for you. I don't know anything much about OBSE and the supposed F3SE I've heard mention of; but assuming they can write to pipes, your stuff can be adapted to work for those too?

Theoretically yes, they should be able to. MWSQL should work with any program that writes the proper data to it's pipe. It'll always be designed for Morrowind, but that's just my bias.
It should work fine from any game. You could even put your Morrowind character in Oblivion.

I'm not sure if there's any standalone BSA code but NifSkope certainly has BSA support; I imagine that Timeslip deserves a credit in there somewhere too Amorilia can probably give you more info on that but the best place to ask will be the NifTools forums.

I almost forgot, BSApack is has source available.

Just about got the new server up and running. Dual P3 933's are *so* much faster than that crappy P2 450 I was running before. :mohawk: Oh, and anybody who tells you that installing Linux is difficult has obviously never experienced the Ubuntu Server Edition Intrepid Ibex installer. It beats the ever-living daylights out of any Windows installer. (We need a penguin smiley here....)

mge has http://morrgraphext.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/morrgraphext/MGEgui/DistantLand/BSA.cs?revision=1&view=markup, or fomm has a bit of better and slightly more generic http://fomm.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/fomm/trunk/flmm/BSABrowser.cs?revision=83&view=markup that supports all of morrowind, oblivion and fallout 3 bsa's. You're free to copy either, but since neither will make a drop in library or can write morrowind format bsa's then bsapack may be better.


iirc I only wrote the oblivion half of the ogre bsa plugin. I wasn't involved with the morrowind part, or with adding bsa support to nifskope.

Well, the BSA question was more of an idle thought. Thanks for the ideas, though.

But... I tried the LibESM link. Downloaded, put in in. When I try to compile using just #include "esm.h", it compiles, but the linker returns a few undefined functions (for each ESM:: function). I stuck a project together in C::B, compiled it as a static library (I think I tried static then shared). Both allow GHFCensus to compile, but it exits with an error code 3 when I try to call ESM::File::Load.

I've heard that the BSAs it produces are somehow buggy. Don't suppose we could get some sort of replacement (perhaps even a 7-zip plugin) written?

Just use BSA Browser instead. It creates BSA files perfectly every time.

You will also need to compile esm.cpp. The easist way to do this in an ide is to include esm.cpp in your source files.


I don't have a clue about error codes, as they don't mean anything unless it is known what sent them.

Surround it with a try/catch block catching ESM::Exception and then you can get the error with ESM::Exception::getDescription




BSA Browser is just a wrapper around BSA Pack.

... that works fine? *nods*

Ah. I thought you might know. If that second include doesn't work, I'll try that. Why does this need both files included when most libraries only need the headers?

All right, so we're getting along pretty well on the basic function of this site. Now it's time for input from those that will use.

How do you want to find characters? Should the main character page be sorted by first added, highest level, most viewed, etc?

I intend to make a "leader board" that will display the highest ranking characters in certain areas. I plan on sorting by level, health, magicka, fatigue, etc. How else do you think I ought to make it sortable? Should I divide it into three different boards based upon whether a character specializes in combat, magic, or stealth? Should I further break it down into those using GCD/MADD/etc and those not?


Tell me what you pictured in your head when you first read about my plans with this site. I want to make it be something that those who use it desire it to be.

Was my initial thought. The page loads the little entries, you click on them to check out the character involved and all it's associated data. The entries could also be added to a history of achievements perhaps so you can see what the character has done. Would hopefully mean you get to see a cross section of players as they do stuff and not just the best characters at the top of lists.

If that's not poss then something that lists characters as they get updated, for the same reason as above, so we can see a cross section of characters being played.

Other ideas...

Random idea - I've a long time player of rogue like games. If it was possible an iron man top score list would be cool too although probably not very high on the wish list for most other folks plus you only get added when you either die or 'win' which would need defining for MW.

Ahh more realistically, yes sortable lists by race, highest level, HP, magica etc would seem to be obvious choices.

If you can come up with some sort of formula to combine all the factors that make a character and therefore rank them then that would be best overall list.

Finally some stat type things showing numbers or % of character races/specialization/class/mods used etc used would be some extra gravy I guess.

Whatever you decide it will certainly be interesting and fun, good luck with it all.

:)

-KWM

RE: How do you want to find characters?
-I like the idea of newly updated characters showing first on the main page.
-level, health, etc sorting sounds good, and I'll raise my hand for combat, magic, and stealth, too.
-Would this be able to track, and keep a running tally of, kills? That might be a neat way to rank characters.
-a richest character rank, using net-worth).
-Vampires
-Werewolves
-Oldest Character (using the in-game date)

Silly ideas:
-Poorest rank.
-Most Unlucky rank (low Luck)
-Social Degenerates (low Personality)
-Pack Mules (most encumbered)
-Bed-ridden (most diseases)
-Most Wanted (highest bounty)

Question:
What about a character culling time frame? If a character isn't updated in X amount of months, it's deleted. I'm just thinking of an eventual overload of "dead" characters. And an option to delete a character from your profile, which would delete it from the system.
Hmm, and/or maybe an option to mark a character "Dead", meaning it will no longer be updated, but still preserved in the system for ranking purposes. Which, of course, would lead to a "R.I.P." ranking. And any other ranking list that the Dead character appears in would have a R.I.P. symbol with it.

It should be stored somewhere in the save, since there's the 'ToggleKillStats' console command.

I like the idea of character culling too but I'd call characters that haven't been updated in a long time 'retired' instead of 'dead', unless the player updated the character as dead.

Sorting by race/stats would be good. Maybe a search for characters using a specific mod too?

Maybe there could be a 'random character' on the front page, which is randomly selected from the database when the page is loaded? Along with the newly updated characters.

I like the random character idea a lot.

I believe 'ToggleKillStats' resets after each game, I don't think it's actually stored anywhere in between games.

The character culling idea is basically the same idea of deleting old forum topics, just to free space.
Edit: Oops, I think I miss-read your post. Yeah, I like the "Retired" idea. Or maybe even "Missing in Action"?

I think any "leaderboard" should be randomized by those updated within the last month (or whatever timeframe). This keeps it from being a competition to stay on Fligg's Leaderboard. After that though, a list with a searchable database of the following:

- Character Name
- User Name
- Race
- Class
- Level
- Last updated (this way it's easy to see who hasn't been able to play in awhile)

When viewing more info, I'd like to to see all the above, plus current equipment, companions, inventory, full stats and faction rankings, mod list, etc., and a screenshot of current location if possible. Did you say if it would be possible to keep track of current quest objectives, or would the journal have to be uploaded by the user?

I like Marbred's "silly ideas" and the ability to "retire" a character. I'm not sure if the storage space would allow that, but it would be nice.

Alright, and now to the last part.


What I imagined is sort of like an xfire type homepage.

First, you would a main profile, and that profile will allow you to attach different characters to it, which are sub profiles in its own.
We would have statistics and stuff. Maybe graphs. Friends list as well.

Also, another thing is achievements. We can put in achievements that when you complete one, you get points, or a medal or something.

This is a really cool idea; can't wait to see the results!

wow fligg. u never cease to amaze me with your talents.

Still working on this.
Got cURL linked in, not sure whether to use that or the WinHTTP library. Depends on which makes POSTs easier.
Having some trouble iterating through subrecords, specifically the various MASTs under the TES3. I need those to make the plugin list, and have the row-adding code for the GUI, but the code I'm using doesn't seem to go through them quite right.

Brief update:
I've figured out how libESM reads records and have got that working. The player data and master file list (plugin list for that save) load when you select a save.
Now it needs interfaced with the server, which will take some back-and-forth with how data should be sent and stored.

Screen (why, I don't know, but screens are always nice):
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/peachykeen000/ghfcensus.jpg

Demo:
http://darkrise.ufrealms.net/GHFCensus.exe

The demo can't upload or read player data, but will list saves (must be in the Morrowind folder) and master files. Just to prove this is getting somewhere.
Also, it lets people see the GUI and suggest any changes to it. I think it works pretty well, clear and simple, but that's me...

So, how are things going?