Provide a way to open relevant folders/files (e.g. configs) from within the game (menu, dev menu, or console)?

[Ceres]

Hello!

I wonder whether it's feasible and helpful to provide a way to open relevant folders/files (e.g. configs) from within the game (menu, dev menu [Alt+D], or console)? Thus, looking up the needed information in the Wiki, FAQ, or forum would not be needed anymore. As paths might change in the future, the (outdated) information would not have to be updated manually in the Wiki, FAQ, or forum (could then be deleted) but would always be up to date in the game.

These are the paths/files I have on my mind (I am on Windows 11, i.e. the paths shown below look different on another OS):

https://trac.wildfiregames.com/wiki/GameDataPaths

..\AppData\Local\0ad\
..\AppData\Local\0 A.D. alpha\
..\AppData\Local\0 A.D. alpha\binaries\data\config\
..\AppData\Roaming\0ad\config\

 

EDIT/optional:

Maybe some in-game explanatory text about which config files overrule others (see this post as reference) could be added, too? See following quotes FYI:

On 21/09/2021 at 1:52 PM, Stan` said:

In general you should use user.cfg

...

As you can see, user.cfg is loaded after local.cfg overwriting all the changes.

On 21/09/2021 at 2:01 PM, hyperion said:

user.cfg is a generated file, based on default.cfg and overrides in local.cfg and later in-game changes of those properties. You may edit user.cfg but honestly backing up or deleting for a reset are the only actions I'd take on it.

To sum it up (hopefully correctly), the order of overrules is as follows:

1. default.cfg
2. local.cfg
3. in-game changes

     => user.cfg

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Edited October 28, 2022 by Ceres

[Ceres]

The game paths are handled there:

\trunk\source\ps\GameSetup\Paths.cpp
\trunk\source\ps\GameSetup\Paths.h

We have:

m_gameData
m_userData
m_config 
m_cache
m_logs

Are these the correct variables (from Paths.cpp) I could present on a little help screen? E.g. there inserting these in MainMenuItems.js:

   ,
  {
    "caption": translate("Game Paths"),
    "tooltip": translate("Show various game path locations."),
    "onPress": () => {
        Engine.PushGuiPage("page_gamepaths.xml");
    }
  }

In another thread I proposed changes of the transparent window in the top right corner, but here I kept it untouched. Please note the new menu entry and explanation:

I am working on the next window that should then pop up and show the game paths information. Ideally, the links should be active, i.e. when clicking on them, the path(s) should be opened in the explorer of the respective OS. I can test it for Windows 11, maybe on Endeavour OS, too, if this meets support at all.

Edited October 31, 2022 by Ceres

[Ceres]

Since I want to make the links of the game paths active/clickable, I asked a question in a separate thread about the technical background there. Please let us keep the discussions separate, as the topic of active/clickable links in text boxes might be interesting for other stuff in 0 A.D., too, i.e. is not restricted to the game paths presentation.

Now back to topic, i.e. game paths presentation.

This is how it looks now (admittedly not very nice, but my first try, and the real links are yet missing):

[Ceres]

There is a #1889 (Add hyperlink support to GUI engine) – Wildfire Games ticket about clickable text links, i.e. currently, such are not available. But providing the game paths as plain info is better than nothing. I try to read the aforementioned variables and present them in the previously shown window (which is not a mockup but already "works").

[Ceres]

@all 

This is a test and obviously work in progress. E.g., the buttons need to be adjusted and content be completed. Maybe the whole window needs some amendments, too. Please let me know if this is useful at all and what you would like to have amended/added/etc. Thank you!

 

Edited November 1, 2022 by Ceres
Replaced \ by /

[Grautvornix]

Thanks @Ceres ! Great idea to provide more helpful information from within the game so it is not required to search the FAQ (which is great by the way!) or the forum or wiki.

Cannot resist, however , suggesting another helpscreen:

Newcomers, including myself, typical scratch their heads when trying to install a mod and/or map they discovered outside mod.io. I do know this is simple and can be found searching the forum, but providing this help from within the game would be make things much more straight forward.

Thanks and best regards,
Grautvornix

[Ceres]

@Lion.Kanzen   @wowgetoffyourcellphone

Should we add instructions in a sub-window under the mod selection for how to manually add a mod?

Similarly, should we add instructions in a sub-window under the map selection for how to manually add a map?

Or should we add instructions for both together in another sub-window, maybe together with the tutorial stuff?

And would we plan to have both (information in-game and in the wiki) synchronised (if possible)?

Whom else from the team should I ask for sharing thoughts?

[Lion.Kanzen]

5 minutes ago, Ceres said:

@Lion.Kanzen   @wowgetoffyourcellphone

 

Whom else from the team should I ask for sharing thoughts?

@maroder

[Lion.Kanzen]

8 minutes ago, Ceres said:

@Lion.Kanzen   @wowgetoffyourcellphone

Should we add instructions in a sub-window under the mod selection for how to manually add a mod?

Similarly, should we add instructions in a sub-window under the map selection for how to manually add a map?

Or should we add instructions for both together in another sub-window, maybe together with the tutorial stuff?

And would we plan to have both (information in-game and in the wiki) synchronised (if possible)?

Whom else from the team should I ask for sharing thoughts?

It depends on how you plan to do it.

[maroder]

imo: info about adding mods & maps manually belongs in the FAQ (including a warning about potential security risks when doing so).

36 minutes ago, Ceres said:

And would we plan to have both (information in-game and in the wiki) synchronised (if possible)?

yeah, that's why duplication sounds bad.

________________________________

Generally, I tend to believe that more text is not equal to a better understanding and that a good design should be rather self explanatory: So instead of adding more text, I would rather like some general UI improvements that make that extra text unnecessary (which I know is a lot harder to do - just giving my opinion here).

E.g. having a mod selection that is not just a wall of text, would drastically improve the user experience.

________________________________

And yes, having the option to open the game path quickly would be nice. That does sound like it would need some c++/engine work tho.

 

[Ceres]

3 hours ago, Lion.Kanzen said:

It depends on how you plan to do it.

Considering the following feedback and my own opinion gathered thereafter, the question about the mods seems to be not applicable anymore.

 

3 hours ago, maroder said:

imo: info about adding mods & maps manually belongs in the FAQ (including a warning about potential security risks when doing so).

Yes, that was also my first thought. Whereas DLing mods from within the game would certainly be profit from an amended GUI etc., experimenting with mods by manually downloading them is out of scope when looking at it from in-game experience.

 

@Grautvornix There is already an in-game link to the Wiki with instructions about modding:

=> => =>

https://trac.wildfiregames.com/wiki/Modding_Guide

 

I would like to not elaborate further about instructions that are available in the Wiki and FAQs but focus on providing links to the respective OS as a very basic help (not more). And instead of providing lots of text in this extra in-game window, just a small window with different buttons for the different OS might suffice that lead to the corresponding Wiki sub-section. Thus, we would also avoid creating unnecessary work for keeping in-game text and Wiki text in sync.

Edited November 2, 2022 by Ceres

[Ceres]

Can somebody please help me to understand how I get rid of the question marks that now pop up in various placed after I updated this Wiki page?

https://trac.wildfiregames.com/wiki/GameDataPaths

E.g., "JohnDoe" gets a question mark ("JohnDoe?"), but when I have it open in the editor, it looks ok (though it is highlighted in red font and when hovering over it, it refers to some wiki page). I tried both the "textarea" (plain text) settings and the wysiwyg (with and without the autolink option) but this did not help. Sorry to seemingly have messed it up a bit, but in the end I hope to get a clearer Wiki about these paths and then be able to directly link for each OS from within the game.

Thanks for your help, guys!

[Ceres]

 

 

@Lion.Kanzen@maroder@wowgetoffyourcellphone

This way, we only need to keep the Wiki up to date.  What do you think about this approach? If you agree in principle, I can certainly make it nicer. The modified files are attached FYI (no diffs, though).

gamepaths.txt gamepaths.xml MainMenuItems.js

Edited November 2, 2022 by Ceres

[Lion.Kanzen]

4 minutes ago, Ceres said:

 

 

@Lion.Kanzen@maroder@wowgetoffyourcellphone

This way, we only need to keep the Wiki up to date.  What do you think about this approach? If you agree in principle, I can certainly make it nicer. The modified files are attached FYI (no diffs, though).

gamepaths.txt 138 B · 0 downloads gamepaths.xml 2 kB · 0 downloads MainMenuItems.js 8 kB · 0 downloads

 looks good to me.

[hyperion]

Erm, Windows 7 SP something is the minimum requirement.

[Grautvornix]

Fully agree to putting this information (mod/map installation) into the FAQ - dupllication of information is dangerous as it could lead to inconsistencies. Just wanted to point out what new users are fighting with (looking through the forum with so many different maps and mods and not knowing how to install).

Best regards,
Grautvornix

[Grautvornix]

@Ceres:  Playing devil's advocate here: Could the game detect which OS it is running on and then automatically present the correct paths ?

Answer: could be risky if OS is incorrectly detected. Also if one actually intends examining the paths of another OS it might be better suited to select this from the buttons you presented.

So, trying to counter adverse interventions - I do like your approach!

Best regards,
Grautvornix

[Ceres]

55 minutes ago, hyperion said:

Erm, Windows 7 SP something is the minimum requirement.

Windows 7 was never mentioned in the Wiki, AFAIK. Therefore, I have no reference for the game paths for this old Windows version. Can you please let me know which they are on Windows 7? Then I could add them to the Wiki and a corresponding link in-game. Thank you!

[hyperion]

2000, xp, vista are all older than 7, so it's just Windows

[Ceres]

@hyperion

So these all have the same 0 A.D. game paths? Then I simply add 7 to them.

And sorry about my ignorance about the Windows versions history - I lost track over the years.

Edited November 3, 2022 by Ceres

[hyperion]

6 hours ago, Ceres said:

So these all have the same 0 A.D. game paths?

All supported Windows versions have the same paths, at least by default.

[Ceres]

Sorry, I should have paid more attention when reading the Wiki. From this I assume that we can abandon the presentation of game paths for different Windows versions, as they are all the same. This makes things even easier.

[Ceres]

@hyperion

Sorry to bother you once more, but the game paths described in the Wiki seem to differ between Windows Vista/10/11 on the one hand and the other Windows versions (XP/2000) on the other hand. Therefore, I am unsure about your note that they are (by default) all the same, incl. Windows 7.

[Lion.Kanzen]

17 minutes ago, Ceres said:

@hyperion

Sorry to bother you once more, but the game paths described in the Wiki seem to differ between Windows Vista/10/11 on the one hand and the other Windows versions (XP/2000) on the other hand. Therefore, I am unsure about your note that they are (by default) all the same, incl. Windows 7.

0ad I think it doesn't support Windows XP/Vista /2000 anymore.

[Ceres]

Erm, can somebody please let me know

1. Which Windows versions are supported?

2. If/how the game paths differ?

I am happy to update the Wiki and amend the in-game info and links accordingly.

Thank you!