Civ3 BIQ Compare is a utility designed to make it easier to spot the differences between two BIQ's. It has progressed from a very limited, rushed-out-the-door utility, to one that, despite remaining limitations, works like normal programs and can compare uncompressed, version 12.08 BIQ files both faster than manual comparison, and in relatively comprehensible format.
NOTE: My cross-platform editor now entails all functionality of Civ3 BIQ Compare and much more. It also removes some of the limitations (such as the requirement that files are compressed). While I may at some point release another standalone version of Civ3 BIQ Compare, it is recommended to use the full editor to have all the latest updates. Currently (February 2011) the major difference for BIQ Compare users will be the removal of the uncompressed BIQ requirement. This program will remain available for download in case it better suits your requirements.
As of 2021, this project's code is open source. You can peruse it here. The final, 0.45 version is the oldest commit, and the "psychedelic" version is the second-oldest. All new updates since mid 2010 remain in the Cross-Platform Editor project.
Features:
*Export the information in the BIQ file to a file, mostly non-binary format
*Choose which sections of the BIQ file you want to print out
*Supports Custom Rules and Custom Player Data.
Limitations:
*BIQ files must be version 12.08 (the latest version; most should be this version these days)
*BIQ must not be compressed
Future Additions
*Continued improvement of ease-of-comprehension of output. This will likely be released incrementally.
Screenshot
System Requirements
*Java, version 1.5 or later. You can download the latest version of Java here for Windows, Linux, or Solaris. For Mac OS, it appears it should come through automatic updates. If not, try downloading the lastest version for Leopard here, which requires the second-most-recent version. If you are running an alternate Java version, such as the OpenJDK, you may encounter undesirable GUI behavior (OpenJDK definitely has this).
*An operating system that supports Java. These include:
- Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista/7 (including 64-bit XP, Vista, or 7)
- Linux, and Solaris 8/9/10
- Mac OSX 10.4 (Tiger), 10.5 (Leopard) and 10.6 (Snow Leopard). I believe this applies to both PowerPC and Intel, but have not been able to verify this.
I have personally tested the current version (0.45) of the utility on Java 1.5 and 1.6 on Windows XP, and Java 1.5 on Windows 7 (64-bit).
Download
Download the current version here (572 KB, 176 KB .zip download).
How-To
The How-To formerly applied to practices that have been obsolete since version 0.12, and not present at all since version 0.21. Thus, this section has been removed. However, a new How-To may someday be created.
PAQ (Potentially Asked Questions)
Q: My output has boxes and is all on one line. How do I fix this?
A: If you have boxes, it may be because the .BIQ file contains some non-ASCII characters. This is a natural occurence in .BIQ files, and is no cause for alarm. If the output is all on one line, you are using an outdated version of the program. Download the most recent version.
Q: My file won't open. Why not?
A: It probably falls within one of the above limitations.
Q: I chose a file to save to, but it didn't save anything.
A: Make sure you click "Export" after choosing the file. The dialog only selects the file. Another way to make sure the file was saved is to look for the text that appears next to the Export button after a successful save (but only in recent versions!).
Q: I found a bug. Can you squash it?
A: Probably. Report it here, and I'll see what I can do about it.
Credits
*Gramphos, for his excellent documentation of the BIQ format at Apolyton. Also to those who he credits in that thread for their contributions to the BIQ format and those who added more details to the BIQ format in replies to said thread.
*Steph, for creating an editor for Civ3, linking to Gramphos' thread, and sparking the idea that would eventually lead to this in my head. If you haven't tried his editor yet, you should.
*Lee_Dailey, for posting about the idea for a BIQ comparison utility at a most opportune moment. Had it not been for that suggestion, there would not presently be a BIQ comparison utility.
*Everyone who's downloaded the program, been patient with its evolution and dearth of features at initial release, and made suggestions to make it better.
*And anyone else whose work I may have come across and incorporated in the early stages but since forgotten. That means BIQ pioneers especially - without an understanding of the BIQ format, there can't be any BIQ utility programs.
NOTE: My cross-platform editor now entails all functionality of Civ3 BIQ Compare and much more. It also removes some of the limitations (such as the requirement that files are compressed). While I may at some point release another standalone version of Civ3 BIQ Compare, it is recommended to use the full editor to have all the latest updates. Currently (February 2011) the major difference for BIQ Compare users will be the removal of the uncompressed BIQ requirement. This program will remain available for download in case it better suits your requirements.
As of 2021, this project's code is open source. You can peruse it here. The final, 0.45 version is the oldest commit, and the "psychedelic" version is the second-oldest. All new updates since mid 2010 remain in the Cross-Platform Editor project.
Features:
*Export the information in the BIQ file to a file, mostly non-binary format
*Choose which sections of the BIQ file you want to print out
*Supports Custom Rules and Custom Player Data.
Limitations:
*BIQ files must be version 12.08 (the latest version; most should be this version these days)
*BIQ must not be compressed
Future Additions
*Continued improvement of ease-of-comprehension of output. This will likely be released incrementally.
Screenshot
System Requirements
*Java, version 1.5 or later. You can download the latest version of Java here for Windows, Linux, or Solaris. For Mac OS, it appears it should come through automatic updates. If not, try downloading the lastest version for Leopard here, which requires the second-most-recent version. If you are running an alternate Java version, such as the OpenJDK, you may encounter undesirable GUI behavior (OpenJDK definitely has this).
*An operating system that supports Java. These include:
- Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista/7 (including 64-bit XP, Vista, or 7)
- Linux, and Solaris 8/9/10
- Mac OSX 10.4 (Tiger), 10.5 (Leopard) and 10.6 (Snow Leopard). I believe this applies to both PowerPC and Intel, but have not been able to verify this.
I have personally tested the current version (0.45) of the utility on Java 1.5 and 1.6 on Windows XP, and Java 1.5 on Windows 7 (64-bit).
Download
Download the current version here (572 KB, 176 KB .zip download).
How-To
The How-To formerly applied to practices that have been obsolete since version 0.12, and not present at all since version 0.21. Thus, this section has been removed. However, a new How-To may someday be created.
PAQ (Potentially Asked Questions)
Q: My output has boxes and is all on one line. How do I fix this?
A: If you have boxes, it may be because the .BIQ file contains some non-ASCII characters. This is a natural occurence in .BIQ files, and is no cause for alarm. If the output is all on one line, you are using an outdated version of the program. Download the most recent version.
Q: My file won't open. Why not?
A: It probably falls within one of the above limitations.
Q: I chose a file to save to, but it didn't save anything.
A: Make sure you click "Export" after choosing the file. The dialog only selects the file. Another way to make sure the file was saved is to look for the text that appears next to the Export button after a successful save (but only in recent versions!).
Q: I found a bug. Can you squash it?
A: Probably. Report it here, and I'll see what I can do about it.
Credits
*Gramphos, for his excellent documentation of the BIQ format at Apolyton. Also to those who he credits in that thread for their contributions to the BIQ format and those who added more details to the BIQ format in replies to said thread.
*Steph, for creating an editor for Civ3, linking to Gramphos' thread, and sparking the idea that would eventually lead to this in my head. If you haven't tried his editor yet, you should.
*Lee_Dailey, for posting about the idea for a BIQ comparison utility at a most opportune moment. Had it not been for that suggestion, there would not presently be a BIQ comparison utility.
*Everyone who's downloaded the program, been patient with its evolution and dearth of features at initial release, and made suggestions to make it better.
*And anyone else whose work I may have come across and incorporated in the early stages but since forgotten. That means BIQ pioneers especially - without an understanding of the BIQ format, there can't be any BIQ utility programs.
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