[MODCOMP] JTradeRoutes: An Improved Interface

[realistic]

I have been having trouble with the mod.

When trying to assign trade routes to transports it never works. Some things I noticed, when trying to sort the trade route window by commodity or any other way makes the whole selection and assigning void. For example, I could sort by commodity, select all the tools, go to assign, pick a transport, and it will only pick one trade route for the unit. Also, if I sorted the list, and picked say, "Rum", and then went to assign, it would have that transport assigned to "tools" because I believe that is the top commodity in my UNSORTED list. Trying to pick more than one commodity fails, it only assigns one commodity no matter how many you pick.

I do find this mod useful, but I was hoping to use this mod so I could easily group my commodities and assign trade routes, it doesn't work.

Also, if I try to go to the transport menu and assign routes that way it doesn't work. Like maybe the top 15 commodities where I + or - work, but after that I click the button and nothing happens.

 

[Pilotis]

Hi Jeckel.

This is a great app but there is a problem with 'Assign Land Routes' (haven't tried sea routes EDIT see below) in the 'Transports' tab, but I think it's a prob with the vanilla Colonization engine - I saw it there as well. Anyway.

Save game attached.
View attachment Pilotis_AD-1660-September.ColonizationSave

If you have more than 12 trade routes, when you go into the transports tab, select a wagon, then select 'assign land route', if you scroll past 12 trade routes from the top the assign/ un-assign button doesn't work.

However !! With your app I can get round the problem using the Domestic and Foreign Routes tabs.

EDIT. Ah. Only up to a point. Trade network now bigger. If I go into Domestic Trade Routes and select a route with both sea and land routes, then select 'Assign Unit' (23 possible transport units to choose from) the assign/ un-assign button only works down to about 15th unit on the list. Below that the button is dead - doesn't matter if its a sea or land transport unit..

But - thanks again !! So far I can work round the probs with big trade networks by using the assign options from the different screens.

(Just noticed Realistic's post; looks like some of those probs are related)

 

[Pilotis]

If you re-order - say using 'Source' in the Domestic Routes screen - the app 'remembers' what WAS in a particular row rather than the new item that appears there as a result of the re-order. Try the Domestic Routes tab in the savegame I posted.

Row 1: tobacco from Jamestown to Plymouth is assigned to Wagon 7.

Row 7: ore from Boston to Jamestown has Wagons 1,2,3,4 assigned

Re-order by selecting source. Row 1 is now 'ore from Boston to Jamestown' (and the mouse-over has the correct info but) if you select 'Assign Units to Trade Route' it brings up 'tobacco from Jamestown to Plymouth' i.e. the route that WAS there before the re-order.

Hum hum.

 

[Pilotis]

Hey Jeckel !

Just wanted to say that even with those foibles, this is a GREAT mod that really helps me manage and enjoy (!!!) trade management. Please keep up the great work !!! Seriously ! Can't wait to see it combined with Dale's AOD/ Patchmod !

and

 

[realistic]

I do find the mod useful for one thing though. I thoroughly appreciate being able to see all my transports in a screen and to be able to see what each transport's trade route is. Hopefully we can get these other problems fixed, I have a great colony going and it would be nice to get the trade route PERFECT.

edit: Or, what I've done is just make about 40 trade waggons and set them all on automatic. I suppose that is just what you have to do for this game.

 

[Jeckel]

Ok, I am looking into these problems and will get them tracked down and fixed.

I have also noticed that if a Transport is Full you can not assign new Trade Routes to it. I am also looking into fixing this.

Will post again when I figure somthing out.

 

[Impaler[WrG]]

Very nice word Jeckel, the use of tabs to organize and separate different data table looks to be the way to go, in hindsight the default trade route advisor is too crampt.

Some additional points

Added a Button to the top left of the Trade Routes Advisor Screen. This button will close the Trade Routes Advisor and open the Domestic Advisor.

Consider doing this for most/all of the other screens with the buttons formated in a consistent way (perhapses matching the main screen layout?) fewer clicks to switch between screens is always nice.

Also on the commodities graphing tab do you have the ability to toggle the individual commodities on and off? If not I'd recommend you include it, the standard colonization Info screen was upgraded with this ability activated by clicking the name of the player in the legend area, the line bar to the left of the name will then toggle with the data line. Its a some what ugly hack if I remember correctly but it could be incorporated in your graph and prove very useful when working with a graph of commodities as their are so many the clutter/obscuring potential is high.

 

[Jeckel]

Thanx Impaler, I'm glad you like it.

I don't think I will add all the Advisor Buttons onto my Screen. I add the Domestic Advisor Button because that Screen can bring you to my Screen and I wanted an easy way to get back to it. I wouldn't include the other Buttons for the same reason that all the Advisor Screens don't have all the Advisor Buttons.

As for the Graph Page, yes, you can click the name of individual Yields to hide or show their corresponding Line on the Graph. I myself rarely look at more then 1 or 2 Lines on the Graph at a time.


I've looked into a the mentioned glitches.

The Sorting of Tables Issue
I didn't intend for most Tables to be sortable. It will be a little extra work to accually make it work when you sort the list each different way, but I am looking into it further and will see what I can do. For the moment, the next version will have the sort ability removed from the Tables, not ideal, but it will remove the glitch.

The rest of the problems are not caused by my Screen or the code I have written. At the moment, I have just created a better interface to the Trade Route System, but, in the end, I am still using that system to do every thing.

For example, the Assign/Unassign buttons not working once you get alot of Transports/Routes, that shows up on my Screen, just like it does on the Domestic Advisor, because I use the same Button Widgets that they used.

My next step is to delve into the SDK and fix these underlying issues. This shouldn't be to hard, relatively speaking, but I need a small break from this before I start the next phase.

It won't be to long, but I'm going to take a week and release another component I've been working on. Its Discussion Thread will be up in a few days, and I don't won't to get to detailed, but a bear just ate one of my Colonists..

 

[Dale]

but a bear just ate one of my Colonists..

Well I hope he put him in a brown paper bag and deposited it in the bin!

 

[Pilotis]

Hey Realistic don't be so negative.

Managing traderoutes is WAY WAY better with this mod. It's not just a viewing tool. By switching betwen the assign trade route screen and the assign transport screen you can get over the problem in my post 22. You just have to be a little patient. And the sorting function is 'great-to-have' but not vital.

It's great progress Jeckel. made my gameplay way more enjoyable.

Thanks.

 

[Jeckel]

Thanx Pilotis, I'm happy you find the mod usefull.


Well yall, I'm just about done with my side project, then I'm going to see about addressing some of the underlying SDK problems with the Trade Route System.

 

[Pilotis]

Outstanding !

 

[Daneel]

This is one of those mods that makes you wonder why Firaxis didn't do it this way to begin with. I can't wait to see it with the little quirks worked out of it.

Good job Jeckel!

 

[Zuul]

In the Graphs: the one with most (tools/production) is outside the window.

 

[Jeckel]

Ahh, yea, that isn't so much a glitch as I haven't coded the graph to Zoom in and out. This will be adressed at some point, but I have a few ideas of how to do it and can't decide on one.

I'm a little side tracked at the moment (Red Alert 3 is an awesome game!! ), but as soon as I finish taking over the world as the Allies then take it over as the Empire of the Rising Sun, I'm back to Col2.

 

[Zuul]

I have finaly tested out this mod (included in AoE).
I like it but here comes a few issues:

*Should be able to group trade routes (or up to 4 extra resourses to send).
*In addition to the minimum resourse in a city, having a threshold before the resourse will be moved.
Like min 100, threshold 200. It will then wait until the city has 200, then it will collect all over 100.
*An option to only collect full berth of resourses.

 

[Jamis]

I have finaly tested out this mod (included in AoE).
I like it but here comes a few issues:

*Should be able to group trade routes (or up to 4 extra resourses to send).
*In addition to the minimum resourse in a city, having a threshold before the resourse will be moved.
Like min 100, threshold 200. It will then wait until the city has 200, then it will collect all over 100.
*An option to only collect full berth of resourses.

Yes, great ideas.

I have a suggestion of my own...

I normally have an army of wagon trains doing my bidding, but I don't know which train is doing what just by looking at them...they all look the same.

Perhaps, when I mouse over a train or ship assigned a route, I could get a little flag or window telling me what trade routes it has been assigned.

Or, if there was a way to differentiate between the same types of wagon trains or ships? E.G. Allow me to rename them or just put a number after each one as it's created/bought. Wagon Train1, Wagon Train2, etc...

Great work, btw, Jeckel. This mod has amazing potential.
-Jamis

 

[jenks]

yeah as above, props for creating this. Auto wagon trains / trade routes are currently the most difficult micromanagement part of the game. The screen is so painfully disorganised and at present impossible to use

very looking forward to using this as it downloads

 

[CrimsonRider]

Hi, I don't know if this happend to anyone else, but I've got a case now where the mod incorrectly indentifies a land/sea route as land route only.

I can forward the savegame if that would help, if there is still development done on this that is.

 

[Zuul]

Well same for me.
Jeckel begun some other project (other than civ/col that is). He might be back next year.