NAME

editss Editor for XPilot shipshapes. (V2.1)

SYNOPSIS

editss [" shipshape "]

DESCRIPTION

editss is a utility for designing XPilot shipshapes. The use of this editor is simple and straightforward. Shipshapes can be supplied on the command line, or retrieved from the user .xpilotrc or shipshape file. After editing, the shipshape can be printed on the command line, or added to the .xpilotrc or shipshape file. Ship library files can be printed on a PostScript printer. As of version 2.0, the new shipshape format for XPilot version 3.2.0 is fully supported.

OPTIONS

An XPilot shipshape can be specified on the command line as an option, enclosed in double quotes. The format used here is the normal XPilot format for shipshapes.

EDITING YOUR SHIP

You can edit the shipshape in the window with the grid and crosshairs. In this window: press the left mouse button (LMB) to perform an action, or the right mouse button (RMB) to cancel.

The ship should be drawn with the nose to the right, unless you wish to confuse your enemies (and yourself! :-) ). You should alse specify the MainGun (where bullets will shoot from), and the Engine.

You should follow these rules: (xpilot version 3.2.0)

1): each ship should have at least three different points and not more than 16 points.

2): at least one point should be eight or more pixels left from the origin.

3): at least one point should be eight or more pixels right from the origin.

4): at least one point should be eight or more pixels above the origin.

5): at least one point should be eight or more pixels below the origin.

6): at least three points should be eight or more pixels away from the origin.

7): no point should be more than 15 points away from the x- or y- axis.

8): attributes like guns, lights etc. should be placed in (or on) the ship.

9): the width and height of the ship should add up to at least 38. As of Xpilot version 3.2.0 this restriction is not yet enforced. Only a warning will be generated. Later Xpilot versions will probably enforce this rule.

The rectangle on the grid is eight points from the origin.

The Draw mode works as follows. If there are no points yet, you can use the LMB to add points. Every new point is connected to the previous point. Press the RMB to stop adding points (You do not have to "close" the shipshape ).

In this mode you can drag lines and attributes around. If you select with the LMB, you will pick up the topmost shipshape point and all attributes you are pointing to. If you use the RMB, you will only pick up the topmost attribute.

Kill mode: If you use the LMB to select a position on the grid, the topmost shipshape point here (if any) will be removed. All attributes at the selected gridpoint will be removed as well. If you use the RMB, only the topmost attribute here will be removed.

In the Split mode, you can select a line with the LMB. This line will be divided into two lines, and then you can position the dividing point. After the dividing point is placed with the LMB, the mode will change to Draw.

To add attributes, simply press the button of the attribute you wish to add. Press the LMB on the grid position where you want the attribute. possible attributes are:

Mgun: the main gun. You must place this attribute.

engine: you must place this attribute as well.

Llight: a flashing navigation light (flashes Red). Use up to 3 of these

Rlight: blue or right navigation light. Use up to 3.

Lgun: additional guns for wideshots. Up to 3 of these can be placed on the left side of your ship.

Rgun: additional guns for the right side of your ship. Use up to 3.

mrack: a missile rack. Missiles will be fired from each of these racks in turn. You can use up to 4 of these.

The ship is displayed below the buttons, more or less as it appears in XPilot. The number of points on your ship is also displayed. Below this is a box announcing any problems with your design. All bugs in your ship should be removed before you will be able to save or print the ship.

IMPORTING / EXPORTING SHIPSHAPES

You can specify a shipshape on the commandline when starting editss (see OPTIONS). You can also use the Load button to retrieve shipshapes from your ship from your shipshape library file, if it exists. If you double click (LMB) on a ship in the directory (the leftmost part of the Editss window), that ship will be loaded. Anything you were editing will be lost.

If you press the Type button, editss will print the shipshape on the command line . You can give this shipshape to xpilot as follows:

xpilot -shipShape " shipshape "

Xpilot will start and use your new shipshape.

If you use the Save button, editss will append the shape and name of your ship to the shiplib.

You can specify a shipshape library file. If you type the name of a file and then press ENTER, the contents of this file will be shown in the leftmost part of the Editss window. To specify a default library file, see below.

BUTTON FUNCTIONS

Quit: quit the program.

Type: print the shipshape on the command line.

Save: write the shipshape to the library file.

Load: load the shipshape with the soecified name from the library file.

Clear: clear the shipshape.

Print: print the ships in the current shipshape library file in PostScript format into the file [shiplibname].ps

Draw: draw or drag points.

Kill: remove points.

Split: split a line, adding an extra point.

Mgun: Set the MainGun.

Lgun: Set left side extra guns.

Rgun: Set right side extra guns.

Llight: Set left navigation lights.

Rlight: Set right navigation light.

mrack: Set missile racks.

engine: Set the engine point.

RESOURCE FILE

You can specify a number of defaults to Editss, by making a file named

buttonbox_border: (integer) borderwidth of boxes

value_border: (integer) borderwidth of value widgets

buttonbox_f: (string) foreground color of boxes

buttonbox_b: (string) background color of boxes

status_f/b: (string) statusbar colors

button_high_f/b: (string) highlight button colors

button_toggle_f/b: (string) toggle button colors

button_actions_f/b: (string) button colors

smallfont: (string) font for status bars

shiplib: (string) default shipshape library