editss Editor for XPilot shipshapes. (V2.1)
editss ["
shipshape "]
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.
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.
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.
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.
- 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.
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
xpilot(6), xpilots(6)